Henrik Stenson 20/1 © Keith Allison
Designed by Bob Cupp and Tom Kite in 2006 there can’t be many golf course that use national monuments as sight lines like they do at The Liberty National Golf Course where Lady Liberty serves as a target on many of the approach shots here. Liberty is an extremely challenging layout, playing to more than 7,400 yards from the back tees, with narrow, curving fairways and smallish greens that are hard to hit even on the rare calm day.
The 14th, a 150-yard par 3 along Upper New York Bay is probably one of its more iconic holes. Accuracy from the tee is what is needed here and with the wind whipping in from the Atlantic, this will favour the players who can control their ball flight. Liberty National has a magnificent backdrop of both the Manhattan skyline and the Statue of Liberty,which stands less than a 1,000 yards from the 18th green.
Webb Simpson 28/1 © Keith Allison
My tips to win:
Its hard not to start with Henrik Stenson 20/1, he is having a great season and although he missed out on a major this year, don’t be surprised if he walks off winning the FedEx cup. Henrik has not been out of the Top 3 in his last three tournaments two of those being majors and a WGC event, throw in his Top 5 finish at The Players and you can see why I feel the Swed is on the verge of big things.
I was thinking of dropping Brandt Snedeker 33/1 this week after his bad run of form in his last three tournaments which culminated in him missing the cut at last weeks Wyndham Championship. But it was only been three weeks since Snedeker won the Canadian Open and he has a great record in The Barclays and has not been outside the Top 3 in the last two years.
Webb Simpson 28/1 finished the Wyndham Championship with a stunning 63, which was only beaten on the day by Matt Jones’s 62. Webb has had three Top 25 finishes in his last three events and his twelve Top 25 finishes over the year from twenty-one starts shows his consistency.
Bill Haas 40/1 © TourProGolfClubs.com
My each-way tips:
As you can see from last weeks betting guide I was stuck between picking Bill Haas 40/1 and Snedeker, but this week I am going for both. Bill did have a good start at the Wyndham, but his third round 71 put him out of the championship and even his final day 68 see him move down the leaderboard. Haas has had a win and nine other Top 10 finishes this year from twenty-one starts and I think these are great odds for the lad from North Carolina.
Billy Horschel 125/1 © Keith Allison
One person who did have a great Wyndham Championship and comes into this week in great form is Jordan Spieth 50/1, his final round 65 wasn’t enough to take that title, but I am sure he will be buzzing coming into this week. A win at the John Deere Classic and seven other Top 10 finishes this year and the Texan only turned professional in December 2012!!
My outside tip:
This week it’s been pretty tough to pick an outside tip, but I am going with Billy Horschel 125/1. Since his Top 5 finish at the US Open things haven’t gone to plan for the Floridian and I am hoping the rest since his missed cut at the US PGA Championship has given him time to reflect on a great year so far and comeback with renewed determination.
For updated betting odds during the tournament go to planetgolfreview.com
