Truist Championship

May 7, 2025 / mikeglasscott / Leave a comment

Yep, new sponsor.

Yep, they are NOT playing Quail Hollow Club in Charlotte!

This is the Wissahickon Course at the Philadelphia Cricket Club

Truist Championship

Philadelphia Cricket Club

Wissahickon Course

Flourtown, PA

Head to PGATOUR.COM for all our content each week.

Thoughts on Chalk (odds via Bet365.com)

Rory McIlroy (+450): Riding the best, in-form ball-striker against an elite Signature Event field on an unfamiliar course sans Scottie Scheffler (not entered) isn’t the dumbest plan I’ve seen. He has demonstrated the ability to turn on the heat and go before. Remember, he’s won this EVENT four times at the Quail Hollow Club, not the Philadelphia Cricket Club. It might not matter.

Collin Morikawa (+1400): Week No. 1 with a new caddy on a brand-new course? That would be a story. I’m going to let them get four rounds under their belts.

Justin Thomas (+1600): Smoke or satisfaction? Matt Minister returns to his bag this week as Joe Greiner heads to Morikawa’s stable. The return to normalcy should pay dividends.

Xander Schauffele (+1600): He will let his full bag loose this week. Not many are better on unfamiliar, classic courses. Check his U.S. Open record in this part of the world.

Ludvig Aberg (+1600): I won’t talk you out of him, but his profile suggests next week on 7,626 yards.

Patrick Cantlay (+1800): Another who has flourished in the East Coast/Mid-Atlantic region in the last eight years. His last victory on TOUR was the 2022 BMW Championship on a first-time course at the Wilmington Country Club.

Tommy Fleetwood (+2500): Just sign for a top 10 and take your money.

Russell Henley (+2500): Probably not his favorite grass, but he can get it around.

Jordan Spieth (+2500): See Fleetwood, Tommy. 62 last week, and he’s hitting it great.

Shane Lowry (+3300): He would join Schauffele as my second win ticket. Too good tee to green, and his form has been on point. The 118 bunkers will be decorations for him.

Others for Top 10, Top 20, or Top 40 action

Read my DFS DISH column for more thoughts. Here are a few others, not mentioned before, that should/can/might fill out cards:

Boring, boring, Sungjae Im (+4500) needs to be on the card beside Keegan Bradley (+5000). A patient plodder, Justin Rose (+6000), loves this part of the world. Keith Mitchell (+7500) took last week off, knowing he had a spot in this week’s event. Lucas Glover (+11000) is a proven commodity on Tillinghast tracks. Eric Cole (+10000) is free money.

NOW PLAYING:

Host Course	Wissahickon Course
Yards (per official scorecard):	7,119 yards.
Par:	70 (35-35).
Greens:	A1/A4 Bentgrass; 5,779 square feet.
Stimpmeter:	13 feet.
Rough:	Tall Fescue at 3 inches.
Bunkers/Water Hazards/In-Play	118/1/6
Architect(s):	A.W. Tillinghast (1922); Keith Foster (2013).
Defending Champion (event):	Rory McIlroy
Multiple Champion(s) Entered:	Rory McIlroy (4)
Course Record (latest):	61; Set in the 2024 US Fourball.
72 Hole Tournament Record (Spring):	First event at this course.
Fact of the Week:	Any history from Quail Hollow Club will be useful NEXT WEEK for the 107^th PGA Championship.

Recent Winners

2025 Season Winners

Event	Winner
The Sentry	Hideki Matsuyama
Sony Open in Hawaii	Nick Taylor
The American Express	Sepp Straka
Farmers Insurance Open	Harris English
AT&T Pebble Beach	Rory McIlroy
WM Phoenix Open	Thomas Detry (first time)
The Genesis Invitational	Ludvig Aberg
Mexico Open at VidantaWorld	Brian Campbell (first time)
Cognizant Classic	Joe Highsmith (first time)
Arnold Palmer Invitational	Russell Henley
THE PLAYERS Championship	Rory McIlroy (2)
Valspar Championship	Viktor Hovland
Texas Children’s Houston Open	Min Woo Lee (first time)
Valero Texas Open	Brian Harman
89^th Masters Tournament	Rory McIlroy (3)
RBC Heritage	Justin Thomas
Zurich Classic	Andrew Novak/Ben Griffin (first time for both)
THE CJ CUP Byron Nelson	Scottie Scheffler

2024 Season Winners

Event	Winner
The Sentry	Chris Kirk
Sony Open in Hawaii	Grayson Murray (Rest in Peace)
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 (first time)
Arnold Palmer Invitational	Scottie Scheffler
THE PLAYERS Championship	Scottie Scheffler (2)
Valspar Championship	Peter Malnati
Texas Children’s Houston Open	Stephan Jaeger (first time)
Valero Texas Open	Akshay Bhatia
88^th Masters Tournament	Scottie Scheffler (3)
RBC Heritage	Scottie Scheffler (4)
Zurich Classic	Rory McIlroy & Shane Lowry
THE CJ CUP Byron Nelson	Taylor Pendrith (first time)
Wells Fargo Championship	Rory McIlroy (2)
106^th PGA Championship	Xander Schauffele
Charles Schwab Challenge	Davis Riley
RBC Canadian Open	Robert MacIntyre (first time)
The 49^th Memorial Tournament	Scottie Scheffler (5)
124^th United States Open	Bryson DeChambeau
Travelers Championship	Scottie Scheffler (6)
Rocket Mortgage Classic	Cam Davis
John Deere Classic	Davis Thompson (first time)
Genesis Scottish Open	Robert MacIntyre (2)
152^nd Open Championship	Xander Schauffele (2)
3M Open	Jhonattan Vegas
2024 Paris Olympics	Scottie Scheffler (7)
3M Open	Jhonattan Vegas
Wyndham Championship	Aaron Rai (first time)
FedEx St. Jude Championship	Hideki Matsuyama (2)
BMW Championship	Keegan Bradley
The TOUR Championship	Scottie Scheffler (8)

FedEx Cup Fall
Procore Championship	Patton Kizzire
Sanderson Farms Championship	Kevin Yu (first time)
Black Desert Championship	Matt McCarty (first time)
Shriners Children’s Open	JT Poston
ZOZO CHAMPIONSHIP	Nico Echavarria
World Wide Technology Champ	Austin Eckroat (2)
Butterfield Bermuda Champ	Rafa Campos (first time)
The RSM Classic	Maverick McNealy (first time)

Notables

The field of 72 includes 44 players from the top 50 of the Official World Golf Rankings, including nine of the top 10. Only Scheffler is absent.
This is the first PGA TOUR event on this course. Bernhard Langer (+1) won the 2016 Kaulig Companies Championship (Senior PLAYERS) here.
Playing 7,119 yards, only Pebble Beach and Waialae CC are shorter.
This is the second consecutive week on Bentgrass greens and the third to date.
The field will not be cut after 36 holes.

One and Done – Spotter’s Game

1 player per event (plus a backup pick if your guy gets kidnapped on Wednesday night and doesn’t make it to the first tee Thursday).

1 use per year.

Event	Selection	Place	Earnings
The Sentry	Sungjae Im	3^rd	$1,360,000
Sony Open in Hawaii	Russell Henley	T10	195,025
The American Express	Adam Hadwin	MC
Farmers Insurance	Jason Day	T32	52,080
AT&T Pebble Beach	Ludvig Aberg	WD
WM Phoenix Open	Rasmus Hojgaard	T12	195,500
Genesis Invitational	Will Zalatoris	T24	168,857
Mexico Open	Patrick Rodgers	T25	59,350
Cognizant Classic	Daniel Berger	T25	73,721
Arnold Palmer	Keegan Bradley	T5	800,000
THE PLAYERS	Collin Morikawa	T10	656,250
Valspar Championship	Sepp Straka	T28	55,844
Houston Open	Aaron Rai	MC
Valero Texas Open	Corey Conners	T18	113,050
89^th Masters	Rory McIlroy	WIN	4,200,000
RBC Heritage	Scottie Scheffler	T8	540,000
Zurich Classic	Kurt Kitayama	MC
Byron Nelson	Si Woo Kim	T15	136,719

LAST WEEK – THE CJ CUP Byron Nelson

With only seven of the top players in the OWGR Top 50 entering, it’s time to have some fun. And by fun, I mean I have no idea who is going to win. I’m going to trust a hot Dallas resident who is coming off his best finish, on his own ball, two weeks ago at RBC Heritage. The 54-hole leader faded on Sunday to T8, but he will not have as deep of field to hold off this time around. He shared second two years ago and was T13 last year, so it’s clear he’s comfortable in the home game.

THE CHOICE: Si Woo Kim – T15

Others to consider: Sungjae Im, Ben An, Eric Cole, Ryan Gerard, Alejandro Tosti

Wrong Dallas resident. Wrong Dallas resident with a top 10 at RBC Heritage.

I was one week too early on Scheffler.

BECAUSE I SUCK.

THIS Week – Truist Championship

Big field, big event, big problems on a brand-new (to these guys) course!

The cream continually rises to the top at these events, and I’ve burned quite a few of them already.

The no-cut feature will help. Or it will hurt watching four rounds of shitty play.

Justin Thomas is the defending event champion at the Quail Hollow Club for next week’s PGA Championship. Rory McIlroy is the landlord, owning four titles on the property. Scottie Scheffler is BACK. Xander Schauffele has been second twice in the last two events there.

I’m saving Schauffele for Oakmont.

Big fairways and a big putter? Ok, Tommy lad. Show me!

THE CHOICE: Tommy Fleetwood

Others to consider: Shane Lowry, Patrick Cantlay, Russell Henley, Keegan Bradley

THE CJ CUP Byron Nelson

April 30, 2025 / mikeglasscott / Leave a comment

Back in the saddle again.

THE CJ CUP Byron Nelson

TPC Craig Ranch

McKinney, Texas

Head to PGATOUR.COM for all our content each week.

Thoughts on Chalk (odds via Bet365.com)

Scottie Scheffler (+275): No need to bet this in a shootout, but if he does win, Bolton will be in the category of OBJECTS IN MIRROR ARE CLOSER THAN THEY APPEAR in the Expert’s Fantasy League. The good news? I have Scheffler in my local league this week because I cannot pick two-man teams to save my life. Can’t lose!

Jordan Spieth (+1800): He loves playing at TPC Scottsdale, another Tom Weiskopf layout, but he’s never won there either.

Sungjae Im (+2200): He would join Taylor Pendrith and KH Lee as debutant winners at TPC Craig Ranch.

Byeong-Hun An (+2500): The history of Korean winners at this event is strong. An is still searching for his first on the PGA TOUR.

Sam Burns (+2500): The baby boy has arrived and is one. No wins for Burns = no nappy factor. Odd.

Si Woo Kim (+3000): The 54-hole leader at RBC Heritage picked up his first top 10 of the season. He’s run T13-T2 in his last two visits. Win ticket.

Taylor Pendrith (+3300): Hell, if K.H. Lee can win in back-to-back years, why not the Canadian? Plenty of pop and a super putter is a great formula this week.

Others for Top 10, Top 20, or Top 40 action

Read my DFS DISH column for more thoughts. Here are a few others, not mentioned before, that should/can/might fill out cards:

Let’s see if Rasmus Hojgaard (+4500) can pull an Andrew Novak and go from second to first the following week. It’s a terrible number, but Chris Gotterup (+11000) should fit nicely again here. Matti Schmid (+12500) is wonderfully all-or-nothing. Will Chandler (+100000) introduced himself at TPC Scottsdale, another Weiskopf design.

NOW PLAYING:

Host Course	TPC Craig Ranch
Yards (per official scorecard):	7,569 yards (166 more than 2024).
Par:	71 (35-36).
Greens:	Bentgrass; 6,778 square feet.
Stimpmeter:	11.5 feet.
Rough:	Ryegrass at 3.5 inches.
Bunkers/Water Hazards/In-Play	83/4/13
Architect(s):	Tom Weiskopf (2004)
Defending Champion (event):	Taylor Pendrith (-23).
Multiple Champion(s) Entered:	None.
Course Record (latest):	60; S.Y. Noh (2022; not entered); Sebastian Munoz (2021: not eligible).
72 Hole Tournament Record (Spring):	26-under 262; K.H. Lee (2021). The event was Par-72 for the first two editions.
Fact of the Week:	All winners are International Players for the Presidents Cup.

TPC Craig Ranch

Just when we were getting comfortable, Lanny Wadkins will renovate every blade of grass not on the tee boxes before the 2026 event.

The Par-71, one of the easiest on TOUR, added six new tee boxes and increased the rough, but big greens and easy scrambling conditions equal another birdie-fest!

With a light field and a shootout on the menu, hang on to your hats, gang!

Recent Winners

2025 Season Winners

Event	Winner
The Sentry	Hideki Matsuyama
Sony Open in Hawaii	Nick Taylor
The American Express	Sepp Straka
Farmers Insurance Open	Harris English
AT&T Pebble Beach	Rory McIlroy
WM Phoenix Open	Thomas Detry (first time)
The Genesis Invitational	Ludvig Aberg
Mexico Open at VidantaWorld	Brian Campbell (first time)
Cognizant Classic	Joe Highsmith (first time)
Arnold Palmer Invitational	Russell Henley
THE PLAYERS Championship	Rory McIlroy (2)
Valspar Championship	Viktor Hovland
Texas Children’s Houston Open	Min Woo Lee (first time)
Valero Texas Open	Brian Harman
89^th Masters Tournament	Rory McIlroy (3)
RBC Heritage	Justin Thomas
Zurich Classic	Andrew Novak/Ben Griffin (first time for both)

2024 Season Winners

Event	Winner
The Sentry	Chris Kirk
Sony Open in Hawaii	Grayson Murray (Rest in Peace)
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 (first time)
Arnold Palmer Invitational	Scottie Scheffler
THE PLAYERS Championship	Scottie Scheffler (2)
Valspar Championship	Peter Malnati
Texas Children’s Houston Open	Stephan Jaeger (first time)
Valero Texas Open	Akshay Bhatia
88^th Masters Tournament	Scottie Scheffler (3)
RBC Heritage	Scottie Scheffler (4)
Zurich Classic	Rory McIlroy & Shane Lowry
THE CJ CUP Byron Nelson	Taylor Pendrith (first time)
Wells Fargo Championship	Rory McIlroy (2)
106^th PGA Championship	Xander Schauffele
Charles Schwab Challenge	Davis Riley
RBC Canadian Open	Robert MacIntyre (first time)
The 49^th Memorial Tournament	Scottie Scheffler (5)
124^th United States Open	Bryson DeChambeau
Travelers Championship	Scottie Scheffler (6)
Rocket Mortgage Classic	Cam Davis
John Deere Classic	Davis Thompson (first time)
Genesis Scottish Open	Robert MacIntyre (2)
152^nd Open Championship	Xander Schauffele (2)
3M Open	Jhonattan Vegas
2024 Paris Olympics	Scottie Scheffler (7)
3M Open	Jhonattan Vegas
Wyndham Championship	Aaron Rai (first time)
FedEx St. Jude Championship	Hideki Matsuyama (2)
BMW Championship	Keegan Bradley
The TOUR Championship	Scottie Scheffler (8)

FedEx Cup Fall
Procore Championship	Patton Kizzire
Sanderson Farms Championship	Kevin Yu (first time)
Black Desert Championship	Matt McCarty (first time)
Shriners Children’s Open	JT Poston
ZOZO CHAMPIONSHIP	Nico Echavarria
World Wide Technology Champ	Austin Eckroat (2)
Butterfield Bermuda Champ	Rafa Campos (first time)
The RSM Classic	Maverick McNealy (first time)

Notables

The field of 156 includes seven players from the top 50 of the Official World Golf Rankings, including No. 1 and Dallas resident Scottie Scheffler.
The three winners from the previous four events are all President Cup internationals. None produced more than three bogeys total.
The largest margin of victory is three shots, set in the inaugural event of 2021 by K.H. Lee.
The scoring average of 68.497 in 2024 is the lowest field average in history, and was the easiest Par-71 on TOUR.
Two of the three winners won on TOUR for the first time and were victorious in their first appearance at TPC Craig Ranch.
TPC Craig Ranch plays 7,569 yards, the longest of the five editions and 155 yards longer than the 2024 tournament.
The tournament scoring record is 26-under-par 262 set by K.H. Lee in 2021. TPC Craig Ranch played to Par-72 in 2021 and 2022 before shifting to Par-71 for the 2023 and 2024 events.
The course record is 60, set in 2021 and again in 2022.
The field will be cut to the top 65 and ties after two rounds.

Recent Winners – THE CJ CUP Byron Nelson

Italics – not entered this week.

Year	Winner	Notes
2024	Taylor Pendrith (-23)	Birdied the 72^nd hole to win for the first time on TOUR in his maiden at TPC Craig Ranch.
2023	Jason Day (-23)	Held off Si Woo Kim and Austin Eckroat by a shot to win the EVENT for the second time.
2022	K.H. Lee (-25)	Successfully defended his 2021 inaugural win by defeating Jordan Spieth by a shot.
2021	K.H. Lee (-26)	Won the inaugural event at TPC Craig Ranch. Defeated Sam Burns by three.

One and Done – Spotter’s Game

1 player per event (plus a backup pick if your guy gets kidnapped on Wednesday night and doesn’t make it to the first tee Thursday).

1 use per year.

Event	Selection	Place	Earnings
The Sentry	Sungjae Im	3^rd	$1,360,000
Sony Open in Hawaii	Russell Henley	T10	195,025
The American Express	Adam Hadwin	MC
Farmers Insurance	Jason Day	T32	52,080
AT&T Pebble Beach	Ludvig Aberg	WD
WM Phoenix Open	Rasmus Hojgaard	T12	195,500
Genesis Invitational	Will Zalatoris	T24	168,857
Mexico Open	Patrick Rodgers	T25	59,350
Cognizant Classic	Daniel Berger	T25	73,721
Arnold Palmer	Keegan Bradley	T5	800,000
THE PLAYERS	Collin Morikawa	T10	656,250
Valspar Championship	Sepp Straka	T28	55,844
Houston Open	Aaron Rai	MC
Valero Texas Open	Corey Conners	T18	113,050
89^th Masters	Rory McIlroy	WIN	4,200,000
RBC Heritage	Scottie Scheffler	T8	540,000
Zurich Classic	Kurt Kitayama	MC

LAST WEEK – Zurich Classic

THE CHOICE: Kurt Kitayama/Collin Morikawa

I was #influenced or #undertheinfluence when I made that selection. Morikawa was on the outs with his longtime caddy, J.J. Jackovac, they split after the event, and Kitayama wasn’t playing well.

Whatever. Nothing LOST, yet nothing gained.

THIS Week – THE CJ CUP Byron Nelson

With only seven of the top players in the OWGR Top 50 entering, it’s time to have some fun. And by fun, I mean I have no idea who will win. I will trust a hot Dallas resident who is coming off his best finish, on his own ball, two weeks ago at the RBC Heritage. The 54-hole leader faded on Sunday to T8, but he will not have to hold off a deep field this time. He shared second two years ago and was T13 last year, so it’s clear he’s comfortable in the home game.

THE CHOICE: Si Woo Kim

Others to consider: Sungjae Im, Ben An, Eric Cole, Ryan Gerard, Alejandro Tosti

RBC Heritage

April 16, 2025 / mikeglasscott / Leave a comment

57^th RBC Heritage

Harbour Town Golf Links

Hilton Head Island, South Carolina

Head to Golfbet for all our content each week.

Thoughts on Chalk (odds via Bet365.com)

Scottie Scheffler: The reigning champion already had wins at API, THE PLAYERS, and Masters in 2024. He will be pissed off enough after solo fourth last week and not show any mercy tee to green against another elite field. The greens at Harbour Town do not come with the penalty of Augusta National. His ball-striking (T31 Fairways, T31 GIR) last week will not return to those levels.

If Scheffler’s ball-striking is stuck in neutral, Collin Morikawa should be hot on his heels. Already a runner-up twice this season, navigating the smallest greens on TOUR outside of Pebble Beach will favor the man leading the field in SG: Approach.

Ludvig Aberg threw away over $500k with his bogey-triple finish last week and probably could not care less. The Swedish metronome sat 13-under and four back after 54 holes here last year before fading with 72. Save him for Philadelphia.

Xander Schauffele is on a run of T8 and T12 in his last two. The next step is popping onto the podium. Sign me up.

Patrick Cantlay would be the favorite here if he could have converted one or two of his FIVE podium finishes into tartan jackets. He’s never cashed worse than T7 in six weekends. Auto-play regardless of format.

Justin Thomas hit it all over the shop last week at ANGC to finish T36. I’ll point out he played his final nine in 33 and bogey-free.

Russell Henley had the weekend off in the first major of the season. I’d expect a retort in his part of the world.

Corey Conners has the most top-10 paydays on TOUR this season and played in the penultimate group on Sunday at the Masters (T8). Is he out of gas?

Shane Lowry must be fueled by the performance of his compatriot and partner next week at the Zurich Classic. In fact, that’s the next time I will be looking at him. The party from Sunday night probably isn’t over yet!

Viktor Hovland followed up his win in Tampa with T21 at the Masters. Too many wild swings to endorse at this price.

Tommy Fleetwood rarely threatens, and his best payday here is T10. Save him for Philadelphia and Oakmont, but he’s a safe roster play in other formats.

Daniel Berger cashed T30 or better in all eight events where he’s played the weekend in 2025. The super iron player earned his way into the Signature Event. We call that a clue.

Others for Top 10, Top 20 action

Jordan Spieth is not my favorite when water lurks on every hole on the property, but I will look at Sepp Straka and his T3-MC-T5 run here. Sungjae Im is in my lineup this week after becoming just one of two to post all four rounds in red figures at the Masters. Let’s eat! Denny McCarthy jumps off the board and should be contending. Who is hotter than Bud Cauley, minus a win? Tom Hoge? I wouldn’t talk you out of either one. JT Poston has four top-10 results from six tries. Sahith Theegala could use a break, and this layout (2^nd-T5) and 30-under the last two years might provide the tonic. Max Homa! Fade or follow T12 from last week? At 90-1, I’d nibble, you know, just in case! Cameron Davis owns two top-10 results in the last three years.

NOW PLAYING:

Host Course	Harbour Town Golf Links
Yards (per official scorecard):	7,213 (third consecutive year).
Par:	71 (36-35).
Greens:	Poa Trivialis overseed; 3,700 square feet.
Stimpmeter:	11.5 feet.
Second Cut:	Ryegrass Overseed at 1.5 inches.
Bunkers/Water Hazards/In-Play	51/18/18
Architect(s):	Pete Dye (1969)
Defending Champion (event):	Scottie Scheffler (-19)
Multiple Champion(s) Entered:	None.
Course Record (latest):	61; Troy Merritt (not entered) 2015.
72 Hole Tournament Record (Spring):	264 (-20); Brian Gay, 2009.
Fact of the Week:	The last five winners are all major champions.

Harbour Town

Pete Dye is back! He’s on the ticket next week in New Orleans as well!

Small greens, big penalties, and plenty of distractions tee to green!

The more aggressive the line off the tees and into the greens provides the better scoring chances. If not executed, welcome to the land of bogeys and worse!

The keys are iron play, patience, and keeping big numbers off the card.

Recent Winners

2025 Season Winners

Event	Winner
The Sentry	Hideki Matsuyama
Sony Open in Hawaii	Nick Taylor
The American Express	Sepp Straka
Farmers Insurance Open	Harris English
AT&T Pebble Beach	Rory McIlroy
WM Phoenix Open	Thomas Detry (first time)
The Genesis Invitational	Ludvig Aberg
Mexico Open at VidantaWorld	Brian Campbell (first time)
Cognizant Classic	Joe Highsmith (first time)
Arnold Palmer Invitational	Russell Henley
THE PLAYERS Championship	Rory McIlroy (2)
Valspar Championship	Viktor Hovland
Texas Children’s Houston Open	Min Woo Lee (first time)
Valero Texas Open	Brian Harman
89^th Masters Tournament	Rory McIlroy (3)

2024 Season Winners

Event	Winner
The Sentry	Chris Kirk
Sony Open in Hawaii	Grayson Murray (Rest in Peace)
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 (first time)
Arnold Palmer Invitational	Scottie Scheffler
THE PLAYERS Championship	Scottie Scheffler (2)
Valspar Championship	Peter Malnati
Texas Children’s Houston Open	Stephan Jaeger (first time)
Valero Texas Open	Akshay Bhatia
88^th Masters Tournament	Scottie Scheffler (3)
RBC Heritage	Scottie Scheffler (4)
Zurich Classic	Rory McIlroy & Shane Lowry
THE CJ CUP Byron Nelson	Taylor Pendrith (first time)
Wells Fargo Championship	Rory McIlroy (2)
106^th PGA Championship	Xander Schauffele
Charles Schwab Challenge	Davis Riley
RBC Canadian Open	Robert MacIntyre (first time)
The 49^th Memorial Tournament	Scottie Scheffler (5)
124^th United States Open	Bryson DeChambeau
Travelers Championship	Scottie Scheffler (6)
Rocket Mortgage Classic	Cam Davis
John Deere Classic	Davis Thompson (first time)
Genesis Scottish Open	Robert MacIntyre (2)
152^nd Open Championship	Xander Schauffele (2)
3M Open	Jhonattan Vegas
2024 Paris Olympics	Scottie Scheffler (7)
3M Open	Jhonattan Vegas
Wyndham Championship	Aaron Rai (first time)
FedEx St. Jude Championship	Hideki Matsuyama (2)
BMW Championship	Keegan Bradley
The TOUR Championship	Scottie Scheffler (8)

FedEx Cup Fall
Procore Championship	Patton Kizzire
Sanderson Farms Championship	Kevin Yu (first time)
Black Desert Championship	Matt McCarty (first time)
Shriners Children’s Open	JT Poston
ZOZO CHAMPIONSHIP	Nico Echavarria
World Wide Technology Champ	Austin Eckroat (2)
Butterfield Bermuda Champ	Rafa Campos (first time)
The RSM Classic	Maverick McNealy (first time)

Notables

The field of 72 players includes 43 of the top 50 from the Official World Golf Rankings.
Seven of the last eight winners in April were 27 or 28 years old.
The winners from 2024 and 2023 both posted 63 in Round 3.
The Par-71 will play 7,213 yards for the third straight season.
The previous five winners are major champions.
In 2024, Scottie Scheffler joined Bernhard Langer as the only two players to win this event after donning the green jacket the week prior.
Boo Weekley (2007-2008) was the last player to win back-to-back events.
Wesley Bryan (2017) is the only native South Carolinian to win the event.
None of the last four champions ranked inside the top 20 in SG: Putting.
The scoring average of 69.351 in 2024 is the lowest April number since replacing the putting surfaces in 2016.
Two of the last three winners required a playoff.
The tournament scoring record is 20-under-par 267 set by Brian Gay (not entered) in 2009.
The course record, 61, was last accomplished by Troy Merritt (not entered) in 2015.
There is not a 36-hole cut this week.

Recent Winners – RBC Heritage

Italics – not entered this week.

Year	Winner	Notes
2024	Scottie Scheffler (-19)	Shot 63 in Round 3 to lead after 54 holes by one. Won by three.
2023	Matt Fitzpatrick (-17)	Shot 63 in Round 3 to lead after 54 holes by one. Defeated Jordan Spieth in a playoff.
2022	Jordan Spieth (-13)	The last winner to not lead after 54 holes, he rallied from three shots back to force and win a playoff over Patrick Cantlay.
2021	Stewart Cink (-19)	The veteran smoked the field by four shots to win for the third time at Sea Pines.
2020	Webb Simpson (-22)	The return to golf in the pandemic saw the former U.S. Open champion win the only June event in recent memory.

One and Done – Spotter’s Game

1 player per event (plus a backup pick if your guy gets kidnapped on Wednesday night and doesn’t make it to the first tee Thursday).

1 use per year.

Event	Selection	Place	Earnings
The Sentry	Sungjae Im	3^rd	$1,360,000
Sony Open in Hawaii	Russell Henley	T10	195,025
The American Express	Adam Hadwin	MC
Farmers Insurance	Jason Day	T32	52,080
AT&T Pebble Beach	Ludvig Aberg	WD
WM Phoenix Open	Rasmus Hojgaard	T12	195,500
Genesis Invitational	Will Zalatoris	T24	168,857
Mexico Open	Patrick Rodgers	T25	59,350
Cognizant Classic	Daniel Berger	T25	73,721
Arnold Palmer	Keegan Bradley	T5	800,000
THE PLAYERS	Collin Morikawa	T10	656,250
Valspar Championship	Sepp Straka	T28	55,844
Houston Open	Aaron Rai	MC
Valero Texas Open	Corey Conners	T18	113,050
89^th Masters	Rory McIlroy	WIN	4,200,000

LAST WEEK – 89^th Masters tournament

For the second year in a row, I’m playing Rory McIlroy.

This year, he fits the profile of past champions. He’s playing, winning, and he’s in a great spot off the course. It’s time to add another page of history.

See? Easy game. Like McIlroy, I feel I haven’t won an event in this format since 2014.

Never a dull moment throughout the event, the price of the grand slam was well worth the wait. No sports fan will never forget the final nine and the playoff last Sunday.

THE CHOICE: Rory McIlroy – WINNER WINNER CHICKEN DINNER

Others to consider:

Patrick Reed is an auto-play here and showed why again. Even if he doesn’t hole out on 17, he’s in the top five.

Jon Rahm, Cam Smith, Patrick Reed, Scottie Scheffler, Jordan Spieth, Brooks Koepka

THIS Week – RBC Heritage

It’s time to unleash Scheffler.

He didn’t’ look like he was having any fun last Sunday. I’m positive he’s not thrilled with his final five holes or his solo fourth-place result. Saving him for Quail Hollow or Oakmont is a fine strategy. I’ll remind you that Oakmont has the most devious greens on the planet. I’m saving the X-Man for such an occasion. Quail Hollow is McIlroy’s happy hunting ground (4 wins), and I don’t need to tell you about his affinity for Royal Portrush. Too many things can go sideways at The Open to spend Scheffler at that event. I’d take the money and run here or at the Travelers after Oakmont.

HERE. WE. GO.

Those of you in the Cantlay camp, please, go right ahead. His record here is incredible. I’ll sneak him in at Memorial or Caves Valley for the BMW Championship, where he will be the course defending champion.

THE CHOICE: Scottie Scheffler

Others to consider:

Patrick Cantlay, Sepp Straka, Collin Morikawa, Russell Henley, J.T Poston

89th Masters Tournament

April 9, 2025 / mikeglasscott / Leave a comment

Hello, friends

89^th Masters Tournament

Augusta National Golf Club

Augusta, Georgia

Head to Golfbet for all our content each week.

Thoughts on Chalk (odds via Bet365.com)

Scottie Scheffler: A win takes him to three in four years. Only Nicklaus has done that. Without a win this season, he faces the top 50 in the OWGR, plus others, in the race for the green jacket.

Rory McIlroy: I’m backing him this year because he looks like Scheffler from last year. No LIV issues, no drama off the course, and the results are flowing. Making his 17^th start, there’s nothing he hasn’t seen or experienced.

Jon Rahm: How weird will it be to wear pants and play 72 holes? This isn’t a hit and giggle, but nobody doubts his talent.

Collin Morikawa: Three straight T10 or better paydays and a front-row seat to Scheffler’s victory in 2024 provides the callouses and the hope.

Bryson DeChambeau: There’s plenty to over-think over 7,555 yards and the golf gods remember his “Par-67” comment. The jackhammer must evolve into an artist. T6 last year suggested he’s found something.

Ludvig Aberg: One time, one solo second. Do it again. Enters the week on MC-MC.

Justin Thomas: MC-MC on his last two visits is overruled by his last six months on TOUR. He’s done everything but win. Joe Greiner, Max Homa’s former caddy, is on the bag this week as The Rev is banged up.

Xander Schauffele: The results here speak for themselves. A late start to spring off a rib injury is highlighted by 66 to close at Valspar. 22-1 is solid.

Hideki Matsuyama: The winner at The Sentry, his only top 10 of 2025, is healthy. The winner here in 2021, he’s cashed in 12 straight.

Joaquin Niemann: In 18 rounds he’s broken 70 twice. He must be tearing up LIV…

Shane Lowry: Already a major champion, his penchant for finding fairways never hurts. The putter must cooperate.

Brooks Koepka: Solo second in March in Singapore is the 2025 highlight. Second twice at ANGC, he only shows up for the big-boy events.

Tommy Fleetwood: Wash, rinse, repeat. T3 2024 is his best. Blown away with 81 in the final round of Valero.

Jordan Spieth: The clues are there and this is his canvas. Lovely number at 33-1.

Others for Top 10, Top 20 action

Russell Henley should be included on all cards. Will Zalatoris owns three top 10 paydays from three starts. Cameron Smith and Patrick Reed proved enough to me over the last seven years to be included. Denny McCarthy keeps me daydreaming, while Tom Hoge is smoldering. Phil Mickelson is just silly enough, as he was in 2023, to linger. Jose Luis Ballester is the only amateur I would consider. Angel Cabrera won the PGA TOUR Champions event last week in Boca Raton.

NOW PLAYING:

Host Course	Augusta National Golf Club
Yards (per official scorecard):	7,555.
Par:	72 (36-36).
Greens:	A1-Penn Bentgrass; 6,486 square feet.
Stimpmeter:	Tournament Speed – 13 feet and up.
Second Cut:	Ryegrass Overseed at 1.375 inches.
Bunkers/Water Hazards/In-Play	44/6/5
Architect(s):	Dr. Alister Mackenzie & Bobby Jones (1933).
Defending Champion (event):	Scottie Scheffler (-11)
Multiple Champion(s) Entered:	Scottie Scheffler (2) has won two of the last three tournaments. Phil Mickelson (3) has the most wins in the field.
Course Record (latest):	63; Greg Norman (1996); Nick Price (1986). Neither won this event.
72 Hole Tournament Record (Spring):	270 (-18); Jordan Spieth (2015) and Tiger Woods (1997).
Fact of the Week:	The Par-3 contest winner has never won the 72-hole event.

Augusta National

Familiarity breeds contempt? Not for me.

While I don’t have all the names of the holes memorized, I can tell you how to play each and every one.

Gotta hit it.

Gotta chip it.

Gotta putt it.

The second shot is the most important and sets up scoring chances or bogey avoidance.

Uneven lies, the challenge of reading the greens, judging the wind at No. 12 on Sunday around 4pm, are just some of the challenges.

Add the pressure for those who have never won a major championship, or even an event on TOUR, and it’s the best.

Recent Winners

2025 Season Winners

Event	Winner
The Sentry	Hideki Matsuyama
Sony Open in Hawaii	Nick Taylor
The American Express	Sepp Straka
Farmers Insurance Open	Harris English
AT&T Pebble Beach	Rory McIlroy
WM Phoenix Open	Thomas Detry (first time)
The Genesis Invitational	Ludvig Aberg
Mexico Open at VidantaWorld	Brian Campbell (first time)
Cognizant Classic	Joe Highsmith (first time)
Arnold Palmer Invitational	Russell Henley
THE PLAYERS Championship	Rory McIlroy (2)
Valspar Championship	Viktor Hovland
Texas Children’s Houston Open	Min Woo Lee (first time)
Valero Texas Open	Brian Harman

2024 Season Winners

Event	Winner
The Sentry	Chris Kirk
Sony Open in Hawaii	Grayson Murray (Rest in Peace)
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 (first time)
Arnold Palmer Invitational	Scottie Scheffler
THE PLAYERS Championship	Scottie Scheffler (2)
Valspar Championship	Peter Malnati
Texas Children’s Houston Open	Stephan Jaeger (first time)
Valero Texas Open	Akshay Bhatia
88^th Masters Tournament	Scottie Scheffler (3)
RBC Heritage	Scottie Scheffler (4)
Zurich Classic	Rory McIlroy & Shane Lowry
THE CJ CUP Byron Nelson	Taylor Pendrith (first time)
Wells Fargo Championship	Rory McIlroy (2)
106^th PGA Championship	Xander Schauffele
Charles Schwab Challenge	Davis Riley
RBC Canadian Open	Robert MacIntyre (first time)
The 49^th Memorial Tournament	Scottie Scheffler (5)
124^th United States Open	Bryson DeChambeau
Travelers Championship	Scottie Scheffler (6)
Rocket Mortgage Classic	Cam Davis
John Deere Classic	Davis Thompson (first time)
Genesis Scottish Open	Robert MacIntyre (2)
152^nd Open Championship	Xander Schauffele (2)
3M Open	Jhonattan Vegas
2024 Paris Olympics	Scottie Scheffler (7)
3M Open	Jhonattan Vegas
Wyndham Championship	Aaron Rai (first time)
FedEx St. Jude Championship	Hideki Matsuyama (2)
BMW Championship	Keegan Bradley
The TOUR Championship	Scottie Scheffler (8)

FedEx Cup Fall
Procore Championship	Patton Kizzire
Sanderson Farms Championship	Kevin Yu (first time)
Black Desert Championship	Matt McCarty (first time)
Shriners Children’s Open	JT Poston
ZOZO CHAMPIONSHIP	Nico Echavarria
World Wide Technology Champ	Austin Eckroat (2)
Butterfield Bermuda Champ	Rafa Campos (first time)
The RSM Classic	Maverick McNealy (first time)

The 89^th Masters Tournament Notables

The field of 95 players includes the top 50 from the Official World Golf Rankings.
The average age of winners is around 33 years old. The last four winners were in their 20s.
Winning a record sixth green jacket, Jack Nicklaus became the oldest winner in 1986.
The youngest champion was Tiger Woods (21 years old) in 1997.
The only player (post-1945) to win on debut was Fuzzy Zoeller in 1979.
Since 2000, three players have won on their second attempt: Charl Schwartzel (2011), Jordan Spieth (2015), and Danny Willett (2016).
The last wire-to-wire was Spieth, becoming just the fifth player in history to lead after all four rounds.
Only three players have successfully defended the title. Jack Nicklaus (1965-66), Sir Nick Faldo (1989-1990), and Tiger Woods (2001-2002) are the members of this exclusive club.
Only three players ranked No. 1 in the OWGR went on to win: Tiger Woods (2007), Dustin Johnson (2020), and Scottie Scheffler (2022, 2024).
Adam Scott is the only Australian winner.
Hideki Matsuyama is the only Asian winner.
Sergio Garcia was the last winner to need a playoff. Defeating Justin Rose, the Spaniard won his first green jacket in his 19th attempt, the record for a first-time winner.
Mark O’Meara, aged 41 in 1998, is the oldest first-time winner.
Raymond Floyd, aged 49 in 1992, is the oldest runner-up.
The field will be cut to the top 50 and ties after two rounds.
The winner this week will take home 750 FedExCup points.
The purse and winner’s share will be announced later this week.

Recent Winners – Masters Tournament

Italics – not entered this week.

Year	Winner	Notes
2024	Scottie Scheffler (-11)	Held off Collin Morikawa from the final group and won his second green jacket by four shots.
2023	Jon Rahm (-12)	Joined Seve Ballesteros, Jose Maria Olazabal, and Sergio Garcia as winners from Spain.
2022	Scottie Scheffler (-10)	Wins his first major comfortably by three shots over Rory McIlroy.
2021	Hideki Matsuyama (-10)	Blew the field away in Round 3 and cruised to his first major title.
2020	Dustin Johnson (-20)	Set the non-April tournament scoring record on a soft, dormant layout.
2019	Tiger Woods (-13)	The only player to win from outside of the top 10 after Round 1. He’s done that twice (2005) and won the tournament FIVE times.

One and Done – Spotter’s Game

1 player per event (plus a backup pick if your guy get kidnapped on Wednesday night and doesn’t make it to the first tee Thursday).

1 use per year.

Event	Selection	Place	Earnings
The Sentry	Sungjae Im	3^rd	$1,360,000
Sony Open in Hawaii	Russell Henley	T10	195,025
The American Express	Adam Hadwin	MC
Farmers Insurance	Jason Day	T32	52,080
AT&T Pebble Beach	Ludvig Aberg	WD
WM Phoenix Open	Rasmus Hojgaard	T12	195,500
Genesis Invitational	Will Zalatoris	T24	168,857
Mexico Open	Patrick Rodgers	T25	59,350
Cognizant Classic	Daniel Berger	T25	73,721
Arnold Palmer	Keegan Bradley	T5	800,000
THE PLAYERS	Collin Morikawa	T10	656,250
Valspar Championship	Sepp Straka	T28	55,844
Houston Open	Aaron Rai	MC
Valero Texas Open	Corey Conners	T18	113,050

LAST WEEK – Valero Texas Open

THE CHOICE: Corey Conners – T18

Sat three shots off the lead with two holes to play on Saturday. He ended his round bogey-double, faded to six shots back, and never returned to contend.

Others to consider:

Akshay Bhatia, Sam Stevens, Gary Woodland, Charley Hoffman

Three missed cuts and a T40. What a week!

THIS Week – 89^th Masters tournament

For the second year in a row, I’m playing Rory McIlroy.

This year, he fits the profile of past champions. He’s playing, winning, and he’s in a great spot off the course. It’s time to add another page of history.

THE CHOICE: Rory McIlroy

Others to consider:

Jon Rahm, Cam Smith, Patrick Reed, Scottie Scheffler, Jordan Spieth, Brooks Koepka

Valero Texas Open

April 2, 2025 / mikeglasscott / Leave a comment

Valero Texas Open

TPC San Antonio (Oaks Course)

San Antonio, Texas

Head to Golfbet for all our content each week.

Top of the Board (odds via Bet365)

No Scottie Scheffler and Rory McIlroy to gnash teeth over this week.

Only 16 of the top 50 OWGR are playing as a tune-up for Augusta National.

The only way to get in the Masters this week, if not already qualified, is to win.

Ludvig Aberg (+1200), the Swedish ball-striking machine, sits at the top of the pile. Already a winner this year at a demanding Torrey Pines South, the four-year player formally of Texas Tech won’t be bothered by the energy in the atmosphere. Making his third start, yet only second as a pro, he signed for T14 last year.

Tommy Fleetwood (+1600) and Corey Conners (+1600) take up the next two spots. Fleetwood, never a winner on TOUR, ran T7 on debut and led the field in Bogey Avoidance last year. Conners, the only two-time winner, has two wins on TOUR, each at TPC San Antonio. He’s never missed the cut or cashed worse than T34.

Patrick Cantlay (+1800) is an interesting addition this week. Making his debut, the Californian will knock the simulator rust off after winning TGL with his mates from Atlanta. I’m more interested next week and DEFINITELY at RBC Heritage where he will almost certainly be my OAD selection.

Hideki Matsuyama (+2000) keeps rolling quietly along. The winner at The Sentry to open the season, he always returns to TPC San Antonio after his 2021 debut that was followed by his Green Jacket. If he’s turning up each year, I’m sold on this being a proper tune-up for Augusta National.

Akshay Bhatia (+2200) picked up his first top-10 result of 2024 with his playoff win here last year. In 2025, he’s on a run of three top-10 paydays in his last four on TOUR. The only left-hander to win it, he seeks to become the first player to successfully defend the title at TPC San Antonio. Bet.

Jordan Spieth (+2500), when healthy, and that appears to be the case entering the week, contends this time of year. The off-season wrist surgery is fading to the memory bank, and results are getting closer and closer to the old days. The 2021 champion has four top-10 paydays from eight starts.

Keegan Bradley (+2800) continues to balance TGL, TOUR starts, and the Ryder Cup captaincy. A stern test tee-to-green fits his strengths. As long as the energy level remains high, I’m on board.

Denny McCarthy (+3000) still has not reached the summit but he enjoys TPC San Antonio. Needing just 92 putts last year, tying the TOUR record, he birdied his last seven holes, posted the course record 28 on the inward nine, shot 63, and lost in a playoff.

Daniel Berger and Gary Woodland come in red hot, while Si Woo Kim has cashed in six straight here. … Sam Stevens (T14, 2^nd) and Lee Hodges (T11 last week) should also receive deeper inspections. … Chris Kirk, another course horse of years gone by, presents a tasty number at +6600.

5 Players to consider for Top 10, Top 20, or Top 40 action:

Three of the five last week cashed T18, T18, and 10^th, so I hope you were paying attention. BONUS BALL Gary Woodland was T2. I can’t leave him out #Heater!

Eric Cole (+9000) picked up T12 at Valspar and backed it up with T15 in Houston.

Mac Meissner (+8000) is the hometown hero this week. The SMU grad has cashed in his last three events and knows this layout (T10 2024).

Jesper Svensson (+10000) has cashed in six straight.

Matt Kuchar (+12500) owns T12 or better in four of his last five starts and eight T25 or better from 11 paydays career.

Alejandro Tosti (+15000) earned a pair of top-10s, including T5 last week, on big, driver-necessary tracks. This week qualifies.

Bonus Ball: Trey Mullinax (+17500) popped up on the walk-and-talk last weekend before fading to T34. He owns the course record, 62, at TPC San Antonio and can #Send it.

NOW PLAYING:

Host Course	TPC San Antonio
Yards (per official scorecard):	7,438
Par:	72 (36-36).
Greens:	Overseeded Poa Trivialis; 6,400 square feet on average.
Stimpmeter:	11-plus feet.
Rough:	Overseeded ryegrass at 2.25”
Bunkers/Water Hazards/In-Play	64/3/3
Architect(s):	Greg Norman (2010).
Defending Champion (event):	Akshay Bhatia (-20)
Multiple Champion(s) Entered:	Corey Conners (2023, 2019).
Course Record:	62; Trey Mullinax, Round 3, 2018.
72 Hole Tournament Record:	268; Akshay Bhatia & Denny McCarthy (2024); Corey Conners (2019).
Fact of the Week:	The event has been the week before the Masters since 2019.
Fact of the Week II:	The last seven winners are 31 or younger.

Notables

The last two champions owned the outright lead after 18 holes.
Three of the last six winners won for the first time on TOUR.
The last four winners have ranked T3 or BETTER in Par-4 Scoring.
Four of the last six winners have won on their second or third try.
TPC San Antonio has played under par just twice in 14 previous events.
The ryegrass/fescue fairways average 25 to 30 yards in the landing area.
Poa Trivialis overseeded greens average 6,400 square feet and will run not run more than 11.5 feet on the Stimpmeter (wind).
The course tips at 7,438 yards for the third consecutive season.
Charley Hoffman, 39 in 2016, is the only champion of the last eight who were older than 31.
Trey Mullinax posted 62 in Round 3 in 2018 and owns the course record.
The Official World Golf Ranking is represented by 16 of the top 50 players, led by No. 5 Ludvig Aberg, the highest-ranked player in the field this week.

Recent Winners

2025 Season Winners

Event	Winner
The Sentry	Hideki Matsuyama
Sony Open in Hawaii	Nick Taylor
The American Express	Sepp Straka
Farmers Insurance Open	Harris English
AT&T Pebble Beach	Rory McIlroy
WM Phoenix Open	Thomas Detry (first time)
The Genesis Invitational	Ludvig Aberg
Mexico Open at VidantaWorld	Brian Campbell (first time)
Cognizant Classic	Joe Highsmith (first time)
Arnold Palmer Invitational	Russell Henley
THE PLAYERS Championship	Rory McIlroy (2)
Valspar Championship	Viktor Hovland
Texas Children’s Houston Open	Min Woo Lee (first time)

2024 Season Winners

Event	Winner
The Sentry	Chris Kirk
Sony Open in Hawaii	Grayson Murray (Rest in Peace)
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 (first time)
Arnold Palmer Invitational	Scottie Scheffler
THE PLAYERS Championship	Scottie Scheffler (2)
Valspar Championship	Peter Malnati
Texas Children’s Houston Open	Stephan Jaeger (first time)
Valero Texas Open	Akshay Bhatia
88^th Masters Tournament	Scottie Scheffler (3)
RBC Heritage	Scottie Scheffler (4)
Zurich Classic	Rory McIlroy & Shane Lowry
THE CJ CUP Byron Nelson	Taylor Pendrith (first time)
Wells Fargo Championship	Rory McIlroy (2)
106^th PGA Championship	Xander Schauffele
Charles Schwab Challenge	Davis Riley
RBC Canadian Open	Robert MacIntyre (first time)
The 49^th Memorial Tournament	Scottie Scheffler (5)
124^th United States Open	Bryson DeChambeau
Travelers Championship	Scottie Scheffler (6)
Rocket Mortgage Classic	Cam Davis
John Deere Classic	Davis Thompson (first time)
Genesis Scottish Open	Robert MacIntyre (2)
152^nd Open Championship	Xander Schauffele (2)
3M Open	Jhonattan Vegas
2024 Paris Olympics	Scottie Scheffler (7)
3M Open	Jhonattan Vegas
Wyndham Championship	Aaron Rai (first time)
FedEx St. Jude Championship	Hideki Matsuyama (2)
BMW Championship	Keegan Bradley
The TOUR Championship	Scottie Scheffler (8)

FedEx Cup Fall
Procore Championship	Patton Kizzire
Sanderson Farms Championship	Kevin Yu (first time)
Black Desert Championship	Matt McCarty (first time)
Shriners Children’s Open	JT Poston
ZOZO CHAMPIONSHIP	Nico Echavarria
World Wide Technology Champ	Austin Eckroat (2)
Butterfield Bermuda Champ	Rafa Campos (first time)
The RSM Classic	Maverick McNealy (first time)

Recent Winners – Valero Texas Open

Italics – not entered this week;

Year	Winner	Notes
2024	Akshay Bhatia (-20)	Became the second winner to lead after 18 holes; Led after every round but not considered wire-to-wire because of a playoff with McCarthy.
2023	Corey Conners (-15)	Opened with 64 and won by a shot (Sam Stevens) to become the only two-time winner at TPC San Antonio.
2022	J.J. Spaun (-13)	Won by two shots to earn his only TOUR victory to date.
2021	Jordan Spieth (-18)	Circled 24 birdies and won by two.

One and Done – Spotter’s Game

1 player per event (plus a backup pick if your guy get kidnapped on Wednesday night and doesn’t make it to the first tee Thursday).

1 use per year.

Event	Selection	Place	Earnings
The Sentry	Sungjae Im	3^rd	$1,360,000
Sony Open in Hawaii	Russell Henley	T10	195,025
The American Express	Adam Hadwin	MC
Farmers Insurance	Jason Day	T32	52,080
AT&T Pebble Beach	Ludvig Aberg	WD
WM Phoenix Open	Rasmus Hojgaard	T12	195,500
Genesis Invitational	Will Zalatoris	T24	168,857
Mexico Open	Patrick Rodgers	T25	59,350
Cognizant Classic	Daniel Berger	T25	73,721
Arnold Palmer	Keegan Bradley	T5	800,000
THE PLAYERS	Collin Morikawa	T10	656,250
Valspar Championship	Sepp Straka	T28	55,844
Houston Open	Aaron Rai	MC

LAST WEEK – Texas Children’s Houston Open

With the two heavyweights battling it out. I’m down to two players: Finau and Rai.

Rai gets the benefit of the doubt on current form, and he did run T4 at Vidanta.

THE CHOICE: Aaron Rai – MC

Only my second MC of the season, but it feels like every week has been a disaster. Finau didn’t provide any “second guessing” with his Twhatevernotclosetothetop10, so that’s my consolation prize.

Whatever

Others to consider:

Tony Finau, Min Woo Lee, Davis Riley, Mackenzie Hughes

Nothing better than having the winner and 10^th place on the bench!

THIS Week – Valero Texas Open

No brainer.

Next week, I’ll have to burn some RAM for the first major championship, but I’m heading north of the border this week.

THE CHOICE: Corey Conners

Others to consider:

Akshay Bhatia, Sam Stevens, Gary Woodland, Charley Hoffman

WM Phoenix Open

February 5, 2025 / mikeglasscott / Leave a comment

WM Phoenix Open

The Stadium Course at TPC Scottsdale

Scottsdale, Arizona

Head to Golfbet for all our content each week:

Chalk

My thoughts on the top players for betting purposes:

Scottie Scheffler (+260): If he’s in the field, he has my attention. At less than 3-1, I’m hesitant, but this field does not have the depth of Pebble Beach. Without the pressure to win three in a row, I’d be shocked if he finished outside the top 10.

Justin Thomas (+1400): Play him in the “without Scheffler” market. Desert dog and course horse, just not on the level of Scheffler. Who is? Also a winner at Waialae CC.

Hideki Matsuyama (+1600): A two-time winner like Scheffler, the Japanese star is the only player in the top three with a win this year. Nobody has accused Matsuyama or Scheffler of being lights-out putters but they are both winners here twice.

Sam Burns (+2500): A super putter, he’ll enjoy the large targets approaching the greens. The largest greens on TOUR at Kapalua produced at T8 cash in January.

Sungjae Im (+2500): The Korean’s history at the event matches his early 2025 results, top finishes and head-scratchers.

Tom Kim (+2800): Hit the ball, already! Eight rounds here produced four rounds in the 70s and four rounds in the 60s.

NOW PLAYING:

Host Course	The Stadium Course at TPC Scottsdale
Yards (per official scorecard):	7,261.
Par:	71 (35-36).
Greens:	Poa annua; 7,100 square feet on average.
Stimpmeter:	12 feet.
Rough:	Overseeded Rye and Poa annua around two inches.
Bunkers/Water Hazards/In-Play	67/3/6
Architect(s):	Tom Weiskopf & Jay Morrish (1986); Tom Weiskopf (2014 renovation).
Defending Champion (event):	Nick Taylor (-21)*
Multiple Champion(s) Entered:	Scheffler (2023, 2022); Hideki Matsuyama (2017, 2016).
Course Record:	60; Nick Taylor, Round 1 (2024).
72 Hole Tournament Record (post-2014 renovation)	21-under; Nick Taylor & Charley Hoffman (2024).
Fact of the Week:	Taylor became the fourth international winner this century.
Fact of the Week II:	Only two players have won on debut this century.

Notes:

Field of 132.
THE CUT returns this week. The top 65 and ties advance to the final two rounds.
The OWGR is represented by 28 of the top 50.
$9.2 million – $1.656 million – 500 FedExCup points – Sentry, PLAYERS, and Masters ticket punched.

Recent Winners

2025 Season Winners

Event	Winner
The Sentry	Hideki Matsuyama
Sony Open in Hawaii	Nick Taylor
The American Express	Sepp Straka
Farmers Insurance Open	Harris English
AT&T Pebble Beach	Rory McIlroy

2024 Season Winners

Event	Winner
The Sentry	Chris Kirk
Sony Open in Hawaii	Grayson Murray (Rest in Peace)
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 (first time)
Arnold Palmer Invitational	Scottie Scheffler
THE PLAYERS Championship	Scottie Scheffler (2)
Valspar Championship	Peter Malnati
Texas Children’s Houston Open	Stephan Jaeger (first time)
Valero Texas Open	Akshay Bhatia
88^th Masters Tournament	Scottie Scheffler (3)
RBC Heritage	Scottie Scheffler (4)
Zurich Classic	Rory McIlroy & Shane Lowry
THE CJ CUP Byron Nelson	Taylor Pendrith (first time)
Wells Fargo Championship	Rory McIlroy (2)
106^th PGA Championship	Xander Schauffele
Charles Schwab Challenge	Davis Riley
RBC Canadian Open	Robert MacIntyre (first time)
The 49^th Memorial Tournament	Scottie Scheffler (5)
124^th United States Open	Bryson DeChambeau
Travelers Championship	Scottie Scheffler (6)
Rocket Mortgage Classic	Cam Davis
John Deere Classic	Davis Thompson (first time)
Genesis Scottish Open	Robert MacIntyre (2)
152^nd Open Championship	Xander Schauffele (2)
3M Open	Jhonattan Vegas
2024 Paris Olympics	Scottie Scheffler (7)
3M Open	Jhonattan Vegas
Wyndham Championship	Aaron Rai (first time)
FedEx St. Jude Championship	Hideki Matsuyama (2)
BMW Championship	Keegan Bradley
The TOUR Championship	Scottie Scheffler (8)

FedEx Cup Fall
Procore Championship	Patton Kizzire
Sanderson Farms Championship	Kevin Yu (first time)
Black Desert Championship	Matt McCarty (first time)
Shriners Children’s Open	JT Poston
ZOZO CHAMPIONSHIP	Nico Echavarria
World Wide Technology Champ	Austin Eckroat (2)
Butterfield Bermuda Champ	Rafa Campos (first time)
The RSM Classic	Maverick McNealy (first time)

Recent Winners – WM Phoenix Open

Italics – not entered this week.

Year	Winner	Notes
2024	Nick Taylor (-21)	Held off Charley Hoffman to become the sixth winner in the last nine to need extra holes.
2023	Scottie Scheffler (-19)	Tied the tournament scoring record defending his title. Won by two shots over Nick Taylor. Third place was five back.
2022	Scottie Scheffler (-16)	Defeated Patrick Cantlay in a playoff to win for the first time on TOUR.
2021	Brooks Koepka (-19)	Matched the tournament scoring mark holding off KH Lee and Xander Schauffele by a shot.
2020	Webb Simpson (-17)	Defeated Tony Finau in a playoff.
2019	Rickie Fowler (-19)	Tied the tournament scoring record by defending his title. Won by two shots over Nick Taylor. Third place was five back.
2018	Gary Woodland (-18)	Defeated Chez Reavie in a playoff; Circled 26 birdies.
2017	Hideki Matsuyama (-17)	Successfully defended his title knocking out Simpson in a playoff.
2016	Hideki Matsuyama (-14)	Won in his third attempt defeating Fowler in a playoff.
2105	Brooks Koepka (-15)	Won on his debut and won for the first time on TOUR.

Notables

The highest winning total since 2015 is 15-under-par.
Eight of the last 10 winners have ranked T6 or better in Ball-Striking.
Taylor and Matsuyama join Aaron Baddeley (2007) and Vijay Singh (2003) as the only international winners this century.
Only two players won on debut this century, including 23-year-old J.B. Holmes (not entered) in 2006 and none since 2015.
Holmes and Matsuyama are the youngest winners at 23.
Kenny Perry (not entered) is the oldest winner at 48 in 2009.
Tom Weiskopf designs feature on TOUR at TPC Craig Ranch, where K.H. Lee (+27000) has won twice, and Black Desert, where Matt McCarty (+30000) won in the fall of 2024.
Every winner in the last decade ranked T11 or better in Greens in Regulation.

Players to consider for Top 10, Top 20, or Top 40 action:

After a DISASTER last week, let’s try and rebound, eh?

Sepp Straka (+4000): In the fight most of the weekend at Pebble Beach, he’s already a winner this season in the desert.

Sahith Theegala (+4000): This will be the week he gets the train back on the tracks. T3 on debut and solo fifth last year.

Rasmus Hojgaard (+5000): T22 last week to break the jet lag. Shit-fire hot across the world since last year.

Nick Taylor (+6000): Even as the defending champion, he knows he’s not the star of the show. And he’s fine with that.

Luke Clanton (+6000): If he makes the cut, he gets his PGA TOUR card.

Si Woo Kim (+5500): Trending at the event.

Sam Stevens (+7000): Stick a top 10 ticket here.

Lee Hodges (+10000): Look up his recent form and remember he has big targets to aim for this week.

Taylor Moore (+10000): Rounding into form and a solid performer in the desert.

Eric Cole (+12500): Too big of a number to pass up for a top 10, top 20.

KH Lee (+22500): Twice a winner at TPC Craig Ranch, a Tom Weiskopf design.

One and Done – Spotter’s Game

1 player per event (plus a backup pick if your guy gets kidnapped on Wednesday night and doesn’t make it to the first tee Thursday).

1 use per year.

With EIGHT Signature Events spread out throughout the season, player management becomes a major issue. These events do NOT include the four majors or THE PLAYERS Championship. These events do NOT include the FedExCup Playoffs. This game ends with the BMW Championship.

LAST WEEK – AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am

MY CHOICE: Ludvig Aberg – WD

For the second week in a row, my selection withdrew.

This time, he played a round and THEN quit, leaving me no recourse.

Did I mention it was a no-cut event?

My backup choices were shit as well.

I guess I was distracted being there.

Event	Selection	Place	Earnings
The Sentry	Sungjae Im	3^rd	$1,360,000
Sony Open in Hawaii	Russell Henley	T10	195,025
The American Express	Adam Hadwin	MC
Farmers Insurance	Jason Day	T32	52,080
AT&T Pebble Beach	Ludvig Aberg	WD

THIS WEEK – WM Phoenix Open

The shitshow in the desert of Scottsdale has paid off veterans and young, up-and-comers alike.

Although disappointed with my last three weeks, this game will be won and lost with THE PLAYERS, four majors, and the first two events of the FedExCup Playoffs.

It’s not time to panic, yet.

MY CHOICE: Rasmus Hojgaard

Right.

Take the new guy on some of the friendlier greens on TOUR to putt. I have no qualms about the way he hits it or his current form. Also, I’m not burning Scheffler or Matsuyama with this purse.

You do you.

Others to consider:

Sam Burns, Tom Kim, Sepp Straka, Kurt Kitayama, Lee Hodges

AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am

January 29, 2025January 29, 2025 / mikeglasscott / Leave a comment

AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am

Pebble Beach Golf Links (Host)

Spyglass Hill Golf Club

Pebble Beach, California

Head to Golfbet for all our content each week:

Chalk

My thoughts on the top players for betting purposes:

Scottie Scheffler (+500): His first appearance of the season, he opened with 64 at Pebble Beach last year and cashed T6. The tournament rust is the only kryptonite. I doubt he would enter if he wasn’t ready to win.

Rory McIlroy (+1300): Didn’t miss a beat in the fall in Europe and cashed a top-five payday in the desert earlier this month.

Collin Morikawa (+1300): After running second to Matsuyama at The Sentry, the former Cal Bear returns to familiar Poa annua. The winner of the PGA Championship at TPC Harding Park on Poa annua up the coast in San Francisco deserves attention.

Justin Thomas (+1500): The heat wave that followed his play after the birth of his first child is not surprising. Cashing on the podium in three of his last four starts, the next stop is lifting the trophy.

Patrick Cantlay (+1900): He plays well where he plays well and four consecutive starts T11 or better qualifies at the AT&T.

Ludvig Aberg (+2200): Finishing second on debut in 2024, he did not sign for a bogey in 36 holes at Pebble Beach. Opening with 63 last week at the North Course at Torrey Pines, he fell ill the rest of the week and fell apart. If there are no lingering issues, I’m on board.

Hideki Matsuyama (+2200): The top selections this week have never won this event. Matsuyama is the only winner from the 2025 season. Making just his second appearance, the Japanese start didn’t break 70 last year in 54 holes.

NOW PLAYING:

Host Course	Pebble Beach Golf Links
Yards (per official scorecard):	6,972.
Par:	72 (36-36).
Greens:	Poa annua; 3,500 square feet on average.
Stimpmeter:	10.5 feet.
Rough:	Overseeded Rye and Poa annua between two and three inches.
Bunkers/Water Hazards/In-Play	116/1/1(Pacific Ocean, No. 18)
Architect(s):	Jack Neville & Douglas Grant (1919).
Defending Champion (event):	Wyndham Clark (-17).
Multiple Champion(s) Entered:	None.
Course Record:	60; Wyndham Clark (Round 3, 2024).
72 Hole Tournament Record (three courses)	22-under; Brandt Snedeker (2015).
Fact of the Week:	There are just five international winners.
Fact of the Week II:	Australian Brett Ogle is the only debutant winner (1993).

Spyglass Hill GC	Notes
Yards (per official scorecard):	7,047
Par:	72 (36-36).
Greens:	Poa annua; 5,000 square feet on average.
Stimpmeter:	11 feet.
Rough:	Overseeded Rye and Poa annua at two inches.
Bunkers/Water Hazards/In-Play	62/4/4
Architect(s):	Robert Trent Jones, Sr., (1966).
Course Record (last):	62; Luke Donald, 2006.
Fact of the Week:	Spyglass Hill has been in the rotation since 1978. I will be volunteering at Hole 12 on Thursday and Friday. Come by and say hello!

Notes:

Field of 80.
18 holes on each course to determine Pro-Am winner.
36 holes on the weekend to determine the Signature Event champion.
The OWGR is represented by 45 of the top 50.
NO CUT EVENT
$20 million – $3.6 million – 700 FedExCup points – Sentry, PLAYERS, and Masters ticket punched.

Recent Winners

2025 Season Winners

Event	Winner
The Sentry	Hideki Matsuyama
Sony Open in Hawaii	Nick Taylor
The American Express	Sepp Straka
Farmers Insurance Open	Harris English

2024 Season Winners

Event	Winner
The Sentry	Chris Kirk
Sony Open in Hawaii	Grayson Murray (Rest in Peace)
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 (first time)
Arnold Palmer Invitational	Scottie Scheffler
THE PLAYERS Championship	Scottie Scheffler (2)
Valspar Championship	Peter Malnati
Texas Children’s Houston Open	Stephan Jaeger (first time)
Valero Texas Open	Akshay Bhatia
88^th Masters Tournament	Scottie Scheffler (3)
RBC Heritage	Scottie Scheffler (4)
Zurich Classic	Rory McIlroy & Shane Lowry
THE CJ CUP Byron Nelson	Taylor Pendrith (first time)
Wells Fargo Championship	Rory McIlroy (2)
106^th PGA Championship	Xander Schauffele
Charles Schwab Challenge	Davis Riley
RBC Canadian Open	Robert MacIntyre (first time)
The 49^th Memorial Tournament	Scottie Scheffler (5)
124^th United States Open	Bryson DeChambeau
Travelers Championship	Scottie Scheffler (6)
Rocket Mortgage Classic	Cam Davis
John Deere Classic	Davis Thompson (first time)
Genesis Scottish Open	Robert MacIntyre (2)
152^nd Open Championship	Xander Schauffele (2)
3M Open	Jhonattan Vegas
2024 Paris Olympics	Scottie Scheffler (7)
3M Open	Jhonattan Vegas
Wyndham Championship	Aaron Rai (first time)
FedEx St. Jude Championship	Hideki Matsuyama (2)
BMW Championship	Keegan Bradley
The TOUR Championship	Scottie Scheffler (8)

FedEx Cup Fall
Procore Championship	Patton Kizzire
Sanderson Farms Championship	Kevin Yu (first time)
Black Desert Championship	Matt McCarty (first time)
Shriners Children’s Open	JT Poston
ZOZO CHAMPIONSHIP	Nico Echavarria
World Wide Technology Champ	Austin Eckroat (2)
Butterfield Bermuda Champ	Rafa Campos (first time)
The RSM Classic	Maverick McNealy (first time)

Recent Winners – AT&T Pebble Beach

Italics – not entered this week.

Year	Winner	Notes
2024	Wyndham Clark (-17)	Set the new course record and held off Aberg by a shot.
2023	Justin Rose (-18)	First Englishman/European winner in history. Won by three shots over Brendon Todd and Brandon Wu.
2022	Tom Hoge (-19)	Became only the third player since 2000 to win his first TOUR event at Pebble Beach. Won by two shots over Jordan Spieth.
2021	Daniel Berger (-18)	Held off hometown hero Maverick McNealy by two shots. Only used PB and Spyglass (no amateurs).
2020	Nick Taylor (-19)	The Canadian became just the fifth international winner in history. Won by four shots.
2019	Phil Mickelson (-19)	Caught, passed, and blew away Paul Casey by three.
2018	Ted Potter, Jr., (-17)	Beat Dustin Johnson heads-up in the final group on Sunday.
2017	Jordan Spieth (-19)	Breezed home by four shots as he led the field in Bogey Avoidance.

Notables

One of the last seven champions was younger than 30.

Eight of the last 9 winners ranked T11 or better in Putting: Birdie or Better Percentage.

Rose is the only champion of the last 10 NOT to finish in the top 2 in Par-4 scoring.

In 2022, Tom Hoge became just the third champion this century to win for the first time on the PGA TOUR.

In 1993, Australian Brett Ogle was the last player to debut and win the event.

Only five international players have lifted the trophy, including Justin Rose, the only European winner.

Nick Taylor, the 2020 champion, is the last player to win in wire-to-wire fashion. He’s also cashed T30 or better six times.

Players to consider for Top 10, Top 20, or Top 40 action:

Jason Day: THE course horse for non-winners. Nine top-10 paydays and never missed a weekend when the event had a cut.

Maverick McNealy: Grew up on the links and already won on the Seaside last November.

Tom Hoge: Over the last three years, his PB aggregate grabbed my attention just as much as his 2022 victory.

Aaron Rai: Hits too many Fairways and GIR to dismiss.

Mark Hubbard: The San Jose native knows his way around Poa.

One and Done – Spotter’s Game

1 player per event (plus a backup pick if your guy gets kidnapped on Wednesday night and doesn’t make it to the first tee Thursday).

1 use per year.

With EIGHT Signature Events spread throughout the season, player management becomes a major issue. These events do NOT include the four majors or THE PLAYERS Championship. These events do NOT include the FedExCup Playoffs. This game ends with the BMW Championship.

LAST WEEK – Farmers Insurance Open

A perfect event for overreaction after a terrible week in the desert!

Plenty of course horses to saddle, but after last year’s first-timer barrage, I’m experiencing paralysis by analysis.

MY CHOICE: Will Zalatoris – PRE TOURNAMENT WD

Defaulting to Day before Pebble Beach was a choice, and not a very good one in hindsight.

Others to consider: Jason Day, Tony Finau, Max Homa, Aaron Rai, Maverick McNealy

Event	Selection	Place	Earnings
The Sentry	Sungjae Im	3^rd	$1,360,000
Sony Open in Hawaii	Russell Henley	T10	195,025
The American Express	Adam Hadwin	MC
Farmers Insurance	Jason Day	T32	52,080

THIS WEEK – AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am

Big purse! Big history!

The weather should NOT be a factor this week and the locals tell me there has barely been any rain in January.

Firm and fast? Maybe not, but it will not be a slog.

The last time the weather was good, Justin Rose became the only European/English winner in history.

Pebble Beach will play easier than Spyglass, but that’s nothing new.

The payday requires a big-name player.

MY CHOICE: Ludvig Aberg

I’m expecting a bounce-back after his illness/collapse last weekend at Torrey Pines. Oh, I don’t have Jason Day to fire after his IN EMERGENCY BREAK GLASS performance last week.

Speaking of broken Glass, the last two weeks wiped out a decent start.

A no-cut event and a guy who didn’t make a bogey on PB last year is not the worst advice I can provide.

Others to consider:

Remember, there are four majors and THE PLAYERS Championship so there are PLENTY of others to choose from this week.

Also, the TOUR is returning to Torrey Pines in three weeks for the Genesis Invitational.

Justin Thomas, Maverick McNealy, Denny McCarthy, Thomas Detry

Farmers Insurance Open

January 21, 2025January 21, 2025 / mikeglasscott / Leave a comment

Farmers Insurance Open

Torrey Pines Golf Club

South Course (host)

North Course

La Jolla, California

Golfbet articles from the entire crew – click here

Chalk

My thoughts on the top players for betting purposes:

I’m not going through the players who WD early this week. International travel is part of it. Cold and flu season is part of it. TGL is part of it.

Who IS playing is important.

Ludvig Aberg (+850): Smoked The Sentry to close 17-under on the weekend. Destroys courses tee to green and that plays this week.

Hideki Matsuyama (+1200): Already a winner this year, his power and short game acumen always works at Torrey Pines.

Sungjae Im (+1800): Blew a tire last week (77 Round 1) and missed the cut. Blew a tire here last year to kill his streak of T4-T6 and five straight.

Will Zalatoris (+2200): I’m not going to wait. Site of his PGA TOUR debut in 2018, he’s usually a factor.

Jason Day (+2500): The two-time winner killed me here last year with a MC. Cashed T3 last week in the desert and always is excellent in January.

Tony Finau (+2800): The only thing left to do here is hit the podium. Never worse than T24 in nine of 10.

Keegan Bradley (+2800): Absolutely flying at the moment, he ran second here to Homa in 2023. Strike while he’s hot.

Taylor Pendrith (+3000): Bomb and gouge specialist who has no problem holing putts, and no problem playing here (T9 2024, T16 2022)

Max Greyserman (+3000): An incredible putter, let’s see how he plays out of the rough this week after racking up big finishes without.

NOW PLAYING:

Host Course	South Course
Yards (per official scorecard):	7,765.
Par:	72 (36-36).
Greens:	Poa annua; 5,000 square feet on average.
Stimpmeter:	13 feet plus.
Rough:	Overseeded ryegrass at FOUR inches and growing.
Bunkers/Water Hazards/In-Play	82/1/1. Pond in front of Par-5 No. 18.
Architect(s):	William P. Bell (1957) & William F Bell (1957); Rees Jones (2001, 2019).
Defending Champion (event):	Mattieu Pavon (-13).
Multiple Champion(s) Entered:	Jason Day (2018, 2015); Brandt Snedeker (2016, 2012).
Course Record (last):	62; Tiger Woods (1999).
72 Hole Tournament Record (2016-current rotation):	22-under; Tiger Woods (1999; last).
Fact of the Week:	EVENT RUNS WEDNESDAY THROUGH SATURDAY for the fourth straight season.
Fact of the Week II:	Tiger Woods won this event eight times. Sadly, he’s not in the field this week.
Fact of the Week III:	Three winners since 2017 have made this their first victory on TOUR.

Notes:

Field of 156.
Second of three multi-course events in three weeks.
The OWGR is represented by 21 of the top 50.
Top 65 and ties will make the cut and play the weekend after 36 holes (play each course once).
$9.3 million – $1.674 million – 500 FedExCup points – Sentry and Masters ticket punched.
Points available for the Aon Next 5 for Pebble Beach qualification.

Recent Winners

2025 Season Winners

Event	Winner
The Sentry	Hideki Matsuyama
Sony Open in Hawaii	Nick Taylor
The American Express	Sepp Straka
Farmers Insurance Open

2024 Season Winners

Event	Winner
The Sentry	Chris Kirk
Sony Open in Hawaii	Grayson Murray (Rest in Peace)
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 (first time)
Arnold Palmer Invitational	Scottie Scheffler
THE PLAYERS Championship	Scottie Scheffler (2)
Valspar Championship	Peter Malnati
Texas Children’s Houston Open	Stephan Jaeger (first time)
Valero Texas Open	Akshay Bhatia
88^th Masters Tournament	Scottie Scheffler (3)
RBC Heritage	Scottie Scheffler (4)
Zurich Classic	Rory McIlroy & Shane Lowry
THE CJ CUP Byron Nelson	Taylor Pendrith (first time)
Wells Fargo Championship	Rory McIlroy (2)
106^th PGA Championship	Xander Schauffele
Charles Schwab Challenge	Davis Riley
RBC Canadian Open	Robert MacIntyre (first time)
The 49^th Memorial Tournament	Scottie Scheffler (5)
124^th United States Open	Bryson DeChambeau
Travelers Championship	Scottie Scheffler (6)
Rocket Mortgage Classic	Cam Davis
John Deere Classic	Davis Thompson (first time)
Genesis Scottish Open	Robert MacIntyre (2)
152^nd Open Championship	Xander Schauffele (2)
3M Open	Jhonattan Vegas
2024 Paris Olympics	Scottie Scheffler (7)
3M Open	Jhonattan Vegas
Wyndham Championship	Aaron Rai (first time)
FedEx St. Jude Championship	Hideki Matsuyama (2)
BMW Championship	Keegan Bradley
The TOUR Championship	Scottie Scheffler (8)

FedEx Cup Fall
Procore Championship	Patton Kizzire
Sanderson Farms Championship	Kevin Yu (first time)
Black Desert Championship	Matt McCarty (first time)
Shriners Children’s Open	JT Poston
ZOZO CHAMPIONSHIP	Nico Echavarria
World Wide Technology Champ	Austin Eckroat (2)
Butterfield Bermuda Champ	Rafa Campos (first time)
The RSM Classic	Maverick McNealy (first time)

Recent Winners – Farmers Insurance Open

Italics – not entered this week.

Year	Winner	Notes
2024	Mattieu Pavon (-13)	First TOUR victory in just his third start with a card; 11^th TOUR start. First appearance.
2023	Max Homa (-13)	Defeated Keegan Bradley by two shots.
2022	Luke List (-15)	Shot 66 on Sunday and then defeated Will Zalatoris in a playoff. First TOUR win.
2021	Patrick Reed (-14)	Only player to finish in double digits under par. Won by five shots.
2020	Marc Leishman (-15)	Won by a shot.
2019	Justin Rose (-21)	Missed tying the course record by a shot.
2018	Jason Day (-10)	Knocked out Ryan Palmer and Alex Noren (not entered) in a playoff for his second win and second win in a playoff.
2017	Jon Rahm (-13)	Won by three shots on debut and secured his first TOUR win.
2016	Brandt Snedeker (-6)	Extreme weather turned the event upside down. Snedeker won for the second time without having to play the final day.

Angles

The South Course is annually one of the toughest tracks on TOUR. The North Course scores almost 2.5 shots easier, on average.

Power players, elite short-game artists, and grinders will litter the top of the leaderboard on SATURDAY.

The last 10 winners ranked in the top 10 for Bogey Avoidance.

The cut has never been worse than Even over the last decade.

Gaining strokes tee to green and on the greens will go a long way.

Only Snedeker posted a round in the 70s on the North Course and went on to win.

South Course – take your medicine, attack when given the chance, and try to get up and down on the Par-5 holes.

North Course – Time to score!

Players to consider for Top 10, Top 20, or Top 40 action:

Beau Hossler: Long Beach native knows Poa.

Nicklas Norgaard: If he’s 70-1 in this field, you have my attention.

Rico Hoey: Led the field in GIR last week and was T3 at Sony. SoCal.

Michael Kim: San Diego HS alum.

Austin Eckroat: Can flush it. That never goes out of style.

Taylor Moore: Did NOT make a bogey last week (T7). That will change this week but still #Evidence.

Patrick Rodgers: Three top-10 finishes and six missed cuts. DO YOU LIKE VOLATILITY??

Vincent Norrman: Good start, great ball-striker.

Hayden Springer: Played really well on the South Course in 2024.

Taylor Montgomery: If he’s in decent shape physically this number is free money.

Peter Malnati: He won’t win, but he’ll make the cut and sneak into the top 40.

Good luck!

One and Done – Spotter’s Game

1 player per event (plus a backup pick if your guy gets kidnapped on Wednesday night and doesn’t make it to the first tee Thursday).

1 use per year.

LAST WEEK – AMEX

MY CHOICE: Adam Hadwin – MC

Just Missed: Christiaan Bezuidenhout, Davis Thompson, J.T. Poston, Si Woo Kim, Tom Hoge

Just terrible on every level. I keep reminding myself that this is hard, but it shouldn’t be this hard.

Event	Selection	Place	Earnings
The Sentry	Sungjae Im	3^rd	$1,360,000
Sony Open in Hawaii	Russell Henley	T10	195,025
The American Express	Adam Hadwin	MC
Farmers Insurance

THIS WEEK – Farmers Insurance Open

A perfect event for overreaction after a terrible week in the desert!

Plenty of course horses to saddle, but after last year’s first-timer barrage, I’m experiencing paralysis by analysis.

MY CHOICE: Will Zalatoris

His spiritual home and the results followed. Led the field in Bogey Avoidance last year and is trending nicely to start 2025. Time to kick open the door!

Others to consider: Jason Day, Tony Finau, Max Homa, Aaron Rai, Maverick McNealy

Sony Open in Hawaii

January 8, 2025 / mikeglasscott / Leave a comment

Sony Open in Hawaii

Waialae Country Club

Honolulu, Oahu, Hawaii

Welcome to 2025!

For those of you who are just arriving for the first time, here’s what’s going on:

This column is me. My thoughts, my humor, my fun, my opinions.

I write Odds Outlook every Monday and Horses for Courses each Wednesday at PGATOUR.COM.

Please follow along at the TOUR website for all our great betting and fantasy content!

Chalk

My thoughts on the top players for betting purposes:

Hideki Matsuyama (+900): Record-setting 35-under-par winner last week at Kapalua plus a previous champion here makes for an easy consensus favorite. Coming off 33 birdies and two eagles against just two bogeys should scare the others. Amazingly, he owns just one top-10 result at Waiale from 12 tries.

Corey Conners (+1400): Guess who finished T5 and led the field in SG: Putting last week? Yes, SG: PUTTING!

Tom Kim (+2000): Ran second in Korea to Ben An and then went to The Bahamas and ran second to Scheffler at the Hero World Challenge. Did not qualify for The Sentry last week.

Russell Henley (+2000): The 2013 winner on debut in his first event with a TOUR card was also beaten in a playoff in 2022 by Matsuyama and missed a playoff last year by a shot. I’d say he’s comfortable at Waialae! Posted 17-under last week for T30.

Maverick McNealy (+2500): Plenty, including me, will point out that the Seaside Course on Sea Island, host of the RSM Classic, is a course comp this week. McNealy won for the first time on TOUR to wrap up the FedExCup Fall in November on that track. Four rounds in the 60s and only four bogeys at Kapalua (T8) suggests he’s not satisfied.

Keegan Bradley (+2800): Imagine posting 21-under (T15) last week and not hitting the top 10! The Ryder Cup captain is streaking wildly at Waialae during the previous five years: T12-MC-T12-MC-P2. The playoff loss last year was his best result from 14 visits.

NOW PLAYING:

Host Course	Waialae Country Club.
Yards (per official scorecard):	7,044.
Par:	70 (35-35)
Greens:	TifEagle Bermuda; 7,100 square feet on average.
Stimpmeter:	11 feet.
Rough:	Celebration Bermuda at almost three inches inches.
Bunkers/Water Hazards/In-Play	83/4/5.
Architect(s):	Seth Raynor (1927).
Defending Champion (event):	Grayson Murray (-17). RIP.
Multiple Champion(s) Entered:	None.
Course Record (last):	59; Justin Thomas (Round 1, 2017).
72 Hole Tournament Record (last):	253 (-27); Justin Thomas (2017).
Fact of the Week:	Waialae CC has hosted every event since 1965 except for 1970 (no event).
Fact of the Week II:	Hideki Matsuyama (2022) was the last of nine consecutive winners who played the previous week at Kapalua.

Notes:

Field of 144.
The OWGR is represented by 10 of the top 30.
Top 65 and ties will make the cut and play the weekend.
$8.7 million – $1.566 million – 500 FedExCup points – Sentry and Masters ticket punched.

Recent Winners

2024 Season Winners

Event	Winner
The Sentry	Chris Kirk
Sony Open in Hawaii	Grayson Murray (Rest in Peace)
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 (first time)
Arnold Palmer Invitational	Scottie Scheffler
THE PLAYERS Championship	Scottie Scheffler (2)
Valspar Championship	Peter Malnati
Texas Children’s Houston Open	Stephan Jaeger (first time)
Valero Texas Open	Akshay Bhatia
88^th Masters Tournament	Scottie Scheffler (3)
RBC Heritage	Scottie Scheffler (4)
Zurich Classic	Rory McIlroy & Shane Lowry
THE CJ CUP Byron Nelson	Taylor Pendrith (first time)
Wells Fargo Championship	Rory McIlroy (2)
106^th PGA Championship	Xander Schauffele
Charles Schwab Challenge	Davis Riley
RBC Canadian Open	Robert MacIntyre (first time)
The 49^th Memorial Tournament	Scottie Scheffler (5)
124^th United States Open	Bryson DeChambeau
Travelers Championship	Scottie Scheffler (6)
Rocket Mortgage Classic	Cam Davis
John Deere Classic	Davis Thompson (first time)
Genesis Scottish Open	Robert MacIntyre (2)
152^nd Open Championship	Xander Schauffele (2)
3M Open	Jhonattan Vegas
2024 Paris Olympics	Scottie Scheffler (7)
3M Open	Jhonattan Vegas
Wyndham Championship	Aaron Rai (first time)
FedEx St. Jude Championship	Hideki Matsuyama (2)
BMW Championship	Keegan Bradley
The TOUR Championship	Scottie Scheffler (8)

FedEx Cup Fall
Procore Championship	Patton Kizzire
Sanderson Farms Championship	Kevin Yu (first time)
Black Desert Championship	Matt McCarty (first time)
Shriners Children’s Open	JT Poston
ZOZO CHAMPIONSHIP	Nico Echavarria
World Wide Technology Champ	Austin Eckroat (2)
Butterfield Bermuda Champ	Rafa Campos (first time)
The RSM Classic	Maverick McNealy (first time)

2025 Season Winners

Event	Winner
The Sentry	Hideki Matsuyama
Sony Open in Hawaii
The American Express
Farmers Insurance Open

Recent Winners – Sony Open in Hawaii

Italics – not entered this week.

Year	Winner	Notes
2024	Grayson Murray (-17)	Knocked out Byeong Hun An and Keegan Bradley with a 48-foot birdie on the first playoff hole. May he rest in peace.
2023	Si Woo Kim (-18)	Shot 64 on Sunday to make up a three-shot deficit and knock out 54-hole leader Hayden Buckley by a shot.
2022	Hideki Matsuyama (-23)	Matched the second-highest winning score since 2000. Rain and windy conditions all weekend.
2021	Kevin Na (-21)	Shot 61 in Round 3 and beat Chris Kirk by one.
2020	Cameron Smith (-11)	Matched the second highest winning score since 2000. Rain and windy conditions all weekend.
2019	Matt Kuchar (-22)	Won comfortably by four over Andrew Putnam.
2018	Patton Kizzire (-17)	Needed a playoff to win in just his second visit.

Angles

Waialae Country Club stretches to just 7,044 yards, one of the shortest courses on TOUR, and plays to Par-70.

Par-70 was established for the 1999 edition, the only tournament to produce a single-digit winning score (-9). The two highest winning scores since are 11-under in 2005 and 2020.

Hideki Matsuyama was the last of nine consecutive winners to play the week before at Kapalua. The last two champions did not.

Bermudagrass fairways, rough, and greens are in play again this week.

With greens averaging 7,100 square feet, Waialae has some of the largest putting surfaces on TOUR.

Experienced players flourished in this event from 1997 through 2019. All but three winners were under the age of 30. Over the last five years, only one champion has been older than 30. If you’re good enough, you’re old enough.

The course record, 59, was set in 2017 by Justin Thomas (not entered), in Round 1. Going on to victory, he smashed the tournament scoring record by three shots (253; 27-under).

Four of the last five winners previously represented the International team in the Presidents Cup.

Murray (second attempt) ended a run of champions who needed four or more previous tries before winning.

Si Woo Kim is the only winner in the last 10 to NOT register in the top 6 in Par-4 scoring.

The last 10 winners finished in the top 18 in Proximity. None were in the top 10 of Driving Accuracy.

There has been a playoff every other year since 2016. This year suggests NO PLAYOFF!

Players to consider for Top 10, Top 20, or Top 40 action:

Robert MacIntyre (+3000): Making his second start, few in the field handle stiff breezes better than the Scotsman. A two-time winner on TOUR last year, he can play free as a bird in 2025.

Byeong Hun An (+3000): After defeating Tom Kim in a playoff in Korea last fall, the winner on the European Tour, KFT, and Challenge Tour has not won on the PGA TOUR. Falling in a playoff last year after cashing T12 in 2023, he quickly picked up what it takes to contend at Waialae.

Luke Clanton (+3000): I’ve forgotten what class he is in at Florida State, but I remember his sponsor’s exemptions. The young man usually takes advantage of the privilege and the latest evidence was cashing a share of second place at the RSM Classic last fall. Oh, and he’s ranked 87^th in the OWGR!

Austin Eckroat (+3500): The winner in Mexico, his second victory of 2024, also cashed T17 at the RSM and T15 last week. Smash it, find it, and smash it again!

JT Poston (+4000): I loved him last week, but a first-round fizzle (74) knocked him out of contention. Last year, he closed with 61 to secure solo sixth, his best at Waialae.

Ben Griffin (+5000): Nobody posted more rounds in the 60s on TOUR last season.

Chris Kirk (+5500): Matt Kuchar and Russell Henley are the only players in the field who have won more cash here. Do not forget Kirk has never won the event but has hit the podium twice in his last four.

Cam Davis (+6000): Playing for the seventh consecutive season, the Aussie has cashed T32 or better in five straight.

Harry Hall (+5000), Thomas Detry (+5000), and Tom Hoge (+7000) all painted the top 10 at The Sentry last week. Detry is the only non-winner in that trio.

Course Horses Andrew Putnam (+9000), Nick Taylor (+11000), and Matt Kuchar deserve a look.

I love a nibble on Bud Cauley and Vince Whaley at +20000.

Good luck!

One and Done – Spotter’s Game

1 player per event (plus a backup pick if your guy gets kidnapped on Wednesday night and doesn’t make it to the first tee Thursday).

1 use per year.

LAST WEEK – THE SENTRY

MY CHOICE: Sungjae Im – 3rd

Just Missed: Sahith Theegala, Justin Thomas, Akshay Bhatia, Jason Day

I was more surprised at the lack of results from the gang in “Just Missed” than I was riding the safe play of the Korean. Nothing like a podium finish to kick off the new campaign!

Event	Selection	Earnings
The Sentry	Sungjae Im	$1,360,000
Sony Open in Hawaii
The American Express
Farmers Insurance Open

THIS WEEK – Sony Open in Hawaii

The second stop on The Opening Drive in Hawaii takes the TOUR to a familiar stop. Waialae has followed Kapalua in every edition since 1999.

Two major differences this week:

No Cut
Field of 144 players

This is not the time to fall in love, but if you had a big week last week (Matsuyama, Morikawa, or Im) you can gamble this time.

Winning $1.566 million this week is great, but that’s almost third place for a major, FedExCup Playoff event, THE PLAYERS or seven more Signature Events.

If you’re one of those folks planning out all your plays before the season, fantastic but form, function, and injury also factor over the long haul.

Also, if you are saving your best guys for last, they all must hit perfectly. Remember Keegan Bradley at the BMW Championship last year? Was anyone saving him for that event??

Right.

My approach is more art than science. There’s an old saying that guys peak for six to eight weeks per year, usually around the big events for the biggest of players. Remember, Scottie Scheffler won just about everything last year so don’t fret if you weren’t on Matsuyama last week. Hell, he might win again at TPC Scottsdale next month or successfully defend at Riviera if it doesn’t burn down. Be safe Los Angeles and Godspeed to our firefighters.

MY CHOICE: Muscle Russell Henley

Others to consider/fade

Hideki Matsuyama, Corey Conners, Byeong Hun An, Cam Davis,

Opening Drive 2025 – The Sentry

January 1, 2025January 1, 2025 / mikeglasscott / Leave a comment

The Sentry

The Plantation Course at Kapalua

Lahaina, Maui, Hawaii

Welcome to 2025

For those of you who are just arriving for the first time, here’s what’s going on:

This column is me. My thoughts, my humor, my fun, my opinions.

I write Odds Outlook every Monday and Horses for Courses each Wednesday at PGATOUR.COM/Golfbet.

Please follow along at the TOUR website for all our great betting and fantasy content!

Chalk

My thoughts on the top 10 players for betting purposes:

Xander Schauffele: Slides into the role of the favorite with Scottie Scheffler missing out due to a Christmas Day accident. If you haven’t heard Scheffler is hurt, you might want to donate your money to charity or bet College Football games instead. The two-time major winner from 2024 is a former winner here and rakes on Maui.

Justin Thomas: Podium finishes before and after the birth of his first child suggests an explosive 2025. Bet. Only two-time winner in the field (2020, 2017).

Collin Morikawa: Five starts at Kapalua, T7 is the worst payday. Nobody can match that over the last five years. The next step is finding a hot putter on the weekend.

Ludvig Aberg: Knee surgery in September will be tested walking up and down the mountain this week. How important is it to go low this week? Making his debut last year, he posted 10-under 63 in Round 4 and yet only cashed T47.

Patrick Cantlay: Two top-five paydays from six starts are the highlights. Has not won on TOUR since the 2022 BMW Championship.

Sungjae Im: Super comfortable on the Pacific Rim and super-comfortable making a boatload of birdies, including a PGA TOUR record 34 at this event last year. Four starts, three top-10 paydays, and T13.

Hideki Matsuyama: His first three visits all cashed in the top five. His next four = nothing better than T13.

Sahith Theegala: I’m trying to talk myself off the ledge after leaving him off my PGA TOUR Fantasy Lineup. I’m having a terrible time rationalizing that decision. Fell one shot short of a playoff here last year after opening with 64 and closing with 63.

Viktor Hovland: Broken toe and parted ways with his swing coach made for a hectic final week of 2024.

Akshay Bhatia: Lovely outsider. Handles big ballparks and ocean breezes. T14 debut last year and fourth in The Bahamas, where he previously won an event on the KFT, in the Hero World Challenge.

Sam Burns: Joins Nick Taylor as the only two players with three starts and never hit the top 25.

Corey Conners: Never better than T18 in three visits. Putting matters in Maui.

NOW PLAYING:

Host Course:	The Plantation Course at Kapalua
Yards (per official scorecard):	7,596
Par:	73 (36-37)
Greens:	TifEagle Bermuda; 8,722 square feet on average; LARGEST on TOUR.
Stimpmeter:	11 feet.
Rough:	Celebration Bermuda at 2.5 inches.
Bunkers/Water Hazards/In-Play	93/0/0.
Architect(s):	Coore and Crenshaw (1999).
Defending Champion (event):	Chris Kirk was listed at +12500, posted 29-under, and won by a shot (Theegala).
Multiple Champion(s) Entered:	Justin Thomas (2020, 2017).
Course Record (last):	61; Justin Thomas is the only player in the field who has posted this number. Three others are not entered/did not qualify.
72 Hole Tournament Record (last):	258 (-34); Cam Smith 2022 (no longer a member on TOUR).
Fact of the Week:	72 holes, no cut.
Fact of the Week II:	19 players making their debut this week. The last player to win on their first attempt at Kapalua was Daniel Chopra in 2008.

Notes:

Field of 60.
Winners in calendar year 2024 and/or qualifiers for the 2024 BMW Championship are eligible.
The OWGR is represented by 15 of the top 20.
First of eight SIGNATURE EVENTS of 2024.
$20 million – $3.6 million – 700 FedExCup points – Sentry and Masters ticket punched.

Season Winners

2024 Season Winners

Event	Winner
The Sentry	Chris Kirk
Sony Open in Hawaii	Grayson Murray (Rest in Peace)
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 (first time)
Arnold Palmer Invitational	Scottie Scheffler
THE PLAYERS Championship	Scottie Scheffler (2)
Valspar Championship	Peter Malnati
Texas Children’s Houston Open	Stephan Jaeger (first time)
Valero Texas Open	Akshay Bhatia
88^th Masters Tournament	Scottie Scheffler (3)
RBC Heritage	Scottie Scheffler (4)
Zurich Classic	Rory McIlroy & Shane Lowry
THE CJ CUP Byron Nelson	Taylor Pendrith (first time)
Wells Fargo Championship	Rory McIlroy (2)
106^th PGA Championship	Xander Schauffele
Charles Schwab Challenge	Davis Riley
RBC Canadian Open	Robert MacIntyre (first time)
The 49^th Memorial Tournament	Scottie Scheffler (5)
124^th United States Open	Bryson DeChambeau
Travelers Championship	Scottie Scheffler (6)
Rocket Mortgage Classic	Cam Davis
John Deere Classic	Davis Thompson (first time)
Genesis Scottish Open	Robert MacIntyre (2)
152^nd Open Championship	Xander Schauffele (2)
3M Open	Jhonattan Vegas
2024 Paris Olympics	Scottie Scheffler (7)
3M Open	Jhonattan Vegas
Wyndham Championship	Aaron Rai (first time)
FedEx St. Jude Championship	Hideki Matsuyama (2)
BMW Championship	Keegan Bradley
The TOUR Championship	Scottie Scheffler (8)

FedEx Cup Fall
Procore Championship	Patton Kizzire
Sanderson Farms Championship	Kevin Yu (first time)
Black Desert Championship	Matt McCarty (first time)
Shriners Children’s Open	JT Poston
ZOZO CHAMPIONSHIP	Nico Echavarria
World Wide Technology Champ	Austin Eckroat (2)
Butterfield Bermuda Champ	Rafa Campos (first time)
The RSM Classic	Maverick McNealy (first time)

Recent Winners – The Sentry

Italics – not entered this week.

Year	Winner	Notes
2024	Chris Kirk (-29)	Only squared ONE BOGEY; won for the sixth time on TOUR.
2023	Jon Rahm (-25)	Won by two, no longer a member on TOUR.
2022	Cam Smith (-34)	Set the tournament scoring record, no longer a member on TOUR.
2021	Harris English (-25)	Won in a playoff on his second visit.
2020	Justin Thomas (-14)	Won a three-man playoff over Schauffele and Reed in breezy conditions.
2019	Xander Schauffele (-23)	Closed with 62, tying the course record at the time, to win in his second try.
2018	Dustin Johnson (-24)	Winning by eight shots, he tied the margin of victory standard.

Angles

The Plantation Course tips at 7,596 yards, the third longest course used in 2023, and plays to Par-73.

The Plantation Course ranked as the easiest course on TOUR the last four seasons, playing more than three shots under par per round annually. Weather is the only deterrent to scoring.

The resort course features generous fairways and the largest greens complexes on TOUR.

Elevation changes and uneven lies will challenge players on second shots.

TifEagle Bermuda greens running at 11 feet will allow players to be aggressive on the short grass.

The last 10 winners finished in the top 16 in SG: Putting.

Kirk is the only winner from the last 10 to rank outside the top 10 in SG: Off the tee.

Kirk and English (not entered) are the only two non-major championship winners in the last decade.

Diving Deeper

Players for top 10 and top 20 action, reason to avoid, or OAD questions and answers.

Ben An: Wasn’t bothered on debut last year (solo fourth) and won in October.

Russell Henley: Save him for next week.

Tony Finau: Off-season knee surgery will keep me on the sidelines until I see evidence.

Adam Scott: Only Justin Thomas has made as many starts. Only Morikawa and JT have more top 10s (5) than the Australian (4).

Robert MacIntyre: One of 19 first-time participants. Careful.

Wyndham Clark: Closed with 63 for T29 on debut in 2024. I didn’t see any inspiration in Napa Valley (mc) or at the Hero World Challenge (T17 of 20 players).

Davis Thompson: First-timer. The Birdie machine hits it a mile. Nibble.

J.T. Poston: Likes it here. Bigger bite.

Max Greyserman: Shit-fire hot minus that elusive first win. Water is deeper in this field.

Brian Harman: Turing 38 in three weeks, his Georgia teammate won here at 38 last year. Making his fifth start, he’s hit the top five twice and never worse than T17. Interesting.

Cameron Young: Here we go again. Make a putt already.

Jason Day: Veteran loves the extra room to move it off the tee and has no problem on these greens.

Keegan Bradley: The Ryder Cup captain for 2025 at Bethpage Black has a very busy eight months in front of him. TGL, his game, and selecting his team makes a full plate.

Maverick McNealy: FINALLY. One of my favorites over the years is now healthy. Grew up on Pebble Beach.

Max Homa: The finishes might not scream PICK ME PICK ME, but he’s never posted less than 20-under in his last three visits. He likes it here. Now, about that current form…

Si Woo Kim: My buddy Jay always bets the Korean on Bermuda. A winner at Sony at The American Express in the last five years, I will let him get loose this week.

Taylor Pendrith: Another who can smash it and make a ton of birdies, the Canadian hopes to be more Hadwin than Nick Taylor.

Matt Fitzpatrick: T14 and T7 in his first two visits but has not hit the top 10 since the Memorial last June. I wonder if the problem with dialing in his new irons is still bothering him. Lovely risk-reward in a no-cut field.

Alex Noren: Debutant.

Will Zalatoris: I doubt he would fly halfway around the world to South Africa if his back was bothering him. T11 with four rounds in the 60s on his debut in 2023. Value here.

Aaron Rai: 2 gloves and zero problems tee to green. First appearance on the massive greens.

Denny McCarthy: Not sure he has enough ammo, but the large targets will create more chances to wield his INCREDIBLE flat stick.

Sepp Straka: T9 at the Hero plus T12-T21 here the last two years.

Billy Horschel: Only eight rounds in the 60s here in seven previous visits.

Eric Cole: T16 or better in three of his four last starts plus T14 on debut last year. What am I missing?

Nick Dunlap: Maker or breaker!?!? Remember, Castle Pines was a level playing field (most guys had never seen the place before the event). That’s not true this week.

Christiaan Bezuidenhout: Opened his season solo second at The American Express last year. Big ask this year.

Nico Echavarria: Love it. Top 10 just in case.

One and Done – Spotter’s Game

1 player per event (plus a backup pick if your guy gets kidnapped on Wednesday night and doesn’t make it to the first tee Thursday).

1 use per year.

With EIGHT Signature Events spread over the season, player management becomes a major issue. These events do NOT include the four majors or THE PLAYERS Championship. These events do NOT include the FedExCup Playoffs. This game ends with the BMW Championship.

This is a bonus week as there is NO CUT. Everyone gets a paycheck!

MY CHOICE: Sungjae Im

Just Missed: Sahith Theegala, Justin Thomas, Akshay Bhatia, Jason Day

Glass Houses

Fantasy Golf Only

#DFS

Truist Championship

THE CJ CUP Byron Nelson

RBC Heritage

89th Masters Tournament

Valero Texas Open

WM Phoenix Open

AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am

Farmers Insurance Open

Sony Open in Hawaii

Opening Drive 2025 – The Sentry