Expert Picks: THE CJ CUP @ NINE BRIDGES

If you're new to PGA TOUR Fantasy Golf and had Austin Cook and/or Matthew Wolff starting in the final round of the Shriners Hospitals for Children Open, you may be wondering why their fantasy points took a hit on Monday. Until you personally experience what it's like to have a playoff victim in your starting lineup for a tournament finale, you may have glossed over my most recent message/reminder in this space for the Sanderson Farms Championship that explained why fantasy totals aren't final until Monday. The automation for PGA TOUR Fantasy Golf assumes bonus points for all playoff participants as if each won the tournament, but manual adjustments are required after its conclusion. RELATED: Power Rankings | Expert Picks | Sleeper Picks Cook, Wolff and eventual champion Martin Laird each was credited with 50 bonus points (one-tenth the FedExCup points earned by the winner) when they qualified for the playoff at TPC Summerlin. Then, when Monday's weekly fine-tuning was executed, the bonuses for Cook and Wolff were revised to 25 apiece (rounding up to the whole number of 10 percent of the 245 FedExCup each earned). PGA TOUR Fantasy Golf My roster for the THE CJ CUP @ SHADOW CREEK (in alphabetical order): Viktor Hovland Rory McIlroy Jon Rahm Xander Schauffele Justin Thomas Matthew Wolff You'll find my starters in Expert Picks. Others to consider for each category (in alphabetical order): Scoring: Daniel Berger; Patrick Cantlay; Tyrrell Hatton; Tom Hoge; Sungjae Im; Si Woo Kim; Ian Poulter; Cameron Smith Driving: Daniel Berger; Paul Casey; Corey Conners; Harris English; Tommy Fleetwood; Sergio Garcia; Sungjae Im; Collin Morikawa POWER RANKINGS WILD CARD Collin Morikawa ... Egad! He's opened the new season 0-for-2. It's always mildly amusing at how quickly any golfer can fall out of our good graces. The adage is that we care only about what they've done lately, but there's a more personal test as it concerns how much of a fan we are. He hasn't done a thing to generate any negative attention. If anything, he's logged months of equity before we would consider turning. All of that is a reminder not to overanalyze in the short-term and trust in the fact that his class already is permanent. DRAWS Hideki Matsuyama ... Just like how I advise ignoring negative results in majors because everything is pinning, there's credence in applying it to a shootout. It's the same angle that supports Jason Kokrak as a Sleeper. Matsuyama also missed the cut at the Shriners but at 5-under 68-69—137 with a pair of sub-70s. Not everyone can be Usain Bolt, but even he has had to hustle when wind was at his back. Matsuyama had seven top 25s in his previous nine starts, including a T17 at Winged Foot. Harris English ... Same reasoning (and scores at TPC Summerlin) as Matsuyama above. Sungjae Im ... Didn't so much extend form at TPC Summerlin as connect with why he's such a threat. En route to a T13, he signed for a sub-70 after every round and led the field in fairways hit, Strokes Gained: Off-the-Tee and greens in regulation. This week, we can't ignore how much he is empowered by leading the South Korean contingent. Brendon Todd ... So easy to forget about this guy, but his promise to be among the leaders in fairways hit on a course that few know well elevates his value across the board. Kevin Kisner ... Reminds me of Xander Schauffele (or vice versa) because they rarely stumble in the deepest fields. Most guys get up in the morning and can't wait to grapple. These two get to work. They're exactly the kinds of stabilizers around whom you want to build a lineup in this arena. Ian Poulter ... Went T6-5th in his fortnight in the U.K., so the form is spot on. He's been a beast in the no-cut invitationals throughout his career, too. Alex Noren ... Pieced together a T17 on the strength of his primary weapon, the putter. The Swede has been dynamite in recent months and his slump-proof game makes him even more dangerous with the guarantee of four rounds. Abraham Ancer Paul Casey Brian Harman Mackenzie Hughes Si Woo Kim Adam Long Joaquin Niemann Ryan Palmer Cameron Smith Bubba Watson FADES Rickie Fowler ... The tinkering continues. Granted, all professional golfers are guilty of it, but it resonates in the absence of success over time. He went 67-74 en route to last week's trunk slam with a new putter. Jason Day ... Unlike others who arrived at TPC Summerlin and missed the cut, Day also MC'd, but he was scuffling, so it's more of a reflection of his trajectory than the dynamic of the shootout. Continue to abstain. Gary Woodland ... Similar to Brooks Koepka (below), Woodland also is playing with a torn labrum in his left hip. Reactions vary but Koepka opted to sit out two months whereas Woodland has maintained a steady schedule. How he navigates Shadow Creek introduces too much mystery to warrant an endorsement despite no cut, but even if he performs well (say, top half in the field of 78), it'll continue to be our concern until he speaks otherwise. Justin Rose ... The inconsistency is one thing, and even acceptable given our pursuits, but it's how he's been inconsistent that has our attention. While he comps best to Webb Simpson, the American is five years younger and in his prime. Rose just turned 40, which we can't rule out as having a short-range influence on his focus. (Loyal readers are familiar with my narrative on this.) If you've yet to experience "the hill," just wait. It's easier said than done and it deserves respect. So, the moment he reconnects with form, buy, because this extended period with singular spikes won't last forever. Matt Kuchar ... This is relative. Since play resumed, he's 7-for-10 but with only two top-30 finishes. And on tracks where his ball flight and accuracy should have mattered, he didn't capitalize. Adam Hadwin ... Just as he shouldn't be indicted by a final-round 74 at TPC Summerlin (to finish T34), it's also necessary not to inflate his third-round 62 as anything more than a reminder of his talent on any given day. The fact remains that he's gone eight straight starts without a top 30. Persnickety gamers expect more action from the 32-year-old. Marc Leishman ... He's been a fixture in this section for too long now. His missed cut at Winged Foot extended his drought without a top-35 finish in a full-field event to 10 starts, all post-hiatus. Byeong Hun An Cameron Champ Tyler Duncan Talor Gooch Jim Herman Jordan Spieth Nick Taylor Richy Werenski RETURNING TO COMPETITION Brooks Koepka ... Proclaimed that he's healthy again and ready for 72 holes. Cited a partially torn labrum in his left hip as a contributor to aggravating discomfort in his left knee, but he's opted for treatment over surgery. Given his firepower and the absence of a cut, he presents as potential gold in PGA TOUR Fantasy Golf. Consider reserving a spot on your bench. On an aside, the Houston Open and the Masters are his remaining planned stops this fall. NOTABLE WDs Dustin Johnson ... Tested positive for COVID-19. Tony Finau ... Second consecutive early withdrawal. He had to pull out of the Shriners after testing positive for COVID-19. POWER RANKINGS RECAP - SHRINERS HOSPITALS FOR CHILDREN OPEN Power Ranking Golfer Result 1 Bryson DeChambeau T8 2 Webb Simpson T13 3 Matthew Wolff T2 4 Patrick Cantlay T8 5 Collin Morikawa MC 6 Sergio Garcia T43 7 Tony Finau DNP 8 Harris English MC 9 Hideki Matsuyama MC 10 Cameron Smith T24 11 Tyler McCumber MC 12 Louis Oosthuizen T19 13 Denny McCarthy 57th 14 Paul Casey MC 15 Kevin Na T43 Wild Card Francesco Molinari MC SLEEPERS RECAP - SHRINERS HOSPITALS FOR CHILDREN OPEN Golfer Result Brian Harman T13 Luke List MC Matthew NeSmith T8 Sean O'Hair MC Aaron Wise MC BIRTHDAYS AMONG ACTIVE GOLFERS ON THE PGA TOUR October 13 ... none October 14 ... Tyrrell Hatton (29) October 15 ... Richard S. Johnson (44) October 16 ... Ryan Blaum (37) October 17 ... Ernie Els (51) October 18 ... none October 19 ... Louis Oosthuizen (38)

Click here to read the full article…

GREENSBORO, N.C. – The way Viktor Hovland sees it, he has nothing to lose on Sunday. Win the Wyndham Championship, and the 21-year-old Norwegian barely three months removed from taking classes at Oklahoma State will be the newest-minted PGA TOUR member. He’ll be headed to New York City for THE NORTHERN TRUST and the FedExCup Playoffs. Should he finish in a two-way tie for second or better, he’ll have his TOUR card. If not, Hovland will have earned enough FedExCup points as a non-member to head to the Korn Ferry Tour finals where he’ll have another chance to earn playing privileges on TOUR for the 2019-20 season. Any of the three scenarios are well within the realm of possibility for Hovland, who shot a third-round 64 that moved him into a tie for fourth at 14 under, just three strokes off the lead held by Ben An. “To be in the spot where I am right now after college, that’s a pretty good spot to be in,â€� Hovland said. “I just try to take advantage of it.â€� Hovland, who earned low amateur honors at the Masters and U.S. Open this year, is one of several high profile collegians who turned pro this summer. Two of them, Matthew Wolff and Collin Morikawa, have already won on the PGA TOUR – in their third and sixth starts as a pro, respectively. Their stunning success over the last month motivates Hovland. “Obviously, it does help because not even two months ago I played with them in a tournament in a national championship,â€� the Oslo native said. “I played with those guys for two, three years now and it’s cool to see them do really well. “Obviously, that kind of inspires me to think that I can do the same things as they’ve accomplished, but it’s not going to be given to you and you have to go out there and earn it.â€� Hovland, who is playing for pay for just the fifth time this season, teed off 20 minutes before Wolff and quickly climbed the leaderboard with five birdies in his first seven holes. Wolff noticed, and he was glad to see his former Oklahoma State teammate playing well. “It’s cool that he’s still up there,â€� said Wolff, who shot 67 on Saturday and is 11 under. “I already got my card and so did Collin. And so, I guess it’s time for him now. This the last event of the regular season, so hopefully he can make the most of it and join me and Collin in the Playoffs.â€� Hovland’s fast start Saturday had people wondering whether there might be another 59 like the one Brandt Snedeker shot a year ago at Sedgefield Country Club, a Donald Ross gem known for yielding low scores. After the 30 on the front, though, Hovland only managed two more birdies and bogeyed the 14th hole. “I was really feeling it … five under through seven is a good start,â€� Hovland said. “I was a little disappointed that I wasn’t able to keep that going because I was thinking something special was out there, but after birdie on 18, was nice to kind of give myself some confidence going into tomorrow.â€� Hovland led the field in three Strokes Gained categories – Off The Tee, Approach The Green and Total – on Saturday. Through three rounds, he ranks first in Strokes Gained: Off the Tee and second in Strokes Gained: Tee to Green. He’s also first in driving distance and proximity to the hole. His putter has been inconsistent, though, which Hovland hopes to shore up on Sunday. He took 31 putts on Thursday, 29 on Friday and 26 in the third round. “Overall, I feel like I’m hitting it pretty good,â€� said Hovland, who has shot 64, 65 and 64 in the final round of his last three events. “There were a couple of bad shots here and there today, missed on a couple wrong sides I really shouldn’t have. But yeah, if I could make more putts, that would really help. “But it was nice to see some going in earlier in the round and I feel like that kind of gave me some more confidence.â€�

Click here to read the full article…

2021 Wells Fargo Championship, Round 1 Scoring Conditions: Overall: +0.85 strokes per round Morning wave: +1.26 Afternoon wave: +0.43 Current cutline (top 65 and ties): 72 players at 0 or better (T53) Top 3 projected cutline probabilities: 1. 1 over par: 41.8% 2. Even par: 28.0% 3. 2 over par: 20.6% Top 10 win probabilities: 1. Phil Mickelson (1, -7, 11.4%) 2. Justin Thomas (T18, -2, 8.2%) 3. Keegan Bradley (T2, -5, 7.4%) 4. Viktor Hovland (T18, -2, 5.5%) 5. Corey Conners (T18, -2, 4.7%) 6. Bryson DeChambeau (T35, -1, 4.4%) 7. Tommy Fleetwood (T4, -4, 4.4%) 8. Brian Harman (T10, -3, 3.6%) 9. Luke List (T4, -4, 3.5%) 10. Gary Woodland (T4, -4, 3.5%) NOTE: These reports are based off of the live predictive model run by @DataGolf. The model provides live “Make Cut”, “Top 20”, “Top 5”, and “Win” probabilities every 5 minutes from the opening tee shot to the final putt of every PGA TOUR event. Briefly, the model takes account of the current form of each golfer as well as the difficulty of their remaining holes, and probabilities are calculated from 20K simulations. To follow live finish probabilities throughout the remainder of the Wells Fargo Championship, or to see how each golfer’s probabilities have evolved from the start of the event to the current time, click here for the model’s home page.

Click here to read the full article…