Tony Finau leads WGC-HSBC Champions after Round 3

We are thankful this Thanksgiving for golf itself. As the pandemic drags on, the National Golf Foundation reported that September alone saw a 26% jump in rounds played year-over-year, with every state in the continental United States reporting an increase. Through the end of September, year-to-date rounds were up 8.7%, which the NGF called, "A startling turnaround following a disastrous start to the spring." Golf is getting us outside, keeping us safe, and keeping us (relatively) sane. Here are eight other things to be thankful for this Thanksgiving. 1. The resilience of the PGA TOUR It had been 91 days of no TOUR events when the best players in the world flew to Fort Worth, Texas for the start of the Charles Schwab Challenge on June 11. Copious COVID tests, no on-site fans, off-the-charts uncertainty. Pro sports were on hold. Nobody knew what to expect. What we got was all kinds of compelling storylines, from Ancer (Abraham, making a run at the Masters before finishing T13) to Zalatoris (Will, accepting Special Temporary Membership). Today we can say that the TOUR has been beset by relatively few positive tests, entertained the masses throughout a hard year, and led the way back for all of professional sports. 2. The courage of Camilo Villegas After 22-month-old daughter Mia died of cancer in late July, Villegas and his wife Maria refocused and renamed their charity Mia's Miracles to help other families coping with childhood cancer in the United States and their native Colombia. Meanwhile, Camilo resumed his career on the PGA TOUR, where he was coming back from a shoulder injury - an injury he now says was a blessing in disguise because it kept him home with his daughter for the little time she had. Villegas shot 64 to share the first-round lead at The RSM Classic last week. He finished T6th. 3. The tears of Dustin Johnson He was as inscrutable as an Easter Island statue at the 2010 U.S. Open at Pebble Beach, when he lost his three-shot lead with a second-hole triple bogey, shot 82, and finished T8. Ditto for the PGA Championship at Whistling Straits two months later, when after grounding his club in a bunker he had to take a crushing two-stroke penalty on the 72nd hole. Johnson didn't crack after taking the 54-hole lead/co-lead but failing to win two other U.S. Opens, or at the PGA Championship in August, where he shot 68 to lose by two to Collin Morikawa (64). But after he'd won the pandemic-delayed Masters, Johnson was so overcome with emotion he couldn't speak in an interview with CBS' Amanda Balionis. This is what came of having grown up banging balls under the lights at the Weed Hill driving range in Columbia, South Carolina, just an hour or so from Augusta National, always dreaming of the Masters. Johnson shrugged and offered an apologetic smile as Balionis waited for him to collect himself in his new 42 long green jacket. A world-beater whose golf game seemed almost inhumanly good as he won the Travelers Championship, THE NORTHERN TRUST, the TOUR Championship, the FedExCup and now the Masters, he had never been so relatable. 4. The sportsmanship of Peter Malnati After coming into the Sanderson Farms Championship ranked 312th in the world and 103rd in the FedExCup, the floppy-hatted Malnati shot a final-round 63, making nearly 140 feet of putts. He answered every reporter's question, plopped down on the Country Club of Jackson grass with his wife Alicia and son Hatcher, and waited to see if it would be enough. Sergio Garcia answered in the negative when he made a kick-in birdie at the 72nd hole nearly two hours later, but a smiling Malnati was among the first to congratulate the winner. No, he hadn't won, but he'd revived his career. His top-10 finish meant a spot in the field at the Shriners Hospitals for Children Open the next week, where he would keep it going with a T5 finish. With a T48-place finish at The RSM Classic last week, Malnati is up to 16th in the FedExCup. 5. The pioneering spirit of Bryson DeChambeau He won the Rocket Mortgage Classic by three at Detroit Golf Club, and U.S. Open by six after hitting just 41% of the fairways at fearsome Winged Foot in September. "No chance," Rory McIlroy said, when asked if he imagined anyone winning that way. Alas, on a course that seemed much more suited to his newfound power game, DeChambeau came unglued on two of Augusta National's shortest holes - the drivable par-4 third and cupcake par-5 13th - and finished a disappointing T34 at the Masters in November. Either way, bulked-up Bryson was and remains must-see TV. 6. The youth of PGA TOUR Champions Bernhard Langer used to have a stranglehold on the 50-plus circuit, but with the seismic arrivals of Ernie Els, Jim Furyk and Phil Mickelson, the tour is as competitive as ever. Furyk (The Ally Challenge; PURE Insurance Championship) and Mickelson (Charles Schwab Series at Ozarks National; Dominion Energy Charity Classic) even won their first two starts. Now Darren Clarke has gotten in on the action with a win at the TimberTech Championship. 7. The staying power of TPC Sawgrass The PGA TOUR's TPC Network of Clubs and iconic TPC Sawgrass, which started it all, turned 40 in October. It was a good time to remember that TPC courses have hosted more than 400 professional tournaments, with the rent-free venues allowing for bigger purses and charitable donations. On non-tournament weeks, the TPCs are open to recreational players, who can test their games in the same golfing theaters where history has been made. 8. The persistence of the short hitter Dustin Johnson won the FedExCup, but three of the six multiple tournament winners last season were outside the top 100 in driving distance: Collin Morikawa, Brendon Todd and Webb Simpson. Justin Thomas, who along with Johnson and Jon Rahm made up the other three big hitters who cleaned up last season, even admitted to dialing back on distance to hit more fairways. "It just kind of proves yet again that length is not the answer," he said. The game is still open to all.

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As we embark on Segment 4 of PGA TOUR Fantasy Golf presented by SERVPRO, it’s most critical to navigate the home stretch with a plan since you can start every golfer no more than three times. So, let’s deconstruct the remaining 12 tournaments. • All but The Open Championship will utilize the full array of fantasy scoring. However, that major is as much of a crapshoot as any event, so sitting out notables in favor of European PGA TOUR members and international non-members was already advised. • Three events will not feature a cut (WGC-Bridgestone, BMW Championship, TOUR Championship), but the last two are FedExCup Playoffs events and conclude the season. Therefore, holstering at least one start for the heavyweights at the finish line is valuable. The annual stop at Firestone can be treated like The Open Championship. Lean on internationals and others who you won’t miss. • Another three will be contested on courses new to the tournament. The first is this week’s Quicken Loans National. The second is the PGA Championship at Quail Hollow Club. The last is THE NORTHERN TRUST at Glen Oaks Club. Only the PGA presents relevant course history since Quail Hollow is the regular host of the Wells Fargo Championship. And because it’s a major, there’s an argument that it’s the third-most important tournament for fantasy purposes in Segment 4 (behind the BMW Championship and TOUR Championship). We can get away with next-tier investments in the other two. • Four of the other five events will host fields similar to what’s at our disposal at TPC Potomac at Avenel Farm; that is, the depth will help spell playing time for the monsters in whom gamers will be investing the most in the PGA Championship, BMW Championship and TOUR Championship. The fifth is the Dell Technologies Championship, which has always been held at TPC Boston. It’s the last event of the season with a cut as well as a potential surprise site for notables who are not projected to advance past it or the BMW Championship. PGA TOUR Fantasy Golf presented by SERVPRO My roster for the Quicken Loans National (in alphabetical order): Rickie Fowler Bill Haas David Lingmerth Patrick Reed Brendan Steele Justin Thomas You’ll find my starters in Expert Picks. Others to consider for each category (in alphabetical order): Scoring: Keegan Bradley; Graham DeLaet; Tony Finau; Russell Henley; Sung Kang; Danny Lee; Marc Leishman; Xander Schauffele; Kyle Stanley; Jimmy Walker Driving: Keegan Bradley; Kevin Chappell; Graham DeLaet; Tony Finau; James Hahn; Russell Henley; Billy Horschel; Marc Leishman; Xander Schauffele; Kyle Stanley; Kevin Streelman Approach: Graham DeLaet; David Hearn; Charles Howell III; Kyle Stanley; Boo Weekley Short: Graham DeLaet; Russell Henley; Billy Horschel; Billy Hurley III; Danny Lee; Marc Leishman; Xander Schauffele Power Rankings Wild Card Tony Finau … With only one top-15 finish in his last six starts, he was the default omission from the Power Rankings, but it doesn’t mean that he should be overlooked in any format. Statistically so impressive and now gets to tackle a track where his weakness on the greens can hide. Whether his length off the tee will be accentuated in PGA TOUR Fantasy Golf presented by SERVPRO remains to be learned, but you can easily argue that he belongs in your lineup regardless. Draws Graham DeLaet … Performed predictably well at TPC River Highlands but gamers would love to see more par breakers given how often he’s standing over those chances. Yet, there’s a comfort in his consistency long-term. As it pertains to the Quicken Loans National, largely unknown and smaller greens benefit the Canadian. Invest again with confidence. Keegan Bradley … Fulfilled his label as a Sleeper (see Recap below) at the Travelers where he co-led the field in greens in regulation. All he needs to do is carry that same approach to TPC Potomac at Avenel Farm and he’ll reward the faithful. Of course, that’s not how the game is played and he wouldn’t have earned this endorsement if not for last week’s form, but he’s no stranger to riding a groove once he finds one. Jimmy Walker … If he hadn’t revealed that he’s battling Lyme disease, he likely wouldn’t be bringing awareness to it (obviously a great thing), but it’s just as unlikely that we’d have noticed. While the 38-year-old hasn’t been a regular on leaderboards for most of the year, he’s still turned in five top 25s in his last nine starts (spanning his announcement about the illness). His only missed cut in that stretch was at the U.S. Open where he wasn’t the only notable who failed to advance. Russell Henley … I’m sucker for proven talents who check all of the boxes. Funny how that works, huh? Any fantasy team would pick apart the competition with depth equivalent to his game, but he’s failed to record a top 25 in six starts since a T11 at the Masters. However, the combination of his ball-striking and hot putting on an unfamiliar course is too tempting to ignore. Kyle Stanley … Fell short of a higher expectation at the Travelers where he finished T57 with a third-round 74. That sets him up as a prime rebound candidate at TPC Potomac at Avenel Farm. It’s also worth the reminder that he’s third on TOUR in total driving, second in greens hit and 11th in adjusted scoring. Troy Merritt .. DFS flier bouncing off a season-best T8 at the Travelers. Also one of the 28 who competed in at least one of the two Web.com Tour events held here in 2012 and 2013. Fades J.B. Holmes … After consecutive mammoth seasons, it seems like a misprint that it’s been over nine months now since his last top 10 in individual competition. The 35-year-old has missed only three cuts all season, but his solo 12th at Erin Hills jumps off the page more than it should given expectations entering 2016-17. Ranks 167th in greens in regulation and 160th in scrambling. Daniel Summerhays … Eighth consecutive week on the road (since THE PLAYERS) during which he connected only once for an impressive result even as he closed out a T10 at Memorial with a 78. At 139th in the FedExCup standings, full-season gamers remain antsy. Adam Hadwin … Since his spectacular opening to the calendar year, he’s regressed to the kind of complementary value with which we were previously accustomed. He’s already exempt into the final two majors and World Golf Championships-Bridgestone Invitational – all for the first time – so there’s an element of curiosity as he adjusts to his new schedule. The good news is that he’s missed only one cut in the last eight months. Some safety nets are stronger than others. Byeong Hun An … After a surprisingly disappointing missed cut at Erin Hills, the 25-year-old finished T66 at TPC River Highlands to fulfill his placement in this section a week ago. Plain and simple, we need to be impressed that he’s going to modify his game for shorter, tighter tracks before hopping aboard. Chris Kirk … Just two top 30s in the last seven months and only one top 60 in his last 11 starts. Kevin Na … He’s gone nine consecutive stroke-play starts on the PGA TOUR without a top-30 finish. Lucas Glover … We gamers are as fickle as the sport itself. After presenting as a sensible complement in most formats, he’s suddenly gone eight starts with only one top-30 finish (T6, THE PLAYERS). He’s also missed three of his last four cuts. Ball-striking can take him only so far, and it should be his weapon again this week, but it won’t matter unless he’s paying off the scoring opportunities. Returning to Competition Charles Howell III … First start since a T56 at the RBC Heritage. He’s been bothered by a stress fracture in a rib. Still a lofty 33rd in the FedExCup standings despite the break. Second on TOUR in scrambling and more than impressive enough throughout his bag not to discourage even patient gamers. From our standpoint, he’s spoiled us for years so there’s little concern that he’ll struggle ramping back into form, so consider making room in every format (except One & Done). J.J. Spaun … The PGA TOUR rookie has been battling an oblique strain in his ribs for weeks. It’s why he withdrew during both of his last two appearances (DEAN & DELUCA, Memorial). He tweeted on June 22 that he’s ready to get back after it. Despite the urge to fade him, his game is a good fit for TPC Potomac at Avenel Farm and there’s rest attached to the rust, so he presents as a flier in DFS. Danny Willett … Scheduled to compete in the HNA Open de France on his home circuit. He’s withdrawn during each of his last two starts on the PGA TOUR due to discomfort in his back, but he squeezed a T58 at the BMW PGA Championship in between. Needless to say, the Englishman has been one of the biggest disappointments in our world this season. Stuart Appleby … His sore back won’t leave him be. Had to call it quits as a result of it before his second round of last week’s Travelers, but he’ll try again at the Web.com Tour’s Nashville Golf Open Benefitting the Snedeker Foundation. Jon Curran … Technically returned to meaningful action at the CVS Health Charity Classic on June 19-20 and finished second with teammates Mark O’Meara and Paula Creamer, but Curran gets back to sanctioned competition at the Web.com Tour stop in Nashville this week. He’s been sidelined for four months with a rib injury. That time frame is the minimum required for a Major Medical Extension should he need one for 2017-18. He’s currently 197th in the FedExCup standings, so it’ll come in handy in case he doesn’t make noise down the stretch. Bronson Burgoon … Slated to compete on the Web.com Tour this week. It’ll mark his first live action since September of last year when he went 0-for-1 in the Web.com Tour Finals. The 30-year-old then had surgery, so he’d be eligible for a non-exempt medical extension on the PGA TOUR in 2017-18. He finished 131st in FedExCup points as a rookie last season. Bob Estes … Poised for his debut in the U.S. Senior Open. Withdrew after one round of last week’s Travelers Championship due to an illness. Just 3-for-12 on the PGA TOUR this season. Still has 11 starts on a Major Medical Extension. Notable WDs Gary Woodland … Understandably, he simply hasn’t been the same since he and his wife lost one of their unborn twins in March. No better than a T40 at the AT&T Byron Nelson in the interim. At 23rd in the FedExCup standings (in 17 starts), he’s empowered to rest whenever necessary without the stress of retaining his card. Also already exempt into The Open Championship and will eventually gain entry into the PGA Championship by virtue of his Official World Golf Ranking (currently 48th). J.T. Poston … Sitting one out after an 0-for-3 slide. At 107th in the FedExCup standings, he can afford it, not to mention he’s earned it. His respectable rookie season has featured one top 10s and another three top 25s, all within a three-month stretch into early May. Power Rankings Recap – Travelers Championship Sleepers Recap – Travelers Championship Birthdays among active golfers on the PGA TOUR June 27 … none June 28 … Si Woo Kim (22) June 29 … Mark Hensby (45); Anirban Lahiri (30); Trey Mullinax (25) June 30 … Patrick Rodgers (25) July 1 … none July 2 … Brett Stegmaier (34) July 3 … none

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