Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial CC, Fort Worth, Texas

The Crowne Plaza Invitational in Fort Worth, Texas, is this week’s instalment for golfers on the PGA Tour to try and crack and get that win under their belt. It’s a venue that the PGA have returned to every year since 1946 when Ben Hogan won the inaugural event, he also won the 1947’s event as well. Zach Johnson won last year’s event with a 268, -12 under par score when the wind blew for each and every day in the tournament. This is something that can curb the scoring but generally it dosnt. Over the past 5 years the winning scores have been -12, -15, -21, -17, -14 so this indicates you will need to score heavily a couple of times or just be very consistent over the four rounds. Zach Johnson is one who really dos play well here, winning as he did last year, and in 2010 where he set the record low of -21 in his victory. He hasn’t been out of the top 10 in his last 4 visits, so he knows what it takes to do well here in a big way. Jim Furyk, Bo Van Pelt, Ben Crane and Martin Laird are the only other players to have broken into the top 10 more than once over the past 4 years, though none of these players have yet to win here...

It isn’t the hardest of tracks to play, but like all PGA tracks it has its dangers. The greens are some of the smallest on the tour, so hitting them will be a premium, as will your Scrambling skills if you do indeed miss the greens. Driving Accuracy will be tested as you will have to position your ball well to hit these smallish greens. And the ability to score low if you get the chance as a score of less than -12 might not get the win…



Kevin Streelman is playing at the top of his game right now, and will be looking to add another Tour win to the one he got back in March at the Tampa Bay Championship. His stats suggest he could do well here sitting 22nd for Driving Accuracy, 28th for Scrambling, 7th for All Round Scoring and 9th in Ball Striking. He has really come of age this year and he will probably win again this year, it’s just when…

Bo Van Pelt is one of my constant picks this year and although he hasn’t had the best of years so far, only once making the top 10, he has form around here. He has 6 top 20’s here with a best a solo 3rd in 2011 to his name. He is just too good a player to not get back up to the standard he set last year. Though if he continues to miss out on the top 10 finishes this year then he may well be cut from my top 4 picks…

Martin Laird has only played the Crowne Plaza event twice, back in 2010 and 2011, with a T5th and T10th to his name for his efforts. He shot under par for each and every round in those 2 visits here, and although isn’t exactly flying at the moment he did come T5th at The Players and won his first tour event of the year 3 weeks previous to that, the Valero Texas Open. I am hoping that he can regain that feel for the course and get back amongst the top 10 this week. I also find it interesting that he turned down the BMW at Wentworth this week to play here instead…

Chris Kirk is making his 4th visit here and has a T17th in 2010 and a T5th last year to his name already. Having a solid if not spectacular year he comes here with good stats for this course. Currently sits at 3rd overall in Scrambling, 7th in Strokes Gained Putting and 14th in All Round Ranking. He probably needs to have a good week with the driver, ranks 107th in Total Driving, as he isn’t the best, but he has the ability to place the ball better than most. Can score heavy with the putter and so can shoot the low score needed to win here…


Kevin Streelman @ 28/1…
Bo Van Pelt @ 33/1…
Martin Laird @ 33/1…
Chris Kirk @ 40/1…

All done in the usual £2.5 e/w… PadPow pays ¼ top 5…

 

Leaderboard after the 1st round

Leader - Ryan Palmer @ -8

T23 - Chris Kirk.............. -3
T72 - Bo Van Pelt........... E
T72 - Martin Laird .......... E
T72 - Kevin Streelman.... E

So i pick Ryan Palmer for the past 3 weeks and he plays well, but not good enough for a Tour win. What dos he do the moment i take my money off his back, shoots a super low round of 62 and leads the Crowne Plaza event at -8 under...!!! What has really done my head in, is that this is HIS coarse, and so he will know it like the back of his hand... I really should have picked him on that alone...!!!

Nevermind, as there is always the next round and tournament...

 

Had a bit of a busy weekend and didnt get round to updating any of the scores, but all my picks had a mare and not one of em placed in the top 10...!!!