Back at it!
Fortinet Championship
Silverado Resort & Spa
North Course
Napa, California
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This Week – Fortinet Championship
Chalk (via Bet365.com)
Max Homa (7/1): Not only will he be battling a field of 155 others, but history will not be on his side either. Since 2011, many have tried, but all have failed, to win an event three consecutive times. Steve Stricker, at the John Deere Classic in July of 2011, is the last man to climb that mountain. The Californian is 35-under in his last two visits and enters the week on RED-HOT form. Racking up four consecutive top-10 paydays, his worst finish from his last six events is T21. I’m a sucker for historic performances, so I’ll sprinkle a win ticket here, just in case.
Justin Thomas (14/1): Cashing in the top 10 in his last three visits at Silverado has not helped his number for those looking for value this week. After being named a captain’s pick for the Ryder Cup by Zach Johnson, I don’t think he’s longing in the confidence department. The pressure of making the FedExCup Playoffs didn’t flip the switch. Perhaps the freedom of being a member of the USA team headed to Italy next week will be the tonic. I’ll let you show me.
Sahith Theegala (14/1): Picking up T15 and T13 in two FedExCup Playoff events should bang him back into rhythm. Missing three cuts before the Playoffs, his last top 20 was T5 at Harbour Town the week after the Masters. The Pepperdine alum cashed T14 in 2020 on his debut and hit the top 10 last year with T6. Never missing the cut in three starts, he will look to pick up his first win on TOUR.
Cameron Davis (20/1): The Australian’s blazing sprint to make the FedExCup Playoffs and then qualify for the second event, the BMW Championship, isn’t lost on me. Picking up five top-10 paychecks in his final 13 starts, he’s already qualified for 2024 so his arrival this week tells me everything I need to know. The big-boy ball-striker will look to improve on T17 on his debut at Silverado in 2018. I’m going to saddle up here.
Stephan Jaeger (22/1): Racking up 13 consecutive weekends, the German has been on fire. Conversely, he’s produced just two top-10 finishes from 26 cuts made in 29 events. Securing just four top-10 paydays from 122 TOUR starts, his best payday in Wine Country is T30 in 2017.
NOW PLAYING:
| Host Course | Silverado North Course |
| Yards (per official scorecard): | 7,123. |
| Par: | 72 (35-37). |
| Greens: | Poa annua/Bentgrass; 5,400 square feet on average. |
| Stimpmeter: | 12 feet. |
| Rough: | Ryegrass/Bentgrass blend at 2.5 inches. |
| Bunkers/Water Hazards/In-Play | 52/2/2. |
| Architect(s): | Ben Harmon (1955); Robert Trent Jones (1966); Johnny Miller (2011). |
| Defending Champion (event): | Max Homa (-16). |
| Multiple Champion(s) Entered: | Max Homa (2022, 2021). |
| Course Record (last): | 61; Ricky Barnes (2019), Chesson Hadley (2018). |
| 72 Hole Tournament Record: | 267; Stewart Cink (-21), 2020. |
| Fact of the Week: | 10th consecutive year as host. |
| Fact of the Week II: | Five of the last nine winners are Californians |
Notes:
- Field of 156.
- The OWGR is represented by 4 of the top 50 players.
- First event of the FedExCup Fall season (seven events).
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 |
| 3M Open | Lee Hodges (first TOUR win) |
| Wyndham Championship | Lucas Glover |
| FedEx St. Jude Championship | Lucas Glover (2) |
| BMW Championship | Viktor Hovland (2) |
| TOUR Championship | Viktor Hovland (3) |
Recent Winners – Fortinet Championship
Italics – not entered this week.
| Year | Winner | Notes |
| 2022 | Max Homa (-16) | Wins for the third time in his native state as he defended the title. |
| 2021 | Max Homa (-19) | Closed 65-65 to win by a shot in his sixth attempt at Silverado. |
| 2020 | Stewart Cink | Closed 65-65 to win for the first time since 2013 on TOUR. |
| 2019 | Cameron Champ (-17) | Sacramento native bombed his way to his second win on TOUR. |
| 2018 | Kevin Tway | Won in a playoff for his first TOUR win. |
Longer Shots, Longest Shots, Others
Russell Knox
Cameron Percy
Brian Stuard
James Hahn
Sam Stevens
Kevin Yu
Zac Blair
Aaron Baddeley
Glass Houses 