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JoePa's MEMORIAL Picks
A near miss with Snedeker for a Top 5 finish last week, but a dreaded bogey on 17 kept me out of the money! Back at it with one of my favorite tournaments of the year. Probably because I used to cover it as a photographer when I live in Columbus and had some really great experiences there.
DUSTIN JOHNSON 12/1 OUTRIGHT WIN -DJ has a history of posting a high number on one-round at the Memorial that submarines him from contention. And, last week's final round after carding a 62 in the third round in Dallas sunk him as well. Nonetheless, he does have 3 Top 20s here in his last 6 trips, has a win in 9 straight Tour seasons, T8th last week despite that final round screw up, has a life coach which could equal a life preserver this week. Man is his stat sheet overstuffed: 1st in driving distance, 8th in strokes gained tee-to-green, 7th in birdie average, 4th in scoring average at 69.860, 3rd in fairway proximity, 1st in approaches from 250-275 yards, 4th in approaches 175-200 yards, 3rd in approaches greater than 200 yards, 6th in putting average, 11ith in one-putt percentage and 5th in par 5 scoring average. He's a 9/4 shot for a Top 5 finish so bet him to win!
HIDEKI MATSUYAMA 7/2 TOP 5 FINISH -The Defending Champion! He has 7 Top 10s and 5 Top 25s this season and took two weeks off after a T17th at The Players and a T20th at the Wells Fargo. Finished 5th at The Masters earlier. Ranks 9th in GIR, 10th in scrambling, 3rd in bogey avoidance, 3rd in par 4 scoring, 2nd in strokes gained tee-to-green, 1st in scrambling from the fringe, 34th in driving distance, 3rd in eagles, 17th in scoring average, 3rd in ball striking, 3rd in total driving and 4th in all-around. Now you know why the odds are low, but he is an 18/1 shot to win outright.
KEVIN KISNER 7/1 TOP 5 FINISH -Has really improved as a ball-striker and that will pay off this week. He also has phenomenal touch around the greens which will come into play this week in Dublin. he has a Playoff finish 2nd (The Players) and T5th (Crowne Plaza) in recent form. With 4 Top 10s on the season, Crowne Plaza rounds of 67-69-67-67, a P2nd at the RBC Heritage, T4th at the McGladery, 34th rank in driving accuracy, 41st in total driving, 11th in approaches from 225-250 yards, 6th in 3-putt avoidance and 11th place of putts inside 10 feet he has some desirable qualities and form coming in.
KEVIN NA 15/2 TOP 5 FINISH -Last year he finished 2nd by Playoff to Matsuyama when he ranked 4th in scrambling, 3rd in par 4 scoring and T2nd in par 5 scoring. He has 7 straight Top 20s in stroke play events. In 8 of the last 9 events he has Top 20s and 5 Top 10s with a T9th at the WGC Cadillac, T10th at the Valspar, T6th Arnie Palmer, T6th at The Players and T10th at the Crowne Plaza. Currently is 5ht in sand saves, 17th in total strokes gained, 21st in strokes gained tee-to-green, 10th in proximity from the sand, 4th in putting average, 7th in one-putt percentage, 6th in putts per round, 16th in scoring average, 8th in par 3 scoring average and 17th in par 4 scoring average.
PAT PEREZ 14/1 TOP 5 FINISH -He has a T8th at The Memorial to his credit in 2013 and 5 Top 20s in his last 6 Tour starts with a T5th just two weeks ago in Fort Worth. His 2 Top 10s are his T5th at the Crowne Plaza where he finished with a final round 64 and T4th at the AT&T Pebble Beach. He ranks 33rd in driving accuracy, 19th in birdie average, 23rd in putting average, 14th in putts from 25 feet or greater, 11th in total birdies and 9th in current streak without 3 putts. He gets a little respect in that he's an 80/1 shot to win the title.
DUSTIN JOHNSON 12/1 OUTRIGHT WIN -DJ has a history of posting a high number on one-round at the Memorial that submarines him from contention. And, last week's final round after carding a 62 in the third round in Dallas sunk him as well. Nonetheless, he does have 3 Top 20s here in his last 6 trips, has a win in 9 straight Tour seasons, T8th last week despite that final round screw up, has a life coach which could equal a life preserver this week. Man is his stat sheet overstuffed: 1st in driving distance, 8th in strokes gained tee-to-green, 7th in birdie average, 4th in scoring average at 69.860, 3rd in fairway proximity, 1st in approaches from 250-275 yards, 4th in approaches 175-200 yards, 3rd in approaches greater than 200 yards, 6th in putting average, 11ith in one-putt percentage and 5th in par 5 scoring average. He's a 9/4 shot for a Top 5 finish so bet him to win!
HIDEKI MATSUYAMA 7/2 TOP 5 FINISH -The Defending Champion! He has 7 Top 10s and 5 Top 25s this season and took two weeks off after a T17th at The Players and a T20th at the Wells Fargo. Finished 5th at The Masters earlier. Ranks 9th in GIR, 10th in scrambling, 3rd in bogey avoidance, 3rd in par 4 scoring, 2nd in strokes gained tee-to-green, 1st in scrambling from the fringe, 34th in driving distance, 3rd in eagles, 17th in scoring average, 3rd in ball striking, 3rd in total driving and 4th in all-around. Now you know why the odds are low, but he is an 18/1 shot to win outright.
KEVIN KISNER 7/1 TOP 5 FINISH -Has really improved as a ball-striker and that will pay off this week. He also has phenomenal touch around the greens which will come into play this week in Dublin. he has a Playoff finish 2nd (The Players) and T5th (Crowne Plaza) in recent form. With 4 Top 10s on the season, Crowne Plaza rounds of 67-69-67-67, a P2nd at the RBC Heritage, T4th at the McGladery, 34th rank in driving accuracy, 41st in total driving, 11th in approaches from 225-250 yards, 6th in 3-putt avoidance and 11th place of putts inside 10 feet he has some desirable qualities and form coming in.
KEVIN NA 15/2 TOP 5 FINISH -Last year he finished 2nd by Playoff to Matsuyama when he ranked 4th in scrambling, 3rd in par 4 scoring and T2nd in par 5 scoring. He has 7 straight Top 20s in stroke play events. In 8 of the last 9 events he has Top 20s and 5 Top 10s with a T9th at the WGC Cadillac, T10th at the Valspar, T6th Arnie Palmer, T6th at The Players and T10th at the Crowne Plaza. Currently is 5ht in sand saves, 17th in total strokes gained, 21st in strokes gained tee-to-green, 10th in proximity from the sand, 4th in putting average, 7th in one-putt percentage, 6th in putts per round, 16th in scoring average, 8th in par 3 scoring average and 17th in par 4 scoring average.
PAT PEREZ 14/1 TOP 5 FINISH -He has a T8th at The Memorial to his credit in 2013 and 5 Top 20s in his last 6 Tour starts with a T5th just two weeks ago in Fort Worth. His 2 Top 10s are his T5th at the Crowne Plaza where he finished with a final round 64 and T4th at the AT&T Pebble Beach. He ranks 33rd in driving accuracy, 19th in birdie average, 23rd in putting average, 14th in putts from 25 feet or greater, 11th in total birdies and 9th in current streak without 3 putts. He gets a little respect in that he's an 80/1 shot to win the title.