THE COURSE
RACV Royal Pines Resort – The RACV Royal Pines Resort course is a beast and this week will be a hot one. The track, which is set along the tropically lush Gold Coast, is playing as a 7,364-yard par 72. There’s a ton of bunkering around the layout, but it is a resort course and the players should be able to score.
The Australian PGA Championship is a favorite of Aussie golfers and this week’s field is an exciting one. For our selection, we’ll be looking at the last four years of course history, Aussie pros, and recent form.
PAST WINNERS
2017 – 19 Harold Varner III (Runner Up: – 17 Andrew Dodt)
2016 Even Nathan Holman (Runners Up, Playoff: Even Dylan Fritelli, Harold Varner III)
2015 – 11 Greg Chalmers (Runners Up, Playoff: – 11 Wade Ormsby, Adam Scott)
2014 – 14 Adam Scott (Runner Up: – 10 Rickie Fowler)
ODDS (Bovada 11/27/2017)
Marc Leishman +600
Sergio Garcia +700
Cameron Smith +750
Adam Scott +800
Matt Jones +2000
Harold Varner III +2500
Jonas Blixt +2500
Wade Ormsby +2800
Brett Rumford +3300
Jason Scrivener +3300
Kramer Hickok +3300
Lucas Herbert +3300
Ryan Fox +3300
Curtis Luck +3500
Michael Hendry +4500
Rhein Gibson +4500
WHO’S HOT
Wade Ormsby
Cameron Smith
Sergio Garcia
Jonas Blixt
Jason Scrivener
Thomas Detry
Joakim Lagergren
HORSES FOR THE COURSE
Harold Varner III
Adam Scott
Andrew Dodt
Brett Rumford
Ryan Fox
Cameron Smith
LONGER SHOTS
Michael Sim +5500
Thomas Detry +5500
Andrew Dodt +6600
Joakim Lagergren +6600
Mikko Ilonen +6600
Talor Gooch +7000
Greg Chalmers +8000
Robert Karlsson +10000
Garrick Porteous +20000
Duncan Stewart +25000
Lasse Jensen +25000
Nathan Holman +25000
FAITHFULS
Rod Pampling
Adam Scott
Greg Chalmers
Sam Brazel
Daniel Nisbet
WHO WE LIKE
Cameron Smith. An Aussie player who has been seriously competing over the past six weeks. T5 at the CIMB, 3rd at the CJ Cup, and 4th last week at the Emirates Australian Open. He’s got all the game, and even with the big names showing up this week, he’s got a good shot at having his name high on the board come Sunday.
Rhein Gibson & Thomas Detry. Rhein Gibson has strong course history and he’s an Aussie. He likes it here, will be comfortable, and knows he can score. Detry is coming off of a T10 finish in Hong Kong last week and has to be feeling good. When the young Belgian is on, he is great. Accuracy, length, and can get hot with the putter. All gravy. (We also like Joakim Lagergren and Ryan Fox in this range).
Ashley Hall. We are going strictly off of his last two starts at this event. T28 in 2016 and 4th last year. His last start in a Euro event he cashed in at 74th place in the WGC-HSBC. Not great, but that is a tough event. At 90/1 the value seems fair. Maybe the 8/1 top ten is more appealing. (125/1 Dimitros Papadatos and 200/1 Garrick Porteous also look fun at such high odds).
