Expert Picks: AT&T Byron Nelson

Far be it for me to tell you not to have a good time. After all, my Rule No. 1 of fantasy golf is to have fun. If you can’t get even that far, start over, because the rest of the experience is pointless otherwise. However, when we have a team competition directly in front of us, the advice is to only have fun. Shed the kinds of expectations you have during an individual event when golfers control their own destiny. Consider that the teams of Jason Day and Adam Scott, Patrick Cantlay and Patrick Reed, Joaquin Niemann and Dylan Frittelli, Louis Oosthuizen and Charl Schwartzel, Tony Finau and Kyle Stanley, Cameron Champ and Sam Burns, Carlos Ortiz and Sebastián Muñoz, and Abraham Ancer and Jhonattan Vegas all missed the cut at the Zurich Classic of New Orleans … in 2019 alone. Even the inaugural team to win – Cameron Smith and Jonas Blixt in 2017 – missed the cut in 2018 and 2019. RELATED: Power Rankings | Expert Picks | How it works Rule No. 2 is to listen and learn, but there’s really nothing to be logged for another time. Same can be said about the recent Match Play and for both the Ryder Cup and Presidents Cup. The success and failure you have likely will be coincidental because of the formats. The moral of the matter is to leave well enough alone. Stop short of judging your performance no matter how lucky or unlucky. It’s why I’ve always defaulted to a position as a fan in these events. There’s always next week. Speaking of which, PGA TOUR Fantasy Golf takes this week off. It will resume with the Valspar Championship on April 29-May 2. So, this edition of the Fantasy Insider omits Draws and Fades. POWER RANKINGS WILD CARD Viktor Hovland & Kris Ventura (+3300) … Had this been contested in, say, October, the duo representing Norway would have been in the Power Rankings proper. However, Ventura has slumped in a big way since. He’s cashed just four times in his last 14 starts, none for a top 35. Meanwhile, Hovland’s consistency aligns directly with his profile as a balanced performer. He’s been rock-solid just about every time out. If necessary, he could carry this twosome and not feel any pressure. Odds sourced on Tuesday, April 20 at 5 a.m. ET. For live odds visit betmgm. RETURNING TO COMPETITION James Hahn … This is a good sign. He hasn’t played since an injured rib forced him to retire from The Honda Classic during his opening round. At 69th in the FedExCup and ninth in greens in regulation, teammate Martin Trainer is in a good place to make a dent in his own season. Trainer is just 3-for-16 and 214th in points. Both guys are making their debuts in the team competition, and it’s Trainer’s first-ever look at TPC Louisiana. Michael Kim … Walked off Harbour Town during his second round last week. An explanation wasn’t released. He dealt with a sore back on two different occasions in 2020 during which he failed to cash in all 15 starts. He opened 2021 with four cuts made in six starts, but he’s gone 0-for-4 since. He and former Cal-Berkeley teammate Brandon Hagy have joined forces this week. NOTABLE WDs Seamus Power … Tested positive for COVID-19. Alternate Zack Sucher assumes Power’s position as David Hearn’s teammate. Hearn and Power slotted No. 10 in my Power Rankings on Monday. Tyler McCumber … Second consecutive early withdrawal. No news has surfaced to explain why and, as of Tuesday afternoon, he hasn’t alerted his followers on social media. The 30-year-old has experienced an inconsistent but fruitful season. Currently 59th in the FedExCup, so he can be patient. Ryan Brehm … Currently 165th in the FedExCup with one top 25 (T11, Puerto Rico) among six cuts made in 10 starts. Lanto Griffin replaced him as Joel Dahmen’s teammate. Brehm owns the distinction of ranking second on TOUR in distance of all drives at 309.1 yards. Of course, Bryson DeChambeau (311.4 yards) is longest, but to name a few notables with muscle, Cameron Champ (3rd), Rory McIlroy (4th), Brooks Koepka (5th), Dustin Johnson (6th) and Matthew Wolff (8th) trail. Not too shabby for a 35-year-old. It doesn’t hurt that Brehm checks in at 6’4” and 220 pounds. POWER RANKINGS RECAP – RBC Heritage Power Ranking Golfer Result 1 Webb Simpson T9 2 Corey Conners T4 3 Daniel Berger T13 4 Patrick Cantlay MC 5 Brian Harman T13 6 Will Zalatoris T42 7 Tyrrell Hatton T39 8 Matt Fitzpatrick T4 9 Cameron Smith T9 10 Abraham Ancer T18 11 Matt Kuchar T18 12 Ian Poulter T48 13 Kevin Streelman T33 14 Harris English MC 15 Dustin Johnson T13 Wild Card Kevin Kisner MC SLEEPERS RECAP – RBC Heritage Golfer Result Doug Ghim T33 Chesson Hadley MC Russell Henley T9 William McGirt MC Chase Seiffert T42 BIRTHDAYS AMONG ACTIVE GOLFERS ON THE PGA TOUR April 20 … John Senden (50) April 21 … none April 22 … Eric Axley (47) April 23 … none April 24 … Jason Bohn (48); Lee Westwood (48); Jonas Blixt (37); Carlos Ortiz (30) April 25 … Nick Watney (40) April 26 … J.B. Holmes (39) Visit BetMGM.com for Terms and Conditions. 21+ years of age or older to wager. CO, IA, IN,MI, NJ, NV,PA, TN, VA or WV only. Excludes Michigan Disassociated Persons. Please Gamble Responsibly. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-522-4700 (CO, NV, VA), 1-800-270-7117 for confidential help (MI), 1-800-GAMBLER (NJ, PA & WV), 1-800-BETS OFF (IA), Call or Text the Tennessee REDLINE: 800-889-9789 (TN), or call 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN).

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PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. - Rory McIlroy got to keep the coveted gold PLAYERS Championship trophy for two years thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic enforced cancellation at TPC Sawgrass a year ago, but the 2019 champion won't be getting it back in 2021. The two-time FedExCup winner was a dejected figure as he signed for a 7-over 79 in the opening round - his career worst round at THE PLAYERS. Previously McIlroy's hardest trip around TPC Sawgrass was a 77 in his first PLAYERS Championship in 2009 as a 20-year-old. To add insult to injury McIlroy was paired with fellow former champion Sergio Garcia as the Spaniard paced the morning wave with a 7-under 65 - besting his Ryder Cup teammate by 14 shots. Despite perfect conditions the damage was done on the opening nine holes as the group started on the 10th tee. McIlroy snapped his opening tee shot left into an unplayable lie, he ended up making double bogey, and things just got worse from there "(It's) very hard, especially when you’re trying to figure it out as you go along on course," McIlroy said when asked how hard it is to recover from a shocking start. "You’re trying to figure it out, but you still know you’re not really sure where the shots are coming from and then it’s hard to try to eliminate one side of the golf course, basically." After the double McIlroy soon turned a birdie chance into a bogey when he three-putted the 13th green from 24-feet. Another killer blow came on the iconic par-4 18th. The Northern Irishman pulled his tee shot into the lake without covering much land prior and then, after a drop barely in front of the tee box, hit his third shot into the water as well. When all was said and done he was walking off with a quadruple bogey eight. "I just hit a drive that started 10 yards left of where I was aiming and went on the wind and did the same thing with the 4-iron," McIlroy lamented afterwards. His 7-over 43 tied the highest start to a PGA TOUR event in his career, matching his efforts at the 2014 Memorial Tournament presented by Nationwide. Back-to-back birdies to open the front side of the course after the turn brought hope of a fightback but they were followed with back-to-back bogeys. A final hole three-putt bogey summed up a tough day. McIlroy wasn't alone though as other former champions and big names seemingly kissed their chances goodbye right out of the gate.Henrik Stenson, the 2009 champion, shot 85 and 2015 conqueror Rickie Fowler had to settle for a 77 - three double bogeys negating any of the good work he managed. Pre-tournament high hope Tony Finau dropped four shots in his opening three holes and never recovered - his 78 a career worst round at TPC Sawgrass by three shots came after his last eight rounds on the course were par or better. Xander Schauffele, Tyrrell Hatton, 2012 champion Matt Kuchar and Hideki Matsuyama were part of a group to shoot 4-over 76s. Matsuyama shot a phantom 63 in the opening round of the 2020 PLAYERS before the cancellation but was nowhere near as sharp 12 months later.

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MEXICO CITY – Jordan Spieth’s first round in nearly eight years with his father, Shawn, on the bag did not go as planned at the World Golf Championships-Mexico Championship at Club de Golf Chapultepec. Spieth birdied the first hole but struggled to an opening-round 75 and was well back of leader Rory McIlroy (63). This after Michael Greller, Spieth’s regular caddie, flew home Wednesday to be with family after the death of his father, John “Bearâ€� Greller. “I wish I would have done more for him,â€� Spieth said of his father, who last caddied for him at the 2011 U.S. Amateur. “But glad he’s stepping in. Our bright moment was probably No. 1. Just trying to progress each day.â€� Spieth said Bear Greller had been in hospice, and Michael had visited him early last week. He and Spieth were caught by surprise to learn of his passing in Mexico. “I thought it would be sometime in the next month or so, based on how he was doing,â€� Spieth said. “It took a lot for (Michael Greller) to ask to go see him Monday and Tuesday of L.A., which it shouldn’t. That’s where he needed to be. When he said that, I knew it wasn’t good.â€� There was at least one bright spot Thursday: Shawn toted a lightweight carry bag instead of a staff bag, as he had for his son for nine holes Wednesday. He said he was the first option as a replacement, but not the only one. Asked what it felt like to caddie for his son, he spoke with a heavy heart. “I’ve got mixed emotions,â€� he said, “It’s great, but you want him to have his best chance, you know? When you’ve got your regular caddie, you’ve got your best chance.” “I learned a lot,â€� he added. “Hopefully that’ll help us down the road. It’s cool. It’s fun to get to do it. It’s a big stage for somebody that hasn’t caddied in six years.â€�   The Greller and Spieth families were close, as one might expect considering the long partnership. “Heavy heart for Michael and his family,â€� Christine Spieth, Jordan’s mother, wrote on Twitter. “Bear was a great father, husband, and grandfather. Heaven gained another angel!â€� Asked how well did he knew Greller’s father, Shawn said, “Fairly well. They’ve been together a long time now. He hadn’t been able to get out a lot in the last few years.â€� Jordan said the first of two services would be in Portland, and he’d been in touch with Greller. “Everyone is there,â€� Spieth said, “and he’s glad he’s there.â€�

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