George Fazio (1981); Jack Nicklaus (2002, 2014 redesign; 2018).
Defending Champion (event):
Joe Highsmith (-19)
Multiple Champion(s) Entered:
Zero in 19 events at this course.
Course Record:
59; Jake Knapp (not entered), Round 1, 2025.
72 Hole Tournament Record
19-under (265).
Fact of the Week:
5 of the last 7 champions are first-time winners on TOUR.
Fact of the Week II:
The tournament scoring record has been broken in three consecutive events (2023-2025).
The biggest defenses of the course are the Florida breeze and water penalty areas, seemingly everywhere. Better be able to shape and control the golf ball.
Big greens, when found, get more difficult the closer to the hole, a la Jack Nicklaus designs.
Jack Nicklaus is the only player to win this event in consecutive seasons on the same course (1977, 1978).
Nobody has won twice since moving to The Champion Course (20th edition 2026).
Notes:
Field of 123.
The cut will be made after 36 holes. The top 65 and ties play the weekend.
The OWGR is represented by 6 of the top 50.
$9.6 million – $1.728 million – 500 FedExCup points
2026 Season Winners
Event
Winner
The Sentry
No Event
Sony Open in Hawaii
Chris Gotterup
The American Express
Scottie Scheffler
Farmers Insurance Open
Justin Rose
WM Phoenix Open
Chris Gotterup (2)
The Genesis Invitational
Jacob Bridgeman (first time winner)
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 (LIV)
The Genesis Invitational
Ludvig Aberg
Mexico Open at Vidanta
Brian Campbell (first time)
Cognizant Classic
Joe Highsmith (first time)
Arnold Palmer Invitational
Russell Henley
Puerto Rico Open
Karl Vilips (first time)
THE PLAYERS Championship
Rory McIlroy
Valspar Championship
Viktor Hovland
Texas Children’s Houston Open
Min Woo Lee (first time)
Valero Texas Open
Brian Harman
88th Masters Tournament
Rory McIlroy (career grand slam)
RBC Heritage
Justin Thomas
Zurich Classic
Ben Griffin & Andrew Novak (first time winners)
THE CJ CUP Byron Nelson
Scottie Scheffler
Truist Championship
Sepp Straka (2)
Mrytle Beach One Flight
Ryan Fox
106th PGA Championship
Scottie Scheffler (2)
Charles Schwab Challenge
Ben Griffin (2)
The 50th Memorial Tournament
Scottie Scheffler (3)
RBC Canadian Open
Ryan Fox (2)
124th United States Open
J.J. Spaun
Travelers Championship
Keegan Bradley
Rocket Mortgage Classic
Aldrich Potgieter (first time)
John Deere Classic
Brian Campbell (2)
Genesis Scottish Open
Chris Gotterup
ISCO Championship
William Mouw (first time)
152nd Open Championship
Scottie Scheffler (4)
Barracuda Championship
Ryan Gerard (first time)
3M Open
Kurt Kitayama
Wyndham Championship
Cameron Young (first time)
FedEx St. Jude Championship
Justin Rose
BMW Championship
Scottie Scheffler (5)
The TOUR Championship
Tommy Fleetwood (first time)
FedEx Cup Fall
Procore Championship
Scottie Scheffler (6)
Sanderson Farms Championship
Steven Fisk (first time)
Black Desert Championship
Michael Brennan (first time)
Baycurrent Championship
Xander Schauffele
World Wide Technology Champ
Ben Griffin (3)
Butterfield Bermuda Champ
Adam Schenk (first time)
The RSM Classic
Sami Valimaki (first time)
Recent Winners – Cognizant Classic
Italics – not entered this week.
Year
Winner
Notes
2025
Joe Highsmith (-19)
Set the tournament scoring record to win for the first time on TOUR.
2024
Austin Eckroat (-17)
Making his second start, he set the new scoring standard on the NEW Par-71 track. Won by 3 and became the fourth first-time winner in six events.
2023
Chris Kirk (-14)
Needed an extra hole to defeat Eric Cole and produced the lowest winning total in the final season of the Par-70 layout.
2022
Sepp Straka (-10)
Outlasted Shane Lowry, Kurt Kitayama, and Daniel Berger in a deluge late on Sunday to win for the first time on TOUR.
2021
Matt Jones (-12)
Won by five in the big breezes.
2020
Sungjae Im (-6)
Became the youngest winner (21 yrs) and won for the first time on TOUR.
2019
Keith Mitchell (-9)
Held off Rickie Fowler by a shot to add his name to the list of four UGA Bulldog winners since 2014.
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
Sony Open in Hawaii
Robert MacIntyre
T4
409,500
The American Express
Ben Griffin
T24
81,420
Farmers Insurance
Jason Day
T38
41,760
WM Phoenix Open
Sahith Theegala
T18
122,720
AT&T Pebble Beach
Patrick Cantlay
T14
342,500
The Genesis Invitational
Tommy Fleetwood
T7
603,200
This Week – Cognizant Classic at the Palm Beaches
MY CHOICE: Daniel Berger
A late entry after missing the cut at Riviera, the hometown lad knows this place inside and out. In a limited field, I will ride familiarity and #FloridaMan.
Just Missed
Shane Lowry, Michael Thorbjornsen, Luke Clanton, and any players from Denmark.
The Genesis Invitational was held at Torrey Pines South in 2025. Please be aware.
Fact of the Week II:
Since 2008, only TWO players younger than 30 have won this event (Rahm, Niemann).
Notes:
Field of 72.
Second of eight Signature Events.
The OWGR is represented by 27 of the top 30.
$20 million – $4 million – 700 FedExCup points.
Recent Winners
2026 Season Winners
Event
Winner
The Sentry
No Event
Sony Open in Hawaii
Chris Gotterup
The American Express
Scottie Scheffler
Farmers Insurance Open
Justin Rose
WM Phoenix Open
Chris Gotterup (2)
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 (LIV)
The Genesis Invitational
Ludvig Aberg
Mexico Open at Vidanta
Brian Campbell (first time)
Cognizant Classic
Joe Highsmith (first time)
Arnold Palmer Invitational
Russell Henley
Puerto Rico Open
Karl Vilips (first time)
THE PLAYERS Championship
Rory McIlroy
Valspar Championship
Viktor Hovland
Texas Children’s Houston Open
Min Woo Lee (first time)
Valero Texas Open
Brian Harman
88th Masters Tournament
Rory McIlroy (career grand slam)
RBC Heritage
Justin Thomas
Zurich Classic
Ben Griffin & Andrew Novak (first time winners)
THE CJ CUP Byron Nelson
Scottie Scheffler
Truist Championship
Sepp Straka (2)
Mrytle Beach One Flight
Ryan Fox
106th PGA Championship
Scottie Scheffler (2)
Charles Schwab Challenge
Ben Griffin (2)
The 50th Memorial Tournament
Scottie Scheffler (3)
RBC Canadian Open
Ryan Fox (2)
124th United States Open
J.J. Spaun
Travelers Championship
Keegan Bradley
Rocket Mortgage Classic
Aldrich Potgieter (first time)
John Deere Classic
Brian Campbell (2)
Genesis Scottish Open
Chris Gotterup
ISCO Championship
William Mouw (first time)
152nd Open Championship
Scottie Scheffler (4)
Barracuda Championship
Ryan Gerard (first time)
3M Open
Kurt Kitayama
Wyndham Championship
Cameron Young (first time)
FedEx St. Jude Championship
Justin Rose
BMW Championship
Scottie Scheffler (5)
The TOUR Championship
Tommy Fleetwood (first time)
FedEx Cup Fall
Procore Championship
Scottie Scheffler (6)
Sanderson Farms Championship
Steven Fisk (first time)
Black Desert Championship
Michael Brennan (first time)
Baycurrent Championship
Xander Schauffele
World Wide Technology Champ
Ben Griffin (3)
Butterfield Bermuda Champ
Adam Schenk (first time)
The RSM Classic
Sami Valimaki (first time)
Recent Winners – The Genesis Invitational
Italics – not entered this week.
Year
Winner
Notes
2025
Ludvig Aberg (-12)
Hosted at the venerable Torrey Pines South, the Swede held off California native Maverick McNealy by a shot to win for the second time on TOUR.
2024
Hideki Matsuyama
Closed with 62, the lowest round for a winner, to overcome a six-shot deficit. Won by three strokes.
2023
Jon Rahm (-17)
Defeated 2021 winner Max Homa by two shots.
2022
Joaquin Niemann (-19)
Became just the fourth wire-to-wire winner in event history.
2021
Max Homa (-12)
Defeated Tony Finau in a playoff.
2020
Adam Scott (-11)
Held off Matt Kuchar and two others by two shots.
2019
J.B. Holmes (-14)
Justin Thomas was 18-under with 17 holes to go. He finished second on 13-under.
2018
Bubba Watson (-12)
Won for the third time holding off Tony Finau by two shots.
Angles:
Masters champions have won this event 12 times since the turn of the century.
The last nine winners needed four or more starts before raising the trophy.
The last player to win on debut was Adam Scott in 2005. The victory was unofficial as the event, canceled due to weather, only could play 36 holes.
The trio of Par-5 holes ranked as some of the friendliest on TOUR.
The Par-4 holes are not, including the very famous No. 10.
With difficult fairways to find off the tee, using the 7,500 square feet to land approaches is critical.
Bunkers this week are penal. Getting it close is rare. Getting it up and down is a struggle.
The Riviera Country Club is nestled in the Santa Monica Canyon. The layout provides only 150 feet of elevation change. Without putting surfaces exposed to the coastline, the Stimpmeter will be pushing 13 or better, the fastest speed on TOUR yet in 2026.
One and Done – Spotter’s Game
1 player per event, plus a backup selection if your original choice does not tee off.
After opening with 66, I thought I was on my way! His 71-69 sandwich saw him fall off the pace before a Sunday 65 cashed T14.
I would guess he wins THIS week!
Event
Selection
Place
Earnings
Sony Open in Hawaii
Robert MacIntyre
T4
409,500
The American Express
Ben Griffin
T24
81,420
Farmers Insurance
Jason Day
T38
41,760
WM Phoenix Open
Sahith Theegala
T18
122,720
AT&T Pebble Beach
Patrick Cantlay
T14
342,500
THIS WEEK – The Genesis Invitational
The power players will be happy to have room to swing the driver early and often at the Par-71, 7,383-yard layout.
Experience is a huge factor this week, and with a loaded field there are plenty of choices.
I would start in Southern California if you are chasing. Patrick Cantlay and Xander Schauffele have better records at other venues and events, but both have been close here. Max Homa and Tony Finau make excellent long-shot contenders, but I will remind you there is a cut this week (Top 50 and anyone 10 shots off the lead) after two rounds.
If you are going to play Scheffler or McIlroy, I won’t stop you. I will point out that there are six other Signature Events, four major championships, and a pair of FedExCup Playoff events to plan for accordingly.
I’m not a fan of playing guys of that magnitude on tracks where they have never won before. The list of winners here suggests those who have had results at Augusta National, and that covers both No. 1 and No. 2. The rumblings about Scheffler not enjoying his time on Poa annua have been noted. McIlroy and Quail Hollow are tough to separate. Both play Arnold Palmer and TPC Sawgrass well.
Good luck!
MY CHOICE: Tommy Fleetwood
The Englishman fits the mold of recent international winners who have lifted the trophy. Matsuyama, Rahm, and Niemann followed SoCal native Max Homa as the last four winners. Fleetwood opened his PGA TOUR schedule last week at Pebble Beach and finished T4. As usual, he bludgeoned GIR and finished the week second in Strokes-Gained: Tee to Green. Keeping the ball out of trouble off the tee and into the greens are keys this week.
Yes, The Open Championship is in his backyard at Royal Birkdale, in Southport, England, got it. Has McIlroy won at Royal Portrush yet?
Only five international players (six wins) have lifted the trophy this century, including the last two winners.
Fact of the Week II:
Only two players have won on debut this century.
Notes:
Field of 123.
The top 65 and ties play the weekend.
The OWGR is represented by 32 of the top 50.
$9.6 million – $1.728 million – 500 FedExCup points – Sentry, PLAYERS, and Masters ticket punched.
Recent Winners
2026 Season Winners
Event
Winner
The Sentry
No Event
Sony Open in Hawaii
Chris Gotterup
The American Express
Scottie Scheffler
Farmers Insurance Open
Justin Rose
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 (LIV)
The Genesis Invitational
Ludvig Aberg
Mexico Open at Vidanta
Brian Campbell (first time)
Cognizant Classic
Joe Highsmith (first time)
Arnold Palmer Invitational
Russell Henley
Puerto Rico Open
Karl Vilips (first time)
THE PLAYERS Championship
Rory McIlroy
Valspar Championship
Viktor Hovland
Texas Children’s Houston Open
Min Woo Lee (first time)
Valero Texas Open
Brian Harman
88th Masters Tournament
Rory McIlroy (career grand slam)
RBC Heritage
Justin Thomas
Zurich Classic
Ben Griffin & Andrew Novak (first time winners)
THE CJ CUP Byron Nelson
Scottie Scheffler
Truist Championship
Sepp Straka (2)
Mrytle Beach One Flight
Ryan Fox
106th PGA Championship
Scottie Scheffler (2)
Charles Schwab Challenge
Ben Griffin (2)
The 50th Memorial Tournament
Scottie Scheffler (3)
RBC Canadian Open
Ryan Fox (2)
124th United States Open
J.J. Spaun
Travelers Championship
Keegan Bradley
Rocket Mortgage Classic
Aldrich Potgieter (first time)
John Deere Classic
Brian Campbell (2)
Genesis Scottish Open
Chris Gotterup
ISCO Championship
William Mouw (first time)
152nd Open Championship
Scottie Scheffler (4)
Barracuda Championship
Ryan Gerard (first time)
3M Open
Kurt Kitayama
Wyndham Championship
Cameron Young (first time)
FedEx St. Jude Championship
Justin Rose
BMW Championship
Scottie Scheffler (5)
The TOUR Championship
Tommy Fleetwood (first time)
FedEx Cup Fall
Procore Championship
Scottie Scheffler (6)
Sanderson Farms Championship
Steven Fisk (first time)
Black Desert Championship
Michael Brennan (first time)
Baycurrent Championship
Xander Schauffele
World Wide Technology Champ
Ben Griffin (3)
Butterfield Bermuda Champ
Adam Schenk (first time)
The RSM Classic
Sami Valimaki (first time)
Recent Winners – WM Phoenix Open
Italics – not entered this week.
Year
Winner
Notes
2025
Thomas Detry (-24)
Smoked the field by seven shots to become the first champion to win by more than two strokes since the 2014 renovation. No longer eligible for the PGA TOUR.
2024
Nick Taylor (-21)
Held off Charley Hoffman to become the sixth winner in the last nine to need extra holes. The duo established the new tournament scoring record.
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 while holding off KH Lee and Xander Schauffele by a shot.
2020
Webb Simpson (-17)
Defeated Tony Finau in a playoff.
2019
Rickie Fowler (-19)
Sat 20-under after 54 holes before eventually winning by two shots in cool, rainy, conditions.
2018
Gary Woodland (-18)
Defeated Chez Reavie in a playoff; Circled 26 birdies.
2017
Hideki Matsuyama (-17)
Successfully defended his title knocking out Webb Simpson in a playoff.
2016
Hideki Matsuyama (-14)
Won in his third attempt, defeating Rickie Fowler in a playoff.
2015
Brooks Koepka (-15)
First win on TOUR on debut; defeated a trio of players, including Hideki Matsuyama, by a shot.
Notables
The highest winning total since 2015 is 14-under par, from 2016.
The last three champions have set the tournament scoring record.
Eight of the last nine winners have ranked eighth or better in Ball-Striking.
Detry, Taylor, and Matsuyama joined 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 Koepka in 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 features on TOUR at TPC Craig Ranch and Black Desert Golf Club, where Michael Brennan (2025) and Matt McCarty both broke their maidens.
Perfect weather = golf ball gonna go and conditions will be ideal for scoring.
Leave the kids at home. Only two players this century, as noted above, have won on debut here. Detry’s masterclass in 2025 is all it took to become a first-time TOUR winner at this event. His numbers were Scheffler-ian. Good luck finding a repeat of that.
One and Done – Spotter’s Game
1 player per event, plus a backup selection if your original choice does not tee off.
1 use per year.
LAST WEEK – Farmers Insurance Open
My Choice: Jason Day (T38)
WE ARE GOING THE WRONG WAY.
I picked the wrong “old” one-time major champion with great course history.
Shit happens.
He played the weekend in four-under-par, but that’s of no consolation when the winner posted 22-under. He had a fantastic week with his approach play, but was in the bottom 10 in putting. That was NOT the combination I envisioned.
Sigh.
Event
Selection
Place
Earnings
Sony Open in Hawaii
Robert MacIntyre
T4
409,500
The American Express
Ben Griffin
T24
81,420
Farmers Insurance
Jason Day
T38
41,760
THIS WEEK – WM Phoenix Open
Although I’m disappointed with my last three weeks, this game will be won and lost at THE PLAYERS, the four major championships, and the first two events of the FedExCup Playoffs.
Getting it right for those events, plus the Signature Events, remains the main thing.
MY CHOICE: Sahith Theegala
The 54-hole leader, or co-leader, twice in four years, enters the week off back-to-back top-10 paydays and looks to have found his early-season groove.
I’m going to let Koepka get comfortable. Matsuyama was a tough lay-down here, but he also loves Riviera. Scheffler? No chance. Majors or THE PLAYERS. Remember when nobody won THE PLAYERS back-to-back? Yeah, no chance I’m writing him off for three straight.
Others to consider:
Cameron Young – big hitter, GREAT putter, hotter than a match.
Si Woo Kim – As long as his pal Scheffler is nowhere near him on Sunday, he has desert bonafides.
Maverick McNealy – Back-to-back Top 10s here.
Jake Knapp – Another who can overpower the angles and roll the rock.
Chris Gotterup – Free as a bird and should love this environment.
Pierceson Coody – Closed with 65 last week at Torrey Pines and led the TOUR in SG: Off the Tee in 2025.
Horses for Courses
Player
Top
Scoring
Top
Notes
(cuts made/starts)
10
Avg
25
Scottie Scheffler (5/6)
4
67.25
5
2x winner; T3 2024.
Nick Taylor (7/11)
2
69.83
3
T25-WIN-T2 last 3 = best 3.
Hideki Matsuyama (11/12)
3
68.24
9
T29 or better in 10 of 11.
Rickie Fowler (11/17)
5
69.09
7
WD/MC 4 of last 5; 2019 WIN, 2016 2nd.
Brooks Koepka (5/5)
3
68.15
3
T3 last visit ’22.
Jordan Spieth (7/9)
6
68.50
6
T6 or better 4 of last 5; 3 straight T6>.
Gary Woodland (11/16)
3
69.52
5
Win 2018; T7 defense; T21 2025.
Xander Schauffele (6/6)
4
67.92
6
3 straight top 10; worst is T17; 1st start since 2023.
None. Only five multiple winners since 1965 (Last: Jimmy Walker).
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 been the only course to host this event. There was no event in 1970.
Fact of the Week II:
The last player to win on debut was Russell Henley in 2013. Experience matters, gang.
Notes:
Field of 120.
The OWGR is represented by 20 of the top 50.
Top 65 and ties will make the cut and play the weekend.
$9.1 million – $1.638 million – 500 FedExCup points – Sentry 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
WM Phoenix Open
Thomas Detry (LIV)
The Genesis Invitational
Ludvig Aberg
Mexico Open at Vidanta
Brian Campbell (first time)
Cognizant Classic
Joe Highsmith (first time)
Arnold Palmer Invitational
Russell Henley
Puerto Rico Open
Karl Vilips (first time)
THE PLAYERS Championship
Rory McIlroy
Valspar Championship
Viktor Hovland
Texas Children’s Houston Open
Min Woo Lee (first time)
Valero Texas Open
Brian Harman
88th Masters Tournament
Rory McIlroy (career grand slam)
RBC Heritage
Justin Thomas
Zurich Classic
Ben Griffin & Andrew Novak (first time winners)
THE CJ CUP Byron Nelson
Scottie Scheffler
Truist Championship
Sepp Straka (2)
Mrytle Beach One Flight
Ryan Fox
106th PGA Championship
Scottie Scheffler (2)
Charles Schwab Challenge
Ben Griffin (2)
The 50th Memorial Tournament
Scottie Scheffler (3)
RBC Canadian Open
Ryan Fox (2)
124th United States Open
J.J. Spaun
Travelers Championship
Keegan Bradley
Rocket Mortgage Classic
Aldrich Potgieter (first time)
John Deere Classic
Brian Campbell (2)
Genesis Scottish Open
Chris Gotterup
ISCO Championship
William Mouw (first time)
152nd Open Championship
Scottie Scheffler (4)
Barracuda Championship
Ryan Gerard (first time)
3M Open
Kurt Kitayama
Wyndham Championship
Cameron Young (first time)
FedEx St. Jude Championship
Justin Rose
BMW Championship
Scottie Scheffler (5)
The TOUR Championship
Tommy Fleetwood (first time)
FedEx Cup Fall
Procore Championship
Scottie Scheffler (6)
Sanderson Farms Championship
Steven Fisk (first time)
Black Desert Championship
Michael Brennan (first time)
Baycurrent Championship
Xander Schauffele
World Wide Technology Champ
Ben Griffin (3)
Butterfield Bermuda Champ
Adam Schenk (first time)
The RSM Classic
Sami Valimaki (first time)
Recent Winners – Sony Open in Hawaii
Italics – not entered this week.
Year
Winner
Notes
2025
Nick Taylor (-16)
Defeated Nico Echavarria on the first playoff hole for his fifth win on TOUR. 54-hole leader J.J. Spaun finished one shot out of a playoff.
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)
Won a playoff over 54-hole leader and 2013 winner Russell Henley.
2021
Kevin Na (-21)
Shot 61 in Round 3 and held on to 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.
Bermudagrass fairways, rough, and greens are in play again this week, just like The RSM Classic to end 2025.
With greens averaging 7,100 square feet, the putting surfaces at Waialae are well-above average for the PGA 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, four winners have been 30 or younger.
The course record, 59, was set in 2017 by Justin Thomas (not entered), in Round 1. He would go on to win and smash the tournament scoring record by three shots as he posted 253 (-27).
Five of the last six winners previously represented the International team in the Presidents Cup.
Six of the last seven champions needed four prior starts before cracking the code.
10 of the last 11 winners have registered in the top 10 in Par-4 Scoring.
Taylor is the only winner in 11 not to register in the top 20 in Proximity (25th). None were in the top 10 of Driving Accuracy.
Four of the last five and six of the previous 10 events have required a playoff to determine a champion.
The Opening Drive in Hawaii takes the TOUR to a familiar stop. Waialae has hosted the event since 1965 and has not changed the par or yardage since 2007.
The first of 30-odd events in Spotter’s game, Sony gives us a chance to grind on our first at bat.
I will remind you that finishing on the podium in a signature event and/or major championship is about the same haul as winning a “normal” TOUR stop these days.
YOU WILL NOT win the war by winning the battle this week, but $1.6 million will not hurt the bottom line.
Saving guys for down the road also brings headaches into play. Injury, caddie firings, slumps, and babies being born are just some of the REAL-LIFE CHALLENGES we must navigate from January to August.
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. Just make sure you pick him during one of the weeks when he does win! By all accounts, you should have a handful of chances not to screw it up!
MY CHOICE: Robert MacIntyre
The red-hot Scot racked up a win and a pair of top-10 results in the DP World Tour portion of the fall. A world star who finished second at the U.S. Open and the BMW Championship, I will ride him in a breezy, coastal set-up.
Horses for Courses
All Time Money List
Top
Top
Notes
(cuts made/starts)
10
25
Russell Henley (10/13)
4
7
Won on 2013 debut; T10, T4, T32, and 2nd last four years; T17 > 7x
Chris Kirk (10/15)
5
6
MC 2025; T18-3rd-T27-2nd before; 4 top 5 career
Nick Taylor (7/9)
3
4
Win-T7-T7-T11 last 4 years; 5 straight
Si Woo Kim (6/8)
2
3
2023 winner; 4th on debut 2016; MC 2025
Hideki Matsuyama (9/12)
1
4
2022 winner; 9 consecutive cuts made; 5 of last 6 T30 or better
It’s a different field in Napa Valley in 2025 with 10 of the 12 USA Ryder Cup players teeing it up.
The rank and file will use this week and six more to establish playing privileges for the 2026 TOUR season, which begins in January. Remember, only the top 100 are guaranteed a full schedule for 2026. Read more about it here.
NOW PLAYING: Procore Championship
Host Course
Silverado Resort – North Course
Yards (per official scorecard):
7,138 (up 15 yards from 2024; new professional tee on No. 15).
Par:
72 (35-37).
Greens:
Bentgrass/Poa annua; 5,400 square feet on average.
Stimpmeter:
11.5 feet and up.
Rough:
Bluegrass/Rye at 2.5 inches.
Bunkers/Water Hazards/In-Play
55/2/2
Architect(s):
Ben Harmon (1955); Robert Trent Jones, Sr., (1966); Johnny Miller (2011).
Defending Champion (event):
Patton Kizzire (-20).
Multiple Champion(s) Entered:
Max Homa (2022, 2021).
Multiple Champions (course):
Max Homa, Brendan Steele (not entered).
Fact of the Week:
The first 11 events produced nine unique winners and five were native Californians.
Procore Championship
The opening event to the wrap-around season from years past transitioned into the opening event for the FedExCup Fall in 2023.
The last six winners have posted 16-under or better, and four of the previous five champions have posted the lowest winning totals.
Theegala is the only winner in the last seven editions not to register in the top three in SG: Tee to Green (T6). Kizzire was fourth in 2024.
In his first victory in 2021, Max Homa is the only winner in the last six years to finish outside the top seven in Scrambling (T42). Kizzire was first in 2024.
Former champions in the field this week also include Cameron Champ (2019) and Emiliano Grillo (2015).
Recent PGA TOUR 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
89th 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
Truist Championship
Sepp Straka (2)
ONEFLIGHT Myrtle Beach
Ryan Fox
107th PGA Championship
Scottie Scheffler (2)
CS Challenge
Ben Griffin (2)
Memorial Tournament
Scottie Scheffler (3)
RBC Canadian Open
Ryan Fox (2)
125th U.S. Open
J.J. Spaun
Travelers Championship
Keegan Bradley
Rocket Classic
Aldrich Potgieter (first time)
John Deere Classic
Brian Campbell (2)
Genesis Scottish Open
Chris Gotterup
The Open Championship
Scottie Scheffler (4)
3M Open
Kurt Kitayama
Wyndham Championship
Cameron Young (first time)
FedEx St. Jude Championship
Justin Rose (oldest modern Euro)
BMW Championship
Scottie Scheffler (5)
The TOUR Championship
Tommy Fleetwood (first time)
Recent Winners – Procore Championship
Italics – not entered/qualified this week.
Year
Winner
Notes
2024
Patton Kizzire (-20)
Won by five shots to set the tournament record for margin of victory. First win 6+ years.
2023
Sahith Theegala (-21)
California native won for the first time on TOUR and tied the tournament scoring record.
2022
Max Homa (-16)
Successfully defended his 2021 title by defeating 2016 Masters champion Danny Willett by a shot.
2021
Max Homa (-19)
Closing with 65, he beat Maverick McNealy by a shot to pick up his first top 10 since June.
2020
Stewart Cink (-21)
Became the oldest winner at 47 while setting the tournament scoring record.
2019
Cameron Champ (-17)
Sacramento native held off Adam Hadwin to win by one.
2018
Kevin Tway (-14)
Posting the highest winning total, Tway needed a playoff to win for the first time on TOUR.
Horses for Courses – Procore Championship
The FedExCup Fall harvest begins at Silverado Resort (North Course) in Napa Valley, launching the first of seven events of the back half of 2025. Returning to Silverado for the 12th consecutive season, the Par-72, stretched to 7,138 yards, welcomes a field of 144 players highlighted by defending champion Patton Kizzire (+30000) and 10 of the 12 players representing the USA at the Ryder Cup in two weeks at Bethpage Black in New York.
Winning by five shots in the fall of 2024, Kizzire set the tournament record for margin of victory in his third win on TOUR. Posting 20-under-par, he missed equaling the tournament record – matched by Sahith Theegala (+4000) in 2023 – by a shot. He led the field in SG: Putting and Scrambling, plus ranked fourth in SG: Tee to Green. Kizzire had previous success in Wine Country. He finished second on debut in the 2016 edition and will return for the ninth time. He is one of only two non-California champions since 2019.
Orange, California, native Sahith Theegala (+4000) returns to the site of his first victory on TOUR. Surrounded by friends and family, he matched the tournament scoring record of 21-under-par 265 in 2023 and added his third consecutive top-10 payday with T7 in defense last year. He cashed four T14 or better paydays from five weekend performances and owns a scoring average of 68.80.
The only two-time winner at the North Course to enter this week, Californian Max Homa (+4500), owns four top-10 results from nine attempts. The Southern California native, who attended school in the East Bay at Cal-Berkeley, won the event in 2021 and 2022 before a T7 payday in 2023 wiped out his attempt at a three-peat. He fell short of the weekend by one shot in 2024 but has made the cut in seven of nine visits. A victory would see him become the only three-time winner in event history.
2025 Ryder Cup Players
Players listed below are competing this week; Odds presented by FanDuel Sportsbook;
Keegan Bradley sends 10 of his 12 players to the first tee at Silverado.
Player
Rounds
Top 10
Avg
Odds
Scottie Scheffler (first appearance)
0
0
0
+210
Russell Henley
8
0
70.88
+1600
Justin Thomas
21
4
69.19
+1600
J.J. Spaun
30
1
70.53
+2500
Collin Morikawa
6
1
70.00
+2500
Harris English
22
1
70.95
+2700
Ben Griffin
2
0
73.00
+2500
Cameron Young
2
0
74.00
+2000
Patrick Cantlay
16
0
70.44
+1800
Sam Burns
6
1
69.50
+2000
Sacramento native Cameron Champ (+10000) won the 2019 tournament after signing for T25 in 2018. He is one of four winners (six events) from the state of California in the previous 11 events. If he qualifies for the weekend in 2025, it would be his first shot at the final 36 holes in five years. He has missed the cut on his previous four visits.
Emiliano Grillo (+8000), the last player to win on debut at Silverado, lifted the trophy in 2015, and is one of two international champions. The Argentinian was playing in his first PGA TOUR event with a TOUR card and needed a playoff, one of only two in history, to win. His total of 15-under equals the highest winning score in 11 events. Teeing it up for the ninth time, he owns five paydays of T29 or better and enters for the first time since the 2023 event.
SG: Putting
Rank
Player
Odds
1
Sam Burns
+2000
3
Taylor Montgomery
+17500
4
Sam Ryder
+17500
6
Cameron Young
+2000
7
Nico Echavarria
+10000
9
Brandt Snedeker
+50000
10
Sami Valimaki
+10000
11
Andrew Putnam
+12500
16
Thorbjorn Olesen
+8000
17
Justin Thomas
+1600
18
Harris English
+2700
20
Scottie Scheffler
+210
The North Course at Silverado Resort plays only 7,138 yards to Par-72 but has the toughest fairways to hit on TOUR. The 2024 event saw less than half, 46.81 percent, of drives find the short grass. The other major defense of the track, most recently renovated for the arrival of the TOUR in 2014, is the putting surfaces. The Bent/Poa annua greens flummox the best players on TOUR with their nuance and slope. Only Torrey Pines and Detroit Golf Club were more difficult to navigate inside 10 feet in 2024. The last two champions finished first and second in SG: Putting, while the last five winners ranked in the top 15. The course has played under-par in the 11 previous events, and the 36-hole cut has been two-under or BETTER the last six years.
More than 50 percent of approach shots will come from the rough, and missing the greens will challenge the best of scramblers. Getting it close from bunkers, closely mown areas, and bluegrass/ryegrass around the greens isn’t cut and dry. Silverado ranked fifth-most difficult in approach around the greens in 2024.
Excellent wedge players and putters should thrive.
Oddsmaker’s Extras
Justin Thomas (+1600): No matter which stage of his career he was currently navigating, Thomas has flourished in Napa Valley. He missed the weekend in 2014 as an up-and-comer but returned in 2015 to hit the podium (T3), beginning a run of 15 of 16 rounds at par or better. Securing T8 in 2016, he did not return until the 2019 event. He added four rounds of 71 or better, including 64 in Round 2, and collected T4 money. After a four-year hiatus, he played in the final group in 2023 and hit the top five (solo fifth), his fourth top-10 result in six visits.
Matt Kuchar (+10000): The veteran has cashed in five of six, including his last four visits over the previous four seasons. Four of those paydays are T21 or better, including the last three years (T13-T7-T12). Making the cut in 2025 would run his streak to five straight at Silverado.
Tom Hoge (+25000): Although not in the best form currently, Hoge is on a run of four straight appearances and six of his last seven. Racking up T7 in 2024, followed by T12 in 2023, and 15 of his last 16 are par or better.
Justin Lower (+30000): Another longer shot, Lower collected T4 in 2022 and T7 in 2024 and is on a run of three straight.
Mark Hubbard (+8000): The former San Jose State player has not cracked the top 10 but has posted four of his last six paydays between T13 and T21.
Maverick McNealy (+2500): The runner-up to Homa in his first victory, he missed the cut the year before and the two events following. Careful.
September is Responsible Gaming Education Month. For more information on how to put together your sports betting game plan, visit haveagameplan.org/pgatour.
Yep, he’s the man to beat this week and every week!
FedEx Cup Playoffs – Event No. 3
TOUR Championship
East Lake Golf Club
Atlanta, Georgia
Head to PGATOUR.COM for all our content each week.
Thoughts on Chalk (odds via Bet365.com)
Scottie Scheffler (+162): He’s never been the medalist at this event. That’s all I got. That’s his new conquest.
Rory McIlroy (+700): Circled 17 birdies and an eagle last week, plenty. Squared eight bogeys and FOUR doubles, plenty in the wrong direction. Once again, he will be paired with Scheffler for the first round. LET’S GET READY TO RUMBLE.
Tommy Fleetwood (+1200): He’ll need to keep it close enough for one of his 63s on Sunday. We know he doesn’t hold the lead well.
Ludvig Aberg (+1600): With three top-10 paydays in his last four, all big events, I’d suggest he makes it four out of five in his second start at East Lake.
Russell Henley (+1800): On Bermuda. Yes.
Viktor Hovland (+2200): If it is all going to come together, this would be the week, and course, for it to happen.
Sam Burns (+2500): Only one of three players to hit 10-under the last two seasons (gross).
Cameron Young (+2800): No let down after his first win on TOUR at Wyndham. Next stop is solidifying a Captain’s Pick. When does the water get too deep?
Collin Morikawa (+2800): Posted 22-under to win the gross last year. Has not contended since Detroit.
Justin Thomas (+2800): Four straight outside T20. Loves it here. Keep reading.
Patrick Cantlay (+2800): Didn’t catch the spark at Caves Valley.
Others for Top 5 and Top 10 action are mentioned in Prop Bets (Odds Outlook) at PGATOUR.com
Seven players make their debut.
Six players have won the FedExCup Championship.
NOW PLAYING:
Host Course
East Lake Golf Club
Yards (per official scorecard):
7,440.
Par:
70 (35-35).
Greens:
TifEagle Bermudagrass; 6,600 square feet.
Stimpmeter:
12 feet and up.
Rough:
Tifway 419 Bermudagrass at 3.5 inches.
Bunkers/Water Hazards/In-Play
78/5/8
Architect(s):
Tom Bendelow (1904); Donald Ross (1913); George Cobb (1959); Rees Jones (multiple); Andrew Green (2023-24).
Tournament Record (2007-25)
257; Tiger Woods (Bentgrass) 2007.
Course record (last):
60; Zach Johnson (2007, Bentgrass); 61; Collin Morikawa (2023, Bermudagrass).
Defending Champion (net):
Scottie Scheffler (-30).
Defending “Champion” (gross):
Collin Morikawa (-22).
Multiple Champion(s) Entered:
Rory McIlroy (2016, 2019, 2022).
Facts of the Week:
East Lake returns to a Par-70 for 2025 and STARTING STROKES no longer exist.
Recent Winners – TOUR Championship
Italics – not entered this week.
Year
Winner
Notes
2024
Scottie Scheffler (-30)
Didn’t win the gross, but they handed out the trophy for net. Won by four shots over Morikawa.
2023
Viktor Hovland (-27)
Backed up his BMW Championship with a commanding five-shot victory.
2022
Rory McIlroy (-21)
Held off Scheffler by a shot to win for the third time.
2021
Patrick Cantlay (-21)
Lost the gross by four shots but won the war by one.
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
89th 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
Truist Championship
Sepp Straka (2)
ONEFLIGHT Myrtle Beach
Ryan Fox
107th PGA Championship
Scottie Scheffler (2)
CS Challenge
Ben Griffin (2)
Memorial Tournament
Scottie Scheffler (3)
RBC Canadian Open
Ryan Fox (2)
125th U.S. Open
J.J. Spaun
Travelers Championship
Keegan Bradley
Rocket Classic
Aldrich Potgieter (first time)
John Deere Classic
Brian Campbell (2)
Genesis Scottish Open
Chris Gotterup
The Open Championship
Scottie Scheffler (4)
3M Open
Kurt Kitayama
Wyndham Championship
Cameron Young (first time)
FedEx St. Jude Championship
Justin Rose (oldest modern Euro)
BMW Championship
Scottie Scheffler (5)
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
88th 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)
106th PGA Championship
Xander Schauffele
Charles Schwab Challenge
Davis Riley
RBC Canadian Open
Robert MacIntyre (first time)
The 49th Memorial Tournament
Scottie Scheffler (5)
124th 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)
152nd 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)
Horses for Courses – TOUR Championship
All roads end at the TOUR Championship at East Lake Golf Club outside Atlanta for the top 30 players in the FedExCup Playoffs. Since 2007, East Lake Golf Club has been the exclusive host to determine the winner of the most lucrative prize on the PGA TOUR.
For the fourth consecutive season, Scottie Scheffler (+150) arrives at the top of the FedExCup Playoffs points table. In 2024, the World No. 1 paid off his Starting Strokes lead of 10-under and won the FedExCup Championship for the first time in five tries. This year, Starting Strokes are no longer in use. The entire field will make a run at the reigning champion from even par. Scheffler owns four T6 or better paydays in five starts, including posting 20-under (264) in his 2024 victory.
Year
To Par (total)
Gross Finish
Net Finish
2024
-20 (264)
2nd
WIN
2023
-1 (279)
T21
T6
2022
-10 (270)
T13
T2
2021
-2 (278)
T17
T22
2020
-12 (268)
2nd
T5
With a win this week, Scheffler would be the first player to win the event in consecutive seasons. It would also be the first time finishing with the lowest gross total.
Scheffler’s biggest rival this week is three-time champion Rory McIlroy (+850). Making his 12th start at East Lake, the host for the 19th consecutive season, the World No. 2 owns nine top-10 results, which include titles in 2022 (-17; 263), 2019 (-13; 267), and 2016 (-12; 268). In his last eight starts, he finished outside the top 10 once (T14, 2021) and is one of six previous winners in the field. In 44 career loops, he has posted a round in the 60s 33 times. Not bad.
Scoring Average – TOUR Championship
Select players listed below are competing this week; Odds presented by FanDuel Sportsbook; Minimum eight rounds played.
There are seven players in the field of 30 on debut this week.
Rank
Player
Rounds
Avg
Odds
1
Viktor Hovland
20
67.40
+2700
2
Justin Thomas
32
67.81
+2500
3
Scottie Scheffler
20
67.95
+150
T4
Russell Henley
16
68.00
+2000
T4
Collin Morikawa
20
68.00
+3000
6
Rory McIlroy
44
68.11
+850
7
Sepp Straka
12
68.42
+3500
8
Sam Burns
16
68.69
+3000
9
Tommy Fleetwood
16
68.94
+1400
10
Justin Rose
40
69.05
+5500
Viktor Hovland (+2700) pulverized the previous Par-70 in the 2023 edition. The Norwegian posted 19-under (261), which included rounds of 64 and a closing round of 63, to win the FedExCup TOUR Championship for the first time. Making his sixth consecutive start, he has signed for 20 rounds all at par or better (see above). He also shared fifth place in 2021.
Justin Thomas (+2500) broke his streak of seven consecutive top-10 paydays at East Lake when he failed to qualify for the FedExCup Playoffs in 2023. Returning in 2024, he posted 14-under but cashed outside the top 10 for the first time (T14). Thomas does have another current streak to protect. Over his last four visits to East Lake, he produced a gross total in double-digits under par. He is second in the field this week in Scoring Average at East Lake.
Collin Morikawa (+3000) set the Bermudagrass greens tournament scoring record of 22-under-par in 2024, missing tying Tiger Woods’ 2007 record (Bentgrass greens) by a shot. He “beat” Scheffler by two shots but finished second due to Starting Strokes. In the 2023 edition, he opened with 61 to set the Bermudagrass COURSE record. He followed with 64 to set the 36-hole tournament scoring record before fading with 73-72 on the weekend (T4, gross). Making his sixth start, he owns three top-seven gross finishes.
SG: Tee to Green
Rank
Player
Odds
1
Scottie Scheffler
+150
2
Tommy Fleetwood
+1400
3
Collin Morikawa
+3000
6
J.J. Spaun
+2700
7
Russell Henley
+2000
8
Keegan Bradley
+4000
10
Sepp Straka
+3500
11
Shane Lowry
+7000
12
Rory McIlroy
+850
14
Viktor Hovland
+2700
The 2025 scorecard reduction from Par-71 to Par-70 includes shrinking hole No. 14 from 580 yards to 530 yards. The Par-5 now plays to a Par-4. The renovations before the 2024 event opened sightlines and increased the size of the greens, among other things. The new grass on the greens should be settled and conditions should play firmer and faster than in 2024. A putting contest is not going to decide who wins the first-place payday of $10 million from the $40 million prize purse. Load up on the players who find fairways and greens.
Oddsmaker’s Extras
Patrick Cantlay (+2500): The Californian failed to qualify for the 2020 edition but returned in style to win the 2021 event, but did not produce the lowest gross total. After failing to break par over 72 holes in each of his first three visits, his victory in 2021 kicked off a run of three straight seasons at eight-under-par or better, all resulting in top-10 paychecks. His seven-under gross total in 2024 paid T17 money.
Russell Henley (+2000): After cashing T3 in the 2017 edition, the Georgia native did not return until the 2023 event. A fantastic player on all strains of Bermudagrass, he opened with 65 and closed with 66 to post 6-under for the week, good for a top-half finish of T14. Last year, he stormed home on Sunday with 62, one off the course record, and posted 17-under-par 267 for the fourth-best gross total.
Sam Burns (+3000): The Louisiana native, making his fifth consecutive appearance, does not mind hot and humid conditions this time of the year! He joins Hovland and Morikawa as the only players entered to post double-digits under-par in the last two events at East Lake (T12, T9).
Hideki Matsuyama (+4000): Finishing tied for ninth in 2024, the Japanese star continued his wonderful all-or-nothing paydays at East Lake. In his last six starts, half resulted in paydays inside the top 10 while the other three were T11 or worse. His best results are T4 in 2018 and fifth in 2016.
Justin Rose (+5500): Like Matsuyama, the Englishman’s best days were in the 2010s, including six consecutive top-10 results over six events spanning 2012-2018. Rose returns to East Lake for the first time since 2019.
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
3rd
$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
89th 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
Truist Championship
Tommy Fleetwood
T4
826,667
107th PGA Championship
Bryson DeChambeau
T2
1,418,667
CS Challenge
Jordan Spieth
T36
42,344
Memorial
Hideki Matsuyama
38th
94,000
RBC Canadian Open
Taylor Pendrith
T27
64,353
United States Open
Jon Rahm
T7
615,786
Travelers
Brian Harman
8th
620,000
Rocket Classic
Cam Young
T46
27,091
John Deere Classic
Denny McCarthy
T11
174,300
Scottish Open
Robert MacIntyre
T65
19,800
The Open Championship
Shane Lowry
T40
68,340
3M Open
Wyndham Clark
T12
186,900
Wyndham Champ
Ben Griffin
T11
198,850
FedEx St. Jude Champ
Xander Schauffele
T22
186,666
BMW Championship
Justin Thomas
T33
119,666
LAST WEEK – BMW Championship
THE CHOICE: Justin Thomas – T33
I could have used Viktor Hovland or Patrick Cantlay here, both event champions over the last five years. Instead, I’m running out the biggest winner in the pile who won this event in Chicago in 2019. Chasing with Chris Gotterup or J.J. Spaun is desperate, but I like it.
Well, gang, Hovland would have been the better choice!
I finished the season in 22nd place and took home REAL MONEY!
Head to PGATOUR.COM for all our content each week.
Thoughts on Chalk (odds via Bet365.com)
Scottie Scheffler (+220): With 20 fewer golfers in the field, his odds drop to a season-low figure, and that’s with Rory McIlroy playing. The book has determined this to be a two-horse race. Saddle up correctly! The ONLY note of bother is Ted Scott WILL NOT be on the bag this week.
Rory McIlroy (+750): The rest is over. The roar is over about him missing the event last week. His Ryder Cup place is sealed, and he will NOT be a playing captain in the future. His problem lies just above. There is only one focus this week.
Xander Schauffele (+1800): He’s No. 43 in the standings. The top 30 qualify for East Lake. He will need T21 or better to advance. Sounds pretty straight forward!
Ludvig Aberg (+2500): Now, we’re talking! T23 or better in his last three includes a pair of top-10 paydays. Gaining strokes off the tee is a massive deal this week and next.
Patrick Cantlay (+2000): HE PLAYS WELL WHERE HE PLAYS WELL. Loading up on Top 20 and Top 10 plays too after T9 last week.
Tommy Fleetwood (+2500): Too much golf course for me. Too much scar tissue as well. It would be one hell of a story, but it is an extra 300-plus yards he didn’t have to deal with last week.
Cameron Young (+2200): He is on a serious heater! After closing with 64, the round of the day Sunday in Memphis, he picked up solo fifth after winning for the first time at the Wyndham Championship. Bomber’s course and he qualifies.
Justin Thomas (+2500): Only Young put together a better round last Sunday in Memphis. He’s close.
J.J. Spaun (+2800): Only shows up in BIG EVENTS, apparently! What a story! Californian riding a SERIOUS wave!
Others for Top 5 and Top 10 action are mentioned in Prop Bets (Odds Outlook) at PGATOUR.com
Quick note, Hovland did NOT make a hole-in-one here in 2021. It was the following season in Delaware. My mistake (thanks Gator!).
NOW PLAYING:
Host Course
Caves Valley Golf Club
Yards (per official scorecard):
7,601. Longest Par-70 on TOUR in 2025 and third-longest overall.
Par:
70 (35-35).
Greens:
Pure distinction Bentgrass; 5,200 square feet.
Stimpmeter:
12 feet.
Rough:
4 inches of Bluegrass and Tall Fescue.
Bunkers/Water Hazards/In-Play
N/A.
Architect(s):
Tom Fazio (1990); Logan Fazio (2020). Tom Fazio (2023).
Tournament Record:
261 (-27); Patrick Cantlay & Bryson DeChambeau (ineligible), 2021.
Course record (last):
60; DeChambeau.
Defending Champion (course):
Cantlay.
Defending Champion (event):
Keegan Bradley (2).
Multiple Champion(s) Entered:
Cantlay (2021, 2022); Bradley (2018, 2024).
Facts of the Week:
Better watch the video below before falling in love with the results and history of 2021!
Recent Winners – BMW Championship
Italics – not entered this week.
Year
Winner
Notes
2024
Keegan Bradley (-12)
Wins by two over Aberg and Burns at The International outside Denver.
2023
Viktor Hovland (-17)
Wins by two over Scheffler and Fitzpatrick at Olympia Fields (North Course).
2022
Patrick Cantlay (-14)
Knocked off Scott Stallings by one shot at the Wilmington CC.
2021
Patrick Cantlay (-27)
Needed a six-hole playoff to beat DeChambeau after trashing the field with 31 birdies.
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
89th 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
Truist Championship
Sepp Straka (2)
ONEFLIGHT Myrtle Beach
Ryan Fox
107th PGA Championship
Scottie Scheffler (2)
CS Challenge
Ben Griffin (2)
Memorial Tournament
Scottie Scheffler (3)
RBC Canadian Open
Ryan Fox (2)
125th U.S. Open
J.J. Spaun
Travelers Championship
Keegan Bradley
Rocket Classic
Aldrich Potgieter (first time)
John Deere Classic
Brian Campbell (2)
Genesis Scottish Open
Chris Gotterup
The Open Championship
Scottie Scheffler (4)
3M Open
Kurt Kitayama
Wyndham Championship
Cameron Young (first time)
FedEx St. Jude Championship
Justin Rose (oldest modern Euro)
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
88th 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)
106th PGA Championship
Xander Schauffele
Charles Schwab Challenge
Davis Riley
RBC Canadian Open
Robert MacIntyre (first time)
The 49th Memorial Tournament
Scottie Scheffler (5)
124th 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)
152nd 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)
Horses for Courses
The BMW Championship returns to Caves Valley Golf Club outside of Baltimore for the second time since 2021 and for the second time in the history of the event. Identifying the champion is the first order of business. The second is shaving the field of 49 down to the 30 players who will advance to the FedExCup Playoffs TOUR Championship next week in Atlanta. Patrick Cantlay (+2500), the course defending champion and two-time winner of the BMW Championship, highlights a field of 49 players. Sepp Straka withdrew from the event on Monday.
Cantlay put on a master class with the flatstick to produce 27-under 261 on the Par-72 in the 2021 championship. Gaining 3.644 strokes against the field on the greens, he still needed a six-hole playoff to close the deal. The 2025 edition will play and feel brand-new tee-to-green and on the putting surfaces. The Par-72 has been reduced to a Par-70 but has been expanded by almost 60 yards to 7,601 yards, an increase from 7,542 yards in 2021. Watch the changes here. The owner of four top-10 paydays at the BMW Championship, seven of eight registered T15 or better.
Keegan Bradley (+4500) joins Cantlay as the other two-time BMW Championship winner playing this week. The 2025 Ryder Cup captain is also the defending champion of the event, held outside Denver in 2024. Bradley also knocked off Justin Rose in a playoff in the 2018 edition at Aronimink Golf Club in Philadelphia, his first of two top-10 paychecks from 12 attempts.
Top Finishers – 2021 BMW Championship
Players listed below are competing this week; Odds presented by FanDuel Sportsbook
Position
Player
Odds
1
Patrick Cantlay
+2500
3
Sungjae Im
+8000
4
Rory McIlroy
+750
8
Sam Burns
+3500
T17
Viktor Hovland
+3500
T22
Scottie Scheffler
+220
T22
Corey Conners
+4500
T22
Justin Thomas
+2500
T26
Harris English
+5000
T26
Daniel Berger
+125000
T26
Shane Lowry
+7000
T29
Brian Harman
+8000
T29
Si Woo Kim
+6000
Rory McIlroy (+750) is making his 15th career start and owns seven top-10 finishes, including a victory in 2012. Finishing fourth in 2021, he was one of six players who topped 20-under-par for the week in the first event at Caves Valley. The World No. 2 owns six FedExCup Playoffs victories, including three FedExCup championships at East Lake Golf Club, another demanding Par-70 layout measuring over 7,400 yards. The Northern Irishman feasts this time of year, owning finishes of T19 in 11 of 14 career events.
Sitting at No. 43 entering the week, Xander Schauffele (+1800) also enjoys the last two events of the FedExCup Playoffs. Searching for his first victory, he will enjoy the new-look layout at Caves Valley. In eight BMW Championships, he collected seven paydays of T20 or better, including top-10 paychecks over the last three editions. The only outlier? T49 in 2021 at Caves Valley.
Sungjae Im (+8000), conversely, wishes Caves Valley had produced a carbon-copy layout in 2025. The Korean posted four rounds of 67 or better to post 23-under and occupy solo third. Making his seventh trip to the BMW Championship, he owns five T15 or better finishes and a pair of results inside the top seven.
SG: Off the Tee
Entered this week
Rank
Player
Odds
1
Scottie Scheffler
+220
3
Rory McIlroy
+750
7
Chris Gotterup
+3500
8
Taylor Pendrith
+8000
10
Ludvig Aberg
+2200
11
Kurt Kitayama
+3500
12
Collin Morikawa
+3500
19
Daniel Berger
+12500
20
Corey Conners
+4500
Caves Valley has tightened up the fairways, pinched in bunkers, and increased the length of the rough upwards of four inches. Gaining shots on the field off the tee and attacking from the short grass will set the foundation for the week. The 2021 edition produced seven players in the top 11 spots on the final leaderboard from this category. Length and accuracy, now on a scorecard measuring 7,601 yards, will always play.
Oddsmaker’s Extras
Scottie Scheffler (+280): After podium paydays of T2 in 2023 and T3 in 2022, the favorite this week and every week, will look to improve on his T22 result in 2021.
Justin Rose (+4500): The 2011 winner and runner-up in 2017 and 2018, the Englishman looks to add to his four top-10 paydays. He did not qualify for the 2021 edition.
Justin Thomas (+3000): The winner in 2019 outside Chicago at Medinah No. 3, it is his only top-10 result.
Sam Burns (+4500): Cashing solo eighth place in 2021, the Louisiana native owns four T19 or better finishes.
Tommy Fleetwood (+3500): The Englishman shared fifth in 2024 and continued his streak of four consecutive results T25 or better.
Corey Conners (+4000): Half of his six starts have paid off in the top 10. The Canadian led the field in Fairways in 2021 and cashed T22.
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
3rd
$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
89th 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
Truist Championship
Tommy Fleetwood
T4
826,667
107th PGA Championship
Bryson DeChambeau
T2
1,418,667
CS Challenge
Jordan Spieth
T36
42,344
Memorial
Hideki Matsuyama
38th
94,000
RBC Canadian Open
Taylor Pendrith
T27
64,353
United States Open
Jon Rahm
T7
615,786
Travelers
Brian Harman
8th
620,000
Rocket Classic
Cam Young
T46
27,091
John Deere Classic
Denny McCarthy
T11
174,300
Scottish Open
Robert MacIntyre
T65
19,800
The Open Championship
Shane Lowry
T40
68,340
3M Open
Wyndham Clark
T12
186,900
Wyndham Champ
Ben Griffin
T11
198,850
FedEx St. Jude Champ
Xander Schauffele
T22
186,666
LAST WEEK – FedEx St. Jude Championship
THE CHOICE: Xander Schauffele
As I wrote last week, you can’t have rounds in the 70s here and contend unless you have a super-special loop. Posting 65 on Saturday after 72 on Friday wasn’t the tonic. He found only 31 of 56 Fairways, good for T56 in a field of 69. T38 GIR didn’t inspire, either. Needing only 103 putts, he’s ready for East Lake Bermuda in two weeks.
Sigh.
THIS Week – BMW Championship
THE CHOICE: Justin Thomas
I could have used former event winners Viktor Hovland or Patrick Cantlay. Instead, I’m running out the biggest winner in the pile who won this event in Chicago in 2019. Chasing with Chris Gotterup or J.J. Spaun is desperate, but I like it.
For resources to overcome a gambling problem, call or text 1-800-GAMBLER today.
Head to PGATOUR.COM for all our content each week.
Thoughts on Chalk (odds via Bet365.com)
Sam Burns (+1600): This is a steep number for a fella who has not won since 2023 and in an event where four previous winners have been 100-1 or better. Burns owns T7 and T12 on this track and never missed the weekend.
Maverick McNealy (+1800): T3 in 2024 after T16 on debut in 2021. Six top-10 results in 2025. Solid through the bag.
Chris Gotterup (+2500): Doubled his career earnings in a fortnight across the pond. Led the field in Par-5 scoring at Royal Portrush. The Par-71 at TPC Twin Cities will provide three more Par-5 chances, but these are 593 yards or more.
Wyndham Clark (+2500): T17-T11-T4 in his last three suggests he’s in the mood. T5 in 2019.
Michael Thorbjornsen (+2800): T4-T21-T14 in his last three on TOUR. If Detroit is the comparison, he ran T4 in the Motor City. He eats off the tee and that plays this week. The only non-winner at the top of the board.
Akshay Bhatia (+3000): The last time he found the top 10 was another water-logged layout, TPC Sawgrass (T3). Making his second visit, he sits 16th in SG: Approach and 21st SG: Putting. Nice combo.
Jake Knapp (+3000): T27 or better, including T4 at Detroit, in his last four. DNS Open Championship.
I’m digging deeper this week. Find a ball-striker who is 100-1 or worse and take a chance. This event rarely makes sense!
Others for Top 10, Top 20, or Top 40 action not mentioned in my columns (Odds Outlook & Horses for Courses) at PGATOUR.com
Tony Finau (+4000) flashed early last week at Royal Portrush and absolutely eats at TPC Twin Cities. … Kevin Yu (+5000) continues to chop wood. … Sam Stevens (+6600) and Alex Noren (+8000) are an interesting duo who can handle the breeze. … Tom Hoge (+8000) is a North Dakota native and has won plenty in the state of Minnesota. … Henrik Norlander and Max Herendeen should be around for the weekend. … Chan Kim went close in Kentucky. … Philip Knowles perhaps.
NOW PLAYING:
Host Course
TPC Twin Cities
Yards (per official scorecard):
7,431 yards.
Par:
71 (36-35).
Greens:
Bentgrass/Poa; 6,500 square feet.
Stimpmeter:
12 feet.
Rough:
4 inches of Bluegrass/Fescue off fairways averaging 36 yards across.
Bunkers/Water Hazards/In-Play
72/27/15.
Architect(s):
Arnold Palmer (2000); Steve Wenzloff (2018).
Tournament Record:
260 (-24); Lee Hodges, 2023
Course record (last):
62; Beau Hossler (Round 4, 2023).
Defending Champion:
Jhonattan Vegas (-17).
Multiple Champion(s) Entered:
None.
Facts of the Week:
This is the penultimate event to qualify for the FedExCup playoffs. Vegas is the only winner to sign for a score ABOVE par.
Recent Winners – 3M Open
Italics – not entered this week.
Year
Winner
Notes
2024
Jhonattan Vegas (-17)
At 39, he became the oldest winner of six in history. Won by one shot over Max Greyserman.
2023
Lee Hodges (-24)
Won for the first time on the PGA TOUR. Just the second first-time winner. Tournament record total.
2022
Tony Finau (-17)
Owns the biggest come-from-behind win (5 shots) in event history.
2021
Cameron Champ (-15)
Picked up his third victory on TOUR by posting the highest winning total in the event.
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
89th 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
Truist Championship
Sepp Straka (2)
ONEFLIGHT Myrtle Beach
Ryan Fox
107th PGA Championship
Scottie Scheffler (2)
CS Challenge
Ben Griffin (2)
Memorial Tournament
Scottie Scheffler (3)
RBC Canadian Open
Ryan Fox (2)
125th U.S. Open
J.J. Spaun
Travelers Championship
Keegan Bradley
Rocket Classic
Aldrich Potgieter (first time)
John Deere Classic
Brian Campbell (2)
Genesis Scottish Open
Chris Gotterup
The Open Championship
Scottie Scheffler (4)
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
88th 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)
106th PGA Championship
Xander Schauffele
Charles Schwab Challenge
Davis Riley
RBC Canadian Open
Robert MacIntyre (first time)
The 49th Memorial Tournament
Scottie Scheffler (5)
124th 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)
152nd 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)
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
3rd
$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
89th 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
Truist Championship
Tommy Fleetwood
T4
826,667
107th PGA Championship
Bryson DeChambeau
T2
1,418,667
CS Challenge
Jordan Spieth
T36
42,344
Memorial
Hideki Matsuyama
38th
94,000
RBC Canadian Open
Taylor Pendrith
T27
64,353
United States Open
Jon Rahm
T7
615,786
Travelers
Brian Harman
8th
620,000
Rocket Classic
Cam Young
T46
27,091
John Deere Classic
Denny McCarthy
T11
174,300
Scottish Open
Robert MacIntyre
T65
19,800
The Open Championship
Shane Lowry
T40
68,340
LAST WEEK – The Open Championship
THE CHOICE: Shane Lowry – T40
Bad plan. Bad execution.
Whiffed on Schauffele and Hatton.
Last four weeks have knocked me out of contention!
THIS Week – 3M Open
THE CHOICE: Wyndham Clark
I have an embarrassment of riches for the last three events. Imagine not using Sam Burns, Viktor Hovland, Xander Schauffele, or Justin Thomas! Or Chris Gotterup, Maverick McNealy, Tony Finau, or Harris English.
Head to PGATOUR.COM for all our content each week.
Thoughts on Chalk (odds via Bet365.com)
Scottie Scheffler (+500): He never played links golf until he turned professional. His best finish was T7 last year.
Rory McIlroy (+700): Back home again in Northern Ireland, he’s free as a bird after winning the career Grand Slam. He also knows what NOT to do this week. I can’t pick against him.
Jon Rahm (+1100): Like McIlroy, he views this as the biggest individual event of the season. Only Ballesteros has won in La Rioja.
Xander Schauffele (+2000): Only Tiger and Paddy have won this event back-to-back this century. Tall cotton for a non-linksman. He’s never missed the cut, including T41 here in 2019.
Bryson DeChambeau (+2200): Science doesn’t love Mother Nature or undefinable bounces and bobbles. Too many variables for The Scientist to evaluate.
Tommy Fleetwood (+2200): Second in 2019, he isn’t playing in the States, so I can’t rule out a victory. Sits 3rd SG: Total.
Ludvig Aberg (+2500): His best results are at the Masters and The Renaissance Club. All-or-nothing scares me in a field this deep.
Tyrrell Hatton (+2800): T6 in 2019 and T4 at Oakmont. Lovely when trends converge.
Viktor Hovland (+2800): Tough to lay him down this week. I might come to regret it.
Collin Morikawa (+3300): Billy Foster didn’t help last week.
Robert MacIntyre (+3300): Absolutely made for this. It was not terribly surprising to see him off the pace defending at his national open. Oakmont answered all of my questions. Bet.
Shane Lowry (+3300): There’s only two ways this goes: A robust defense or a celebration of the past. Too many good results in 2025 to suggest this is a hit and giggle.
Matt Fitzpatrick (+3500): On form, in the mood, and already a major champion. He needs to be on your card in some fashion.
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.
Jordan Spieth (+6000) is 11 from 11 and a new father for the third time. … Rob Bolton loves Russell Henley (+6000) and that’s good enough for me. … Careful on Brooks Koepka (+6600). The price looks nice. How is his knee feeling? … Ben Griffin (+9000) has played two majors this year and hit the top 10 in each. Cameron Young (+9000) ran second at St Andrews and T8 at Royal Liverpool. … Tom McKibbin (+10000) is NorIrish as well. … I like Taylor Pendrith (+11000). Have bat, will travel. … Laurie Canter for a top 40. … Auld guard of Paddy Harrington, Zach Johnson, or Lee Westwood could surprise.
NOW PLAYING:
Host Course
Royal Portrush – Dunluce Links
Yards (per official scorecard):
7,381 yards.
Par:
71 (36-35).
Greens:
Fescue; 5,400 square feet.
Stimpmeter:
10.5 feet.
Rough:
2 inches off the fairway; 6 inches for the big miss.
Bunkers/Water Hazards/In-Play
59/2/2.
Architect(s):
Old Tom Morris (1888); Harry Colt (1930s); Mackenzie and Ebert (2015).
Event Record:
264; Henrik Stenson (-20) at Royal Troon, 2016.
Event 18-hole record:
62; Branden Grace at Royal Birkdale, 2017.
Defending Champion (event):
Xander Schauffele.
Defending Champion (course):
Shane Lowry (-15).
Multiple Champion(s) Entered:
Padraig Harrington (2007, 2008).
Fact of the Week:
Royal Portrush is hosting for just the third time (1951, 2019).
Recent Winners – The Open Championship
Italics – not entered this week.
Year
Winner
Notes
2024
Xander Schauffele (-9)
Won by two shots at Royal Troon. 11th consecutive new winner.
2023
Brian Harman (-13)
Won by six shots at Royal Liverpool for his first major championship.
2022
Cameron Smith (-20)
Won Open No. 150 at St. Andrews by matching the record winning total in relation to par.
2021
Collin Morikawa (-15)
Defeated Jordan Spieth by two to become just the third player since 1975 to win on debut.
2020
No Tournament
2019
Shane Lowry (-15)
Set the course record (63) and 54-hole event scoring record (197).
2018
Francesco Molinari (-8)
First Italian major champion.
2017
Jordan Spieth (-12)
Completed the third leg of four of the career Grand Slam at Royal Birkdale.
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
89th 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
Truist Championship
Sepp Straka (2)
ONEFLIGHT Myrtle Beach
Ryan Fox
107th PGA Championship
Scottie Scheffler (2)
CS Challenge
Ben Griffin (2)
Memorial Tournament
Scottie Scheffler (3)
RBC Canadian Open
Ryan Fox (2)
125th U.S. Open
J.J. Spaun
Travelers Championship
Keegan Bradley
Rocket Classic
Aldrich Potgieter (first time)
John Deere Classic
Brian Campbell (2)
Genesis Scottish Open
Chris Gotterup
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
88th 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)
106th PGA Championship
Xander Schauffele
Charles Schwab Challenge
Davis Riley
RBC Canadian Open
Robert MacIntyre (first time)
The 49th Memorial Tournament
Scottie Scheffler (5)
124th 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)
152nd 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)
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
3rd
$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
89th 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
Truist Championship
Tommy Fleetwood
T4
826,667
107th PGA Championship
Bryson DeChambeau
T2
1,418,667
CS Challenge
Jordan Spieth
T36
42,344
Memorial
Hideki Matsuyama
38th
94,000
RBC Canadian Open
Taylor Pendrith
T27
64,353
United States Open
Jon Rahm
T7
615,786
Travelers
Brian Harman
8th
620,000
Rocket Classic
Cam Young
T46
27,091
John Deere Classic
Denny McCarthy
T11
174,300
Scottish Open
Robert MacIntyre
T65
19,800
LAST WEEK – Genesis Scottish Open
THE CHOICE: Robert MacIntyre – T65
Swung, missed.
Not enough mustard to go around for the bigger boys in just a $9 million purse.
THIS Week – The Open Championship
THE CHOICE: Shane Lowry
This was the plan from Day 1 of the season.
If you were waiting for McIlroy in this spot, hoo baby, good for you! Rahm is also a no-brainer pick here, since you can’t use him again. If your game allows it, East Lake for Scheffler. I’m going to play Hovland and/or Schauffle and/or Thomas in the two FedExCup events.
Hindsight suggests I whiffed on Schauffele last week. Let’s hope he wins Memphis or Delaware instead!
Others for ME to consider: Xander Schauffele, Tyrrell Hatton, Viktor Hovland, Joaquin Niemann, Patrick Reed
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Glass Houses 