This Week’s PGA Tour Predictions!
The PGA pros head to Louisiana this week to play the 2015 Zurich Classic of New Orleans at TPC Louisiana – a par-72 layout that stretches out to 7,425 yards. TPC Louisiana was the easiest par-72 track the pros played last year – the winner will have to go low in order to claim the $1.24 million first prize.
With four par 5s, four par 3s and 10 par 4s, premier ball strikers will have a decided edge here – scrambling due to lush rough is a key stat to look at as well this week.
So who should we throw our support behind this week? Let’s take a look.
2015 PGA Zurich Classic of New Orleans
When: April 23 – 26, 2015
Where: TPC Louisiana, Avondale, Louisiana
Purse: $6,900,000 / Winner’s Share: $1,242,000
Defending Champion: Seung-Yul Noh
***2015 BONUSES***
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Sectioned greens with serious undulations will also put a premium on the pro’s approach – a hot putter won’t hurt either.
2015 Zurich Classic of New Orleans Favorites:
Dustin Johnson 8/1
Dustin hasn’t let up since returning to action – outside of Jordan Spieth he may be the hottest player on TOUR. He makes his TPC Louisiana debut this week after a win at Doral and T6s at Valero and Masters in his last three starts.
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Johnson leads the TOUR in strokes gained: tee-to-green and he should be able to eat up the par 5s this week.
Jason Day 10/1
Day will be eager to avenge what was a disappointing T28 at the Masters. He is currently tops on TOUR in the all-around and T1 in par-4 scoring – perfect attributes for this track. Day hasn’t quite been that dominant guy we all expect but has the game to make things interesting this week.
Justin Rose 10/1
Rose made a statement with his T2 at the Masters – he is back and ready to contend each and every week. He has gone T10, T15 and T8, respectively in his last three starts on this track and enters this week with a ton of confidence. Pedigree, present form and course history certainly point to a good week for Rose this week – don’t be surprised to see him in the winner’s circle.
2015 Zurich Classic of New Orleans Contenders:
Keegan Bradley 20/1
Bradley is coming on of late – a T22 at the Masters followed a T5 at Houston. He looked great here last year and was in contention before falling apart on Sunday – he eventually finished T8. Bradley is definitely due for a big week – my hunch is that it comes in Louisiana.
Sean O’Hair 40/1
Has really come on of late finishing top 6 in two of his last four starts.
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He was tops in pat-4 scoring average in his last tournament – a T6 at Harbour Town and also had a T2 at Copperhead this year. Something tells me O’Hair is due for a win – it may come this week.
Steve Stricker 40/1
Stricker returned from back surgery at the Masters and showed zero signs of rust en route to a T28 finish. He’s made 10 of 13 cuts here – 4 of his last 5 have been Top 13’s. Stricker is a good ball striker, a premier scrambler and one of the most well rounded guys out there. He may be deserving of a victory this week as well.
Morgan Hoffman 45/1
This is a track synonymous with first time winners – Hoffman may be that guy. He was T28 in the Masters and was T9 at the RBC Heritage after contending but falling apart a bit on the weekend. He’s made the cut both times he’s played here with a T21 in 2013 and enters this week in very good form.
2015 Zurich Classic of New Orleans Sleepers (50/1 or higher):
John Peterson 50/1
Played his college golf at LSU – he will be happy to be in familiar surroundings. He has finished inside the top 20 in his last two starts on TOUR and has made 13 of 14 cuts. He finished T8 on this track in 2013 and could better that based on his current 28th rank in scrambling and 53rd ranking in GIR.
Brendon De Jonge 50/1
Has been playing very well of late – top 20s in three of his last five starts – two top 20s in a row ahead of this week. Present form has De Jonge firmly on the radar this week on a track that he should thrive.
Cameron Tringale 50/1
Has 1 top ten and 3 top 18’s in 5 starts here and has played well recently this year – a T17 at Copperhead and a T5 in Houston. His stats line up very well with this track – that combined with course history and current form make Tringale one to watch indeed.
2015 Zurich Classic of New Orleans Picks:
The pick this week is Justin Rose at 10/1. His performance at the Masters was good enough to win in any other year – Rose will be out to prove that a -14 score was a sign of things to come. Of Rose’s 24 career rounds at TPC Louisiana, 18 have been under par, including 11 in the 60 – nuff said.
The sleeper this week is John Peterson at 50/1. This is a home game for Peterson, he did have a T8 here in 2013 and he has looked very good in his last two starts overall. Home town kid could make good this week.
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