Wednesday, October 3, 2018

What To Look For: 2018 Safeway Open

The 2018-2019 season starts with the Safeway Open at Silverado Resort and Spa in the Napa Valley.


The North Course at Silverado is a par-72 playing to 7,166 yards with a 74.3 index and a 135 slope. The course is at 235 feet above sea level.

The course was built in 1955 and then re-designed by Robert Trent Jones, Jr. in 1966. This is about the tightest you will see a RTJ type design which doesn’t mean much as RTJ preferred to open courses up off the tee.

You will also get to see these nifty lil’ tee markers:



Like most RTJ designs, it’s about the long approaches. He also designed this course with a lot of crowns and saddles (old school AimPoint terminology) in the greens which frustrates a lot of golfers that have never played there before.

With the Alfred Dunhill Cup going on over in the UK, the field isn’t particularly strong. I didn’t list Brendan Steele in my favorites to win, despite winning here the last two years as his numbers just don’t fit the course this year. But, this is the time for a Tour rookie to stake claim to their Tour card right away with the weaker field.

As far as the course goes, I’ve gotten mixed responses from Tour players on the course. Some think it’s a really solid design. Others would rather stay away from it.


Projected Winning Score: -15

3JACK’S FAVORITES

Patrick Cantlay +1,200
Phil Mickelson +2,200
Ryan Moore +2,200
Joaquin Niemann +2,500
Adam Hadwin +3,500


3JACK’S DARK HORSE PICKS

Chris Kirk +5,000
Dylan Fritelli +5,500
Kevin Streelman +7,000
Cameron Champ +12,500
Sung Kang +15,000






3JACK

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