Pick ‘Em Preview: John Deere Classic

AVONDALE, La. – Jon Rahm and his teammate Ryan Palmer have increased their candy intake this week. For every birdie they make, Rahm’s caddie Adam Hayes feeds them one Skittle – a fun little reward that also has helped keep their sugar level intact during some long days at TPC Louisiana. The Rahm-Palmer team has made 24 birdies this week, which explains why they share the 54-hole lead at the Zurich Classic of New Orleans with the team of Scott Stallings-Trey Mullinax. Of course, they may also want to avoid stepping on a scale anytime soon. “We’ve got to keep it going,� Rahm said. “It’s been working out pretty good.� “It’s only eight or nine Skittles a round,� added Palmer. The Skittles consumption, though, will likely be reduced Sunday, since the final round uses the Foursomes alternate-shot format. Unlike in Four-balls, in which birdies are plentiful and bogeys are rare, Foursomes produce fewer low rounds and more danger, as teams can easily go off the rails if both players are struggling. A year ago, the team of Kevin Kisner-Scott Brown entered the final round with the lead before stumbling to a 5-over 77. The two teams tied for second also shot over par. That opened the door for Billy Horschel-Scott Piercy, who carded a 67 – one of just seven rounds in the 60s that Sunday. In 2017, the first year of the team competition, Foursomes was played in the third round, with just five rounds posted in the 60s.Three of the teams near the top of the standings shot 74 or worse. “There’s a lot more opportunity for something disastrous to happen in Foursomes,� said Austin Cook, who is tied for sixth with teammate Andrew Landry. Indeed, while Four-balls is all about aggressiveness, Foursomes can leave players in a defensive posture, not wanting to make a mistake or an errant shot and leave his partner in a bind. “Stepping a little bit back, getting a little bit more defensive,� said Branden Grace, who is one shot off the pace with South African teammate Justin Harding after they posted 12 birdies in a third-round best 61. Grace-Harding have made 26 birdies this week. “I don’t think it’s defensive. I just think you’re playing more aware of the situation,� said Stallings. “The last thing you want to do is put your partner in a tough spot. “I don’t want to hear him be like, ‘Oh, man I didn’t want to hit a bad shot for you.’ We would rather be, ‘Man, I was trying to execute the shot and I didn’t do it.’ That’s a completely different mindset.� Related: Tee times | Rahm/Palmer an unusual partnership that works | Grace/Harding a potential International Team duo? | Day/Scott team misses cut at TPC Louisiana Several teams have no-apology agreements in order to avoid the guilt of a bad shot. One of those teams is Rahm-Palmer, whose second-round 65 is the lowest score in Foursomes in the three years of the Zurich Classic’s team format. “We were on fire at the right time, and that’s why the score was so low,� Palmer said. “Hopefully tomorrow we can do the same thing.� Of course, there is a strategic element with Foursomes, with teams having to alternate tee shots. Stallings, for instance, is determined to put driver in the hand of the longer-hitting Mullinax as many times as possible. The difference in their length was so evident on Saturday that Stallings noticed CBS on-course reporter Dottie Pepper laughing. Experience might also help out. Sergio Garcia and Tommy Fleetwood, who are tied for sixth, four shots back, were Ryder Cup teammates in Paris last year, with Fleetwood winning all of his matches with partner Francesco Molinari. Garcia, of course, has been a mainstay on the European team for years. Asked if they had the experience advantage, Garcia replied: “Maybe a little bit, but at the end of the day, it just comes down to playing. If you play well, (even) if you don’t have experience, if you keep hitting good shots, it’s going to work.� “It’s very, very different. The rhythm is different,� added Fleetwood. “If you’re not playing that great, it’s tougher to get back into a rhythm. … It’s a more difficult format. There’s less leeway. But I think that suits us.� Essentially, it’s about staying out of trouble. “The biggest thing tomorrow is just eliminating bogeys,� Landry said. “Tons of pars, tons of opportunity on every single hole to try to make a birdie. Just give ourselves good looks all day long.� Rahm-Palmer had seven birdies in Foursomes in the second round, so a low score could still be achieved. But the previous two years at the Zurich Classic have shown that weekend Foursomes can be nearly as eerie as the above-ground tombs that dot the local cemeteries. Best to step carefully and let others wade into the scary parts.

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It was only a month ago when we lost Pete Carril, arguably most notable as the men’s basketball coach at Princeton University for 30 years. Through his tenure into the mid-1990s, Carril deployed an offense that yielded low-scoring games and, therefore, more opportunities for victory. It demanded similar skill sets among the players and a higher floor of their weakest components to stay competitive. RELATED: Play Pick ‘Em Live | Schedule of Events | Nine Things to Know about Quail Hollow Club It also required commitment and discipline to play as a unit. Separate but connected. Chess, athletically. Depending on your perspective, it was either graceful and artistic or agonizing and boring to watch, but it was two things always – compelling and successful. Carril is enshrined in Halls of Fame, plural. The Presidents Cup has been a one-sided affair since it was introduced in 1994, so it might require the Internationals to steal pages out of Carril’s playbook. For how that can translates to golf, the format of the competition and more, continue reading below the full-field ranking of the participants. NOTE: In a match-play team competition consisting of five sessions over four days, only one of which is Singles on Sunday, and with matchups and momentum determined in real time, the ranking of the players below reflects projected impact on the event. INTERNATIONALS Rob’s prediction of the outcome will be included in a special Expert Picks on Tuesday. Quail Hollow Club in Charlotte, North Carolina, hosts the 14th edition of the Presidents Cup. The U.S. leads the series all-time, 11-1-1. Given that record, it could be argued plainly that International team captain Trevor Immelman is in a position to lose, but it’s entirely the opposite. When history suggests that you have no chance, there’s nothing to lose and everything to gain. For example, when Carril’s Princeton squad squared off against the defending national champion, UCLA, in the first round of 1996 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament, the Tigers were in the same position .., and they prevailed, 43-41. Forget style points, it’s all about the objective. For Immelman’s crew to join the 1998 team as Internationals to win the Presidents Cup, it will need to be a cohesive unit, plan meticulously in advance of every session, retain focus on every stroke and set whatever result aside to be ready for the next game. Play until the whistle blows because becoming legends of the competition is at the finish line. Regardless of par over time, Quail Hollow annually has been one of the most difficult courses on the PGA TOUR. It’s been a par 71 since the PGA Championship was contested there in 2017. It’s also among the longest tracks visited regularly. For the Presidents Cup, it will be able to stretch to 7,576 yards, but serious elasticity on a handful of holes will prevent that. Speaking of the flexible, the course has been rerouted to elevate the potential impact of The Green Mile. Traditionally holes 16, 17 and 18 for the Wells Fargo Championship, they have been shifted to play as Nos. 13, 14 and 15 for the Presidents Cup. It’s still a par-4-3-4 sequence, but now the signature stretch of the stage is all but promised to factor into the result of every match. Overall, holes 1-8 are the same as they are for the WFC, but Nos. 12-18 are Nos. 9-15 this week, so each is three sooner in the round than the familiar walk. Nos. 16, 17 and 18 for the Presidents Cup are Nos. 10, 11 and 9, respectively, for the WFC. Because of the challenge of the course proper, birdies will be good gets, even in Four-ball, so the Internationals should be encouraged to attempt to eliminate problems with safer and saner decisions. Elevate the floor of possibilities. Retain possession of the ball, work the clock, be more patient and let the hosts make mistakes. Of course, United States captain Davis Love III is no stranger to anything inside the ropes, so he’ll be opposing with a front line worthy of keeping the trophy for the ninth consecutive time. He also has the luxury of natural combinations for Foursomes and Four-ball, whereas Immelman is saddled with language barriers for even basic messaging. However, and this goes for all, golf is golf no matter the nationality. Like you, Mother Nature also wants to kick back and watch. Largely favorable conditions are forecast throughout the four-day competition. After a sweltering launch in mid-90s heat for Foursomes on Thursday, it will cool into the 70s for Friday’s Four-ball. Wind could be an influencer on either day. Gradual heating will occur on Saturday for Foursomes in the morning and Four-ball in the afternoon, with another bump into the mid-80s poised for Sunday’s Singles. Rain is not expected at any time. ROB BOLTON’S SCHEDULE PGATOUR.com’s Rob Bolton recaps and previews every tournament from numerous perspectives. Look for his following contributions as scheduled. MONDAY: Power Rankings TUESDAY*: Sleepers, Draws & Fades WEDNESDAY: Pick ’Em Preview SUNDAY: Medical Extensions, Qualifiers, Reshuffle

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How do caddies feel about the recent trend of rowdy fan behavior? And what do they make of Tiger’s latest return? A few caddies dished to our Michael Collins at this past weekend’s Match Play event in Austin.

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