While the official 2015 FedEx Cup PGA Tour Season started in late 2014 the Calendar Year season will begin in Kapalua, Hawaii this week. On Thursday, January 8th, 2015 the PGA Tour pros will tee off at Kapalua Resort. This is the first time many have teed it up since October or November. For diehard golf fans, it will be fun to watch some of the big hitters drill the ball at the courses in Hawaii.
When it comes to predictions for these Hawaiian tournaments in can be very difficult. As mentioned before, some of the PGA Tour pros have not played in a tournament in two or three months. They have been working on their swings, short game and putting but the American public has not been able to see the work they are putting in.
Below is the tournament field
- Bae, Sang-Moon
- Bowditch, Steven
- Cabrera, Angel
- Clark, Tim
- Crane, Ben
- Day, Jason
- Every, Matt
- Hadley, Chesson
- Harman, Brian
- Henley, Russell
- Hoffman, Charley
- Holmes, J.B.
- Horschel, Billy
- Johnson, Zach
- Jones, Matt
- Kirk, Chris
- Kuchar, Matt
- Mahan, Hunter
- Martin, Ben
- Matsuyama, Hideki
- Moore, Ryan
- Noh, Seung-Yul
- Ogilvy, Geoff
- Reed, Patrick
- Senden, John
- Stadler, Kevin
- Stallings, Scott
- Streb, Robert
- Streelman, Kevin
- Taylor, Nick
- Todd, Brendon
- Villegas, Camilo
- Walker, Jimmy
- Watson, Bubba
With Jason Day, Bubba Watson, Matt Kuchar, Hunter Mahan, Zach Johnson and Tim Clark teeing it up we know this is going to be a competitive event. I would like to say the long hitters have the advantage but that may not be the case if the winds pick up in Kapalua. What I would say is that the straight hitters will have the advantage.
Anyone that plays a power fade or a controlled draw knows how difficult it can be to play in windy conditions. That power fade turns into a slice and that controlled draw and turn into a snap hook. Bubba Watson curves the ball all over the place so he place better on inland courses such as Augusta National.
Having absolutely no idea who is going to win this tournament I will have to go with Zach Johnson because he won the event last year and he keeps his ball rather straight and in play. His short game will greatly aid him in this tournament. In the last few years the winners have been Zach Johnson, Dustin Johnson, Steve Stricker and Geoff Ogilvy. Dustin Johnson got the win after working very hard on his short game in the off season.
This tells me that the player with the best short game will win this tournament. Matt Kuchar could be another name to consider as his short game is pretty tidy. I would not take Hunter Mahan or Scott Stallings as I am not overly impressed with their short games. Jason Day had an amazing scrambling year last year so he is another to consider when it comes to winning this tournament. A sleeper might be John Senden.
