Jay Wright on why now was the right time for retirementJay Wright on why now was the right time for retirement
Andy Katz talks with Hall of Famer Jay Wright a week after his shocking retirement as Villanova head coach after 21 seasons.
Day: April 26, 2022
Draws and Fades: Mexico Open at VidantaDraws and Fades: Mexico Open at Vidanta
In Expert Picks for PGA TOUR Fantasy Golf for the Mexico Open at Vidanta, I wrote that the goal is not to use Jon Rahm. He qualified for my roster as a obvious defensive measure, but the plan is sit him unless he’s contending for the title on Sunday. If he cranks out 25 points in R1, R2 and/or R3, so be it. The risk doesn’t warrant those rewards, no matter how likely you expect them against the field. RELATED: Horses for Courses | Sleeper picks The Mexico Open at Vidanta is the Spaniard’s second start of Segment 3 (T27, Masters). If he follows his schedule from the super season of 2020-21, he’d be making four more starts in this phase. However, even if he appears only at, say, the PGA Championship and the Memorial Tournament presented by Workday, if you burned him at the Masters and will again this week, you’d be stuck with just one remaining. Ask yourself now how you’d rank the timing of his impact. Just like when Tiger Woods was a fixture in fantasy, the most challenging decisions in the extinct Yahoo! Format was how to ration 10 starts. Rahm isn’t at that level but he’s on the short list for whom we’re compelled to consider the possibilities to maximize – and leverage – his playing time. Here’s the gist… 1) You can play Rahm in all four rounds at Vidanta Vallarta – assuming he makes the cut, of course – and absorb the push with your opposition because a high percentage of it will do the same. In highly competitive situations, it’s a fair and reasonable exercise. OR 2) Because round-by-round scoring in PGA TOUR Fantasy Golf is muted – unless, again, Rahm tosses up bogey-free, field-low 64s every day – stow him on your bench for the first two rounds. If he’s among at least five who make the cut, keep him benched until his position at the conclusion of three rounds. If in contention, burn the start as a defensive measure for the FedExCup bonus points. No matter what you do, including abstaining entirely so as not to put yourself in a position to be tempted in favor of long-range goals, it’s the middle of the season. Heck, I slow-played the big guy in Segment 4 last season and it proved to be the difference-maker in the FedExCup Playoffs because my nearest opponent, Ben Everill, had exhausted Rahm’s allotted starts one tournament too soon. POWER RANKINGS WILD CARD Patrick Reed (+125 for a Top 20) … When you read in the Power Rankings that he was teased for Draws and Fades, you likely also figured that his odds to be the Wild Card were somewhere in the vicinity of (-10000). Thus, boom. Certainly, on cachet alone, he demands analysis, but he’s the reverse split for what projects to matter at Vidanta Vallarta, and he hasn’t connected for a top 25 in a full field since a co-runner-up at Bermuda on Halloween. I’d draw a direct line from his heavyweight status in that field to this one but it’s been six months and it’s not that simple. Even contrarian investors are scratching their heads at his inflated value this week. Pass. DRAWS Kevin Streelman (+175 for a Top 20) … If you ever wondered why I’ve lamented for an obnoxious period of time why he’s Kryptonite, use his last start at Harbour Town as proof. There he was on a track where he missed only one cut in nine tries prior. His record includes three top 10s and another top 20. He also was comin’ in hot since the start of the Florida Swing. Lo and behold, despite an endorsement in this space, he failed to cash. But I’m back on board in Mexico because I’m doubling down on the strong(-enough) form and discounting the occasional missed cuts. If there’s a tightrope separating short- and long-term confidence, he walks it, and we should know better, but I just can’t quit Streels. Davis Riley (+225 for a Top 20) … I’d prefer a top-40 or make-the-cut prop but the rookie already has demonstrated a level of comfort near the lead. In fact, he runs towards it on Moving Day as he’s T8 on the PGA TOUR in R3 scoring, but the learning curve has put him in his place more often in finales. It’s to be expected but with a P2 (Valspar) and a T4 (with Will Zalatoris at Zurich) as recent objects in the sideview mirror, hop on the bandwagon and attach emotion. It’s how we apply our own learning experience. Pat Perez (+300 for a Top 20) … What’s that you say? Paspalum?? Thank you. That’ll be all. (OK, so that’s getting off easy because he did miss the cut at Mayakoba in November, but he may still have been feeling the effect of a foot injury just prior to it. More recently, he’s 7-for-9 since the Farmers.) Callum Tarren (+500 for a Top 20) … Ease into a make-the-cut line here, but don’t be that surprised if he pops for more. The rookie from England landed a T5 on the paspalum in Puerto Rico, and he finished T7 at the Korn Ferry Tour’s Veritex Championship two weeks ago before making the cut (with fellow Brit, David Skinns) in New Orleans. He’s already one of the more proficient tee to green, and now his confidence is elevated. Wyndham Clark David Lipsky C.T. Pan Brian Stuard Odds sourced on Tuesday, April 26 at 6 p.m. ET. For live odds visit betmgm. FADES Chez Reavie … He’s still splitting fairways with the best of ‘em, but his approach game has cost him time and again and it’s not like his putter is bailing him out. The 40-year-old bunter already is borderline unownable in full-season formats. Lanto Griffin … He’s gone five consecutive starts without a top 50 and his pedestrian tee-to-green game is uninspiring. He’s more valuable in the long-term, anyway. Adam Long … After a couple of months of failing to turn cuts made into top 25s, he finished T12 at the RBC Heritage thanks to a wicked-hot week with the putter. He missed only once inside 10 feet and was perfect on 65 looks from eight feet and in. The small greens at Harbour Town cater to that kind of performance, and he is a terrific putter, but it’s in the minority of expectations because ball-strikers and shot-makers tend to box out for most positions at and near the top of that leaderboard. The same narrative applies this week but not because the greens at Vidanta Vallarta are similarly sized. They’re unfamiliar, so good putters project to lag, pardon the pun. A payday is a fair expectation, and through 2021, he was consistent in delivering strong weekends when he made it, but the advice now is to invest fractionally at most. Rafa Cabrera Bello Brice Garnett J.T. Poston Scott Stallings Matt Wallace RETURNING TO COMPETITION Sebastián Muñoz … By the time he pierces the paspalum on Thursday, it’ll have been a month since his last competitive action (T26, Match Play). The Colombian was committed to the RBC Heritage until an injured back took precedent. The good news is that he’s connected six paydays in advance of his trip to Vidanta Vallarta. He’s also a good fit on paper for the test. At the same time, you likely wouldn’t have a need to put faith in his fitness in any situation other than an aggressive DFS ploy. NOTABLES WDs Daniel Berger … If not for a sore back, he’d have been a favorite this week. It’s the same malady that thwarted his title defense at Pebble Beach in early February, but he’s fared predictively well since. Just 65th in the FedExCup, however. Christiaan Bezuidenhout … Tag-teamed a T32 with fellow South African Charl Schwartzel in NOLA and now sits 94th in the FedExCup. Looking ahead, while not yet officially exempt, Bezuidenhout has been able to plan on a trip to the PGA Championship via his Official World Golf Ranking, but at 66th, he’s just outside the upcoming bubble for entry into the U.S. Open. Kevin Chappell … Since his status demotion (for failing to meet the terms of his medical extension), he’s 3-for-4 with a pair of top 20s. Remember, he wasn’t certain that he was going to continue to pursue playing time if he didn’t fulfill the medical, so his is an emerging compelling story. Of course, it also makes sense to table a long-term decision until the conclusion of the regular season, but we’re not often treated to peeks behind that curtain, so we can’t forget about it now. Meanwhile, it’s a bummer that he’s out at Vidanta Vallarta. His tee-to-green profile would have positioned him automatically for a make-the-cut prop. Nick Hardy … Placed a career-best T21 with Curtis Thompson at the Zurich Classic of New Orleans and now ranks 190th in the FedExCup. Neither rookie has found his stride, so it was a timely injection of something positive. Charley Hoffman … This is his fourth early WD of the season. The first three were as a result of an injured back, and given his extended slump, it’s fair to attach it to either a continuation of the discomfort or a bad habit picked up while trying to play through it. Whatever the case, the 45-year-old is 180th in the FedExCup and not yet exempt for next season. (Worst case, and if he wanted, he’d be eligible for a career earnings exemption since he’s currently 36th all-time.) RECAP – ZURICH CLASSIC OF NEW ORLEANS POWER RANKINGS Power Ranking Team Result 1 Scottie Scheffler & Ryan Palmer T18 2 Cameron Smith & Marc Leishman T21 3 Billy Horschel & Sam Burns 2nd 4 Xander Schauffele & Patrick Cantlay Win 5 Max Homa & Talor Gooch T21 6 Danny Willett & Tyrrell Hatton T21 7 Collin Morikawa & Viktor Hovland T29 8 Sergio Garcia & Tommy Fleetwood MC 9 Keegan Bradley & Brendan Steele T4 10 Sungjae Im & Byeong Hun An T14 Wild Card Bubba Watson & Harold Varner III T4 OTHERS CONSIDERED Team Result Joaquin Niemann & Mito Pereira WD Will Zalatoris & Davis Riley T4 Adam Hadwin & Adam Svensson MC Matthew NeSmith & Taylor Moore T4 Sahith Theegala & Beau Hossler MC SLEEPERS Golfer (Bet) Result Graeme McDowell & Seamus Power (+4000 to win) MC Brian Stuard & Russell Knox (+6600 to win) T21 Aaron Rai & David Lipsky (+8000 to win) T4 GOLFBET Bet: Sungjae Im & Byeong Hun An (+300 for a Top 10) Result: T14 BIRTHDAYS AMONG ACTIVE MEMBERS OF THE PGA TOUR April 26 … J.B. Holmes (41) April 27 … none April 28 … none April 29 … Justin Thomas (29) April 30 … none May 1 … Chris Couch (49); Sepp Straka (29) May 2 … none
Why Jon Rahm is big betting favorite at Mexico Open at VidantaWhy Jon Rahm is big betting favorite at Mexico Open at Vidanta
The PGA TOUR is back to its stroke-play format this week with the Mexico Open at Vidanta, which will be played at Vidanta Vallarta in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. While the format is back to normal, it’s another unusual week for golf betting. Since this is an inaugural event, there’s no course history to go off of when selecting players. Three of the top-25 players in the world rankings will be teeing it up: Jon Rahm (No. 2), Abraham Ancer (No. 20) and Tony Finau (No. 25). In addition, the field includes 14 of the top 100 players. This is impacting the golf odds to win, as Rahm is a massive favorite. As of Tuesday, he’s +450 to win after opening at +500. And despite such high odds, Rahm is still a huge betting favorite this week at the BetMGM online sportsbook. The 27-year-old has the highest handle at 22.1%, which is well ahead of Gary Woodland, who has the second-highest handle at 8.1%. With no course history to turn to, the best betting strategy this week appears to be just going with the best player in the field. In 10 PGA TOUR events this season, Rahm has seven top-25 finishes to go along with four top 10s, but for his standards, it’s been a pretty underwhelming year. He lost his No. 1 world ranking to Scottie Scheffler, and aside from a T9 finish at the World Golf Championships-Dell Technologies Match Play, his best finish since January is a T10 back in February at the WM Phoenix Open. This could be what Rahm needs to get back in the winner’s circle for the first time since last year’s U.S. Open. Current Handle & Tickets Handle Jon Rahm – 22.1% Gary Woodland – 8.1% Abraham Ancer – 7.1% Tony Finau – 5.6% Kevin Na – 4.3% Tickets Gary Woodland – 6.2% Abraham Ancer – 6.1% Jon Rahm – 5.7% Tony Finau – 4.8% Kevin Na and Cameron Champ – 4.7% Ancer has seen his odds change quite a bit this week. After opening at +2000, he’s now +1600. With that being said, he may face some extra pressure playing in front of a ton of fans in his home country. In terms of value plays, Aaron Wise (+2200) and Sebastian Munoz (+3300) could be worth considering. Wise has 2.8% of the tickets and 4% of the handle, while Munoz has 4.1% of the tickets and 3.7% of the handle. * Visit BetMGM.com for terms and conditions. 21+ years of age or older to wager. BetMGM is available in AZ, CO, DC, IA, IN, IL, LA, MI, MS, NJ, NV, NY, PA, TN, VA, WV, or WY only. All promotions are subject to qualification and eligibility requirements. Paid in free bets. Free bets expire in 7 days from issuance. Minimum deposit required. Excludes Michigan Disassociated Persons. Please Gamble Responsibly. Gambling problem? Call 1-800-NEXT-STEP (AZ), 1-800-522-4700 (CO, DC, LA, NV, WY, VA), 1-800-270-7117 for confidential help (MI), 1-800-GAMBLER (IN, NJ, PA & WV), 1-800-BETS OFF (IA) or call (877-8-HOPENY) or text HOPENY (467369) (NY), call or text the Tennessee REDLINE: 800-889-9789 (TN) or call 1-888-777-9696 (MS). Sports betting is void where prohibited. Promotional offers not available in Nevada.
Curry launches 5-tourney series for junior golfersCurry launches 5-tourney series for junior golfers
Stephen Curry is expanding his Underrated brand into golf by launching a series of five tournaments in conjunction with the American Junior Golf Association. Competitors will ultimately vie for the “Curry Cup.”
St. Andrews to host record crowd for The OpenSt. Andrews to host record crowd for The Open
A record 290,000 fans are expected to attend The Open, which will be played at St. Andrews. The record is currently 239,000, set at the 2000 Open that Tiger Woods won at St. Andrews.
PGA TOUR welcomes Dream Finders Homes as Official Marketing PartnerPGA TOUR welcomes Dream Finders Homes as Official Marketing Partner
PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Florida – The PGA TOUR and Dream Finders Homes, Inc. (NASDAQ: DFH), today announced a multi-year partnership naming Dream Finders Homes the “Official Home Builder of the PGA TOUR and PGA TOUR Champions” through 2026. “We are excited to have Dream Finders Homes as the first home builder to be an Official Marketing Partner at the PGA TOUR,” said Brian Oliver, PGA TOUR Executive Vice President Marketing & Corporate Partnerships. “We’re confident that the PGA TOUR platform will provide an excellent backdrop to showcase the Dream Finders Homes brand through our players, media and tournaments.” Dream Finders Homes will activate this new relationship by having a presence in programming throughout PGA TOUR social and digital properties, including hosting a “Moving Day” campaign on Instagram. Dream Finders Homes will also organize hospitality events for key constituents and guests at select PGA TOUR events, host corporate golf outings and develop partnerships with TOUR professionals. Patrick Zalupski, Dream Finders Homes, Inc. CEO said “Dream Finders Homes is excited to partner with the PGA TOUR and support golf’s growing popularity – we believe its mission strongly aligns with our corporate values: quality, integrity, and family. As we further expand our footprint in high growth markets, becoming the PGA TOUR’s Official Home Builder will ensure golf fans across the country become acquainted with our company and mission. The game of golf, similar to building communities, brings together folks of diverse backgrounds; we feel this will be a mutually beneficial partnership as we work together to support golf’s next generation. See you on Moving Day!”
NBA playoffs fact or fiction: The biggest storylines of Round 1 and beyondNBA playoffs fact or fiction: The biggest storylines of Round 1 and beyond
Are the Warriors back? Are the Celtics the favorite to win the East? Our experts break down the biggest questions from the first round so far.
A 10-WAR season? Move over, Babe Ruth!? Our hottest hot takes two-plus weeks into the MLB seasonA 10-WAR season? Move over, Babe Ruth!? Our hottest hot takes two-plus weeks into the MLB season
Who says you can’t learn anything from small sample sizes? It’s time to make some bold predictions based on what we’ve seen so far.
Sleeper Picks: Mexico Open at VidantaSleeper Picks: Mexico Open at Vidanta
Aaron Wise (+100 for a Top 20) … As explained in my Power Rankings and always conveyed when the PGA TOUR descends on an unfamiliar course, consistent ball-striking upon arrival is like a head start. Even the best putters need a round or two to find the feel of the greens. You’ll find the 25-year-old inside the top 45 on the PGA TOUR in Stroke Gained: Off-the-Tee, greens in regulation, ball-striking and SG: Tee-to-Green. He’s also T6 in par-3 scoring, a metric of value since Vidanta Vallarta has five one-shotters. And for even further support, he’s rested since a T21 at Harbour Town where he put his strengths to use and ranked 21st in SG: Putting. Tyler Duncan (+333 for a Top 20) … Fits the profile and he’s been performing well enough to warrant this reach. Currently third on TOUR in fairways hit, sixth in proximity to the hole, 37th in Strokes Gained: Tee-to-Green and T4 in par-3 scoring. In his last eight starts, he’s cashed six times, thrice for a top 25, including a T12 at Harbour Town and a T14 with regular partner Adam Schenk at TPC Louisiana. Emiliano Grillo (+400 for a Top 20) … When he’s on, the world-class ball-striker would be an automatic in the Power Rankings in a situation like this. At worst, it’d be considered cheating to classify him as a Sleeper, but with five straight missed cuts and 10 MCs in his last 12 starts dating back to November, there’s an argument that this endorsement is too hopeful. So, ease in only for a make-the-cut consideration. Chase Seiffert (+400 for a Top 20) … Despite conditional status, he’s opted to focus on the PGA TOUR this season, at least thus far. Because he’s eschewed moonlighting opportunities on the Korn Ferry Tour, he’s been limited to eight starts in the big leagues, but he’s made most of them count. Half have gone for a top 25, including a season-best a T18 alongside fellow Florida State University product Hank Lebioda on Sunday in NOLA. Patrick Flavin (+700 for a Top 20) … He’s not quite at the level of Patrick Reed or T.J. Vogel in terms of open qualifying, but the 26-year-old product of Miami (Ohio) University is in the field at Vidanta Vallarta via the four-spotter that was conducted on April 18. It’s the third time he’s turned the trick this season. He’s also 3-for-3 overall with a pair of top 25s, both of which as an open qualifier (into Bermuda and Puerto Rico). Odds were sourced on Tuesday, April 26, 2022. For live odds, visit BetMGM.
NHL playoff watch: X factors, predictions for Stars-Golden KnightsNHL playoff watch: X factors, predictions for Stars-Golden Knights
Vegas faces a critical game as it hopes to remain in the playoff picture. Plus, a look at the rest of the night’s schedule, updated projections and more.