After the conclusion of the RBC Canadian Open, the PGA Tour now moves on to the Quicken Loans National, which will be held for the first time at the Robert Trent Jones Golf Club. Some of the best golfers of the planet assemble for this tournament—which is on its ninth year—to compete for a $6.7 million purse and gain more points for the FedEx Cup.
Headlining the 120-player field is Justin Rose, who’ll be looking to defend his title. Can he do it? Or will somebody else rise above the occasion and take home the trophy instead?
Read on to find out more about the top candidates for the Quicken Loans National title. And if you still seeking for more of this weekend’s action, click here and check out our expert picks and best sleeper picks too.
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2015 Quicken Loans National Preview
Where: Robert Trent Jones Golf Club, Gainesville, Virginia
When: July 30-August 2
Line: View all Quicken Loans National lines
Favorites: Justin Rose and Rickie Fowler
Justin Rose, the reigning Quicken Loans National champion, is set to defend his title this coming weekend at the Robert Trent Jones Golf Club in Gainesville. It seems like it was just yesterday when Rose fended off Shawn Stefani last year 2014 in a playoff to win the title—his sixth triumph in the PGA Tour. Rose also won the title in 2010 at the expense of Ryan Moore.
[sc:Golf240banner ]Rose is currently ranked fifth-best in world and is the only person besides Tiger Woods to win the tournament multiple times. He ranks third on Tour in birdie average (4.48) and 20th in driving distance (300.9 yards) this season. The 34-year-old Englishman, who’s coming off a sixth-place finish in the British Open, should be in the running for his eighth career PGA title and second one this season after the Zurich Classic.
Rickie Fowler, meanwhile, joins Rose as the only two top-10 golfer participating this weekend. Fowler ranks sixth in world and is looking for his third PGA Tour win after emerging victorious in last May’s Players Championship, beating out Sergio Garcia and Kevin Kisner in a three-hole playoff.
After that glorious moment, though, Fowler hasn’t been himself in his last three PGA tournaments. He failed to make the cut at the U.S Open and the Memorial Tournament, while he only finished tied for 30th in the British Open last week. However it’s worth noting that on July 12, the 26-year-old American went on to win his first European Tour title in the Aberdeen Asset Management Scottish Open.
Sleepers: Tiger Woods and Scott Piercy
Tiger Woods has not been the player he once was and in fact, he might never be again. Father Time has evidently put his career on a decline and he’s struggled mightily in recent tournaments. But the 79-time PGA Tour champion, who now ranks No. 258 in the world, thinks otherwise. He will be hosting and participating in the upcoming Quicken Loans National.
Woods has only qualified once for the top-25 in his last eight starts and has missed the cut at the British Open. The good news though is that he’s won this tournament multiple times during 2009 and 2012. That being said, this might just be the best opportunity for him to prove his doubters wrong by adding another accolade to his much-decorated career with a triumphant outing this weekend.
On the other side, Scott Piercy will look to build on his triumph in the Barbasol Championship, during which he closed with a 6-under 65 for a three-shot victory. The win was his third career PGA Tour title after the Canadian Open in 2012 and Reno-Tahoe Open in 2011. Piercy, who ranks No. 71 in the world, has made it to the top-25 seven times in 22 tournaments this season.
The 36-year-old veteran ranks eighth in driving distance in the PGA Tour with 296.0 yards per drive and has a respectable birdie average of 3.96, which ranks 22nd this year. Both of which should come into play as he
Long shots: Stephen Gallacher and Andy Sullivan
Stephen Gallacher and Andy Sullivan are a pair of long shots to win the Quicken Loans National. Although, both are certainly capable of doing surprisingly well this coming weekend.
Gallacher, who is No. 66 in the world, has only managed to finish in the top-25 once in eight tournaments this season. He finished tied for 24th place in the HSBC Championship last November. Other than that, hasn’t been competitive throughout all the events he’s participated in. But last year though, the 40-year-old Scotsman managed to make it to the top-25 twice (Cadillac Championship and British Open). A sudden outburst from him is still quite possible.
Sullivan might also be worth the risk. He’s won two European Tour titles this year – the South African Open and the Joburg Open. Those two wins allowed him to qualify for the U.S Open last month, where unfortunately missed the cut. Sullivan more reacently finished tied for 30th in the British Open.
The 29-year-old definitely has a lot to work on but he is clearly gaining more confidence in each tournament. It’s just a matter of time before Sullivan delivers a breakout performance to put his name above the rankings, and it could just come at the Robert Trent Jones Golf Club.
Writer’s Prediction
Justin Rose successfully defends his title. Create a betting account now and grab the best odds and lines from profitable golf futures.
