Just like the skies at night in Minnesota, wide open this week.

3M Open

TPC Twin Cities

Blaine, MN

Yards: (per official scorecard):	7,431
Par:	71; (35-36)
Greens:	Bent/Poa; 6,500 square feet on average.
Stimpmeter:	13′ max
Rough:	Kentucky bluegrass mix at 3″.
Bunkers/Water Hazards	72/27
Architect(s):	Arnold Palmer (2000); Steve Wenzloff, Tom Lehman (2018).
Purse:	$6.6 million; $1.188 million and 500 FedExCup points (winner).
Defending Champion:	Matthew Wolff, -21.
Fact of the Week:	Only second TOUR event on this track.

 

2019-2020 Season Winners

*- First-time winner

**- First-time winner AND rookie winner

Event	Winner
A Military Tribute at The Greenbrier	*- Joaquin Niemann
Sanderson Farms Championship	*- Sebastian Munoz
Safeway Open	Cameron Champ
Shriners Hospitals for Children Open	Kevin Na
Houston Open	*-Lanto Griffin
CJ CUP AT NINE BRIDGES	Justin Thomas
ZOZO Championship	Tiger Woods
WGC-HSBC Champions	Rory McIlroy
Bermuda Championship	Brendon Todd
Mayakoba Golf Classic	Brendon Todd (2)
The RSM Classic	*-Tyler Duncan
Hero World Challenge	Henrik Stenson
Sentry Tournament of Champions	Justin Thomas (2)
Sony Open	Cameron Smith
The American Express	Andrew Landry
Farmers Insurance Open	Marc Leishman
Waste Management Phoenix Open	Webb Simpson
AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am	Nick Taylor
The Genesis Invitational	Adam Scott
WGC-Mexico Championship	Patrick Reed
The Honda Classic	*-Sungjae Im
Arnold Palmer Invitational	Tyrrell Hatton
THE PLAYERS Championship	Abandoned due to COVID-19, no winner
Charles Schwab Challenge	Daniel Berger
RBC Heritage	Webb Simpson (2)
Travelers Championship	Dustin Johnson
Rocket Mortgage Classic	Bryson DeChambeau
Workday Charity Open	Collin Morikawa
Memorial	Jon Rahm

 

Horses for Courses publishes at PGATOUR.COM Tuesdays. It’s a look who has played well here recently so I suggest reading it as I won’t replicate all of the information here.

 

Recent Winners

Year	Player	Notes
2019	Matthew Wolff, -21	20-year old sponsor’s exemption eagled the last hole from off the green to win by one; first TOUR win in third start.

 

Facts and Figures:

Tournament Record:	267; Wolff (2019)
Course Record (TOUR):	62; Scott Piercy (Rd 1), Wolff (Rd 3) and Lucas Glover (Rd 4).
Defending Champion (last):	n/a
Multiple Winners Entered:	n/a
First-time – TOUR	Wolff
First-time – Event (last time)	Wolff
Low Rounds 2019:	See Course Record above.
Youngest Winner:	20, Wolff.
Oldest Winner:	n/a
Odd Fact:	TPC Twin Cities ranked first or second on PGA Champions for the most birdies annually when it was held here until 2018.
Odd Fact II:	Top 12 players last year were 16-under or better.

 

So What? So Let’s Dance!

Back to fantasy land this week in Minnesota! The field of 156 won’t have to worry about fairways running out into the rough, rock-hard greens that won’t hold approach shots or greens that will turn into table tops. It’s back to birdies as the last shootout before Wyndham is on the cards this week.

TPC Twin Cities had all three players on the podium last year 20-under or better so I’d expect some similarities again this year. Pinched in landing areas and squeezing a few greens will help keep THE FIELD from 20-under but guys are still going to go low. The largest green complexes since the restart will be a sight for sore eyes for the inaccurate. So will the absence of tree-lined fairways for the crooked off the tee.

Bombs away, hit it as many GIR as possible and take those birdie chances or get left behind. The cut here was 3-under so scores in the 70s need not apply.

Trending

Tony Finau: Sitting 12-under on Saturday with a four-shot lead turned into solo eighth after 26 more holes. If the angle this week is blast it and hope the putter gets hot, he’ll fit right in. New caddy on the bag will also add fresh perspective and set of eyes. Last time on a TPC Par 71 in Scottsdale he led by two with two to go before Webb Simpson did him dirty.

Dustin Johnson: 160 MC last week is hardly inspiring but I’ll point out he won in his previous start before at Travelers. Not playing the weekend and grinding through 36 more holes on a course where four-over was essentially par probably helped. It also probably helps he gives zero f*cks about anything that happens in the past. Just tell him it is the Canadian Open and he’ll be fine.

Lucas Glover: Streak of T25 or better ended last week because of tough Sunday conditions. He was in the top 15 all week up until that point so I doubt his game has left him. T7 here last year with 25 par breakers separates him from the crowd.

Russell Henley: His approach the green numbers jump off the page (10th) and so do his last two final rounds, 64 in Detroit and 67 at Workday. Never been afraid to make a ton of birdies either.

Sam Burns: Those who read often know this won’t be a surprise. Cashed in six of his last seven and rolls in T17-T30-T24 in his last three. T7 last year and co-led the field in Par-5 scoring (-10).

Harris English: Hit it a mile, make plenty of putts, easy peasy. Super steady over the entire year with great metrics makes him stick out this week again. Cashed in the top 25 in five of his last six including T13 at Memorial.

Will Gordon: Got the taste for blood at TPC River Highlands before MC in Detroit. Knowing he’ll need another 25 or better birdies this week should have him excited. Having STM is even more exciting and should free him up a bit.

Luke List: Snuck into the top 25 in Detroit and T10 last week at a difficult Memorial. Al of the firepower.

Henrik Norlander: He made EVERYTHING on Sunday during a proper grind to bag a top 10 but still didn’t qualify for the U.S. Open. Is he spent or ready to get back on it? This week will be the opposite of last so there’s a decent chance the beat goes on as he’s cashed in his last four, all T41 or better including T12 Detroit.

Brendon Todd: Gotta have a tortoise, right? T11 Travelers and T22 Memorial bookends three straight paydays. Super putter.

Tom Lewis: T12 Detroit in his last start.

Chase Seiffert: Fourth at Workday LTO.

 

OWGR Big Boys Top 50

Brook Koepka: Ok, so the knee(s) aren’t bothering him, got it. He was asked yesterday if he needs to change his game to catch up to DeChambeau and Finau. That should be enough to piss him off this week.

Tommy Fleetwood: Rolled back into the US and warmed up at Shinnecock, National Golf Links and Friar’s Head. Hope his putter made it through customs! Only problem with this week is one round of even par kills any chances to win.

Paul Casey: Loves Travelers and didn’t fire. Not a big fan of Memorial and it showed. Love that the rust is gone and he kills it tee-to-green.

Bernd Wiesberger: I’d a expect a better week after acclimating last week on a tough track.

Rafa Cabrera Bello: Remember when he was making cuts and top 25s for fun? One such result in five since the restart. Adios.

 

Digging Deeper

Troy Merritt: Minnesota native chalked up T7 last year.

Richy Werenski: Tough to ignore five straight paydays with three inside T35 in a light week.

Erik van Rooyen: Played collegiately at Minnesota and sits currently inside the OWGR top 50; a pair of top 25s in his last four suggest he’s adapting to TOUR life and the soft landing this week should inspire.

Sepp Straka: Did the MVGC double (61-T14) after a steady T8 in Detroit. Bombs away, big fella!

Charley Hoffman: Took last week off after T7 the week before. Looks like he’s worked off the COVID rust and has no problem handling a big Par-71.

Si Woo Kim: I have no idea. I never have and probably never will. Four straight with a pair inside T20 suggests now might be as good of time as any.

Scott Stallings: Cashed in five straight highlighted by T6 at Travelers, his only top 35 in that stretch.

Patrick Rodgers: Sweet action of power and putting acumen. Also had success at Quail Hollow in the past.

Doc Redman: T21-T11-T21 before MC at Memorial. Peppers fairways and greens so let’s enjoy those perfect Bent greens this week!

Jhonattan Vegas: T24-T17-T60 before MC at Workday. Plenty long and gathers plenty of low ones.

Sam Ryder: Simple. Makes plenty of birdies and was T7 LTO. Already navigated four rounds here last year for T34.

Tom Hoge: Two-time Minnesota State Amateur champion T23 last year. MC in five of last six.

Tom Lehman: Careful, I know he designed the course and made the cut last year…

Brian Harman: Lean on his quality and the fact he was 16-under here last year. Lean fields force some decisions!

Sepp Straka: Did the MVGC double (T61-T14) following T8 in Detroit. Top 75 in both Tee-to-Green and Approach.

Max Homa: Anyone who can bomb Quail Hollow down to size should be encouraged around here. Good place to break out of a slump.

Talor Gooch: Played six rounds at MVGC and five of them were under par.

Adam Long: Good scoring and Par-4 scoring numbers. Also had a sniff at TPC Scottsdale.

 

Ludicrous Speed:

Picks in this section last week were: Henrik Norlander (T6), Matthew Wallace (T4), Talor Gooch (MC), Corey Conners (T22), Brendan Steele (T13). I should have moved this section somewhere else!

Picks in this section this were are: Seamus Power, Keith Mitchell, Kristoffer Ventura, Peter Uihlein

 

If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to reach out through Twitter or email me mikeglasscott@gmail.com.