SC + Stadium Course
LQ = La Quinta
NT = Nicklaus Tournament
Sepp Straka (SC) -25
Justin Thomas (SC) -23
Justin Lower (SC) -22
Jason Day (SC) -22
Patrick Cantlay (SC) -20
Charley Hoffman (SC) -20
Camilo Villegas (SC) -19
Taylor Moore (SC) -19
Ben Griffin (SC) -19
Max Greyserman (SC) -19
Sepp Straka 8/15
Jason Day 8/1
Patrick Cantlay 10/1
Justin Lower 12/1
Charley Hoffman 14/1
Justin Thomas 16/1
Mark Hubbard 22/1
Max Greyserman 66/1
Daniel Berger 100/1
Will Zalatoris 150/1
Ben Griffin 200/1
J.J. Spaun 200/1
Beau Hossler 250/1
Billy Horschel 250/1
Frankie Capan 300/1
Taylor Moore 300/1
J.T. Poston 500/1
Keith Mitchell 500/1
Rickie Fowler 500/1
Carson Young 750/1
Rico Hoey 750/1
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The PGA Tour now moves back to the mainland and tees up at the La Quinta resort PGA West California and set at the foot of the majestic Santa Rosa Mountains offering breath-taking views. Unlike last year fans will be back at the tournament this week and with the pro-am and two nights of concerts restored, American Express has its first real chance in 2022 to make an imprint on the 63-year-old desert tournament.
The PGA West Stadium Course was designed by the legendary Pete Dye and like his design at TPC Sawgrass also features an island green at the par 3, 17th that has been dubbed Alcatraz. The 7,300-yard course that is rated one of the "Top 100 Courses to play" (2016-2017) by GOLF Magazine and 4th toughest course in America in Golf Digest’s "Top 50 Toughest Courses in America" (2007).
Meticulously groomed undulating fairways are framed by mounding offering spectators some wonderful vantage points. There are over 80 bunkers on the course and water comes into play on nine of the eighteen holes, so strategy is key here.
The Nicklaus Tournament Course is a combination of lush green playing surfaces and abundant palm trees set against the majestic Santa Rosa Mountains backdrop. Undulating tapered manicured fairways again require strategic placement from the tee as fairways slope away to lower levels or into bunkers.
There is a great variety of bunkers sizes here from small and deep, to enormous waste areas. The green complexes are mainly raised and well protected, with subtle undulations and will test even the best putters.
With six starts in this event Sungjae Im 12/1 – with BetVictor – hasn’t finished outside the Top 25 and four of those have been inside the Top 15. On the other hand he hasn’t really challenged with his best placing being a tenth-place finish. Sungjae started his year with a third-place at The Sentry and I feel he will finally challenge here this week
An opening round of 74 at The Sentry didn’t get Patrick Cantlay 18/1 – with BetVictor – year off to a great start, but he did recover and if he had a shot 70 in that opening round he would have made the Top 5 with the rest of his golf that week. Patrick has a runner-up and two Top 10s from his five starts in this event and I expect him to be in the heat of the battle again here come Sunday
Each-way tips
Two starts and two Top 10 finishes so far for Harry Hall 45/1 – with Bet365 – this year. Harry has played in this event before, but that was before he started working with Butch Harman. Hill finished last year with a win and five Top 25 finishes from his final eight starts and if you take his last five tournaments he hasn’t been outside the Top 15 with three Top 10 finishes in that run
This week’s defending champion is Nick Dunlap 50/1 – with BetFred – and I am sure many of us will remember how he became the first winner of a PGA Tour event as an amateur since Phil Mickelson achieved that feat back in 1991. Nick has since gone on to win again and comes into this week after making the Top 10 at the weekends Sony Open in Hawaii
It was another case of near and yet so far for Eric Cole 55/1 – with Bet365 – at the weekends Sony Open in Hawaii. What his Top 5 finish did show is that his golf game is now starting to get back to where he was at the end of 2023 when he took the first Fall Series by storm with four Top 5 finishes from his five starts including a runner-up and two third-place finishes
Outside tip:
Very surprised that someone with the record of Adam Hadwin 70/1 – with UniBet – who has only been outside the Top 20 three times from his nine starts here and has two runner-up and three Top 10 finishes in that run, including a Top 5 and had a sixth-place finish last year, is this far down the betting odds