Hole locations for the second round of the Masters Tournament. #themasters pic.twitter.com/cyXcHK2Tkw
— The Masters (@TheMasters) April 12, 2024
Emergency 9
Valspar Championship Preview
Terrifying!
Valspar Championship
Innisbrook Resort & Spa
Copperhead Course
Palm Harbor, Florida
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Quick Links:
Odds Outlook ā DFS Report ā Horses for Courses/Stats Suggest ā Expert Picks
Bet365: Top of the Board
Xander Schauffele (15/2):Making birdies, holing putts, and racking up top-10 finishes, the Californian is right on schedule. Despite adding swing changes, heās been in the fight just about every time heās teed it up this season. Making his second start in Palm Harbor, the only question lingering this week is whether he has enough gas in the tank for four more rounds at the top of the leaderboard.
Sam Burns (12/1): The safest selection on the board, the two-time winner extended his run of top-10 paydays to three straight years with solo sixth last year. Flashing 65 in Round 3 at TPC Sawgrass shows me heās ready for another big week at Valspar.
Justin Thomas (14/1): Twice this year, he was at the top of my team sheet. Twice, he missed the cut in both events. One of the course horses this week, only Burns has a better scoring average. Adding to a streak of T13 or better over the last three seasons should be about right.
Jordan Spieth (18/1): The 2015 champ also missed the weekend at THE PLAYERS Championship and should be rested and ready. Returning to the event in 2023 for the first time since missing the cut in 2018, the Texan played in the final group and cashed T3 for his third top-10 payday in six tries.
Brian Harman (20/1): Turning the corner after his victory at Royal Liverpool last summer, heās constantly on my radar. Posting 19-under over the final 54 holes last week, the Georgia native missed a playoff by a shot. Asking him to grind tee-to-green again this week wonāt bother him.
Sungjae Im (25/1): After opening the season with T5 at The Sentry, the Korean star has struggled to keep up the pace. Returning to Palm Harbor for the first time since T29 in 2021, his best finish was T4 in 2019.
Tony Finau (25/1): Smashing it tee-to-green, itās fascinating to remember he only has one top-10 payday this season. Skipping the Signature Event at Bay Hill, he returned to action with T45 at TPC Sawgrass. Iām not sure whatās going on here, so Iāll pass.
Cameron Young (28/1): Making his tournament debut, the big hitter is still looking for his first TOUR victory. The layout makes sense for the Wake Forest grad. Putting isnāt difficult, but fantastic ball striking will go a long way. This event has not required years of experience to figure out. Interesting outsider.
Players to consider for Top 10, Top 20, or Top 40 action:
Nick Taylor (35/1): The Canadian has shown zero signs of letting up since his victory at TPC Scottsdale last month. Steady throughout the bag, he cashed T12 at Bay Hill and T26 last week.
Christiaan Bezuidenhout (45/1): Missing two cuts this season on 2-under and 1-under, respectively, the South African has posted five T28 or better finishes in eight tries. Cashing T13 last week, he also picked up T24 at a difficult Riviera Country Club.
Victor Perez (90/1): The Frenchman ran T3 in Puerto Rico before taking last week off. Not qualifying for THE PLAYERS Championship, the alternate did not get it, but he also did not burn any emotion or calories watching on television. Cashing T45 on debut last season, nothing will be new this time.
Sam Ryder (90/1): Posting 27 birdies last week, the Florida native set the THE PLAYERS Championship record. Making his sixth start, he will look to chase down last yearās T19 result. Cashing T21 and T16 in the last two events in the Sunshine State, he should be ready for another top payday.
Matt NeSmith (110/1): Setting the course record and cashing T3 in 2022, the South Carolina native missed out last year. Another top-25 finish this season will make it three-from-three at Innisbrook.
Brice Garnett (250/1): The winner two weeks ago in Puerto Rico cashed for the second consecutive week with T35 at TPC Sawgrass. All eight of his rounds are par or better. Lovely hot streak.
NOW PLAYING:
| Host Course | Copperhead Course at Innisbrook Resort & Spa |
| Yards (per official scorecard): | 7,340. |
| Par: | 71 (36-35). |
| Greens: | Poa Trivialis; 5,300 square feet. |
| Stimpmeter: | 12 feet. |
| Rough: | Overseeded Rye at almost four inches. |
| Bunkers/Water Hazards/In-Play | 74/8/9 |
| Architect(s): | Larry Packard (1971; 2015). |
| Defending Champion (event): | Taylor Moore (-10). |
| Multiple Champion(s) Entered: | Sam Burns (2022, 2021). |
| Course Record (latest): | 61; Matt NeSmith (Round 2, 2022). |
| 72 Hole Tournament Record (March): | 267; Sam Burns (2022, 2021). |
| 72 Hole Tournament Record | 266; Vijay Singh (2004). |
| Fact of the Week: | The last six winners have won in five attempts or less. |
| Fact of the Week II: | The Copperhead Course has played UNDER PAR across the field just four times since 2007. |
Copperhead Course at Innisbrook Resort & Spa
The PGA TOUR season does not allow many breaths to be taken from January through August. The Palm Harbor āresortā layout is in name only. Like its cousin at PGA National, the Copperhead Course will not provide relief, even after THE PLAYERS Championship.
The fourth and final stop in the Sunshine State, the Valspar Championship stretches to 7,340 yards and plays to Par-71. The classic design, originally laid out by Larry Packard in 1971 and renovated in 2016, ranks annually among the best courses on TOUR by the rank and file.
Featuring five Par-3 holes and four Par-5 holes, the Copperhead Course also features the āSnake Pitā. Beginning at Hole No. 15 and ending at Hole No. 17, the three-hole stretch is one of the most difficult to navigate on TOUR.
Packardās challenge features oak tree-lined fairways, elevation changes, and perched greens. Unlike TPC Sawgrass, the Copperhead Course sits right in front of the field of 156 players.
If the challenge last week was finding the fairways, Innisbrook features fewer acres of landing area off the tee than TPC Sawgrass. The classic layout requires getting it close in regulation, but scrambling and putting provide a chance to survive.
The pure Poa Trivialis greens allow players to lag it close or hole out but will not run at speeds seen at major championships. Getting up and down will save shots this week.
Scoring isnāt the focus this week. In 16 events since 2007, nine times the event has ranked in the top 10 most difficult on TOUR.
The main challenge this week is getting it close from the sprinkler line or the overseeded ryegrass. The four Par-5 holes would suggest scoring chances. They’re not easy, either. Surviving the āSnake Pitā stretch and any weather arriving will provide a solid foundation to contend.
Valspar Championship
The event made its debut in the fall of 2000. Since 2007, March has hosted every event except the 2021 edition (May).
One of the rare instances on TOUR, the Copperhead Course, even with a renovation following the 2015 edition, has played to Par-71 and 7,340 yards since 2012.
The field of 156 players includes 16 of the top 50 players in the Official World Golf Rankings.
Highlighted by Taylor Moore, seven previous winners are entered.
The last eight champions needed five or fewer attempts to win for the first time.
Gary Woodland, the 2011 champion, is the only winner since the move to March to win on debut.
The only event played outside of March was the 2021 edition. Won by Sam Burns on 17-under, the event returned to March 2022 and was won byā¦ Sam Burns on 17-under.
The last five events have produced only three champions. Sam Burns and Paul Casey (not entered) won in back-to-back seasons before Mooreās victory last year.
Moore became the third first-time winner from the last four champions to lift the trophy.
The course record, last set by Matt NeSmith with 61 in Round 2 in 2022, was posted first by Padraig Harrington in 2012.
The field will be cut to the top 65 and ties after two rounds.
On the line is a purse of $8.4 million, with the winner taking home $1.512 million, collecting 500 FedExCup points, and an invitation to the Masters in three weeks.
Season Winners
2023 Season Winners
| Event | Winner |
| 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) |
| Fortinet Championship | Sahith Theegala |
| Sanderson Farms Championship | Luke List |
| Shriners Childrenās Open | Tom Kim |
| ZOZO CHAMPIONSHIP | Collin Morikawa |
| World Wide Technology | Erik van Rooyen |
| Butterfield Bermuda | Camilo Villegas |
| The RSM Classic | Ludvig Aberg |
2024 Season Winners
| Event | Winner |
| The Sentry | Chris Kirk |
| Sony Open in Hawaii | Grayson Murray |
| The American Express | Nick Dunlap (a) |
| Farmers Insurance Open | Matthieu Pavon (rookie) |
| AT&T Pebble Beach | Wyndham Clark (54 holes) |
| WM Phoenix Open | Nick Taylor |
| The Genesis Invitational | Hideki Matsuyama |
| Mexico Open at Vidanta | Jake Knapp (rookie) |
| Cognizant Classic | Austin Eckroat |
| Arnold Palmer Invitational | Scottie Scheffler |
| THE PLAYERS Championship | Scottie Scheffler (2) |
Recent Winners ā Valspar Championship
Italics – not entered this week.
| Year | Winner | Notes |
| 2023 | Taylor Moore (-10) | Became the third first-time winner from the last four champions. |
| 2022 | Sam Burns (-17) | Successfully defended his championship defeating Davis Riley in a playoff. |
| 2021 | Sam Burns (-17) | Won for the first time on TOUR defeating Keegan Bradley by three shots in a May event (COVID). |
| 2020 | Cancelled | |
| 2019 | Paul Casey (-8) | Successfully defended his title by posting the third, single digit winning total in six seasons. |
One and Done
Iāll be joining Spotterās game again this season. Now, where did I put my checkbookā¦
35 events.
1 player per event (plus a backup pick if your guy gets kidnapped on Wednesday night and doesnāt make it to the first tee Thursday).
1 use per year.
Add up the total money and Spotter is yer uncle!
| Event | Selection | Earnings |
| The Sentry | Collin Morikawa | 690,500 |
| Sony Open in Hawaii | Corey Conners | 18,592 |
| The American Express | Adam Hadwin | 310,800 |
| Farmers Insurance Open | Jason Day | 0 |
| AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am | Jordan Spieth | 70,125 |
| WM Phoenix Open | Matt Fitzpatrick | 156,200 |
| The Genesis Invitational | Max Homa | 329,000 |
| Mexico Open at Vidanta | Tony Finau | 145,125 |
| Cognizant Classic | Russell Henley | 32,850 |
| Arnold Palmer Invitational | Scottie Scheffler | 4,000,000 |
| THE PLAYERS Championship | Will Zalatoris | 0 |
| Total Winnings: | 5,753,192 |
His game has more fun stuff to it, so reach out @A340Spotter on X/Twitter or A340Spotter@comcast.net for more details and to join.
Recapping Last Week ā THE PLAYERS Championship
MY CHOICE: Will Zalatoris ā MC
From the penthouse to the shithouse in five days. Big shoutout to Zalatoris for not even giving the weekend a sniff. Itās MUCH EASIER (I have plenty of reps) to see the train coming down the tracks instead of tripping and falling on No. 17 Friday afternoon.
Whatever.
Any momentum from the Scheffler pick was completely thrown away. Hell, it is only the biggest goddam purse of the season and I took home exactly ZERO from it.
Letās see how my other choices would have done!
Other to Consider:
Hideki Matsuyama ā Healthy, confident, and playing well. The Genesis Invitational winner and Masters champion wonāt be bothered with all the happenings going on. It was him or Zalatoris. T6 and I got this entirely wrong. $875k wrong.
Jusitn Thomas ā Iām saving him for my Old Kentucky Home in May. You gotta do you. Hell, heās good enough to win both. MC. I backed him in other places to win. Disastrous.
Brian Harman ā Tough laydown, but Iāll find other uses for him. TOUGH LAYDOWN???? $1.891 million tough!
Scottie Scheffler ā I included him for those of you considering using him. Winning the week before this event has happened like three times and Tiger Woods and Ray Floyd are the two of the names. Iām glad Iām not butting heads with the history the Texan faces this week. Can he? Of course. If he does, itās an all-time result. WINNER. And it was an all-time result. All you needed to hit was surviving a pinched nerve, a five-shot deficit, and a record-tying 64 on Sunday. Remind me again if you get āscrewedā down the road so I can laugh out loud.
Longshots
Tom Hoge ā T54 after 75-75 weekend.
Sahith Theegala ā T9, oh hey, another top 10 that I didnāt select.
Harris English ā T19.
Garrick Higgo ā WD (wrist injury after Round 1).
This Week ā Valspar Championship
MY CHOICE: Sam Burns
Read Horses for Courses.
Other to Consider:
Brian Harman ā Odd track record here, but the way heās played in the last two big boy events, I canāt see the angle to fade him.
Christiaan Bezuidenhout ā Each week appears to be more comfortable. Cashing T24 at Riviera and T13 at TPC Sawgrass is my proof.
Justin Thomas ā Coming off a missed cut, he should be raring to go. His talent suggests using him for a bigger purse. He can also get hot and stay hot. My Old Kentucky home is in two months.
Longshots
Adam Schenk
Adam Hadwin
Adam PacMan Jones
Adam West
Adam Viniateri
Taylor Montgomery
LAST CALL – RSM CLASSIC
Time to fire back that final shot, pay your tab, and GET INTO THE TOP 125 or THE NEXT 10!
RSM Classic
Sea Island Golf Club
Seaside (host) course
St. Simons Island, Georgia
Weekly Readers:
Horses for Courses – click here
Betting Stat Pack – click here
Expert Picks – click here
Odds Outlook – click here
Chalk (via Bet365.com)
My thoughts on the top 10 players
Ludvig Aberg (11/1): Listing him as the favorite in a field with 11 of the top 50 in the OWGR tells you what the book thinks! This is an event where first-time winners have flourished over the last 13 years.
Russell Henley (14/1): Iām never crazy about backing a guy who hasnāt played in almost three months in a shootout. One quiet round this week to knock the rust off might be too much to overcome. With the wind in play in Round 1, he might find the perfect storm.
Brian Harman (20/1): No current resident has ever won.
Cameron Young (22/1): With the way he hits it, he would prefer windy conditions all four days.
Corey Conners (25/1): Looking to become the third Canadian winner, heās never cashed better than T10 in four trips.
Eric Cole (25/1): Itās time. Hop on. Bermuda expert.
J.T. Poston (28/1): Already a winner twice in shootouts, his red-hot form is hard to ignore.
Si Woo Kim (33/1): Hasnāt posted a top 10 since June and has MC in his last three visits here. Hits it great tee-to-green so I better throw a top 10 ticket on here just in case!
Denny McCarthy (33/1): Almost three months to the day since his last competitive round. Not many roll it better on the greens.
Adam Svensson (35/1): Reigning champion defends for the first time. Yeah, Iām out.
Alex Noren (35/1): White hot form. Once I back him, you shouldnāt. Iāll give you an early Xmas present by fading him.
NOW PLAYING:
| Host Course | Seaside |
| Yards (per official scorecard): | 7,006. |
| Par: | 70 (35-35). |
| Greens: | TifEagle Bermuda; 7,200 square feet on average. |
| Stimpmeter: | 12.5. |
| Rough: | Ryegrass overseed at 2 inches. |
| Bunkers/Water Hazards/In-Play | 47/14/13 |
| Architect(s): | Colt & Alison (1929); Tom Fazio (1999). |
| Defending Champion (event): | Adam Svensson (-19). |
| Multiple Champion(s) Entered: | Robert Streb (2014, 2020). |
| Course Record (last): | 60; Set twice in 2021 (both not entered); Tommy Gainey 2012, Round 4. |
| 72 Hole Tournament Record (last): | 260 (-22); Talor Gooch (2022); Kevin Kisner (2015). |
| Fact of the Week: | Oldest TifEagle Greens on TOUR. |
| Fact of the Week II: | 19-under or better is the winning score over the last SIX editions. |
Notes:
- Field of 156.
- The OWGR is represented by 11 of the top 50.
- FINAL EVENT of the FedExCup Fall.
- $8.4 million – $1.512 million ā 500 FedExCup points ā Sentry and Masters ticket punched.
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) |
| Fortinet Championship | Sahith Theegala |
| Sanderson Farms Championship | Luke List |
| Shriners Childrenās Open | Tom Kim |
| ZOZO CHAMPIONSHIP | Collin Morikawa |
| World Wide Technology | Erik van Rooyen |
| Butterfield Bermuda | Camilo Villegas |
Recent Winners ā RSM Classic
Italics – not entered this week.
| Year | Winner | Notes |
| 2022 | Adam Svensson (-19) | Wins by two for first victory on TOUR. |
| 2021 | Talor Gooch (-22) | Matched tournament scoring record; wins by three for first victory on TOUR. |
| 2020 | Robert Streb (-19) | Defeated Kisner in a playoff to become the only two-time champion. |
| 2019 | Tyler Duncan (-19) | Defeated Webb Simpson in a playoff to win for the first time on TOUR. |
| 2018 | Charles Howell III (-19) | Defeated Patrick Rodgers in a playoff for his first win since 2007. |
Angles
The Seaside course, covering 7,005 yards and Par-70, will be used in three of the four rounds.
The Plantation course, stretching to just 7,060 yards and playing to Par-72, will be used once before the 36-hole cut.
Both courses are tee-to-green Bermuda grass and TifEagle Bermuda greens.
Svensson is the only winner to sign for a round over 70 on the scorecard. He opened with 73 last year.
Winners here annually rank in the top 10 GIR, SG: Putting, and Scrambling.
Kevin Kisner is the only player in the field this week to post 22-under as a winning total, equaling the tournament scoring record.
The last six winning totals have been 19-under or better. Go low!
The field of 156 contains 11 of the top 50 OWGR.
Stretching
Justin Suh (40/1) will enjoy the generous landing areas and inviting Seaside greens as targets. A super putter, he rolls into town after T10 and a career-best solo fourth in Mexico in his last two starts.
Sea Island resident Davis Thompson (55/1) has been watching this event for as long as his father, Todd, has been running it. Making his fifth appearance, he should be ready to contend on the weekend.
Chesson Hadley (55/1) has cashed T7 in his last two starts on TOUR on resort courses in Las Vegas and Mexico. No point overthinking it.
Sleepers
Will Gordon (100/1), T15 and T21 in his last two on TOUR, is top 10 GIR, and that plays this week. ā¦ 2017 winner Austin Cook (150/1) has cashed T10 and T13 in his last two starts on TOUR. ā¦ If Kevin Kisner (175/1) is going to figure it out, itās going to be this week.
Butterfield Bermuda Championship
Aruba, Jamaica, ooooo I wanna take ya
Bermuda, Bahama, come on pretty mama
Butterfield Bermuda Championship
Port Royal Golf Course
Southampton, Bermuda
Weekly Readers:
Horses for Courses – click here
Betting Stat Pack – click here
Expert Picks – click here
Odds Outlook – click here
Chalk (via Bet365.com)
My thoughts on the top 10 players
Adam Scott (16-1): Sitting on top of the heap this week in a very muted field at Port Royal, he will put the āclass v formā argument to the test. The winner of the 2013 Grand Slam of Golf on this track posted T41-MC in Japan in his last two starts. The optimist will point out heās cashed T7 twice in his last five worldwide.
Alex Noren (18-1): Never a winner on TOUR, itās hard for me to jump on this number.
Brendon Todd (18-1) owns the tournament scoring record and has posted three top-10 paydays from his last six on TOUR.
Akshay Bhatia (18-1) has the most recent win from this point on the list and up. Superior wind player.
Lucas Glover (20-1) busted his rust with T59 last week after ten weeks on the sidelines. Heāll be hoping the wind blows all weekend!
Thomas Detry (20-1): Making cuts for fun, his streak has reached nine worldwide. Runner up here last year, he also cashed T8 in March in the Dominican Republic. Interesting, yet Iām not sure thereās any value here for a guy who hasnāt won anywhere in the world since 2016.
Alex Smalley (20-1): Cashing in the top 10 twice this summer with T9 at TPC River Highlands and TPC Deere Run, he also produced T11 and T12 the last two years.
Lucas Herbert (22-1): Champion from 2021, the Australian did so in blustery conditions. Hell, I might just stack an all-Aussie card this week just to have some fun in this moribund field.
Taylor Pendrith (22-1): All gamers are looking for an angle. Double-dip here with the ārevenge factorā and solid, current form (T15-T3).
Ben Griffin (22-1): Cashing T25 or better in five of his last nine worldwide, he also has unfinished business on the island. Playing from the final group, he was 23-under with seven holes to play. He played the next five holes SIX-OVER PAR (four bogeys, one double) and settled for T3. I wouldnāt have come back.
NOW PLAYING:
| Host Course | Port Royal Golf Course. |
| Yards (per official scorecard): | 6,828. |
| Par: | 71 (36-35). |
| Greens: | TifEagle Bermuda; 8,000 square feet on average. |
| Stimpmeter: | 10.5 feet. |
| Rough: | 419 Bermudagrass at 2 inches. |
| Bunkers/Water Hazards/In-Play | 87/4/7. |
| Architect(s): | Robert Trent Jones (1971); Roger Rulewich (2008). |
| Defending Champion (event): | Seamus Power (not entered). |
| Multiple Champion(s) Entered: | N/A. |
| Course Record (last): | 61; Taylor Pendrith, Round 2, 2021. |
| 72 Hole Tournament Record (last): | 260 (-24); Brendon Todd, 2019. |
| Fact of the Week: | Shortest course on TOUR. |
| Fact of the Week II: | Par-71, 6,828 yards for the fifth consecutive event. |
Notes:
- Field of 132
- The OWGR is represented by 2 of the top 50.
- Sixth of seven events of the FedExCup Fall
- $6.5 million – $1.170 million ā 500 FedExCup points ā Sentry and Masters ticket punched.
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) |
| Fortinet Championship | Sahith Theegala |
| Sanderson Farms Championship | Luke List |
| Shriners Childrenās Open | Tom Kim |
| ZOZO CHAMPIONSHIP | Collin Morikawa |
| World Wide Technology | Erik van Rooyen |
Recent Winners ā Butterfield Bermuda Championship
Italics – not entered this week.
| Year | Winner | Notes |
| 2022 | Seamus Power (-19) | Set the tournament record circling TWENTY EIGHT birdies. Won by one over Thomas Detry. |
| 2021 | Lucas Herbert (-15) | Matched the highest-winning score. Won by a shot for his first TOUR victory in just his 20th start. |
| 2020 | Brian Gay (-15) | Defeated Wyndham Clark in a playoff after closing with 64. |
| 2019 | Brendon Todd (-24) | Posted rounds of 63 in Round 2 and closed with 62 to win by four. |
Longer Shots, Longest Shots, Others
After a shootout last week in Mexico on Tigerās track, Mother Nature is probably going to have her say this week. Tight fairways are pinched only by two inches of rough, but awkward, uneven lies will require concentration. Big Bermuda greens, exposed to the elements, will only run around 10 feet.
The winners here have ranged from 20-1, red-hot Seamus Power last year to 200-1 veteran Brian Gay. Wide open would be an understatement.
I canāt look away from Luke List (25-1) this week. With nothing to play for, heās making the trip. Is it a trip or a trap? ā¦ Itās great to see kids Nick Dunlap (50-1) and Peter Kuest (55-1) live, but Iāll take a veteran on the upswing, Lanto Griffin (55-1) at a similar number and take my chances. ā¦ Russell Knox (90-1) wonāt win but heāll be playing the weekend. ā¦ Kramer Hickok (60-1) will be making his fifth appearance and has posted three previous in the top 30. ā¦ Kelly Kraft (110-1) has cashed five in a row and plays ocean courses well. ā¦ Satoshi Kodaira (175-1) for a top 40.
Good luck!
World Wide Technology Championship
Hey, at least it ain’t ALL CAPS again!
Way down here, you need a reason to move.
The fifth of seven FedExCup Fall tournaments should provide motivation at Tiger Woods’ El Cardonal at Diamante in Los Cabos, Mexico.
Read more: World Wide Technology ChampionshipWorld Wide Technology Championship
El Cardonal at Diamante
Los Cabos, Mexico
Weekly Readers:
Horses for Courses – click here
Betting Stat Pack – click here
Expert Picks – click here
Odds Outlook – click here
Chalk (via Bet365.com)
My thoughts on the top 10 players
Ludvig Aberg (+900): Nothing has slowed him down over the last two months and I donāt believe a resort course setting is going to do the trick. The problem with a shootout and appears to be what we will have on the cards this week, is making enough putts over four days to win. Remember in Las Vegas he needed 62 on Sunday just to hit T13. He wonāt be in my win tickets.
Cameron Young (+1200): Rest or rust? Returning to tournament competition for the first time in ten weeks, the big bomber should be licking his chops and cleaning the grooves on his wedges. Time to exact his revenge for the Ryder Cup snub?
Sahith Theegala (+1400): The interesting angle this week involves, for me, putters versus ball-strikers. With massive targets off the tee and into the greens, I would think the less accurate will have more chances to wield the putter. The absence of rough (there literally isnāt any) combined with only one water hazard should make for a less stressful week. Not many are better on and around the greens than Theegala. With a trophy on the shelf from Fortinet, he should be playing freely for the rest of the FedExCup Fall.
Beau Hossler (+2500): Looking to breakthrough for the first time on TOUR, he continues to sniff around over the last three months. Back-to-back top-10 paydays plus a run of T30 or better highlights his consistency. Add a few more bucks and take the top 20 price.
Stephan Jaeger (+2800): Making his 125th start on the PGA TOUR, he is still looking for his first podium finish. Cashing in 28 of his last 31 events including too many in a row to count, the German is on great form but hasnāt been pushing into contention on the weekends.
Lucas Glover (+3000): Nobody was interested in thinking he would end the regular season with a win and follow it up with another in the first FedExCup Playoff event. Never posting a two-win season in his career, heās now checked that box. Time for three? I donāt think so. The putter, which was white hot for a month, has had ten weeks off from competition.
Akshay Bhatia (+3000): If this week wasnāt on Paspalum, Iām not sure heās up here. The winner at Barracuda in July, the lefty hasnāt popped a top 20 in his last six on TOUR. BUT MAN HE LOVES PASPALUM. Opening the 2022 KFT season he won on this surface in the Bahamas, In 2023 heās cashed solo second in Puerto Rico, T24 Corales Puntacana and solo fourth at Vidanta Mexico Open.
J.J. Spaun (+3000): After cashing in eight straight on TOUR, Spaun rolls in after his best result (T6) last week since The Sentry last January. Finding his form in the FedExCup Fall, he sits at No. 56 entering the week. One more decent finish will push him into The Ten for 2024. Everyone is playing for something!
Emiliano Grillo (+3000): Fade or follow. The man is in form, and he absolutely shreds on Paspalum. With a victory at Colonial in May, another course he annually produces on when playing, stacking his first, two-win season is on the cards. The Argentine is my first name on the team sheet this week.
Thomas Detry (+3300): The only man listed at 33/1, the Belgian has cashed eight straight worldwide. On closer inspection his best of the bunch was T13 at The Open Championship at Royal Liverpool. His only win in professional golf was in 2016, but he has cashed second multiple times. Digging deeper, heās posted T15 or better the last three times at Mayakoba and never missed in five visits.
NOW PLAYING:
| Host Course | El Cardonal at Diamante. |
| Yards (per official scorecard): | 7,452. |
| Par: | 72 (36-36). |
| Greens: | Platinum Paspalum. |
| Stimpmeter: | 11.5 feet. |
| Rough: | There isnāt any! |
| Bunkers/Water Hazards/In-Play | 48/1/1. |
| Architect(s): | Tiger Woods (2014). |
| Defending Champion (event): | Russell Henley (not entered). |
| Multiple Champion(s) Entered: | N/A. |
| Course Record (last): | Inaugural event. |
| 72 Hole Tournament Record (last): | Inaugural event. |
| Fact of the Week: | First Tiger Woods designed course to be used on the PGATOUR. |
| Fact of the Week II: | Resort course Par-72. |
Notes:
- Field of 132
- The OWGR is represented by 5 of the top 50.
- Nine of the top 10 FedExCup Fall are entered.
- Fifth event of the FedExCup Fall season (seven events).
- $8.2 million – $1.475 million ā 500 FedExCup points ā Sentry and Masters ticket punched.
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) |
| Fortinet Championship | Sahith Theegala |
| Sanderson Farms Championship | Luke List |
| Shriners Childrenās Open | Tom Kim |
| ZOZO CHAMPIONSHIP | Collin Morikawa |
Recent Winners ā World Wide Technology Championship
Italics – not entered this week.
| Year | Winner | Notes |
| 2022 | Russell Henley | Posted 23-under, won by four. Paspalum layout at Mayakoba. |
| 2021 | Viktor Hovland | Posted 23-under, won by four. Paspalum layout at Mayakoba. |
| 2020 | Viktor Hovland | Posted 20-under, won by a shot. Paspalum layout at Mayakoba. |
| 2019 | Brendon Todd | Posted 20-under, won by a shot. Paspalum layout at Mayakoba. |
| 2018 | Matt Kuchar | Posted 22-under, won by one. Paspalum layout at Mayakoba. |
Longer Shots, Longest Shots, Others
Now, letās have some fun! New course, no weather, big fairways, big greens, and plenty of rounds in the 60s should be flying around.
There is plenty of like-for-like between 35 and 50 but Iāll point out Adam Svensson (+3500) has cashed nine straight T41 or better. … I keep falling back to Las Vegas guys again this week in the arid, desert-like setting so donāt be surprised if 54-hole leader in Japan, Justin Suh (+5000), starts rolling in putts from everywhere. ā¦ Taylor Montgomery (+6000) is starting to come around again and enjoys Par Breakers for breakfast. ā¦ Brandon Wu (+7000) loves Mexico and Paspalum. ā¦ Maverick McNealy (+8000) returns this week after a long layoff rehabbing a shoulder. I donāt like the number but when healthy, he can get it going with the putter. ā¦ Mackenzie Hughes (+10000) always pops up this time of year and has two previous podiums on this surface. ā¦ Thereās my Paspalum buddy Cam Percy (+30000) sitting in the weeds. ā¦ My three best BOOM OR BUST picks are Harry Hall (+10000), Ryan Moore (+20000), and Brice Garnett (+30000).
Good luck!
Fortinet Championship
Back at it!
Fortinet Championship
Silverado Resort & Spa
North Course
Napa, California
Weekly Readers:
Horses for Courses – click here
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Expert Picks – click here
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This Week ā 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. Iām a sucker for historic performances, so Iāll 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 captainās pick for the Ryder Cup by Zach Johnson, I donāt think heās longing in the confidence department. The pressure of making the FedExCup Playoffs didnāt flip the switch. Perhaps the freedom of being a member of the USA team headed to Italy next week will be the tonic. Iāll 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 Australianās blazing sprint to make the FedExCup Playoffs and then qualify for the second event, the BMW Championship, isnāt lost on me. Picking up five top-10 paychecks in his final 13 starts, heās 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. Iām going to saddle up here.
Stephan Jaeger (22/1): Racking up 13 consecutive weekends, the German has been on fire. Conversely, heās 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 ā 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
48th Memorial Tournament
Jack Nicklaus will have Muirfield Village Golf Club in pristine condtion, as usual, as he hosts a Designated field of 120 players.
Oh, and have a milkshake!
105th PGA Championship
Oak Hill Country Club’s East Course in Rochester, New York, will host for a fourth time.
Justin Thomas will look to defend his title against the deepest field in golf.
Glass Houses 