Golf’s biggest names went low — and still weren’t pleased

There are 23 rookies enduring (embracing?) the learning curve on the PGA TOUR this season, but gamers aren’t exempt from a similar experience. PGA TOUR Fantasy Golf presented by SERVPRO launched for the 2015 PLAYERS, which means that it’s beginning its third full season this fall. It also means that it’s that time of year when new gamers are learning the ropes. The most common question right now is how to select players. Not that those gamers are aware, but the better question is when to select your players. If you’re navigating the platform at FantasyGolf.PGATOUR.com on Mondays and not familiar with where to go, you’re going to need to be aware of the process of turning over tournaments. You can choose golfers as far in advance as you’d like on the “My Roster” page. Simply click on “SELECT TOURNAMENT” in the upper right. When you do, three events populate a pop-up. (When you click on “More>>,” a slide-out of the entire season appears.) However, the actual field for every tournament isn’t loaded until sometime on Tuesdays. So, if you beat it, you run the risk of inserting a golfer who either didn’t commit or who committed but has since withdrawn. If this happens to you, you should receive an alert indicating that one or more of your golfers is not scheduled to compete. I tweet all field changes after the published field is released. You do not need to register for Twitter to read my public tweets. As the PGA TOUR travels north to South Korea for THE CJ CUP @ NINE BRIDGES, set a reminder that the tournament is scheduled to begin at 7 p.m. ET on Wednesday, Oct. 18. That’s 4 p.m. on the West Coast and 1 p.m. in Hawaii. Adjust accordingly. Despite my multiple notices last week, not to mention all of the other resources at your fingertips to indicate tee times, there were still gamers who either forgot about the location of the CIMB Classic or failed to read for top-of-mind awareness. It’s not as damaging in the One & Done, but if you’re chasing Segment and season-long prizes in the Roster game, it could cost you. PGA TOUR Fantasy Golf presented by SERVPRO My roster for THE CJ CUP @ NINE BRIDGES (in alphabetical order): Paul Casey Jason Day Tony Finau Russell Henley Marc Leishman Justin Thomas You’ll find my starters in Expert Picks. Others to consider for each category (in alphabetical order): Scoring: Brian Harman; Anirban Lahiri; Luke List; Pat Perez; Patrick Reed; Xander Schauffele; Ollie Schniederjans; Cameron Smith Driving: n/a Approach: n/a Short: n/a Power Rankings Wild Card Patrick Reed … After four straight trips to the CIMB Classic, he was a surprising DNP last week even though he’s logged only one top 25, so it’s refreshing to see him back in action on Jeju Island. His love for travel is documented, but inconsistent ball-striking kept him from populating the Power Rankings. That said, his short game is so good that it barely matters. You may recall persistent attention to a regression in his greenside game early in 2017. It was reflective in his results. Well, it’s important to update that he went from ranking 178th in scrambling at the conclusion of THE PLAYERS to finishing the season 41st. The improvement was directly proportional to an uptick in overall form. Since scrambling is of value at Nine Bridges, he should remain on his current trajectory. Draws Adam Scott … Forgive his fizzling finish to the 2016-17 season as it coincided with the birth of his second child. All that means is that he’s slipped through the side door and into this week’s field. That presents opportunity in DFS. Starting anew in South Korea, the Aussie is determined to reconnect with the kind of electric ball-striking that yielded consecutive victories early in 2016. Lucas Glover … He possesses one of the lowest ball flights in the field and he’s one of the best ball-strikers of his generation. That combination alone makes him an easy fit at Nine Bridges. The bonus is his form upon arrival. A T7 in Malaysia was his second top 15 in his last three starts. Simply no need to overthink him in any format. Plug him in with confidence. Ian Poulter … Low ball flight, a course that won’t overwhelm him and more than enough inspiring form for months is all the reason DFSers need to buy. Byeong Hun An (DFS) Chad Campbell (all) Graham DeLaet (DFS) Brian Harman (DFS) Robert Streb (DFS) Nick Taylor (DFS) Fades Charl Schwartzel … Relatively speaking, of course. Because he makes most cuts, he’s usually insurance in PGA TOUR Fantasy Golf presented by SERVPRO, but with no cut and no ShotLink this week, the focus is on overall production. That’s where we lose him. His last top 10 anywhere was a co-runner-up in Memphis in mid-June. Thomas Pieters … If not for a third-round 77 at TPC Kuala Lumpur, he’d have performed above his projection. As it was, he finished a forgettable T44, his fifth result outside the top 40 in five starts. Perhaps this is who he is, though, a mammoth talent who will emerge enough to rattle mainstream cages long-term while at the same time disappoint weekly gamers. As we continue to digest his profile, we’re benefited in PGA TOUR Fantasy Golf presented by SERVPRO because we’re not going to exhaust all three of his starts in Segment 1. For that reason and with no cut at Nine Bridges, park this contrarian on your bench. Daniel Berger … He was a surprising non-factor in his third spin through the FedExCup Playoffs, so there’s reason to approach him with caution. The wunderkind can be a frustrating own if you’re not in for the long haul. However, he sets up just like Pieters. Consider stowing him on your bench based on cachet alone. Gary Woodland … If ShotLink was in use at Nine Bridges, he’d battle for a spot on your roster. This isn’t to say that there isn’t merit to chase the leaderboard finish (and bonus points that go with it), but for as solid as he’s been since the birth of his child, he’s still without a top-15 finish in seven straight starts. Co-led the field in greens hit at TPC Kuala Lumpur but settled for a T28. Branden Grace Emiliano Grillo Adam Hadwin J.B. Holmes Charles Howell III Kevin Na Seung-Yul Noh Jhonattan Vegas Notables WDs Patrick Cantlay … It’s not nonsense to draw a parallel between his selective scheduling and the drip-drip of news released of Tiger Woods’ recovery from back surgeries. Both are so compelling in their respective contexts. Cantlay has been nothing short of fantastic as he’s ascended rapidly through the ranks. His ownership percentages in PGA TOUR Fantasy Golf presented by SERVPRO should rival some of the game’s most popular and decorated talents this season. Jason Dufner … Given the angle that projects success at Nine Bridges, he’d have been a likely contender as a tee-to-green force. Opened his season finishing fifth-from-last in the 78-man CIMB Classic. Mackenzie Hughes … What a difference a year and a victory makes. He was a fresh-faced rookie at this time in 2016, so he didn’t qualify for either stop in Asia. (No current rookies are eligible for THE CJ CUP @ NINE BRIDGES.) A month later, he prevailed at The RSM Classic and secured fully exempt status through 2018-19. It’s good to have options. Russell Knox … Remains in a funk. His T63 at the CIMB Classic extended his drought without a top 25 to seven consecutive starts. In the process, he’s drifted outside the top 60 in the Official World Golf Ranking, so the grind is on to qualify for all of the majors and World Golf Championships in 2018. He’s currently eligible for none. Ernie Els … Celebrates his 48th birthday on Tuesday, Oct. 17. Burning a career earnings exemption this season, but his fantasy value is all but gone. Power Rankings Recap – CIMB Classic Power Ranking Golfer Result 1 Justin Thomas T17 2 Brendan Steele T13 3 Paul Casey T7 4 Hideki Matsuyama T5 5 Kevin Na T44 6 Xander Schauffele T3 7 Scott Piercy T63 8 Rafa Cabrera Bello T10 9 Chez Reavie T17 10 James Hahn T28 11 Ian Poulter T58 12 Gary Woodland T28 13 Charl Schwartzel T48 14 Keegan Bradley 2nd 15 Thomas Pieters T44 Wild Card Bud Cauley 67th Sleepers Recap – CIMB Classic Golfer Result Gavin Kyle Green T61 Charles Howell III T51 Sung Kang T3 Cameron Smith T5 Richy Werenski T63 Birthdays among active golfers on the PGA TOUR October 17… Ernie Els (48) October 18 … none October 19 … Louis Oosthuizen (35) October 20 … none October 21 … none October 22 … none October 23 … none  

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FORT WORTH, Texas – Kevin Na counts Colonial Country Club as one of his top-three favorite courses on the PGA TOUR, along with Riviera (the “otherâ€� Hogan’s Alley) and Hilton Head (the “otherâ€� plaid jacket venue). Colonial, in fact, is one of a handful of courses on which Na – who must rely on shot-making rather than length — feels like he can legitimately contend. “I say seven or eight,â€� Na said. “Some golf courses I feel like I have no chance. I don’t play those unless it’s a major and I got no choice. “I won’t mention any names.â€� So we will. For instance, Bethpage Black, which hosted last week’s PGA Championship? “I’m not going to say anything,â€� Na smiled. “You can look up my record. It’s not good.â€� For the record, Na has played three events at Bethpage Black – the PGA and two FedExCup Playoffs events. He’s missed the cut each time. Unlike Bethpage, Na’s record is pretty good at the Charles Schwab Challenge. In his last 11 starts, he’s made 10 cuts and has four top-10 finishes – his best being a solo fourth last year. Three of his last six rounds at Colonial have been among the most impressive of his PGA TOUR career. It was in the first round a year ago that Na shot 62, tying for the lowest opening score in tournament history. On that Sunday, he tied the tournament record with a 61 – the lowest score of his career. Now this week. After opening with an even-par 70 in difficult afternoon scoring conditions, Na again torched Colonial on Friday – a bogey-free 62 that left him at 8 under, just one shot behind leader Jonas Blixt. Na now has five rounds of 62 or better since 2015, and three of those have been at Colonial. “Last year when I shot 61, I felt like I made everything,â€� Na said. “Kind of almost had that feeling today. With a few holes to go, I felt like I had a chance to challenge my own course record.â€� Na made 164 feet, 1 inch of putts on Friday, but he needed less than 3 feet on his opening hole of the day. Na’s second shot at the par-5 first finished inside 3 feet, leaving him with an easy eagle putt. From there, he relied on the flatstick. A 14-foot birdie putt at the third. A 31-footer at the sixth. A 38-1/2 footer at the ninth. And another 31-footer at the 13th. Na entered this week ranked 129th on TOUR in Strokes Gained: Putting, but you wouldn’t know it this week. His birdie putt  from 36 feet late in Thursday’s opening round was a foreshadow of his Friday performance. “Golf seems a lot more fun and a lot easier when you’re making putts,â€� Na said. It also seems a lot more fun when you’re playing on a course you like. Last year after his low rounds, Na did his interviews while attending to his young daughter Sophia. He kept the tradition going Friday. “She’s my good-luck charm,â€� Na said.

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