PGA Tour Power Rankings: Talent is not being wasted on the young

PGA TOUR player Branden Grace has withdrawn from the Barracuda Championship prior to the third round after testing positive for COVID-19. “I felt great all week,” said Grace. “Last night, I was tired and thought it had to do with the altitude. This morning, I notified the PGA TOUR about my symptoms before going to the golf course. I wanted to get tested out of respect for my peers and everyone involved with the tournament. While it is unfortunate given my position on the leaderboard, the most important thing is our health.” The PGA TOUR has implemented its response plan in consultation with medical experts, including working with those who may have had close contact with Grace. Grace’s caddie tested negative for COVID-19, but in accordance with CDC guidelines and TOUR health and safety protocols, he will quarantine for a period of 14 days. After conducting necessary contact tracing, the TOUR’s medical advisors are not recommending any additional testing at this time. Grace will have the PGA TOUR’s full support throughout his self-isolation period of 10 days per CDC guidelines and TOUR health and safety protocols.

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The biggest Round 2 showdown in our Mythical World Golf Championships-Dell Technologies Match Play tournament? Gotta be world No. 1 Rory McIlroy vs. defending champ Kevin Kisner, who’s been near-unbeatable in the last two years at Austin Country Club. There are plenty of other intriguing matchups on this day, including a couple of top-5 seeds suffering upsets. To review, our Mythical event is the just-for-fun exercise we’re conducting this week in lieu of the real tournament, which was among the events canceled by the PGA TOUR in response to the coronavirus pandemic. The TOUR conducted a draw to produce a bracket, and now our 10 experts are voting for the winner of each match. We released the Round 1 results on Wednesday (click here) and now the results of the 32 matches that would’ve been played in Thursday’s Round 2. The 16 Group Stage winners will be determined on Friday, then we’ll vote for single-elimination matches this weekend to crown the Mythical champion on Sunday. The voting rules are simple: Each expert was asked to pick a match winner, and the golfer with the majority of votes is the match winner. In the case of an equal split of votes, the match is considered tied. Our 10 expert voters include: GolfBet’s Jason Sobel from The Action Network; GolfTV’s Jamie Kennedy; Tom Alter and Jim McCabe from PGA TOUR Communications; Fantasy Insider Rob Bolton; PGATOUR.COM writers Ben Everill, Sean Martin, Mike McAllister and Cameron Morfit; and a combined vote from the TOUR’s ShotLink team. Here are the experts’ picks for Round 2 (each player’s seed is in parentheses). GROUP 1 Rory McIlroy (1) vs. Kevin Kisner (36): 8 votes for McIlroy, 2 votes for Kisner. McILROY wins. Why we picked McIlroy: “McIlroy ranks second in Strokes Gained: Tee-to-Green, Kisner has gone from 39th in 2017 to 129th this season in this category.â€� – ShotLink team Gary Woodland (18) vs. Sung Kang (52): 7 votes for Woodland, 3 votes for Kang. WOODLAND wins. Why I picked Woodland: “Woodland made it to the finals in this event, losing to Rory McIlroy at TPC Harding Park in 2015, and simply has too much firepower for Kang.â€� – Cameron Morfit Group standings: McIlroy 2-0, Kisner 1-1, Woodland 1-1, Kang 0-2 GROUP 2 Jon Rahm (2) vs. Chez Reavie (37): 10 votes for Rahm, 0 votes for Reavie. RAHM wins. Why I picked Rahm: “At Whisper Rock, maybe I’d go with Chez, but Austin CC fits Rahm nicely.â€� – Jim McCabe Bernd Wiesberger (26) vs. Tom Lewis (59): 7 votes for Wiesberger, 3 votes for Lewis. WIESBERGER wins. Why I picked Wiesberger: “Since coming back from injury, Wiesberger has been on a tear. His all-round game is elite and while Lewis is extremely streaky, he won’t hang this time.â€� – Jamie Kennedy Group standings: Rahm 2-0, Wiesberger 2-0, Reavie 0-2, Lewis 0-2 GROUP 3 Brooks Koepka (3) vs. Collin Morikawa (44): 7 votes for Morikawa, 3 votes for Koepka. MORIKAWA wins. Why I picked Morikawa: “Koepka’s fought injury and rust and hasn’t been able to find his footing this season. Meanwhile, Morikawa is the TOUR’s Steady Eddie.â€� – Sean Martin Abraham Ancer (29) vs. Shaun Norris (60): 10 votes for Ancer, 0 votes for Norris. ANCER wins. Why I picked Ancer: “Stirring victory sets up pivotal match in Round 3 with Brooks Koepka.â€�- Jim McCabe Group standings: Morikawa 2-0, Koepka 1-1, Ancer 1-1, Norris 0-2 GROUP 4 Justin Thomas (4) vs. Erik van Rooyen (42): 8 votes for Thomas, 2 votes for van Rooyen. THOMAS wins. Why I picked Thomas: “Van Rooyen can shred on guitar, but Thomas is the chalk pick here.â€� – Sean Martin Paul Casey (24) vs. Viktor Hovland (57): 6 votes for Hovland, 4 votes for Casey. HOVLAND wins. Why I picked Hovland: “You know I mean business when I expect a first-timer — who just happens to flash the newest, best smile in the game — to take down my man crush.â€� – Rob Bolton Group standings: Thomas 2-0, Casey 1-1, Hovland 1-1, van Rooyen 0-2 GROUP 5 Dustin Johnson (5) vs. Cameron Smith (35): 6 votes for Smith, 4 votes for Johnson. SMITH wins. Why I picked Smith: “Smith has always been a match play stud waiting to burst forth. Coming from 3 down to beat Thomas in the Presidents Cup Singles shows his competitive fire in this format.â€� – Ben Everill Hideki Matsuyama (22) vs. Keegan Bradley (62): 10 votes for Matsuyama, 0 votes for Bradley. MATSUYAMA wins. Why I picked Matsuyama: “If there’s a bugaboo in Matsuyama’s game, it’s that he isn’t a terrific putter, but in match play, his tremendous ball-striking can overcome a lack of red numbers, which was the case in this one.â€� – Jason Sobel Group standings: Matsuyama 2-0, Johnson 1-1, Smith 1-1, Bradley 0-2 GROUP 6 Adam Scott (6) vs. Shugo Imahira (41): 10 votes for Scott, 0 votes for Imahira. SCOTT wins. Why I picked Scott: “Scott’s match play record is one that has irked him over the years, but he’s riding high confidence after his win at The Genesis Invitational earlier this season.â€� – Ben Everill Lee Westwood (31) vs. Jordan Spieth (56): 6 votes for Westwood, 4 votes for Spieth. WESTWOOD wins. Why I picked Westwood: “Westwood has been playing with nothing to lose recently, just enjoying the back-nine of his career and competing with a smile on his face. It’s amazing how much that can free up a guy, as he was still smiling when this one was over.â€� – Jason Sobel Group standings: Scott 2-0, Westwood 2-0, Imahira 0-2, Spieth 0-2 GROUP 7 Patrick Reed (7) vs. Rafa Cabrera Bello (46): 6 votes for Reed, 4 votes for Cabrera Bello. REED wins. Why I picked Reed: “Despite how it looks at first glance, this is a virtual coin flip, but Reed’s consistently strong form since relying on feel mid-2019 just might propel him to victory in his home state.â€� – Rob Bolton Matthew Fitzpatrick (25) vs. Andrew Putnam (63): 9 votes for Fitzpatrick, 1 vote for Putnam. FITZPATRICK wins. Why I picked Fitzpatrick: “Fitzpatrick’s in fine form, with six top-10s in his last 11 worldwide starts. Meanwhile, Putnam’s missed the cut in his last three PGA TOUR starts.â€� – Mike McAllister Group standings: Reed 2-0, Cabrera Bello 1-1, Fitzpatrick 1-1, Putnam 0-2 GROUP 8 Patrick Cantlay (8) vs. Sergio Garcia (38): 9 votes for Cantlay, 1 vote for Garcia. CANTLAY wins. Why I picked Cantlay: “Cantlay is 29th in the FedExCup (seventh in the world) and does everything well, while Garcia is 179th in the FedExCup, recently turned 40, and has been quiet since winning the 2017 Masters.â€� – Cameron Morfit Tyrrell Hatton (21) vs. Adam Hadwin (55): 5 votes for Hatton, 5 votes for Hadwin. TIED. Why I picked Hadwin: “Still dealing with the API hangover — a figurative one (we think) — Hatton struggled with the ever-steady Hadwin, who simply didn’t have any unforced errors in this match.â€� – Jason Sobel Group standings: Cantlay 2-0, Hatton 1-0-1, Hadwin 0-1-1, Garcia 0-2 GROUP 9 Webb Simpson (9) vs. Scottie Scheffler (45): 7 votes for Simpson, 3 votes for Scheffler. SIMPSON wins. Why I picked Simpson: “Webb Simpson is on a roll. Hitting fairways and making putts always works in match play.â€� – Tom Alter Rickie Fowler (27) vs. Lucas Herbert (64): 7 votes for Fowler, 3 votes for Herbert. FOWLER wins. Why I picked Fowler: “After dismal start to his season, this is a massive week for him.â€� – Jim McCabe Group standings: Simpson 2-0, Scheffler 1-1, Fowler 1-1, Herbert 0-2 GROUP 10 Tommy Fleetwood (10) vs. Christiaan Bezuidenhout (47): 7 votes for Fleetwood, 3 votes for Bezuidenhout. FLEETWOOD wins. Why I picked Fleetwood: “There was some thought that Bezuidenhout could be this year’s Bjerregaard — an impossible-to-spell non-PGA TOUR member who makes his mark in match play. Perhaps he still will, but Fleetwood’s talent was too much to overcome here.â€� – Jason Sobel Francesco Molinari (28) vs. Byeong Hun An (50): 8 votes for An, 2 votes for Molinari. AN wins. Why I picked An: “Sadly, Francesco has been a shell of his best lately and still has some injury concerns while An has the Presidents Cup experience to draw from.â€� – Ben Everill Group standings: Fleetwood 2-0, Bezuidenhout 1-1, An 1-1, Molinari 0-2 GROUP 11 Tiger Woods (11) vs. Victor Perez (40): 8 votes for Woods, 2 votes for Perez. WOODS wins. Why we picked Woods: “Tiger’s one of the best iron players ever, not to mention his 18 WGC wins, including three times in this event. Oh, and did we mention he’s been PGA TOUR Player of the Year 11 times, most of any player?â€� – ShotLink team Kevin Na (30) vs. Phil Mickelson (61): 10 votes for Na, 0 votes for Mickelson. NA wins. Why I picked Na: “Na makes tons of putts. That’s tough to beat.â€� – Tom Alter Group standings: Woods 2-0, Na 2-0, Perez 0-2, Mickelson 0-2 GROUP 12 Xander Schauffele (12) vs. Danny Willett (33): 8 votes for Schauffele, 2 votes for Willett. SCHAUFFELE wins. Why I picked Schauffele: “Danny Willett’s comeback story has been nice to see, but Schauffele is the clear favorite here.â€� – Sean Martin Shane Lowry (20) vs. Jason Day (51): 6 votes for Day, 4 votes for Lowry. DAY wins. Why I picked Day: “A two-time winner in this unique format, Jason Day is too much for almost anybody in match play.â€� – Tom Alter Group standings: Schauffele 2-0, Lowry 1-1, Day 1-1, Willett 0-2 GROUP 13 Bryson DeChambeau (13) vs. Jazz Janewattananond (39): 9 votes for DeChambeau, 1 vote for Janewattananond. DeCHAMBEAU wins. Why I picked DeChambeau: “Just gotta love Bryson’s form right now (and I’m not just talking about the added muscle to his frame),â€� – Mike McAllister. Henrik Stenson (32) vs Ian Poulter (58): 6 votes for Poulter, 4 votes for Stenson. POULTER wins. Why I picked Poulter: “Putting prevails here. Stenson has potential to dominate tee-to-green but Poulter’s edge comes on the greens and this gives him the edge in this match-up.â€� – Jamie Kennedy Group standings: DeChambeau 2-0, Stenson 1-1, Poulter 1-1, Janewattananond 0-2 GROUP 14 Justin Rose (14) vs. Matt Wallace (43): 5 votes for Rose, 5 votes for Wallace. TIED. Why I picked Rose: “Two English players, two players battling their game somewhat early in 2020. Ask me in a couple of years and I’ll take Wallace but for now, Rose wins this.â€� – Jamie Kennedy Sungjae Im (23) vs. Bubba Watson (53): 8 votes for Im, 2 votes for Watson. IM wins. Why I picked Im: “Bubba’s a wild card – he could get on a roll and run to the title, as he did in 2018. But I like Im’s steadiness.â€� – Mike McAllister Group standings: Im 2-0, Watson 1-1, Rose 0-1-1, Wallace 0-1-1 GROUP 15 Marc Leishman (15) vs. Billy Horschel (34): 8 votes for Leishman, 2 votes for Horschel. LEISHMAN wins. Why we picked Leishman: “Currently seventh in the FEC standings and three consecutive trips to East Lake, not to mention on pace for his best season on TOUR.â€� – ShotLink team Matt Kuchar (17) vs. Graeme McDowell (49): 6 votes for Kuchar, 4 votes for McDowell. KUCHAR wins. Why I picked Kuchar: “GMac can be a tough out in match play, but Kuchar has too much good mojo in this event – he won it all in 2013 and was runner-up to Kevin Kisner last year.â€� – Cameron Morfit Group standings: Leishman 2-0, Kuchar 2-0, Horschel 0-2, McDowell 0-2 GROUP 16 Tony Finau (16) vs. Brandt Snedeker (48): 5 votes for Finau, 5 votes for Snedeker. TIED Why I picked Snedeker: “After seeing Finau’s dance vid with his wife, I’d like to use a Mulligan.â€� – Rob Bolton Louis Oosthuizen (19) vs. Brendon Todd (54): 8 votes for Oosthuizen 2 votes for Todd. OOSTHUIZEN wins. Why I picked Oosthuizen: “Todd may have been the man last fall, but Louis has match play acumen that cannot be denied.â€� – Ben Everill Group standings: Finau 1-0-1, Oosthuizen 1-0-1, Snedeker 0-0-2, Todd 0-2

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That tarpon he caught several years ago in the Florida Keys was a fighter. In fact, Brandt Snedeker battled the 120-pound fish for nearly an hour before he was able to bring it to the boat. Tarpon are known for their endurance, bullheadedness and spectacular leaping ability, and this fish had it all. “(We) had to pull up the anchor and chase it because those things are so big and so strong,” Snedeker says. So how tired was he after he reeled the fish in? Let’s just say Snedeker’s arms and shoulders were so sore he wasn’t going to hit the practice range anytime soon. “It’s funny, they’re so hard to catch that when you get one, you go, I want to try to catch another one but your arms are so gassed you just can’t do it,” Snedeker says. “But it’s fun.” Snedeker’s wife’s uncle is a fishing captain in Islamorada and he takes the family there at least once a year. He’s also gone tuna and sail fishing out in the Gulf of Mexico, and if the weather isn’t good they’ll head inshore to look for snook and sea trout and Spanish mackerel. “You name it, we’ll catch it,” Snedeker says. “It’s a lot of fun to get out there. It’s kind of hard not to be happy in the Keys when the weather’s perfect down there and it’s terrible everywhere else — you know?” Like many people, Snedeker fell in love with fishing when he was a kid. His family was on vacation in Venice, Florida, and they took a boat out into the Gulf. The 12-year-old got the bug – even though he got seasick, too.  “It was awful,” Snedeker says, grinning at the memory. “Six-hour deal and I threw up the whole time and they didn’t cut it short; we had other people on the trip with us. So I had to tough it out. “It was funny, it wasn’t going (out), it was just sitting still, the constant rocking. That’s what got me. .. It is the worst feeling in the world.” A little Dramamine now, though, just in case, and Snedeker is good to go. Snedeker also loves to fish for bass, and he’s gone fly fishing a couple of times, although he admits he’s not very good at that yet. Sometimes he even finds a river when he’s on the road and fishes before that week’s PGA TOUR event starts. Just as was the case when he was a kid, Snedeker’s kids, Lily and Austin, like to go fishing with their dad. He has some property with a pond that is stocked with bass and bluegill and catfish about an hour  — “not close, but close enough,â€� Snedeker says — from their home in Nashville, Tennessee. “They’ve even gotten to the point now where they’re big enough we can cook one and eat them if we catch them,â€� he says. “… The kids love it. I’m pretty much being their guide and just kind of do anything for them. “I’ll have fun and they get excited about what they catch and it’s a really, really cool moment for us as a family to spend the time doing that.â€� While Snedeker does most of his fishing in the Nashville area or down in the Florida Keys, he has also fished in New Zealand and tries to squeeze in a trip to Hawaii each year. Costa Rica, known for its sailfish and marlin, is another place on his must-do list, along with Cabo San Lucas. As much as Snedeker enjoys battling game fish like that 120-pound tarpon, he also enjoys just being on the water and “shutting your brain off for a little while.â€� He says he could fish for 10 hours without catching something and still have a wonderful day. “As I’ve grown up and my life’s gotten way more hectic, it’s a way to slow everything down and just get back to kind of just being me as a dad or me as a husband or me getting out on my own and hitting the reset button,â€� Snedeker says. “People deal with things differently. You read books, people go on vacations. If I can go fishing for three or four hours, I feel like a new guy.â€�  

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