2014 Wells Fargo Championship Betting Preview, Tips and Expert Picks

The Course

Designed by George Cobb, redesigned  by Tom Fazio and toughened up before last year’s staging, Quail Hollow hosts for the 12th time this week.
Clocking in at almost 7,500 yards, the winning score came down from an average 15 under over the previous four years to 8 under last year when Derek Ernst beat David Lynn in a playoff.

This year sees the unveiling of Bermuda Grass on all the greens, a matter which will could be a big equalizer in the field.  However Quail Hollow’s greatest defence is it’s difficulty off the tee, ranking over the past five years as one of the toughest on Tour.
That also directly correlates to its proximity to the hole averages on shotlink which also rank at the top of difficulty.  The winning golfer will have an amazing driving week.

The signature area on the course is the The Green Mile which covers the final three holes, two par fours sandwiching a par three.

Weather for the tournament looks terrific with early rain and thunder set to pass before Thursday’s first round.


Lee Westwood 16/1


With Rory McIlroy pretty much unbackable at 7/1 I’m looking down the odds for some real value.  It has been great to see Lee Westwood get back to playing his best over the last few weeks.  Ever since the promising shoots in Houston (T17), the Worksop pro improved at The Masters (T7) and then won in dominating fashion last time out in Malaysia.  Lee has gone back to a swing that works for him, is once again gaming that amazing G10 driver that served him so well when he was on top of the world and his short game, so often his weakness, seems rock solid.  Top five on his last two visits to Quail Hollow (T5 2012, T4 2013), an each way bet seems a no brainer.




Ryan Moore 40/1


First appearance since missing the cut The Masters and hopefully Ryan will have shrugged off the poor (by his standards) form that dogged his build up to the first Major of the year.  Having said that his results coming into this week last year was arguably worse with missed cuts and Innisbrook and Bay Hill and he still scored a T6 to go with his T5 in 2012.  It’s a horses for courses pick and less to do with form, but Quail Hollow is perfectly suited to Ryan’s  game

Ben Martin 66/1


After four missed cuts from Innisbrook to Houston, Ben Martin found form with a T3 at The Heritage and opened with a 62 last week in New Orleans before dropping to T15 in the wind on Sunday.  Missed the cut on his Quail Hollow debut last year but improved his second round score by nine shots over his first.  A more experienced player now, Martin has the tools and the form to do well.  The Clemson grad is also at home in Carolina this week. Well almost!

Rickie Fowler 28/1


Rickie has slipped out to 28/1 in the betting after bombing out of the Zurich Classic last week but I’m not going to hold that against again; I didn’t care much for it myself!

I’m looking more to his sixth in Houston and T5 at The Masters ahead of Rickie’s return to Quail Hollow, the site of his biggest win to date in 2012.  Also finished sixth in 2010.

Hopefully he doesn't go up with an aerobatic pilot this week and his intestines remain untangled.

Brian Harman 80/1


It’s Brian’s 80th  Tour start this week and he’s improving all the time.  Three rounds in the 60’s last time out at Hilton Head resulted in a T7, his best since finish since a T3 at Riviera back in February.  Brian was only four shots off the pace here in 2013 and one of the few to shoot over par in the final round.  Needs a great driving week, not his strongest suit.

Long Odds Glory


Lucas Glover 125/1 has no form to speak of but that never bothered him before; at least he made the cut last week.  Does well on the tougher courses and Quail Hollow is traditionally one of those with eight under winning in 2013.  Beat Jonathan Byrd in a playoff in 2011 and tied for second when Sean O’Hair won in 2009.


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