The Barclays is Here:

[IE]

It's playoff time and the top 123 PGA TOUR professionals will get their stiffest test of the year at The Barclays, the first leg of the four tournament FedExCup Playoffs.

The setting will be The Black Course at Bethpage State Park, considered one of the toughest courses in the country. The pros will see 18 holes covering 7,468 yards and playing to a par-71. The 2009 U.S. Open was played here and measured up to 7,426 yards.

The 2012 Barclays returns to the Empire State for the first time since 2007, when it was contested at Westchester Country Club. It also marks the first time the event has been played on Long Island.

Dustin Johnson will defend his championship, where the winner will walk off with $1.4 million of the $8 million purse. Johnson earned the title in 2011 by posting a 19-under-par score over a tournament shortened 54-holes due to the impending landfall of Hurricane Irene. Johnson bested then defending champion Matt Kuchar by two strokes for the title.

"I'm glad to be the defending champion," said Johnson, "but it's at a totally different golf course than it was last year. The golf course is in good shape. It's going to play tough. The rough is pretty thick, and the fairways are pretty narrow, just like they were in the U.S. Open. It's going to be a good test of golf."

All eyes will be on the pairing of Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy. Woods enters the playoffs as the number one ranked player and the only three-time winner on the PGA TOUR this year. McIlroy is fresh from winning the PGA Championship by eight shots two weeks ago at Kiawah Island and sits in third place in the FedExCup standings.

Woods is no stranger to the Black Course. It was 2002 when he claimed his second U.S. Open title there and his other appearance at the Black Course came in 2009 when he tied for sixth. Woods has carded rounds of even-par or better in six-of-eight trips around the Black Course.

McIlroy tied for 10th in his lone appearance at Bethpage Black in the 2009 U.S. Open.

Three-time Masters champion and Barclays' ambassador Phil Mickelson has also had great success at Bethpage. He finished second in the 2002 U.S. Open, three shots back of Woods and in 2009 he tied for second in the U.S. Open, two back of Lucas Glover.

"One of the best things about Bethpage is the people," Mickelson said. "The crowds that come out to support the game of golf at Bethpage are the best I've ever seen, and we're so lucky and excited to be coming back to such a great venue."

The Barclays will return to Liberty National Golf Club next year and the rotation will follow with Ridgewood Country Club in 2014, Plainfield Country Club in 2015 before returning to the Black Course at Bethpage State Park in 2016.

 

[IE]

2012 Course Description

The Black Course at Bethpage State Park
Course Par Value: 71
Yardage: 7,468


Hole Par Yard Description
1 4 430

The first hole requires a choice right off the bat - lay back with something less than a driver and play straight-away, or challenge the rather severe dogleg right. The more aggressive tee shot around the corner requires great precision with both distance and control and angle of play but may reward the player with nothing more than a wedge approach. The putting green is very narrow, leaving recovery from either side very difficult.
2 4 389

The dogleg left second will likely be played with less than a driver off the tee. The green is perched up on a ridge, so only the top half of the flagstick is visible for the short-iron approach shot. The putting green is relatively flat, making birdie a realistic chance.
3 3 230

The third hole plays to a diagonally set green - front right to back left - effectively making it fairly shallow in depth. Recovery shots require a great touch since the putting green falls off in all directions.
4 5 517

Perhaps Bethpage's best hole in terms of beauty and strategy. It can be played conservatively as a three-shotter or may be challenged in two. The green, which slopes front to back away from the player, is not particularly receptive to approaches - especially ones played from the drive zone, which sits much lower than the green.
5 4 478

This will be one of the toughest holes played at the tournament. The downhill tee shot is played to a fairway that sits at a slight left-to-right diagonal. Tee shots must hug the right-side cross bunker in order to stay clear of large, overhanging oaks left of the hole. The green is small and slopes back to front. Par is a good score here.
6 4 408

Most players will lay up their tee shots to the top of the hill overlooking the green. This will leave mid-irons to the green, which sits some 50 feet below the drive zone. If successful in finding the bottom fairway, players will have rather simple pitch shots onto the green.
Hole Par Yard Description
7 5 553

The widened fairway on the right allows players to "hit away" and challenge the short side of the dogleg that is protected by large oaks. Long irons and hybrids will be used for approach shots to a green that is closely guarded by a deep bunker on the front right. Par will be an excellent score on what will likely be the toughest hole on the front nine.
8 3 210

This downhill one-shotter will likely end up being the most exciting of the par 3s. Since 2002, the original size of the putting green was restored - bringing the putting surface right up to the pond that fronts the green. However, conservative play off the tee will call for a deft putting touch coming back down the hill to the front portion of the green.
9 4 460

The longer-hitting players will have the choice of trying to fly the newly added bunker on the left to the upper fairway, which is very flat. If that strategy is successful, the hole becomes a good chance for birdie. The putting green is fairly large and flat.
10 4 502

The 10th hole is one of three par-4 holes measuring more than 500 yards. A slight dogleg left, the hole's location on the course exposes it to the wind -- and also exposes errant tee shots to the fine fescue grasses in the rough. Deep bunkers guard both sides of the drive zone. But length off the tee will still be a factor as the putting green is fronted by bunkers and a deep swale.
11 4 435

Like the 10th, this straight-away hole is out in the open and exposed to the winds. The tee shot is played to a somewhat blind fairway with deep bunkers guarding both sides. The putting green is one of the Black Course's most difficult, sloping steeply from back to front.
12 4 501

This par 4 is the last of a difficult three-hole stretch. The tee shot provides options - play safely to the right of the deep cross bunker and leave yourself a very long approach shot, or challenge the left cross bunker with a carry of some 260 yards. While the putting green is one of the largest on the course, it has a pronounced tier separating the front and back of the green.
Hole Par Yard Description
13 5 608

The only par 5 on the back nine is a birdie hole. A well-played drive and second shot will certainly set up the player for birdie, but one miscue along the way is sure to have him scrambling for par. The 13th is the longest hole on the course, but it is still reachable in two shots by longer-hitting players. The green slopes generally from back to front.
14 3 161

The 14th is the shortest and should be the easiest of the four par 3s. A miss short will likely take birdie out of play while a miss long over the green will almost certainly take par out of the equation. The 14th is still a birdie hole, but with changes to the green a mediocre tee shot may make par challenging.
15 4 478

The slight dogleg 15th is not the Black Course's longest par 4, but it will likely be the toughest hole. Finding the fairway off the tee will be crucial to having a realistic chance to reach the green in regulation. the green is perched some 50 feet above the fairway. The putting green is without a doubt the scariest on the course. This two-tiered putting surface slopes severely from the back left to the front right.
16 4 490

This gentle dogleg left 16th hole is played from high up on a teeing ground that overlooks the entire hole. The green is guarded by deep bunkers that partially obscure the view on approach shots. The putting surface has "bowl-like" features on the right and left, making both recovery shots and putts a challenge.
17 3 207

The 17th plays uphill to an hourglass-shaped putting surface that is mostly blind from the teeing ground and is surrounded by deep bunkers. The putting green is very wide but relatively shallow in depth and is bisected by a ridge that separates two distinct tiers. This par 3 will have a stadium-like feel with hospitality lining both sides and a hillside of spectators behind cheering on every stroke. The 17th is sure to be an exciting - and loud - hole that might greatly impact the outcome on the final day.
18 4 411

The home hole should provide a dramatic finish. The downhill tee shot on this hole gives the player a choice. One is to lay up short of the deep clusters of bunkers that guard both sides of the drive zone. This option gives the player a wider fairway but leaves a longer approach, likely with a mid-iron. The other choice allows the player to be more aggressive off the tee and attempt to drive his ball between or beyond the bunkers. As with a half-dozen other holes on the Black Course, the uphill approach shot is played to a blind putting surface that slopes from back to front. The 2012 Barclays may well come down to a player being forced to choose how aggressively he wishes to play this final hole.

 

[Dallasbetgolf]

I assume this will be our official thread.

Rose 20-1 win, 10-1 place, 5-1 show

Bradley 25-1 win, 12 1/2 place, 6-1 show

McDowell 40-1 win, 20-1 place, 10-1 show

Poulter 50-1 win, 25-1 place, 12 1/2 show

Good luck to all, and good luck to Bethpage Black!

 

[IE]

Top 5 Finish - bet365



Justin Rose +500

Bubba Watson +500

Keegan Bradley +550

 

[Another Steve]

1st Round Match Ups
S STRICKER (RND 1) -120 (K BRADLEY (RND 1) vrs S STRICKER (RND 1))
J ROSE (RND 1) -130 (J ROSE (RND 1) vrs W SIMPSON (RND 1))

Outrights
ODDS TO WIN THE BARCLAYS OPEN JUSTIN ROSE +2000
ODDS TO WIN THE BARCLAYS OPEN BUBBA WATSON +2200
ODDS TO WIN THE BARCLAYS OPEN JIM FURYK +4000

4 Round Match Ups
L WESTWOOD -125 (P MICKELSON vrs L WESTWOOD)
A BADDELEY -120 (R MOORE vrs A BADDELEY)

 

[WhatsHisNuts]

Tournament Match Up:

E Els OVER B Cauley -115

 

[cole]

To win:

McIlroy +700

Van Pelt +4000

 

[IE]

tournament matchup



Justin Rose -115
over
Luke Donald

 

[Stanley]

Round 1 play (2pts):

Lee Westwood to beat Phil Mickelson -105 @ Bet365 [also available @ 5Dimes]
Mickelson has finsihed 2nd twice in the U.S. Open at Bethpage State Park, but the most recent was three years ago. In terms of this year, his only top-25 finish in the last three months came in the Scottish Open; I can't see either the form in him to at least match his previous success here. Westwood, similarly, has had a rough time of late, but that has been just no top-25 finishes in his last four events, not three months. He has been decisive, though, following his missed cut in the PGA Championship - he has replaced his caddy and his coach and I am expecting a much better week from him.

[unofficial rd1 system plays: McDowell tb Oosthuizen +100; Harrington tb Oosthuizen +135; Choi tb Baddeley -105]

 

[lostinamerica]

Outrights:

Louis Oosthuizen(33/1) e.w.
Adam Scott(25/1) e.w.
Matt Kuchar(45/1) e.w.
Dustin Johnson(28/1) e.w.
Robert Garrigus(80/1) e.w.

GL

 

[Tommyjay]

Kuchar to win 45-1

72 holes
Cauley over Els -110

 

[sports student]

1st round at 5 dimes:

Singh -120 over Noh

 

[bc4242]

bubba watson -150 over hunter mahan round 1

 

[Another Steve]

2nd Round Match Ups
B CAULEY (RND 2) +115 (B CAULEY (RND 2) vrs J SENDEN (RND 2))
J FURYK (RND 2) -125 (J FURYK (RND 2) vrs R FOWLER (RND 2))
T CLARK (RND 2) -110 (T CLARK (RND 2) vrs I POULTER (RND 2))
T WOODS (RND 2) -115 (T WOODS (RND 2) vrs R MCILROY (RND 2))
A SCOTT (RND 2) -115 (A SCOTT (RND 2) vrs S GARCIA (RND 2))

 

[JimmyTime]

Damn... That was meant to be first round only, like the rest

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[sports student]

2nd round at 5 dimes (futures section)

Donald +125 over Mick/Pierce
Bradley +173 over Stricker/Kuchar

 

[Stanley]

Round 2 play (4pts):

Steve Stricker to beat Keegan Bradley +100 @ Stan James [available generally]
Making his debut on this course, Bradley struggled yesterday and finished the day in 52nd place. With the course becoming firmer during the week, that should tilt this matchup even more in favour of Stricker who has finished in the top-25 in both previous U.S. Open appearances here. With also a great record in this event - 1st, 2nd and 3rd plus two other top-25 finishes in its five-year history - Stricker should be the favourite in this matchup as he continues his 11-5-1 2nd round h2h dominance over Bradley over the past twelve months.


[unofficial rd2 system plays: Garcia tb Harrington -110; Watson tb Pettersson -125; Senden tb Cauley -116; Clark tb Fowler +120; Scott tb Garcia +100; Van Pelt tb Senden -110]

 

[rrc]

Round 3...

Adam Scott -140 over Els

glta

 

[Stanley]

Round 3 play (4pts):

J.B. Holmes to beat Harris English +105 @ WSEX [available generally]
This is the ninth time that English has started the weekend in the top-20, but he has struggled to convert these chances into winning positions: in those previous eight situations, he has averaged 73.13 in the 3rd round this season when in the top-20. So, with Holmes also having finished ahead of him in eight of their last twelve common events this season, I'll gladly take plus-odds in this matchup.

[unofficial rd3 system play: Harrington tb Pettersson +113]

 

[IE]

Kevin Stadler (4th Rnd) -115
over
Bob Estes (4th Rnd)