The TPC Blue Monster at Trump National Doral: 7,543 yards, par 72
Miami, Florida
Defending Champion: Dustin Johnson: Shot a 69 on the final day and came back from five shots to defeat J.B. Holmes by a shot, and Bubba by two shots. Dustin sank clutch putt after clutch putt to capture the championship. He finished -9, Holmes finished -8 and Bubba finished -7.
Last week’s winner at the Honda Classic: Adam Scott
Weather: Sunny today, Friday and Sunday. Cloudy Saturday. Winds anywhere from 8 MPH with gusts to 15. Sunday Sunny with winds 10-15 MPH.
TV: Today-Friday: Golf Channel: 12-5 PM CT/1-6 PM ET; Saturday: Golf Channel: 11 AM-2 PM CT/Noon-3 PM ET; NBC: 2–5 PM CT/3-6 PM ET; Sunday: Golf: 11 AM-1 PM CT/Noon-2 PM ET; NBC: 1-5 PM CT/ 2-6 PM ET.
Key holes:
No. 10, 600 yards, par 5
Water runs completely down the left side of the fairway. Driving is at a premium on this hole. Bubba really struggled with his driver and his putter in the final round last year and drove it into the bunker on this hole. Three shot hole. Can be a likely birdie possibility with three good shots.
No.15, 153 yards, Par 3
This is a peninsula green with water in front, back and to the left. Accuracy is at a premium. There are small targets for the golfer to hit. A par is a good score on this hole. This course was the third toughest on tour after the Masters and the U.S. Open at Chambers Bay last year.
No. 16, 341 yards, Par 4
It can play as short as 297 like it did last year on Sunday, so players who are in the hunt will try to drive the green. There is water on the left side, so that’s a problem if the player pulls his tee shot. There are bunkers surrounding the green and thick rough in back and to the sides. It’s a pretty narrow, small target for a green, but a good birdie opportunity with a solid tee shot that catches the green. Can be an eagle with a spectacular drive.
No. 18, 476 yards, Par 4
One of the toughest and most famous holes in golf. There is a high degree of difficulty off this tee box with a big lake to the left and a narrow fairway with palm trees covering the right side just off the fairway. The second shot will have water in play to the left, and the green is long and pretty narrow with long not being very good as there is thick rough behind the green and the grandstand area. Electric finishing hole which will provide high drama on Sunday most likely. Should be an awesome tournament, and this hole could determine who captures the 2016 WGC Cadillac.
Featured groups today:
10:10 AM CT/11:10 AM ET: Kevin Kisner, Phil, J.B.: going off No.10
10:32 AM CT/11:32 AM ET: Spieth, Day, Rory; going off No.10
10:43 AM CT/11:43 Justin Rose, Dustin, Adam Scott; No.10
11:38 AM CT/12:38 PM ET Bubba, Rickie Fowler, Henrik Stenson; going off No.1
Prediction:
All right, so last week at the Honda in Palm Gardens, Florida, Adam Scott won; the week before that at the Northern Trust at Riviera CC in LA, Bubba won; the week before that at Pebble Beach, Vaughn Taylor won; the week before that at the Waste Management at TPC Scottsdale Hideki Matsuyama won, the week before that at Torrey Pines at the Farmers Insurance Open, Sneds won, and the week before that at the Career Builders Challenge at PGA West in La Quinta, CA. Duf won. So it’s been a pretty random six weeks with veterans, and an unknown winning. I kind of like that the mid to late 30 guys are right there winning titles along with these young guys. So since this thing is so up in the air this week, I’m going to have to go back to my horse. Putting is the key in this tournament. Driving and putting, and the guy with the best putter is the player of the year from last year who won five times and captured two majors and almost won the Grand Slam. I’m going with the gunslinger again. His putter is the best in the game and his ball striking is right there with the best of them. He’s not long like Bubba, Dustin or J.B., but he can get it out there in the 300 yard range and his work on the greens will be the difference this week. Like Jason Day and Rickie Fowler to also be factors along with Adam Scott, but going with the gunslinger from Dallas again.
Going with Jordan Spieth once again
4 Responses
I’m going with Rory and Rafa Cabrera Bello as my dark horse. Bama Golf
Craig: Justin Thomas. He’s due for a big win and a big year. He’s a heckuva player and I like the home boy from Alabama. He’s a good friend of my nephew, Trey Mullinax, and I just like him a lot. I expect a big year from JT.
Spike
After deliberation of the stars in the WGC event, my selection is including a 54 hole leader in J.B. Holmes, Dustin Johnson and Adam Scott in a playoff Sunday afternoon with Scott hoisting the hardware, mostly due to his new style of putting.
I’m going with Danny Willett over Patrick Reed in a playoff.