The Flyover: THE NORTHERN TRUST

Last week’s CJ CUP @ NINE BRIDGES was the first tournament of the 2019-20 season for which ShotLink wasn’t used. That meant that fantasy scoring was determined by actual scores and bonus points only. Since all of the remaining four events this fall used in PGA TOUR Fantasy Golf also won’t have ShotLink measurements contributing, it’s interesting to review how fantasy scoring at NINE BRIDGES stacked up against the first five tournaments. (The Seaside Course at The RSM Classic will be lasered, but because the co-hosting Plantation Course won’t be, ShotLink will not apply to that tournament for fantasy purposes.) The top performers at the first four tournaments recorded totals of 958 points (Greenbrier), 986 points (Sanderson Farms), 924 points (Safeway) and 1,081 points (Shriners). The weekly winner of the Houston Open amassed only 875 points. The broad-stroke analysis of why the best teams varied as such is rooted in the usual variables of distance off the tee and overall scoring. Golf Club of Houston yielded the shortest average of distance of all drives and the highest scoring average thus far. RELATED: Power Rankings | Horses for Courses | Daily fantasy advice Without ShotLink active at NINE BRIDGES, “tampatom” led all fantasy gamers with 880 points. While he collected bonus points with Justin Thomas (win), Danny Lee (2nd), Hideki Matsuyama (T3) and Byeong Hun An (T6), overall scoring was comparable to Houston (with ShotLink) because actual scoring was lower in the tournament proper. Scoring at Narashino Country Club this week is projected to be tempered during the first two rounds due to wind. Come the weekend, the only defense for the short course with three par-5s might be hole locations. The wind will lay down, so it could surrender low scores. As a long-time gamer and honest critic of the various fantasy formats that have been offered, I must stress that the current iteration of PGA TOUR Fantasy Golf finally gets it right. Any game in which you have as much to gain as you have to lose while covering the alternative dynamics such as the current stretch that covers the no-cut Asian Swing and without ShotLink, without golf shoes getting hurled at it, is impressive. Short- and long-range fantasy golf formats are far from perfect due to the nature of the sport, so appreciating what we have now is as important as the value that has been validated. PGA TOUR Fantasy Golf My roster for the ZOZO CHAMPIONSHIP (in alphabetical order): Tony Finau Matthew Fitzpatrick Hideki Matsuyama Rory McIlroy Xander Schauffele Justin Thomas You’ll find my starters in Expert Picks. Others to consider for each category (in alphabetical order): Scoring: Paul Casey; Adam Hadwin; Ryan Moore; Collin Morikawa; Kevin Na; Patrick Reed; Adam Scott; Jordan Spieth; Gary Woodland Driving: n/a Power Rankings Wild Card Jason Day … A rare second consecutive appearance by the same golfer in this space, so go ahead and debate it. He was sharp in the opener at NINE BRIDGES with a bogey-free, 6-under 66, but he didn’t break 71 the rest of the way and drifted to T31 for his sixth straight result outside the top 30. It’s irrelevant that he won Monday’s MGM Resorts The Challenge, except for what that could do for his confidence. Winning is winning is winning and he proved something to himself amid his current slump. So, maybe it’s not so irrelevant after all. Draws Joaquin Niemann … Bell answered. I was cool on him THE CJ CUP @ NINE BRIDGES because I wasn’t yet convinced that he had separated from the career achievement of winning at Greenbrier. How much time required to turn the page mentally from a breakthrough victory and the next start that showcases similar form varies. That he was the first Chilean to win a PGA TOUR event brought with it more significance than usual. Given his results in the two events that followed, we couldn’t rule out the hangover effect (even though he doesn’t turn 21 until Nov. 7, wink wink). Lo and behold, he walked off NINE BRIDGES with an eagle-3 and signed for a 4-under 68 to finish T12. Consider the page turned. Ian Poulter … Split the bull’s-eye at NINE BRIDGES with a T16. It piles onto a record there that started with a T15 and a T10, but he’s always flourished in the limited-field, no-cut events. The ZOZO CHAMPIONSHIP is yet another that allows him to put another brick on the wall for the season. Marc Leishman … As he continues to experience inconsistency, this is not a time to run. He’s only two starts and less than one month removed from a solo third at Silverado. It’s one of, count ’em, seven top-fives worldwide in the last 11 months. His class is permanent. What should excite you (and him) this week is that the wind is expected to play a role during the first two rounds (assuming no extended delays on Friday). Suit him up! Andrew Putnam … I’m slowly generating a man-crush on the 30-year-old. Go ahead and cite a weakness. I’ll wait. … Exactly. Since a T3 at Colonial, he’s 12-for-12 worldwide with seven top-25s. He’s nails no matter your format. He’s also affordable in DFS. Chez Reavie … Arrives on a downturn, but Narashino is a short track that will reward his tee-to-green precision. Invest in a likely upswing. Viktor Hovland Shugo Imahira Kevin Kisner Collin Morikawa Kevin Na Harold Varner III Fades Tiger Woods … Once upon a time, and still to a lesser degree today, playing time late in the calendar year for golfers coming off an injury was considered an opportunity for gamers to observe for relevant action to come. However, since the wraparound schedule was introduced six years ago, these guys can contribute to the bottom line. The trick is letting them come to you, no matter the billing. Monday’s exhibition was a bonus that allowed his owners to exhale in advance of his season debut, which is his first official action since the BMW Championship in August and, more importantly, since he underwent knee surgery. Yes, there’s no cut, Narashino is a short course and he’s capable of winning, obviously, but there are hotter, healthier and younger talents from which to choose. If you can’t help yourself, then just stow him on your bench in PGA TOUR Fantasy and surround him with chalk. Danny Lee … First and foremost, we have to respect the emotional component and unquantifiable motivation triggered by the premature birth of his second child on the eve of THE CJ CUP @ NINE BRIDGES. He mentioned it after the third round even though he wasn’t going to speak about it until after the tournament, and then decided not to elaborate. That tournament also was contested in his native South Korea, so it’s only natural to connect his focus to when he wanted to qualify for the Presidents Cup in the country in 2015, which he achieved. In terms of execution, he ranked just T56 in greens in regulation at NINE BRIDGES but led the field in both scrambling and fewest putts taken. On unfamiliar greens at Narashino this week, he’ll be better suited to hit more of them than he found of the massive targets last week. And now a week removed from the variables of going to work immediately after a significant life event and an admission of it, it’d be understandable if he lacks the same fire in Japan. Byeong Hun An … Although he led after one round at NINE BRIDGES and finished T6 for his second top-10 of the season, I prefer his hit-it-and-find-it style better on longer tracks where his distance is a distinct advantage. So, consider this as an opportunity to sit him out until the fit improves. Bubba Watson … His missed cut in his last start at the Shriners to open October was his fifth MC in 10 starts. He managed only one top-45 finish in the other five (T8, WGC-FedEx St. Jude). Daniel Berger Keegan Bradley Joel Dahmen Billy Horschel Jason Kokrak Returning to Competition Hudson Swafford … He got back after it in last week’s European Tour stop in Paris. After opening with 3-over 74 in the Open de France, he converted three eagles and four birdies en route to a second-round 65 to make the cut. After respective rounds of 69 and 76 on the weekend, he finished T29. The 32-year-old hadn’t played anywhere since missing the cut at the RBC Canadian Open in early June. It was his fifth straight MC and eighth in nine starts. Two weeks later, he withdrew early from the Travelers Championship, citing an injured foot. He opened this season with a Minor Medical Extension affording seven starts, but because he passed the four-month checkpoint without competing, he’s been elevated to the Major Medical category. If he earns 133.289 FedExCup points in seven starts, he’ll retain status for the remainder of 2019-20. He is not playing this week. Notable WDs J.B. Holmes … Withdrew during his third round at NINE BRIDGES with a shoulder injury, and then pulled out of the ZOZO not long after the commitment deadline. He’s had only one top-50 finish in his last 15 starts in individual competition (T21, Rocket Mortgage). Power Rankings Recap – THE CJ CUP @ NINE BRIDGES Power Ranking  Golfer  Result 1  Justin Thomas  Win 2  Brooks Koepka  WD 3  Sungjae Im  T39 4  Rafa Cabrera Bello  T26 5  Tommy Fleetwood  T20 6  Tyrrell Hatton  T6 7  Hideki Matsuyama  T3 8  Cameron Smith  T3 9  Danny Willett  T46 10  Marc Leishman  T43 11  Viktor Hovland  T31 12  Jazz Janewattananond  T65 13  Gary Woodland  T3 14  Kevin Na  T20 15  Pat Perez  T31 Wild Card  Jason Day  T31 Sleepers Recap – THE CJ CUP @ NINE BRIDGES Golfer  Result Joel Dahmen  T43 Kyonghun Moon  T46 Ryan Palmer  T12 Adam Schenk  T46 Brian Stuard  T72 Birthdays among active golfers on the PGA TOUR October 22 … none October 23 … none October 24 … Marc Leishman (36) October 25 … Troy Merritt (34); Xander Schauffele (26) October 26 … none October 27 … Fabián Gómez (41) October 28 … none

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CROMWELL, Conn. – Notes and observations from Friday’s second round of the Travelers Championship, where Jordan Spieth shot a 1-under 69 to get to 8 under par and in pole position for his second PGA TOUR victory of the season and 11th overall. Troy Merritt (68) and Patrick Reed (66) were at 7 under, while Wesley Bryan (67) was part of a quartet of players two back. For more coverage from TPC River Highlands, click here for the Daily Wrap-up. SPIETH LIMITS DAMAGE Jordan Spieth knew it might be difficult to follow up the best opening round of his young TOUR career, and it was. Not as sharp Friday as he was the day before (63), he still broke 70 at TPC River Highlands and managed to hang onto the lead by himself. For his “badâ€� round, it was pretty good. “I feel like I can control my own destiny on the weekend,â€� said Spieth, whose four birdies covered up a bogey and a double-bogey 7 at the 13th hole. “I’ve been kind of far behind in a lot of the events in making a comeback run, but being able to be toward the front of the pack on a Saturday afternoon is a beautiful position to be in, and one that we’ll certainly embrace.â€� Spieth is a first-timer at the Travelers, but it hasn’t taken him long to figure the place out. The course is short (6,841 yards), but that doesn’t mean it’s easy. “It’s tricked out elsewhere,â€� he said after hitting just 12 greens in regulation, three fewer than on day one. “And being very patient on the weekend is key. I always mention that, that’s always the word. I try to tell myself that, and sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t.â€� Spieth took 29 putts, two more than he had in the first round. His double at the 13th was the result of pulling his drive out of bounds left. “One bad swing,â€� he said. “Otherwise it was a pretty solid round.â€� Playing partner Wesley Bryan (67, 6 under) sounded duly impressed. “Jordan’s hitting his driver great right now,â€� Bryan said. “I’m just thinking, man, if I could be playing from where he’s hitting some of these tee shots, it could play a lot easier.â€� SEIFFERT SEEKS SEMINOLE TRIFECTA Chase Seiffert, 25, is older than Daniel Berger and younger than Brooks Koepka, but all three played for Florida State, and all three have made news lately. First came Berger, who picked up his second PGA TOUR victory when he successfully defended his title at the FedEx St. Jude Classic two weeks ago. Then Koepka won the U.S. Open at Erin Hills last week. Now Seiffert—pronounced SEE-fert—is 6 under par and in a three-way tie for fourth, just two shots off the lead after posting a 4-under 66 Friday. “We’ve been talking all week about three straight Seminoles winning,â€� Seiffert said after a round that featured eagles at the par-4 third hole and the par-5 13th. “It’d be pretty cool.â€� Almost as cool would be if Seiffert were to play well on the weekend to give himself some sort of status for the remainder of this season. He Monday-qualified for the Travelers, his 67 at Ellington Ridge Country Club sharing medalist honors and marking the second time he has successfully Monday-qualified into a TOUR event this season (RSM Classic, T74). It’s not an easy life. “If it’s inside 10 hours I’ll drive,â€� Seiffert said of his Monday routine, which requires copious travel with zero job security. “Anything longer than that I’ll fly. I don’t want to ruin my back. I carry my own bag; it’s a lightweight carry bag. Although I did carry my staff bag once to Monday-qualify into a Web event. People looked at me funny.â€� Seiffert’s girlfriend and his mom went all 18 holes with him Friday, despite the stifling heat and humidity, and the fact that his mom, Stephanie Bagshaw, wears a brace on her left knee. “We made the weekend!â€� she said afterward. For Seiffert, it’s just a start; he needs to do more to leave those Monday qualifiers behind. “I came in the week with no status on any tour,â€� he said. “I knew my game was really good, and good enough to even be out here. I just had to get it done. I played well on Monday, and to come out and play the first two rounds like I did, it gives me a lot of confidence.â€� “… It’s definitely pressure just because I know what’s at stake. A good week, and I could maybe get a card or something like that, so there’s definitely pressure in that regard.â€� CALL OF THE DAY LAHIRI AT PEACE BEFORE, AFTER 63 Three weeks ago Anirban Lahiri tied for second at the Memorial Tournament Presented by Nationwide, which got him up to 44th in the FedExCup standings and 15th in the race to make his second Presidents Cup team—a goal that’s been on his mind all year. What has he been doing since then? Quieting his mind at the Vipassana Meditation Center in Shelburne Falls, Massahusetts, about 90 minutes north of TPC River Highlands. “It was just coincidence that that center was there,â€� Lahiri said after his round, which featured five birdies, an eagle and no bogeys. “I’ve done this course three times back home in India starting in 2004. So, I’ve been doing this for 13 years. It’s something that’s very close to me. “You go to the center for ten days, you switch your phones off. There is no TV, you’re not allowed to read. You’re meditating. You’re not allowed to talk. So, there is like complete silence for nine and a half days or so, and you’re meditating 10, 12 hours a day. It’s not just a walk in the park. You’re actually doing work, and working on improving yourself.â€� Lahiri, 29, has long heard he is too hard on himself—from his coach, his wife, his parents, and everyone else who knows him. But it’s not that easy. “I always believe unless I’m critical of myself, I can’t improve,â€� he said. “But it’s a fine line.â€� He has done a lot already to be the best player from India, but he’s not yet where he wants to be. At 66th in the Official World Golf Ranking, he’s still trying to get into the top 50 to punch his ticket to next month’s Open Championship at Royal Birkdale. Nothing seemed to go right in his opening-round 73 at the Travelers, but his 63 got him to 4 under total, just four back. Was it the meditation? He says he doesn’t do it for golf, but it helps, nonetheless. “If you’re in a better place mentally overall, it will translate into everything,â€� Lahiri said.“Whether it’s work or sport or home or relationships, whatever it is. I mean, if you’re a happy person, or if you’re in a place where you’re at peace, it translates into everything.â€� ODDS AND ENDS A year after he made the cut on the number only to shoot a PGA TOUR record 58 in the final round of the Travelers, Jim Furyk is in much better position going into the weekend. He fired a 2-under 68 Friday to get to 5 under overall, three off the lead. “It’s been good,â€� Furyk said. “It’s been like coming back to a place where you’ve won in the past.â€� … When Jason Day, 45th in the FedExCup standings, missed a six-foot par putt on 18, it appeared that he had finished 1 over par and would miss the cut by a shot. As it turned out, he signed for a par 4 instead of the birdie he made at the fourth hole, and had to accept the higher score. His second-round 70 meant he missed the cut by two, not one. … Rory McIlroy’s right foot slipped on his approach shot to the 18th green, where he bogeyed for a second-round 73 to fall back to even par. He made the cut on the number. … Troy Merritt (68, 7 under par, one back) switched to a new Odyssey Putter for THE PLAYERS Championship last month. It didn’t immediately pay dividends. “I didn’t make any putts there,â€� he said after making over 200 feet of putts in the first two rounds at TPC River Highlands. “When I went back home for three weeks, I changed my routine a little bit. Get over the ball, no practice strokes. Just find my line and hit it. A little bit more reaction versus standing over the ball for a long time. It’s finally starting to feel a lot more comfortable now.â€� … Wesley Bryan seemed to be committing himself to the Travelers for the long term after shooting a second-round 67 to get to 6 under, just two behind playing partner Spieth. “I love this place,â€� Bryan said. “It’s going to be one of those stops that’s going to be hard for me not to put on the schedule moving forward. The golf course fits my eye.â€�  SHOT OF THE DAY BEST OF SOCIAL MEDIA

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