Bryson DeChambeau took a huge step forwards towards a place on Team USA for the Ryder Cup by winning The Northern Trust last weekend. By winning the first event of the playoffs, DeChambeau also took himself to top of the FedEx Cup standings ahead of this week’s Dell Technologies Championship.
DeChambeau will face off against the 97 players below him (there’s no Rickie Fowler or Francesco Molinari) in the rankings this week at TPC Boston before 100 become 70 for the BMW Championship. Justin Thomas returns to Boston as the defending champion of both the tournament and the FedEx Cup and after an upturn in form he is well placed to become the Dell Technologies Championship’s first successful defending champion at 10/1 with BetVictor.
Top Tips
Justin Thomas @ 10/1
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Course Info
The Arnold Palmer designed TPC Boston will only be seen once every two years on the PGA Tour from now on as the FedEx Cup playoffs are cut to three events in 2019. That’s a shame for those players who enjoy the way this 7,342 yard, par 71 course rewards aggressive golf.
TPC Boston is a resort course which means that birdies are the norm. However, the event organisers try their best to ensure that this is more than merely a putting contest. The par fives are easy but there are some incredibly challenging par fours while the par three greens are designed so as to provide a real variety of pin positions. In the end though, it’s always about going seriously low at TPC Boston which is just what Thomas did last year.
| Course | Location | Length | Prize Money |
|---|---|---|---|
| TPC Boston | Norton, Massachusetts | 7,342 Yards | $9,000,000 |
Recent Winners
The strength of the field that has descended on TPC Boston since the advent of the FedEx Cup playoffs means that is no surprise that the list of recent winners includes so many truly world class players. Thomas, Fowler and Rory McIlroy had all won tournaments of the very highest calibre before winning in Norton and they all possess a combination of power, ball striking ability and ability to get on a roll with their putting. The nature of the previous winners confirms the idea that this is a course at which it’s all about keeping your foot down on the gas and employing an aggressive game plan.
| Year | Winner | To Par | Winning Margin |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | Justin Thomas | -17 | 3 Strokes |
| 2016 | Rory McIlroy | -15 | 2 Strokes |
| 2015 | Rickie Fowler | -15 | 1 Stroke |
| 2014 | Chris Kirk | -15 | 2 Strokes |
| 2013 | Henrik Stenson | -22 | 2 Strokes |
Analysis: Class to Tell at TPC Boston
TPC Boston has become a favoured stop off on the PGA Tour for many players and those who will be sad to see their trips to Norton cut down to one every other year will be looking to make hay while the sun shines. Expect a lot of birdies and plenty of exciting, entertaining golf, which hopefully culminates in a thrilling finish come Sunday.
Thomas to Get His FedEx Cup Defence Back on Track
It’s been another strong season for Thomas but he knows that he cannot afford to take his foot off the pedal now. The American needs two big performances in the next two tournaments to ensure that he remains inside the top five of the FedEx cup rankings so that his destiny is in his own hands come the Tour Championship. A win at the Dell Technologies Championship would do very nicely indeed in that regard.
Previous experience at TPC Boston has almost been a prerequisite for success in Norton so it’s a little surprising that we’ve never had a successful title defence. By following up his win at the WGC Bridgestone Invitational with two top 10 finishes, Thomas is clearly in a good place to end that run. TPC Boston rewards the sort of golf that he simply loves playing so he is the man the others have to stop at 10/1 with BetVictor.
Is It Time for Tiger?
The return of Tiger Woods to golf has almost been exactly what golf fans hoped for. For years we wondered how the greatest golfer of all time would fare against this current crop of talent and now we have the answer. Despite a certain amount of rustiness, Woods has certainly held his own and this week it could be time for him to get back in the winner’s circle.
It is no surprise at all that Woods is a previous winner at TPC Boston (he’s won 79 PGA Tour events after all). The course has changed more than a little since that success in 2006 but Tiger is more than capable of handling the extra distance and is surely worth an each way bet at 22/1 with Betfred.
Finau to Prove He’s Ryder Cup Ready
DeChambeau was not the only man to send out a message to Jim Furyk ahead of the USA captain making his picks for the Ryder Cup. Tony Finau turned in another highly accomplished performance at Ridgewood Country Club and there is no reason to suggest he will go off the boil in Boston. Known most for his prodigious power, Finau is actually an incredibly well rounded golfer and with three previous tournaments at TPC Boston under his belt, he can claim a place at least at 30/1 with Ladbrokes.
Final Verdict: Justin Thomas to Win
This is another hugely competitive tournament in the FedEx Cup playoffs. Winners are possible pretty much throughout this field but it’s the man who finished top of the pile last year, Justin Thomas, who looks the most likely winner this time around at a fair price of 10/1 with BetVictor.