PGA Golf Preview & Tips: QBE Shootout

The QBE Shootout is a traditional end-of-year contest on the PGA Tour, and adopts a rather unusual pairs format. The tournament has been around for a while, and always includes a number of well-known players. Here’s a preview of the action from the Golf Insider.

QBE Shootout: The Tournament 

The event started back in 1989 and has been in the same two-man team format ever since. For many years it has carried the Greg Norman monicker the “Shark Shootout” and is a traditional fixture just before the end of the calendar year. But the format is unusual. Just the three rounds are played (the tournament starts on Friday) and comprises:

• Round 1 Scramble (both players tee-off, then select the best drive to play, both then play a shot from this position – and this format is repeated until the hole is completed)
• Round 2 Modified Alternate Shot (this is like a traditional foursome, but here both players tee-off before the best ball is selected – then it’s alternate shots until the hole is completed)
• Round 3 Fourball (the classic format, where both players play their own ball tee-to-hole, and the lowest/best score of the two counts on each hole).

So expect crazily low scores!

QBE Shootout: The Course

We’re at Tiburon GC in Naples, on the west coast of Florida. It was established in 1998 and has two courses – Gold and Black – both designed by Greg Norman. This week it’s the Gold course that’s in use.

First opened in 1989, it’s laid out as a par 72 which measures 7,382 yards in length. The set-up this week won’t be too penal as the idea is to keep the ball in play, and get the players shooting at the pins.

QBE Shootout: Past winners

2020: English & Kuchar
2019: Sabbatini & Tway
2018: Harman & Kizzire
2017: Stricker & O’Hair
2016: English & Kuchar

QBE Shootout: The Field

Just 12 two-man teams in the field this week, with Sam Burns & Billy Horschel the $4.80 favourites with TopSport.

This week’s field @QBEShootout:

Zalatoris/O’Hair
Palmer/Jones
McDowell/Conners
Snedeker/Lee
Kisner/Homa
Swafford/Harman
Poulter/Howell III
Na/Kokrak
Leishman/Day
Horschel/Burns
Kuchar/English
Watson/Thompson

— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) December 9, 2021

QBE Shootout: The Weather

A predominantly dry week is expected with a daily precipitation forecast of 10%-10%-10% over the course of the 3-day tournament. Temperatures will be in the low-80s, with partial cloud cover all week. Maximum wind speeds will range between 7-9mph over the three days.

QBE Shootout: The Bets

Just the one bet in the small field this week.

Jason Kokrak & Kevin Na – currently $6.50 with TopSport

Both players have experience in this tournament, with different partners, and both have a best placed finish of third. Kokrak won on his last start in Texas, and although Na hasn’t been active for a few weeks (due to a rib injury), prior to this lay-off he was playing some exceptional stuff – winning the Tour Championship. Each possess a game that looks a good fit for this kind of contest, and should work well together. Not a huge price but nobody is in such a small field. I expect Kokrak & Na to go well this week.