Rickie Fowler
Chris Breikss
Justin Thomas
Justin Thomas
Bill Haas
TourProGolfClubs
David Lingmerth
David Lingmerth
Billy Horschel
James Kennedy
Luke List
Travis Mathew
KJ Choi
rottinam
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| TPC Potomac has seen several changes since its original design in 1986 by Edmund Ault/Thomas Clark and Associates who had Ed Sneed as acting PGA Tour Player Consultant. PGA Tour Design undertook another redesign in 2005, but the course was still plagued with troubles.
Another redesign was commission and this time undertaken by Steve Wenzloff/Jim Hardy in 2007 with Davis Love III, Fred Funk the PGA Tour Player Consultants and Pete Dye, Tom Fazio, Gil Hanse as the Architectural Consultants the course reopened for play in April, 2009.
TPC Potomac at Avenel Farm is part of the TPC Network of golf courses around the country and was the fifth club to open for play in May 1986. The orginal course was design for just $60,000 the renovation work that begun in 2007 reached $32 million.
Every hole underwent a change be it from moving tees forward on the third hole, to creating stunning new par-threes at nine and twelve, or eliminating the 10th and 11th holes and designing a rugged par five in its place.
Each hole and bunker were re-graded and re-positioned, every tee box was changed in keeping of the original design. The re-shaping bunkers have also added a Scottish feel, complete with fescue grasses that give the course its stunning new appeal. The course has a natural look and feel to it, thanks to the addition of 12 acres of wetlands and the restoration of the Rock Run Stream Valley.
Innovative design and a reverence for nature are the hallmarks of truly great golf courses, and TPC Potomacs extensively re-designed championship layout is no exception. The course now ambles over pristine wooded terrain, with numerous creeks and streams. Great care has been taken to incorporate the distinct nuances and indigenous flora of the Mid-Atlantic topography into the design, which has resulted in a compelling, strategically diverse and strikingly beautiful golf course.
My tips to win:
Its been a strange year for Rickie Fowler 17/2 BlackType who has a win, a runner-up and four other Top 10 finishes from thirteen starts, but it just feels he should have probably won more. Its also surprising that he has missed three cuts this year, as he is normally so consistent. I do feel he is due a win and will want to be in contention every week now moving into his Open Championship preparation.
Another player that will be looking to get back into the thick of things after his third round heroics at Erin Hills and then his last round fall from grace is Justin Thomas 14/1 with StanJames that final round must have been a bitter pill to swallow after being on such a high Saturday night. He was always going to win last week at the Travelers or crash out of the tournament, but I think he will be back on track this week
Bill Haas 28/1 with 32Red is a past champion of this event and after three missed cuts on the bounce he seems to have gotten his game back in shape. Bill has three Top 25 finishes from his last three starts with his best finish coming at Erin Hills in the US Open where he made the Top 5 and although this years event is being held at TPC Potomac and not at the Congressional CC I expect him to do well this week.
My each-way tips:
One player who has won over the TPC Potomac track is David Lingmerth 33/1 with SkyBet who won a web.com event here in 2012 so he will have some positive memories of playing here. David also comes into this week on a good run of form with five Top 25 finishes from his last seven starts and his opening round of 65 at the Memorial Tournament was replicated in the third round last week at the Travelers Championship and he will be in confident mood teeing it up this week.
Not many players can follow up a win with another great week and that rule applied to Billy Horschel 50/1 with Bet365 after his win at the AT&T Byron Nelson and he has had a couple of missed cuts since then but in between them was a forth place at the St Jude Classic firing a final round 64. Billy may have missed the cut at the US Open but shot a 62 at the CVS Health Charity Classic a couple of days later and I feel he is not far from being back to his best, its just consistency he lacks at the moment.
My outside tip:
We have tipped Luke List 100/1 with Coral a couple of times earlier this year and with three Top 10s under his belt which include a runner-up and a third place finish the long hitting Washingtonian looks like he could be coming back into form after several missed cuts.
If you want someone on longer odds there is KJ Choi 400/1 with SportingBet who won this competitions inaugural event and he also has a runner-up in the tournament, but on a different course to where this weeks event is being played.
As always good luck
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