Hideki Matsuyama and his ever-changing equipment

Tim Tucker, the caddie for Bryson DeChambeau, is working with Lexi Thompson this week.

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In my season-opener of this space, I previewed and analyzed the newest iteration of PGA TOUR Fantasy Golf. It included a reference to how tough courses could yield negative fantasy scoring in every round, and I singled out the U.S. Open at The Country Club as an event during which to be cautious and calculating. RELATED: Horses for Courses, Sleeper picks If you’ve played enough, at least one golfer has valued below zero in a round. For example, in Draws and Fades for the PGA Championship, I shared that Matt Kuchar totaled one point as one of my Starters for all four rounds en route to a T49 at the Wells Fargo Championship. He concluded play in 7-over 287. Thanks for almost nothin’! Here we are now with the U.S. Open batting third in Segment 4, so it’s time for those lessons to matter. If we can (easily) agree that, even with bonus points for daily low scores, round-by-round scoring will be negligible in the long-term. Sure, you’ll observe high performers who guess right with their lottery tickets, but you cannot take your eyes off the FedExCup Playoffs and the quadrupled bonus points. The winner of the U.S. Open will receive 600 FedExCup points. That translates into 60 bonus points in PGA TOUR Fantasy Golf. Consider that one fourth-place finish in any of the Playoffs events will yield 54 bonus points. Wins in the last three tournaments will pay 200 points. So, the advice is to continue to remain as patient as possible without allowing your target to separate more than you think you can handle. If you’re pacing, the strategy is the same. Your insurance is the Playoffs, and like your opponents, you’re going to score more points pretty much everywhere else in Segment 4 than you are this week, so focus on golfers to make the cut and with the potential to make noise on the weekend. Of course, we have entered a place in time when familiar faces are projected to make starts in only the remaining two majors of the season. No matter your current position in your league, lean into a couple of these guys to offset the starts you’ll want and need for those who are eligible for the Playoffs. POWER RANKINGS WILD CARD Brooks Koepka (+160 for a Top 20) … When he doesn’t appear in the Power Rankings for a major, that gives you all you need to know about where I’ve landed for the four-time major champion. In the U.S. Open alone, he has two wins, a runner-up, two T4s and another two top 20s all among his last seven appearances. He’s the perfect spell for chasers in PGA TOUR Fantasy Golf because front-runners, at least the conservative among them, will worry about the inconsistent form upon arrival. But honestly, he’s reached a level in the majors specifically not unlike where Tiger Woods soared for years; that is, because of the body of work, you have a preset and how that plays into your strategy. This is to say that, unless he acknowledges a recurring injury – he hasn’t – nothing has changed since the last time we faced this decision. DRAWS Sungjae Im (+400 for a Top 10) … His unfortunate DNP at the PGA Championship due to travel restrictions related to COVID-19 didn’t deter him. If anything, the additional rest, something he rarely seeks or needs an abundance of, likely was the unintentional benefit. He’s gone T15-T10 since and easily warrants a prop here that should’ve slotted him as an automatic in the Power Rankings. Tommy Fleetwood (+190 for a Top 20) … If only more international non-members would start a PGA TOUR season with conditional status! In my full-membership fantasy ranking before the season, I comped him to Shane Lowry, who scuffled with fully exempt status in 2016-17 and 2017-18 before landing victory at The Open Championship while on conditional status. It may not seem like a big deal for guys with a lofty Official World Golf Ranking (Fleetwood currently is 40th) but there have been examples over time – Lowry was the most recent – for which it seems to at least simplifies scheduling. Maybe it’s a coincidence, but for now, the Brit deserves strong consideration in every format at the U.S. Open. Keegan Bradley (+250 for a Top 20) … Invest a unit or three, if for no other reason than the relative home game. But hey, he’s been electric throughout the season, and his putting is improved, so all arrows are pointed upward, anyway. Mito Pereira (+190 for a Top 20) … The mettle on this guy! So upset by the turn of events on the 72nd hole of the PGA Championship that he answered with a T7 at Colonial and a T13 at Muirfield Village. At seventh on TOUR in greens hit and 19th in scrambling, he’s also seventh in bogey avoidance. And since the recent surge has punctuated what already was impressive form, he figures to contribute to your success at the U.S. Open. Cameron Young (+150 for a Top 20) … The clubhouse leader for the Rookie of the Year award has five podium finishes on the season, and on the most challenging of tracks, including three in a row terminating at the PGA Championship. What shouldn’t be overlooked is how deft he’s been in his scheduling. He’s been patient and smart about not overdoing it, and it’s kept him fresh enough to slot 16th in the FedExCup standings. Among all non-winners this season, only Will Zalatoris (13th) sits higher. Of course, both are still chasing their first PGA TOUR title, too. Davis Riley (+220 for a Top 20) … The recipient of the Arnold Palmer Award likely will be the last rookie standing in the Playoffs, but the totality of his season will serve as a tiebreaker, if necessary, among eligible voters. After a relatively quiet first half, the 25-year-old has come on strong enough to warrant the kind of attention deserving of a nod. He arrived at The County Club having strung together four top 10s and a pair of T13s, one of which at the PGA Championship. If he’d have prevailed in the playoff at the Valspar Championship, he’d likely be the front-runner to be the ROY. Webb Simpson (+100 for a Top 40) … He hasn’t lit any stages on fire lately, but even though he’s yet to put four rounds together post-neck injury, he’s still making cuts. Strong starts have made it possible, so consider seriously as a R1 leader in addition to this finish. He’s cashed in 19 of the last 20 majors. Patrick Reed (+275 for a Top 20) … Continues to tease but all that matters is that he’s securing tee times on weekends. Since an uncharacteristic 0-for-3 in late winter, he’s 6-for-7 in stroke-play competition, albeit with just one top 25. Furthermore, he regularly plays up in the majors, so even when a course doesn’t seem to fit, he figures out a way to convert a top 20. Louis Oosthuizen (+220 for a Top 40) … Essentially the same analysis as Reed above, but with a lower expectation. Oosthuizen has played sparingly but he’s making cuts and he’s been a force in the majors for years. Abraham Ancer Talor Gooch Brian Harman Viktor Hovland Sebastián Muñoz Kevin Na Alex Noren Justin Rose Adam Scott Harold Varner III Aaron Wise Odds sourced on Tuesday, June 14th at 8 p.m. ET. For live odds visit betmgm FADES Phil Mickelson … His first official competition in over four months is his latest attempt to capture the career grand slam, so respect the rust. He’s also gone six straight U.S. Opens without a top-45 finish. Dustin Johnson … Based on reaction that reaches me, he’s the top snub from the Power Rankings, but that really shouldn’t surprise anyone. Sure, he’s a former champ (2016) with a series of fantastic finishes across numerous tests, but we always need to consider what a guy has done for us lately. When the lights are brighter, expectations are higher. It’s ridiculous to toss him into the pile of contrarians, but there’s nothing to debate. Bryson DeChambeau … In his first start post-wrist surgery, he shot 76-77 and missed the cut at Muirfield Village. It’s the latest in a lost year for the 28-year-old and our expectations must be governed by the likelihood that no one will rekindle form at The Country Club. Tyrrell Hatton … This relative assessment is one with which gamers of the last three years can agree. No matter how strong he presents for every difficult course, he’s come up short much more often than he’s delivered. Until he regains consistency, leave him to full-season formats and accept the positive results as a bonus. Marc Leishman … Glowing full-season statistics need to step aside for recency bias. The Aussie continues to misfire similarly to how he responded from the three-month shutdown of 2020. And aside from the Masters, he’s had no impact in the majors in five years. Gary Woodland … Either he’s back in a rut or it’s just who he always will be now. Not that there’s anything wrong with that because the 38-year-old still contributes to long-term investors, so our reaction is predictable. Also of note, since he prevailed at Pebble Beach in 2019 U.S. Open, he’s just 5-for-10 and without a top 30 in the majors. Francesco Molinari … Despite a couple of mild needle-moving performances, he’s falling short on fulfilling expectations for full-season owners, much less those of us calling on him for spot starts. In his prime, he’d have populated the Power Rankings for this U.S. Open at The Country Club, but the 39-year-old continues to separate from his heyday. Adam Hadwin Mackenzie Hughes K.H. Lee Luke List Cameron Tringale Erik van Rooyen RETURNING TO COMPETITION Satoshi Kodaira … Walked off St. George’s during the second round with a sore back. It extended his skid to 0-for-4, which included a start on the Korn Ferry Tour. Currently 163rd in the FedExCup with only five paydays in 10 starts, playing time limited to conditional status and commitments to his native Japan Golf Tour in the fall. NOTABLES WDs Tiger Woods … Sitting this one out in favor of a stronger body when he hopes to return to organized competition in early July. He made the cut in the first two majors, but he withdrew from the PGA Championship after a third-round 79 at Southern Hills. Paul Casey … Remains sidelined indefinitely due to extended discomfort in his back. Martin Kaymer … The streak of consecutive U.S. Open appearances for the 2014 champ ends at 14 due to an injured wrist. RECAP – RBC CANADIAN OPEN POWER RANKINGS Power Ranking Golfer Result 1 Scottie Scheffler T18 2 Justin Thomas 3rd 3 Sam Burns T4 4 Shane Lowry T10 5 Rory McIlroy Win 6 Cameron Smith T48 7 Corey Conners 6th 8 Matt Fitzpatrick T10 9 Tony Finau 2nd 10 Tyrrell Hatton MC 11 Adam Hadwin T35 12 Brendon Todd T13 13 Harold Varner III T13 14 Patrick Reed DNP 15 Sebastián Muñoz T25 Wild Card Chris Kirk T7 SLEEPERS Golfer (Bet) Result Aaron Cockerill (+800 for a Top 20) T48 Tyler Duncan (+400 for a Top 20) MC Christopher Gotterup (+500 for a Top 20) MC John Huh (+400 for a Top 20) T25 J.T. Poston (+300 for a Top 20) MC BIRTHDAYS AMONG ACTIVE MEMBERS OF THE PGA TOUR June 14 … Lee Hodges (27) June 15 … Lanto Griffin (34); Cameron Champ (27) June 16 … none June 17 … David Hearn (43) June 18 … none June 19 … none June 20 … Charles Howell III (43)

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KAPALUA, Hawaii – Jordan Spieth is no longer worried about criticism. To be fair, finding ways to get down on an 11-time PGA TOUR winner who is already three legs through a career Grand Slam and owns a FedExCup title at the age of 24 is pretty tough as it is. But the Texan used to get uptight about those who questioned him. He admits he used to let it get to him. He believes it affected his game. When Spieth couldn’t back up a five-win 2015 with the same in 2016 some knives came out and he bristled. When he coughed up a green jacket with a back nine implosion in 2016 it was as if his past deeds counted for very little to some and he was livid. “That inhibited some success and inhibited confidence in my own game and my ability. Which it shouldn’t have,â€� Spieth admits. And he said it lasted around a year before he had an epiphany of sorts. To many it appeared he might blow it again at The Open Championship 2017 and the pen quills were metaphorically sharpening amongst the many scribes in the sports world. The social media trolls were ready to pounce. But unbeknownst to most, Spieth had mentally turned the corner. He was believing in a new mantra. By then, he said, it didn’t matter as much what others thought. So when things went pear-shaped at Royal Birkdale on Sunday and his mind raced to the Masters failure… well instead of letting it consume him, he embraced himself as the man in the arena. He was ready to win. Or perhaps more importantly, he was ready to fail again. He was just ready. And out of nowhere he turned the corner and blitzed by Matt Kuchar late. Spieth is by no means a history buff but the momentous words of former U.S. President Theodore Roosevelt from 1910 were the key. “It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat.â€� – Theodore Roosevelt In other words – he will go down swinging because he’s not afraid to fail – and he doesn’t care what you think about that. “It’s like my favorite quote from all time,â€� Spieth explained as he gets set to play his first official event of the 2017-18 PGATOUR season at the Sentry Tournament of Champions. “I’m the one that’s out there, that’s putting it on the line every single week. I’m going to fail and learn and I’m going to succeed, but I’m the one in the arena. “Starting 2018 I’m kind of ready for anything. I’m ready for failure, for success, and everything in between.â€� The odds are on success. In his last eight events of last season Spieth jagged two wins, two runner-ups and two sevenths in an impressive stretch. He enters this week at the Plantation Course at Kapalua having finished second, first and third in his three previous starts on the island of Maui. Oh and he’s recently had the pleasure of a successful proposal to long-time girlfriend Annie Verret. “I’m just in a fantastic place compared to where I was (this time) last year,â€� he smiled. And he’s not the only one in a good place as the new calendar year kicks off in a very exciting place on the PGA TOUR. Justin Thomas is coming off a breakout year where he was FedExCup champion, crating a healthy rivalry with Spieth. Multiple young winners have come of age giving us our youngest Tournament of Champions ever. Other players in their 30s, like Justin Rose and Marc Leishman are hitting new primes. Dustin Johnson still leads the world. Rory McIlroy and Jason Day have points to prove. Oh, and a guy named Tiger Woods is primed to make a comeback. “These unknowns are extremely exciting starting out and within the next six months it’s a pretty special time to be a part of professional golf,â€� Spieth says. “I feel that way.â€� We all do Jordan. We all do.

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