It’s known as the toughest test in golf. Scary, even. Brutal and unforgiving. Oh, and entertaining. You know, so long as you’re not playing. “A difficult golf course eliminates a lot of players. The U.S. Open flag eliminates a lot of players.” said Jack Nicklaus.

I’m letting the stats take the wheel here because, well, they make a great case. So here’s what I’ve found:

Bogey Avoidance

We will look at the more fun stats soon, but the U.S. Open is not a place for mistakes. Neither is Shinnecock Hills. You avoid mistakes first, then you play good golf.

Henrik Stenson, Dustin Johnson, Rickie Fowler, Webb Simpson, Justin Rose. Top five in Bogey Avoidance on the PGA Tour (in order). Rule out Simpson because (spoiler alert!) he doesn’t have what it takes across the board. Bryson DeChambeau also ranks in at 24^th here. Keep that in mind.

It won’t surprise you that the aforementioned top five plus DeChambeau all rank inside the Top-20 for Top-10 finishes this season, all with four or more.

Off The Tee

Strokes Gained (SG): Tee-To-Green and SG: Off-The-Tee. DJ ranks top for both. As Father’s Day approaches, the World No. 1 will undoubtedly swap the “World’s Greatest Dad” t-shirt and mug for “PGA Tour’s Greatest Driver”. Or World’s Great Golfer. I suppose that works too.

Stenson, DeChambeau and Rose all also rank within the Top-20 for both of these stats. However, only Stenson- who tops the list- cracks even the Top-45 for Driving Accuracy Percentage. With tough rough at Shinnecock, this is certainly worth noting.

Get Him to the Green

Stenson tops the list AGAIN… TWICE. SG: Approach-The-Green and Greens In Regulations (GIR) Percentage. The Swede knows how to avoid bogeys, hit fairways, approach the green and get to the green in regulation better than anybody else on Tour.

SG: Approach also looks good for DJ (T12), DeChambeau (17^th) and Rose (27^th). All of them, along with Rickie Fowler (17^th) sit inside the Top-20 for GIR too.

The Picks

You may have noticed that I kept bringing up the same names over and over again (was I too subtle?), and you would, therefore, know that I have my picks locked in.

Dustin Johnson, Henrik Stenson, Bryson DeChambeau, Justin Rose and Rickie Fowler. Stenson and DJ look the men to beat on the stat sheets, whilst Justin Rose has been tipped to win by the world and his dog. DeChambeau and Fowler are more wildcards, and maybe Fowler is too wild a card, but wouldn’t it just be nice for him to win his first Major straight after getting engaged.

And Finally… Putting

Five picks is greedy, so I had to whittle it down. Fortunately the stats made that part easy too. Only Rose (T10) and DJ (20^th) rank inside the Top-50 for putting. And as it turns out, that’s fairly important.

Stenson is outstanding until the putter comes out, but that is a major flaw. DeChambeau's scientific approach could come in handy, but he's a long shot. Rickie, I'm rooting for you, but nice doesn't win golf Majors. If it did, you wouldn't have been edged out by Patrick Reed (Bitter? Me? Never!). I do expect them all to rank highly though.

So that leaves Dustin Johnson and Justin Rose as my picks to win the 2018 U.S. Open.

Written by Joe Carabini

joe.carabini@foremostgolf.com

It was historic week on the European Tour as Austria's Diamond Country Club hosted the inaugural Shot Clock Masters; the first tournament in which every player played every shot within a time limit. Finland's Mikko Korhonen picked up his first professional victory at the tender age of 37, carding a -16 to finish 6 strokes clear of 22-year-old Connor Syme.

Whilst the tournament will live long in the memory of the journeyman champion and the rookie runner-up, the experimental format could potentially be a stepping stone to a new era of the game. But how do we feel about the shot clock format?

Player Response

As you would expect, the players loved it. Of course the European Tour wouldn't have gone ahead with the idea without the support of the players. It's pretty hard to play a golf tournament without them, after all. That said, it is surprising how many of the participants claim to have been converted whilst playing.

Sweden's Michael Lundberg actually said "Before the tournament started I thought it was kind of a joke", referring to what he felt to be more time than was necessary. However, Lundberg, along with many other players, soon realised that the clock forced them to "prepare better". Fellow Swede Peter Hanson cited the inability to "over-do things" and "think too much". The word being thrown around most of all in post-round interviews was "commit". You had to commit to your shot. No doubting yourself or getting caught in two minds. This, according to most, actually leads to better shots.

England's Tom Lewis and Belgium's Nicolas Colsaerts are already looking forward to using the format again in future, with Colsaerts going as far as to wish it could be in use every week.

So it's a resounding thumbs up from the players. But what about the fans?

Fan Response

As the European Tour stated, this tournament was an experiment. Fan response will be as critical to the success or failure of the experiment as that of the players. Now, just to clear things up, it was no accident that this experiment took place whilst all the big names were off preparing for the U.S. Open. Imagine the outrage if Rory McIlroy was the first player penalised! It minimises the pressure as they work out any kinks because, let's face it, golf fans can be critical.

I think personal experiences with the frustration of slow play means fans can empathise and, therefore, support the concept. But everybody agrees it was more fun to watch and a lot of spectators seem to agree with Colsaerts; use it every week, not just as a novelty.

What Next?

The European Tour have been understandably quiet about future plans for the format, but renaming the Austrian Open 'The Shot Clock Masters' does make me question whether it will be a regular thing. The general consensus seems to be that we want to see more of it. Don't make it a novelty. The more the merrier. People definitely don't object to putting the world's best under more pressure. The concern, I believe, was that we'd see more mistakes, but it's been almost the opposite as players feel that being forced to commit fully means better execution.

What do you think?

Written by Joe Carabini

joe.carabini@foremostgolf.com

Yeah yeah, I know. Too soon. But have you seen the European Tour lately? 

First & Foremost: Francesco

I was following Francesco Molinari at the BMW PGA Championship when he made that Saturday surge around Wentworth and I can assure you that I wasn't the only one thinking about Team Europe. The man oozed class. To win over a crowd is one thing, but to win it over from Rory McIlroy is another. He did exactly that. I wasn't at the Italian Open the following week, but when the Italian made that incredible birdie putt on Sunday's final hole I'm pretty sure I heard the crowd from my sofa in England. He ultimately missed out on back-to-back titles by a single stroke to Thorbjorn Olesen, but his ability to raise his game when the stakes are raised is a promising sign. Consecutive Rolex Series events- offering extra Race to Dubai points and increased prize money- coincided with inflated Ryder Cup Ranking points (multiplied by 1.5 from PGA Championship until Made in Denmark) and Molinari took full advantage. He now leads the European Rankings.

Making the Cut

Rafa Cabrera-Bello's fourth-placed finish in the Italian Open saw him replace fellow Spaniard Sergio Garcia in the sixth automatic qualifying spot. Tyrrell Hatton conceded pole position to Molinari but still sits comfortably in second, with Justin Rose and Rory McIlroy filling the other two spots available through European Points. Cabrera-Bello is currently joined in qualifying through World Points by Jon Rahm, Tommy Fleetwood and Alex Noren.

Fleetwood is yet to repliacte his 2017 form this year, but given how good he was en route to last season's Race to Dubai title it would be almost unimaginable for him not to be in France come September. Similarly, English compatriot Hatton hasn't had much to write home about since his T3 at the WGC-Mexico. His last victory came at the 2017 Italian Open and he marked the one year anniversary at last week's tournament with a third consecutive missed cut. I hate to say it, but Hatton's decline in form just so happens to clash with his improved discipline. You would hope that there is another way to find the spark without the aggression, but I'm not counting on it. Alex Noren has registered four top-3 finishes in 2018 but is without a win in over a year (2017 BMW PGA Championship) so, like Fleetwood and Hatton, the Swede needs to step it up to maintain his position.

Rose, Rahm and Rory sit in third, fourth and sixth in the world respectively, so it's difficult to see a scenario in which any of them don't make it.

In the Hunt

Surpise surprise, Ian Poulter is racing towards a Ryder Cup place. Not much more than a year ago, Poults sat outside the Top 200 in the world. Now, he's giving the Top 20 a run for their money. Red-hot form when it mattered most is what made the match-play master so popular in Europe, and he tapped into that for his win at the Houston Open to qualify for The Masters in dramatic fashion. I can only see him improving from hereon in.

I've already mentioned that Garcia and Olesen sit just outside the qualifying spots, but they both have a lot of work to do to maintain a charge for the automatic places. England's Ross Fisher is in the same boat, with his T8 at the PGA Championship just his second Top 30 finish in 2018. Finally, Paul Casey. Much was made of the Englishman opting to join the European Tour and secure eligibility, but his Valspar Championship win is the only title he's picked up since 2014. He may be consistent, but he needs more firepower to win on the big stage.

Reasons for Optimism

The States boast an incredible array of talent, but the European Tour is peaking at just the right moment and there is an understandable buzz about the array of talent with renowned superstars and emerging starlets alike. A lot can and will change between now and September, but Le Golf National will play host to a hell of a Ryder Cup. That much is certain.

Written by Joe Carabini

joe.carabini@foremostgolf.com

Bryson DeChambeau

Perhaps when you name your newborn Bryson DeChambeau you're not exactly shooting for ordinary, and the two-time PGA Tour champion is nothing if not extraordinary. His eccentric Puma Golf clothing and innovative One-Length Cobra Golf irons have given him a unique reputation on Tour. His meticulous approach means he is reaping some hard-earned rewards with his second PGA Tour win at the Memorial Tournament.

How It Happened

The victory lifts DeChambeau to No. 22 in the World Rankings, and at just 24 years old there is no doubt about his potential. The likes of Justin Rose, Justin Thomas, Dustin Johnson, Rickie Fowler and Rory McIlroy were all in hot pursuit come Sunday, making it all the more impressive that DeChambeau held his nerve to shoot a one-under 71. However, it wasn't enough to pull away from Byeong Hun An and Kyle Stanley, who also finished on -15. A makeable birdie putt on the 18th missed left, meaning DeChambeau would need a playoff. Stanley's bogey on the first playoff hole eliminated him, before a Bryson birdie on the second saw him clinch a deserved title.

The Big Guns

Tiger's Thursday par equalled that of Thomas, DJ & Fowler and went two better than McIlory and Mickelson as the big guns failed to fire in the opening round. Friday, on the other hand, saw ten players shoot a 6-under 66, including Justin Rose, Henrik Stenson, DJ & Mickelson. Then, on Saturday, McIlroy surged up the leaderboard with a round of 64. Tiger went 67-68 on Friday-Saturday before a level-par final round saw him finish on -9 at T23.

Joaquin Niemann: The Baby-Faced Assassin

Niemann just picked up his third top-10 finish since turning professional... in five tournaments. 19 years old, five professional appearances, three PGA Tour top-10 finishes. Let that sink in. He took sixth spot on his professional debut at the Valero Texas Open, T8 at the Fort Worth Invitational and T6 at the Memorial Tournament. The Chilean may still sit at World No. 223, but that won't last long. He's already climbed 1304 places in less than two months.

Only one teenager has won a PGA Tour event since 1931. Jordan Spieth's win at the 2013 John Deere Classic came two weeks shy of his 20th birthday. Immediately after the winning putt, the commentator said "first of many". It's already the first of 14 and he's only 24. Niemann won't turn 20 until November, meaning he has plenty of time to break Spieth's record. I know I'm getting carried away, but how could you not? This kid is special.

Bryson DeChambeau - What's in the Bag?

Driver: Cobra King LTD Pro

3-Wood: Cobra King LTD Black

5-Wood: Cobra King F8+ Baffler

Irons: Cobra King One-Length Utility (4 & 5), Cobra King One-Length (6-PW)

Wedges: Cobra King V Grind, Cobra King WideLow Grind

Putter: SIK Tour prototype

Golf Ball: Bridgestone Tour B X

Written by Joe Carabini

joe.carabini@foremostgolf.com

The BMW PGA Championship: The flagship event of the European Tour season. Crowds crammed into Wentworth's iconic grounds in sweltering heat like sardines in a sauna. On Saturday I joined them, and here's what happened.

The McIlroy Effect

Many of my fellow sardines appeared only interested in one man. Fortunately for them, the interest was clearly mutual as Rory McIlroy greeted one spectator with a suspected broken arm and another with a bloodied face. Oh, and he managed to catch a marshal with an errant ball for good measure. My decision to follow Francesco Molinari and Kiradech Aphibarnat instead of McIlroy was based more on anticipation of quality golf than a fear of stray golf balls, but it paid off in more ways than one.

With the Northern Irishman in possession of a three-stroke lead at -12 and his nearest competitors a couple of relative unknowns in Sam Horsfield and Sebastian Gros, I can only imagine that the on-screen statistics in the Championship Village of his poor record when leading after 36 holes was designed more to convince people the tournament was still worth watching than to deter people from playing follow the leader. However, that's exactly what it did for me.

Marvellous Molinari

Watching Molinari on Saturday was an absolute treat. Seemingly incapable of putting a foot wrong, the Italian oozed class. He was blissfully unaware of McIlroy's struggles, but continued to track down the World No. 6 with a flawless 66. A wayward approach shot left him with a tricky chip over the water on the 18th, but he executed it to perfection to make par in style. He may have usurped the fan-favourite, but he managed to win those fans over in the process. A deserving winner.

Ryder Cup Ready

Bearing in mind that there was still another round to play in the tournament, as Molinari approached the 18th green on Saturday the crowd was already abuzz with talk of his Ryder Cup ranking. The announcement of Team Europe's vice-captains earlier in the week and the start of the accelerated ranking points (all points earned are now multiplied by 1.5 until Made in Denmark) clearly had people excited, and with newly-appointed vice-captains Graeme McDowell and Lee Westwood entering the weekend at -6 and -5 respectively, the crowds were excited. On Saturday, Westwood moved to -8 and T7 with his second round of 69 on the bounce to really get people talking.

Are You Not Entertained?

There are few golf tournaments with the same level of interaction and entertainment for fans. The Championship Village offered a variety of games and experiences, including a 100-foot putt challenge and the chance to win a trip to Seychelles by watching the golf from a bed (don't ask!), and performances from Rudimental and Simple Minds to close out Saturday and Sunday respectively. Combine that with great golf and you have yourself one of the most popular events on the European Tour calendar.

What's in the Bag - Francesco Molinari

Driver: TaylorMade M4

3-Wood: TaylorMade M3

5-Wood: TaylorMade M4

Irons: TaylorMade P790

Wedges: TaylorMade Milled Grind

Putter: Bettinardi Dass BBZero

Golf Ball: Titleist Pro V1x

Written by Joe Carabini

joe.carabini@foremostgolf.com

How time flies! It seems like yesterday I was sat here writing about the 2017 D+D Real Czech Masters kicking off Team Europe's qualification campaign. Now, Thomas BjØrn has his entourage. Robert Karlsson will be joined by Luke Donald, Padraig Harrington, Graeme McDowell and Lee Westwood as Team Europe Vice-Captains.

Much has been made of the foursome's golfing prowess (two Major champions and two former World Number Ones), but the wealth of Ryder Cup experience (and successful experience, crucially) is what will concern those on the other side of the pond. These are men who know how to win the Ryder Cup. That said, all bar Donald have tasted defeat as part of Team Europe in the past. It may not have been in their minds at the time, but those defeats could very well have helped the cases of Westwood, Harrington and McDowell as BjØrn assessed his options.

On top of the Vice-Captains announcement, the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth this week signals the beginning of the inflated points system. From this week through to August's Made in Denmark, points for European Tour events will be multiplied by 1.5 on the World Points List and the European Points List.

There's plenty of time to go, but there's certainly reason to get excited as BjØrn & Co. prepare Team Europe's attempt to regain the title.

Written by Joe Carabini

joe.carabini@foremostgolf.com

The European Tour returns to Surrey’s iconic Wentworth Club for the showpiece BMW PGA Championship. Serving as a curtain-raiser for the return of the lucrative Rolex Series, this year’s tournament holds added importance for the field. But that won’t stop them having plenty of fun, with a star-studded Celebrity Pro-Am featuring legends of football, rugby, cricket, television and more as well as plenty of activities for fans in the Championship Village. Perhaps most intriguingly, a BMW i8 Roadster will sit in the grandstand waiting to be awarded to any player who manages an albatross on the West Course’s par-5, 521-yard 18^th; tempting players to go for broke around the water-surrounded green.

Headline Acts

World No. 8 Rory McIlroy and World No. 10 Paul Casey headline this week’s event, with last year’s winner Alex Noren joining Race to Dubai champion Tommy Fleetwood, Branden Grace, Francesco Molinari and Ian Poulter in a mouth-watering field.

The Course

Wentworth Club has been closed for renovation since last year’s tournament, with brand spanking new greens playing a lot faster than in previous years. Twenty-nine bunkers have been removed as part of an attempt to make the course more playable, which should lead to lower scores than previous years.

Favourites

Unsurprisingly Rory McIlroy heads the bookies’ list at 15/2, with Paul Casey, Tommy Fleetwood, Alex Noren and Branden Grace just behind on 14/1.

Paul Casey’s recent missed cut at the RBC Heritage was his first in over a year. The 2009 champion has only managed one victory in that period, at the 2018 Valspar Championship, but Mr Consistent looks a nailed-on Top 10 finisher. An impressive T7 at THE PLAYERS Championship last time out will have Fleetwood brimming with confidence despite missing the cut here in 2017. Alex Noren hasn’t won since his title here last year, making him a risk at that price. Branden Grace’s T3 at the At&T Byron Nelson last week combines with his outstanding putting ability to give him a chance here.

I think this revamped course will force the best golf out of Rory McIlroy. He has the wow-factor and as other players struggle to come to grips with course changes I can see the superstar emerging to shoot a low score. The accelerated greens will be a test, but one I believe he will overcome.

It’s a tough tournament to call, but they're always the best. We’ll surely be entertained with elite golf, an awesome Pro-Am, live music and all sorts of activities at the European Tour HQ.

Written by Joe Carabini

joe.carabini@foremostgolf.com

Simpson Steals Sawgrass Show

Nobody would have predicted Webb Simpson strolling to victory at TPC Sawgrass. Well, not until he started Sunday seven strokes clear. Without a win in five years, the American was hardly a frontrunner, but a course record-equalling 63 on Friday, sandwiched between a 66 and 68, left the rest of the field chasing second spot. Whilst we always want to see a tournament of this magnitude go down to the wire, Simpson played three days of beautiful golf (and one day of understandably safe golf). A deserving champion.

Sunday Stories

Despite Simpson's commanding lead, Sunday was no dead rubber. Brooks Kopeka struck just the fourth albatross in PLAYERS history on the par-5 16th as he charged to the second course record-equalling round of the tournament, matching Webb Simpson's 63.

But the big story of the day was Tiger Woods, who went 72-71 to scrape inside the CUT with nothing to spare. He then roared to a seven-under 65 on Saturday to make things interesting. Like I said, the title was all-but decided before Sunday, but if one man could change that it was Tiger Woods on a hot streak. Tiger struck six birdies in twelve to raise a few eyebrows, although a bogey at the fourteenth killed off any hope. A double-bogey at the seventeenth reminded us that he's still not quite there yet- or not mentally at least- but a highly respectable -11 for T11 leaves us wondering what next.

Foremost Shortlist

Jason Day, Justin Thomas and Henrik Stenson.

Day topped the list with a solid week of golf which left him in T5 at -13; one stroke off Charl Schwartzel, Jimmy Walker & Xander Schauffele at T2. The Aussie once again putted sublimely and looked set for more after an eagle on the 9th put him four-under at the turn on Sunday, but nine consecutive pars on the home stretch still left him looking good for the week.

After opening with a one-over 73, Justin Thomas improved day-by-day in shooting 70-68-66 en route to -11. That opening round 73 included five birdies, but an erratic showing also produced four bogeys and a double. But whilst the early wobble cost him a shot at the tournament, a late wobble from Dustin Johnson did hand Thomas the World No. 1 spot. Things could be worse.

Henrik Stenson went below par every day as he finished -9 for T23. He looked good after opening with 68 but failed to kick on as the rest of the field posted low numbers over the weekend. Still, consistent and respectable in typical Stenson fashion.

Webb Simpson - What's in the Bag?

Driver: Titleist 917 D2

3 Wood: TaylorMade M2

5 Wood: Titleist 913

Hybrid: Titleist 913

Irons: Titleist 718 MB

Wedges: Titleist Vokey SM7

Putter: Odyssey Tank Cruiser V-Line

Golf Ball: Titleist Pro V1

Plenty of talking points as always from THE PLAYERS Championship, with Tiger looking more like Tiger than he has in years, the crowning of a new World No. 1 and one of the most impressive wins in PLAYERS history.

Written by Joe Carabini

joe.carabini@foremostgolf.com

"It is one of the toughest tests in golf, with potentially the best field in golf."

Nobody knows how to win a major better than Jordan Spieth, and nobody knows how hard it is to win THE PLAYERS Championship better than Jordan Spieth. When quizzed about pal Rickie Fowler's absent major title, Spieth cited the Californian's 2015 PLAYERS title, saying "essentially he's won what's harder to win than a major". No marketing team in the world can give you a better advert for this tournament than Jordan Spieth just did.

The Groupings

As a spectator you really couldn't ask for a better field. The marquee grouping of Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson & Rickie Fowler has everybody overlooking the grouping of Rory McIlory, Justin Thomas & Jordan Spieth. However, I think you're most likely to find your winner in the group of Jason Day, Henrik Stenson & Sergio Garcia. Day looks set to produce another dominant run of results similar to the one that culminated in his 2016 title at TPC Sawgrass, whilst 2009 champion Henrik Stenson is in great form and suits this course down to the ground. Whilst I don't fancy Garcia's chances this year, he has posted two runners-up (2007, 2015) and a victory (2008) here, so only a fool would write him off.

The Course

TPC Sawgrass is a course that tests just about every aspect of a player's game. Consistency from tee-to-green is an enviable trait in any golf tournament, but this is perhaps the most diverse course on Tour. It does not favour a powerhouse like Tony Finau any more than a confident putter like Sam Burns unless they can raise the rest of their game to the same standard.

Stat's the Ticket

I mentioned Finau because he is No. 2 in driving distance and Sam Burns because he is No. 3 in Strokes Gained (SG): Putting, but neither ranks in the Top 5 for any other aspect of the game. Sure, statistics don't tell the full story, but they do give a raw representation of a player's game. Jason Day, Justin Thomas and Henrik Stenson are the loudest names in the PGA Tour statistics, so it's no surprise that they all rank in the Top 5 for SG: Total (1st, 4th & 5th respectively).

Predictions

Don't be fooled by last year's tournament, this is not a place for upsets. The world's Top 50 golfers are not easily beaten. Day and McIlroy top the bookies' list (14/1) and I think Day is onto something big at the moment, but McIlroy's game isn't where it needs to be for me. Spieth & Thomas (16/1) and Dustin Johnson (18/1) aren't far behind, but with Spieth missing three consecutive cuts and DJ out-of-form Thomas is the only man there worth his price. Skipping over a few big names, my shout for the week is Henrik Stenson at a massive 28/1. He's a past champion in great form with the stats in his favour and he's due a win.

It really is as open as any golf tournament in the world, but that's my shortlist: Jason Day, Justin Thomas and Henrik Stenson.

Expect some major golf this week at TPC Sawgrass.

Credit: @PGATOUR - Official Twitter account of the PGA Tour

Written by Joe Carabini

joe.carabini@foremostgolf.com

Day Wins Wells Fargo

Jason Day returned to the World Top 10 with victory at the Wells Fargo Championship on Sunday, and just in time for THE PLAYERS Championship.

The Aussie may have won, but he did it the hard way (as per usual) by blowing a three-stroke lead before birdies at the 16th & 17th sealed a two-stroke victory to put certain demons to bed. Day described the hard-fought win as feeling like he "went ten rounds out there just fighting against myself"; a telling reflection of personal struggles both on and off the golf course.

The "Fifth Major"

His second win of 2018 has earned Day a spot as the joint-bookmakers' favourite, along with Rory McIlroy, Jordan Spieth & Justin Thomas. Whilst the pressure of expectation has historically been more a curse than a blessing for Day, it is testament to his apparent resurgence since falling from the top of the world rankings at the close of 2016.

21-year-old Korean Kim Si-Woo upset the odds to win last year's tournament, but that is unusual at TPC Sawgrass with then-World No. 1 Jason Day winning in 2016, Rickie Fowler in 2015, Martin Kaymer in 2014 (prior to winning the U.S. Open), Tiger Woods in 2013 and Matt Kuchar in 2012. In other words, you have to have some serious ability and form to win here.

Ones to Watch

One name that jumps out at me is Henrik Stenson. Form is definitely important here and his run of 4-T6-T5 at the Arnold Palmer, Houston Open & Masters means he is red-hot right now. He also crops up at the right end of just about every PGA Tour statistic. On a nicely balanced course, his well-rounded game means his 28/1 price is very, very good.

Justin Thomas looks very good across the board on the PGA Tour, so I expect a big week from him. Like Stenson, his ability in every department means he is suited to the balanced course in Ponte Vedra.

Spieth's game should suit this course well, but his T4 debut in 2014 is the only time he has made the cut at TPC Sawgrass, which tells me something is fundamentally wrong there. That said, he can never be written off.

People continue to back Rory because, well, surely he has to win a big tournament again at some point. Right? He won the Arnold Palmer Invitational and finished T5 at the Masters, so there's definitely reason for optimism.

Patrick Reed's form since his Masters victory has been solid, but I don't seen him taking the title. Dustin Johnson is usually good for a top 10, but I don't fancy him this year. Rickie Fowler has only finished better than T60 twice; a 2015 win and a 2012 T2, so he is the definition of a wildcard. I wouldn't bank on him showing up.

We'll Be Back

Still not sure who you fancy? No need to panic, we'll be back with more tomorrow to clear everything up.

Written by Joe Carabini

joe.carabini@foremostgolf.com