PGA First Look: PGA Championship

by Derek Farnsworth (Notorious) Last Updated 2016-07-28 13:12:26

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The PGA First Look is complete with a course preview, odds, salaries, Official World Golf Rankings, and course history.

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Editor’s Note: Our next designated DraftKings King of Summer contest will be the $600,000 PGA Birdie. The event has just a $3 buy-in and also will wrap up our King of July leaderboard!

RBC Canadian Open Recap

Jhonattan Vegas claimed a victory at Glen Abbey last week, by completing an epic comeback. He wasn’t on anyone’s radar heading into Sunday, as he was five strokes back before he teed off. He went out in 31 on the front nine and birdied his final three holes to finish eight-under for the day and 12-under overall. Even though Dustin Johnson fell just short, he finished in a tie for second with Jon Rahm and Martin Laird. The run that Johnson has been on is certainly worth noting. In his last six events, he has finished third, fifth, first, first, tied for ninth, and tied for second. Hopefully, RG members didn’t have very much exposure to Charley Hoffman. He withdrew about 20 minutes before the tournament started, which basically killed any lineup that had him in it.

PGA Championship Preview

It feels a little strange this week, as there is usually a big build-up before each major. The Open Championship was only two weeks ago and thanks to the scheduling for the Olympics, the PGA Championship was moved up to this week. Winning a major counts the same regardless, but there is typically less emphasis on winning the PGA Championship compared to the likes of the Masters, the U.S. Open, and the Open Championship. That’s not to say that winning this week isn’t important for golfers though, as a major is a major. We always have to remember that Mike Weir and Keegan Bradley are both major championship winners.

Jason Day will be defending his title at the PGA Championship. He is back in the field with 97 of the top 100 golfers in the world. The only golfers missing from the top 100 are Charles Howell III (injury), Ian Poulter (injury), and Jaco Van Zyl (prepping for the Olympics). There are four players that have recently withdrawn from events that we need to keep our eye on – Brooks Koepka (ankle), Daniel Berger (shoulder), Charley Hoffman (illness), and Chris Wood (back). As of right now, all four are expected to tee it up this week, but I consider them all risky plays. Hoffman is probably the safest play of the bunch, as he has had a full week to recover from his illness.

The event will be held at Baltusrol Golf Club (Lower Course) in Springfield, New Jersey. This is a tough Par 70 that measures 7,462 yards. This course is one of the longest courses in major history for a Par 70, which is something to note heading into the week. There are a lot of blind tee shots on the course, which does give it a Scotish Links type of feel. When the PGA Championship was played here in 2005, the winning score was only four-under par by none other than Phil Mickelson. Even if the weather holds up, this is going to be a very difficult course. With only two par fives (one of them measuring 650 yards), scoring opportunities will be limited. Strangely enough, the only two par fives on the course are the final two holes – 17 and 18. Baltusrol is expected to play firm and fast and many are predicting the winner to be around five-under par.

So, what is it going to take to win the Wanamaker trophy? Judging by the leaderboard in 2005, you need to be a good ball striker. You need to hit fairways, hit greens, and ultimately hit putts. I am slightly favoring distance over accuracy off the tee, although both will be needed this week. There are going to be many long approaches into the greens, so targeting golfers with a good long iron game is never a bad idea. My final piece of advice is to target golfers that have been in good form coming in. In terms of the course history below, I have listed the results from the last five PGA Championships. This obviously isn’t a great week to use course history, as the PGA Championship changes venues every year.

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Cut Rule: Top 70 and ties will move on after the first two rounds.

Recent Winners of this Event: Jason Day (2015), Rory McIlroy (2014), Jason Dufner (2013), Rory McIlroy (2012), Keegan Bradley (2011)

Key Statistics

1) Strokes Gained Tee to Green
2) Strokes Gained Putting
3) Birdie or Better %
4) Total Driving (with an Emphasis on Distance)
5) Approaches from 175-225 Yards

Salaries, Odds, and Course History (2011-2015)

Golfer	Salary	S-Rank	Odds	O-Rank	+ / –	OWGR	Cuts	2015	2014	2013	2012	2011
Jason Day	$11,700	1	9	3	-2	1	3/5	1	15	8	85	76
Dustin Johnson	$11,600	2	8	1	1	2	3/4	7	500	8	48	94
Rory McIlroy	$11,400	3	8	2	1	4	5/5	17	1	8	1	64
Jordan Spieth	$11,100	4	12	4	0	3	1/3	2	116	116	500	500
Henrik Stenson	$10,500	5	15	5	0	5	3/3	25	3	3	500	500
Phil Mickelson	$10,200	6	21	6	0	13	5/5	18	2	72	36	19
Justin Rose	$9,800	7	28	7	0	11	4/5	4	24	33	3	76
Adam Scott	$9,600	8	29	8	0	8	4/5	118	15	5	11	7
Sergio Garcia	$9,400	9	29	9	0	10	4/5	54	35	61	73	12
Rickie Fowler	$9,200	10	34	11	-1	7	4/5	30	3	19	104	51
Bubba Watson	$9,000	11	30	10	1	6	4/5	21	64	76	11	26
Hideki Matsuyama	$8,800	12	54	17	-5	19	3/3	37	35	19	500	500
Matt Kuchar	$8,600	13	46	13	0	17	3/4	7	500	22	104	19
Zach Johnson	$8,400	14	60	22	-8	20	4/5	78	69	8	70	59
Louis Oosthuizen	$8,300	15	57	21	-6	15	3/4	30	15	500	21	116
Danny Willett	$8,200	16	56	20	-4	9	3/3	54	30	40	500	500
Patrick Reed	$8,100	17	46	12	5	14	2/2	30	58	500	500	500
Branden Grace	$8,000	18	49	14	4	12	2/4	3	46	76	96	500
Martin Kaymer	$7,900	19	56	18	1	51	2/5	12	74	33	130	76
Lee Westwood	$7,900	19	77	25	-6	39	4/5	43	15	33	85	8
Shane Lowry	$7,800	21	84	26	-5	28	2/3	78	46	57	500	500
Brooks Koepka	$7,800	21	49	15	6	18	3/3	5	15	70	500	500
J.B. Holmes	$7,700	23	70	24	-1	16	2/2	24	64	500	500	WD
Graeme McDowell	$7,700	23	139	52	-29	72	3/5	100	46	12	11	127
Keegan Bradley	$7,700	23	109	34	-11	109	4/5	61	94	19	3	1
Matthew Fitzpatrick	$7,600	26	130	47	-21	45	0/0	500	500	500	500	500
Paul Casey	$7,600	26	103	30	-4	30	3/5	30	94	33	148	72
Jimmy Walker	$7,600	26	107	32	-6	48	2/4	90	7	88	21	500
Jim Furyk	$7,600	26	65	23	3	22	5/5	30	5	2	42	39
Russell Knox	$7,500	30	110	35	-5	26	0/2	90	84	500	500	500
Webb Simpson	$7,500	30	119	41	-11	68	2/5	54	109	25	73	109
Brandt Snedeker	$7,500	30	53	16	14	21	3/5	12	13	66	111	94
Marc Leishman	$7,500	30	112	36	-6	47	3/4	78	46	12	27	500
Byeong-Hun An	$7,400	34	143	54	-20	31	0/1	100	500	500	500	500
Scott Piercy	$7,400	34	114	38	-4	25	4/5	48	74	5	48	26
Rafael Cabrera-Bello	$7,300	36	109	33	3	27	2/4	90	73	29	85	500
Harris English	$7,300	36	158	58	-22	56	2/3	48	94	61	500	500
Charl Schwartzel	$7,300	36	56	19	17	23	4/5	37	15	76	59	12
Billy Horschel	$7,200	39	124	43	-4	67	2/3	25	58	107	500	500
Justin Thomas	$7,200	39	85	27	12	40	1/1	18	500	500	500	500
Ryan Palmer	$7,200	39	136	50	-11	70	3/5	78	5	47	124	19
Victor Dubuisson	$7,200	39	234	85	-46	79	2/2	18	7	500	500	500
Kevin Kisner	$7,100	43	135	49	-6	29	0/1	78	500	500	500	500
Danny Lee	$7,100	43	122	42	1	41	1/1	43	500	500	500	500
Luke Donald	$7,100	43	160	59	-16	85	4/5	43	40	88	32	8
Jason Dufner	$7,100	43	92	28	15	52	4/4	68	WD	1	27	2
Bill Haas	$7,100	43	112	36	7	32	5/5	65	27	25	32	12
Thomas Pieters	$7,000	48	169	63	-15	63	0/0	500	500	500	500	500
Colt Knost	$7,000	48	191	72	-24	97	0/0	500	500	500	500	500
William McGirt	$7,000	48	161	61	-13	46	0/1	500	500	500	85	500
Padraig Harrington	$7,000	48	191	73	-25	150	2/5	78	74	107	18	64
Kevin Streelman	$7,000	48	177	68	-20	102	3/4	54	84	12	500	62
Anirban Lahiri	$7,000	48	211	77	-29	64	1/2	5	84	500	500	500
Steve Stricker	$7,000	48	102	29	19	87	5/5	30	7	12	7	12
Brandon Stone	$6,900	55	317	108	-53	95	0/0	500	500	500	500	500
Emiliano Grillo	$6,900	55	125	44	11	37	1/1	61	500	500	500	500
Daniel Summerhays	$6,900	55	217	78	-23	89	1/1	500	33	500	500	500
John Senden	$6,900	55	317	110	-55	111	3/5	78	123	70	32	19
Bernd Wiesberger	$6,900	55	171	66	-11	55	1/4	78	15	88	73	500
Tony Finau	$6,900	55	106	31	24	77	1/1	10	500	500	500	500
Robert Streb	$6,900	55	233	84	-29	74	1/1	10	500	500	500	500
Bradley Dredge	$6,800	62	343	114	-52	99	0/0	500	500	500	500	500
Vaughn Taylor	$6,800	62	393	119	-57	116	0/0	500	500	500	500	500
Zac Blair	$6,800	62	463	126	-64	187	0/0	500	500	500	500	500
Aaron Baddeley	$6,800	62	203	76	-14	136	1/2	500	500	500	42	76
Marcus Fraser	$6,800	62	447	124	-62	90	2/2	500	500	47	66	500
Ernie Els	$6,800	62	247	90	-28	255	3/5	25	7	96	48	88
Soren Kjeldsen	$6,700	68	148	55	13	43	0/1	110	500	500	500	500
Nicolas Colsaerts	$6,700	68	170	64	4	123	0/2	500	500	76	73	500
Alexander Noren	$6,700	68	180	70	-2		2/3	500	500	122	66	34
Kevin Na	$6,700	68	143	53	15	34	1/3	90	94	500	WD	10
Greg Chalmers	$6,700	68	410	120	-52	229	1/1	500	500	500	32	500
Kevin Chappell	$6,700	68	116	39	29	33	2/3	43	13	132	500	500
Gary Woodland	$6,700	68	116	39	29	54	3/4	500	74	74	42	12
Harold Varner	$6,600	75	247	89	-14	162	0/0	500	500	500	500	500
Rikard Karlberg	$6,600	75	470	127	-52	80	0/0	500	500	500	500	500
Daniel Berger	$6,600	75	125	45	30	38	0/1	90	500	500	500	500
John Daly	$6,600	75	844	132	-57		1/4	139	116	500	18	129
Jamie Donaldson	$6,600	75	271	98	-23	80	2/3	WD	24	WD	7	116
Joost Luiten	$6,600	75	197	74	1	66	2/4	124	26	76	21	500
Tyrrell Hatton	$6,600	75	151	56	19	53	1/1	25	500	500	500	500
Smylie Kaufman	$6,500	82	220	79	3	62	0/0	500	500	500	500	500
Andrew Johnston	$6,500	82	225	80	2	88	0/0	500	500	500	500	500
Rocco Mediate	$6,500	82	890	135	-53		0/0	500	500	500	500	WD
Fabian Gomez	$6,500	82	423	122	-40	75	0/1	141	500	500	500	500
Ryan Moore	$6,500	82	168	62	20	59	4/5	37	40	55	85	56
Kyle Reifers	$6,400	87	237	86	1	106	0/0	500	500	500	500	500
Jon Curran	$6,400	87	363	116	-29	98	0/0	500	500	500	500	500
Chris Wood	$6,400	87	170	64	23	24	1/3	118	46	124	500	500
Charles Howell	$6,300	90	179	69	21	91	2/5	65	109	76	96	26
Jim Herman	$6,300	90	313	107	-17	78	0/0	500	500	500	500	500
Kristoffer Broberg	$6,300	90	610	129	-39	115	0/0	500	500	500	500	500
James Morrison	$6,300	90	447	124	-34	107	0/1	77	500	500	500	500
Roberto Castro	$6,300	90	227	82	8	105	1/2	500	94	12	500	500
Russell Henley	$6,300	90	181	71	19	104	1/3	12	74	96	500	500
David Lingmerth	$6,300	90	131	48	42	50	1/2	12	500	88	500	500
Patton Kizzire	$6,200	97	270	97	0	82	0/0	500	500	500	500	500
Darren Clarke	$6,200	97	653	131	-34	563	2/5	144	116	75	54	134
Ross Fisher	$6,200	97	263	95	2	101	1/3	110	94	500	500	45
K.J. Choi	$6,200	97	263	95	2	113	3/4	500	132	47	54	39
George Coetzee	$6,200	97	277	100	-3	119	1/4	7	109	124	73	500
Si Woo Kim	$6,100	102	198	75	27	110	0/0	500	500	500	500	500
Andy Sullivan	$6,100	102	126	46	56	35	0/1	110	500	500	500	500
Francesco Molinari	$6,100	102	137	51	51	57	5/5	54	58	33	54	34
Matt Jones	$6,100	102	225	80	22	84	3/3	21	46	40	500	500
Kyung-tae Kim	$6,000	106	290	104	2	44	2/2	500	500	500	61	59
James Hahn	$6,000	106	356	115	-9	60	0/1	100	500	500	500	500
Cameron Tringale	$6,000	106	259	94	12	122	1/3	124	500	500	72	88
Charley Hoffman	$6,000	106	156	57	49	42	1/5	141	74	40	124	103
Kiradech Aphibarnrat	$6,000	106	253	91	15	58	2/2	68	WD	25	500	500
Chris Kirk	$6,000	106	172	67	39	61	2/3	500	94	57	500	34
Thorbjorn Olesen	$6,000	106	240	87	19	65	3/3	500	30	40	27	500
Brendan Steele	$6,000	106	160	59	47	76	3/3	12	58	500	500	19
Jamie Lovemark	$5,900	114	253	92	22	92	0/0	500	500	500	500	500
Scott Hend	$5,900	114	273	99	15	83	0/0	500	500	500	500	500
Fredrik Jacobson	$5,900	114	277	101	13	112	2/4	500	69	143	36	109
Younghan Song	$5,900	114	288	103	11	114	0/0	500	500	500	500	500
Soomin Lee	$5,900	114	430	123	-9	93	0/0	500	500	500	500	500
Jason Kokrak	$5,900	114	253	92	22	120	0/2	500	132	96	500	500
Brian Stuard	$5,900	114	317	108	6	143	0/1	500	84	500	500	500
Gregory Bourdy	$5,800	121	290	104	17	118	0/1	500	500	500	500	103
Brian Gaffney	$5,800	121	865	133	-12		1/2	71	500	500	142	500
Hideto Tanihara	$5,800	121	417	121	0	71	0/1	500	94	500	500	500
Thongchai Jaidee	$5,800	121	231	83	38	36	1/4	124	127	47	96	500
Jeunghun Wang	$5,700	125	367	117	8	73	0/0	500	500	500	500	500
Billy Hurley	$5,700	125	380	118	7	157	0/0	500	500	500	500	500
Joe Summerhays	$5,700	125	1038	144	-19		0/0	500	500	500	500	500
Josh Speight	$5,700	125	1058	145	-20		0/0	500	500	500	500	500
Mark Brown	$5,700	125	962	137	-12	964	0/2	500	500	151	148	500
Matt Dobyns	$5,700	125	883	134	-9		0/2	100	500	500	137	500
Bryce Molder	$5,700	125	240	87	38	108	1/2	500	500	500	96	56
Troy Merritt	$5,700	125	280	102	23	100	1/1	54	500	500	500	500
Y.E. Yang	$5,700	125	334	112	13	292	3/5	48	94	96	36	69
Jason Bohn	$5,700	125	325	111	14	103	2/2	37	40	500	500	500
Peter Malnati	$5,600	135	620	130	5	207	0/0	500	500	500	500	500
Brad Ott	$5,600	135	1077	147	-12		0/0	500	500	500	500	500
Omar Uresti	$5,600	135	1033	143	-8		0/1	144	500	500	500	500
Mitch Lowe	$5,600	135	1077	147	-12		0/1	500	500	500	130	500
David Muttitt	$5,600	135	1000	139	-4		0/1	500	500	88	500	500
Shaun Micheel	$5,600	135	1094	150	-15		0/5	78	132	139	111	74
Yuta Ikeda	$5,600	135	493	128	7	96	1/1	500	500	500	500	45
Vijay Singh	$5,600	135	341	113	22	126	4/5	37	35	68	36	116
David Toms	$5,600	135	300	106	29	182	3/4	124	500	7	42	4
Rich Berberian	$5,500	144	1000	139	5		0/0	500	500	500	500	500
Tommy Sharp	$5,500	144	1058	145	-1		0/0	500	500	500	500	500
Wyatt Worthington	$5,500	144	1077	147	-3		0/0	500	500	500	500	500
Ben Polland	$5,500	144	1154	152	-8		0/0	500	500	500	500	500
Brad Lardon	$5,500	144	1208	154	-10		0/1	500	500	500	500	143
Rob Labritz	$5,500	144	1019	142	2		0/1	500	500	132	500	500
Michael Block	$5,500	144	1192	153	-9		0/1	500	132	500	500	500
Rod Perry	$5,500	144	1000	139	5		0/3	500	123	148	124	500
Johan Kok	$5,500	144	981	138	6		0/2	136	84	500	500	500
Rich Beem	$5,500	144	1094	150	-6		1/5	136	138	88	36	137
Ryan Helminen	$5,500	144	923	136	8		0/2	90	74	500	500	500

Color Coding
Course history in BLUE indicates a top ten finish.
Course history in GREEN indicates a top 25 finish.
Course history in YELLOW indicates a made cut with a finish outside of the top 25.
Course history in RED indicates a missed cut.

Legend