Humana Challenge
January 17 – 19, 2014
PGA West/Palmer
La Quinta, Ca.
Home course
Par: 72 / Yardage: 6,950
Purse: $5.7 Million
with $1,026,000 to the winner
Defending Champion:
Brian Gay

This week’s field includes:
The field includes 9 of the top 50 in the latest Official World Rankings, with one player #6 Zach Johnson from the top-ten. The other top 50 players are #14 Brandt Snedeker, #20 Webb Simpson, #22 Keegan Bradley, #31 Bill Haas, #40 Billy Horschel, #44 Jonas Blixt, #47 Harris English and #48 Rickie Fowler.
The field includes 17 of the top 25 on the FedEx point standings for 2014. Those players are #3 Harris English, #4 Webb Simpson, #6 Zach Johnson, #8 Brian Stuard, #9 Jason Bohn, #10 Charles Howell III, #11 Gary Woodland, #13 Chris Stroud, #14 Scott Brown, #16 Briny Baird, #17 Jeff Overton, #18 Tim Clark, #20 Ryo Ishikaw, #21 Brian Gay, #22 Jerry Kelly, #23 Boo Weekley and #25 Charley Hoffman.
The field includes 15 players in the top 25 on this year’s PGA Tour money list. Those players are #2 Harris English, #5 Webb Simpson, #7 Zach Johnson, #8 Brian Stuard, #9 Gary Woodland, #10 Jason Bohn, #12 Charles Howell III, #13 Chris Stroud, #15 Scott Brown, #16 Ryo Ishikawa, #18 Jeff Overton, #19 Tim Clark, #20 Briny Baird, #24 Brian Gay and #25 Jerry Kelly.
The field includes 14 past champions: Brian Gay – 2013, Mark Wilson – 2012, Jhonattan Vegas – 2011, Bill Haas – 2010, Pat Perez – 2009, D.J. Trahan – 2008, Charley Hoffman – 2007, Chad Campbell – 2006, Justin Leonard – 2005, Mike Weir – 2003, Joe Durant – 2001, Jesper Parnevik – 2000, Mark Brooks – 1996 and Peter Jacobsen – 1990
A perfect way for fantasy golfers to check on the past performance of all the players in the Humana Challenge field is our performance chart listed by average finish. Another way to check who is the best is through a special formula worked out in Golfstats that gives us the best average performances at the Humana Challenge in the last five years or check out our sortable 8-year glance at the Humana Challenge .
A good cheat sheet is this list of odds from the top bookmakers in England.
Another cheat sheet is this list of odds from the top bookmaker in Las Vegas.
Check out our video preview and picks for the Humana and a recap of the Sony.
This video will help you better understand how to utilize the power of Golfstats in looking to see who should do well in the coming week.
http://youtu.be/95-RkKcA6dM
Time to look at our who’s hot and who isn’t:
Who’s Hot in the field for the Humana Challenge
Player | Sony Open in Hawaii | Hyundai Tournament of Champions | Nedbank Golf Challenge | OHL Classic at Mayakoba | McGladrey Classic | WGC-HSBC Champions | CIMB Classic | Shriners Hospitals for Children Open | Frys.com Open |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Zach Johnson (196.67 pts) |
T8 (50) |
Win (132) |
DNP | DNP | T16 (11.33) |
DNP | DNP | T40 (3.33) |
DNP |
Harris English (192.33 pts) |
4 (80) |
T11 (39) |
DNP | Win (44) |
T27 (7.67) |
DNP | T7 (18.33) |
T40 (3.33) |
DNP |
Webb Simpson (152.33 pts) |
DNP | T3 (90) |
DNP | DNP | T7 (18.33) |
DNP | DNP | Win (44) |
DNP |
Charles Howell III (125 pts) |
T8 (50) |
DNP | DNP | T6 (20) |
T27 (7.67) |
DNP | T7 (18.33) |
T5 (23.33) |
T33 (5.67) |
Brian Stuard (101.67 pts) |
6 (60) |
DNP | DNP | 2 (33.33) |
CUT (-3.33) |
DNP | DNP | T15 (11.67) |
T58 (0) |
Jeff Overton (98.33 pts) |
7 (55) |
DNP | DNP | T23 (9) |
CUT (-3.33) |
DNP | T16 (11.33) |
T9 (15) |
T16 (11.33) |
Jerry Kelly (95.33 pts) |
3 (90) |
DNP | DNP | CUT (-3.33) |
WD (-1.67) |
DNP | T19 (10.33) |
DNP | 57 (0) |
Scott Brown (90.67 pts) |
T68 (0) |
T24 (26) |
DNP | T16 (11.33) |
T4 (26.67) |
DNP | 72 (0) |
CUT (-3.33) |
T3 (30) |
Gary Woodland (85.67 pts) |
DNP | T13 (37) |
T22 (18.67) |
DNP | DNP | DNP | 2 (33.33) |
DNP | CUT (-3.33) |
Chris Stroud (83.33 pts) |
T20 (30) |
DNP | DNP | T3 (30) |
CUT (-3.33) |
DNP | T3 (30) |
DNP | CUT (-3.33) |
Brian Gay (82.33 pts) |
T32 (18) |
T13 (37) |
DNP | T45 (1.67) |
T4 (26.67) |
T46 (1.33) |
T47 (1) |
DNP | CUT (-3.33) |
Kevin Na (78 pts) |
T8 (50) |
DNP | DNP | T36 (4.67) |
CUT (-3.33) |
DNP | DNP | CUT (-3.33) |
T3 (30) |
Billy Horschel (75 pts) |
DNP | T6 (60) |
DNP | DNP | DNP | T34 (5.33) |
T11 (13) |
DNP | CUT (-3.33) |
Matt Every (74 pts) |
T8 (50) |
DNP | DNP | T36 (4.67) |
T7 (18.33) |
DNP | T47 (1) |
DNP | DNP |
Boo Weekley (73 pts) |
T29 (21) |
26 (24) |
DNP | DNP | T22 (9.33) |
T11 (13) |
T33 (5.67) |
DNP | DNP |
Jason Bohn (63.33 pts) |
DNP | DNP | DNP | T3 (30) |
CUT (-3.33) |
DNP | DNP | T2 (33.33) |
T40 (3.33) |
Brendon Todd (62.33 pts) |
T20 (30) |
DNP | DNP | T49 (0.33) |
T16 (11.33) |
DNP | DNP | T12 (12.67) |
T26 (8) |
Pat Perez (58.67 pts) |
T8 (50) |
DNP | DNP | T16 (11.33) |
T48 (0.67) |
DNP | DNP | CUT (-3.33) |
T58 (0) |
Brendon De Jonge (54.67 pts) |
T51 (0) |
DNP | 5 (46.67) |
DNP | T16 (11.33) |
DNP | T53 (0) |
CUT (-3.33) |
DNP |
Jason Kokrak (52.67 pts) |
T20 (30) |
DNP | DNP | DNP | T10 (13.33) |
DNP | DNP | CUT (-3.33) |
T12 (12.67) |
Will Wilcox (50 pts) |
T8 (50) |
DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP |
Retief Goosen (47.67 pts) |
T8 (50) |
DNP | DNP | DNP | T65 (0) |
DNP | T47 (1) |
DNP | CUT (-3.33) |
Bill Haas (47 pts) |
DNP | T24 (26) |
DNP | DNP | DNP | T21 (9.67) |
T16 (11.33) |
DNP | DNP |
Sang-Moon Bae (47 pts) |
T32 (18) |
T21 (29) |
DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | T68 (0) |
DNP | DNP |
Brian Harman (47 pts) |
T32 (18) |
DNP | DNP | CUT (-3.33) |
T10 (13.33) |
DNP | DNP | T48 (0.67) |
T7 (18.33) |
How Player Rankings are Computed
Who’s Not Hot in the field for the Humana Challenge
Player | Sony Open in Hawaii | Hyundai Tournament of Champions | Nedbank Golf Challenge | OHL Classic at Mayakoba | McGladrey Classic | WGC-HSBC Champions | CIMB Classic | Shriners Hospitals for Children Open | Frys.com Open |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Edward Loar (-23.33 pts) |
CUT (-10) |
DNP | DNP | CUT (-3.33) |
CUT (-3.33) |
DNP | DNP | CUT (-3.33) |
CUT (-3.33) |
Bud Cauley (-20 pts) |
CUT (-10) |
DNP | DNP | CUT (-3.33) |
CUT (-3.33) |
DNP | DNP | CUT (-3.33) |
71 (0) |
Bobby Gates (-16.67 pts) |
CUT (-10) |
DNP | DNP | CUT (-3.33) |
DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | CUT (-3.33) |
Alex Aragon (-16.67 pts) |
CUT (-10) |
DNP | DNP | CUT (-3.33) |
DNP | DNP | DNP | CUT (-3.33) |
T77 (0) |
David Lingmerth (-16.67 pts) |
CUT (-10) |
DNP | DNP | CUT (-3.33) |
DNP | DNP | T64 (0) |
CUT (-3.33) |
DNP |
Andrew Loupe (-16.67 pts) |
CUT (-10) |
DNP | DNP | CUT (-3.33) |
DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | CUT (-3.33) |
Johnson Wagner (-16.67 pts) |
CUT (-10) |
DNP | DNP | CUT (-3.33) |
CUT (-3.33) |
DNP | DNP | DNP | T58 (0) |
Troy Merritt (-16.67 pts) |
CUT (-10) |
DNP | DNP | DNP | CUT (-3.33) |
DNP | DNP | DNP | CUT (-3.33) |
Scott Gardiner (-15.33 pts) |
CUT (-10) |
DNP | DNP | T36 (4.67) |
CUT (-3.33) |
DNP | DNP | CUT (-3.33) |
CUT (-3.33) |
Brad Fritsch (-15 pts) |
CUT (-10) |
DNP | DNP | DNP | CUT (-3.33) |
DNP | DNP | DNP | WD (-1.67) |
How Player Rankings are Computed
Who to watch for at the Humana Challenge
Best Bets:
Zach Johnson
2013 | ’12 | ’11 | ’10 | ’09 | ’08 | ’07 | ’06 | ’05 | ’04 | ’03 | ’02 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
T23 | T8 | T20 |
Playing for a third week in a row, he has the patients to play in pro-ams, in 12 rounds in this event has never shot higher than 71 with 10 rounds in the 60s and six of them 66 or better.
Gary Woodland
2013 | ’12 | ’11 | ’10 | ’09 | ’08 | ’07 | ’06 | ’05 | ’04 | ’03 | ’02 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
CUT | T2 | CUT |
Guy has the length to do well in this event, showed it in 2011 when he finished T2nd losing in the playoff.
Harris English
2013 | ’12 | ’11 | ’10 | ’09 | ’08 | ’07 | ’06 | ’05 | ’04 | ’03 | ’02 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
T65 | T19 |
Just like Jimmy Walker, this guy seems to get better week by week. Not only did he end the year well winning at Mayakoba but continued the good play with a T11th at Kapalua and 4th at the Sony. He could be our best pick of the week.
Best of the rest:
Webb Simpson
2013 | ’12 | ’11 | ’10 | ’09 | ’08 | ’07 | ’06 | ’05 | ’04 | ’03 | ’02 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
CUT | T13 | T33 | T5 |
Could go crazy this week, finished T3rd at Kapalua but what I like is not the fact that in four Humana’s has only been in the top-ten once but the fact that in 18 rounds has shot 68 or lower 12 times including a 65 last year while missing the cut.
Charles Howell III
2013 | ’12 | ’11 | ’10 | ’09 | ’08 | ’07 | ’06 | ’05 | ’04 | ’03 | ’02 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
T2 | T49 | T13 | T26 | T65 | CUT | CUT | T6 |
Last week is a perfect example of why Howell wins a lot of money but rarely contends. Finished strong to finish T8th and pick up a good check, just think he is close and this is a great place for him to win a third time on the PGA Tour. Yes he only has two top-tens in eight starts, but he is 75 under in his last four rounds, numbers that show he could win if he puts it all together over 72 holes.
Brandt Snedeker
2013 | ’12 | ’11 | ’10 | ’09 | ’08 | ’07 | ’06 | ’05 | ’04 | ’03 | ’02 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
T23 | T8 | CUT | T10 | T60 |
Has only shot over par since his first year in 2007 but over his last four starts is 69 under par with ten rounds shot at 68 or under.
Kevin Na
2013 | ’12 | ’11 | ’10 | ’09 | ’08 | ’07 | ’06 | ’05 | ’04 | ’03 | ’02 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
CUT | T30 | T5 | T8 | CUT | T66 | 73 | WD | T47 |
Showed some promise when he finished T5th in 2011 and T8th in 2010. Fits the mold of one of those outside winners, he is fighting back from a nagging back injury last year and showed some promise with a T8th at the Sony.
Solid contenders
Keegan Bradley
2013 | ’12 | ’11 | ’10 | ’09 | ’08 | ’07 | ’06 | ’05 | ’04 | ’03 | ’02 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
T7 |
Hard to believe that he played in 2011 and finished T7th and never came back. Playing for the first time since Northwestern, his previous official start was T11th in China in the WGC-HSBC. He wasn’t in the winners circle in 2013 and you know he wants to erase that with a win.
Billy Horschel
2013 | ’12 | ’11 | ’10 | ’09 | ’08 | ’07 | ’06 | ’05 | ’04 | ’03 | ’02 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
T10 | CUT | CUT |
Finished T10th in this event last year along with a T6th at Kapalua means a good week at the Humana.
Bill Haas
2013 | ’12 | ’11 | ’10 | ’09 | ’08 | ’07 | ’06 | ’05 | ’04 | ’03 | ’02 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
CUT | T64 | T2 | Win | T25 | T16 | T27 | T19 | T34 |
Past Champion who getting into the winners circle when you least expect it, I think he will surprise us this week.
Rickie Fowler
2013 | ’12 | ’11 | ’10 | ’09 | ’08 | ’07 | ’06 | ’05 | ’04 | ’03 | ’02 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
CUT |
May not have much going for him with past performances, but he is now working with Butch Harmon and players have a big boost in the weeks that they start with Butch, so look for him to contend this week.
Long shots that could come through:
Brian Stuard
2013 | ’12 | ’11 | ’10 | ’09 | ’08 | ’07 | ’06 | ’05 | ’04 | ’03 | ’02 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
T10 |
Good combination of finishing T10th last year, in last two starts was 6th at Sony and 2nd at Mayakoba.
Robert Garrigus
2013 | ’12 | ’11 | ’10 | ’09 | ’08 | ’07 | ’06 | ’05 | ’04 | ’03 | ’02 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
T16 | T2 | T14 | CUT | T19 |
A perfect long shot, was 2nd in 2012 and is 63 under in his last three starts
David Toms
2013 | ’12 | ’11 | ’10 | ’09 | ’08 | ’07 | ’06 | ’05 | ’04 | ’03 | ’02 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
T79 | T6 | T33 | T42 | T25 | T29 | T51 | T31 |
We will see if he has any gas in the tank left, good course for him because he always finds a way of making the cut and playing all rounds.
Worst Bets:
David Lingmerth
2013 | ’12 | ’11 | ’10 | ’09 | ’08 | ’07 | ’06 | ’05 | ’04 | ’03 | ’02 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
T2 |
May of finished 2nd last year but in his last 8 starts only has finished 72 holes once and that was at the CIMB which didn’t have a cut. Did miss cut last week at Sony so you can scratch him off your list.