Fantasy golf: Sleeper picks for the 2018 Wells Fargo Championship

• FIELD: See who’s playing this week. • COURSE: Colonial Country Club, 7,209 yards, par 70. Set to host its 72nd edition, only Augusta National has a longer unbroken tenure on the PGA TOUR schedule. The 1936 Perry Maxwell/John Bredemus design is a classic shotmaker’s layout, known for its tight fairways and many doglegs. The U.S. Open came to Colonial in 1941 – the first time the Open went south of the Mason-Dixon Line – and the PGA TOUR made its first visit five years later. Colonial also held the second edition of THE PLAYERS Championship in 1975, the 1991 U.S. Women’s Open and Annika Sorenstam’s historic 2003 venture as the first woman to tee up in a PGA TOUR event since World War II. • FEDEXCUP: Winner receives 500 points. • CHARITY: A record $11 million was raised last year for some three dozen Tarrant County charities, bringing total donations over the past two decades to more than $90 million. Among last year’s beneficiaries were SafeHaven of Tarrant County, the All Saints Health Foundation and The First Tee of Fort Worth. • FIELD WATCH: Jordan Spieth makes a title defense in his home state for the first time, joined by Masters champion Sergio Garcia in a lineup featuring eight of the top 30 in the world rankings. … Si Woo Kim, newly crowned winner of THE PLAYERS, is set to tee it up for the first time since his triumph at TPC Sawgrass. … Phil Mickelson, the 1996 champion, returns to Colonial for the first time since the 2010 edition. … Beau Hossler, a former All-American at Texas now in his first full year as a professional, will play on one of two Champions Choice invitations given out each year to young pros. … The other invite went to Jamie Sadlowski, a two-time World Long Drive champion now splitting time between the Web.com Tour and Mackenzie Tour. • 72-HOLE RECORD: 259, Zach Johnson (2010). • 18-HOLE RECORD: 61, Keith Clearwater (2nd round, 1993), Lee Janzen (4th round, 1993), Greg Kraft (3rd round, 1999), Kenny Perry (3rd round, 2003), Justin Leonard (4th round, 2003), Chad Campbell (3rd round, 2004). • LAST YEAR: Spieth finally came up with that elusive first win in his home state, heating up on Sunday’s back nine and finishing with a birdie/birdie/birdie charge for a second straight 65 and a three-stroke victory over Harris English. Spieth took a one-shot lead into the final day, but nine pars on the front dropped the Dallas native two shots back before he found his rhythm. Three straight birdies after the turn brought him level with English, and the tie stood until Spieth made a curling 20-foot birdie at No.16. A chip-in followed at No.17, and he coaxed home a 34-foot birdie at the 18th to seal the victory. It was Spieth’s first win in 19 Texas starts, including a trio of runner-up finishes in 2015. • STORYLINES: Spieth, fresh off back-to-back missed cuts at THE PLAYERS and AT&T Byron Nelson, heads to the other side of the Metroplex seeking to turn it around in short order. It’s just the second time he’s exited early in consecutive starts, after The Barclays and Deutsche Bank Championship in 2015. … After a rare week off, Kim also gets to tee it up as something of a local hero. The South Korean, who already has 19 starts this season, now calls Dallas his adopted hometown. … Ryan Palmer, a Colonial member, again seeks home-course triumph after last year’s share of third. That was his fourth top-15 finish in the past five years, including ties for fifth in 2012 and ‘14. … Spieth also has a chance to join Ben Hogan as the only man to record back-to-back wins at Colonial. Hogan did it twice – 1946-47 and 1952-53. • SHORT CHIPS: Former AT&T Byron Nelson champions Jason Dufner and Steven Bowditch can become the 16th man to hit the “DFW Doubleâ€� by winning both Dallas-Fort Worth stops in their career. Adam Scott was the last, not only taking the double in 2014 but becoming the first to complete the “Texas Grand Slamâ€� when combined with wins in Houston (2007) and San Antonio (’10). … Before Spieth’s victory, the previous seven editions had seen the 54-hole leader unable to finish the task. … Barring a late WD, Matt Kuchar and Jhonattan Vegas are the only players that will have teed it up in all five Texas stops this year. • TELEVISION: Thursday-Friday, 4-7 p.m. ET (Golf Channel). Saturday-Sunday, 1-2:30 p.m. (GC), 3-6 p.m. (CBS). • PGA TOUR LIVE: Thursday-Friday, 8 a.m.-4 p.m. (featured groups), 4-7 p.m. (featured holes). • RADIO: Thursday-Friday, 1-7 p.m.; Saturday-Sunday, 1-6 p.m. (PGA TOUR Radio on SiriusXM and PGATOUR.com).

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LA QUINTA, Calif. – The American Express announced its initial wave of player commitments toward its 2023 tournament includes a foursome in reigning Masters champion Scottie Scheffler, Long Beach native and UCLA product Patrick Cantlay, Xander Schauffele and Tony Finau. Together, the four American teammates from September’s victorious Presidents Cup squad, are ranked among the top 12 golfers in the Official World Golf Ranking. Additionally, they will be joined at the 64th edition of The American Express by World No. 19 Sungjae Im – a two-time PGA TOUR winner, the PGA TOUR’s 2022 FedExCup Playoffs runner-up and the 2019 Arnold Palmer Award winner as the PGA TOUR Rookie of the Year – and Idyllwild, Calif. native and Irvine, Calif. resident Brendan Steele, a three-time PGA TOUR winner and a 2005 graduate of UC Riverside. The American Express, featuring a record $8 million purse, will showcase 156 professional golfers and 156 amateurs playing at PGA WEST’s Stadium Course (host course) and Nicklaus Tournament Course and La Quinta Country Club in La Quinta, Calif. from Jan. 19-22, 2023. The American Express is the first PGA TOUR regular season event in the continental U.S. each year and kicks off the TOUR’s West Coast swing. “We are grateful and thrilled to announce such a high-profile group of players committing this early to play in The American Express tournament next month,” said Pat McCabe, Executive Director of The American Express. “Our field strength continues to grow stronger year after year. Scottie Scheffler, Patrick Cantlay and Tony Finau have been loyal to our tournament, and welcoming Xander Schauffele back to the desert gives the tournament three of the world’s top six players. Sungjae Im showed his class in September’s FedExCup Playoffs and Presidents Cup while playing for the International Team. Brendan Steele is a hometown favorite as he may end up being the player who grew up closest to our event.” Daily ticket options for The American Express are now on sale at the tournament’s website, www.theamexgolf.com. American Express Card Members receive a 20% discount on any online ticket price (terms apply). World No. 2 Scheffler and World No. 4 Cantlay are the PGA TOUR’s past two Players of the Year. Scheffler will make his fourth consecutive start in The American Express, since graduating from the Korn Ferry Tour as its 2019 Player of the Year. It will be the third consecutive start for Cantlay, the PGA TOUR’s 2021 FedExCup champion who was The American Express’ 2021 runner-up and owns eight PGA TOUR wins. Scheffler, the PGA TOUR’s 2021-22 Player of the Year, won his first four PGA TOUR titles in a six-tournament stretch from February to April that led to his ascent to the world’s No. 1 ranking. The PGA TOUR’s 2020 Rookie of the Year also finished runner-up in four tournaments last season, including the U.S. Open and the TOUR Championship. Schauffele, a native of La Jolla, Calif. and a San Diego State product, is set to make his third start in The American Express, and his first start since 2017. The world’s No. 6-ranked player won three of his seven PGA TOUR titles last season. Finau, ranked No. 12 in the world and one of the sport’s longest hitters, has broken through as a frequent winner on the PGA TOUR, having claimed four of his five PGA TOUR titles over the past 16 months. This streak began with him winning THE NORTHERN TRUST during the 2021 FedExCup Playoffs. He will make his fourth consecutive, and sixth overall, appearance in The American Express. Annually, The American Express has become a leading entertainment staple, combining golf and music, in the Coachella Valley. The tournament earlier announced that its upcoming Concert Series, which returns for its sixth year (after debuting in 2017), will feature a pair of three-time GRAMMY Award winners with iconic Southern California native Gwen Stefani and singer/songwriter Darius Rucker on the PGA WEST Stadium Course driving range. Stefani, born and raised in Anaheim; a singer songwriter and charismatic frontwoman of No Doubt, will open The American Express’ Concert Series after the conclusion of second-round play on Friday, Jan. 20. Rucker, who first achieved musical prominence as the lead singer of Hootie & the Blowfish and has since become a hugely successful Country artist, will take the stage after the tournament’s third round on Saturday, Jan. 21. The American Express also continues to be one of the desert region’s most charitable sporting events, giving back to its community. In November, The American Express announced a $1 million charitable donation to 37 local Coachella Valley organizations, bringing the event’s all-time donation to more than $64 million since its inception in 1960 as the Palm Springs Golf Classic. Follow The American Express on Facebook (www.facebook.com/theamexgolf), Twitter (@TheAmexGolf) and Instagram (@TheAmexGolf).

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During his career, Woods has reigned supreme eight times as a professional at Arnold Palmer’s place, and before these wins, there was also the U.S. Junior Amateur title in 1991, where Tiger won for the first time at Bay Hill. As the 45-year-old continues his recovery from his serious car accident suffered last week, here’s a look back at Woods’ five greatest shots at the Arnold Palmer Invitational and the clubs he used for each one. 5. 2012 (final round): Approach to No. 8 At the 2012 Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by Mastercard, Tiger was looking to end a two-and-a-half-year winless streak, on what was a windy Sunday with greens and pins that Woods would afterwards describe as the most difficult he had ever experienced at this event. On the treacherous eighth hole, Woods held a two-stroke lead. Sitting in the middle of the fairway with the pin on the left side guarded by the pond in front of the green, Woods, who would often lean on his cut shot during his time working with Sean Foley, struck a high draw. The ball landed softly on the front portion of the green and rolled to within 5 feet of the cup. The bold shot paid off and gave Woods a three-stroke advantage, and he would go on to secure his 72nd PGA TOUR win and begin his ascension back to World No. 1. Club Used: Nike VR Pro Blade 8-iron with a True Temper Dynamic Gold X100 shaft. 4. 2009 (final round): Third shot to No. 16 Tiger began the 2009 final round at Bay Hill five strokes adrift of playing partner Sean O’Hair. The 16th hole in 2009 was a challenging par 4 (now plays as a par 5), and it looked to be advantage O’Hair after Woods was forced to pitch out following a wayward drive. However, O’Hair gave the initiative back to Woods when he found the water guarding the pin at the front of the green. Faced with a tricky 85-yard wedge shot to the flag for his third, Woods aimed 25 feet away from the hole toward the archway on the green, causing the announcers in the booth to question the line he was taking. As Woods’ pitching wedge landed at the top of the archway and spun back to just a couple of feet from the hole, the announcers quickly laughed off how they had foolishly questioned Woods’ thinking, saying: “I think he knows what he’s doing!” Club Used: Nike Victory Red 60-degree wedge with a True Temper Dynamic Gold S400 shaft 3. 2001 (final round): Approach to No. 18 Back in 2001, Woods and Mickelson were locked in a tense battle on Sunday at Bay Hill. With Lefty in the house at 15-under par, Woods needed a par on 18 to force a playoff or a birdie to win. However, a birdie seemed extremely unlikely after the 15-time major champion pulled his tee shot into the rough. While many players would have played safe out to the left and try and salvage par from there, Woods attempted what Johnny Miller described as a ‘hero shot’ over the water and rocks to a tucked pin. Woods striped his 5-iron into the heart of the green and then curled his birdie putt into the cup before celebrating with his signature uppercut fist-pump. All Mickelson could do was applaud from the side of the green. Club Used: Titleist 681T (Endo Forged) 5-iron with True Temper Dynamic Gold X100 shaft. 2. 2009 (final round): Final putt At Bay Hill in 2009, Woods was searching for his first win since undergoing reconstructive surgery for an anterior cruciate ligament rupture in his left knee the previous summer. After Woods’ stunning wedge shot into 16 (No. 4), a bogey on 17 had brought him back into a share of the lead with O’Hair. On the 18th hole, Woods was left with a 16-foot birdie putt for the victory as the light faded over Bay Hill. Woods backed off the putt due to a shout from the crowd, went through his routine once again, and then poured the left-to-right putt into the hole to spark wild celebrations between him and Steve Williams. Nine months after his surgery, Tiger was well and truly back. Club used: Scotty Cameron Newport 2 GSS 1. 2008 (final round): Final putt Tiger Woods entered the 2008 Arnold Palmer Invitational playing some of the best golf of his life, having won seven of his last eight PGA TOUR events. At Bay Hill that year, looking to keep the perfect season dream alive, Woods was embroiled in a battle for the ages, and once again, it all came down to the 72nd hole. Tied with Bart Bryant on the 18th hole, Woods left himself an immensely difficult 24-foot birdie putt above the hole with a severe break from left to right. Tiger’s putt started out to the left before turning towards the hole and dropping right in the middle of the cup with the perfect pace. ‘Hello, Ben Hogan!’ was the famous call from the tower as a fired-up Woods ripped off his hat and threw it to the ground in an outpouring of joy to celebrate his 64th PGA TOUR victory. Woods was 0-for-20 in putts over 18 feet that week before the 72nd hole, but in true Tiger fashion, when it mattered most, he would summon up the magic needed to find the back of the hole. Club used: Scotty Cameron Newport 2 GSS

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