3rd Jul 2012 | The Greenbrier Classic
Greenbrier Classic Golf Tips: John Merrick
Four shots off the lead going into Sunday last year, he saves his best for par-70 courses.
Course form might be very thin on the ground but one player who has shown a liking for the Old White TPC is John Merrick. After three rounds in the 60s, the 30-year-old found himself four shots off the lead going into Sunday last year. Unfortunately, the wheels came off on the front nine as he eventually finished T57.
I wouldn’t judge him too harshly on his final position as for three rounds he played some excellent golf. It might be a coincidence but Merrick tends to save his best performances for short courses. He finished second at the St. Jude Classic last month, a par-70 and his best finish of 2011 was T9 at the par-70 Travelers Championship.
Ranked 63rd for driving accuracy and 22nd for GIRs his game is suited to precision rather than length. That probably explains his relative success on par-70 courses, which he again faces at the Greenbrier Classis this week.
Yet to win in 156 starts on the PGA Tour, he might not be a rock solid candidate but at 175/1, with Stan James paying ¼ odds for a top-6 finish, he could sneak into a place.
Odds correct at time of publishing: 14:00 3rd Jul, 2012 but subject to change
