Expert Picks, PGA Tour

Safeway Open Picks

Posted onAuthorThe Stiff Shaft
Safeway Open

Happy 2019-2020 season everyone!

Yes, we know that technically the new season started two weeks ago, but here at The Stiff Shaft, we decided to extend our offseason a little longer. The Tour heads to Wine Country this week for the Safeway Open, and boy does this field look good.

As a result, we decided to stop sitting around waiting for news to happen, so … we’re going to get back into the swing of things for a bit and make some picks.

(2019 – 20 Events) Correct Incorrect
Shamburger 0 0
Hauser 0 0
Two Inches Short 0 0

Michael Shamburger (@mshamburger1)

Because I won last season, no surprise there as I am obviously the greatest, I get to make the first pick and screw these two guys out of one of the guys in the field this week.

I’m going with driver off the Hideki Matsuyama.

(This is a 3-wood, but still…)

Hideki was trending up at the end of the season last year with a 3rd place finish at the BMW and a T9 at the TOUR Championship. I don’t think Hideki had a bad year last year with 15 top 25’s in 24 events including 7 top 10’s and two third-place finishes, but he didn’t win and hasn’t won since 2017 when he won three times (WGC-HSBC, Phoenix Open, WGC-Bridgestone) – four including the Hero.

However, Hideki has gone from third in the world rankings after the CIMB Classic in 2017, to 26th.

I’m hoping he gets off to a hot start for 2019-2020.

Dan Hauser (@DanHauserGolf)

I’m taking Phil this week, not because I actually think he will win though. Nope, I am taking him this week so that I have an excuse to share this absolute gem with all of you:

Phil is an absolute national treasure and we truly don’t deserve him. If he never wins another tournament again we can all only hope that his twitter came continues to win every week.

Oh, and if for some reason he does win this week I will happily take it and get an early leg up on Mike and Two in the win column.

Two Inches Short (@TwoInchesShort)

With the first pick of the new PGA Tour season, we select Tony Romo from Eastern Illinois University. Yes, he’s in the field but we’re obviously kidding.

We’re picking Justin Thomas to win this week’s Safeway Open in Napa.

Rested, healthy and eager to drink some fine wine, JT is probably already in midseason form considering he won the BMW a little over a month ago and finished T3 at the Tour Championship.

Check this. He finished the year 4th in total strokes gained “last” season and hasn’t finished outside 12th in his past 5 PGA tour starts dating back to the Open Championship in July.

Plus, he’s finished T3 and T8 in his previous 2 starts at Silverado and has a 69.25 scoring average. Not too shabby.

Oh, and if Tony Romo makes the cut in a PGA Tour event, we quit!