Preview and Predictions for the 2015 Greenbrier Classic
Following Bubba Watson's playoff win at the Travelers Championship, the PGA Tour heads 600 miles southwest to TPC Old White in White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia, for the Greenbrier Classic.
Watson, Webb Simpson, Patrick Reed and Keegan Bradley lead the group of professional golfers arriving at the historic hotel this week.
The Charles Blair Macdonald track, known for its wide fairways and undulating greens, saw long-hitting wild card Angel Cabrera lift a trophy last year.
Let's take a look at the storylines, favorites and other relevant tournament info for the showdown at Sam Snead's old stomping ground.
Where to Watch and Tournament Info
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Defending Champion: Angel Cabrera
Where
The Old White TPC
7,287 yards, par 70
What
Total Purse: $6,700,000
Winning Share: $1,206,000
FedEx Points to Winner: 500
When
Thursday-Friday
4 p.m. - 7 p.m. ET, Golf Channel
Saturday-Sunday
1 p.m. - 2:30 p.m. ET, Golf Channel; 3 p.m. - 6 p.m. ET, CBS
Biggest Storylines
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Tiger Woods' first post-U.S. Open start
Woods returns to action after embarrassing himself two weeks ago at Chambers Bay. The former world No. 1 fired miserable rounds of 80 and 76 to place near the bottom of the leaderboard in missing the cut.
Come-from-behind central
An odd element of the Greenbrier Classic: No 54-hole leader has ever gone on to win the tournament. That's right: The 54-hole lead is the kiss of death in White Sulphur Springs. Further, three of the last five tournament winners have overcome more than a four-stroke deficit in the final round, including Jonas Blixt in 2013 and Ted Potter Jr. in 2012.
Can Bubba win at home?
Top-ranked player in the field, Bubba Watson is (at least a part-time) resident of The Greenbrier. He's never finished inside the top 15 at his "home course." The long-hitting lefty and winner or last week's tournament, Watson finished 16th at The Classic last year.
The Favorites
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Bubba Watson
Winner of last week's Travelers Championship, Bubba Watson (who is also the top-ranked golfer in the field) is the odds-on favorite this week. Watson's firepower makes him a contender every time he can tee it up and keep his head, which he ought to be able to do in his backyard at a course he has to be comfortable with.
Webb Simpson
Simpson has done everything but win in White Sulphur Springs. He finished third at The Greenbrier last year. And while Simpson wasn't overwhelming at Chambers Bay, where he finished tied for 46th, his past history here and overall skill ought to make him a contender.
Bill Haas
Seemingly immune to missed cuts, Bill Haas finished inside the top 25 at The Greenbrier last year. Although he did miss the cut (narrowly) at the U.S. Open, Haas has been his usual steady self this year. Haas is 31st on tour in strokes gained: tee-to green, which will benefit him in West Virginia this week.
Honorable mentions: Kevin Kisner, Paul Casey
The Dark Horses
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Tony Finau
PGA Tour rookie Tony Finau has made six cuts in a row, including a tie for 14th at the U.S. Open. Averaging more than 307 yards off the tee, Finau will be free to swing away at the course's wide fairways. He's 15th on tour in birdies. Finau hasn't had any trouble taking on new courses, so why should the Old White TPC be any different?
Pat Perez
Double P has notched seven consecutive cuts and recorded two top-10 finishes at the Greenbrier Classic. A good all-around player, Perez is 13th on tour in birdies, which he'll need to make plenty of at the course where the most recent winner finished at 16 under.
Tiger Woods
He has to turn the corner eventually, doesn't he? Sure, Woods missed the cut in his only appearance at The Greenbrier (2012), but no other dark horse has anywhere near Woods' upside. Do any other potential dark horses have 78 PGA Tour victories?
Prediction
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Winner: Patrick Reed
Patrick Reed certainly thinks Patrick Reed is going to raise a trophy this week.
Reed missed his first cut in seven starts at last week's Travelers Championship, but you don't need to be alarmed.
He's 14th on tour in strokes gained: total and 12th in birdies and tied for 26th at the Greenbrier Classic last year.
Thus, Reed has encouraging stats in significant categories, a good showing in his last start at the tournament and good recent play, which is exactly what you're looking for in a tournament winner. And as the No. 15 player in the world, he's one of the best players in the field objectively.
Look for the ever confident Mr. Reed to be right in the thick of things Sunday.
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