Pro Golf Now: 2015 Humana Challenge Fantasy Picks

Sep 26, 2014; Auchterarder, Perthshire, SCT; USA golfer Phil Mickelson tees off on the 14th hole during the first round of the 2014 Ryder Cup at The Gleneagles Hotel-PGA Centenary Course. Mandatory Credit: Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports

The one thing for certain that we can count on each year when the PGA Tour gets to LaQuinta, California for the Humana Challenge in Partnership with The Clinton Foundations are lots of eagles, and even more birdies. The three course rota for this weeks event are three of the easiest par 72 layouts players face each year, and you can bet the scores, as usual, will be low. Standby for the Pro Golf Now Fantasy Picks.

The PGA West Palmer Course is home base with the PGA West Nicklaus Private and LaQuinta Country Club hosting daily rounds, until Sunday. Originally hosted by Bob Hope, the event was a 90-hole event that started on Wednesday. It was pared down to the standard 72 holes in 2012.

More from Pro Golf Now

With 156 players in the field, plus all the amateurs, the three courses will host each team during the first three days, with the cuts coming after the third round on Saturday.

If more than 78 players survive the cut, only the top 60 will play in the final round on Sunday, at the Palmer Course, but the players who make the cut, and don’t play on Sunday will receive FedEx Cup points, and official earnings.

Patrick Reed won the Humana Challenge last year with an aggregate final score of 28 under par. Picking a winner at this birdie-fest can be a challenge of its own.

Pro Golf Now Fantasy Picks

Patrick Reed

I wasn’t impressed with Patrick Reed’s putter at the Hyundai Tournament of Champions, and there hasn’t been a back-to-back winner in this tournament since Johnny Miller in the 1975 and 1976 seasons, but I think Patrick Reed is a man on a mission.

Even though Reed didn’t put well on the Plantation Course, no one did, the 24 year-old Texan showed a ton of maturity and patience in waiting for the game to come to him. He continued to make shot-after-shot until Jimmy Walker slipped up, then Reed took advantage and won his first tournament of the season.

I know Patrick Reed is not popular after his brash statement about being a top five player, and he is proving that you don’t have to be popular to win golf tournaments. I was impressed with his performance at the Ryder Cup, and very impressed that he stayed on, in Europe, to compete in the Volvo Match Play Championships.

I think Patrick Reed will show up in the California Desert this week, and be the man to beat!

Matt Kuchar

Matt Kuchar got smoked by Jimmy Walker in the final round at the Sony Open last week, but Walker is not in the field this week. The Humana Challenge, like the Pebble Beach National ProAm is a tournament that because of the distractions created by all the amateurs in the field requires a lot of patience.

The Kuch is due to win a tournament soon, and can make a lot of birdies when he is playing well. The conditions in the California Desert are pristine, to say the least, at this time of year and should fit Matt Kuchar;s game to a tee.

Kuchar has the demeanor, to flourish in this environment, and I look for him to be a factor this week at the Humana Challenge.

Ryan Palmer

Ryan Palmer is an enigma. The 38 year-old Texan has as good a game as anyone on the tour, but seems to always find a way to “not-win”. Palmer finished solo second here last year, and had his third top six finish since 2011.

This could well be the year that he breaks through in the desert, and win this thing. Palmer hasn’t won since he beat Robert Allenby in the 2010 Sony Open. He has been close many times in the past few years, but has only three wins on the PGA Tour to show for his career.

Phil Mickelson

I’m as excited what the new and improved Phil Mickelson has to offer for the 2015 season. Since having the season from hell in 2014, Phil has undergone a schedule change, and some fitness training and wants to get the back-side of his career going. He has won this event twice, 2002, and 2004 so has proved in the past that he has the patience for the Humana Challenge.

Lefty is only one season removed from a mulitple-victory year where he finally conquered Scotland by winning the Scottish Open, and the Open Championship in consecutive events.

Golf could use for Phil to get healthy and get himself in contention again, and what better place than the California Desert to get it started?

Next: Phil Mickelson Needs a Big Year

Home/Golf News