LIV Golf Invitational Bedminster Each-Way Tips: Reed can trump the field

Matt Cooper
27 July 2022
4:00 min read

Patrick Reed could easily revel in this week's Bedminster event.

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Matt Cooper tipped 33/1 Charl Schwartzel to win the first LIV Golf Invitational and Branden Grace at 28/1 to win the second. He's hat-trick hunting with two selections at the Bedminster event with the Betfair Sportsbook paying five places...

"Rowdy and raucous New York galleries? He loves them. He’s played in New York and New Jersey 11 times, finished top 20 on seven occasions and claimed victory twice."
Patrick Reed 1pt each-way @ 17.016/1

Question: Will the winner of this week's LIV Golf Invitational at Trump Bedminster actually be playing at Bedminster?

Under normal circumstances, of course, it's a question that would need very little consideration.

But, as Rick Reilly revealed in his book Commander in Chief, the club owner initiated a senior championship, sussed he would be up against a difficult opponent, and came up with a novel solution: on the day of competition, he played the easier Trump Philadelphia and called his score in.

It gets better (or worse). The score he reported was a 72, but when an intrigued member casually asked a caddie in his group what he'd actually shot the answer was: "Maybe 82."

At first glance, yet another tale of Donald Trump's preposterous nature seems to have no value other than to wind up everyone, either in revulsion or reverence.

But, at this week's third LIV Golf event, Trump is going to be a factor, one of many that are likely to make this the most febrile of their showcases so far.

Remember, the first took place in provincial England, the second was in provincial Oregon and this week ...

Well, this week looks set to be an incendiary brew of brazen personalities, furious political protest and New York galleries that are gobby enough even before they've been encouraged to hit the on-course bars.

What sort of personality might thrive in such inflamed surroundings?

Main Bet: Patrick Reed 1pt each-way @ 16/1

Simple answer: Patrick Reed.

Let's go through the various factors.

Those rowdy and raucous New York galleries? He loves them. He's played in New York and New Jersey 11 times, finished top 20 on seven occasions and claimed victory twice.

A feverish atmosphere? He loved it in the Ryder Cup, whipping it up when it was insufficiently fiery.

Controversy? One of the most astounding elements of his many cheating accusations is that, far from being cowed by them, he has thrived when looked upon with suspicion.

Trump? Kindred spirit.

Form? He was third in his LIV debut at Pumpkin Ridge at the start of the month.

Jason Kokrak 1280.jpg

Next Best: Jason Kokrak 1pt each-way @ 22/1

Let's play a little bit of golfing dot-to-dot, starting with the fact that Trump Bedminster is a Tom Fazio design.

Back in the mid-2000s Fazio's Raptor Course at Grayhawk hosted the Frys.Com Open and in just three editions some players loved it and others couldn't get a grip.

Among the former were Mike Weir (a hat trick of top six finishes including a win) and Alex Cejka (two starts, both of them top 10s).

When Xander Schauffele was preparing for last year's CJ Cup, at another Fazio design The Summit, he said: "The Grand Golf Club is my home course, it's a Fazio design and I do see some design aspects that are similar.

"There is a level of comfort that I feel on certain tee shots and on the greens, too. They're kind of trickier than people think. It took me a while to figure those out at home and hoping that that'll help me here."

In truth, only in the final round did he click, thrashing a 62 to land T18th. But a year earlier, in the same event on another Fazio design (Shadow Creek), he'd finished runner-up.

And who beat him? Jason Kokrak, who said of that layout: "It feels like home. I've played this course enough that I should know it by now."

Nor is it the only time Kokrak has enjoyed a Fazio test.

On defence of that title at The Summit he got off to a rotten start (77 for dead last in 78th) but responded with 66-65-68 which was bettered only by the winner, the runner-up and one other golfer.

It was a similar story at last year's BMW Championship. Another poor start (73 for T63rd), but he righted the ship with a 68 in the second round and then he carded the equal-best 36-hole score at the weekend with rounds of 65-66.

Bryson DeChambeau was second that week and Talor Gooch has a pair of top fives on the two Fazio designs that have hosted the CJ Cup.

But, as the column seeks the hat-trick of LIV wins (and at Portland we landed the 1-2), I'm siding with Kokrak.

* Having difficulty working out the place returns? Fret no more - you can easily work out your returns with our new each way calculator.