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JoePa's THE PLAYERS Picks
JOEPA'S UPDATED YTD
UNITS: +4.50
I always take a little more liberty in the majors, so my card is a tad larger this week especially after another winning E.W. pick last week.
LEE WESTWOOD 14/1 TO WIN OUTRIGHT - He has nine appearances at TPC Sawgrass over a 13 year period and nabbed three top-10s, including a T4 in 2010. Low man on the weekend at Quail Hollow last week en route to a T5th place. Leads The Tour in GIR. Great finish with a 68-66 weekend at the Wells Fargo to finish T5 in his first start since a T3 at the Masters. He's probably the world's best player without a major championship and to grab a win here would be huge. The newly slimmed down Westwood has 4 Top 5 finishes this season.
ZACH JOHNSON 10/1 E.W. - Primed for a win at TPC Sawgrass? It's his 8th appearance at The Players where he has missed just one cut and posted four top 25s, including a T12 last year. Runner-up at Harbour Town four weeks ago. Ranks 9th on TOUR in scrambling, 11/11 in cuts made, 16th in scoring average, 10th in driving accuracy, 25th in strokes gained putting, 11th in eagles, 18th all-around. Eight of his last 12 rounds at TPC Sawgrass have been under par. Great course form.
IAN POULTER 12/1 E.W. – A perfect 6/6 in cuts made on the season with 3 Top 10s in a row with a T4th at the Tavistock, 3rd at the Arnie Palmer and T7th at The Masters. He has 3 runner-up finishes at The Players, the last one in 2011 when he finished 4 strokes behind Henrik Stenson. He’s ranked 25th in driving accuracy, 22nd in total driving, 15th in sand saves and 5th in scrambling. Comes into this year's event off two top-7 finishes in last two TOUR starts and a 15th at the Ballentines on the European Tour so his recent form and course form makes him a great candidate.
BEN CURTIS 14/1 E.W. – Why not? Remains on fire since winning The Valero in San Antonio and backed that win up with a T13th at The Zurich and T5th at the Wells Fargo just last week. Still maintaining his solid play and if he had enough rounds logged to qualify, he'd rank fifth on TOUR in greens hit, second in Strokes Gained-Putting and 25th in scrambling. He's red-hot and still a Kent State graduate!
STEVE STRICKER 13/2 E.W. - Six top 25s in 15 starts at this event, including a T12 last year. Had last week off following a solo 6th place finish at the Zurich Classis---his 4th Top 10 in just 7 starts this season. He's 7th on TOUR in GIR and 13th in scrambling. The veteran has 6 Top 25s here including last year's T12th. He won early in the season at Kapalua and has 3 other Top 10s. I love his patience and he has the accuracy to notch his 13th career win while celebrating the 30th anniversary of TPC Sawgrass. Four top 10s in just 7 starts this year and only one missed cut in his last 6 PLAYERS events.
UNITS: +4.50
I always take a little more liberty in the majors, so my card is a tad larger this week especially after another winning E.W. pick last week.
LEE WESTWOOD 14/1 TO WIN OUTRIGHT - He has nine appearances at TPC Sawgrass over a 13 year period and nabbed three top-10s, including a T4 in 2010. Low man on the weekend at Quail Hollow last week en route to a T5th place. Leads The Tour in GIR. Great finish with a 68-66 weekend at the Wells Fargo to finish T5 in his first start since a T3 at the Masters. He's probably the world's best player without a major championship and to grab a win here would be huge. The newly slimmed down Westwood has 4 Top 5 finishes this season.
ZACH JOHNSON 10/1 E.W. - Primed for a win at TPC Sawgrass? It's his 8th appearance at The Players where he has missed just one cut and posted four top 25s, including a T12 last year. Runner-up at Harbour Town four weeks ago. Ranks 9th on TOUR in scrambling, 11/11 in cuts made, 16th in scoring average, 10th in driving accuracy, 25th in strokes gained putting, 11th in eagles, 18th all-around. Eight of his last 12 rounds at TPC Sawgrass have been under par. Great course form.
IAN POULTER 12/1 E.W. – A perfect 6/6 in cuts made on the season with 3 Top 10s in a row with a T4th at the Tavistock, 3rd at the Arnie Palmer and T7th at The Masters. He has 3 runner-up finishes at The Players, the last one in 2011 when he finished 4 strokes behind Henrik Stenson. He’s ranked 25th in driving accuracy, 22nd in total driving, 15th in sand saves and 5th in scrambling. Comes into this year's event off two top-7 finishes in last two TOUR starts and a 15th at the Ballentines on the European Tour so his recent form and course form makes him a great candidate.
BEN CURTIS 14/1 E.W. – Why not? Remains on fire since winning The Valero in San Antonio and backed that win up with a T13th at The Zurich and T5th at the Wells Fargo just last week. Still maintaining his solid play and if he had enough rounds logged to qualify, he'd rank fifth on TOUR in greens hit, second in Strokes Gained-Putting and 25th in scrambling. He's red-hot and still a Kent State graduate!
STEVE STRICKER 13/2 E.W. - Six top 25s in 15 starts at this event, including a T12 last year. Had last week off following a solo 6th place finish at the Zurich Classis---his 4th Top 10 in just 7 starts this season. He's 7th on TOUR in GIR and 13th in scrambling. The veteran has 6 Top 25s here including last year's T12th. He won early in the season at Kapalua and has 3 other Top 10s. I love his patience and he has the accuracy to notch his 13th career win while celebrating the 30th anniversary of TPC Sawgrass. Four top 10s in just 7 starts this year and only one missed cut in his last 6 PLAYERS events.