Expectations from J.B. Holmes at the Puerto Rico Open
J.B Holmes is in the field of the Puerto Rico Open, presented by seepuertorico.com. So can he be the winner of the PGA (Professional Golf Association) staged tournament in the current season?
The 29-year-old American professional golfer will be delivering his debut performance at the Trump International Golf Course, Puerto Rico Rio Grande in PUR.
He has been singled out by many experts and all believe that he will be the best, as he makes his debut, from March 8 to 11.
However, the field is tough and there are many other competent players eyeing the title as well.
This tournament is staged by the PGA for those players who did not qualify for the WGC-Cadillac Championship. Both the tournaments are to be played on the same dates but on different venues.
All the world leaders are in Florida for the WGC event, whereas others have arrived to Puerto Rico. Holmes' presence in the field makes American dominance stronger.
He will be playing for the title honour and the $3,500,000 purse, out of which the winner will earn $630,000 and 250 FedEx Cup points as well.
This tournament is also special for having 12 Latin Americans in the field. Nevertheless, Holmes' presence makes the field more appealing and competitive for the Latinos.
There are many expectations from the American, but the most frequently asked question is: how he is going to fare against his rivals?
He turned professional in 2005 and has won six professional events in total. Out of the total six, two victories came in on the PGA Tour in 2006 and 2008.
Holmes is striving to record another win at the PGA but has failed many times in the past three years.
Similarly, his performance in the current season is also static and he is not impressive while competing against the world top players.
He started the 2012 PGA season in January and played five total tournaments. He missed the cut in three tournaments and was out of the top-10 list in the other two tournaments.
His best finish of the year was at the Northern Trust Open, where he finished tied for the eighth position, scoring a 4-under par and 280 strokes in total.
He mostly faces tough challenges from the world leaders. Hence, as the entire world leaders are in Florida, the field of the Puerto Rico Open is less attractive.
This gives ample opportunities for the American to lead over his rivals. He can also end his winless career this week, if he makes his scores visible on the top of the leaderboard.
However again, the field is not that easy. Michael Bradley, the defending champion, is on a potential lead over the others in the field.
He has won two times in the past three years and has the capability to lead again. His impressive strokes, improved driving distance and accuracy are again a potential threat.
Last year, he scored a 16-under par and 272 strokes in total. His massive birdie in the playoff mode against Troy Matteson was the tournament winning shot.
He is the biggest rival for Holmes. If Holmes wants to end his winning-deficit, he has to make extra efforts at the Puerto Rico Open presented by seepuertorico.com.
The driving and putting accuracy is also important to be considered. It is for sure that Holmes will finish in the top-25. He can improve his standing if he makes his driving and accuracy better.
Only slight improvements will help him at the Trump International Golf Course.
The views expressed in this article are the writer's own and in no way represent Bettor.com's official editorial policy.
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