PGA Betting Predictions
After a week off for most of the world`s best, the Bridgestone Invitation comes our way this weekend from Firestone Country Club in Akron Ohio.
2013 Bridgestone Invitational
Location: Akron, Ohio, United States
Course: Firestone Country Club
Date: Aug 1-4, 2013
Total Purse: US $ 8,500,000
Winner’s Share: US $ 1,400,000 (16% of total purse)
Odds from Bovada
Defending Champion: Keegan Bradley ($1,400,000)
To say that Tiger Woods has owned this event in the past is a colossal understatement – he has won this event seven times the 13 times it has been played.
Typically this has been a tournament for the big bombers on TOUR although fairways hit and greens hit stats usually suffer a tad because of the aggressiveness that this track invites. Accuracy, strong iron play, good scrambling ability and a hot putter of course will also help.
It`s a ball-striker`s course indeed. Let`s take a look at some of the names to keep an eye on this week as the elite gather once again at Firestone.
The Favorites:
Tiger Woods 9/2
As always it is hard to bet against Tiger but at Firestone it becomes almost impossible – seven wins in 13 starts – (1999-2001, 2005-2007, 2009). He has four wins already on TOUR and should be motivated this week after a disappointing British Open. He leads TOUR in adjusted scoring and the all-around ranking and is certainly due.
Phil Mickelson 14/1
Is absolutely on fire heading into this week but you have to think a dropoff is coming. He has four top-three finishes in his last six starts and has five top 10s in this event without a win. If it wasn’t for the law of averages, Phil would be my pick but winning three straight starts is absolutely unheard of.
Adam Scott 18/1
Is coming off a T3 at The Open and is a former winner here when he led all the way in 2011 – just one of his three top 10s in this event. Scott is 13th in total driving on TOUR, T20 in greens in regulation and third in adjusted scoring – perfect for Firestone. He, like Tiger will be out to avenge his British Open loss – a tournament he feels he should have won.
The Contenders:
Brandt Snedeker 25/1
Is coming off his second win of the year – the Canadian Open and has eight top 10s already this year. The one thing we know about Sneds – when he’s hot, he’s nearly untouchable. However, he has yet to finish inside the top 30 here in three tries and his style doesn’t exactly mesh well on this track.
Matt Kuchar 25/1
Finished T2 at the Canadian Open last week – the fourth time he has finished runner-up or better this year. He has finished top 10 in two of the last three Bridgestone’s and he did have a T8 at the Masters on a course comparable to Firestone. You gotta love his temperament – he could break through this week.
Justin Rose 25/1
This will be his first start since missed cut in The Open – who knows where his head will be? He finished T5 here last year – his second top 5 in this event in eight starts here. He is first in total driving on TOUR and fourth in ball-striking and is another in the long line of players looking to avenge a disappointing British Open.
Dustin Johnson 25/1
Finished T2 last week in Canada and has done well this year on courses similar to Firestone – top 15s at the Masters and at Doral. His best finish here however is a 15th in 2010. His form is good as is his potential for a breakout. Too bad DJ’s history here doesn’t match those intangibles.
Lee Westwood 28/1
Is coming off another Major disappointment – a T3 at The Open. He has eight top 10s worldwide this year and has three top 10s in this event in his last five starts – a T2 here in 2008 being his best finish. He absolutely has to break out some time and given that this is not a Major it may be this week!
Rory McIlroy 28/1
Has missed two straight cuts! Unfathomable!
Steve Stricker 35/1
Finished T2 here last year and has not finished outside the top 14 in the last 4 editions of this tournament. He’s playing an abbreviated schedule but it doesn’t seem to be hurting Stricker in the least – three top 10s in his last six starts including a T10 last time out in the John Deere. Despite not playing a ton, Strick seems to be on his game ahead of one of his favorite tournaments.
Henrik Stenson 40/1
Leads the PGA TOUR in fairways hit, ranks second in greens in regulation and sits 10th in adjusted scoring but only boasts two top 25s in six starts at this event. But where he is strong fits this track almost to a tee. His present form is terrific – a T3 at the Scottish Open and solo second at Muirfield making Stenson a very intriguing 40/1
Keegan Bradley 40/1
The defending champion here is coming off at T15 at The Open. He was T15 in his only other appearance at Firestone. All together he has six top 10s and another four top 25s this season and has been up and down on Firestone-type courses – seventh at Doral but T54 in the Masters. Hard to know what to make of Bradley heading into this week!
The Sleepers (50/1 or higher):
Bill Haas 66/1
Co-leads the TOUR with eight top 10s this season but has missed the cuts in the last two majors against fields similar to the ones he is about to face this week. He does have a win and two other top 10s in his last six starts and certainly has the4 game to contend this week.
Webb Simpson 66/1
Strangely has never played in this event before. Has four top 10s this season, most recently a T5 at the Travelers Championship and is another with the ideal traits for this track – 30th in greens hit on TOUR and 17th in adjusted scoring.
Billy Horschel 75/1
Aggressive and very long off the tee Horschel will be making his first appearance here and has been terrific this year. He is 12th in total driving on TOUR, 26th in GIR and 25th in strokes gained-putting.
The Pick:
This week may be the hardest tournament to pick all season long with so many players entering on hot streaks.
But my pick is Matt Kuchar at 25/1. The last time he finished second, before he did last week was at Colonial and he came back the very next week at the Memorial and won it. Firestone is a place he likes, finishing T8, T19 and T9 the last three years. I think he gets it done this week.
Perhaps the best value on the board is Henrik Stenson at 40/1. He has two top 5s in his last five PGA Tour starts, including a solo second at Muirfield and also has as a T3 at the Scottish Open in the last month.
The sleeper is Billy Horschel at 75/1. He has all the tools to succeed here and is at least worth a shot at this price.
2013 Bridgestone Odds
TIGER WOODS 4-1
PHIL MICKELSON 12-1
ADAM SCOTT 15-1
JUSTIN ROSE 20-1
BRANDT SNEDEKER 20-1
MATT KUCHAR 20-1
RORY McILROY 25-1
LEE WESTWOOD 25-1
HUNTER MAHAN 25-1
DUSTIN JOHNSON 25-1
STEVE STRICKER 25-1
JASON DAY 30-1
KEEGAN BRADLEY 30-1
CHARL SCHWARTZEL 30-1
HENRIK STENSON 30-1
LUKE DONALD 40-1
SERGIO GARCIA 40-1
GRAEME McDOWELL 40-1
BUBBA WATSON 40-1
JASON DUFNER 40-1
IAN POULTER 50-1
ZACH JOHNSON 50-1
RICKIE FOWLER 50-1
JIM FURYK 50-1
WEBB SIMPSON 50-1
ERNIE ELS 50-1
BILL HAAS 50-1
ANGEL CABRERA 60-1
HIDEKI MATSUYAMA 60-1
MARTIN KAYMER 80-1
NICOLAS COLSAERTS 80-1
RYAN MOORE 80-1
BO VAN PELT 80-1
BILLY HORSCHEL 80-1
PAUL CASEY 80-1
FRANCESCO MOLINARI 80-1
MARTIN LAIRD 80-1
BRANDEN GRACE 100-1
NICK WATNEY 100-1
HARRIS ENGLISH 100-1
MATTEO MANASSERO 125-1
RUSSELL HENLEY 125-1
MIGUEL ANGEL JIMENEZ 125-1
RICHARD STERNE 125-1
THORBJORN OLESEN 150-1
PETER HANSON 150-1
SCOTT PIERCY 150-1
JONAS BLIXT 150-1
SHANE LOWRY 150-1
FIELD (all others) 8-1
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