ROY, POY and Major Predictions

Kev Dog’s 2017 Predictions

Masters: Rory McIlroy.  Rors is working with renowned putting guru Phil Kenyon.  The one part of his game that has held him back at Augusta National is his short game, specifically putting.  He is perennially one of the top drivers of the golf ball, as well as ball striking.  Rory is bound to win at least one green jacket in his career.  Why not in the year he gets married?

US Open:  Hideki Matsuyama.  This one presents a difficult one to predict; a links style layout, Erin Hills is a fairly new venue to the PGA Tour players.  US Opens are always difficult to predict as well.  That being said, world number six Matsuyama is ready to break through in a major after a tremendous close to his 2016 season with his first major.  Since the Tour Championship where he finished 5^th, Matsuyama concluded his 2016 campaign with a 1, 2, 1, 1, 1 finish.

British Open: Jordan Spieth.   Winners at Royal Birkdale have typically been big name players.  The trend will continue in the UK in July.  After a “bad season” which included 3 wins and a near miss at the Masters, world No. 5 Jordan Spieth after (I predict) near misses at the first 2 majors, will win the 3^rd leg of the career grand slam.  His weakness in 2016 was his iron play from 125-175 yards which is extremely critical in windy conditions.  If he can shore this up and putt well, he will be the Champion Golfer of the Year.

PGA Championship: Rickie Fowler.  With the amount of success Fowler has had at Quail Hollow in his career with his first victory in 2012 and a near miss in 2016, this is an ideal venue for him.  If he can elevate his play and focus, and get his putting back to where it typically is, Fowler has all the tools to snag his first major in Charlotte.  At 28, Rickie is entering the prime years of his career and he now knows how to win and what it takes to win big tournaments (2015 Players, 2015 Deutsche Bank).

Rookie of the Year prediction: Cody Gribble.  The lefty already has a win and a top ten to go with it.  It has been difficult in the last few years for a rookie who wins early in the year for someone to catch up.

Player of the Year prediction:  Rory McIlroy.  The 2016 FedEx Cup Champion showed his B game still beats everyone else’s on any given week.  Rory will put the pieces together in 2017 and reel off 4 wins and a major championship.  (Hopefully the Masters because I am predicting it J)

Merry Christmas Eve,

Kevin Trobaugh, PGA Apprentice

"Imagination is its own form of courage." - Francis J. Underwood on "House of Cards'