munneypicks

2016 Northern Trust Open

Tournament: Well the California run is near it’s end. We’ve had some success and some missteps along the way. But this week we’re at Riviera in beautiful Los Angeles. Truly one of the best courses on TOUR. This is evident by the top names in the sport that have decided to tee it up this week. An absolute world class field.

Course: Riviera Country Club is sometimes referred to as “Hogan’s Alley” and would suggest that ball strikers will have an advantage here. There are just three par 5’s here and plays to a par 71. Below are some course stats:

Par 71
7,279 Yards
Slope Rating: 137
Course Rating: 75.6
Water Hazards: 0
Bunkers: 60
Avg Green Size: 5000 sq ft

One of the most controversial holes here is the 10th hole. A short par 4 with a slender green that is very difficult to hit. Dustin Johnson had one of the most amazing up and downs you’ll see here in the playoff in 2015. Many players on TOUR say Riviera is their favorite course and I believe we’ll truly see the cream rise to the top here.

Field: Just over 135 players in the field this week so it is a bit smaller than a normal PGA field but some big names will tee it up here along with some past winners. Rory will be making his 2016 U.S. debut as will Sergio. Spieth, Bubba, Dustin Johnson, Adam Scott, and Jimmy Walker will all be here as well.

What to Look For: Some courses have distinct advantages for certain players, but it’s hard to find what really stands out at Riviera. However, recent success and course success have proven good indicators of upcoming achievement here. Course experience is important as well as in the last 10 years, only Adam Scott has won this tournament in less than his third start. Scott won here in his first appearance but is obviously a world class talent. Knowing your way around the course and having some recent success seems to be the ticket to finding your way to the winners circle here. One thing is for sure though, world class talent tends to win this event. Or at least always be in contention.

Picks:

Justin Rose to Win: Rose was superb last week at Pebble. And he has had some moderate success at Riviera in the past. His game I think suits extremely well for the course and he is off to a much better start this season than how he started last year. A bit of that was likely due to injury but if we’re looking for world class players outside of Rory and Spieth, Rose certainly fits the description.

Jimmy Walker e/w*: Walker loves California. And I’ve learned my lesson about backing off a player that I expected to do well who actually did well (but didn’t win). Walker is one of the best in the game now and is expected to make cuts every week. A far cry from where he was just 5 years ago. Walker can bomb it and putt the lights out. Hopefully he can build on his back to back 4th place finishes  in 2011 & 2012.

J.B. Holmes e/w*: Holmes continues to produce great results and he comes to a venue where he finished in the top 12 5 straight times (2008-2012). His last 5 starts this season have all resulted in top 25 finishes. J.B. is sizzling and this week could be the week he catches fire.

Keegan Bradley e/w*: Keegan is a player that I almost never back, simply because I don’t believe he has it all together between the ears. He can make horrible mistakes on the course and certainly hasn’t lived up to the hype following his win at the PGA Championship. All that said, Keegan loves this course. Check any past interview and he’ll certainly tell you so. His record reflects it as well. We cashed an e/w bet here last year when Keegan finished 4th. And with a decent showing in Phoenix 2 weeks ago, hopefully confidence is riding high.

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