The TPC Boston where Gil Hanse gave it a more natural feel © Peter Corden
Jason Dufner 20/1 © Keith Allison
The FedEx Cup moves on to the TPC club in Norton, Massachusetts, which is about 25 miles south of Boston. Originally designed by Arnold Palmer and built in 2003, the course was re-designed by Gil Hanse and Brad Faxon. Gil Hanse of Hanse Golf Course Design is known as one of the best traditional golf course designers in the United States and along with Brad Faxon was commissioned to undertake a re-design with the remit to make the course blend in more naturally with its New England surroundings.
Gil Hanse spent a year in Great Britain studying the earliest examples of golf course architecture and interned with Hawtree and Son, one of the oldest golf course architectural firms in the world. The influence of Hawtree and Son can be seen in Gil Hanse work, preserving and protecting the integrity of the land, maximizing the natural characteristics of the terrain and minimizing human impact on the landscape during construction.
Hanse became only the third American architect to build a course in Scotland when he created Craighead Golf Links, which opened in 1998. Ron Whitten, Editor of Golf Course Architecture said, “This was a refinement and enhancement of a course whose basic structure was sound, not a total renovation or wholesale replacement.”
My tips to Win:
The odds are better on Rory McIlroy 10/1 and Tiger Woods 10/1 this week and the bookies make them favourites again, but I just don’t think they are on their respective games at the moment so my first pick is going to be Jason Dufner 20/1 who I feel could win the play-off series this year.
Dustin Johnson 20/1 © Keith Allison
Dustin Johnson 20/1 comes into this week in great form after moving up fifteen places last week at The Barclays with his final round 68 and with a win and five other Top 10 finishes this year from sixteen events, I think the lad from South Carolina could get his second victory of the year here.
Louis Oosthuizen 28/1 is slowly moving himself into a good position, I did tip him last week and finishing in the Top 5 you would have won some money if you had taken the each-way bet option. But with Louis making the Top 5 in two of his last three events I don’t think he will be far away again this week.
My each-way tips:
Brandt Snedeker 30/1 had a very steady week at Bethpage, not scoring over 70 in any of his four rounds, which gave him outright second place. Its been a good year for Brandt with a win and making the Top 20 in two of the three majors he’s played in but I think it could get better yet.
Jason Day 50/1 © Keith Allison
Jason Day 50/1 sits in 88th position on the FedEx list so will need to do well here this week to make it to the BMW Championship. The Australian put in a storming final round last week at The Barclays finishing with a 66, which sees him coming into this week full of confidence.
My Outside tip:
Slightly torn this week on the outside bet between Jimmy Walker 100/1 and Vijay Singh 66/1 and again I am going to go with the big Fijian who is a two-times past winner of this event. Vijay started off so well at Bethpage but dropped back down the field with rounds of 76 & 75, hopefully being back in Boston will inspire him this week. I did tip him at the PGA and just watched my winnings slipping out of my pocket as he dropped shots. Hopefully that wont be the case this week and the big man goes out with a bang before he moves to the Seniors tour next season.
For updated betting odds during the tournament go to planetgolfreview.com
