The Wyndham Championship, Sedgefield, North Carolina

This is the final week for the PGA Tour and so players will be trying that little bit extra if they havnt made the shortlist for the PGA Tour Playoffs for the FedExCup. So we may well be able to find a few players on the cut of the FedEx comp who might play that little bit harder to gain entry to the big money tournament in a few weeks...

This is not a long course, only 7,130 yards, but after some work back in 2007 to bring the course up to PGA Standards the greens have altered a lot. They are all now slightly elevated and slope back to front which means approach shots have to be accurate. The slope off areas are not brutal to be honest, like we saw last week at Kiawah, but the greens have rolling undulations all over and there are not a lot of flat spots to aim for. So scrambling and getting down in two from off the greens will be tested but also your putting skills will be put through the mill with the lay of the greens.

From a FedExCup standing point of view you have to make the top 125 in the FedExCup list so a few already in the top 125 will be looking over their shoulders and like wise them just outside looking who to finish in front of... It should lead to a good tournament and a few surprise players making big moves...


Ryan Moore is one that i backed early in the season and i return to him as i think he can get involved at the end and post his first tour victory of the year, and second victory here. Sedgefield produces some ultra-low numbers, which is why Moore won this thing in a playoff in 2009, shooting -16 with Jason Bohn and Kevin Stadler. He missed the cut at the PGA last week, but that was mainly due to the crazy conditions on Friday. Has missed only three cuts all year...

Bud Cauley comes here after missing the cut at Kiawah, which is excusable, but before that was hitting top form with a T4th in The Canadian Open and a 4th place in the True South Classic. Is a player who can score low, with a combined total of -42 for his two 4th placed finishes, he will have a chance if getting that putter working. Has good approach play stats and can add to his 4 top finishes this year...

Greg Owen is a superb matchup. Ranks 6th for GIR, 28th in Birdie Average and 30th in Adjusted Scoring. While he's 120th in accuracy off the tee, he ranks 5th in GIR from lies off the fairway. He's logged two top 10s and another five top 25s among 15 cuts made this year. All eight of his rounds at Sedgefield have been par or better...

Gary Christian is making his debut to this course but is hitting form at the right time. The PGA TOUR rookie has recorded five of his six top-25s this year in his last six starts, including the last four in a row. Ranks 24th on the circuit in greens in regulation, 8th for Driving Accuracy and can confirm his place in the Play-offs with a good showing here...


Ryan Moore @ 45/1...
Bud Cauley @ 50/1...
Greg Owen @ 125/1...
Gary Christian @ 125/1...

As usual the £2.5 e/w with PadPow... Top 5 pays 1/4 odds... Good luck to all if you play...

 

Leaderboard after the 1st round...

Leader - C. Petterson, -8...

T8 - B. Cauley, -4
T20 - G. Christian, -3
T100 - R. Moore, +1
T116 - G. Owen, +2

Two players are within striking distance but the other two are outta here...!!! As usual you never know but the greens look extremely fast and missing the fairways is killing some rounds... All to play for as they say...

 

Leaderboard after the 2nd round...

Leader - J. Walker, -12

T7 - B. Cauley, -9
T47 - G. Christian, -3
T64 - R. Moore, -1

MC - G. Owen, E

The scoring continues to go low with many a player posting 63's, 64's etc but Jimmy Walker came in with 62 to take the lead into the 3rd day... Only Bud Cauley can get me back any returns, and he is looking well set at the moment 3 shots behind the leader. Fingers crossed he can be my best Bud and win me some money...!!!

 

I was tempted to have a little £5 bet on Sergio Garcia to win this, currently 8/1, as i think he has been told that i big performance here and you will get a place on the Ryder Cup team... Its amazing what a little push from someone can do to the form of a player. Sergio has looked all season like he is just going through the motions but a word in his shell like ear from Olly and he is right back on his game...

As Bud Cauley isnt gaurenteed a top 5 finish i wont be having the bet, but i do think Sergio can win this from here on in...

 

Leaderboard after the 3rd round...

Leader - S. Garcia, -14

T2 - B. Cauley, -13
T33 - G. Christian, -6
T53 - R. Moore, -3

So the 8/1 has gone for Sergio to win this tournament, best priced 3/1 now, as he produced a near faultless round to take the lead in this years Wyndham Championships. Though round of the day went to Jason Duffner, who shot a -7 par 63 to bring himself right back into contention, although lot of the other players were also shooting mid 60's as well. This only means that your going to have to shoot a minimum of 66 to win this...

Bud Cauley, my ole mate, is keeping me in it and it would be good for any return but a win would be obviously be better... So come on me old mucker, get it won for me...!!!

 

Rain, rain everywhere play stopped for a break... Rain, rain everywhere and not a shot to play...

So i will have to wait a little bit longer to see if Bud can bring home the bacon after the course was hit with a biblical downpour that caused the play to be suspended until later today...

Leader - Sergio Garcia, -15 after 4 holes...

Bud Cauley is still T2nd at -14, again after 4 holes...

 

Well i missed out on the 8/1 for Sergio with 2 rounds left, he was 35/1 at the start, but no worries really as Bud Cauley got me a return of £33.25 for his 4rd place finish and that will do...

Now to try and end the year with a winner out of the 4 FedEx Cup playoffs tournaments...

 

Hey Red, been away for a few weeks (golfing holiday in devon, school holidays so busy busy at work!)

but im back for these next four tournaments and i cannot wait!

Was so pleased for Sergio, i am glad he will be in the Ryder Cup team, arguably the only time he puts 100% into a tournament one could argue!