ISCO Championship

The Isco Championship (formerly The Barbasol) is hosted at the Keene Trace Golf Club, Nicolasville, Kentucky. This track fits comfortably in the schedule as the birdie fest continues this week in Kentucky. 

Length or accuracy from the tee doesn't seem too important around here and instead we'll look to the golfers who hit greens with regularity. The leader in that statistic for the week has made the top 5 here in the last three editions. 

Scrambling is another part of the plan here but it is certainly a course where you get rewarded for your approach shot and onwards and not too much focus needs to go on the off the tee department. 

Birdies, birdies and more birdies is the plan of attack here and you'll almost need to make one every other hole if you want to win this event.

Here are the key stats for the top finishers (including ties) in the last three renewals of the ISCO Championship .

 

ISCO Championship Tips

 

 

Mac Meissner at 33/1 (Seven Places)

The two new superstars Luke Clanton and Michael Thorbjornsen lead the market but they are easily passed over here at the price due to the examination this week.

If either manage to shoot 25 under you are almost guaranteed a few rags alongside or just behind them so I can let them win at these prices quite easily.

Of the young stars Neal Shipley appeals a shade more than triple the price of the favourite Clanton, but it isn't easy to win on the PGA Tour and I can't get involved with any of them at current prices.

Davis Thompson's victory last week was extremely impressive in the manner in which he went about it on Sunday and it'd be no surprise to me should one or two of his former Walker Cup teammates take some inspiration from watching that on Sunday.

Mac Meissner is the obvious candidate from that team this week and I've been impressed enough with what I've seen on tour this year to give him a go at 33/1 this week. Meissner is definitely a fellow who gets better from the second shot onwards with neither length or accuracy from the tee being a particular strongpoint of his.

For that reason Keene Trace should be perfect for him and his irons are in fine form this last 5 weeks or so ranking 4th at Myrtle Beach, 13th at Colonial then 15th at Deere Run.

His short game is more than up to the task here and he can continue his sharp rise in the game by dispatching of the red hot youngsters at the top of the odds board.

1.5pts each-way M.Meissner 33/1  (1/5 7) Paddypower

Harry Hall at 50/1 (Seven Places)

Harry Hall is still searching for his maiden victory on the PGA Tour and you'd have to think he is licking his lips this week given the the weakness in the field.

Hall hasn't found it easy on tour but he has now made eight of his last ten cuts, including the last three on the bounce and is capable of continuing a fine run of scoring.

Rounds of 63-66-7-65 saw him finish 12th last week at the John Deere and his last eight rounds of golf have amounted to 29 under par.

He'll need to improve upon that ratio if he's to be in the mix here at the weekend but he has low rounds in him and it'd be no surprise to me should he seize this opportunity.

His approach play and short game have been in fine form these last few weeks and he should benefit from a track that rewards good scrambling and a hot putter.

He has one of the better short games in the field and I'm scratching to my head as to why numerous golfers are priced shorter than him this week.

1pt each-way H.Hall  50/1  (1/5 7) Paddypower

Hayden Buckley at 60/1 (Eight Places)

Hayden Buckley is one of those who has had a couple of chances in the last few years to land a victory and not yet done so but this looks like a good opportunity in the field that presents itself this week.

Buckley has made five of his last six cuts and that is a fair bit better than many ahead of him in the market who remain inconsistent at best.

Just six weeks ago Buckley finished 5th at Colonial in a field that included Scheffler and Morikawa. This last month or so his ball striking has been fairly decent and the only club that's holding him back is the putter.

It behaved at the Charles Schwab for that top 5 finish and if he manages to hole putts once again then a repeat of that effort would definitely see him go close here.

He was an unlucky loser at the Sony Open early in 2023 and although nothing great has happened so far this year he looks to have found a little consistency in his long game. 

1pt each-way H.Buckley  60/1  (1/5 8) Bet365 8 place market

Pierceson Coody at 75/1 (Eight Places)

Another member of the successful 2021 Walker Cup team was Pierceson Coody and given his finishes lately I'm surprised he has been chalked up at 80/1.

This is a week where there are plenty of youngsters fighting it out to gain their first PGA Tour victory and Coody still has the potential to do some great things in the game.

It was a tough start to his PGA Tour career missing cut after cut at the start of the year following a successful stint on the Korn Ferry Tour where he gained three victories.

However, he now seems to have found a solid base making 8 of his last 10 cuts, and his last five on the trot. 5th at the Charles Schwab was his best finish to date and that showed what he is capable of whenever he has a good week with the irons.

The most potent club in his bag is the putter and with the importance on scrambling this week and the necessity to hole plenty of birdie putts, I'm more than happy to get involved at this kind of price. 

1pt each-way Pierceson Coody  75/1  (1/5 8) Bet365 8 place market