WGC Cadillac Preview, Picks & Analysis

Post by Sports Writer, Derek Clements

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EVEN if he were fully fit and had his golf game firing on all cylinders, Tiger Woods would not be in the field for the WGC Cadillac championship at the Blue Monster course at Doral. The reason? He is no longer good enough.

That statement requires some qualification. The 14-time major champion's star has fallen to such a degree that he wouldn't get into the field.  His recent trials and tribulations have seen his world ranking plummet to 66 - and only the top 50 plus special invitees make up the field.

There may be no Woods, but you can be sure that we will see plenty of Donald Trump, who owns the course. If you wish hard enough, the wind may blow hard enough to remove his baseball cap and reveal the full extent of the worst comb-over on the planet. We can but hope.

The entire top 50 in the world rankings will be at Doral, so there is little chance of a surprise winner -  Anirban Lahiri, Bernd Wiesberger, Danny Willett, Gary Stal, Marc Warren, Mikko Ilonen, Tommy Fleetwood, David Lipsky and Danie Van Tonder all make their debuts but don't expect any of them to set the place alight. Lahiri is a two-time winner in recent weeks but is likely to be running on fumes. Warren may be the most likely of this group to make an impact.
It was at this tournament last year that Patrick Reed won and then revealed that he considered himself to be a "top-five in the world" golfer. At the time, there was much tut-tutting. How dare he! What was lost was that this was precisely the sort of young golfer the United States needed to produce more of - he made the Ryder Cup team and was one of the few successes. And if he should retain his crown, he will be very, very close to offically claiming his place in the top five of the world rankings. You can guess how much satisfaction that would give the 24-year-old. In 2014, only a handful of players finished the week under par.

Rory McIlroy, the world No1, leads the field and will be determined to recover after missing the cut at the Honda Classic. Given that he hadn't finished worse than second in his eight previous tournaments, it was shock to the system that McIlroy found his game blown of course in tricky conditions in Florida. And he will need to be at his very best at Doral, where last year just three players finished below par. There is a lot of water on the course, which means that accuracy is at a premium.  And it measures more than 7,400 yards, so length is also important. Under normal circumstances, those two requirements would suit McIlroy down to the ground, but he missed one in two fairways at the Honda - any repetition of that sort of inacuracy at Doral will see him struggling again.

So, long and accurate. Who fits the bill? Well, Reed certainly does, but can he maintain his incredible early season form? So does Jimmy Walker, although he has gone off the boil a touch. Dustin Johnson has made a terrific return to the PGA Tour and already looks like he has never been away. If he really has cleaned up his act - and all the evidence suggests that he has - then 2015 could turn out to be a momentous year for him. He insists that he worked hard on his game during his six-month sabbatical, and he certainly doesn't look like a golfer who has been sat at home twiddling his thumbs. I love the way he approaches the game, and I am not alone. Many people fancy his chances at Augusta next month, but if he is to win The Masters he surely needs to get back in the winners' circle before then.

All of Europe's big guns will be at Doral. Apart from McIlroy, Victor Dubuisson and Alexander Levy are worth keeping an eye on, and I have a sneaky feeling that Henrik Stenson is due a big week. It would also be good to see Luke Donald continuing the good progress he showed at the Honda Classic, but don't hold your breath. The Englishman has tried to find some extra yards but languishes around the 185th mark in driving distance and could simply be overpowered by Doral. Shane Lowry is another dark horse who may be worth a flutter.

So who will be accepting the trophy and the big fat cheque from the Tumpmeister?

Here's how I see it panning it out.

WGC Cadillac Betting Picks

To win: Patrick Reed 16/1. It is impossible to ignore this guy

Each way: Brandt Snedeker 30/1. It is not often that the bookies get it wrong, but they have this time

Each way: Jason Day 14/1. Back after a short rest, looking to pick up where he left off

WGC Cadillac Fantasy picks:

Dustin Johnson 15/1. Can reduce this course to a pitch-and-putt

Henrik Stenson 22/1. Will not be overawed by the strength of the field

Patrick Reed 16/1. The American just loves to be in contention

Jordan Spieth 16/1. I am telling you - he is ready to go again

Jason Day 14/1. The Australian has the lot and will be looking for another big week

Rory McIlroy 11/2. I don't think he will contend here, but he has to be a good bet for a top 10 finish

Victor Dubuisson 80/1. Has flown under the radar, but word is that his game is sharp - and look at those odds!

Keegan Bradley 37/1. Whisper it, but Bradley is starting to look comfy with the short stick

Jimmy Walker 25/1. Big field. Big tournament. Big-time player

Brandt Snedeker 30/1. He's back, and he will be insulted to be quoted at 30/1