Fantasy Golf Predictions

Fantasy Golf Predictions – 2014 Humana Challenge

Published

12 years ago

January 14, 2014

Fantasy-Golf-Predictions-for-the-2014-Humana-Challenge

Fantasy Golf Predictions for the 2014 Humana Challenge, Jan. 16-19th, 2014

Tournament Preview

Fantasy Golf Predictions 2014 Humana Challenge PGA West

Photo by pgawest.com

The TOUR moves up the west coast for Humana Challenge with some new faces kicking off their season in La Quinta this week. A few big names like Rickie Fowler and Keegan Bradley will re-enter the pack this week, making their 2014 debut alongside more seasoned 2014 notables such as Webb Simpson, Brandt Snedeker, and Zach Johnson. Defending champion Brain Gay will also be in attendance. Last year Gay converted 27 birdies with only 2 bogeys over 72 holes, later going on to beat out Charles Howell III and David Lingmerth in a 3-way playoff.

The Course

Palmer Private at PGA West measures in at 6,930 yards and plays as a par 72. The track opened back in 1986 as the second of now six courses on the PGA West property. The course originally became part of the Bob Hope Classic’s rotation in 1988 and served as host of this event from 2001-05 and again starting in 2009. The pro-am will also use PGA West’s Nicklaus Private course (6,951/72) and La Quinta Country Club (7,060/72) in the first three rounds.

Weather forecast for the 2014 Humana Challenge in La Quinta, CA (from weather.com)

Round 1: Thursday (Jan 16) 81 degrees, 20% chance of rain, showers.
Round 2: Friday (Jan 17) 79 degrees, 20% chance of rain, scattered showers.
Round 3: Saturday (Jan 18) 79 degrees, 10% chance of rain, showers.
Round 4: Sunday (Jan 19) 81 degrees, 30% chance of rain, scattered showers.

2013 Results

Brian Gay followed up an impressive 9-under-par 63 in his closing round, sealing the win by adding two more birdies in extra playoff holes. Gay was the last man standing after a three-man playoff, earning him his fourth PGA TOUR win. Gay, Charles Howell III and the rookie David Lingmerth all completed four rounds at 25-under 263. In the playoff, Lingmerth was knocked out after the first hole with a bogey and the two remaining players moved on to the par-4 10^th. Gay poked his 9-iron approach to within 5 ½ feet of the cup, while CH III drove into the rough and he put his approach into the backside bunker behind the green.

Scott Stallings began last round with a five-shot lead over his nearest competitor and six ahead of Gay, but his closing round 70 left him one shot out of the playoff holes.

Notes

Zach Johnson will be looking to grab a second 2014 victory before moving into February (with plenty of golf before the TOUR’s first major). Also searching for a second victory will be both Webb Simpson, who won the Shriners Hospitals for Children Open, and Harris English, winner of the OHL Classic (both wins came during the 2013-2014 fall stretch).

Rickie Fowler will be making his 2014 debut this week and may have a little home field advantage here in La Quinta (Rickie grew up little more than an hour away in Murrieta). However, Fowler did miss the cut here as a PGA TOUR rookie back in 2010.

In other news, rookie Justin Thomas, who was a part of Alabama’s two NCAA titles, will be playing on a sponsor exemption in his goal to make the TOUR.

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Our Top 5 (and Top 2 Sleeper) Picks/Odds to Win the 2014 Humana Challenge

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Top 5 Picks/Odds to Win the 2014 Humana Challenge

Webb Simpson (Golficity Odds 5/2): We’ve got high expectations for this guy in 2014. Webb looked great at Kapalua 2 weeks ago and has recently racked up five straight top-seven finishes. What’s also really impressive is his second place standings in both GIR and strokes gained-putting. On top of that, Webb is currently first in adjusted scoring and fourth in scrambling. With a win already in 2014, there’s no denying that he’s on top of his game right now and that’s why he’s our clear favorite this week.
Harris English (Golficity Odds 8/1): We simply cannot get enough of Harris English, and he’s certainly proven to us over the last few events that he is a true competitor. English has already clinched three top 10s in 2014 with a solo fourth at Waialae last week. Perhaps even more impressively, he’s managed this even though his major stats stats have ranked outside the top 25, proving he’s adept at finding ways to score. We expect a win or two from him in 2014 year (he won already in the fall series).
Zach Johnson (Golficity Odds 12/1): With a win at Kapalua and a T8 at Waialae, Zack’s game is in great shape heading into the “full-fields” schedule on TOUR. Expect another win from Zach in 2014, especially given his current momentum.
Brandt Snedeker (Golficity Odds 18/1): Brandt has two top 10s in his last five appearances and has shot under par here at PGA West in each of his last 21 rounds. Sneds finished also T11 at recently at Kapalua. You can’t bet against this guy, as he has proven over the last couple of years that when his game is on, he’s unstoppable.
Keegan Bradley (Golficity Odds 28/1): This is Keegan’s first trip back to the Humana since sharing seventh place in his debut back in 2011. Always finding himself in striking distance lately, Bradley currently has top-16s in each of his last five PGA TOUR starts entering this week’s tournament.

Sleeper Picks/Odds to Win the 2014 Humana Challenge

Charles Howell III (Golficity Odds 35/1): As we mentioned earlier, CH III almost won this event last year in a playoff with defending champ Brian Gay. This year he’s back with revenge in mind and his game is in top form (coming off a T8 finish at the Sony Open). Howell is the TOUR leader for the Humana Challenge, with four top 10s at this event. He also currently ranks second in adjusted scoring and first in scrambling coming into La Quinta.
Billy Horschel (Golficity Odds 45/1): Horschel is a sleeper pick here for sure. Billy tied for 10th here last year and is currently ranked T37 in greens hit and T6 in par breakers on TOUR. However, Horschel’s got winner’s blood pumping through his veins and could easily surprise the field this week.

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