2014 HP Byron Nelson Championship Bettings Tips, Predictions and Power Rankings

2014 HP Byron Nelson Championship, TPC Four Seasons Las Colinas, Irving, Texas Also check out my 2014 Open de Espana tips here . The Cour...

2014 HP Byron Nelson Championship, TPC Four Seasons Las Colinas, Irving, Texas
Also check out my 2014 Open de Espana tips here.

The Course

TPC Four Seasons is a tough par 70 layout measuring 7,166 yards.  The winning score has changed from -3 in 2011 to -13 in 2013 ranking the course consistently in the top five toughest par 70 layouts on Tour.

The difficulty here is four fold: off the tee, hitting small greens and scrambling. And did I mention wind? It's always windy as long as I've been watching this tournament and accuweather forecasts sunny conditions but gusts of up to 40 kmph at the weekend.

Doc’s Top 5 To Watch

Jordan Spieth 13/1

Hard to believe Jordan Spieth is making his fourth appearance at Las Colinas; things are a little different now from when he made his PGA debut here in 2010.  No real course form but irresistible after a T2 at The Masters, T12 at The Heritage and T4 last week at The Players.  Needs a win to strengthen his resolve heading into the US Open.


Marc Leishman 40/1

Marc Leishman is like Forrest Gump’s box of chocolates, you never know what you’re gonna get.  Looked like a world beater in finishing T2 at The Farmers back in late January but really went off the boil since.  That 67 Sunday for a T23 at Sawgrass will have been huge for the big man, it was his first made cut in three starts and to finish strong was important.  Four top 12 finishes in his last five visits to TPC Four Seasons with a best of T3 in 2012.  Horse for the course coming into form.


Charl Schwartzel 28/1

Made his debut here last year scoring a solo third and without doing anything spectacular has three top 20’s in his last five starts.  That included a T9 at difficult Doral, a ball striking test not unlike what faces him this week on this tough par 70 with small greens.


Keegan Bradley 25/1

Coming off a missed cut at The Players but don’t let that discourage you.  Keegan has shown good form of late with a second in Bay Hill and T8 at the Zurich Classic which should have been better but for a 75 on Sunday.  He clearly has the measure of TPC Four Seasons with a win in 2011 and a solo second in 2013.  Only caveat is my worry about his high ball flight in the wind.


Robert Garrigus 80/1

Frustratingly erratic at times but on his day Garrigus knows how to get the job done.  Like Bradley he missed the cut at Sawgrass but did well enough with a T4 at Innisbrook and T5 in New Orleans where he opened with a 73 and ended with a 64 to warrant a few each way quid this week.  Best of  T9 in 2012, I fancy he could go better this week.

Long Odds Glory

Plenty of value in the long odds category this week; I would not surprise me in the least if we had a big odds winner this week.  Here’s a few guys you can make a good case for.

Jeff Overton is at odds of 100/1 after poor performances at Quail Hollow and Sawgrass. Showed good form at The Zurich Classic with a solo fourth and followed a Byron Nelson T2 in 2010 with a T8 in 2011.

Louis Oosthuizen is too good a Player to be at 80/1 this week.  Yes he missed the cut at Sawgrass, but I was very impressed with that T2 in tough conditions in Malaysia and was a solid 25th at The Masters.  Hard to nail Louis down to one week, but certainly one to watch over the opening rounds.

John Huh is also at 80/1.  Goes under the radar a lot but scored a good T3 at Hilton Head and had a T8 here last year.