[sc:PGA15-250 ]The PGA Tour continues with a star-studded event as the world’s best golfers take the field for the CareerBuilders Challenge. A handful of past champions will enter, hoping for another shot at glory. Bill Haas returns after winning the tournament last year. But he’ll have some stiff competition with Patrick Reed, Phil Mickelson and Mark Wilson—all former champions—also set to take the field.
On the other side of the world, the best tennis players around gather for the first Grand Slam of the year. Check out our complete previews for the Australian Open’s Men’s and Women’s Singles Draws.
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2016 CareerBuilders Challenge Preview
Favorites – Patrick Reed and Matt Kuchar
[sc:Golf240banner ]Patrick Reed enters this tournament as the biggest favorite. He’s red-hot arriving on a streak of seven consecutive top-10s in competitions around the world. But Reed is yet to place in the top 10 in the United States. He’ll have quite a good shot at another top 10, and even a tournament win, at the CareerBuilders Challenge. Reed set the 72-hole record for the tournament in 2014, needing just 260 strokes to win the title.
Matt Kuchar barely missed out on a title at this tournament a year ago, when it was still called the Humana Challenge. He finished just one shot back of champion Bill Haas. He’s improved gradually this year, most recently finishing 14th and 12th in the Hero World Challenge and Sony Open in Hawaii respectively. Assuming that Kuchar maintains his upward trajectory, then he’s due for another good outing at the CareerBuilders Challenge.
High-Value Sleepers – Bill Haas and Phil Mickelson
Before the young guns such as Jordan Spieth and Jason Day dominated the tour, Bill Haas had been one of the brightest prospects around. Now 33, Haas is now looked as one of the veterans, especially with six tour wins under his belt. The most recent of Haas’ tour wins came at this tournament just a year ago. A 170-yard approach and two putts produced the title-winning par, letting Haas best five other players by just one shot.
Another former champion enters the field to vie for the CareerBuilder Challenge title. Lefty himself, Phil Mickelson, won this tournament back in 2002 and 2004. He is only one of eight players to win this event at least twice. Mickelson finished 30-under par in both his wins back when the event was played over five rounds. Lefty is a live sleeper and a nostalgic pick to win this tournament. He’s collected five majors and 42 tour titles in his career, which should give him the experience edge among the younger players on the field.
Long Shot – Mark Wilson
Mark Wilson has played in just five events this year, making the cut twice and once finishing in the top 25. He’s been cold thus far, but you can’t count him out just yet. He won this tournament in 2012, finishing with a 12-under par 264. It has been Wilson’s only win since 2012, so expect him to go all out in an attempt for a second win at this tournament.
Writer’s Prediction
Kuchar wins the CareerBuilders Challenge after last year’s miss.
