PGA Tour Expert Picks: Shriners Hospitals for Children Open
Can Rickie Fowler and Brooks Koepka show out on this easy course with a poor field?
By
Kyle Porter
•
2 min read
The fall swing is now well underway after Emiliano Grillo won the Frys.com Open last week. This week, the PGA Tour turns to Sin City and the easiest course on the slate all season at the Shriners Hospitals for Children Open.
Let's preview this event.
What: Shriners Hospitals for Children Open
Where: Las Vegas, Nev.
When: Oct. 22-25
How to watch (all times ET): Golf Channel (Thursday-Sunday from 5-8 p.m.)
Participants and odds
Rickie Fowler: 9-1
Brooks Koepka: 16-1
Kevin Na: 22-1
Ryan Moore: 22-1
Brandt Snedeker: 25-1
Emiliano Grillo: 25-1
Jimmy Walker: 25-1
Tony Finau: 28-1
Field strength: D-plus
Woof. This is not a very good field. It's obviously headlined by two of the US team's 12 Ryder Cup players (probably) in 2016 in Fowler and Koepka. After that ... nothing great.
Story to watch: The big three of Jordan Spieth, Rory McIlroy and Jason Day can't be touched by anybody else, right? They're going to sit atop the world golf rankings for the next 10 years, right?
Although, Rickie Fowler is one of the few players who could crash that party. If he does it, it will happen in the next two or three years. This week's event would be a nice start.
Easy course
The winning score here over the last five years is a combined 112 under par. This is the easiest course on the PGA Tour. I think I'm on 59 watch, much less everybody in the field.
Past winners
2014: Ben Martin
2013: Webb Simpson
2012: Ryan Moore
2011: Kevin Na
2010: Jonathan Byrd
Scorers, all of them, with Simpson being the lead culprit. Whoever wins this week is going to be a birdie machine.
Let's pick this event.
Expert picks -- Kyle Porter
| Player | Pick | Analysis |
|---|---|---|
 |
Winner | Webb Simpson has a win and a top-five finish in his last two starts here. I'll take those 35-1 odds, run away and hide. Odds: 35-1 |
 |
Top 10 | Rickie Fowler is pretty clearly the best player in this field, and I'm not even sure it's close. His last start here was a T-22 but that was years ago. He's a totally different player these days. Odds: 9-1 |
 |
Sleeper | Spencer Levin has top-five finishes in two of his last three outings here. He would be a perfect fall-season winner, and he can get hot with the best of them. Odds: 100-1 |
Expert picks -- Robby Kalland
| Player | Pick | Analysis |
|---|---|---|
 |
Winner | Tony Finau had five top-10 finishes in 2015, and this time of year is perfect for guys to get their first career wins. Finau's can bomb it and when he gets hot, he can score with the best. Odds: 28-1 |
 |
Top 10 | Jimmy Walker finished fourth last year at the Shriners and has been a great early season player in recent years. I expect him to be up near the top of the leaderboard in a weak field. Odds: 25-1 |
 |
Sleeper | Ryo Ishikawa has been a pro since 2008, but he is still only 24 years old. Last time he played this tournament, he got his only T-2 finish of his career. Maybe he can find that same form again this week. Odds: 100-1 |
