Written by Matt Cee for @Hollywoodbets. Follow them both on Twitter and Facebook now!
The Barracuda Championship | Thursday 06 August – Sunday 09 August | Montreux Golf & Country Club
There isn’t a European Tour event this week and so we have two tournaments on the PGA Tour to look forward to, however, I get the feeling that the Bridgestone Invitational will draw more attention than the Barracuda Championship. That being said, this is definitely one for golf punters to keep an eye on as the Modified Stableford scoring system ensures that the golf is entertaining and that there is a lot of value to be found. Hosted by the Montreux Golf and Country Club, this is an event that has proven successful for us in the past and we’re hoping that this week is no different as we look for a possible winner.
Measuring just under 7,500 yards, the par 72 layout rewards consistency and those who hit the fairway and greens in regulation will be rewarded with two points for each birdie they make. The Modified Stableford system can be cruel though as double bogeys are punished severely so keeping those, and bogeys for that matter, off the card will be key to ensuring that players give themselves a chance. Last year Geoff Ogilvy shot the lights out on his way to making 49 points and that was the result of him making only five bogeys over the four days. Although it’s unlikely that score will be matched, he showed that if you can avoid going over par you’ll do well so look out for players who are consistent. That’s going to be the key to victory here.
To Win Outright
Brendan Steele 16/1
Geoff Ogilvy 16/1
Jason Bohn 16/1
Austin Cook 18/1
Will Wilcox 20/1
VALUE BETS
Steve Wheatcroft (100/1 a win, 22/1 a place)
The first player who catches my eye is Steve Wheatcroft and the main reason for that is that his name is one of the few I recognise from the PGA Tour. Wheatcroft has carded some decent scores this season and has found himself in the Top 10 on occasion, a position that almost no-one in this field can claim to have found themselves in. He looked to be in good form last week on his way to a Top 15 finish and he faced far stiffer competition then than he does now. I’m backing Wheatcroft each way.
Carlos Ortiz (90/1 a win, 19/1 a place)
The only reason I’m backing Ortiz is because he shot the lights out in his final round last week on his way to carding a 66, the best closing round of the tournament. Those nine or so birdies he made (there was an unfortunate double bogey somewhere on the back nine) would stand him in good stead in this format and although the double bogey would have been a blow to his score, I’m hoping he avoids those this week and just makes birdies. That may be a bit optimistic but at this price it’s worth a shot.
Andres Romero (25/1 a win, 11/2 a place)
I never thought I’d see the day that I backed Andres Romero at 25/1 but that time has come and I have a good feeling about him this week. He’s one of the few players in this event with a lot of experience on the PGA Tour and he’ll be confident that if he plays his best game he’ll have what it takes to make more points than the rest of the field. Romero has two top 10 finishes under his belt in his last four starts, let’s hope he goes all the way this week and wins. Each way looks a good bet here this week.
TOP BET:
JJ Henry (80/1 a win, 18/1 a place)
With not much information regarding a majority of this field, one of the key factors to look at are past performances here and JJ Henry has been the most consistent golfer to tee off at Montreux in the past few years. He’s posted a number of Top 10 finishes throughout the course of his career and even won three years ago and given the fact that he desperately needs FedEx Cup points he’s going to come out swinging this week. If the pressure doesn’t get to him he’ll be one to keep an eye on, let’s hope he goes all the way.
