After Jordan Spieth’s thrilling playoff win at the Travelers Championship, the PGA Tour heads to Maryland this week. On tap is the TPC Potomac at Avenel Farm for the Quicken Loans National. It is usually hosted by two-time winner Tiger Woods and benefits the Tiger Woods Foundation. However, Woods will skip the tournament this week due to his off-course troubles, although his foundation will still benefit financially from this PGA Tour stop. The Quicken Loans National was first played in 2007, and it has moved around, starting at Congressional Country Cub for the first two years, then to Aronimink Golf Club for two years, then back to Congressional, then Robert Trent Jones Golf Club in 2015, and now, TPC Potomac at Avenel Farm. It will go back to Congressional next year. There is a prize fund of $7.1 million for the Quicken Loans National.
Details
Event: Quicken Loans National
Category: PGA
Date: June 29-July 2
Location: TPC Potomac at Avenel Farm, Potomac, MD
It is tough to figure out what the winning score will be for this event as TPC Potomac at Avenel Farm hasn’t hosted a PGA tournament since the Booz Allen Classic stopped in 2006; it was then replaced with this tournament. Only one tournament this year didn’t have a winner in double digits under par, though, and that was the Masters.
Past Five Winners
2016: Billy Hurley III -17
2015: Troy Merritt -18
2014: Justin Rose -4
2013: Bill Haas -12
2012: Tiger Woods -8
The Field
Rickie Fowler is at the top off the odds this week as he’s coming off a fifth-place result at the U.S. Open. He’s had two top-fives in his last three outings, but also missed the cut once. That’s kind of been the story of his season, though, but he’s only won once. Justin Thomas has played similarly as he was cut at the Travelers Championship last week, but had two Top 10’s the previous two weeks. That’s why he’s second in line here. Patrick Reed, who is third in line, has some momentum. He had a tie for 13th at the U.S. Open but then placed fifth at the Travelers. Kevin Chappell and Marc Leishman round out the top five.
What To Know About The Course
TPC Potomac at Avenel Farm was a completely different course back in 2006 as it had to be renovated not only because it was easy as Ben Curtis won with a -20 back then. There were also drainage issues that had to be resolved. The course has played harder on the Web.com Tour and the Champions Tour since it was retooled, and it is a course where te greens are a bit easier, but there are over 80 bunkers on the course, and staying out of those will help the players out. It stretches out to 7,107 yards and is a par-70, and everyone is on a level playing field now because no players really know this course.
A Good Matchup To Bet: Rickie Fowler over Justin Thomas
Thomas missed the cut at the Travelers Championship last week, while Fowler took the week off to relax after both finished T-5 at the U.S. Open. Thomas can be boom-or-bust and after shooting 63 on Saturday at Erin Hills, he has gone downhill and it might be a tournament or two before he finds his form again. Take a week off was the right thing for Fowler, who has three top-fives in his last six starts (and a T-11 at the Masters).
Top-Five Pick: Patrick Reed
Reed has been on fire as of late, finishing T-5 at the Travelers and he has finished in the top 20 in four of his last six starts (he also finished T-22 at the Players Championship). He just needs to sort his irons out a little as Reed is 142nd on the PGA Tour in Greens-In-Regulation, but he is 25th in total putting. If he can put his approaches a little closer to the pin, he could win this tournament.
Odds To Win 2017 Quicken Loans National
Rickie Fowler +805
Justin Thomas +1050
Patrick Reed +1250
Kevin Chappell +2050
Marc Leishman +2050
Brendan Steele +2250
Tony Finau +2250
David Lingmerth +2250
Bill Haas +2250
Russell Henley +3250
J B Holmes +3250
Danny Lee +3550
Bud Cauley +3550
Graham Delaet +4050
Kyle Stanley +4050
Billy Horschel +4550
Si Woo Kim +3550
Kevin Streelman +4550
Xander Schuffele +4550
Keegan Bradley +5050
James Hahn +5500
Ollie Schniederjans +5500
Jimmy Walker +5500
Byeong Hun An +4550
Kevin Tway +6550
Charles Howell III +6550
Adam Hadwin +6550
Harris English +7550
Kevin Na +7550
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