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PGA Tour: Dell Technologies Championship Preview

Golfer lines up shot

Our Golf Writer takes a look at the Dell Technologies Championship set to get underway at TPC Boston on Thursday. 

96 players will tee it up in front of the raucous Bostonian crowd this weekend as the FedEx Cup really swings into full throttle. Dustin Johnson and Jordan Spieth gave us one of the ages in a pulsating duel at the inaugural Northern Trust Open.

Clearly the two Americans have been given pride of place in the betting markets, but with this level of quality it really is anyone’s guess who could come on top this week. Rory McIlroy will be looking to resurrect some of the magic that catapulted him towards that FedEx Cup victory last season. His victory here last season laid the foundation for a late surge that defied belief.

Dell Technoligies Championship | 1 Septemebr – 4 September | TPC Boston, Norton

Formerly known as the Deutsche Bank Championship, this event is one of the babies on the tour, first instilled in 2003. It has been the traditional 2nd leg of the playoff series since 2007. The Arnold Palmer designed course has been tinkered with in recent years, most notably by Gil Hanse in 2007. The 7,342 yard layout has a bit of everything and has been receptive to outlandish scoring on several occasions: few will forget Charley Hoffmann’s Sunday 62 to secure the 2010 title. The bigger hitters will always be in optimum position, but Chris Kirk’s victory shows that accuracy and consistent putting is equally important.

The top 70 from here will be moving onto the next event, meaning a bit of ‘squeaky bum’ time for all those bubble boys. Clearly the Dustin-Jordan battle has captured the imagination. Perhaps it’s made all the more engrossing by their differences. Jordan Spieth comes across like an impeccably mannered Ivy Leaguer who loves to attribute his success to all those around him. Johnson is the rebellious bad-boy of golf, playing with an almost arrogant brilliance that centres solely on him. Let’s hope that we could see yet another manifestation of that clash of personalities.

Past Winners
2016: Rory McIlroy (-15)
2015: Ricky Fowler (-15)
2014: Chris Kirk (-15)
2013: Henrik Stenson (-22)
2012: Rory McIlroy (-20)

To Win Outright: Dustin Johnson 7/1, Jordan Spieth 8/1, Hideki Matsuyama 14/1, Jason Day 14/1, Rory McIlroy 14/1, Ricky Fowler 14/1


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Value Bets

Sergio Garcia- To Win (50/1), To Win (11/1)
The Spaniard seems desperately overpriced this week, perhaps indicating a lack of foresight by bookmakers. Garcia’s miraculous performance at Augusta was always going to result in a hangover effect, compounded by the fact that he only recently got married for the first time. Having said that, Garcia hadn’t missed a cut after the Masters until a dreadful showing at Quail Hollow, with solid-if unspectacular- showings at both Erin Hills and Birkdale. He also picked up that impressive 2nd place finish at the BMW International Open. One of the purest ball-strikers on tour has made 6 appearances at TPC Boston, making the cut all 6 times. He hasn’t finished any worse than 31st and had a best showing of 4th in 2013.

Brian Harman- To Win (125/1), To Place (25/1)
Ever under the market radar, Harman is one of those relentlessly steady guys who never truly gets the recognition he deserves. It makes him a punters dream, of course. He is a great putter- like former champion Chris Kirk- and ranks 2nd behind Ricky Fowler in strokes gained putting this season. He was in 2nd place last season going into the final round, until the nerves got the better of him and he floundered towards a 24th place finish. His performance at Erin Hills- where he was in contention until the final moments- will give him the confidence that he could outlast an elite field.

Webb Simpson- To Win (55/1), To Place (12/1)
A former champion at TPC Boston, the former US Open Champion has been the very embodiment of consistency this season. He currently possesses 15 top 25 finishes this season, with 5 of those being converted into top 10’s. It’s no wonder he sits in 16th on the FedEx Cup standings despite any great thrills. He has picked up extraordinary momentum in the last few weeks, finishing 3rd and T6th at Wyndham and the Northern Trust respectively. So he looks a great bet with building momentum coupled with undeniable course form.

The Man to Beat- Patrick Reed- To Win (33/1), To Place (7/1)
The combustible Reed finally captured his first top 10 in a major at Quail Hollow. His tie for 2nd was the culmination of a steady period of improvement for the rambunctious competitor. Reed has clearly fed off the cauldron-like atmosphere here, finishing 4th and 5th respectively in the last two renewals. He was in contention last week until a poor final round saw him plummet down to 20th place. I think that Reed is gearing up for another strong finish to the year, particularly with the President’s Cup on the horizon.

Written by Damien Kayat for @Hollywoodbets


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