My (unofficial) one year anniversary with #GolfLifeAB is marked with this week’s Players Championship. Obviously with the new schedule pushing the Players back to it’s former March date we haven’t quite hit the 12 month mark but it’s a reason to celebrate none the less.

One year ago I jumped at the opportunity to give my own spin on the wild world of golf through my weekly articles boldly predicting the winner of the latest PGA or LPGA tour events.  A lot happened last year. I fell in love with Jessica Korda and started a fan club for her (still a club of one currently), never picked a winner higher than 4th (Keagan Bradley at the RBC), and gained tens of fans in the process that have grown the #neilerknows brand across the County of Strathcona.

I proclaimed at the beginning of this season that I would focus my writing to be more local, focused on the content that golf in Alberta can provide. I think it’s been well received so far. But I said that this week would be a celebration so let’s take a page out of last year’s book and boldly predict a PGA Tour winner as only I know how to. For old time’s sake.

Neilerknows is back BAYBAY!

*(I’m picturing this next paragraph would scroll up the screen catching viewers up on the events that have occurred across the galaxy that is the PGA Tour. You know, to match the drama that is the Return of the Neiler)*

We enter the second week of March 2019 still on the Florida swing but with a new date (or old?) for the Players Championship and a visit to the Stadium Course at TPC Sawgrass. Home of the famous island green 17th, a Tiger Woods putt now only imaginable through highlight packages and video games, and most recently a championship won by Webb Simpson. Gross.

The talk this week is that March should bring tougher conditions for Sawgrass. Perhaps more wind, the hard greens that the Florida swing has already boasted at the Honda and at Bay Hill, and perhaps temperatures a little colder than players would normally experience in May. Weather isn’t going to stop Phil from showing us his calves.

https://www.instagram.com/p/Bu15IVIghfB/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

And speaking of Phil let’s go to my pick. No, I’m not going to pick the guy that has missed the cut here five of his last 6 tries and a guy who has recently said it’s a course that doesn’t fit his game. If FIGJAM says it’s not a course for him than it definitely doesn’t suit his eye!

My pick this week will be……. John Rahm. As we all know by now, Phil’s current caddy (and brother) Tim, is Rahmbo’s agent and Rahm shares his alma matter with Phil at ASU. John has had a quiet, but very respectable season winning the Hero in December and collecting five other top 10’s. He’s a player that shows up for the big moments and embraces the spotlight so I think this championship perfectly suits the fiery Rahm because he can match the drama that the finishing stretch of Sawgrass will ultimately create.

Anyone willing to take on the 2019 version of #neilerknows and make a pick this week? Over the past year I’ve matured beyond my years and it’s going to translate in predictions not only bold, but precise.