Spieth is bummed about missing Presidents Cup

Jhonattan Vegas (+6600) … He’s a two-time winner of the RBC Canadian Open, so no one likely is more eager to return to the Great White North more than the Venezuelan. Until then, he’ll find Congaree to his liking as a long-hitting, tee-to-green specialist. Even better, he’s in form upon arrival with nine paydays in his last 11 starts worldwide. The stretch includes a runner-up finish in Puerto Rico, a T18 at Corales and a T9 at TPC Craig Ranch. In other words, he’s capitalized on the moments when most of the notables have rested. Scott Stallings (+6600) … Like his fellow three-time PGA TOUR winner, Vegas, who is just seven months his senior, the 36-year-old Stallings does his work from tee to green and he’s streaky. Although safely positioned at 106th in the FedExCup, he also always figures out a way to retain his card even when his back seems to be against the wall. As it concerns the here and now, since joining forces with Brice Garnett for a T11 in New Orleans, Stallings is 5-for-5. The highlight was a T3 at TPC Craig Ranch. Currently 41st in greens hit and fourth in scrambling. Hank Lebioda (+10000) … The first of two Florida State University products included here, the 27-year-old lefty often looks good but he continues to battle inconsistency enough to flail just outside the bubble of qualifying for the FedExCup Playoffs (currently 140th). However, he’s gone for a pair of top 20s in his last three starts with a T17 at the AT&T Byron Nelson as the most recent. Ranks 29th on TOUR in greens hit, sixth in proximity, sixth in scrambling and T31 in par-5 scoring. Perhaps the unfamiliarity of the greens at Congaree will lift his relative value elsewhere on the course just as it did at TPC Craig Ranch in his last start. Bronson Burgoon (+8000) … Like the guys featured above, he also recorded a solid finish at TPC Craig Ranch. A T13 matched his season-best just two starts prior at Copperhead. In accordance with the theme, the 34-year-old figures out a way to keep at least a shred of status while doing his work with his longest sticks because he constantly throws enough against the wall, er, hits enough greens in regulation to keep the performance centers lit for a putter that too often has stage fright. John Pak (+12500) … Get used to the name. The eight-time winner at Florida State was the “valedictorian” of the first graduating class at PGA TOUR University. He’s making his professional debut at Congaree following a fifth-place finish at the NCAA Championship. The 22-year-old cleaned up on all of the annual awards reserved for top collegians and he’s a two-time Walker Cup winner. In his only prior appearance in PGA TOUR-sanctioned competition, he placed T51 at the U.S. Open in September. Odds were sourced on Tuesday, June 8 at 5 a.m. ET. For live odds visit betmgm. NOTE: Sleeper is a relative term, so Rob uses unofficial criteria to determine who qualifies. Each of the following usually is determined to be ineligible for this weekly staple: Winners of the tournament on the current host course; winners in the same season; recent major champions; top 50 in the Official World Golf Ranking; recent participants of team competitions.

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PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. — Each day at THE PLAYERS Championship, PGATOUR.COM’s staff writers will dive into the big issues and questions everyone is discussing. Spoiler alert – lots of talk about Webb Simpson. How would you best describe Webb Simpson’s course-tying 63? Ben Everill (Staff Writer) – Entertaining. Insane. Dramatic. It was certainly fun. A 63 with a double bogey … that’s impressive stuff. Sean Martin (Senior Editor) – Unbelievable. His putting was absolutely incredible. Everyone in his group could only laugh when he holed that putt from behind the 15th green. The ball slammed into the hole. It was headed 10 feet by if it didn’t hit the hole. Instead, it dropped in for birdie. Mike McAllister (Managing Editor) – When you have your competitors openly rooting for you to shoot 59 … well, that about says it all. Yet somehow, the island-green 17th still got the last laugh. Cameron Morfit (Staff Writer) – Justin Rose said it best: miracle round. Simpson made nearly 300 feet of putts over the first two days, which is astounding. It’s the best putting performance I’ve seen since Sung Kang over the first two days at the Houston Open last year. With a commanding 5-shot lead, is this tournament over? Everill – Not by a long shot. History at this tournament says it is but if ever there is a place to see a big swing, it is TPC Sawgrass. There were 57 double bogeys and 14 others in the second round alone. Martin – No one who has led by three or more strokes at THE PLAYERS’ halfway mark has failed to win. No reason to see that changing. This course is a great fit for Simpson, who is quietly having a great season. After qualifying for last season’s TOUR Championship, he’s 36th in this season’s FedExCup. McAllister – Maybe at some other courses, but not here. The last two holes alone keeps everybody honest. Simpson has the big lead, but he’s also wearing the big target. Morfit — Well, I mentioned Kang in Houston last year. I should also probably mention that he didn’t win. Russell Henley did. Of the chase pack, who’s most likely to track him down? Everill – Jason Day. The 2016 champion is seven shots back but at T8 he’s close enough. As conditions no doubt get tougher, the grinder in Day will come to the fore. Martin – I think Jason Day is a threat. He’s coming off a win and always a threat to go low. McAllister – I’m with Ben and Sean. Day will go super-low at least one of the weekend rounds. Whether that’s enough is the question only Simpson can answer. Morfit — I like Patrick Cantlay on this course, maybe because he absolutely loves this place. How many players say that? Several notable names – Tiger, Spieth, JT – made the cut on the number. Do they have any hope? Everill – No. Nada. Zip. Nothing. Buckley’s. Duck Egg (please reference your Australian dictionary for full understanding). Martin – There’s nothing a couple 65s couldn’t solve. But I don’t see it happening. McAllister – Fourteen shots off the pace? No. But I’m interested in who’ll play well in a seemingly hopeless situation. Spieth showed at Augusta National this year that he can produce the unexpected fireworks. Morfit — There’s an old golf writer trick that goes like this: To get an idea who has a chance and who doesn’t, erase the top guy on the scoreboard and then decide who’s still in it. But even playing that silly game, I’m going to say anyone who made the cut on the number has absolutely no chance.

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Harris English … Those who survive the gut check of qualifying for the FedExCup Playoffs with timely success at the Wyndham Championship – as he did with a T11 to open the 2018 Playoffs as the 124-seed – present as intriguing storylines as soon as the next season commences. The 29-year-old has responded admirably to his latest lease on PGA TOUR playing privileges. He’s 7-for-7 in 2018-19, albeit with only one top-35 finish. It’s a stark departure from the disappointment of last season when he missed 20 of 31 cuts, and he’s in position to perform well again. He’s perfect in six appearances at Torrey Pines with three top 15s, including playoff loss in 2015. Last year’s T8 is his best finish in a non-additional event in his last 63 starts overall. He also comes having beaten par in his last 12 rounds, his longest such streak since he connected 20 in a row to bridge the holiday break of the 2013-14 season. J.J. Spaun … Can’t forget about this guy, especially in the event nearest his college stomping grounds at San Diego State University. The comfortable climes have been kind as he’s gone T9-T23 in his pair of appearances since debuting as a PGA TOUR rookie in 2017. He arrives this week having survived 12 straight cuts since August. Four went for a top-15 finish, two of which a T3. Although he scales to just five feet, nine inches, the 28-year-old holds his own off the tee while setting the standard in terms of precision tee to green. When considering a locale for his putter to catch fire, there’s no place like home. Rory Sabbatini … The 42-year-old born in South Africa made news recently for becoming a citizen of Slovakia. However, he’s made noise throughout his career at Torrey Pines. In 13 appearances since 2002, he’s rattled off two top fives among seven top 25s, including a T14 in 2017. En route to last year’s T20, he led the field in fairways hit and co-led in par-4 scoring. Ranked inside the top 25 in par-5 scoring in each of the last two completed seasons. Sam Burns … Casual fans are likely to remember him bettering Tiger Woods, 68-70, in the final round of The Honda Classic last year – going bogey-free no less – to finish T8. Heck, hardcore fans will recall that rare opportunity and execution as well, but they’ll also understand that it was anything but fluky. Although he doesn’t qualify as a rookie by definition this season, the 22-year-old is a first-time PGA TOUR member as a Web.com Tour graduate. He ranked third in the all-around on the developmental circuit in 2018 and led in putts per GIR, putting: birdies-or-better percentage and par-3 scoring. He’s fresh off a T18 at the Desert Classic where he finished T2 in fewest putts (100) and T3 in one-putt percentage. With length to give off the tee and supreme confidence with the flat stick, it’s not out of the realm of consideration that he’ll be smiling once again with Woods nearby at Torrey Pines. Adam Svensson … The PGA TOUR rookie from Canada made a wave with an opening 61 at Waialae Country Club two weeks ago. He didn’t sustain the ride to finish T43, but he regrouped for a career-best T18 at the Desert Classic. Like numerous entrants in the Farmers field every year, he has experience on the South Course at Torrey Pines via the Junior World Championships. In fact, among his numerous appearances was a victory in the boys 15-17 division in 2010. Other notables in that field included Xander Schauffele (T21), Beau Hossler (T27), Brandon Stone (T27), Gavin Green (T31), recent Mauritius Open champ Kurt Kitayama (58th) and Bryson DeChambeau (MC). Experience never hurts, but positive experience isn’t universal. While he hasn’t flashed it enough this season to prove it, Svensson profiles as an above-average putter. NOTE: Sleeper is a relative term, so Rob uses unofficial criteria to determine who qualifies. Each of the following usually is determined to be ineligible for this weekly staple: Winners of the tournament on the current host course; winners in the same season; recent major champions; top 50 in the Official World Golf Ranking; recent participants of team competitions.

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