2020 - Week 50 Winner

Matthew Fitzpatrick (ranked 5th by Golf Predictor) won the DP World Tour Championship, Dubai on the European PGA Tour. The 26 year old Englishman won his sixth tour title and first for two years with a great finish in Dubai. Fitzpatrick came out of the traps quickly on Sunday with four straight birdies to spreadeagle a bunched leaderboard and was never really threatened after that. However, he was pipped to the Race to Dubai title after Lee Westwood finished one shot back in second place. Our top ranked player, Patrick Reed, didn't play well over the weekend, but still finished tied third with an incredible display of short game skills. Overall, we had a very healthy fourteen of the top twenty plus ties (14/22) in this limited field event.

 

There was no event on the US PGA Tour this week.

2020 - Week 50 Predictions/Statistics Online

The predictions/statistics for this week, the DP World Tour Championship, Dubai (European PGA Tour),are now available on Golf Predictor. It's the last event of the the year on the European PGA Tour and although no top Europeans like Rory McIlroy or Jon Rahm this year, there is still a decent quality field in Dubai. American major champions Patrick Reed and Collin Morikawa headline the small field for the season finale.

 

There is no event on the US PGA Tour this week.

2020 - Week 49 Winners

Christiaan Bezuidenhout (ranked 1st by Golf Predictor) won the South African Open on the European PGA Tour. The 26 year old South African won his first home open and second tour title in a row at Sun City. Leading overnight by five shots, Bezuidenhout's advantage was cut to two strokes by Jamie Donaldson after a slow start by the South African. However, a birdie burst just after the turn allowed him to steady the ship and he had regained his overnight advantage by the end. Bezuidenhout was our top ranked golfer and we had nine of the top eighteen plus ties (9/19) in total. 

 

Antoine Rozner (ranked 3th by Golf Predictor) won the Golf in Dubai Championship on the European Tour. The 27 year old Frenchman won his first tour title in a final day battle with long time leader Andy Sullivan. The rookie closed with 64 (-8) to overcome a four shot overnight deficit and win by two shots from the Englishman. That made both him and me very happy as I had backed/tipped him at 60/1! Our top ranked golfer, Bernd Wiesberger, finished in tied 8th and we had seven of the top nineteen plus ties (7/21) in this new event. 
 

Viktor Hovland (ranked 9th by Golf Predictor) won the final event of 2020 on the US PGA Tour, the Mayakoba Golf Classic. The 23 year old Norwegian American won his second tour title in the birdie fest in Mexico. On a defenceless course in mostly benign damp conditions, Hovland broke out of a crowded leaderboard with Aaron Wise on the back nine. A play-off was looking likely, but the young Norwegian managed to birdie the final hole for a one shot victory. Our top ranked golfer, Justin Thomas, finished in tied 12th and we had twelve of the top twenty plus ties (12/22) in total.

2020 - Week 48 Winner

Christiaan Bezuidenhout (ranked 2nd by Golf Predictor) won the Alfred Dunhill Championship on the European PGA Tour. The 26 year old South African won his second tour title and his first on home soil with a good finish at Leopard Creek. On a tough final day in blustery conditions, Bezuidenhout steadied the ship after a poor couple of holes before the turn. He then finished strongly while others dropped shots all around him to win by four strokes in the end. Our top ranked golfer, Robert MacIntyre finished well for tied 6th and in an event that is usually difficult to predict, we had eleven of the top twenty plus ties (11/22) in total on the tough layout. 

There was no event on the US PGA Tour this week.

2020 - Week 47 Winners

Joachim B. Hansen (ranked 19th by Golf Predictor) won the Joburg Open on the European PGA Tour. The 30 year old Dane won his first tour title with an impressive display in Johannesburg. Hansen closed with a bogey free 67 to overtake home favourite, the big hitting Nico Nienaber. The tall South African had led for a long time, including by three shots at the turn. However a good back nine of three under by Hansen coupled with two closing bogeys by Nienaber meant the Dane won by two strokes. Our top ranked player, Christiaan Bezuidenhout, finished in tied 15th, despite battling jet lag from Augusta. Overall we had six of the top eighteen plus ties (6/18) in this event with a poor field.

Robert Streb (ranked 126th by Golf Predictor) won The RSM Classic on the US PGA Tour. The 33 year old American won his second PGA Tour title in a dramatic play-off in Georgia. Leading by three overnight, Streb ending up trailing Kevin Kisner with two to play. However, he managed to birdie the penultimate hole and par the last to tie Kisner after 72 holes. After the two former champions halvied the first extra hole, Streb set up a winning tap-in birdie on the next with a brilliant approach from the rough. Our top ranked player, Webb Simpson, finished in tied 37th and in an event that's usually hard to predict, we had only five of the top eighteen plus ties (5/22) in the windy conditions. 

2020 - Week 46 Winner

Dustin Johnson (ranked 1st by Golf Predictor) won the first major of the year, The Masters (European/US PGA Tour). The 36 year old American finally won the second major his talent deserved with a great wire to wire display at Augusta. Johnson played brilliant golf on Saturday to open up a four shot lead going into the final round. Despite a nervous start when his lead was whittled briefly down to a single shot. DJ righted the ship with a birdie on the sixth. He then won at a canter, finishing with a record score on -20, five shots clear of Cameron Smith and Sungjae Im. DJ was our top ranked player and we had eleven of the top nineteen plus ties (11/22) in total in the weather affected major.

2020 - Week 45 Winners

Robert MacIntyre (ranked 3rd by Golf Predictor) won the Aphrodite Hills Cyprus Showdown on the European PGA Tour. The 24 year old Scot built on the great start to his career with his first tour title in Cyprus. Playing the new Showdown format on the same course as last week, the scores were reset after rounds two and three for the remaining players. In the final round shoot-out, MacIntyre finished strongly with a closing nine of thirty strokes, including a near ace on the penultimate hole. That allowed him to take the title by a single shot from Masahiro Kawamura. Our top ranked player, Thomas Detry, finished in tied 4th and we had eight of the top twenty plus ties (8/23*) in this new event.     

 

Carlos Ortiz (ranked 69th by Golf Predictor) won the Vivint Houston Open on the US PGA Tour. The 29 year old Mexican won his first tour title with an impressive final day performance in Texas. Ortiz prevailed on a final day with big names such as Dustin Johnson, Hideki Matsuyama, Brooks Koepka and Jason Day all in the mix. Ortiz sealed his maiden win in style, with a closing birdie for a fine 65 to win by two shots. DJ was our top ranked player and he finished tied 2nd. Overall, we only had six of the top fifteen plus ties (6/19) in an event held on a tough new course.

 

* Due to withdrawals, Shinkwin is promoted to the top 23 of the GP Rankings.

2020 - Week 44 Winners

Callum Shinkwin (ranked 67th by Golf Predictor) won the Aphrodite Hills Cyprus Open on the European PGA Tour. The 27 year old Englishman won his first tour title with a play-off victory over Kalle Samooja. Shinkwin came from behind in regulation play with a great birdie-eagle to set the clubhouse target. Samooja birdied the final hole to catch him, but lost on the first extra hole after his short birdie putt lipped out. Our top ranked player, Andy Sullivan, finished very poorly for tied 58th and we had seven of the top seventeen plus ties (7/20) in this new event.    

Brian Gay (ranked 63rd by Golf Predictor) won the Bermuda Championship on the US PGA Tour. The 48 year old American overcame recent poor form to win his fifth tour title in a play-off with Wyndham Clark. Despite Clark amassing a three shot after a fast start to his the final round, he was caught by Gay after he slowed down on the back nine and Gay's putter heated up. Gay then prevailed at the first extra hole with another good putt for a winning birdie, despite being outside Clark, who couldn't match him. Our top ranked player, defending champion Brendan Todd, missed the cut and we had just six of the top sixteen plus ties (6/20) in total in this second tier, wind affected event.

2020 - Week 43 Winners

Ross McGowan (ranked 83rd by Golf Predictor) won the Italian Open on the European PGA Tour. The 38 year old Englishman won his second tour win with a birdie on the final green. McGowan overcame poor form to secure the title, eleven years after his first victory. McGowan trailed Laurie Canter for much of the final day, but an outrageous hole from the bunker out for birdie on the sixteenth meant he took the lead. Canter replied with a great birdie on the penultimate hole to go down the final hole all square with both McGowan and the finished Nicolas Colsaerts. McGowan poured in his twenty footer for birdie, but Canter missed from twice as close to end his chances. Our top ranked player, Lee Westwood, finished in tied 30th and we had only seven of the top sixteen plus ties (7/21).

 

Patrick Cantlay (ranked 9th by Golf Predictor) won the ZOZO Championship @ Sherwood on the US PGA Tour. The 28 year old American won his third tour title after overtaking frontrunners Justin Thomas and Jon Rahm on the back nine Sunday. After the leading duo stumbled down the stretch, Cantlay came through to win by a single shot after Rahm failed to birdie the final hole. Rahm was our top ranked player and we had thirteen of the top seventeen plus ties (13/25*) in total in this restricted field event.

 

*Due to withdrawals, Palmer & Scheffler are promoted to the top 25 of the GP Rankings.

2020 - Week 42 Winners

Adrian Otaegui (ranked 23rd by Golf Predictor) won the Scottish Championship pres. by AXA on the European PGA Tour. The 28 year old Spaniard won his third tour title with a great start and finish at Fairmount St. Andrews. Otaegui opened with a fantastic 62 (-10) and won the title in style with a closing birdie for a 63 on Sunday. That allowed the Spaniard to overturn a four shot overnight deficit and finally record his first stroke play victory by four shots from overnight leader Matt Wallace. Our top ranked player, Lee Westwood, finished in tied 14th and we had eight of the top sixteen plus ties (8/24) in this new event.     

Jason Kokrak (ranked 40th by Golf Predictor) won The CJ Cup @ Shadow Creek on the US PGA Tour. The 35 year old American won his first tour title at the relocated CJ Cup. Indeed it was local knowledge as an MGM sponsored golfer at Shadow Creek which helped Kokrak to finally get over the line on the PGA Tour! He finished strongly with a 64 to blow past overnight leader Russell Henley and beat a stacked field by two shots from Xander Schauffele. Our top ranked player, John Rahm, finished in tied seventeenth and we had seven of the top seventeen plus ties (7/20) in the restricted field event where many of the top players failed to perform.
 

2020 - Week 41 Winners

Tyrrell Hatton (ranked 4th by Golf Predictor) won the BMW PGA Championship on the European PGA Tour. The 28 year old Englishman fulfilled a boyhood dream by winning the tour's flagship event at Wentworth. Leading by three shots overnight, Hatton was caught early on Sunday after a great start by Victor Perez. However, the Frenchman couldn't keep it going on the back nine and Hatton won comfortably in the end by four shots. Our top ranked player, Patrick Reed, finished strongly with an eagle for tied third and we had ten of the top twenty plus ties (10/23) on the testing Wentworth layout. 

 

Martin Laird (ranked 63rd by Golf Predictor) won the Shriners Hospitals for Children Open on the US PGA Tour. The 37 year old Scot won his fourth tour title in a play-off in Las Vegas. Playing on a sponsor's invitation, Laird beat Matthew Wolff and Austin Cook with a birdie at the second extra hole to take the title for the second time. Our top ranked player, Webb Simpson, finished in tied 13th and we had nine of the top nineteen plus ties (9/23), in a birdie fest where many of the lesser lights came to the fore.

2020 - Week 40 Winners

Aaron Rai (ranked 26th by Golf Predictor) won the ASI Scottish Open on the European PGA Tour. The 25 year old Englishman won his second tour title in a play-off win over Tommy Fleetwood. After losing a tournament late on last week after leading for a long time, Rai did the opposite this week to finish strongly and set a clubhouse target. Fleetwood birdied the last to catch him and after playing partner Robert Rock bogeyed the same hole, it left just two to fight it out over extra holes. Despite finding sand off the tee, Rai took the title at the first opportunity after Fleetwood missed a short par putt to extend the play-off. Fleetwood was our top ranked player and we had nine of the top nineteen plus ties (9/25*) in the weather affected event.    

 

Sergio Garcia (ranked 11th by Golf Predictor) won the Sanderson Farms Championship on the US PGA Tour. The 40 year old Spaniard won his eleventh tour title by pipping the fast finishing Peter Malnati in Jackson. After Malnati posted -18 with a closing 63, Garcia needed a birdie on the last to prevent a play-off. He duly obliged with a great approach to within three feet to secure his first title since his 2017 Masters triumph. Our top ranked player, Scottie Scheffler, finished in tied 37th and we had only four of the top seventeen plus ties (4/22) in an event that is traditionally hard to call.

 

*Waring was a WD, promoting Rai into the top 25 of the GP Rankings.

 

2020 - Week 39 Winners

John Catlin (ranked 4th by Golf Predictor) won the Dubai Duty Free Irish Open on the European PGA Tour. The 29 year old American won his second tour title in four weeks with a terrific final day at Galgorm Castle. Trailing by three shots overnight, Catlin finished with a bogey free 64 (-6) to overtake long time leader Aaron Rai and hold on for a one shot win. Rai had a chance to catch him, but got a terrible lie for his third shot on the par five finishing hole and had to settle for second place. Home favourite Shane Lowry was our top ranked player, but he disappointingly missed the cut. Overall, we had nine of the top fourteen plus ties (9/21*) in the weak fielded event. 

 

Hudson Swafford (ranked 66th by Golf Predictor) won the Corales Puntacana Resort & Club Championship on the US PGA Tour. The 33 year old American won his second tour title with an up and down performance in the Dominican Republic. Swafford came out of the blocks quickly on Sunday, opening up a four shot lead at one point. He stumbled on the back nine, dropping three shots to let the field back into it. However, a birdie on the seventeenth allowed him to steady the ship and beat Tyler McCumber by a single shot. Our top ranked player, Henrik Stenson, finished in tied 21st and we had eleven of the top twenty one plus ties (11/27) in this second string event.
 

*Soderberg was a WD, promoting Canter into the top 21 of the GP Rankings.

2020 - Week 38 Winners

Bryson DeChambeau (ranked 18th by Golf Predictor) won the US Open on the European/US PGA Tour. The 27 year old American won his first major, with a dominant final day performance at Winged Foot. Trailing Matthew Wolff by two shots overnight, DeChambeau soon overturned the deficit with some impressive, if deliberate play. Indeed, he was the only player under par on Sunday on the demanding layout and the only player to finish under par after 72 holes. In the end, his closing 67 was three shots better than any other score and he won by six shots on -6. Our top ranked player, Dustin Johnson, never  featured at the top end of the leaderboard, but still finished in tied 6th. Overall, we had eleven of the top twenty one plus ties (11/21) in the second major of the year. 

Garrick Higgo (ranked 3rd by Golf Predictor) won the Open de Portugal at Royal Obidos on the European PGA Tour. The 21 year old South African won his first tour title in only his seventh event with an impressive display in Portugal. Higgo played some great golf, not dropping a shot in his last two and a half rounds to win by a shot from Pep Angles. Our top ranked player, last week's winner George Coetzee, finished in tied 3rd and we only had four of the top eighteen plus ties (4/23) in the weak fielded and weather interrupted event. 

 

2020 - Week 37 Winners

George Coetzee (ranked 7th by Golf Predictor) won the Portugal Masters on the European PGA Tour. The 34 year old South African won his fifth tour title with an impressive final round display in Vilamoura. Coetzee got off to a steady start on Sunday, parring until he birdied the difficult seventh hole. He then gave an superb display of frontrunning, finishing the round in four under par to win by two shots from Laurie Canter. Our top ranked player, late entrant Tommy Fleetwood, finished strongly for tied 3rd and we had seven of the top fourteen plus ties (7/23) at the birdiefest in the Algarve. 

 
Stewart Cink (ranked 79th by Golf Predictor) won the Safeway Open on the US PGA Tour. The 47 year old American won his seventh tour title in California eleven years after his last victory. With his son on the bag, the likeable Cink beat a host of more fancied younger guns to win in Napa. Our top ranked player, Shane Lowry, was one of the many bigger names who didn't perform and missed the cut. Overall, we had only four of the top fourteen plus ties (4/22) in the weak fielded event.

2020 - Week 36 Winners

John Catlin (ranked 49th by Golf Predictor) won the Estrella Damm N.A. Andalucia Masters on the European PGA Tour. The 29 year old unfancied American won his first tour title with an impressive display at Valderrama. Leading by two strokes overnight, a closing round of four over par 75 was good enough for Catlin to pip Martin Kaymer on the closing hole. The duo had reached the final tee all square, but Catlin took the title with a par to the German's bogey. Strong winds made the already testing Valderrama layout even more challenging and the entire field finished over par. Our top ranked player, Bernd Wiesberger, finished in tied 31st after a poor final round and we had eight of the top seventeen plus ties (8/23*).

Dustin Johnson (ranked 1st by Golf Predictor) won the Tour Championship (and therefore the FedEx Cup) on the US PGA Tour. The 36 year old American capped a great play-off series by taking the lucrative season ending title at East Lake. After a win and play-off loss in the previous two FedEx Cup events, DJ started on -10 in the new handicap system. That proved too much of a head-start to give the hottest player in the world and despite the gap closing somewhat on the back nine Sunday, he won fairly comfortably by three from Xander Schauffele and Justin Thomas. DJ was our top ranked player and we had twelve of the top fifteen plus ties (12/16**) in the restricted field event.  


*Withdrawals mean Syme is promoted to the top 23 of the GP Rankings.

**The handicapped start and small field makes this comparison pretty irrelevant!

2020 - Week 35 Winners

Rasmus Hojgaard (ranked 6th by Golf Predictor) won the ISPS HANDA UK Championship on the European PGA Tour. The 19 year old Dane won his second European PGA Tour event in a play-off with long time leader Justin Walters. Hojgaard finished first and Walters overcame a triple bogey approaching the turn to finish strongly and catch the rising star. It took three extra trips down the famous finishing hole for Hojgaard to see off the South African, who had parred courageously on the previous trip to keep his hopes alive. Our top ranked player, Bernd Wiesberger, finished strongly for tied 5th and we had twelve of the top nineteen plus ties in total (12/24).

 

Jon Rahm (ranked 1st by Golf Predictor) won the second event of the FedEx Cup play-offs, the BMW Championship. The 25 year old Spaniard won his fifth tour title and second in a dramatic finish at Olympia Fields. Rahm overcame a slow start and a brain fart on Saturday (when picked up his ball without marking it for a one shot penalty) to defeat in-form Dustin Johnson on the first extra hole of a play-off. Rahm finished with a brilliant 64 (-6) on the very testing layout and looked to have edged DJ in regulation. However, the American made a long downhill birdie putt to force extra holes. However, Rahm wasn't to be denied and he reciprocated on the same hole in the play-off with an even longer putt to take the title. The real winner was probably the course, which was set up to punish inaccuracy off the tee and punish players on the greens! That resulted in a US Open type week of high attrition, unlike the usual birdie fests on tour. Rahm was our top ranked player and we had eight of the top sixteen plus ties (8/19).

2020 - Week 34 Winners

Romain Langasque (ranked 16th by Golf Predictor) won the ISPS HANDA Wales Open on the European PGA Tour. The 25 year old Frenchman won his maiden European PGA Tour event with a great final round at Celtic Manor. Starting the final day five shots behind the leader, Langasque put on a brilliant short game display to shoot a bogey free 65 and win by two shots from Sami Valimaki. Our top ranked player, Thomas Pieters, finished in tied 15th and we had nine of the top fifteen plus ties in total (9/20*).

 

Dustin Johnson (ranked 4th by Golf Predictor) won The Northern Trust on the US PGA Tour. The 36 year old American won his twenty second tour title in imperious fashion in Boston. Leading by five shots overnight, Johnson put on a masterclass of front running to decimate the field and win by a massive eleven shots on an unbelievable score of -30. In doing so, Johnson returned to number one in the world rankings and hit the top of the FedEx Cup rankings heading into the second play-off event. Our top ranked player, deposed world number one Jon Rahm, finished strongly for tied 6th and narrowly failed to retain his top spot in the rankings. Overall, many of the stellar field failed to perform and we had only six of the top eighteen plus ties (6/24) in total. 

 *Korhonen withdrew, promoting Campillo into the top twenty of the GP rankings.

2020 - Week 33 Winners

Sam Horsfield (ranked 10th by Golf Predictor) won the Celtic Classic on the European PGA Tour. The 23 year old Englishman claimed his second tour title in three weeks with an impressive final day at Celtic Manor. Trailing by one shot overnight, Horsfield built up a three shot lead before play was suspended due to thunderstorms. Although he was pegged back to one after the restart, Horsfield retained his composure in the dark to win by two shots from Thomas Detry. In doing so, he became the first player to go win-missed-cut-win in successive weeks on the European Tour. Our top ranked player, Thomas Pieters, finished in tied 3rd and we had only four of the top nineteen plus ties (4/21) in this weak fielded and weather affected event.  

Jim Herman (ranked 117th by Golf Predictor) won the Wyndham Championship on the US PGA Tour. The 42 year old American overcame poor recent form to capture his third tour title at Sedgefield Country Club. Herman put on an incredible display of putting and sliced through the filed on the weekend with 61-63 to pip Billy Horschel for the title. Our top ranked player, Webb Simpson finished in tied third and in an event where many of the bigger names failed to perform, we had five of the top fifteen plus ties (5/19) in total.  

2020 - Week 32 Winners

Collin Morikawa (ranked 19th by Golf Predictor) won the US PGA Championship on the European/US PGA Tour. The 23 year old American won his first major title at only his second attempt with an impressive performance at Harding Park. Morikawa finished strongly on Sunday with a 64 (-6) to win by two shots from Paul Casey and overnight leader Dustin Johnson. Highlight of the round was a brilliant tee shot on the short par four sixteenth to seven feet for a timely eagle. Our top ranked golfer, Justin Thomas, never really featured and finished in tied 37th. Overall, we had twelve of the top twenty two plus ties (12/28) in the first major of the year.

Andy Sullivan (ranked 5th by Golf Predictor) won the English Championship on the European PGA Tour. The 33 year old Englishman claimed his fourth tour title with an impressive performance at Hanbury Manor. On a week of low scoring, Sullivan hit the front after a 62 on Friday and although Adrian Otaegui got to within three on Sunday, he eased to a seven shot victory with a strong back nine. Our top ranked player, Lee Westwood, finished in tied 34th and we had only six of the top nineteen plus ties (6/25) in this weak fielded event, where many of the bigger names failed to perform.