World Golf Fest Comes to Vegas

Pics and Updates 
https://twitter.com/rickonthestrip

My Cheers 
 About 6 months ago I walked into Taylormade Golf experience to play 9 holes on my local par 3 course. We know everyone in the bar, store and bag room - great people, they're like family.  This is my "Cheers". There are no fairways, the longest hole is about 195 yards. It only takes around 90 minutes to play, and is only about $25 per round. So it's a great option is you're in town on a quick business trip.  



The course is located near Sunset and Las Vegas Blvd, across from Town Center. It also features a large Driving Range, Golf Store and State of the Art Fitting Equipment.

For years I swore I would never play golf until I was on life support. "unplug me and find me a swing coach." My 20 something little sister changed all that about 3 years ago. She talked me into hitting balls on the range at what was then called Callaway Golf Center. A month later, we're in a golf cart having cocktails, pin hunting. "This beats the hell out of video poker" I declared.
It has become a bi-weekly ritual now.  Most recreational golfers spend the majority of their time hitting driver off the range. Very little time is spent on their wedge and short irons, putting or scrambling. Even pros often neglect those 120 yard approach shots. I play there without a tee and just pretend I'm in the fairway. Over the last few years - we've gone from learning to hit it out of the dirt after a stray tee shot - to developing a pretty good short game. 

My Own Back Yard
So anyway, 6 months ago I walk into the store to pay for my round. The GM, Ken, tells me he has people shooting promotional shots for an upcoming World Golf Skills event. "Oh, OK, should I not play today or just stay out of the way? Ken: "No man, go help em out and see if they need anything". I found the CEO Paul Christianson  and his photographer in the 5th hole. Next thing I know I'm posing for mock tee shots. They kept shooting and I went on to play my round. 

I found out from Paul that they would be holding a world Par 3 world championship right there at my home break in my own back yard. In a town full of world class courses - I never dreamed my little par 3 would host a championship anything. Don't get me wrong, its a challenging course -  I play with scratch golfers there all the time - I've never seen one shoot under par yet. 

Time to Shine? 
Wow! lets practice and get ready for this we thought. We did, and were looking forward to playing in the Par 3 tournament this week. I've been shooting 27 there and sniffed 25 several times. We were also anxious to show off our skills in the short game and putting challenges this week. As it turns out - the tourney has been limited to participants in the World Golf Scramble that took place a while ago. We missed.that. We did apply for media passes which offer a free entry into the skills events. We'll see how it goes and may or may not have a chance to compete this week. Either way - I hope the event is a success and returns next yea. I'll continue this article as the event unfolds and post pics on Twitter over the weekend.  

Event Schedule
Thursday - Saturday Aug 13th-15th
Taylor Made Golf Experience

Website:
http://worldgolfskills.com/

TV Schedule
Fox Sports
http://www.golflife.com/tv-schedule/


- Rick Jansen

GOLF PICKS WGC AND BARRACUDA

That's Entertainment! 
Win or Lose - we got our Money's Worth
Check Out These Finishes!

BARRACUDA
Patrick Rodgers - A Lip Out Short
The Modified Stableford format and a Par 5 18th hole made for a fantastic finish at Montreux this Sunday. Scoring is reversed in this format. +2 points for Birdie, +5 for Eagle, etc. Kyle Reifers came out of nowhere with 3 eagles in in the final round (+22) on Sunday to take the clubhouse lead at (47). Rodgers (41) after 16 holes needed a birdie (+2) on 17, eagle (+5) on 18 to post (48). His birdie put lipped out, but he made the eagle. They went to a playoff at (47). We literally missed a $400 pay off by 1 put lipping out. 

The excitement wasn't over. As you can see (below) - Reifers and Henry put on a show in the playoff. Watch the tee shots for eagle on the 2nd playoff hole.

PREGAME__________________________________________

The big cats are away at WGC. Great chance to bet hot young players looking for their first win.
Most are on the sheets in Vegas for this one. That is why I like this lesser tourney this week for betting purposes

	LV	ONL	PAYS	PLAYER	FAV	MID	LNG
1	20	20	400	Andres Romero	20
2	15	16	300	Brendan Steele	20
3	30	33	300	Jonathan Byrd		10
4	50	50	250	Hudson Swafford			5
5	F	150	750	Jason Allred			5
6	30	33	150	Bryce Molder		5
7	60	66	300	John Huh			5
8	50	50	250	Scott Langley		5
9	60	75	375	Michael Putnam			5
10	125	125	625	Alex Prugh			5
11	40	40	400	Patrick Rodgers		10
12	40	40	200	Vaughn Taylor			5
13	F	125	625	Andrew Loupe			5
14	F	125	625	Derek Ernst			5
15	22		440	Ollie Schniederjans	20

WGC

The Shot Heard Round the World

Every Pub in Ireland was packed on Sunday. The whole country shared a pint as they rooted for Shane Lowry to win the WGC Bridgestone. As you can see (below) He didn't disappoint.

 

We were right on the longshots - just had the wrong ones. Lowry was 100-1 at the local books in Vegas. Probably 200 or 300+ online


PREGAME__________________________________________

THE GOOD NEWS IS - WE GET TO SEE JORDAN PLAY AGAIN. THE BAD NEWS IS - HE'S 5-1 AND CAN'T MAKE A 5 FOOT PUT TO SAVE HIS LIFE.  YEAH...I KNOW "BLASPHEMY". I'M HIS BIGGEST FAN, BUT GET CHEWED OUT BY EVERY BAND WAGON THAT DIDN'T KNOW HIS NAME LAST YEAR. FOR TELLING THE TRUTH. - HE IS NOT PERFECT AND NEEDS STOP LOOKING AT THE HOLE AND FIX HIS SHORT PUTS.  I CANT ROOT AGAINST HIM - BUT HES TOO RICH FOR MY BLOOD. I WONT LIE THO - IF I DON'T MAKE A DIME AND GET TO SEE HIM WIN ANOTHER ONE - I WILL ENJOY WATCHING.i PREDICTED EARLY LAST YEAR THAT SPIETH WOULD BE WORLD #1 BY THE END OF THIS YEAR. A WIN TODAY AND JORDAN WILL BE #1

THE ACTUAL GOOD NEWS IS -  EVERY LONGSHOT HAS A SERIOUS CHANCE.  I'M BETTING MAINLY  $5 LONGSHOTS ONLY - HUGE ODDS ONLINE!

ONLINE ODDS

200 LAHIRI
175 LUITEN
125 BEN MARTIN
400 ILONEN
300 LIPSKY
150 BYEONG HUN AN
1000 OLIVER WILSON
600 ANDREW DODT
275 JAMES HAHN
300 LARRAZABAL
250 JAIDEE

SOME FAVORITES AT GREAT ODDS @ WILLIAM HILL

20	6410	30	MATSUYAMA
5	6422	60	LEISHMAN
5	6430	75	KISNER
5	6440	100	MOORE
5	6445	125	WEISBERGER

LATE FAVORITE COVERS
50-1 CASEY
22-1 OOSTHUESIEN

- Rick Jansen

GOLF PICKS QUICKEN LOANS AND PAUL LAWRIE

QUICKEN LOANS 

 TROY MERRIT GETS HIS FIRST WIN
Ouch! As you know - we've been all over that guy.  He wasn't on the sheets in Vegas.
250-1 online! Goes to show Longshots are still winning. I wont apologize for not picking him. He had 5 missed cuts in a row! He also missed the cut here last year. So he did not belong on anyone's radar this week. Makes a case for building a team of players and sticking with them each week - come hell or high water. That is the idea behind my Team 2015 List. 
 
_________________________________________________________________________

 PAUL LAWRIE MATCH PLAY
PICKS

MATT FITZPATRICK

HATTON

JACQUELIN

RAMSAY

HOWELL

HOEY

OLESON
 TREVOR FISHER JR

ADVANCED - ROUND 2

MATT FITZPATRICK

HATTON

RAMSAY

HOWELL

HOEY

TREVOR FISHER JR

This kid Fitzy is the real deal. Drains a 30 footer to come back to AS from 2 down. In the end - he had a stroke penalty on 18 and he fell to Uihlein in an epic match. Stay on Fitzpatrick like white on rice, This kid is due.

ADVANCED - ROUND 3

HATTON

RAMSAY

HOWELL

HOEY

ADVANCED - SEMI

HATTON

RAMSAY

HOWELL

HOEY

HOEY DOMINATED HIS MATCHES RIGHT TO THE END.

 ADVANCED - FINAL
HOWELL (ELIMINATED)

 APHIBARNRAT WINS ITS
 

GOLF PICKS RBC AND OMEGA MASTERS 2015

RBC Canadian Open
Michael Putnam	Field
Patrick Rodgers	60/1
Emiliano Grillo	80/1
Scott Langley	80/1
Greg Owen	80/1
Scott Pinckney	80/1
Omega European Masters  WINNER!
Danny Willett	15/1
Tommy Fleetwood	20/1
Jaco Van Zyl	50/1
Nicolas Colsaerts	80/1
Thorbjorn Olesen	80/1
Michael Hoey	125/1
Lee Slattery	100/1
Richard Green	100/1
David Horsey	100/2

GOLF PICKS BRITSH OPEN AND BARBASOL

_____________BRITISH OPEN______________

_____________PREGAME______________

TOP PICKS 

SPIETH

DJ

FOWLER

DAY

GREAT VALUE

F. MOLINARIA

DUFNER

BEN AN
 LUITEN

LARRAZABBAL

BELLO

LONGSHOTS

 DARREN CLARKE
MANASERO

SULLIVAN

_____________FINAL______________

THE BIRD IS THE WORD
Zach Jonson drains an impossible, must make putt for birdie on the final hole
Wins in Playoff. 

 My Little Sis Only Picked 2 Players
2 $5 Tickets
1 was Zach
WINNER!

_________________BARBASOL_________________

_____________PREGAME______________

SOME GREAT LONGSHOTS

NOT USUALLY ON THE SHEETS

ALEX PRUGH

CHARLIE WI

TOP PICKS

TRENDING 

LANGLEY

WILCOX

GRILLO

_____________FINAL______________


Scott Piercy Takes it.
Wilcox 2nd.

GOLF PICKS JOHN DEERE AND SCOTTISH

 https://twitter.com/rickonthestrip

JOHN DEERE
~Round 1~

Justin Thomas fired a shot across Jordan Spieth's bow on Thursday. His opening round (63) sent a message to Jordan and the rest of field - that his retreat from the lead last weekend - was merely an evasive maneuver.  The attack was unprovoked - as the SS Spieth dropped anchor at John Deere for a last minute supply of fairways and greens. 

Jordan Spieth is currently adrift at Even Par. However, raising the white flag and missing the cut on Friday would allow him to set sail early for Britain. No reason to waste ammunition engaging a pirate ship - in route to capturing the British flag. Jordan's guns seemed polished - with the exception of his putter. Draining a few puts and pulling up anchor early would not hurt his cause.

Thomas on the other hand, will need every hand on deck. Winning for the first time on the PGA is a daunting task. Going wire to wire makes it an even more difficult campaign. He made several long puts on Thursday. He will not sink those tomorrow. Thomas will need to stick his approach shots much closer over the next 3 days - in order to capture the flag at Deere Run. 

 ~Round 3~

Jordan Spieth exercised his dominance on Saturday like the Queens fleet - letting the yanks know she is still in charge. Jordan shot 61 and assumed the lead. We'll have to watch and see if a tea party revolt breaks out on Sunday.  Comparisons between Tiger and Spieth are no longer premature conjecture - but historical fact.

Over-exposure makes it easy to take Jordan for granted. He makes it look easy. Not just the golf, course management, the interviews, everything. As he sat unshaven - next to seasoned commentators - you had to wonder how - in just 24 months - this kid has become not just "a man" but "The Man".  Anchors and politicians spend years trying to look natural on camera as they read their lines. Jordan does it better - without a script. His explanations of his game are not only generous and precise - they border on innovative revelation. All the while - he maintains a humble demeanor. Comparing other young guns to Jordan is not really fair - they are not in the same league. Prodigy does that - it adds decades of knowledge and experience that can not be accounted for

Justin Thomas missed 2 - 3 foot puts that cost him 2 strokes. He lost last week by 3 putting the same. Unlike Spieth, Thomas looks uncomfortable in his own skin. That's what I mean - we forget how scary a stage this is. The spotlight - the stakes. Thomas did surge on Saturday to pull within 3 of Jordan. The only real cure for lack of confidence on the PGA is winning. It will be a shot heard round the world - if Justin, Jordans roommate on tour can steal this back from his friend and college Nemesis. 

Live now on Golf Channel - then NBC

 ~Round 4~

"I hate this tee shot" 

Jordan complained aloud as his ball headed for the rough. After a 7 under round - followed by 10 under - some let down was to be expected. Jordan missed a few fairways down the stretch.  

 

Zach Johnson

was a favorite to win this week. However, he could not catch a break and provided comic relief in spite of his bad luck. An air cannon went of in his back stroke just before a put. The day before - After an Eagle by Spieth - Zack waved at the crowd as if the applause were for him.  

Danny Lee

would also have his share of bad luck. Lift, Clean and Place was in effect on Saturday, but not on Sunday. Danny picked up his bad to clean it and then realized his mistake. That 1 stroke penalty would keep him out of the playoff. "Ouch!

"Nobody does that" my friend, a golf fan of 30 years exclaimed. He lost it and then came back to win it in the same round. "We are seeing something special here". Jordan would Birdie from the fringe, catch the leader, and go on to win in a playoff

 

  

Cant Get Enough 

In spite of his over-exposure - it turns out - we cant get enough of Jordan Spieth. His pursuit of a third major is the headline going into the British Open. Frankly, after an overdose of Links Golf at Chambers Bay - he may be the main reason most Americanseven watch. One fan could not let go - literally - after Jordan handed her his glove following an errant tee shot.

_________________________________

Scottish Open
~Round 1~

Thorbjorn Olesen shot a bogey free 7 under today. His first name means "Thunderbear". I posted last week that I will keep betting him until he wins. This danish version of Jordan Spieth seems to have a bright future ahead. Unfortunately - he was not on the bet sheets in Vegas, and like Danny Lee last week - won't make us a dime if he wins. I do have him at 200-1 in the British though. If he could save the best for next week and let Rafa win this week - I would pocket $800. 

Rafa Bello, is dead set on closing out his first tourney this year. After falling from the lead with a 40 on the front 9 - he rebounded last week with a 29 on the back. Like a group of persistent carolers it seems "He won't go until he gets some". After 5 straight top 15s or better - Let's hope he doesn't go away empty handed again. 

~Round 3~
 Rafa Bello, once again, drove is game off a cliff and is nowhere to be found on the leaderboard. 
Olesen followed suit and lost his invite to the British Open in the process.


~Round 4~
Ricky Fowler
finished with 3 birdies on the last 4 holes
to outplay Jacquelin and Luiten
_______________________________

Stats and Picks

JOHN DEERE
NOT VERY GOOD ODDS  THIS WEEK
AND A REAL RISK A FAVORITE WINS IT

ZACH JOHNSON (10-1)

 OWNS THIS PLACE AND IS OVERDUE FOR A WIN

I WENT WITH BETTER ODDS ON

MY #2 PICK
HEARN

ALSO 

LANGLEY, STREB AND COVERED KISNER - PRICEY @ (15-1)


STICKIN WITH YOUNG GUNS

RODGERS AND THOMAS

FINAU DUE - BUT OVERPRICED
JONATHAN VEGAS A NICE LONGSHOT

SCOTTISH OPEN

Pregame 

MICKELSON IS MY ORIGINAL GUT PICK
I WENT WITH BELLO TO FINALLY CLOSE ONE OUT

BRITISH OPEN

Preview
JUST A FEW EARLY PICKS AND LONGSHOTS

GOT SPIETH AND DJ EARLY - BEFORE THE LINES DROPPED

GOLF PICK GREENBRIER AND ALSTOM OPEN FRANCE

PICKS AND STATS GREENBRIER 

PICKS ALSTOM

BELLO

BOURDY

HOEY

CANAZAIERES

STAL

OLESON

( GONNA STICK WITH THUNDERBEAR TILL HE WINS)

__________GREENBRIER___________

______ROUND 3 _______

Some Young Gun Longshots in the Mix!
Justin Thomas(-10)  $20 @ 50-1
Patrick Rodgers (-8)  $20 @ 80-1 

Our Picks - Off in Vegas
Langley (led thru 36) and Danny Lee (-10)
factored big this week

______ROUND 4 _______

THOMAS CHOKES BIG
TOTAL MENTAL COLLAPSE
GOTTA PAY YOUR DUES I GUESS
PAYMENT RECEIVED

RODGERS PUTTER BIG ?
JUST BUTCHERED EASY PUTS
FAILED TO RALLY ON SUNDAY

PLAYOFF? PLAYOFF!
LEE, HEARN, STREB AND KISNER WENT AT IT

 
SCREWED AGAIN!
OUR PICK DANNY LEE WINS HIS FIRST
COULDN'T BET HIM
BUT CONGRATS DANNY!

"FEELS AMAZING"



__________ALSTOM FRANCE___________

______ROUND 3 _______

Bello Fails to Hold the Lead - Again!
His putter took him from the lead to completely out of it.
Rose to (-6) Early - then dropped to (-3)

______ROUND 4 _______


40 OUT - 29 IN!
ALL'S WELL THAT ENDS WELL?

 IF HE WINS THE SCOTTISH - YES!