Todd takes lead, will go for third straight win

If you're new to PGA TOUR Fantasy Golf and had Austin Cook and/or Matthew Wolff starting in the final round of the Shriners Hospitals for Children Open, you may be wondering why their fantasy points took a hit on Monday. Until you personally experience what it's like to have a playoff victim in your starting lineup for a tournament finale, you may have glossed over my most recent message/reminder in this space for the Sanderson Farms Championship that explained why fantasy totals aren't final until Monday. The automation for PGA TOUR Fantasy Golf assumes bonus points for all playoff participants as if each won the tournament, but manual adjustments are required after its conclusion. RELATED: Power Rankings | Expert Picks | Sleeper Picks Cook, Wolff and eventual champion Martin Laird each was credited with 50 bonus points (one-tenth the FedExCup points earned by the winner) when they qualified for the playoff at TPC Summerlin. Then, when Monday's weekly fine-tuning was executed, the bonuses for Cook and Wolff were revised to 25 apiece (rounding up to the whole number of 10 percent of the 245 FedExCup each earned). PGA TOUR Fantasy Golf My roster for the THE CJ CUP @ SHADOW CREEK (in alphabetical order): Viktor Hovland Rory McIlroy Jon Rahm Xander Schauffele Justin Thomas Matthew Wolff You'll find my starters in Expert Picks. Others to consider for each category (in alphabetical order): Scoring: Daniel Berger; Patrick Cantlay; Tyrrell Hatton; Tom Hoge; Sungjae Im; Si Woo Kim; Ian Poulter; Cameron Smith Driving: Daniel Berger; Paul Casey; Corey Conners; Harris English; Tommy Fleetwood; Sergio Garcia; Sungjae Im; Collin Morikawa POWER RANKINGS WILD CARD Collin Morikawa ... Egad! He's opened the new season 0-for-2. It's always mildly amusing at how quickly any golfer can fall out of our good graces. The adage is that we care only about what they've done lately, but there's a more personal test as it concerns how much of a fan we are. He hasn't done a thing to generate any negative attention. If anything, he's logged months of equity before we would consider turning. All of that is a reminder not to overanalyze in the short-term and trust in the fact that his class already is permanent. DRAWS Hideki Matsuyama ... Just like how I advise ignoring negative results in majors because everything is pinning, there's credence in applying it to a shootout. It's the same angle that supports Jason Kokrak as a Sleeper. Matsuyama also missed the cut at the Shriners but at 5-under 68-69—137 with a pair of sub-70s. Not everyone can be Usain Bolt, but even he has had to hustle when wind was at his back. Matsuyama had seven top 25s in his previous nine starts, including a T17 at Winged Foot. Harris English ... Same reasoning (and scores at TPC Summerlin) as Matsuyama above. Sungjae Im ... Didn't so much extend form at TPC Summerlin as connect with why he's such a threat. En route to a T13, he signed for a sub-70 after every round and led the field in fairways hit, Strokes Gained: Off-the-Tee and greens in regulation. This week, we can't ignore how much he is empowered by leading the South Korean contingent. Brendon Todd ... So easy to forget about this guy, but his promise to be among the leaders in fairways hit on a course that few know well elevates his value across the board. Kevin Kisner ... Reminds me of Xander Schauffele (or vice versa) because they rarely stumble in the deepest fields. Most guys get up in the morning and can't wait to grapple. These two get to work. They're exactly the kinds of stabilizers around whom you want to build a lineup in this arena. Ian Poulter ... Went T6-5th in his fortnight in the U.K., so the form is spot on. He's been a beast in the no-cut invitationals throughout his career, too. Alex Noren ... Pieced together a T17 on the strength of his primary weapon, the putter. The Swede has been dynamite in recent months and his slump-proof game makes him even more dangerous with the guarantee of four rounds. Abraham Ancer Paul Casey Brian Harman Mackenzie Hughes Si Woo Kim Adam Long Joaquin Niemann Ryan Palmer Cameron Smith Bubba Watson FADES Rickie Fowler ... The tinkering continues. Granted, all professional golfers are guilty of it, but it resonates in the absence of success over time. He went 67-74 en route to last week's trunk slam with a new putter. Jason Day ... Unlike others who arrived at TPC Summerlin and missed the cut, Day also MC'd, but he was scuffling, so it's more of a reflection of his trajectory than the dynamic of the shootout. Continue to abstain. Gary Woodland ... Similar to Brooks Koepka (below), Woodland also is playing with a torn labrum in his left hip. Reactions vary but Koepka opted to sit out two months whereas Woodland has maintained a steady schedule. How he navigates Shadow Creek introduces too much mystery to warrant an endorsement despite no cut, but even if he performs well (say, top half in the field of 78), it'll continue to be our concern until he speaks otherwise. Justin Rose ... The inconsistency is one thing, and even acceptable given our pursuits, but it's how he's been inconsistent that has our attention. While he comps best to Webb Simpson, the American is five years younger and in his prime. Rose just turned 40, which we can't rule out as having a short-range influence on his focus. (Loyal readers are familiar with my narrative on this.) If you've yet to experience "the hill," just wait. It's easier said than done and it deserves respect. So, the moment he reconnects with form, buy, because this extended period with singular spikes won't last forever. Matt Kuchar ... This is relative. Since play resumed, he's 7-for-10 but with only two top-30 finishes. And on tracks where his ball flight and accuracy should have mattered, he didn't capitalize. Adam Hadwin ... Just as he shouldn't be indicted by a final-round 74 at TPC Summerlin (to finish T34), it's also necessary not to inflate his third-round 62 as anything more than a reminder of his talent on any given day. The fact remains that he's gone eight straight starts without a top 30. Persnickety gamers expect more action from the 32-year-old. Marc Leishman ... He's been a fixture in this section for too long now. His missed cut at Winged Foot extended his drought without a top-35 finish in a full-field event to 10 starts, all post-hiatus. Byeong Hun An Cameron Champ Tyler Duncan Talor Gooch Jim Herman Jordan Spieth Nick Taylor Richy Werenski RETURNING TO COMPETITION Brooks Koepka ... Proclaimed that he's healthy again and ready for 72 holes. Cited a partially torn labrum in his left hip as a contributor to aggravating discomfort in his left knee, but he's opted for treatment over surgery. Given his firepower and the absence of a cut, he presents as potential gold in PGA TOUR Fantasy Golf. Consider reserving a spot on your bench. On an aside, the Houston Open and the Masters are his remaining planned stops this fall. NOTABLE WDs Dustin Johnson ... Tested positive for COVID-19. Tony Finau ... Second consecutive early withdrawal. He had to pull out of the Shriners after testing positive for COVID-19. POWER RANKINGS RECAP - SHRINERS HOSPITALS FOR CHILDREN OPEN Power Ranking Golfer Result 1 Bryson DeChambeau T8 2 Webb Simpson T13 3 Matthew Wolff T2 4 Patrick Cantlay T8 5 Collin Morikawa MC 6 Sergio Garcia T43 7 Tony Finau DNP 8 Harris English MC 9 Hideki Matsuyama MC 10 Cameron Smith T24 11 Tyler McCumber MC 12 Louis Oosthuizen T19 13 Denny McCarthy 57th 14 Paul Casey MC 15 Kevin Na T43 Wild Card Francesco Molinari MC SLEEPERS RECAP - SHRINERS HOSPITALS FOR CHILDREN OPEN Golfer Result Brian Harman T13 Luke List MC Matthew NeSmith T8 Sean O'Hair MC Aaron Wise MC BIRTHDAYS AMONG ACTIVE GOLFERS ON THE PGA TOUR October 13 ... none October 14 ... Tyrrell Hatton (29) October 15 ... Richard S. Johnson (44) October 16 ... Ryan Blaum (37) October 17 ... Ernie Els (51) October 18 ... none October 19 ... Louis Oosthuizen (38)

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The ZOZO CHAMPIONSHIP is scheduled to begin at 7:50 p.m. EDT on Wednesday, and the interface for PGA TOUR Pick ‘Em Live had all three bets for the first round loaded on Tuesday afternoon, so without further ado, let’s get right to it! Actually, there’s a little bit of ado. When Rob and Glass reviewed the 3-balls available in the interface, only four were offered, so they limited their two selections to them. PointsBet’s board already had a market for 24 of the 26 possible 3-balls, so more might be added (if they already aren’t by the time you’re reading this). If they are, it’s possible that either or both of our guys will make a change. Register for PGA TOUR Pick ‘Em Live here and monitor Rob’s and Glass’ progress as Influencers. For a broader explanation of the format and FAQs, click here. TOURNAMENT TO WIN Rob … Cameron Champ (+12500) Where better to swing for the fence with this guy than in a tournament promised to give him four rounds? It’s the only scenario in which I’m endorsing him, because look at that kickback! At the end of the day, and despite the struggles, he’s a winner. He knows how to close the sale. That’s all that matters pre-tournament and in a format in which we’re allowed to make changes. Glass … Hideki Matsuyama (+1100) No jet lag. No cultural acclimation. No learning a new course. Read Horses for Courses to learn why Accordia Golf Narashino Country Club is one of his favorites. If you’re busy this weekend like I am, set it and forget it. Heck, only big boys win events like this, so pick your favorite and adjust at 2:00 a.m. ET on Sunday as necessary or sleep on through! TOP 10 Glass … Sepp Straka (+360) Breakthrough came against Shane Lowry and Daniel Berger last year at Honda, so he won’t be worrying about that. Big field at TPC Southwind in the FedExCup Playoffs saw him finish second alone on a tough ball-striking course. Solo second in his only start this season at Sanderson Farms suggests he hasn’t cooled. My days of trying to chase the window are over. Rob … Aaron Rai (+560) I’m with Glass here. Don’t know about you, but I suffered the shutout in this bet at the Shriners. It was disappointing because I didn’t connect, but this game is like trick-or-treating on Halloween. You hope you don’t get a rock, but if you knock on enough doors … The Englishman lit up TPC Summerlin for a 62 in the third round, and he recently hung up a T5 in Italy, so his form is fine. Because I don’t mind reaching for him specifically at this value, I’ll sleep just fine, but he’s also in the vicinity of where I want to cash in a 78-man invitational with no cut. TOP 20 Rob … Keegan Bradley (+130) Because I can’t remember the last time when I was upright and lucid when this bet unlocked, my only objective with it this week is to get even or better value upon return. Besides, what little more can be found on the board isn’t enough to warrant the risk. My man-crush with Keegs dates back to his rookie season – it’s well-documented and I’m not ashamed – so it’s beautiful that he’s playing well enough and has the kind of success at Narashino that warranted a lofty perch in my Power Rankings. Glass … Matthew NeSmith (+200) Hit 64 of 72 GIR last week and cashed a career-best T2. His T9 the week before in Mississippi suggests he’s in a groove, and I’m willing to tag along. With a limited field, the long shots are few and far between. The Top 10 and Top 20 recently remind me of my first car. I had a sunroof that never opened. Stuck shut. Just like this window most weeks. Careful my friends! ROUND 1 LEADER Glass … Keegan Bradley (+3000) Ball-striking stud has a 63 here, good enough to share the course record, and he closed last season’s visit with 65. This is his third appearance and he’s hit T7 and T13 in his previous two, so he’s comfortable. I’d rather ride him for one round at 30-1 than four rounds for the same price. Try to steal 750 coins on day one and count your cash all weekend! Rob … Christiaan Bezuidenhout (+5000) Narashino CC is a sweet setup in that its respective pars are 34 and 36, and two of the three par 5s are on the inward nine, but scoring relative to par on both sides is much closer than you’d think. It’s because the easiest three of the 10 par 4s are in the outbound lane. So, I’ll open with one of the best putters in the field who’s going off No. 10 in the first threesome. The South African can build momentum before the turn and sustain it coming home. Unlike Glass, who is positioned three hours ahead of me and likely visiting the sandman before I do on Wednesday night, I’ll have more flexibility to adjust on the fly. Exploit every advantage, kids. 3-BALL #1 Glass … Keita Nakajima (+320) over Davis Riley and Kurt Kitayama Riley and Kitayama are nice players but the TWO-TIME Mark McCormack medal winner – first-ever to do so – should have the home-country advantage. Remember, this is one round, not four, and Nakajima has plenty of game. Nice longshot! Rob … Takumi Kanaya (+220) over Scott Stallings and Beau Hossler We’re loving on the host-country boys in this space, and for good reason. My pick scored lowered in every round en route to a T7 here last year, so he paid off the education. And since I’d be getting only 55 coins for the investment, it doesn’t matter much either way, anyway. 3-BALL #2 Glass … Hiroshi Iwata (+340) over Emiliano Grillo and Andrew Putnam If I’m going to roll with underdogs, let’s BARK BARK BARK with the man who opened with 63 here last year to tie the course record. He’s won and finished third in the last seven weeks, but he’s a big number due to a WD two weeks ago. As long as he makes it to the tee, we’re live! Rob … Stephan Jaeger (+150) over Wyndham Clark and Mikumu Horikawa Of the other three 3-balls available to us before we filed, the German is the most intriguing. He already was one of my Sleepers, so I was thrilled that he’s not the lowest value (Clark, +140) when I reviewed board. NOTE: While Glass and Rob typically stick with their selections as detailed in Pick ‘Em Preview, they are allowed the right to make changes at any time. Responsible sports betting starts with a game plan. Set a budget. Keep it social. Play with friends. Learn the game and know the odds. Play with trusted, licensed operators. CLICK HERE to learn more at HaveAGamePlan.org.

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Australia’s Cameron Smith rode a hot final nine holes at St. Andrews to win the 150th Open Championship and his first major title.

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