2017 - Week 44 Predictions/Statistics Online

The predictions and statistics for this week, the Turkish Airlines Open (European PGA Tour) and the Shriners Hospitals for Children Open (US PGA Tour), are now available on Golf Predictor. The European Tour heads back to Turkey for the first of the final three events of the Rolex Series. Although Matt Kuchar pulled out due to security concerns, there are four European members of the top twenty in the world rankings playing, included last week's WGC champion Justin Rose. Meanwhile, the Las Vegas event on the US PGA Tour hasn't got many big names competing in it this year. Only five of the top fifty in the world are teeing it up at TPC Summerlin, so the lesser lights will have another chance to make their mark on tour.

2017 - Week 43 Winners

Justin Rose (ranked 8th by Golf Predictor) won the WGC - HSBC Champions on the European/US PGA Tour. The 37 year old Englishman won his second WGC title with a great final day performance in Shanghai. Rose overcame an eight shot deficit by covering the back nine in 31 strokes for a closing 67 (-5). That allowed him to overhaul runaway leader Dustin Johnson and win by two strokes in the end. It was a terrible day for the former champion and world number one Johnson, who went birdieless and frittered away his commanding six shot overnight lead with a 77 (+5) on Sunday. DJ was our top ranked player and we had nine of the top fifteen plus ties (9/19) in total.

Ryan Armour (ranked 40th by Golf Predictor) won the Sanderson Farms Championship on the US PGA Tour. The 41 year old short hitting American journeyman did something the long hitting world number one couldn't do in China by protecting a significant overnight lead. Leading by five shots overnight, Armour easily kept the field at bay with an impressive short game to win his first title after 105 times of asking. Our top ranked player, William McGirt, finished in tied 25th and we had only six of the top eighteen plus ties (6/24) in an event that is traditionally hard to call.

2017 - Week 43 Predictions/Statistics Online

The predictions and statistics for this week, the WGC - HSBC Champions (European/US PGA Tour) and the Sanderson Farms Championship (US PGA Tour), are now available on Golf Predictor. There is a very strong field again this year for the last WGC of the season. While fifteen of the top twenty in the world will be teeing it up in Shanghai, a second string line up will be battling it out in Mississippi. William McGirt is the only one out of the world's top one hundred that will be playing in the event, so there is a good chance of a surprise winner!

2017 - Week 42 Winners

Host Sergio Garcia (ranked 2nd by Golf Predictor) won the Andalucia Valderrama Masters hosted by the Sergio Garcia Foundation on the European PGA Tour. The 37 year old Spaniard won his fourteenth tour title and sixth on home soil with an impressive display at Valderrama. Garcia was the defending champion, having won the event on its last staging in 2011 on the same course. Although he was pushed all the way by Joost Luiten, the home favourite successfully defended his title after a six year gap. Our top ranked player, Jon Rahm, couldn't get to grips with the tough Valderrama layout and missed the cut. Overall, we had eleven of the top eighteen plus ties (11/22).
 
Justin Thomas (ranked 1st by Golf Predictor) won The CJ Cup @ Nine Bridges on the US PGA Tour. The 24 year old American continued his great recent play by winning his seventh tour title and sixth in last twelve months in a play-off with Marc Leishman. After opening with a fine 63, Thomas didn't play as well in the more difficult windy conditions over the following three days. However, he just did enough to pip Leishman to the title. Both had chances to win in regulation with fantastic approaches for eagle at the last, but both missed and they went to a play-off. Thomas won on the second extra hole after Leishman found water with his second shot. Thomas was our top ranked player and we had twelve of the top nineteen plus ties (12/22) in the new restricted field event.

More Tabs Added to Pages

New tabs on Prediction Data page for Justin Thomas ahead of the CJ Cup @ Nine Bridges

Further to this post from around a month ago, I am pleased to announce that more pages on Golf Predictor have been "tabified". In addition to the Golfer page (the first page updated with tabs), the Season Segment Data, Tournament and Prediction Data pages have all similarly been divided into tabs. As stated previously, this allows for better display of related information and easier, more modular development. The following is the list of new tabs:

1. Season Segment Data Page (4): Overall, Early, Mid and Late season segment performance tabs.
2. Tournament Page (4): General, Historical, Performance and Results tabs.
3. Prediction Data Page (9): General Stats, Season/Last Five Event history, Course /Tournament History, Similar Tournament History, Similar Length Course History, Similar Weather History, Region History, Season Segment Stats and Other (DFS, Strokes Gained & Performance comparison table) tabs.

Unlike before, all related information is now displayed together, which should make for easier analysis. For example, in the screenshot above, you can see the Similar Length Course history panel for Justin Thomas ahead of the new CJ Cup @ Nine Bridges, which shows his stats panel and results table together. Previously, his stats panels were near the top of the Prediction Data page and all his results tables were much further down at the bottom of the page. Some notes on these new tabs:

1. The tab names have been kept short to facilitate their display on smaller screens. If you are unsure about any tab title, simply click on it to see the heading.
2. The modular development allowed by these tabs is already bearing fruit. I have added new stats to the Season Segment tab on the Prediction Data page and this code is exactly the same code that appears in the relevant tab (Early/Mid/Late) on the Season Segment Data page for the same golfer.
3. The tabs have been restyled for smaller devices so that the nine tabs on the Prediction Data page are displayed on a single line. Of course, if further tabs are added in the future, this will probably not be possible on very small devices.
4. You may have to reload/refresh site pages that may be cached on your browser. To do this on Windows, press Ctrl+F5 to reload all the updated files from the server.

As with the tabs added to the Golfer page, it may take a little time to get used to this data reorganisation, but I trust you will find it better in the long run. Just another way to make Golf Predictor a little better!

2017 - Week 42 Predictions/Statistics Online

The predictions and statistics for this week, the Andalucia Valderrama Masters hosted by the Sergio Garcia Foundation (European PGA Tour) and The CJ Cup @ Nine Bridges (US PGA Tour) are now available on Golf Predictor. The PGA Tour moves into a new part of the world and there is a decent field heading to Jeju Island in South Korea. Of course, the European Tour have held tournaments (Ballantines Championship three times) there before, albeit on a different course. Meanwhile in the revived event on the European Tour, host Sergio Garcia is headlining the field with compatriot Jon Rahm in the first running of the tournament since 2011.

2017 - Week 41 Winners

Tyrrell Hatton (ranked 8th by Golf Predictor) won the Italian Open on the European PGA Tour. The 25 year old Englishman continued his fine recent form by winning for the second week running. After a slow start Sunday, Hatton reeled off four consecutive birdies on the back nine to catch leaders Ross Fisher and Kiradech Aphibarnrat with three holes to go. He left it late to seal the win though, holing a 20 footer on the last for the winning birdie. Our top ranked player, John Rahm, finished in tied 15th and we had seven of the top fifteen plus ties (7/20).

Pat Perez (ranked 5th by Golf Predictor) won the CIMB Classic on the US PGA Tour. The 41 year old American won his third tour title with an impressive display in Malaysia. Perez lead by four shots overnight and finished with ten straight pars to coast home and preserve his cushion over the field. Since I had backed/tipped him at 45/1, I was almost as happy as Perez after his victory! Our top ranked player, Hideki Matsuyama, finished in tied 5th in a welcome return to form and we had nine of the top seventeen plus ties (9/20).

2017 - Week 41 Predictions/Statistics Online

The predictions and statistics for this week, the CIMB Classic (US PGA Tour) and the Italian Open (European PGA Tour) are now available on Golf Predictor. Like the past few years, the Kuala Lumpur Golf and Country Club is hosting the US Tour. There are a few big names in the Malaysian event this year, including Hideki Matsuyama and double defending champion Justin Thomas, so it should make for a good week of golf. Meanwhile, the latest Rolex Series event in Italy has attracted Spanish heavyweights Sergio Garcia and Jon Rahm and a supporting cast of tour regulars.

2017 - Week 40 Winners

Tyrrell Hatton (ranked 5th by Golf Predictor) won the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship on the European PGA Tour. The 25 year old Englishman became the first man to successfully defend his title with another impressive display in Scotland. Leading by five overnight and starting fast, it looked like it was going to be a doddle for Hatton. However, Ross Fisher went on a charge and had a chance of a 59, before settling for a course record 61. That meant Hatton couldn't relax down the stretch and had to settle for a three shot win. Our top ranked player, Rory McIlroy, failed to sign off in 2017 in style and finished in tied 63rd. Overall, we only had seven of the top fifteen plus ties (7/24*).

Brendan Steele (ranked 20th by Golf Predictor) won the Safeway Open on the US PGA Tour. The 34 year old American also became the first man to successfully defend his title in California. In the difficult conditions on Sunday, Steele shot an impressive 69 (-9) to come from two back and win by two shots in the end. Our top ranked player, Phil Mickelson, somehow finished in tied 3rd, despite being all over the place off the tee! Overall, we had fifteen of the top seventeen plus ties (15/27). 


*Withdrawals mean Bourdy & Warren are promoted to the top 24 of the GP Rankings. 

2017 - Week 40 Predictions/Statistics Online

The predictions and statistics for this week, the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship (European PGA Tour) and the Safeway Open (US PGA Tour), are now available on Golf Predictor. It's the first event of the new 2017/18 US PGA Tour season, but after the Presidents Cup last week, there aren't many big guns trying to get their new campaigns off to a flying start. While there aren't many big golfing names teeing it up in either event, Rory McIlroy and a solid list of European Tour stalwarts are teeing it up on the three courses in Scotland. It looks like golfers and celebrities alike have the usual difficult weather conditions for the event!

2017 - Week 39 Winner

Paul Dunne (ranked 23rd by Golf Predictor) won the British Masters supp. by Sky Sports on the European PGA Tour. The 24 year old Irishman claimed his maiden tour title with a brilliant final day performance at Close House. Dunne closed with 61 (-9), to hold off the fast finishing Rory McIlroy. After birdieing the penultimate hole, Dunne gave himself a two shot cushion on the par three finishing hole. However, after he missed the green, the door was slightly ajar for McIlroy. Dunne then proceeded to pitch in to win in style and by three shots in the end. Our top ranked player, Sergio Garcia, missed the cut, and we had nine of the top fifteen plus ties (9/19).

There was no individual stroke play event on the US PGA Tour this week as it is the short close season (and the week of the Presidents Cup!).