Golf’s elite head to Florida for the new challenge provided by The Concession
It’s the first World Golf Championship event of the year this week and the Workday Championship will have an unusual feel.
The Covid-19 pandemic means a move from its adopted Mexico City home where Patrick Reed triumphed last year and few of the 72-man field will have experience of playing at The Concession in Florida.
Simpson Geared For Bold Bid Against Star-Studded Field
One who has is Bryson DeChambeau, who was runner-up to Reed last year, won the NCAA Championship at the Bradenton track during his college days in 2015 and he is 20/1 to win this week.
World number one Dustin Johnson is set to go off favourite at 6/1, but it would be no surprise if Webb Simpson puts up a strong challenge at 28/1.
The former US Open champion is back in the world’s top ten after performing well since winning the RBC Heritage in June, the second week after action resumed.
He has claimed six top-ten finishes since then and his solid iron play and fine putting should be a big asset this week.
Hatton Can Prove Himself Among the Elite
Spain’s Jon Rahm at 15/2 and Rory McIlroy at 16/1 lead the European challenge in the betting, but Tyrrell Hatton could make his mark at 20/1.
The High Wycombe man has risen to fifth in the world rankings, claimed his first Stateside triumph in last year’s Arnold Palmer Invitational and has since added the BMW PGA Championship and Abu Dhabi Championship to his resume, so he knows how to challenge in big events.
His quality of finding fairways and greens in regulation should help him this week and he has the ability to hole out on undulating surfaces, while he has just the sort of personality to rise to the occasion now he can truly be regarded as one of the best players in the world.
Young Guns Should Have Some Fun
Expect both Viktor Hovland at 20/1 and Joaquin Niemann at 40/1 also to have tournaments to remember.
Norwegian Hovland is one of the brightest young stars in the game and he has shown some excellent form in the opening weeks of 2021.
A final-round 76 went a long way towards explaining his 31st-placed finish at the Tournament of Champions, but he has posted some decent results since.
He was second at the Farmers Insurance Open, sixth at the Saudi International in a field full of star names and fifth at last week’s Genesis Invitational, so he should be brimming with confidence.
Meanwhile, Chile’s Niemann, who won A Military Tribute at The Greenbrier 18 months ago, started the year well by finishing second at both the Tournament of Champions and the Sony Open in Hawaii.
The 22-year-old made an encouraging start at the Genesis before a Saturday 78, but he should have a good chance of bouncing back.
*All odds correct at time of writing