PGA Tour: Cognizant Classic (Formerly Honda Classic)
Last week was the prefect illustration on how tough golf betting can be. We had Joseph Bramlett to Top 20 and he entered the final round well inside the top 20. A final round 74 took us from winning to losing. Ouch. The bet we cashed needed a 2nd round hole in one and a birdie on the 72nd hole to get Rafael Campos home with a top 40 finish. The takeaway, this stuff is hard, very hard.
This week the Florida swing begins with the Cognizant Classic which was known for decades as the Honda Classic.
The Course:
PGA National (Champion)
Par 71, 7147 yards
Mostly flat, forced layups OTT, numerous doglegs
26 bodies of water, fairways widened to 32 yds on avg (widest since 2013)
13th shortest course, 7th shortest par 4/5 holes
+1.14 scoring average last five years - 2nd toughest annual course (behind Augusta National)
Most water danger holes (15) - 11 drives OTT, 8 approaches
Elite ball-strikers, experienced "water danger" players, short-grass scramblers, Bermuda putters
4 par-3s, 3 par-5s, 11 par-4s - Toughest par 3s, play +0.74
Greens: Bermuda, 10th largest, 12 stimp, typically very firm - this area of Florida has received a ton of rain so course could be soft
Rough: overseeded Rye 2.25"
The Scorecard:
The Betting Card:
We are going to back golfers we may have bailed on too soon from tournaments earlier in he season. These players are in solid form and brings a combination of good form and good prices to fill out the card.
Sam Ryder Top 20 +450 (FanDuel)
JT Poston Top 10 +330 (FanDuel)
Sepp Straka Top 20 +200 (FanDuel)
Tom Hoge Top 20 +240 (FanDuel)