Jordan Spieth keeps getting closer and closer

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THE OVERVIEW NAPA, Calif. — This week’s Safeway Open not only is the 2017-18 season opener, it’s the start of the eight-tournament fall stretch that sets the tone for the rest of the season. Consider last year’s winner at Silverado, Brendan Steele. After taking the first-week lead in the FedExCup standings, he maintained a top-10 spot for the first 23 weeks of last season and never fell below 16th in points, the position he was in entering the FedExCup Playoffs (he eventually finished 33rd). His win helped set him up to play in all the majors and the three World Golf Championships in 2017. “It set up my whole year,â€� said Steele, who made the cut in his next 12 events after winning at Silverado. “I was able to play all four majors and three WGCs this calendar year, one way or another because of that win. “That’s seven events that you’d have to work hard to get into; it totally changes your year. You get to play all the big-boy events. And in effect, it gives you a three-year exemption on TOUR, because I’m exempt until the end of 2019. And I got a little bit of wine; it’s definitely a fun place to win. It’s nice for me, being from California, too.â€� Now consider what happened at last year’s CIMB Classic at TPC Kuala Lumpur, with Justin Thomas shooting 23 under par to edge Hideki Matsuyama by three shots. Although no one knew it then, the victory touched off a five-win season for Thomas — a season in which he would win the PGA Championship for his first major, and be voted the PGA TOUR Player of the Year. Matsuyama wouldn’t have a bad year, either, winning three times. What’s more, of the top five finishers at the CIMB (Thomas, Matsuyama, Derek Fathauer, Anirban Lahiri and Marc Leishman), four wound up playing in last week’s Presidents Cup at Liberty National. That’s where Matsuyama, incidentally, flipped the switch on Thomas, beating him 3 and 1 in a wildly entertaining singles match that saw the winner make (or was conceded) eight birdies and an eagle. Canada’s Mackenzie Hughes, who won The RSM Classic to start the 2016-17 season, came within a whisker of making the International Team. Emiliano Grillo, who won the Safeway to open the 2015-16 season, did make the International Team. Kevin Kisner, who won The RSM Classic that fall, was a rookie on the U.S. Team, where he won 3 points with partner Phil Mickelson, went 2-0-2 overall, and generally looked like he was having the time of his life. Want to know who’s going to be playing in golf’s most exclusive late-season events? Look at who’s playing well in the PGA TOUR’s early-season events. Of the top six players in the fall the last three seasons, 17 of 18 ended the regular season in the FedExCup top 30, setting up a deep Playoffs run. Now consider Pat Perez. A year ago, he was coming off a shoulder injury, his career in flux at age 41. His sponsor dropped him. He had 15 events in which to earn enough money to keep his TOUR card via a major-medical exemption. Then, just three events in, he won the OHL Classic at Mayakoba. Lo and behold, Perez played his way all the way to the TOUR Championship at East Lake, meaning he will get into the majors and the World Golf Championships in 2017-18. “I didn’t even know if I was going to even have a job this time last year,â€� Perez said. “Coming back, I was only going to have 15 starts; who knew how I was going to do? The whole thing, how it’s all gone for me this year, has been unbelievable.â€� Simply put, keep an eye on who wins these fall tournaments over the next eight weeks. From the Napa Valley to Asia, Las Vegas to Georgia, and Mississippi to Mexico, they’re going places. THREE PLAYERS TO PONDER Eleven of his 42 career wins have come in his native California. Time to make it an even dozen. Making his return to the PGA TOUR after a mandatory two-year military commitment in Korea. Won here in 2014. Celebrated amateur player at Stanford making his pro debut after going unbeaten at the recent Walker Cup. THE FLYOVER A closer look at one of the PGA TOUR’s easiest closing holes, the 575-yard par-5 18th at Silverado’s North Course. Last year, the stroke average was 4.734, ranking it as the eighth easiest 18th hole on TOUR (and the second easiest at Silverado behind the par-5 fifth). It’s one of two par-5s in Silverado’s closing three-hole stretch, allowing players to make big moves later. THE LANDING ZONE The eighth hole at Silverado is the shortest par 4 on the course, at a scorecard length of 360 yards. In two of the four rounds last year, it played to under 335 yards. With a slight dogleg left, players are unable to drive the green; Jon Rahm had the longest drive last year at 301 yards in the third round. While it may be short, the hole is actually one of the tougher ones on the course, ranking fifth toughest with a stroke average of 4.021. Check out the scattershot chart of all tee shots struck last year at the eighth. WEATHER CHECK Rain hampered the playing schedule last year, but this week there should be no issues. According to meteorologist Willis Young, no rain is expected at Silverado. The dry atmosphere and light winds will lead to chilly mornings, but the afternoon temperatures could reach 90. For the latest weather news from Napa, California, check out PGATOUR.COM’s Weather Hub. SOUND CHECK If there’s a negative of being here, it’s my wife’s not here with me. Seems like it’s one of those destinations you want to have family, specifically your spouse with you. But that’s OK. I’m here to work, so what a cool place. ODDS AND ENDS 1. PRESIDENT CUPPERS. Captain’s picks Phil Mickelson (U.S.) and Emiliano Grillo (International) are the only two players in the field who played last week at Liberty National. Mickelson went 2-0-1 while Grillo went 0-2-0. Grillo won the Safeway in 2015, while Mickelson is making his third start in this event; he tied for seventh a year ago. 2. WEB.COM TOUR GRADS. Nearly a third of the field consists of players from last week’s Web.com Tour Finals, including Sam Saunders, who shot a 59 last week at Atlantic Beach on his way to tie for second. 3. ROOKIES. Several members of the 2017-18 rookie class are also in the field, including California natives Brandon Harkins and Beau Hossler.

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