Thursday 22 January 2015 10:26, UK
Ben Coley previews the Humana Challenge and picks out five tips, four of which are 100/1 or bigger including Tony Finau.
The PGA Tour hits the mainland for the first time in 2015 for the latest edition of the Humana Challenge.
The first thing to say about this event is that it’s a pro-am played over three courses, all of which are short and quite similar to each other. The addition of amateurs means easier pin positions which adds up to long, slow rounds, but ones featuring plenty of birdies.
With this in mind Brendon Todd, one of the best putters on the PGA Tour last season, looks the pick of those towards the top of the betting.
Todd started the year with a solid top-10 at Kapalua and made the cut in the Sony Open last week which sets him up nicely for an event in which he finished sixth last season.
The 29-year-old also won Qualifying School at La Quinta in 2011 so this part of California brings back fond memories and he’s capable of some exceptionally low scoring on these straightforward courses.
Recent history shows a succession of big-priced winners and with such different dynamics to the rank-and-file PGA Tour events, it surely makes sense to speculate to small stakes rather than get involved with the likes of defending champion Patrick Reed at just 14/1.
First of my four outsiders is Bryce Molder, whose game isn’t dissimilar to Todd’s.
Essentially, Molder is an expert putter with a fine wedge game whose finest hour – victory in the Frys.com Open – also came in California. He’s got plenty of positive pro-am experience including here and, providing he’s ready to go on his seasonal return, looks a good each-way bet.
Jonas Blixt is also a former winner of the Frys and while he’s struggled so far in this event, there’s no obvious reason for that. Several former champions had shown no obvious liking for the test beforehand and perhaps Blixt can add his name to the list having ended last season in good form.
Again, he’s a brilliant putter who is really aggressive and that looks a good combination in an event which often sees players threaten that magical 59.
Getting a local on side is always appealing and Cameron Tringale is one Californian with a big year ahead of him.
A close friend of Rickie Fowler’s, Tringale is gradually carving out his own path and now has a ticket to the Masters having reached the TOUR Championship at the end of last season. His record here is solid – he’s been close to contending over the last three years – and again I like his game for the test.
Finally, big-hitting Tony Finau created plenty of hype at the end of 2014 and he looks a good price on the back of last week’s missed cut.
Five of the last seven winners of this event played the Sony Open without making the weekend so we shouldn’t read much into his failure to shine on an altogether different course, one which doesn’t play to his strengths.
A winner in California on the Web.com Tour last season, this wide-open, low-scoring test looks ideal and he’s drifted to a backable price.
1pt e.w. Bryce Molder at 150/1
