WGC Bridgestone Invitational This week the WGC Bridgestone Invitational is held at the usual venue Firestone CC in Akron, Ohio. The par 70 layout measures 7,400 yards and is the longest par 70 on the PGA Tour. There is NO CUT this week for the Invitational and fittingly that Tiger Woods would make his comeback here with no cut so he can get the much needed 4 rounds and reps leading into next week's final major, the PGA Championship. Do not bet against Tiger here, he has won this event 7X and I predict he'll fare better this week than next with the rough being very difficult next week. Rory McIlroy is the favorite at 13-1. No thanks.
Bo Van Pelt -110 vs. Hunter Mahan
Yes, Mahan is the defending champion of this WGC event, but look at what these two have done the past 5 tournaments. At the RBC Canadian Open Mahan was T34, Bo finished T6. At the British Open Mahan missed the cut, Bo finished T57. At the AT&T National Mahan was T30, Bo finished T11. The Travelers, Mahan was T43, Bo finished T13 and at the US Open, Mahan missed the cut, Bo finished T4.
That's 5 FOR 5!
To say Bo Van Pelt is playing better than the much maligned Hunter Mahan is an understatement! On different courses, weather and terrain Bo is hot and Mahan is not and in fact it was at this time last year that Bo caught fire and played very well in the heat/humidity and late summer months. Bo was T3 here LY.
Robert Allenby -125 vs. Paul Casey
What in the world is going on with Paul Casey? He is in the worst slump of his professional golf career and I keep digging for info and talking to people and they don't know why. The only thing that I see and I spotted this prior to the Masters and mentioned it right here at LVASports, is that his swing has gotten too up-right and he is pushing his tee shots quite a bit. He has missed the CUT in 4 of his last 5 starts!
Allenby was T6 in Washington and T2 here in 2009. No brainer.
Fredrik Jacobson -120 vs. David Toms
Freddy Jac is a lousy driver but fabulous putter. He recently has a WIN and two Top 20's in the last two majors.
Toms WD'd from the John Deere Classic with a hip injury. He hasn't played since and like Tiger, IMO, is using this week as a tune-up for next week's PGA major, WHERE, Toms won his only major, at the same course in 2001, the Atlanta Athletic Club. ....= advantage Freddy Jac.
