Ronnie Moore pointed out this morning that as long as Brandon Palaniuk finished better than 38th, there’s nothing anyone can do to prevent him from winning his second Progressive Angler of the Year title.
While Palaniuk did finish last week’s event in 66th (proving it is possible), the likelihood of the prodigy following that performance up with another poor one here isn’t likely. Prior to Oahe, BP’s worst finish of the year came on the Harris Chain, where he finished 26th.
Palaniuk also typically thrives on this particular waterway, though he has a past full of well documented mixed emotions on this fishery.
In the first hour of competition on the mighty Mississippi, Palaniuk already has three chunks in the boat for 6-8, which has him in 5th currently on BassTrakk.
Will Palaniuk win another AOY? Based on the math, we could know as early as Sunday morning (Day 3 this week), if BP makes the cut and his two closest competitors (Brandon Lester and Chris Johnston) do not.
If Palaniuk makes the Day 3 cut of 47, no one behind Johnston even has a mathematical chance, as David Mullins starts in 4th, 50 points behind BP. This means Mullins could win and BP finishing at worst in 47th on Day 3 would still put Palaniuk ahead of Mullins on the year.
The picture will really start to clear up on Day 3 for sure.
