Confidence Factor: Fantasy golf advice for THE NORTHERN TRUST

Here are nine tidbits from the opening round of The RSM Classic that gamers can use tomorrow, this weekend or down the road. Be looking for the Emergency 9 shortly after the close of play of each round of the tournament. The followers are leading: Of the two courses in play this week, the par-70 Seaside course annually plays more difficult than the par-72 Plantation course. Those who went low on Seaside will have the advantage entering tomorrow, as they won’t have to force the action on Plantation to catch up. Just five of the top 27 on the leaderboard played Seaside today. All of those players posted 66 or 65 and now will get a chance to attack the third-easiest course on TOUR from last year on Friday. Hot golf is hot golf. Lurking at T18 after 66 (-4) on Seaside, last week’s winner and Sea Island resident Patton Kizzire continues his sizzling form. He’s in uncharted territory for gamers, as he hasn’t rattled off a month of play like this before on TOUR. Those who piled on this week will be thrilled with this start. Wat is going on here? Las Vegas resident Nick Watney fired 73-82 to miss the cut at his home event to open his 2017-18 season. I don’t think his T55 at Mayakoba last week would inspire gamers to take the leap this week. His 65 (-5) was bogey-free and tied for the best of the day on Seaside with Brice Garnett. This was his best round of the year, and the event, by four shots. Kim is making waves but this week, so far, it’s Michael and not last week’s third-place finisher Si Woo. Pro gamers will point out that Michael was in the conversation last year as he opened with 64 on Plantation. His opening round 66 on Seaside should have him excited for his return to Plantation tomorrow. Former Sea Island resident Chris Kirk eagled his final hole to post nine-under-par 63 on Plantation. The 2013 champion only needed 23 putts on greens he played for six years before moving back to Athens, Georgia, to be closer to family. He’s traded in his PXG sticks for a mixed bag to start the year and had only posted three of 14 rounds this season in the 60’s before today. If he keeps using just 23 putts each round, it won’t matter what arrows he’s using. Cancer sucks and Joel Dahmen beat it in 2011 and returned to golf later that same year. He was the clubhouse leader, before Kirk’s eagle, as he posted bogey-free 64 (-8) earlier in the day. Considering his best round of the new season was 68 in four events, this is a surprise. Considering he ranks No. 49 on the Web.com priority list out of 50 players, this was also a surprise. The three of you who have him on the roster in the PGA TOUR Fantasy Golf presented by SERVPRO game deserve kudos. I hope you all started him! Chalk it up: PGA TOUR Fantasy Golf presented by SERVPRO lists Webb Simpson on 56 percent of rosters entering the week. He was the most selected with Kevin Kisner in second with just over 40 percent. Simpson, who was listed No. 1 in Rob Bolton’s Power Rankings, racked up four birdies and an eagle against one bogey to post 67 on Plantation (T8). Kisner, the tournament record holder (22-under in 2015), carded 67 on Seaside to put him in an excellent spot for Friday’s round at Plantation. Plan B is an option in PGA TOUR Fantasy Golf presented by SERVPRO and that’s good news for Ollie Schniederjans investors. He was the fifth-most selected player and his 72 on Seaside saw him see T135 at the close of play. It might be time to flex your bench muscle and cut your losses as scoring is the only metric in use this week…Gamers love a good, solid reputation more than current results, as evidenced by Luke Donald being the 10th-most selected player. His pre-tournament WD warrants a mandatory substitution for many of you… Abraham Ancer withdrew during the round, so investors on the back of his top 10 last week need to adjust as well. Glass half full? With three top 25’s in four events this fall, those of you with Brandon Harkins sitting on the bench might want to pop him in the lineup tomorrow at Plantation. He’s birdied half of the par five holes he’s played this season (T28) and will have four more chances tomorrow. His 66 on Seaside suggests he’s dialed in.  

Click here to read the full article…

THE OVERVIEW OAKVILLE, Ontario — Although Glen Abbey Golf Club is hosting this week’s RBC Canadian Open for the 29th time — and for the fourth time in five years – PGA TOUR pros think the venerable Jack Nicklaus design will offer a different challenge this time. “It’s a completely different golf course this year,â€� Canada native Graham DeLaet said. “The rough is thick, it’s not super long, but around the greens there’s kind of dodgy lies here and there.â€� The Greater Toronto Area experienced a drought a year ago, causing Glen Abbey to burn out in some places. That forced the players to adjust for how far their balls were running out on the fairways. This year, the Oakville area has experienced near-record rainfall totals in 2017, forcing the players to make a 180-degree adjustment. A year ago, DeLaet had a 346-yard drive on the par-4 10th in the second round, leaving him less than 100 yards to the pin. He doesn’t anticipate getting that close this week. During practice on Tuesday, he hit driver and then a full wedge with his second shot. Although the course is playing differently this year, fellow Canadian Nick Taylor says it’s in the best shape he’s ever seen it. Jhonattan Vegas, who won here in 2016 on the heels of an 8-under 64 on Sunday, acknowledged that the course is a lot softer than last year but is excited to get going again. He said Glen Abbey is a course where he feels comfortable. He also said golfers will have to adapt to the course conditions this week. “You’re going to have to fly things right next to the hole,â€� Vegas said. “Especially some of these holes around here, where some of those pin positions are so protected from bunkers and water … you’re going to have to hit your irons really well to score. But obviously that opens up a lot of opportunities, as well. So I think you’re going to see low scores again.â€�  THREE PLAYERS TO PONDER THE FLYOVER Last week, Royal Birkdale had two par 5s in its last four holes. This week, Glen Abbey offers two par 5s among its last three holes, including the finishing hole. The 524-yard 18th played to a stroke average of 4.585, just a shade tougher than the 516-yard 16th. Here’s a closer look at the 18th. THE LANDING ZONE The 457-yard par-4 14th was the most difficult hole on the course last year, playing to a stroke average of 4.422. That made it the ninth toughest par 4 on the PGA TOUR last season. Players have to navigate Sixteen Mile Creek that runs alongside the dogleg-right fairway, as well as try to avoid the bunkers on the far side, making it an especially tight landing zone. Check out where all tee shots landed last year. WEATHER CHECK It’s been a very wet year in the Oakville area, part of the Greater Toronto Area. No surprise that rain is in the forecast for at least one day this week. TEMPS: In the high 60s/low 70s, so expect pleasant temperatures this week. Humidity will be highest in the opening round RAIN: Expected to rain on Thursday, but the other three days might be relatively dry. WINDS: Shouldn’t be much of a factor, with the middle two rounds creeping over 10 mph speeds. For the latest weather news from Oakville, Ontario, check out PGATOUR.COM’s Weather Hub. SOUND CHECK If I’m ever going to win one of these, it better be soon, because obviously the times that I’m going to play are running out. But there’s obviously a lot of other great Canadians coming up. ODDS AND ENDS 1. CANADIAN HOPEFULS. There are 17 Canadians in the field this week – Adam Hadwin, Nick Taylor, Graham DeLaet, Mackenzie Hughes, Mike Weir, David Hearn, Daniel Kim, Jared du Toit, Brad Fritsch, Riley Wheeldon, Matt Hill, Bryn Parry, Ryan Williams, Drew Nesbitt, and amateurs Garrett Rank, Hugo Bernard and Austin James. These are the guys who hope to become the first Canadian winner of their national Open since Pat Fletcher in 1954. Hadwin and Hughes have already won on TOUR this season. 2. MACKENZIE TOUR EXEMPTIONS. The top-three players in the Mackenzie Tour-PGA TOUR Canada Order of Merit earned exemptions into this week’s event – Americans Robby Shelton ($55,473), Johnny Ruiz ($54,413) and Kramer Hickock ($47,719). Each has won on the Mackenzie Tour this season. Incidentally, Hickok is a roommate of Open Championship winner Jordan Spieth in Dallas. With Spieth not in the field, Hickok will represent the house. 3. 20-SOMETHINGS ON A ROLL. With Spieth and Grayson Murray (Barbasol Championship) winning last week, that means the last eight tournaments have been won by players in their 20s. That’s the longest streak by the 20-somethings ever on the PGA TOUR. 4. FURYK LOVES CANADA. Jim Furyk has played 31 of his last 34 rounds at the RBC Canadian Open in par or better, including his last 19 rounds. No player has won more money in this event that Furyk at $3,129,703 in 14 appearances. WATCH THE PREVIEW

Click here to read the full article…

Likely needing to win to get a Masters spot through the world ranking, Sung-jae Im rebounded from an early double-bogey to take the second-round lead Friday in the PGA Tour’s Corales Puntacana Resort & Club Championship.

Click here to read the full article…