Jordan Spieth eyes history at PGA Championship

In my comment beside my lineup in Expert Picks (linked as usual below), I cite this as a position week. I steal the phrase from bowling leagues that establish checkpoints to determine tournament seeding. No, it's not apples-to-apples in that sense, but it feels similar because our standings at the conclusion of the Shriners Hospitals for Children Open likely will not change much in the following two weeks. Since there won't be a cut at THE CJ CUP @ SHADOW CREEK and the ZOZO CHAMPIONSHIP @ SHERWOOD, all gamers will score points in every round (assuming no mid-tournament withdrawals and disqualifications as usual) in both of those tournaments. Unless you are on board with the winner(s) or have multiple podium finishers contributing in the final round, where you sit in your little league after this weekend should resemble where you sit two weeks later. RELATED: Power Rankings | Preview the course, storylines | Expert Picks First things first, however. We have much more to lose at TPC Summerlin because it's a traditional event with a 36-hole cut, so continue to be motivated to think big picture and get four to the weekend. Because front-runners will want to be as conservative as possible entering the next fortnight, if you're already trailing by a lot, then this also presents as a perfect time to be aggressive. Lean on long hitters with a reputation of weekly inconsistency. Use course success as a tiebreaker. See, for the first time this season, league leaders and contenders are mapping out how to use three starts on top-shelf talent with the limited-field invitationals lined up and the Masters in November. It still will be valuable to roster the highest finishers, but because of the absence of zeroes at THE CJ CUP and the ZOZO, separation from the pack will be more difficult. That's why positioning right now is key. It can change short-range philosophy. PGA TOUR Fantasy Golf My roster for the Shriners Hospitals for Children Open (in alphabetical order): Patrick Cantlay Bryson DeChambeau Denny McCarthy Webb Simpson Cameron Smith Matthew Wolff You'll find my starters in Expert Picks Others to consider for each category (in alphabetical order): Scoring: Cameron Davis; Chesson Hadley; James Hahn; Charley Hoffman; Luke List; Tyler McCumber; Pat Perez; Scottie Scheffler; Kristoffer Ventura Driving: Paul Casey; Stewart Cink; Charley Hoffman; Sungjae Im; Luke List; Tyler McCumber; Collin Morikawa; Scottie Scheffler; Kristoffer Ventura POWER RANKINGS WILD CARD Francesco Molinari … He picked a heckuva time to relocate from England to California, but there's never a perfect time for that given his profession. His focus has been on his family and settling into the new digs. While he'll be rusty, the good news is that he's not injured. He's rested and he should be mentally recharged to resume a routine. It doesn't hurt that he placed T4 with a walk-off 61 in his only prior appearance at TPC Summerlin in 2016, but temper expectations for at least one start. DRAWS Sungjae Im ... Given his propensity to go low and thrive in shootouts, it's a knock that he didn't crack the Power Rankings, but he's been inconsistent since play resumed in June. It's not out of the realm of possibility that, after he went Win-3rd in the last two weeks before the hiatus to sit No. 1 in the FedExCup, he set it on cruise control all the way to East Lake. Expect a top 25 at TPC Summerlin (where he placed T15 in his debut last year) for all of the usual reasons. Rickie Fowler ... Swing changes have dogged the 31-year-old all year, but if he's going to make noise again, TPC Summerlin is on the short list of tracks where it'd happen. He made only four appearance from 2009-2019, but each resulted in a top 25, the last a personal-best T4 with a closing 63 as the kicker. Slot him as a contrarian if your format would categorize him as such. Fractional play in DFS also is encouraged. Will Zalatoris ... My contention is that his missed cut at the Sanderson Farms Championship was a product of his success. He top-10'd into the field at Corales and had planned the week off. Yet, with Special Temporary Membership within reach - a two-way T5 at TPC Summerlin would do it - it's understandable why he'd give it a go. It's important for us to accept that he's learning how much he can bite off before he can't chew anymore. As for this week, not only did he get two invaluable days of rest on the weekend, but he accepted this sponsor exemption two weeks ago, so this has been on his mind since before the T8 at Corales. Jason Kokrak ... Just one top-35 finish in his last five trips, but he's cashed in each. He also arrives having connected four top 20s since the Wyndham Championship. Ideal in all formats. Abraham Ancer ... Gonna leave it up to DFSers to determine if his price tag warrants the plunge. He's just 1-for-4 at TPC Summerlin with a T4 in 2018, but his game remains on the rise, so early-career disappointment should be ignored. Rather, I'm looking at the 29-year-old's consistently strong body of work of the last two years overall. Chesson Hadley ... A Sleeper here last year, but that was like cheating given he had gone for a trio of top 10s at TPC Summerlin before fulfilling the expectation with a T18. He's flashed enough form of late to warrant a similar hope. Stewart Cink Cameron Davis James Hahn Charley Hoffman Charles Howell III Si Woo Kim Joaquin Niemann Pat Perez Scottie Scheffler Brendan Steele Kristoffer Ventura FADES Jason Day ... Just like that, the lights went off. After a T7-T4-T6-T4 surge across five weeks over the summer, the Aussie was a non-factor in three starts. He's not quite in the Sergio Garcia lane of "what haven't you done for me lately," and as good as a putter that Day is, he'll probably keep his eyes open, but only full-season investors should get back on this ride. It's been way too bumpy for way too long. Matt Kuchar ... Now 42 years of age, time is catching up. Just two top 25s since the hiatus and he's a far cry from the kind of consistency that has defined his career. Also just one appearance at TPC Summerlin in the last 10 years, and that resulted in but a T57 in 2018. Scott Piercy ... He's had a rough go of it for months, but he should feel more comfortable here than anywhere else given that it's a home game. The tournament means a lot to him personally, so it'll be an elixir for his soul more than anything. In 14 appearances, he's scattered three missed cuts among four top 10s and another three top 25s, but the absence of something impressive lately is more noticeable. J.T. Poston ... When he's on, he looks so, so good. Certainly, that's a refrain that could apply to every touring professional, but those moments remain too far and few between for the 27-year-old. Now that he's fresh off a solo third at the Sanderson Farms Championship, it's almost automatic to hop off. His record at TPC Summerlin also is a microcosm of his early career trajectory. He's 1-for-4 with a T4 in 2017. Patrick Rodgers ... Failed to deliver on the faith last week (see Power Rankings Recap below), but now it's truly time to resist. Only one top 40 among just two cuts made in six prior trips to TPC Summerlin, and it's been five years now since he finished T13. Jimmy Walker ... It was encouraging that he held the co-lead after one round of the Sanderson Farms Championship, but he didn't break 71 the rest of the way and finished T46. And that was his best finish of eight starts since play resumed. If you're a newer gamer and not aware, the 41-year-old has been battling Lyme disease for a few years. Byeong Hun An Scott Brown Sam Burns Emiliano Grillo Max Homa C.T. Pan Chez Reavie Rory Sabbatini RETURNING TO COMPETITION Danny Lee ... Cited a wrist injury for his exit from the U.S. Open after the third round but the lasting image is of the disgruntled six-putt on the final green. Three days later, he issued an apology. Just 2-for-6 at TPC Summerlin and without a top 40. John Huh ... He had committed to the Safeway Open to launch into 2020-21 but then withdrew before it began. He hasn't teed it up since play resumed in June but an explanation hasn't been released as to why. Has 15 starts on a Major Medical Extension. Jonas Blixt ... Committed to the Korn Ferry Tour's Orange County National Championship presented by Knight 39. It's the finale of the 2020 portion of the KFT schedule and it'd mark his first live action in 14 months. The 36-year-old has dealt with back discomfort for several years. He has 23 starts on a Major Medical Extension on the PGA TOUR, so salary gamers and other season-long formats should be paying close attention to his form early on. Robert Garrigus ... Also in the KFT field, but he was at this point last week as well before withdrawing from the tournament. We last saw him at Corales where heat exhaustion forced him to call it quits in the second round. Doesn't carry much fantasy value in the long-term because he's on Past Champion status. NOTABLE WDs Tony Finau ... Tested positive for COVID-19. Lucas Glover ... As noted in this space last week, there was reason to consider the positive and unquantifiable impact of the loss of his maternal grandmother the previous Friday, but he missed the cut. Ryan Moore ... The problem with his back must be serious enough for him to miss the PGA TOUR event in his own backyard for the first time in 10 years. He hasn't competed since withdrawing from THE NORTHERN TRUST during the second round. POWER RANKINGS RECAP - SANDERSON FARMS CHAMPIONSHIP Power Ranking Golfer Result 1 Scottie Scheffler T37 2 Sungjae Im T28 3 Adam Long MC 4 Sam Burns MC 5 Doc Redman T28 6 Sebastián Muñoz T23 7 Brian Harman T37 8 Xinjun Zhang MC 9 Pat Perez MC 10 Will Zalatoris MC 11 Carlos Ortiz MC 12 Stewart Cink T12 13 Hudson Swafford MC 14 Patrick Rodgers MC 15 Denny McCarthy T6 Wild Card Zach Johnson T23 SLEEPERS RECAP - SANDERSON FARMS CHAMPIONSHIP Golfer Result Bronson Burgoon MC Dylan Frittelli MC Fabián Gómez MC Cameron Percy T59 Davis Riley MC BIRTHDAYS AMONG ACTIVE GOLFERS ON THE PGA TOUR October 6 ... none October 7 ... none October 8 ... none October 9 ... none October 10 ... Charlie Beljan (36) October 11 ... Greg Chalmers (47) October 12 ... none

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Do not adjust your monitor or screen. Indeed, the Corales Puntacana Resort & Club Championship is in its second edition of the 2020-21 season. And yes, we're only at the halfway point of 50 tournaments. The PGA TOUR has been proclaiming a super season and this qualifies as evidence, yet it's just the first of three tournaments with scheduled encores. The Masters and the U.S. Open will return to their traditional stages in April and June, respectively. Similarly, the 2021 edition of the Corales retreats into his customary position as an additional event contested concurrently with the World Golf Championships-Dell Technologies Match Play. For a breakdown of what the 132-man field on the eastern edge of the Dominican Republic faces and what's at stake, scroll past the projected contenders. RELATED: Tee times POWER RANKINGS: CORALES PUNTACANA RESORT & CLUB CHAMPIONSHIP OTHER TO CONSIDER Justin Suh ... Rapidly making noise to remind fans that he's the forgotten fourth of the Class of 2019 headlined by Collin Morikawa, Viktor Hovland and Matthew Wolff. Suh is 4-for-5 on the PGA TOUR this season with a pair of top 15s, including a T14 at Corales. Pat Perez ... His reputation on paspalum is worthy and it paid off for a T21 in his Corales debut in September - he ranked sixth in putts per GIR — but it's still his most recent top 25 despite 15 starts in the interim. Thomas Detry ... The 28-year-old from Belgium has a pair of T33s in as many starts at Corales, so he's no stranger. Also strides in on the confidence buoyed by a pair of T9s in his last four starts abroad. Kelly Kraft ... Chasing the same Major Medical Extension magic that Hudson Swafford rode to victory in September. Kraft's track record here is superb. He's gone 3rd-T5-T14 with a scoring average of 68.83. The Honda Classic runner-up Brandon Hagy, 2019 Corales champion Graeme McDowell, Charles Howell III and Joel Dahmen will be among the notables reviewed in Tuesday's Fantasy Insider. When the PGA TOUR was in Punta Cana on the last weekend of September, a field of 144 was assembled for a stand-alone competition that rewarded 500 FedExCup points to champion Hudson Swafford, who also secured an exemption into the 2021 Masters. This time around, the top man of 132 entrants will bank 300 FedExCup points and will require another way to get into the Masters if he's not already eligible because that exemption is not on the table this week. However, spots in the 2021 PGA Championship, 2022 Sentry Tournament of Champions and the 2022 PLAYERS, among other invitationals, will be reserved in his name. This is to say that the revised version of the 2020 version was a bonus after it was among the casualties of the three-month shutdown due to the pandemic. And while obvious, it's nonetheless significant that we're far enough removed from the unscheduled break that this week's Corales marks the first time a tournament has been held a second time since. No, it hasn't been a full year since the start of the return to golf, but the cycle of the return visits starts in the Dominican Republic. En route to his winning pace of 18-under 264, Swafford ranked fifth in putts per greens in regulation and 10th in putting: birdies-or-better. Those are old-school-and-still-relevant measurements of efficiency and scoring with the putter when ShotLink technology isn't used. It won't be again this week. While thoroughly impressive and aligned with expectations for a champion in a shootout, he was the first of the winners at Corales not to lead his respective field in both putting metrics. Part of that has to do with its statistical inevitability, but it also can't be ruled out that the field was 12 larger as a stand-alone contest. Incidentally, as of Monday evening, 88 golfers in this week's field competed here in September. Swafford finished T14 in fairways hit and T26 in GIR, so he limited the stress to allow for a special week on the greens, but he also capitalized on the four par 5s by averaging 4.25 to rank T2. For the week, Corales yielded a scoring average of 71.118. That's a fair target again as the weather forecast essentially is identical. Mostly sunny skies will make room for passing clouds and the sight of a sprinkle, maybe. Daytime temperatures will eclipse 80 degrees with ease, while steady easterly breezes will favor lower ball flights and course management. But make no mistake, Corales is a resort course, so stockpiling the par breakers will present as an easy and early Easter egg hunt. Further fostering low scoring are the paspalum greens governed to measure just 11 feet on the Stimpmeter due to their exposure to the coastal breezes. Even shots struck from the thickest of the two-inch rough will have room to hold most greens. Still, as par 72s are concerned, this is as fair and consistent a test as the players will navigate. It will penalize the foolish. Corales' longest walk is 7,670 yards and, like PGA National last week, it features its own recognizable three-hole stretch. The par-4 16th, par-3 17th and par-4 18th are known affectionately as The Devil's Elbow. As a trio, they averaged 0.185 strokes over par in September. However, the par 3-4-3 swing of Nos. 9, 10 and 11 have been a bumpier road in each of the first three editions of the tournament. ROB BOLTON'S SCHEDULE PGATOUR.COM's Fantasy Insider Rob Bolton recaps and previews every tournament from numerous angles. Look for his following contributions as scheduled. MONDAY: Power Rankings (Match Play) TUESDAY*: Power Rankings (Corales); Fantasy Insider SUNDAY: Qualifiers, Reshuffle, Medical Extensions, Rookie Watch * – Rob is a member of the panel for PGATOUR.COM's Expert Picks for PGA TOUR Fantasy Golf, which also publishes on Tuesday.

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