TOUR Insider: Colonial sets up well for these seven shotmakers

text size

Greenwood/Getty Images

Will K.J. Choi, who resides in The Woodlands, Texas, win at Colonial Country Club this week?

For years and years we've heard the same thing about Colonial Country Club, site of this week's Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial. This is a course -- albeit one that plays 7,204 yards to par 70 -- that rewards players who know how to make shots. You can't come to Fort Worth and only play the bomb-and-wedge game that may be effective on many other venues visited on the PGA TOUR. To win at Colonial requires an all-around solid game.

More Insiders

Kupelian on Champions
Bolton on Fantasy
Barr on Equipment
Dell on Nationwide Tour

Need proof? Look who's won at Colonial: Phil Mickelson (twice), Kenny Perry (twice), Nick Price (twice), Corey Pavin. Mickelson admittedly hits it a long way, but he's also the requisite shotmaker; he carried five wedges in his bag when he won at Colonial in 2008. Tim Herron and Steve Flesch won there, too, and neither would be considered a big hitter.

Need even more proof? Look at Steve Stricker, who won the tournament a year ago. He's no sissy off the tee, but Stricker is best known for his laser iron game. It was that skill set that enabled him to win at Colonial a year ago.

Look at his recipe for success in 2009. Stricker ranked No. 6 in greens in regulation; he hit 77.78 percent of greens or 10 percent more than the average player in the field. He was 18th in proximity to the green, a modest 28 feet, 5 inches. On approach shots from 125-150 yards, he ranked seventh, with shots finishing 13 feet, 3 inches from the hole. Stricker was effective on the greens, too. He made 55 of 65 putts inside 10 feet and made 16 putts longer than 10 feet. The statistics show that he hit all the shots that are required of shotmakers in order to win the tournament.

So with the TOUR making its annual stop at Colonial this week, who should be some of the most likely suspects to end up in the winner's circle, based on statistical evaluation?

• Kevin Sutherland: He ranks second in greens in regulation from the fairways (81.69 percent), which he hits often. The veteran has finished among the top 15 at Colonial the last two years, including a tie for ninth in 2009.

• K.J. Choi: He leads the TOUR in proximity to the hole (32 feet, 6 inches) and is seventh in greens in regulation. He's got the game to compete at Colonial; Choi was among the top 25 in three straight years from 2005-2007 and seems to thrive on tough courses.

• Scott Verplank: He ranks second in approaches from 100-125 yards (16 feet, 1 inch) and will be making his 21st start down Hogan's Alley. Verplank's best finish at Colonial was a tie for seventh in 2007.

• Justin Leonard: He's third in approaches from 100-125 yards (16 feet, 2 inches) and would like to win this one for sheer Texas pride (no statistics kept in that category). Was a distant second to Perry at Colonial in 2003 and would like to become the first Texan to win the tournament since Ben Crenshaw did so in 1990. Leonard has five top-10 finishes at Colonial.

• Brian Gay: He ranks eighth in proximity to the hole and eighth in percentage of putts made inside 10 feet. He's also coming off a tie for second at the HP Byron Nelson Championship. Plus, he's won at Harbour Town, which demands similar skills. Gay was second at Colonial in 2001.

• Tim Clark: If you can win at TPC Sawgrass, you can certainly compete at Colonial. Clark is making his first start since his potential career-changing victory at THE PLAYERS. Clark was runner-up in back-to-back starts in 2008 and 2009.

• Ben Crane: He's finished in the top five twice in the last four years. Crane has already won this year and ranks sixth in proximity to the hole and 10th in greens in regulation.

Now what about Stricker? He's not played since the Masters because of pain in his shoulder and it's not easy to come to a place like Colonial with six weeks of rust. But he is rested, mentally and physically, and he can draw on last year's playoff victory and smile. If he can put up similar statistics on the fairways and greens this year, he'll be smiling again.

Stan Awtrey is a freelance columnist for PGATOUR.COM. His views do not necessarily reflect the views of the PGA TOUR.