Fantasy Insider: Fantasy golf tips for The Open and Barbasol Championship

PLAYA DEL CARMEN, Mexico – Russell Henley keeps giving himself chances on the PGA TOUR, but eventually, he’d like to convert. Henley, a three-time winner on TOUR, has a six-shot lead heading into the final round of the World Wide Technology Championship at Mayakoba. It’s his fourth 54-hole lead since 2020, including the Sony Open in Hawaii earlier this calendar year, none of which have resulted in trophies. His six-shot cushion, however, is the largest on TOUR (outside of the TOUR Championship) since Jon Rahm at the Memorial Tournament presented by Workday two years ago. Rahm was forced to withdraw after the third round. Henley, after a 6-under 65 on Saturday, will try to separate himself from the task at hand. Again, to try and win on TOUR. The last time Henley won was in 2017 at the Cadence Bank Houston Open. “I mean, I’m just going to try to get my mind off of golf a little right now and get some dinner and watch a little football, maybe watch the World Series and just kind of go into tomorrow, new day and just do the best I can,” said Henley, whose alma mater, the Georgia Bulldogs, beat the University of Tennessee on Saturday afternoon. Henley has yet to make a bogey through 54 holes. However, his results at El Camaleón Golf Course in his career haven’t been the harbinger of a nice week. His best result in four previous tries was a tie for 29th in 2018. He missed the cut in 2019 after calling a penalty on himself, which cost him eight strokes. “That was a weird one,” said Henley with a smile. “But I do feel good about this place. I feel like I can play well here, but it is difficult.” Henley said he’s felt better off the tee this week, keeping the ball in play. He was 4 under through nine holes on Saturday, including making a birdie on the par-4 first. He added two more birdies on the back nine, including one from long-distance on the par-3 15th. He’ll be in the final group Sunday alongside Will Gordon, a winner on the Korn Ferry Tour this year, while Patton Kizzire and Seamus Power will make up the penultimate pairing. Power will be going for back-to-back wins after putting himself into contention with a third-round 63. The Irishman man an ace on the par-3 eighth, an eagle just three holes later on the par-4 11th, and then a hole-out birdie from a greenside bunker on the par-4 14th. Henley admitted that this golf course is the kind of place where a lot of birdies could be made (Sunday was the third-straight day where a round of 8-under-63 or better was shot) so he’s not taking his lead for granted. Still, it’s a place he’s happy to be. Now it’s time to get the job done. “Out here you’ve got to keep attacking. Everybody’s so good and everybody can go low, so it’s a tough game out here,” said Henley. “I don’t think I’ve ever had a lead like this. It’s definitely tough to finish golf tournaments, so I’m just really trying not to think about the score and just think about each shot.”

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2017-18 Priority Ranking (as of 11/20/2017) 1. Winner of PGA Championship or U.S. Open prior to 1970 or in the last five seasons and the current season: Jack Burke, Jr. Jason Day Jason Dufner Dow Finsterwald Raymond Floyd Doug Ford Al Geiberger Don January Dustin Johnson Martin Kaymer Brooks Koepka Gene Littler Rory McIlroy Bobby Nichols Jack Nicklaus Gary Player Justin Rose Jordan Spieth Justin Thomas Lee Trevino Jimmy Walker 2. Winner of THE PLAYERS Championship in the last five seasons and the current season: Rickie Fowler Si Woo Kim Tiger Woods 3. Winners of the Masters Tournament in the last five seasons and the current season: Sergio Garcia Adam Scott Bubba Watson 4. Winners of The Open Championship in the last five seasons and the current season: Zach Johnson Phil Mickelson Henrik Stenson 5. Winners of THE TOUR Championship in the last three seasons and the current season: Xander Schauffele 6. Winners of World Golf Championships events in the last three seasons and the current season: Russell Knox Shane Lowry Hideki Matsuyama 6a. Winners of the Arnold Palmer Invitational and the Memorial Tournament in the last three seasons and the current season, beginning with the 2015 winners. Matt Every Marc Leishman David Lingmerth William McGirt 7. Leader from the final FedExCup points list in each of the last five seasons: Billy Horschel 8. Leader from the final PGA TOUR money list 2013-2016: 9. Winners of PGA TOUR co-sponsored or approved tournaments, whose victories are considered official, within the last two seasons, or during the current season; winners receive an additional season of exemption for each additional win, up to five seasons: Ryan Armour Aaron Baddeley Daniel Berger Jonas Blixt Wesley Bryan Patrick Cantlay Greg Chalmers Kevin Chappell Austin Cook Bryson DeChambeau Tony Finau Fabián Gómez Branden Grace Cody Gribble Emiliano Grillo Adam Hadwin James Hahn Brian Harman Russell Henley Jim Herman Charley Hoffman Mac Hughes Billy Hurley III Smylie Kaufman Chris Kirk Kevin Kisner Patton Kizzire Matt Kuchar Peter Malnati Graeme McDowell Ryan Moore Grayson Murray Rod Pampling Pat Perez D.A. Points Jon Rahm Patrick Reed Charl Schwartzel Webb Simpson Cameron Smith Brandt Snedeker Kyle Stanley Brendan Steele Chris Stroud Brian Stuard Hudson Swafford Vaughn Taylor Jhonattan Vegas 11a. Players among the top 50 in career earnings as of the end of the preceding season may elect to use a one-time exemption for the next season: Tim Clark Retief Goosen Bo Van Pelt 11b. Players among the Top 25 in career earnings as of the end of the preceding season may elect to use this special one-time exemption for the next season. K.J. Choi Ernie Els 12. Sponsor exemptions (a maximum of eight, which may include amateurs with handicaps of 0 or less), on the following basis: A. Not less than two sponsor invitees shall be PGA TOUR members not otherwise exempt. B. Not less than two of the 2017 Top Finishers of the Web.com Tour, if not all can otherwise be accommodated. NOTE: PGA TOUR members may receive an unlimited number of sponsor invitations. Non-TOUR members may receive a maximum of seven per year. 13. Two international players designated by the Commissioner. 14. The current PGA Club Professional Champion up to 6 open events (3 must be opposite The Open Championship and World Golf Championships events), in addition to any sponsor selections. The exemption does not apply to open, limited-field events. Omar Uresti 15. PGA Section Champion or Player of the Year of the Section in which the tournament is played. 16. Four low scorers at Open Qualifying which shall normally be held on Monday of tournament week. 17. Past champions of the particular event being contested that week, if cosponsored by the PGA TOUR and the same tournament sponsor, as follows: A. Winners prior to July 28, 1970: unlimited exemptions for such events. B. Winners after Jan. 1, 2000: five seasons of exemptions for such events. 18. Life Members (who have been active members of the PGA TOUR for 15 years and have won at least 20 co-sponsored events). Davis Love III Vijay Singh 19. Top 125 on the previous season’s FedExCup points list. Paul Casey Gary Woodland Louis Oosthuizen Bill Haas Francesco Molinari Chez Reavie Charles Howell III Lucas Glover Kevin Na Keegan Bradley Luke List Anirban Lahiri Ian Poulter Stewart Cink Scott Brown Martin Laird Jamie Lovemark Sung Kang Ollie Schniederjans Rafa Cabrera Bello Sean O’Hair Robert Streb Bud Cauley Kevin Tway Danny Lee Kelly Kraft Graham DeLaet Jason Kokrak Patrick Rodgers Morgan Hoffmann Chad Campbell Kevin Streelman C.T. Pan Whee Kim Harold Varner III Nick Taylor J.B. Holmes Camilo Villegas J.J. Spaun Scott Piercy Michael Kim Scott Stallings Byeong Hun An Martin Flores Luke Donald Richy Werenski Ryan Blaum Geoff Ogilvy Robert Garrigus Seung-Yul Noh Brian Gay Brandon Hagy Steve Stricker Derek Fathauer Tyrone Van Aswegen Harris English Dominic Bozzelli Nick Watney John Huh Blayne Barber Ben Martin Rory Sabbatini J.J. Henry 21. Players who finished greater than or equal to top 125 on the 2016-17 PGA TOUR Official Season FedExCup Points List through the Wyndham Championship as non-members: Thomas Pieters Tommy Fleetwood Tyrrell Hatton Alex Noren Ross Fisher 22. Major Medical Extension: If granted by the Commissioner, if not otherwise eligible, and if needed to fill the field, Special Medical Extension. Ryan Palmer Kevin Stadler John Senden Sangmoon Bae Freddie Jacobson Jon Curran Bob Estes Chris Couch Briny Baird Colt Knost Steve Marino Harrison Frazar Charlie Beljan John Peterson Andrew Loupe 23. Leading Money Winner from the previous season’s Top 25 regular season players using combined money earned on the Official Web.com Tour Regular Season Money List and Web.com Tour Finals Money List. Leading Money Winner from the previous season’s Web.com Tour Finals and Three-Time Winners from previous season Web.com Tour. Chesson Hadley 24. Leading money winner from Web.com Tour medical 25. Top 10 and ties, not otherwise exempt, among professionals from the previous open tournament whose victory has official status are exempt into the next open tournament whose victory has official status. 26. Top Finishers of the Web.com Tour: Finishers 2-25 from the previous season’s Top 25 Web.com Tour Regular season players using combined money earned on the Web.com Tour Regular Season Money List and money earned in the Web.com Tour Finals and the top 25 players and ties on the Web.com Tour Finals Money List at the conclusion of the Finals who are not already exempt. Cejka, Alex Landry, Andrew Uihlein, Peter Duncan, Tyler Harkins, Brandon Silverman, Ben Hossler, Beau Hoge, Tom Piller, Martin Lindheim, Nicholas Randolph, Jonathan Garnett, Brice Wise, Aaron Ancer, Abraham Jaeger, Stephan Gooch, Talor Potter, Jr., Ted Stefani, Shawn Zhang, Xinjun Schenk, Adam Dahmen, Joel Oppenheim, Rob Thompson, Michael Conners, Corey Burgoon, Bronson Tringale, Cameron Tracy, Ethan Power, Seamus Díaz, Roberto Lovelady, Tom Putnam, Andrew Stegmaier, Brett Jones, Matt Merritt, Troy Shindler, Conrad Mitchell, Keith Lashley, Nate Wheatcroft, Steve Saunders, Sam Ryder, Sam Byrd, Jonathan Griffin, Lanto Dou, Zecheng McCarthy, Denny Atkins, Matt Thompson, Kyle Yun, Andrew Collins, Chad Blanks, Kris Claxton, Will MacKenzie, Will Williams, Lee Bertsch, Shane Berganio, Jr., David Sucher, Zack Note: Reordered after the conclusion of The RSM Classic and the Genesis Open; thereafter, Mondays of the Masters, THE PLAYERS Championship, U.S. Open and The Open Championship. 27. Top Finishers from the Web.com Tour medical: NOTE: This category will be reordered with the above category #26. 28. Players winning three Web.com Tour events in the current season: 29. Minor medical extension: Padraig Harrington Andrew Johnston 30. Twenty-five finishers beyond 125th place on prior season’s FedExCup points list (126-150): Poston, J.T. Wagner, Johnson Hearn, David Blair, Zac Mullinax, Trey Barnes, Ricky Crane, Ben Percy, Cameron Summerhays, Daniel Lamb, Rick Owen, Greg Kjeldsen, Søren Note: Reordered after the conclusion of The RSM Classic and the Genesis Open; thereafter, Mondays of the Masters, THE PLAYERS Championship, U.S. Open and The Open Championship. 31. Nonexempt, major medical/family crisis: NOTE: This category will be reordered with the above category #30. 32. Reorder Categories 33-37 Mahan, Hunter Davis, Brian Cabrera, Ã�ngel Axley, Eric Ernst, Derek Duke, Ken McNeill, George de Jonge, Brendon Herron, Tim Appleby, Stuart Daly, John Rollins, John Note: Categories 33-37 Reordered after the conclusion of The RSM Classic and the Genesis Open; thereafter, Mondays of the Masters, THE PLAYERS Championship, U.S. Open and The Open Championship. 33. Past Champions, Team Tournament Winners and Veteran Members Beyond 150 on the FedExCup Points List: If not otherwise eligible and as needed to fill the field, Past Champion members, Team Tournament Winners and Veteran members beyond 150th place on the previous season’s FedExCup points list in order of their combined official PGA TOUR and Web.com Tour earnings in the previous season. Furyk, Jim Weekley, Boo Gore, Jason Lunde, Bill Molder, Bryce Romero, Andres Pride, Dicky Bohn, Jason Pettersson, Carl Couples, Fred Wilson, Mark Merrick, John Allenby, Robert Yang, Y.E. Wi, Charlie Kelly, Jerry Barlow, Craig Atwal, Arjun Gainey, Tommy Chopra, Daniel Johnson, Richard Mize, Larry Bowditch, Steven Lonard, Peter Trahan, D.J. Hensby, Mark Todd, Brendon McLachlin, Parker Leonard, Justin Bradley, Michael Micheel, Shaun Matteson, Troy Funk, Fred Toms, David Petrovic, Tim Turnesa, Marc Smith, Chris Overton, Jeff Hart, Dudley Kaye, Jonathan Mattiace, Len Gamez, Robert 34. Past Champion Members: If not otherwise eligible and if needed to fill the field, Past Champion members, in order of the total number of cosponsored or approved events won, excluding Team events. If two or more players are tied, the player who is higher on the PGA TOUR Career Money List shall be eligible. 35. Special Temporary Members: If during the course of a PGA TOUR season, a nonmember of the PGA TOUR wins an amount of points (e.g., by playing in PGA TOUR events through sponsor exemptions, Open Qualifying, etc.) equal to the amount won in the preceding season by the 150th finisher on the FedExCup points list, he will be eligible to become a special temporary member for the remainder of the season. 36. Team Tournament Winners: If not otherwise eligible and if needed to fill the field, winners of co-sponsored team championships, in order of the total number of team championship tournaments won. If two or more players are tied based on the number of such tournaments won, the player who is higher on the official PGA TOUR Career Money List shall be eligible. 37. Veteran Members: If not otherwise eligible and if needed to fill the field, Veteran members (players who have made a minimum of 150 cuts during their career), in order of their standing on the PGA TOUR Career Money List.

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