Power Rankings: Travelers Championship

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JERSEY CITY, N.J. – Eight points are at stake in Saturday’s Day 3 of the Presidents Cup. The Internationals, trailing 8-2 to the U.S., desperately need a performance like they produced 14 years ago in South Africa. In 2003, the Internationals swept all six matches played on that Saturday at Fancourt – the only time in their team history in the Presidents Cup that they’ve shut out the U.S. in a single session. The format was changed two years later to set up two Day 3 sessions. At Liberty National on Saturday, there will be four Foursomes matches in the morning, followed by four Four-ball afternoon matches. If the Internationals could win six of those matches, the score would be tied entering Sunday’s 12 Singles matches. It’s a tall order, especially given how well the Americans have played in the first two days. Nick Price is shaking up his Foursomes lineup, putting Adam Scott with Adam Hadwin, and Jhonattan Vegas with Emiliano Grillo. Not playing Saturday morning is Hideki Matsuyama, the world’s No. 3-ranked player who has struggled and showing signs of fatigue. Also sitting out the morning are Si Woo Kim, Charl Schwartzel and Anirban Lahiri for the Internationals. Sitting out for the U.S. will be Daniel Berger, Brooks Koepka, Charley Hoffman and Kevin Chappell. Presidents Cup rules require that all players play at least two of the first four sessions, so Kim and Lahiri must play in Saturday afternoon Four-balls, as do Berger, Hoffman and Chappell. Expect to see Hoffman and Chappell as teammates, as the Presidents Cup rookies won their Friday Four-ball match 6 and 5. Koepka and Berger partnered for a loss in Thursday’s Foursomes. While the Saturday morning Foursomes pairings are set, the afternoon Four-ball pairings won’t be announced until a few hours before the start of the session. Here’s a look at each of the four morning matches at Liberty National. Fantasy expert Rob Bolton offers his analysis and provides his picks for PGA TOUR Captain’s Pick game.  MATCH 11 Jason Day/Marc Leishman (International) vs. Jordan Spieth/Patrick Reed (U.S.) Foursomes records: Day 0-4-3; Leishman 1-2-1; Spieth 4-0-0; Reed 1-2-0 Why Internationals will win: Pure aggravation could see this duo take down the USA big guns. Having let go their opening two matches down the stretch, the Australian duo is fired up to make amends. Why U.S. will win: Not only has Spieth never lost a Foursomes match in the Presidents Cup, he and Reed have never lost as U.S. teammates, going 2-0-2 in Presidents Cup/Ryder Cups. That includes their 5 and 4 win on Thursday over Si Woo Kim and Emiliano Grillo. Rob Bolton’s analysis: Both duos are gunning to avenge disappointing results on Friday, but Reed and Spieth rolled in Foursomes on Thursday. Going out first Saturday with a six-point team lead, the Americans are in position to step on throats. Even though only one-third of the competition is complete, all of the pressure is on the visitors. My pick: U.S. Captain’s Pick suggestion: Reed, Spieth. MATCH 12 Adam Scott/Adam Hadwin (International) vs. Dustin Johnson/Matt Kuchar (U.S.) Foursomes records: Scott 4-9-2; Hadwin 0-0-0; Johnson 4-0-1; Kuchar 2-3-1 Why Internationals will win: Hadwin showed great fight in his debut appearance on Friday, let down by Matsuyama’s scratchy play. Now paired with Scott, his putting and Scott’s ball-striking could prove a lethal combination. Why U.S. will win: This team is a great combination of distance and accuracy. They were bogey-free in their first Foursomes match of the week, in Thursday’s windy conditions, beating Adam Scott and Jhonattan Vegas. Kuchar should be well-rested after sitting out Friday’s session. Rob Bolton’s analysis: The return of DJ and Kuchar in Foursomes is predictable. Thursday’s 1-up triumph validated last year’s easy win as a pairing at the Ryder Cup. Meanwhile, Scott lost his first two sessions this week to drop to 13-19-5 in his Presidents Cup career. Hadwin is illustrating the spirit that many expected, so perhaps that’s what Scott needs to reverse his course. It’s a connection that might have made more sense on Thursday. My pick: U.S. Captain’s Pick suggestion: Johnson, Kuchar. MATCH 13 Jhonattan Vegas/Emiliano Grillo (International) vs. Phil Mickelson/Kevin Kisner (U.S.) Foursomes records: Vegas 0-1-0; Grillo 0-1-0; Mickelson 11-6-4; Kisner 0-0-1 Why Internationals will win: The South American connection is being unleashed. The pair of Presidents Cup first-timers won’t lack in fire power and should they manage their way past Mickelson’s mind games and dance routines, they could surprise. Why U.S. will win: Mickelson has leaned on Kisner quite a bit in their first two matches, and the first-timer has delivered. Mickelson, of course, can still conjure up magic when needed, as he did with the winning putt in Friday’s Four-ball match. Having spent two days together, these two have now settled into a nice rhythm – as long as they’re not doing the Three Amigos dance. Rob Bolton’s analysis: Vegas didn’t get the job done with Scott on Thursday and Friday, but his new partner figures to lift his spirits. In fact, it’s surprising that it’s taken three days before the only two South Americans on the team were paired. It’s the kind of mid-competition injection that they’re going to need to hold off Kisner and Mickelson, who are 1-0-1 as a couple. Investors in the Internationals can hedge toward an American letdown here, but you shouldn’t expect it. My pick: Halve. Captain’s Pick suggestion: Grillo. MATCH 14 Louis Oosthuizen/Branden Grace (International) vs. Justin Thomas/Rickie Fowler Foursomes records: Oosthuizen 3-2-0; Grace 3-1-0; Thomas 1-0-0; Fowler 2-1-0 Why Internationals will win: Having lost their perfect record against Thomas and Fowler, the South African duo won’t have any trouble getting up for the rematch. Thomas made everything Friday … surely he can’t keep that up, can he? Why U.S. will win: Both players have been red-hot fire, particularly Thomas on the back nine in Friday’s win. They’ve won both their matches handily this week, needing just 30 holes. They’ve lost just three holes and have trailed on just one. But now that they’ve handed the South Africans their first loss, will the same motivation be there to do it again? Rob Bolton’s analysis: Gamers who have sat on Fowler and/or Thomas hope that they’ll go out again in afternoon Four-ball (to double up on the potential for fantasy points), but those matches won’t be announced until morning Foursomes are underway, which means that the daily deadline will have passed. However, given their value to the team, it would seem way outside Stricker’s conservative profile to sit them. Same goes for the powerhouse of Spieth and Reed. My pick: U.S. Captain’s Pick suggestion: Fowler, Thomas.

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Don’t let the tranquil setting or modest length fool you. Across its first three iterations, the Butterfield Bermuda Championship has proven one of the PGA TOUR’s most unique challenges. Entering its fourth playing, the event has assumed a staple role on the TOUR’s fall calendar, set for October 20-23 at Port Royal GC in Southampton, Bermuda. The event’s reputation has only grown since 2019, as its history and tradition build by the year. “What an amazing place this is,” said Peter Malnati, who has recorded back-to-back top-25 finishes in Bermuda. “I played in the (2020) pro-am with four locals, and there’s just a demeanor here on the island of calmness, and it’s a relaxed nature. It’s obviously visually stunning, gorgeous, beautiful, but it seems to have a nice spirit to it. I love it, and I’m very comfortable. “Week-in and week-out on the PGA TOUR, we play the best golf courses in the world, and we’re playing one of them right here in Bermuda, so it’s really cool.” To date, the Bermuda Championship has raised over $1.1 million for local charities, a number that is sure to only grow in the years to come. It’s a memorable week in both venue and transportation routine. Players challenge a Port Royal GC layout that demands a variety of shot values, after a scenic ferry ride from one of the island’s ample resort districts. Port Royal GC measures just 6,828 yards but with its seaside setting, elevation changes and a variety of doglegs, asks a lot of questions. It’s a strategic test that produces a worthy champion and sets up players for continued success through the fall and remainder of the TOUR season. “You’ve got to be so much more precise,” said 2021 winner Lucas Herbert, who navigated tricky wind conditions over the weekend en route to a 15-under total and one-stroke victory. “You’ve got to be really good at understanding how the wind moves around the golf course. “It’s not the longest golf course we play on TOUR, but the test is not about the length, it’s all about controlling the golf ball.” “You’ve got to be in control of your ball flight and know your numbers and distances, where to hit and not to,” said Matt Fitzpatrick, reigning U.S. Open champion. “I think there’s a lot of mental stuff involved, and you’ve really got to think your way around. You’ve got to be on top of your game; it’s a challenge, and you’ve got to be on it for 72 holes.” I think there’s a lot of mental stuff involved, and you’ve really got to think your way around. You’ve got to be on top of your game. The winner at Port Royal GC will be exempt on TOUR through 2025 and qualify for this season’s Masters, PLAYERS and PGA Championship among other perks. The stakes are high, in contrast to the leisurely setting of the 15-minute ferry ride from the hotel to the golf course. Players can meander the top deck and savor the ocean views, or converse with their peers in the cabin below. Rob Oppenheim has even converted the ferry into a practice facility, doing putting drills on the top deck en route to a top-25 finish in the event’s first playing in 2019. Bermuda comprises more golf courses per square mile than anywhere else in the world, and the tournament has strived to provide opportunities to local players through the years, including Brian Morris, head professional at nearby Ocean View GC who has terminal brain cancer but competed at last year’s Butterfield Bermuda Championship on a sponsor exemption. Morris maintained an upbeat presence throughout the week at Port Royal GC, capturing the spirits of fellow pros and fans as well as the worldwide golf landscape. “I believe that a positive attitude and positive outlook is probably better than any miracle drug,” Morris said. “We have a lot to be thankful for, outside of the bad things. There’s so much to life without dwelling on the bad stuff.” Bermuda’s climate is conducive to year-round golf, allowing local pros ample time to hone their games. Concurrently, the sport has become an integral part of the international business landscape on the island. Each year, tournament exemptions are awarded via a local qualifier for Bermudians. The 2022 qualifier was conducted Wednesday, with Michael Sims, Jarryd Dillas and Nicholas Jones earning spots in the field at Port Royal GC. Sims, who has spent time on the Korn Ferry Tour, has now qualified for the Bermuda Championship on four consecutive occasions. Across the past three years, his former Korn Ferry Tour-turned-PGA TOUR peers have discovered the truth to Sim’s sentiments of the island’s magic. “I had a ton of fun with everyone,” said Harry Higgs, who finished runner-up at the inaugural Butterfield Bermuda Championship in 2019. “The island’s great, so hospitable, well-run event. It was a lot of fun, for sure.”

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