Tony Finau returns to defend at TPC Twin Cities outside Minneapolis.
3M Open
TPC Twin Cities
Blaine, Minnesota
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NOW PLAYING:
The PGA TOUR returns to the Western Hemisphere to wrap up the regular season. TPC Twin Cities, in the Minneapolis suburb of Blaine, Minnesota, will be the first of two chances to qualify or improve FedExCup rankings. The regular season concludes at the Wyndham Championship next week in Greensboro, North Carolina.
First things first. The Land of 10,000 Lakes, home of the 3M Open and TPC Twin Cities, plays to Par-71 and will stretch to 7,431 yards. Designed by Arnold Palmer in 2000, TPC Twin Cities was redone by PGA TOUR designer Steve Wenzloff in 2018.
The field of 156, if not already in the top 70 in the FedExCup standings, has plenty to play for these next two weeks.
The current bubble:
65. Austin Eckroat
66. Keith Mitchell
67. Ben Taylor
68. Ben Griffin
69. Sam Ryder
70. K.H. Lee
71. David Lingmerth
72. Davis Thompson
73. Shane Lowry
74. Lee Hodges
75. Justin Thomas
Everyone on the list above is playing this week, minus Shane Lowry.
The most water balls on TOUR last season were in this event. With 27 water penalty areas scattered across 15 of 18 holes, it is hardly a surprise.
The big, 6,500 square foot Bentgrass greens will roll true, and those taking advantage of playing from the fairway should be able to get it close. The rough is four inches of Bluegrass/Fescue mix and should be cause for concern when trying to carry the water and bunkers.
Winners here have demonstrated fantastic ball-striking weeks while others have been fantastic on and around the greens. The scoring average of the event has risen each year with the 2022 event playing the 14th-most difficult of the season (71.438) last year. It was the first time the scoring average was over par.
The winner takes home $1.404 million of the $7.8 million purse, plus 500 FedExCup points.
Good luck.
| Host Course | TPC Twin Cities |
| Yards (per official scorecard): | 7,431 |
| Par: | 71 (35-36). |
| Greens: | Bentgrass; 6,500 square feet on average. |
| Stimpmeter: | 12 feet. |
| Rough: | Bluegrass/Fescue at four inches. |
| Bunkers/Water Hazards/In-Play | 75/27/15 |
| Architect(s): | Arnold Palmer (2000); Steve Wenzloff (2018). |
| Purse: | $7.8 million; $1.404 million winner plus 500 FedExCup points. |
| Defending Champion (event): | Tony Finau (-17) |
| Multiple Champion(s) Entered: | None. |
| Course Record (last): | 62; Four players 2019. Scott Piercy and Lucas Glover are entered this week. |
| 72 Hole Tournament Record (course): | 263 (-21); Matthew Wolff (not entered). |
| Oldest Winner: | 35; Michael Thompson, 2020. |
| Youngest Winner: | 20; Matthew Wolff, 2019. |
| Fact of the Week: | Most water balls on TOUR last season. |
| Fact of the Week II: | Event has played more difficult each of the last three season. |
Notes:
- Field of 156 players
- From the OWGR top 50, 11 players are entered this week.
- Top 65 and ties will play the final 36 holes.
- Penultimate regular season event.
Season Winners
2022-2023 Season Winners
| Event | Winner |
| Fortinet Championship | Max Homa |
| Sanderson Farms Championship | Mackenzie Holmes |
| Shriners Children’s Open | Tom Kim |
| ZOZO CHAMPIONSHIP | Keegan Bradley |
| CJ CUP at CONGAREE | Rory McIlroy |
| Butterfield Bermuda Championship | Seamus Power |
| Mayakoba Championship | Russell Henley |
| Cadence Bank Houston Open | Tony Finau |
| The RSM Classic | Adam Svensson (first TOUR win) |
| Sentry Tournament of Champions | Jon Rahm |
| Sony Open in Hawaii | Si Woo Kim |
| The AMERICAN EXPRESS | Jon Rahm (2) |
| Farmers Insurance Open | Max Homa (2) |
| AT&T Pebble Beach | Justin Rose |
| WM Phoenix Open | Scottie Scheffler |
| The Genesis Invitational | Jon Rahm (3) |
| The Honda Classic | Chris Kirk |
| Arnold Palmer Invitational | Kurt Kitayama (first TOUR win) |
| THE PLAYERS Championship | Scottie Scheffler (2) |
| Valspar Championship | Taylor Moore (first TOUR win) |
| Corales Puntacana | Matt Wallace (first TOUR win) |
| WGC – Dell Technologies MP | Sam Burns |
| Valero Texas Open | Corey Conners |
| Masters | Jon Rahm (4) |
| RBC Heritage | Matt Fitzpatrick |
| Zurich Classic of New Orleans | Davis Riley & Nick Hardy (first TOUR win for each) |
| Mexico Open at Vidanta | Tony Finau (2) |
| Wells Fargo Championship | Wyndham Clark (first TOUR win) |
| AT&T Byron Nelson | Jason Day |
| PGA Championship | Brooks Koepka |
| Charles Schwab Challenge | Emiliano Grillo |
| Memorial | Viktor Hovland |
| RBC Canadian Open | Nick Taylor |
| U.S. Open | Wyndham Clark (2) |
| Travelers Championship | Keegan Bradley (2) |
| Rocket Mortgage Classic | Rickie Fowler |
| John Deere Classic | Sepp Straka |
| Genesis Scottish Open | Rory McIlroy (2) |
| The Open Championship | Brian Harman |
Recent Winners – 3M Open
Italics – not entered this week.
| Year | Winner | Notes |
| 2022 | Tony Finau (-17) | Biggest come-from-behind win (5 strokes) in tournament history. Biggest margin of victory (3) in tournament history. |
| 2021 | Cameron Champ (-15) | Closed with 66 to make up a two-shot deficit to win for the third time on TOUR. |
| 2020 | Michael Thompson (-19) | Shared the 36 & 54-hole lead before winning for the second time on TOUR. |
| 2019 | Matthew Wolff (-21) | Holed out for eagle to win as a sponsor’s exemption. |
This Week – 3M Open
Chalk (via Bet365.com)
Cameron Young (14/1) shares the top spot this week after another fantastic week at The Open Championship. Tying for eighth place, the power player from New York will look to turn his recent momentum into his first victory on TOUR. History suggests he should fit right in at TPC Twin Cities after Tony Finau and Cameron Champ, two of the longest guys around, have won the last two editions. Young will have to navigate 27 water penalty areas scattered through 15 holes. A putter that cooperates this week will also go a long way to securing that first title. I usually do not ride chalk, but this week I’ll make an exception.
Sungjae Im (14/1) joins Young at the top of the board. The Korean ran T2 here last season and picked up a share of 15th place on debut in 2019. Earning his keep with the driver, he should excel this week playing from the fairway. Making 38 birdies in two visits and posting 14-under par each trip suggests this track fits his eye. His last top 10 on TOUR was in the first week of May at Wells Fargo at Quail Hollow, nine events ago.
Tony Finau (16/1) returns this week for the fifth consecutive season. After winning here last year, his first victory on TOUR since 2016, the big hitter went on to win the Rocket Mortgage Championship the following week. The momentum carried him to a third win, this time in Houston, in November 2022. Comfortably sitting 10th in the current FedExCup standings, he will look to add another podium finish at TPC Twin Cities (T3, 2020) and break a personal drought of seven straight events without a top 20 payday.
A healthy Hideki Matsuyama (16/1) slides next to Finau as co-second choice this week. Posting T13 at The Open Championship equaled his best finish in 10 since cashing T5 at THE PLAYERS Championship. The Japanese tee-to-green stalwart cashed T7 on debut here in 2019 but withdrew after Round 1 (77). Sitting at No. 54 in the FEC standings, his focus will be on a big finish this week to push him into the top 50 or, even better, with a win, into the top 30.
Emiliano Grillo (22/1) rolls into Minnesota in form and with proper course history. The intersection of both angles is always an eye-catcher. The Argentine ended his drought from 2015 with a playoff victory at the Charles Schwab Challenge in May. Returning from Royal Liverpool with T6 money, he will look to add his third podium finish in four tries after T2 last year and T3 in 2020. Playing from the final group last year, he should be ready to take the next step on his fourth visit.
It is impossible not to consider Sepp Straka (25/1). Winner of the John Deere Classic in early July on the back of rounds of 63 and a closing round of 62, the Austrian decided that was all the prep he needed for The Open Championship. Showing up fresh at Royal Liverpool, he battled the elements, but not his swing, as he posted four rounds of par or better, including both weekend rounds in wet, rainy conditions to share second. Making his fourth start at TPC Twin Cities, he’s cashed once, closing with 63 for T18 in 2020.
Top 10/Top 20/Top 40
Justin Thomas (28/1) missed the cut last week at The Open after posting 82 in Round 1. Rebounding to post 71 in Round 2 wasn’t enough to play the weekend, but it does grab my attention. So does his commitment, as of now, to play Wyndham next weekend. He’s earned his price this week, and I’m curious to see what he can transfer from Round 2 to his first visit to the 3M Open.
Lucas Glover (35/1) took last week off after racking out three consecutive top-10 paydays. The veteran has a top-10 result on his ledger here, T7 in 2019, but hasn’t broken 72 in his last two visits. I’ll ride a hot, experienced, rested veteran in breezy conditions.
Patrick Rodgers (50/1) was knocked out in a playoff last week by Akshay Bhatia. Looking for his first TOUR win, Rodgers lost for the second time in extra holes in his career. His fifth top-10 of the season pushed him comfortably inside the top 40 (No. 38). The focus this week can be on the trophy.
Adam Hadwin, Mark Hubbard, Andrew Putnam, and Aaron Rai deserve a look as well.
Longer Shots
Use ’em wherever you see fit!
Chesson Hadley (+12500): Top 10 last week at Barracuda suggests he’s found something.
MJ Daffue (+16000): Five straight, all T38 or better.
SY Noh (+30000): Cashed in nine of his last 10.
Local Sleepers
Tom Hoge (75/1): The North Dakota native ran T4 here last year and smokes it on approach. He won the Minnesota Amateur twice as a kid.
Erik van Rooyen (175/1): He played his collegiate golf at the University of Minnesota and will be paired with his caddy for the first two rounds. That’s right, his bagman was a Monday Qualifier!
Troy Merritt (200/1): As a kid, he moved to Minnesota and played high school golf outside the Twin Cities. On his last two visits to the Midwest, he’s cashed T17 in Detroit and T17 at the John Deere Classic in Illinois.
Last Week – 151st Open Championship
Chalk (via Bet365.com)
Rory McIlroy (+750): After opening the week as the favorite, he is now co-first choice at the top of the board. The precedent has been set. In 2014 he won the week before the PGA Championship at the WGC-BI. Earlier that summer he won at Royal Liverpool, leading by six shots after 54 holes. Not talking to the media again this week, he will look to go one better than his second-place finish at the U.S. Open last month. Cashing T6 runs his streak to seven straight top 10s on TOUR. He also runs his streak without a major to TEN YEARS.
Scottie Scheffler (+750): GOD HOW BORING IS THIS???? Folks, apologies he does not win every week, but cashing those top-10 tickets isn’t chicken feed! I do not believe anyone will have an advantage on the greens this week, minus Matthew Jordan (more on him later), and that will accentuate his ball striking. Shared the round of the day on Sunday (67) to back-door a top 25. Yep, the streak of T12 or better has ended with T23. He ranked 75th in Putting. Yikes.
Jon Rahm (+1200): Time to put the kids down and pick up the clubs! The Spaniard has not been seen since MC at Travelers. The Masters champion from April will not have much time to “find it” this week, but he’s made this schedule for a reason. It worked. T2.
Cameron Smith (+1600): The defending champion arrives off a victory in London in his last time out. Top 10s at the U.S. Open and PGA Championship suggests taking The Claret Jug from him will not be easy. Broke par once in four rounds, T33.
Brooks Koepka (+2000): Odd to hear him moan about LACC at the U.S. Open last month. The five-time major winner will look to add to his collection if he is in the right frame of mind. I am expecting him to embrace the weekend conditions and the difficulty. 70 to open and then vanished to T64.
Viktor Hovland (+2000): Ball-striking travels this week. Taste of blood last year in the final group with McIlroy, four ahead, before cashing T4. It is coming. Disappointing Sunday (73), but not a disappointing week, T13.
Tyrrell Hatton (+2200): Tony Jacklin is the last Englishman to win on English soil, no pressure! The conditions should have his full attention and keep his spirits up. Fantastic run of golf since T34 at the Masters. T20.
Tommy Fleetwood (+2200): Copy and paste from Hatton. Not much separates these two. After big finishes last week, I would run them right back out there again this week. Opened with 66 but couldn’t keep up. T10.
Rickie Fowler (+2200): Notoriously strong weather player, he should be excited for the weekend conditions. The post-Detroit celebrations are over. A chance to win a major championship is very possible. His full bag will be on display. T23.
Patrick Cantlay (+2200): After missing the cut last week, I am not as interested. I understand he is a SUPER driver of the golf ball. Perhaps tough driving conditions again this week will retrain his focus. With only four top-10 paydays in major championships, I can lay him down. T33 as this incredible disconnect continues.
Xander Schauffele (+2500): He has made the cut in 22 majors (from 25 attempts) and has taken home top-10 money 11 times. Auto play. T17
Shane Lowry (+2800): I saw plenty last week with 64-65 Rounds 2 and 3. That is enough. Show him the forecast for the weekend and watch him go. Win ticket. Not. Even. Close. MC.
Top 10/Top 20/Top 40
Jordan Spieth (+3000): The 2017 winner has never missed the cut in nine tries. Runner up in 2021, he returned last year for T8. In his last seven across the pond, he is T30 or better. He is 46-under par over the nine editions. T23.
Tony Finau (+5500): The keys this week are the strengths of his game. Never missed a cut in his six previous tries, cashing solo third in blustery, wet weather at Royal Portrush stands out. Streak ends at six straight, MC.
Adam Scott (+6600): I’m relying on the veterans with experience to carry me over the finish line this weekend. The Australian has played enough of these majors and Open Championships to find a way to keep close and contend at the end. T33.
Thorbjorn Olesen (+25000): Too many decent results lately and will not mind a bit of breeze. MC.
Longer Shots
Use ’em wherever you see fit! All players listed are +20000 or worse and are for a reason or two!
Ewen Ferguson (+20000) – MC
Matthew Jordan (+20000) – T10
Seamus Power (+25000) – MC
Alex Noren (+25000) – T23
Davis Riley (+35000) – MC
OAD – 2023 Spotter’s Game
| Already Burned |
| Sungjae Im – Maui |
| Tom Kim – Sony |
| Tom Hoge – AMEX |
| Viktor Hovland – Pebble |
| Xander Schauffele – WMPO |
| Max Homa – Riviera |
| Shane Lowry – Honda |
| Tyrrell Hatton – API |
| Akshay Bhatia – PRO |
| Jason Day – THE PLAYERS |
| Justin Rose – Valspar |
| Cam Percy – Corales |
| Scottie Scheffler – WGC MP |
| Rickie Fowler – Valero |
| Jordan Spieth – Masters |
| Collin Morikawa – RBC Heritage |
| Billy Horschel – Zurich |
| Nicolai Hojgaard – Mexico |
| Rory McIlroy – WFC |
| Adam Scott – ATTBN |
| Brooks Koepka – PGA Championship |
| Chris Kirk – Colonial |
| Patrick Cantlay – Memorial |
| Matt Fitzpatrick – RBC CO |
| Jon Rahm – US Open |
| Harris English – Travelers |
| Davis Riley – RMC |
| Adam Schenk – JDC |
| Tommy Fleetwood – Scottish Open |
| Cameron Smith – The Open |
This Week – 3M Open Championship
Cameron Young
Just missed: Justin Thomas, Sepp Straka, Hideki Matsuyama, Emiliano Grillo
Last Week – 151st Open Championship
Cameron Smith – T33
OH LOOK BRIAN HARMAN WAS ONE OF MY CHOICES THAT I DIDN’T USE.
I love this game!
Simple choice this week as it is the final chance to use him. Oh, and he’s the defending champion. And he’s in stunning form, winning two weeks ago in London. The LIV McIlroy!
Time to burn the big boys at the top of the OWGR, obviously, if you have any left. Koepka and DJ make sense since they won’t factor in this format moving forward.
Just missed: Shane Lowry – MC, Tyrrell Hatton – T20, Brian Harman – CHAMPION GOLFER OF THE YEAR
Glass Houses 