ABRAHAM ANCER (MEX) 35/1 – £5EW PP paying 8 places
BRIAN HARMAN (USA) 55/1 – £5EW PP paying 8 places
SAM BURNS (USA) 45/1 – £5EW PP paying 8 places
DOUG GHIM (USA) 250/1 – £2.5EW SKYBET paying 8 places
PETER MALNATI (USA) 100/1 – £2.5EW PP paying 8 places
BERND WIESBERGER (AUT) 35/1 – £5EW PP paying 8 places
MARTIN KAYMER (GER) 33/1 – £5EW PP paying 8 places
THOMAS PIETERS (BEL) 45/1 – £5EW SKYBET paying 7 places
SCOTT JAMIESON (SCO) 125/1 – £2.5EW PP paying 8 places
MASAHIRO KAWAMURA (JAP) 140/1 – £2.5EW PP paying 8 places
PGA West Stadium Course
Established 1960, 61 years ago
Course(s) PGA West Stadium Course
Par 72
Length 7,113 yards (6,504 m) (Stadium)
The PGA West Stadium Course was designed by Pete Dye and is viewed as the sequel to the TPC at Sawgrass. It was inspired by the Scottish links-style courses and at one point was considered one of Golf Digest’s Top 100 Courses in America.
The PGA West Stadium Course has hosted many important golf tournaments and is considered one of the most challenging courses in America.
Skins Game – 1986–1991
Desert Classic – 1987, 2016
PGA Club Professional Championship – 1990
PGA Tour Qualifying School Finals – 1986, 1988, 1989, 2002, 2006 & 2008
Liberty Mutual Legends of Golf – 1995 & 1996
A Beast of a Course
The PGA West Stadium Course has long been known as the course that was too tough for the professionals. In 1987 it made its first appearance as a PGA Tour venue in the Bob Hope Classic (now known as the Desert Classic). After creating a challenging course setup in what is normally one of the PGA Tour’s easier tournaments, the tour pros refused to return in 1988 successfully signing a petition to get it removed as one of the host courses, a ban that effectively ran until 2015; the Challenge will return to the rotation in 2016.
However, the PGA West Stadium Course plays to an easier course rating than other courses played in the tournament. The Stadium course plays to a rating of 76.1 whereas SilverRock Resort plays to a rating of 76.3.
Past Results
2020 Andrew Landry
2019 Adam Long
2018 Jon Rahm
2017 Hudson Swafford
2016 Jason Dufner
2015 Bill Haas
2014 Patrick Reed
2013 Brian Gay
2012 Mark Wilson
2011 Jhonattan Vegas
2010 Bill Haas
Abu Dhabi Golf Club
Established 2006
Course(s) Abu Dhabi Golf Club
Par 72
Length 7,600 yards (6,900 m)
Abu Dhabi’s 18 hole Championship course, provides a tough but fair challenge and is home to one of the European Tour’s most popular events, the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship presented by EGA, A Rolex Series Event.
With lush fairways, strategically placed bunkers and immaculate greens, the course has been described as a “super course” by leading representatives of the golfing press. The 162-hectares of the Abu Dhabi Golf Club also features the floodlit 9-hole Garden Course, which provides a great test for those keen to enjoy Championship golf once the sun’s gone down!
Past Results
2020 Lee Westwood
2019 Shane Lowry
2018 Tommy Fleetwood
2017 Tommy Fleetwood
2016 Rickie Fowler
2015 Gary Stal
2014 Pablo Larrazábal
2013 Jamie Donaldson
2012 Robert Rock
2011 Martin Kaymer
2010 Martin Kaymer
Top Picks for the Week
ABRAHAM ANCER (MEX) 35/1
Good bet here with Mr Ancer. Very solid player and having a great season on the PGA Tour.
He shot two rounds under par last week at the Sony and still missed the cut so not reading too much into that to be honest. In fact it will work in our favour as the bookies price has gone bigger.
So currently 33rd on the FedEx Cup standings and the world number 24. Having said that he has still yet to win on the PGA Tour but this will be only a matter of time, and no reason why he can’t win it here this week. He has improved playing here over the five years, managing a top twenty in 2019 and then last year he was runner up.
We followed a lot of his Korn Ferry Career and saw some great results where he picked up his first win at the Nova Scotia Open in 2015 one year after joining that tour.
He has gained enough experience now on the PGA Tour so just needs to add a win and no better place than here.
Betting £5EW with PP 35/1 paying 8 places
BRIAN HARMAN (USA) 55/1
One of my first picks out this week was Brian he loves this place and seems to know how to get it done around here without too much damage.
His previous results since 2012: 54/MC/82/11/3/20/MC/21
Quite a few things to like and should be able to continue this good form around here this week.
He has two PGA Tour victories under his belt at two very hard courses at the John Deere and the Wells Fargo so can get the job done when needed, his last win was back in 2017 so well overdue.
Not much really stands out for me regarding his overall stats but the team have said he looks good and hitting it pure on the range with some impressive numbers to boot.
I am going to bet £5EW with PP paying 8 places
DOUG GHIM (USA) 250/1
The team know Doug and have been following him for some time now. They were at the Bermuda Championship where he finished the weekend off strong to pick up a solid top fifteen place, he has been very consistent this season picking up four top twenty five finishes.
He is moving through the world rankings very fast and with only joining the Korn Ferry Tour in 2019 he gained his PGA Tour card the following year WOW.
He is a birdie machine and should be making a lot here this week, he has made 111 birdies in 24 rounds of golf and sits inside the top twenty on the PGA Tour for birdie average. You will also have to have a good bunker game around here as these are some of the trickiest we have seen for quite some time and with a 69.23% sand save percentage it can only be another advantage over the field this week.
Can he win it? Not 100% convinced but no reason why not, everyone has to start somewhere.
I am betting £2.50EW with SKYBET 250/1 paying 8 places
SAM BURNS (USA) 45/1
Sam should have a good chance here this week. As for previous winners here one of the main factors has been strokes gained off the tee. He has gained over one shot per round measured over the past fourteen rounds and sits in third place on the PGA Tour rankings.
Also a great iron player and this is also backed up when you look at his tee to green play, where again he is over one shot better per round on the field average. The putter for me is the only worry but the team saw good things at the Safeway where he was about half a shot better than the field that week, so he can get it going and he has been putting in the hours on his stroke that’s for sure.
It could also be a good thing it’s his first start for 2021, his last event was the Houston Open where he had a top ten finish.
Should make the cut with ease and have a good week.
I am betting £5EW with PP 45/1 paying 8 places
PETER MALNATI (USA) 100/1
The bookies have missed a trick here I am sure. Here are just some of his best results so far this season:
- Sanderson Farms – 2nd
- Shriners Hospitals – 5th
- Bermuda – 21st
- Sony Open – 14th
This guy has been putting as well as Spieth was a few years ago you remember when he couldn’t miss. This can only reflect positively through the rest of his game, if you know you can afford to miss the odd fairway or green and still make a par then so much pressure is lifted.
We saw him on trackman with the big stick and he was all over the place which explains his poor strokes gained of the tee stat. With that said he has still managed to keep a 1.788 strokes gained total over the past seventeen rounds.
He has been prone to a missed cut here and this is why the price is so high, over the past four years he has gone 77/MC/18/MC/????
He seems to still be improving here and we could see him with a chance to pick up his second PGA Tour title.
I am betting £2.50EW with PP 100/1 paying 8 places
BERND WIESBERGER (AUT) 35/1
Well what can I say about this guy a real pure class act. Bernd and his caddie our great friends of ours and we have had many a good night out when we have caught up with them over the years. He loves a good night out that’s for sure. And would be great to be invited to the winning drinks after this week if he is in the mix again.
After coming off a great 2019 where he won three times at the Made in Denmark the Scottish Open and the Italian Open. In 2020 he came close at this event last year with an eighth place finish and again he came close at the ISPS Handa.
We caught up with him last week and he said he has been working hard in the off season, the putter is back on song and feels his irons are now in a much better place and close to how he was hitting it back in 2019.
He should have a good week and is hungry for a win early doors for 2021.
I am betting £5EW with Paddy Power 35/1 paying 8 places.
MASAHIRO KAWAMURA (JAP) 140/1
Masahiro looks to be a good each way bet this week at 140/1.
His last five events on the European Tour read like this:
- DP World Dubai – 14th
- Alfred Dunhill – 23rd
- Joburg open – MC
- Cyprus Showdown – 2nd
- Cyprus Open – 34th
So as you can see I am all over these odds. He also played in this event last year for the first time and managed a respectable 17th place finish.
He is fast becoming one of the great players to come out of Japan, we followed and played rounds with him when he played across Asia on the Asian Tour he looked very talented back then and you can see why he has moved up the world rankings from 657 back in 2017 to now 163 in the world.
His driving has improved by over 10% accuracy over the past year and this has been the one of the main reasons for his continued success. Also a solid putter and he will used to the Duabi heat and conditions this week.
Betting £2.50EW with Paddy power 125/1 paying 8 places
MARTIN KAYMER (GER) 33/1
I have been tempted to back Martin a few times last year but felt he was still not ready to cross the winning line, and we were right to do so.
This week I feel from what we have seen with him out on the practice rounds it is all good reading, he said he wants to get back the highs from when he was winning every year from 2006 to 2014. We all know his game has been missing that edge for a few years but 2020 we saw some great golf from him and he did look like getting back into that winning cycle.
He has already improved 46 places on the world rankings and looks set to get back inside the world top fifty very soon.
For me with Marin it’s the putter that impresses me the most of his last few events, he sits 10th on greens in regulation and fifth for putts per greens in regulation on the European Tour. We know he can win and feel he will win in 2021 this could be a great start for him here this week to pick up win number 12.
I betting £5EW with Paddy Power 33/1 paying 8 places
SCOTT JAMIESON (SCO) 125/1
Scott for me at this price has to be worth a couple of pounds each way. He could blow up and not make the cut, but I have seen plenty of reasons why we should place some money on him.
He has plenty of experience around here and also his fair share of missed cuts which explains the high odds this week. Here are his previous since 2012:
MC/MC/MC/46/36/MC/11/8
His last two years at this venue does interest me, eighth place last year and seems to be in a much better place with his overall game stepping back here this year.
His best season was 2017 and his last win came at the Nelson Mandela back in 2012.
This season he is already improved every stat and has had four top ten’s and only missed three cuts out of eighteen starts.
Betting £2.50EW with Paddy Power 125/1 paying 8 places
THOMAS PIETERS (BEL) 45/1
We had a few players around the 40/1 price this week on the short list but Pieter’s edged it for me to go in here.
He has not hit the heights just yet of what we know he can do. But we have seen plenty of positives to back him this week. We followed him a lot here last year where he played some amazing golf, just the putter was not working but that changed a couple of weeks later at the Saudi International where he looked a different player on the greens to manage a third place finish.
He is always very steady and rarely misses a cut, so normally means good value with him.
His distance off the tee has always been a great advantage around here and should be the same this year, he will set up a lot of eagle and birdie chances for sure, as I said the putter is looking good so he could be near the top of the leader board come Sunday evening.
I am betting £5EW with SkyBet 45/1 paying 7 places