This article is part of our PGA Tour Stats Review series.
This week on the PGA Tour is the Matt Every Invitational from Bay Hill. Wait, it's actually the Arnold Palmer Invitational from Bay Hill. Every's just won the event two years in a row. Here's our stats column.
The Stat
Every dominated last year, finishing second in greens in regulation and strokes gained-tee to green, eighth in strokes gained-putting and first in birdies. It was that kind of week for Every, where it all came together.
The stat we're going to look at this week is birdie average. The greens at the Bay Hill Club and Lodge have been re-grassed and the players have been raving about their condition all week. Here are the leaders in the field this week:
Hideki Matsuyama - 4.92 birdies per round
Adam Scott - 4.79
Kevin Kisner - 4.65
Rory McIlroy - 4.56
William McGirt - 4.32
We love Adam Scott this week, winner at Honda and Doral where he made a combined 39 birdies on two tough tracks. Matsuyama is the other "hot" player on this list, but our recommendation is Kisner, who feels most comfortable on the grasses of the southeast and ranks eighth in driving accuracy, 16th in strokes gained-total and seventh in scoring average.
We don't love Every for two reasons. First, he hasn't had a great year, with five missed cuts or withdrawals and only two finishes better than 30th, most recently a T24 in Phoenix. It's just not sharp golf. Second, he said this Tuesday at his press
This week on the PGA Tour is the Matt Every Invitational from Bay Hill. Wait, it's actually the Arnold Palmer Invitational from Bay Hill. Every's just won the event two years in a row. Here's our stats column.
The Stat
Every dominated last year, finishing second in greens in regulation and strokes gained-tee to green, eighth in strokes gained-putting and first in birdies. It was that kind of week for Every, where it all came together.
The stat we're going to look at this week is birdie average. The greens at the Bay Hill Club and Lodge have been re-grassed and the players have been raving about their condition all week. Here are the leaders in the field this week:
Hideki Matsuyama - 4.92 birdies per round
Adam Scott - 4.79
Kevin Kisner - 4.65
Rory McIlroy - 4.56
William McGirt - 4.32
We love Adam Scott this week, winner at Honda and Doral where he made a combined 39 birdies on two tough tracks. Matsuyama is the other "hot" player on this list, but our recommendation is Kisner, who feels most comfortable on the grasses of the southeast and ranks eighth in driving accuracy, 16th in strokes gained-total and seventh in scoring average.
We don't love Every for two reasons. First, he hasn't had a great year, with five missed cuts or withdrawals and only two finishes better than 30th, most recently a T24 in Phoenix. It's just not sharp golf. Second, he said this Tuesday at his press conference:
Two-time defending champion Matt Every says he's been having "blackouts" over the ball. Stands there and goes blank. Getting better, though.
— Jason Sobel (@JasonSobelESPN) March 15, 2016
OK then.
The Field
In addition to the aforementioned participants, Paul Casey, Jason Day, Luke Donald, Ernie Els, Tony Finau, Billy Horschel, Zach Johnson, Chris Kirk, Matt Kuchar, Danny Lee, Hunter Mahan, Graeme McDowell, Justin Rose, Brandt Snedeker and Harold Varner III are in the field.
The Weather
The weather could be an issue this week: high 80s, and a chance of thunderstorms -- at times an 80 percent or better chance -- Friday-Sunday. And anyone who follows weather knows that means a chance at some locally gusty winds. Stay tuned.
