We preview the CareerBuilder Challenge which gets underway on Thursday 18 January.
The PGA Tour returns from the island paradise of Hawaii to an event that struggles to compete with the massive event in Abu Dhabi. The CareerBuilder Challenge started life in 1960 as the Palm Springs Desert Golf Challenge.
It was a five round Pro-Am that was originally won by Arnold Palmer. It was known as the Bob Hope Classic between 1965 and 2012, before Humana came in with a sponsorship revamp that has definitely had a positive effect on the appeal of the event.
CareerBuilder Challenge | Thursday 18 January – Friday 21 January | The Stadium Course
The CareerBuilder is a Pro-Am that alternates between three courses till Sunday: PGA West TPC Stadium Course, PGA West TPC Tournament Course and La Quinta Country Club. Sunday sees the loss of the amateurs and a mass migration to the PGA West TPC Stadium Course. This will probably be the best chance to watch due to the ponderous nature of Pro-Am golf. All the courses are relatively benign due to the presence of the amateurs, so expect players with the propensity to make birdies to be a major threat this week.
World Number three Jon Rahm understandably leads the markets this week. The Spaniard has a penchant for desert conditions and should fare well in a ravaged field. Brian Harman is perhaps the form man in the field while Patrick Reed and Bubba Watson are sure to garner huge galleries. Evergreen Phil Mickelson hasn’t won since the 2013 Open Championship and perhaps realizes that his seemingly eternal place in the winner’s circle may soon be coming to an end. This should give him added motivation in an event struggling for broader credibility.
Past Winners
2017: Hudson Swafford (-20)
2016: Jason Dufner (-25)
2015: Bill Haas (-22)
2014: Patrick Reed (-28)
2013: Brian Gay (-25)
To Win Outright
Jon Rahm 10/1, Brian Harman 14/1, Patrick Reed 18/1, Webb Simpson 18/1, Kevin Kisner 20/1
Value Bets
Phil Mickelson- To Win 22/1, To Place 48/10
While ‘Lefty’ hasn’t managed to win since his remarkable victory in the 2013 Open Championship, his inherent class and ability to make birdies should make him a contender in this field. He finished 21st last season in the wake of two surgeries, while he managed to claim third spot in 2016. Added to that is the fact that almost half of his impressive 44 career wins on the PGA Tour have come before Augusta. I have no doubt that Mickelson’s capacity to win has diminished with advancing age, but his undeniable touch and class could make this event attainable.
Austin Cook 60/1, To Place 13/1
Considering the fact that this is an event that tends to reward birdie making ability, Cook’s victory at the RSM Classic in November starts to look quite appealing. His victory at Sea Island came in a total of -21. He followed that with a top 20 finish at in Vegas before a T18th in Waialae last week. He is one of the young guns that tends to rely less on power and more on course craft- a trait that seems to serve well in this event. And how is this for a statistic: he has 11 top 25 finishes in 16 starts on the PGA Tour. He could thrive in a fairly decimated field.
Jhonatton Vegas- To Win 66/1, To Place 14/1
Jhonatton Vegas manged to win only his second PGA Tour start in this very event in 2011. While that Pro-Am was played on a different set of courses, it definitely highlighted his ability to assault desert resort courses: he finished with a score of -27. Vegas has the capacity to be a birdie machine- a trait that certainly has some pull in this event. It took some time to win his second event, with the RBC in 2016. He actually went on to defeat Spieth in singles play at the President’s Cup and he comes into this event in good form. He finished in a tie for seventh in the recent Sentry Tournament of Champions.
The Man to Beat- Jon Rahm 10/1, To Place 22/10
The combustible Spaniard leads the betting markets but still represents decent value at a double figure price, particularly giving the lean quality on display. Rahm plays well in this part of the world, with his first victory coming in nearby Torrey Pines. He has a proficiency for desert conditions, with victory at the DP World Championship last year preceded by a tie for fifth at the Phoenix Open. Rahm was fourth in par 4 scoring on the PGA Tour last season and he should have the ammunition to launch a real assault on this title.
