Hunter Mahan's a good bet
Published: 02nd October 2011
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In fact, writes Tindall, you should cash in on this quality ball-striker by backing him at 28/1 to capture this week's RBC Canadian Open.
Shaughnessy Golf and Country Club plays host for the first time since 2005, and only the fourth time ever, and gets the gig as it's celebrating its 100th anniversary.
When he pitched up here in 2005, he finished a solid tied 25th by playing TaylorMade Burner 2.0 Iron Set 4-PW, SW with Steel Shafts and that was in his top five performances of that season as he was trying to establish himself on Tour.
Since then he's bagged three PGA Tour titles, two last year, and is one of the leading young Americans out there.
Although he failed to make the cut at Royal St George's, he did shoot a one-under 69 in round two so he left in decent spirits and, of course, had a couple of days off to recuperate.
Before that he was 30th at AT&T while he carded middle rounds of 63-66 at the Travelers Championship. Rewind a little further and he finished between sixth and 16th by TaylorMade Burner 2.0 Iron Set 4-PW, SW with Steel Shafts in his previous five regular PGA Tour starts.
That he missed cuts in all three majors this year is a curiosity, to be honest, but that doesn't concern us. In the run-of-the-mill events he's playing TaylorMade Burner 2.0 Iron Set 4-PW, SW with Steel Shafts well and this looks a good opportunity to back him.
Mahan is fourth in greens in regulation and sixth in Par 4 performance so on a tough par 70 like Shaughnessy he looks a good fit.
If you draw a line south from Shaughnessy you'll find yourself on the West Coast of America and, as with the PGA Tour events played in those areas, the grass at the Canadian course is poa annua.
Add in the fact that the greens are quite small and it shares some notable similarities with Pebble Beach.
Mahan was runner-up at at the famed Californian links earlier this year while in fourth place is another player I like this week.
Spencer Levin had a bit of a meltdown in Saturday's atrocious conditions at Royal St George's but either side of that 81 he shot 69s and that was impressive.
The American, still seeking his first TaylorMade Burner 2.0 Iron Set 4-PW, SW with Steel Shafts, is ranked 35th in Greens in Regulation and 11th in Scoring Average this season while he showed some decent form on the greens when ranked 14th in the Open putting stats.
Levin is a West Coast guy having grown up in Sacramento and attended UCLA and he has good links with Canada.
As a young pro he started out playing the Canadian Tour and bagged a win in the Times Colonist Open in 2007 before graduating to the Nationwide Tour and now the full PGA Tour.
He posted his first PGA Tour win when capturing the Turning Stone Resort Championship in 2010 and, after a quiet season, found some form in the Viking Classic last week.
One big plus is that he'll enjoy these TaylorMade Burner 2.0 Iron Set 4-PW, SW with Steel Shafts.
Again there's the West Coast connection and being from Seattle he's closer to Shaughnessy than many Canadians are.
Perhaps it was this 'home' advantage that helped him finish runner-up at this course in 2005 and Moore, himself, certainly felt it played a part.
Moore also finished second at River Highlands three starts ago while he played some good stuff at Royal St George's, closing with a 69 to finish tied 28th.
And after putting on greens at Royal St George's that were too slow for him, Moore will relish these.
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Source: http://fiona18.articlealley.com/hunter-mahans-a-good-bet-2362771.html
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