The world’s top golfers will head this week to the famed Baltusrol course in Springfield, New Jersey for the 98th staging of the PGA Championship. A cool $10.5 million is at stake for the 156-man field with the champion grabbing not only the $1.89 million top prize, but also the prestigious Wanamaker Trophy.
Read on below for an in-depth breakdown of the 2016 PGA Championship and while you’re at it, you can check out our high-value sleeper picks for the year’s final major tournament as well.
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Favorites – Dustin Johnson (+750) and Jason Day (+950)
It isn’t a complete surprise to see Jason Day and Dustin Johnson installed as favorites to win another major tournament. Day and Johnson are the two highest-ranked players in the field and they are playing some incredible golf of late.
Day has found the top-25 in 12 of his last 13 starts, nabbing three victories and four other top-10s during that stretch. He finished tied for 14th at the recently-concluded Canadian Open. Johnson, on the other hand, has been totally lit just the same, winning the U.S. Open and WGC-Bridgestone Invitational in two of his last four outings. The American came close to grabbing another title at the Canadian Open, finishing just one stroke shy of eventual champion Jhonattan Vegas. With the form that they are both in right now, expect Day and Johnson to contend once again at Baltusrol this week.
High-Value Sleepers – Sergio Garcia (+2,000) and Phil Mickelson (+1,800)
Looking for a great sleeper this week? How about Sergio Garcia? The Spaniard came so close to grabbing his maiden major title at the Open Championship earlier this month, tying for fifth behind eventual champion Henrik Stenson. He has been playing some excellent golf of late, finishing in the top-5 in five of his last six worldwide starts, including a victory at the AT&T Byron Nelson.
Key to Garcia’s resurgence has been his superb play from tee to green. He is 11th in the PGA Tour in strokes gained with a solid 1.311 clip. That will be a major weapon for Garcia when dealing with the nooks and crannies of this tough Baltusrol course. He tied for 23rd the last time the PGA Championship was held in this famous venue back in 2005.
Another golfer who’s primed for a huge performance this week is Phil Mickelson. He’s starting to rediscover his old form, finishing in the top-4 in three of his last eight starts. The five-time major winner came agonizingly close to winning his second British Open title earlier this month, losing by just three shots to Swede Henrik Stenson. A final-round 65 wasn’t enough for Lefty to overcome the red-hot Stenson, though, who shot a scorching 63 in his final 18 holes.
That being said, Mickelson will fancy his chances of adding to his trophy collection this week as he has fared extremely well at this Baltusrol course. He was the PGA of America’s last winner at this historic course, winning the PGA Championship back in 2005. For Lefty to capture his second PGA title this week, he will need to continue his outstanding play with the putter. Mickelson is fourth in the PGA Tour in strokes gained via putting with a solid .821 average. That will come in handy for Lefty when tackling the delicate greens here in Springfield.
Long Shot – Jhonattan Vegas
One long shot who can definitely make a run at the Wanamaker Trophy is Jhonattan Vegas. The Venezuelan signaled his PGA Championship intentions with a scintillating final-round 64 in the recently-concluded Canadian Open at the Glen Abbey course. That stunning performance earned Vegas his second-career PGA Tour title.
What makes Vegas such a threat in every golf tournament that he competes in is his solid hitting off the tee. He is 13th in the PGA Tour in driving distance this season, averaging 303.2 yards per drive. That powerful swing will come in handy when tackling the long 7,462-yard, par-70 Baltusrol course.
Writer’s Prediction
Dustin Johnson (+750) wins his second major title at Baltusrol this week.
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