The Old White TPC is playing host to this week's stop on the PGA Tour. The work of architect C.B. Macdonald is going to be on full display at this Par 70 course that measures at 7,287 yards. A throwback to yesteryear, the course built in 1914 features lush generous fairways that wind their way through majestic trees and undulating greens that will test the players mettle.
The field this week is stacked which includes notables like Patrick Reed, J.B. Holmes, last week's winner at The Travelers, Bubba Watson and Tiger Woods. Speaking of whom, we all know that Mr. Woods has seen his fair share of issues on the course in recent times. But maybe The Old White TPC will be the breath of fresh air that his game so badly needs. When the tournament kicks off this Thursday, it will be the 39-year-old American's second appearance at this event. Although it could be easy for some to say he is not a favorite this week, he is always a threat and garners attention from both the players and galleries alike.
As we look up and down the field, it would be hard not to say that players like Bubba Watson and Patrick Reed are not considered favorites this week. But how about some names that stick out that could be overlooked or even be considered dark horses? The first name that sort of grabs your attention could be Keegan Bradley. Keegan Bradley has sort of fallen off a bit in recent times but Keegan has shown some glimpses of brilliance. It's been a while since he's been in contention and as of late he really hasn't shown the consistency that he did a couple of years ago. How about long-hitting Canadian Graham DeLaet? Coming off of a strong finish last week at The Travelers, he could find himself in contention come Sunday afternoon especially if he were to get his putter to behave. Although not necessarily considered a darkhorse, Kevin Na is a dangerous competitor every time he tees it up. Na has been super sneaky and always seems to find his way onto the leaderboard. But there is one name that really leaps out at for this writer on paper. That name is American Kevin Streelman. "Streels" has been fairly consistent this season making 15 of 20 cuts which includes one second place finish and two top 10's. He has quietly earned himself nearly $1.5 million this season. His 16th ranked greens in regulation percentage and 27th ranked 68 percent fairways hit statistics could see him emerge victorious come Sunday afternoon.
Two things that we do know for certain is that we will crown a new Greenbrier Classic champion this weekend. The second being that there are four qualifying places available at the 2015 Greenbrier Classic for The Open Championship. These spots for The Open Championship go to the leading four players (not otherwise exempt) who finish in the top 12 and ties. With that knowledge and with the conclusion of The Greenbrier Classic, the road to The Open Championship gets a little more congested.