Tournament History, Performance, Stats and Salaries At Bottom!
What’s goin’ on everyone! I hope you guys have had a moment to reflect and appreciate the incredible golf we all got to witness at The Open. It was an absolute treat to watch – they make it look so damn easy. I am happy to be back writing for you after a much needed vacation, and I am looking forward to my country’s national championship, as the tour heads to Canada for the RBC Canadian Open.
I am really excited for this event even though it falls on a brutal part of the schedule, wedged in between to majors…stupid Olympics. Thanks to “Team RBC” the field this week has a lot more talent than you would typically expect for a tournament surrounded by majors. Anytime the top two players in the world are competing at an event, it will definitely worth watching.
The RBC Canadian Open will be held at Glen Abbey Golf Course, located just outside of Toronto. It has been the home of the Canadian Open for 27 times, recently in 2015, 2013, 2009 and 2008, which are the dates you should focus on when looking at course history. In 2013 the course overhauled all of their greens, switching from poa annua to bent grass, which adds a wrinkle into the course history as well. Some of the easiest holes this week will be the Par 5s so targeting players with good scoring average on the Par 5s will be crucial. A recent look at some of the high finishers here in recent years shows a trend towards solid ball strikers, usually the elite ones in the field. With such an odd field this week, the cream should definitely rise to the top. Let’s move onto the picks!
My Staples
Dustin Johnson – $12,500
With two clear elite options this week, I highly recommend being overweight on both guys. But if I have to pick one, I am going with Dustin Johnson. He is playing better golf than anyone else in this field, and it’s not even close. He did not let the US Open hangover affect him, as he went out and won the WGC Bridgestone. He had a very solid finish at The Open, and I fully expect him to bring his A game to Glen Abbey. He married into the Gretzky family, basically Canadian Royalty, which adds a little narrative for DJ this week.
Jim Furyk – $9,900
When I think of the Canadian Open, for some reason a picture of Jim Furyk pops into my head (sitting here day dreaming of Furyk’s bald head). He has won it multiple times, albeit on different courses, but he also has fantastic finishes at Glen Abbey including a 4th and 9th in 2015 and 2013 respectively. At $9,900, I expect Furyk to be overlooked a bit with some of the big names at the top, but he has played solid since returning to the tour, so I have no reason to believe another top 10 finish isn’t a possibility.
Harold Varner III – $7,800
The PGA Rookie of the Year favorite continues to impress, with nine straight cuts made, including three top 10 finishes. He played well at The Open, a test that is never easy for a rookie. He ranks T4 in Par 5 scoring average and T26 in birdie or better percentage, two crucial stats for the Canadian Open. He will definitely have some eagle opportunities this week, providing upside that a lot of 7k golfers do not have.
Jimmy Walker – $7,700
Was anyone else stunned when they saw the price of Walker this week? To me, it makes no sense. His talent compared to the guys priced in the same area doesn’t compare. Sure he missed the cut at the US Open and The Open, but come on, those are elite events not quite suited for Jimmy’s game. He finished T16 at the WGC Bridgestone, so the form is there. He’s an elite scorer on Par 5s, and makes a ton of birdies. He is a must play in my books.
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