The world’s top golfers will head this week to the famed Bethpage Black Course in Long Island, New York for the 2016 staging of the Barclays golf tournament. A cool $8.5 million is at stake for the elite 125-man field with the champion grabbing not only 2,000 FedExCup points but also the $1.53 million top prize.
Read on below for an in-depth breakdown of the 2016 Barclays tournament and while you’re at it, you can check out our high-value sleeper picks for the first stop in this year’s FedEx Cup playoffs.
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Favorites – Jason Day (+750) and Dustin Johnson (+800)
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. Only 34 points separate these two golfers atop the FedExCup points race. To further illustrate Day and Johnson’s dominance thus far this season, they are more than 600 points ahead of third-ranked Adam Scott in the FedExCup standings.
Day has found the top-25 in 13 of his last 14 starts, nabbing three victories and five other top-10s during that stretch. He is fresh off a runner-up finish at the PGA Championship. He has fond memories of the Barclays tournament, winning this golf event last year by a whopping six shots. 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 five outings. With the form that they are both in right now, expect Day and Johnson to contend for the title once again at Bethpage Black this week.
High-Value Sleepers – Phil Mickelson (+2,500) and Patrick Reed (+3,500)
Looking for a great sleeper this week? How about Phil Mickelson? He’s starting to rediscover his old form, finishing in the top-4 in three of his last nine starts. The five-time major champion came close to winning his second British Open title last month, losing by just three shots to Henrik Stenson. Lefty’s final-round 65 wasn’t enough to overcome the red-hot Swede, who shot an incredible 63 over his final 18 holes. Mickelson is currently seventh in the FedExCup standings with 1,532 points to his name.
That being said, Lefty will fancy his chances of adding to his trophy collection this week as he has fared extremely well at this Bethpage Black course. He nabbed runner-up finishes in the US Open when the national championship was held here back in 2002 and 2009. For Lefty to capture the Barclays title this week, he will need to continue his outstanding play with the putter. Mickelson is third in the PGA Tour in strokes gained via putting with a solid .756 average. That will come in handy for Lefty when tackling the delicate greens here in Long Island.
Another golfer who’s primed for a huge performance this week is Patrick Reed. He has been playing some excellent golf of late, finishing in the top-15 in five of his last nine worldwide starts. Key to Reed’s resurgence has been his superb play from tee to green. He is 32nd in the PGA Tour in strokes gained in that particular department with a solid .836 clip. That will be a major weapon for Reed when dealing with the nooks and crannies of this tough Bethpage Black course.
One long shot who can definitely make a run at the Barclays title this week is Jhonattan Vegas. The Venezuelan has been playing some superb golf of late, finishing in the top-25 in each of his last three starts, including a memorable victory at last month’s Canadian Open. Vegas shot a scintillating 64 in the final round to earn his second-career PGA Tour title.
What makes Vegas such a threat in every golf tournament that he competes in is his incredible power off the tee. He is 11th in the PGA Tour in driving distance, averaging 304.3 yards per drive this season. That powerful swing will come in handy when tackling the long 7,468-yard, par-71 Bethpage Black course.
Writer’s Prediction
Jason Day (+750) successfully defends his Barclays title this week.
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