FANCY getting the hottest golf tips ahead of the PGA Championship this week?
Well, look no further than The Sun’s top tipsters Down the 18th.
The duo are on an amazing run at the moment – with four places in the last three tournaments.
Now they turn their attentions to the USPGA Championship at Quail Hollow.
Course: Quail Hollow (7,600 yards, Par 71)
Current Champion: Jimmy Walker
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A major championship without Tiger Woods would once have sent shivers down the spines of TV broadcasters and sports journalists alike. But on the eve of the year’s fourth and final major we a see field that is as talented as it’s ever been.
Golf is in a good place. The only problem now is actually picking one of them to win. I shall endeavour.
This year’s USPGA takes place at Quail Hollow Club, a course that will be familiar to regular watchers of the PGA Tour.
It’s played host to the Wells Fargo Championship since 2003 where past champions include Rory McIlroy, J.B. Holmes, Rickie Fowler and Tiger Woods.
An “aggressive 90-day renovation” has taken place at the course since it last hosted a high profile tournament – the 2016 Wells Fargo.
The grass all over is now Bermuda, thousands of trees have been removed and four holes have a completely new look to them. Course form should still be considered but not taken as gospel after the renovations. McIlroy, Day, Garcia and Spieth are all proven putters on Bermuda surfaces.
Quail Hollow is one where GIR specialists have thrived but in recent times there has been a particular emphasis on driving distance and scrambling.
These areas will only be heightened by the new changes. J.B. Holmes won here in 2014 ranking 1st in driving distance and only 54th in driving accuracy.
McIlroy too in 2015, only ranked 19th in driving accuracy on the way to his second Wells Fargo title.
Despite these statistics, the golfers to watch out for this week are the guys who regularly top the ‘total driving’ column.
⛳ USPGA Championship Tips ⛳
By Andy Taylor
- Rickie Fowler (16/1 – add to your betslip): ‘It’s only a matter of time before he wins a Major’
- Paul Casey (40/1 – add to your betslip): ‘It’s hard to spot a chink in his armour’
- Daniel Berger (50/1 – add to your betslip): ‘Berger has all of the tools to win his first major’
- Zach Johnson (66/1 – add to your betslip): ‘His form is steadily building’
- Webb Simpson (125/1 – add to your betslip): ‘It’s hard to look past a player who lives near the course’
- Tony Finau (80/1 – add to your betslip): ‘He’s in a rich vein of form’
The rough is expected to be considerably thicker than usual making scoring a lot tougher. Fairways have never been more important to hit around Quail Hollow.
A winning score around level par is not to be ruled out. Another notable factor will be the weather this week. Rain is predicted for all four days and with that comes sodden fairways, increasing the advantage of the bigger hitters.
From a betting perspective, we recorded our third successive 2nd place over the weekend at the WGC Bridgestone.
Let’s get ourselves a win before we become the Tottenham Hotspur of the betting world.
USPGA Championship Tips
Rickie Fowler 16/1 (add to your betslip)
It would be only fitting that Rickie Fowler would win his maiden major championship on the exact same track he won his first PGA Tour title on back in 2012.
The American is swamped in the betting market by major winners but the all round package he possesses means it’s only a matter of time before he wins one of the big four.
Although 2017 has been a successful year, including a T-5 at the US Open and victory at the Honda Classic, it’s not quite blossomed how he would have hoped. But there is still time.
Fowler enjoyed an impressive weekend of 67-67 at the WGC Bridgestone which will give him the perfect momentum coming into this week.
Quail Hollow requires both accuracy and distance off the tee and the American does exactly that. He ranks 3rd in the total driving category.
He also ranks 9th scrambling, 1st strokes-gained putting and T-35 proximity to the hole.
Paul Casey 40/1 (add to your betslip)
The big forearmed Englishman has become a permanent fixture at the top of leaderboards of late.
Highlights of 2017 have included a 6th at the Masters, T-5 WGC Bridgestone, T-11 Honda Classic and T-11 at the British Open.
It’s hard to spot a chink in Casey’s armory other than the grit and resolve to get the job done in a big tournament.
Casey hasn’t excelled in his limited starts at Quail Hollow but is experienced enough on similar tracks such as Augusta and Firestone last week.
His performance at the Bridgestone was particularly interesting as his driving, usually his best asset, was nowhere near its best.
He only found 50% of fairways but still managed a T-5 finish.
A few tweaks on the range and he could go close.
Daniel Berger 50/1 (add to your betslip)
The USPGA has a habit of throwing up first time winners in recent times.
Eight of the last nine champions of this event were maiden major winners.
Daniel Berger has all the tools at his disposal to continue that trend.
Berger is solid in all areas of his game ranking 28th scrambling, 26th strokes-gained putting, 39th total driving and T-24 bogey avoidance.
At 24, he still has a lot to learn with only one major top ten to his name but PGA Tour titles in consecutive seasons is hugely impressive.
As are his two appearances at Quail Hollow – 17th in 2016 and 28th in 2015.
The American also has consecutive top five finishes at the Shell Houston Open, an event that correlates well with the Wells Fargo Champioship.
Zach Johnson 66/1 (add to your betslip)
Zach Johnson must still be scratching his head having been witness to the greatest ever final round in WGC history over the weekend.
The American shot a final-round 68 while in the last group which would get the job done on most Sundays in the calendar. But he will take heart from the performance having endured a fairly poor 2017 to date.
His form has been steadily building towards the USPGA with a T-5 at the John Deere Classic, T-14 at the Open and runner-up last week.
Questions will be asked of Zach, as they always are, as to whether he can handle tracks of this distance given his lack of length off the tee.
His pinpoint accuracy off the tee and crisp long iron game will be plenty enough for Quail Hollow.
After all, he has finished in the top 15 on three separate occasions around here.
Outsiders
Webb Simpson 125/1 (add to your betslip)
It’s hard to look past a player who lives near the course and is a member at Quail Hollow.
The American has not always had his own way around the track despite knowing every inch. But a 2nd in 2015 and 5th in 2012 are plenty encouragement for someone of these odds.
He has been steadily going about his business this season with a best finish of 2nd at the Waste Management Phoenix Open.
Statistically ranks 4th in scrambling and 11th in proximity to the hole.
With a major title already under his belt, he can swing freely this week on his home track.
Tony Finau 80/1 (add to your betslip)
Will prove to be a popular pick this week given his driving prowess.
He comes to Quail Hollow in a rich vein of form having finished T-5 at the Canadian Open and T-7 at the Greenbrier Classic.
He has respectable course form with a 28th in 2016 and 16th in 2015.
Ranks T-31 total driving, T-46 scrambling and 9th bogey avoidance.
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