AT & T National from Congressionall County Golf Club, Bethesda, Maryland

As I missed last week’s tournament due to me wasting my time on the runners and riders at Ascot it feels good to be back looking at the golfers again. This week’s tournament has pitched up at the Congressional Country Club in Bethesda, Maryland, for the first time since 2009. This is because this particular course held the 2011 US Open where Rory McIlroy won in spectacular style by 8 shots, and the USPGA takes that course off the register if it needs to be altered in any way. This they did, and what a different golf course it is now compared to pre 2011, when Tiger Woods won here in 2009...

This course is a monster in length, a massive 7,569 yards long – (Only Torrey Pines is longer at 7,698 yards…!!!) but this course can play to the shorter hitter as well as the monster driver, its all about positioning the ball. The one thing that I will say is if you don’t drive long off the tee, you must stay on the fairways. The scrambling stats for this course are horrendous and you can expect to drop shots from less than 20 yards away from the pin. The course actually played harder last year than it did for the US Open, mainly due to the fact that the downpour and soggy conditions of 2011 made life a little bit easier for some of the players. Ask Rory, he didn’t mind them…


So, as long as it’s clear of the downpours and torrential rain that seems to be hitting the States at the moment, I do think that last year’s top 10 and the players who did well in 2011 hold the key. A long Driving Average, good Scrambling stats plus has the ability to hold onto a score when all around are falling is the way to go…


Bo Van Pelt, as you all know, is my bloomin albatross, no pun intended..., when it comes to me betting on him this year, but this was the event last year that made me take note and pick him for this year bets. He finished 2nd to Tiger, only 2 shots back, and Tiger had a real fight on his hands until Bo took a 6 on the 16th which basically handed it to him. But I think that he will be suited to this course again so im picking him, again…

Ryan Palmer is my new ‘One to Follow’ this year and I have already scored with him earlier in the year – (Take note Bo…!!!). He sits 10th for Driving Average, lies 1st in Overall Scoring and is 25th in Total Putting. He came 15th last year but was in the top 10 in distance, proximity, scrambling and par-4 scoring, so any repeat of those stats should see him figure high up the leaderboard, hopefully…

Graham DeLaet is a player who I looked at backing a few tournaments ago only for him to pull out and go play back home in his native Canada for the Canadian Golf Open. Anyway he drives long, ranks 9th. Hits greens, ranks 1st in GIR and he can hit a ball, ranks 1st in Ball Striking. Fared very well last week in the Travellers, but his Sunday best wasn’t good enough to claim the title, he lead after the 3rd round only to slip to finish 3rd. Hopefully he can improve on last weeks performance to gain some sweet reward for his efforts…

Robert Garrigus can smash a ball miles. He is one of the biggest hitters on the Tour and he would top the Distance chart if he was a bit more accurate from the tee, he ranks 171st for Driving Accuracy. But he has a decent record around here considering the toughness of the course. Finished 4th here last year and T3rd, in the US Open back in 2011, so he can play this course. He isn’t in the best of form at the moment but if a course can re awaken anyone from his slumber then hopefully this one can for Big Bad Bob…

Bo Van Pelt @ 28/1…
Graham DeLaet @ 33/1…
Ryan Palmer @ 40/1...
Robert Garrigus @ 66/1…
All done in the usual £2.50 e/w… PadPow pays ¼ odds top 5…

 

Nicolas Colsaerts 90-1 - Will continue to back until he produces for me!
Jordan Speith 90-1 - Future star of the game, or so i hope!!
Charles Howell 50-1 - Think he is suited by this course, should go well
Scott Stallings 33-1 - One of the form guys in the field

Goodluck all

 

Bo Van Pelt after his first 7 holes is +4...!!!

That useless effin arse-hole...!!!

 

+8 from Bo in the end, the course looks difficult, i cant see the -3 posted from Horshel getting turned over tonight

Colsaerts showed a little more today, ended -2 which looks a solid score on what is without doubt a difficult course

 

I here declare that, from now on, if i ever put Bo Van Bloomin Uesless up as one of my picks you have the authority to shoot me...!!!

+8 over...!!!

 

Leaderboard after the 1st round...

Roberto Castro @ -5

T2 - Graham DeLaet.............. -3
T5 - Nicolas Colsaerts........... -2
T5 - Jordan Spieth................ -2
T44 - Robert Garrigus............ +1
T60 - Ryan Palmer................ +2
T108 - Scott Stallings........... +5
T108 - Charles Howell III........ +5
T127 - Bo Van Pelt................ +8


Just as youve said Smokin, the course looks like its playing hard, and only Roberto Castro has got to grips with the course so far, shooting -5 for his first round score. Only 27 players broke par yesterday so it looks a very healthy lead for Castro, but obviously it also means you could lose a few shots very quickly...

Fingers crossed we can get one of our picks home this week...

 

I havnt had the time to get on the comp this weekend, but needless to say, it was a missed chance again to score anything back from our picks...

Bill Haas won with a bit to spare with Jordan Spieth just missing out on a top 5 finish and any money coming back to Smokin...

Nevermind...

 

I was gutted with Stewart Cink's birdie putt on the 18th which stuck Spieth into 6th instead of T5 (even though it would've been half the winnings back it still would've been profitable)

Colsaerts threatened for a while, but ultimately wasn't good enough!

the less said about Stallings and Howell III this week the better