Will Brooks Koepka continue his amazing majors run and claim victory at Pebble Beach? Is Tiger ready to relive his 2019 Masters glory and claim his next major? How about Phil? Our staff offers their choices for who will be hoisting the championship trophy on June 16.
David Williams’ Pick: Jordan Spieth
The “Golden Child” has been struggling for a while now. When you look at his finishes (ignoring the last three weeks) you might grimace, but when you dive into the stats you see he is getting closer.
Spieth finished T7 at The Memorial, which marks his third straight top 10 finish including a T3 at the PGA Championship, where he gained more than 10 strokes on the field in putting! This past week he gained almost two shots to the field on the greens. On the year, Spieth is 5th in strokes gained putting. He also sits 16th in birdie average this year, and 28th in scoring average.
Jordan Spieth has won at Pebble in the past, and it would not shock me to see him hoist that trophy a week from Sunday.
Kyle Oland’s Pick: Tiger Woods
How can you bet against Tiger Woods right now? “The Cat” is back, and that makes for an entertaining week at Pebble Beach.
Although he did miss the cut at the PGA Championship, I don’t think we’ll be seeing the same outcome. Tiger is coming off a strong finish at The Memorial and he’s also going to be playing in his home state of California. That’s got to count for something, right?
In the end, picking the winner of a golf tournament is one of the hardest things … so I’m making the easy pick, the no-brainer: Tiger Woods.
Jim Maggio’s Pick: Patrick Cantlay
Something tells me we’re due for a first-time major winner next week. And as much as I’d love it to be Rickie Fowler, I’m done waiting for him. So, if not Rickie, who?
Patrick Cantlay got great advice on his way to winning The Memorial last week – from none other than the greatest golfer who ever lived, Jack Nicklaus. Sensing after Round 2 that Cantlay’s competitive intensity might be getting the best of him, Nicklaus went a different route with his counsel: “Look around. Relax. Have fun.” Cantlay remembered it on Sunday, enough to calm his nerves in route to a four-shot victory.
Jack’s advice is one thing, and Cantlay’s recent track record is another. The Memorial win was Cantlay’s fourth top-10 finish in his last five starts, including T3s at the PGA Championship and RBC Heritage, and a T9 at The Masters. Off the tee, if he can do just enough to keep it out of the cabbage the USGA calls the rough in these events, I like his chances.
Bill Golden’s Pick: Dustin Johnson
Why will he win this tournament for the second time?