Can Luke Donald Drive away with the BMW Championship?
Apparently, over 100 years of tradition wasn’t good enough for the PGA. With the start o the FedEx Playoff in 2007, the PGA replaced the Western Open by creating the BMW Championship. To say that the Western Open had a good run would be a slight understatement. Originally founded in 1899, the Western was the third oldest active event on the PGA tour when it ended in 2006. Granted, Willie Smith, the first ever winner of the Western Open, probably wouldn’t have minded the change had he been able to exchange his $50 winnings for the $1.26 million the first ever winner of the BMW Championship, Tiger Woods, received. With that, let’s take a look at this week’s fantasy golf picks.
Tournament: BMW Championship
Date: September 15th to the 18th
Location: Cog Hill Golf & Country Club, Lemont, Illinois
Defending Champion: Dustin Johnson (-9)
About the course: Cog Hill Golf and Country Club has four different courses. The BMW Championship will be played on course #4. Course #4 runs 7,386 yards as a par 71, which is just over 104 yards per par. The 9th hole, running 600 yard in length, is often regarded as the most difficult par-5 on the course. Yet for most players the final four holes will present the most drama. The par-5 15th is an excellent eagle opportunity for any player, particularly those who get good length off the tee. The final three holes are all par-4s, ending with arguably the most difficult hole on the course at 18. Both the fairway and the green slope towards a pond, making every players’ second shot a chance for glory or a chance to go for a swim. With only 30 players advancing, much will likely be riding on the final 480 yards.
Golfers to watch: Matt Kutchar has entered this event three times and has two top-10 finishes to show for it, including a 3rd place finish in 2010. Still looking for his first victory of 2011, Kutchar couldn’t pick a better time for a big finish. Luke Donald is definitely one of the hottest players going into this event, with five straight top-20 finishes and two in the top-3, he will be playing for the victory come Sunday. If you’re looking with someone who has some history at this event, take a peek at Steve Stricker. Stricker has six top-10 finishes at this event, going back to the Western Open, including an 8th place finish last year, making him an excellent choice this week. Ryan Moore is currently sitting 96 points out of the top-30, meaning he’ll need a good finish this week. With his third place finish at this event last year, I’m saying he has a good weekend to make inside the top 30. Finally, while Adam Scott did have a slight hiccup at the Barclays, he came back strong two weeks ago with an 8th place finish at the Deutsche Bank Championship. Look for him to continue that strong play at the BMW this weekend.
