The PGA Tour’s newly created Midwest Swing began with a trip to a brand new tournament and course last week and it continues in the same vein this week with the debut of both the 3M Open and TPC Twin Cities on the PGA Tour. Both the tournament and the course were regulars on the Champions Tour but they’ve been given a spruce up to ensure they’re capable of hosting a tournament in which some of the world’s best are competing.
Jason Day is still considered one of the world’s best even if he hasn’t achieved anything like the amount he believes he should have of late. The Australian is very keen on putting that right in the coming years and he can remind everybody of his quality with a big week in Minnesota.
Top Tips
Jason Day @ 11/1
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Course Info
The first thing to say about TPC Twin Cities is that it is going to throw up a huge number of birdie chances for those competing this week. Despite the fact that the Champions Tour event held at this venue took place over just three rounds, the last five winning scores were -21, -20, -19, -18 and -23. Just imagine what the likes of Brooks Koepka, Jason Day and Hideki Matsuyama will be able to do to this layout given four days in which to strut their stuff.
The original Arnold Palmer design has been tinkered with over the last year with just over 350 yards added to the distance to create a 7,468 yard, par 71 for championship play. That is unlikely to prove too much of a problem for players of this calibre though. Moreover, power players have the chance to drive the green at three of the par fours which guarantees fireworks as does the proximity of the lake on the par five finishing hole.
| Course | Location | Length | Prize Money |
|---|---|---|---|
| TPC Twin Cities | Blaine, Minnesota | 7,468 Yards | $6,400,000 |
Recent Winners
This is the first edition of what will hopefully be a long and successful run for the 3M Open. Golf fans in Blaine, Minnesota are used to seeing world class players triumph in front of them though, with wins in the 3M Championship from Kenny Perry, Paul Goydos and Bernhard Langer in recent years.
Analysis: Fairways Important but Power Could be Key
Although the total yardage of TPC Twin Cities doesn’t look overly taxing, it’s all about where those yards actually are. With gettable par fives and drivable par fours, it stands to reason that the par threes would be strong and that is certainly the case. Even with the small but noticeable effect of altitude on ball flight, most of the par threes will require a high class long iron shot for the shorter hitters. That is an area where the most powerful players can thrive, making the most of the chance to hit scoring irons close to the pins where the majority of the field are concentrating on holding the greens.
Speaking about the renovation work he was heavily involved with, Tom Lehman said that the goal for TPC Twin Cities was to reward good shots and punish the bad. Some funky rough and strategic hazards will catch some of the longer hitters out but with most of them requiring little more than a wedge into the par fours and being able to find the par fives in two, this looks a week for the big guns.
Day Ready to Return to the Top
Jason Day spoke candidly about his career before the US Open. The Australian admitted that he has not achieved anything like as much as he should have done given his talent and said that he is ready to do something about it. At 31, Day should be approaching the peak of his powers so it’s understandable that he is beginning to think about the pressure of a time-limited career.
There was a time when Day was the world number one that he would win a tournament if he turned up with his best golf. That seems a long time ago now and there are any number of players who have usurped him since his sole major at the PGA Championship. A return to full fitness and a new single-minded approach to success could well see him challenge for majors once again.
TPC Twin Cities could be just the place for Day to rediscover his mojo. He can take an aggressive approach to the course off the tee and into the greens. It’s actually the greens where he may have the biggest advantage given that he has four wins on the sort of Bentgrass greens found at TPC Twin Cities in the last 10 years. This has the feeling of a huge few months for Jason Day which he can start with a bang by winning the 3M Open at 11/1 with Ladbrokes.
Champ to Find His Feet in Minnesota
Nobody said it would be easy for Cameron Champ upon his turning pro. The 24-year-old had an excellent amateur career and made waves very early in the ranks of the PGA Tour with victory in the Sanderson Farms Championship in October. Those who opined that win was the coming of a new force in golf were premature but there is little doubt that Champ will go on to have many more successes once he fully acclimatises to the demands of playing on the PGA Tour.
After a string of disappointing results, this week could bring something much better for Champ. He is facing a resort course which should yield plenty of scoring chances rather than an incredibly demanding PGA Tour layout and can utilise his prodigious distance off the tee to full effect. Champ’s recent struggles have him a long way down the betting markets with an each way bet looking very good value at 100/1 with bet365.
Final Verdict: Jason Day to Win
Many of the best players in the world of golf are already thinking about the upcoming Open Championship. Jason Day will have half a mind on Portrush but he is most concerned with ensuring that he arrives in Northern Ireland in good form, preferably on the back of a win. That win could well come as soon as this week at 11/1 with Ladbrokes, with a new focus and a course that should suit his game.