Justin Thomas, Danny Lee share 54-hole lead at THE CJ CUP @ NINE BRIDGES

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Offseasons of every sport have similarities, but each is consumed differently. Since the offseason is prime time for fantasy gamers to understand what we’ve learned, reset and prepare for the next season, it’s no less busy, it’s just a different kind of busy because it’s not part of the weekly routine. The offseason of the PGA TOUR deserves air quotes because it’s so short. I’ve joked, even mocked, that if fantasy had a seat at the table to help construct a schedule, we’d want it to be longer. Alas, the last traditional offseason occurred during the holidays way back in 2012. The compressed 2013 season was the last time that all gamers were aligned with their starting points. So, while I appreciated many kind offers to enjoy my “downtime” (with actual quotes) this offseason, it’s no time to rest in our world. My “How I Spent My Offseason” project published last Thursday. It’s the annual full-membership fantasy ranking. In addition to a full-season ranking of 243 golfers (through the Non-exempt Medical Extensions in the Priority Ranking), you’ll find changes the TOUR made for 2019-20. Arguably the most significant is that the 36-hole cut for all tournaments with a cut will be low 65 and ties. In conjunction with that, the secondary a/k/a 54-hole a/k/a MDF cut has been eliminated. Tournaments with special cuts like the Desert Classic, AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-am and Zurich Classic of New Orleans also adjusted. Each will be revisited during the weeks when they’re contested. On Monday of this week, all four of my weekly updated staples turned over for the new season. You’ll find them on the FANTASY page and via the Fantasy slider on the MENU at the top, and I encourage you to bookmark each for future reference. • Qualifiers • Korn Ferry Tour Graduate Reshuffle • Medical Extensions • Rookie Ranking Forging ahead to the action at hand, as first referenced in this space during the week of the BMW Championship, bonus points are back in PGA TOUR Fantasy Golf. After a one-year hiatus, this strategic component will award all of your starters in the final round of every tournament one-tenth of the FedExCup points they earn in the tournament proper. So, if the winner of the tournament is among your starters and he banks 500 FedExCup points, you’re credited with 50. If you’re new to the game, you might be surprised at the difference these points make, especially if your opposition has three or fewer golfers rostered in the final round. They can save an otherwise forgettable performance. The perk will force your hand to consider burning a valuable start on a golfer who’s threatening to win but who hasn’t started for you in any of the previous rounds. So, weigh the cost of the start – we get only three per golfer per Segment – against the value of the bonus points he may earn. There will come a time when saving that start is more valuable because you may want his 400-500 points for one start in the future versus rolling the dice in pursuit of 50 bonus points for the same start in real time. Lastly, PGA TOUR Fantasy One & Done and my One & Done preview are on hiatus for the remainder of 2019. When an update becomes available, you will be advised. Enjoy the ride, gang! I’ll be in the driver’s seat, so ring the bell if you need anything. PGA TOUR Fantasy Golf My roster for A Military Tribute at The Greenbrier (in alphabetical order): Brandon Hagy Viktor Hovland Sungjae Im Jason Kokrak Tom Lewis Scottie Scheffler You’ll find my starters in Expert Picks. Others to consider for each category (in alphabetical order): Scoring: Byeong Hun An; Bud Cauley; Bryson DeChambeau; Denny McCarthy; Sebastián Muñoz Driving: Keegan Bradley; Kramer Hickok; Joaquin Niemann; Scott Piercy; Kevin Streelman Power Rankings Wild Card Scott Piercy … While he contends only occasionally, he never lets us down. Missed only three cuts in all of 2018-19 while recording career bests in top 10s (six) and cuts made (21). In his age-40 season, he ranked ninth in greens hit, 17th in scrambling, T3 in par-3 scoring and T8 in par-4 scoring. Also 4-for-6 with a pair of top 20s at Greenbrier. Draws Keegan Bradley … With a perfect record and two top 15s in six trips, he’s an automatic, but he didn’t box out for space in the Power Rankings due to a sluggish conclusion to the 2018-19 season. He’s a prototypical example of how omissions from the conversation starter on Mondays don’t mean that I’m not endorsing with as much fanfare. Byeong Hun An … Although he’s seeing The Old White TPC for the first time, expect him to employ his hit-it-and-find-it approach. It’ll play with his power, precision and putting on a track vulnerable for red numbers. After a relatively quiet foray as a member, he’s put together a pair of respectful seasons, so he’s very high on the short list of non-winners poised to break through. Doc Redman … It’s easy to forget about this guy. He wasn’t eligible for the Playoffs, so he hasn’t played in over a month, but he’s fully exempt as a non-member who would have finished inside the top 125 among members with his equivalent of FedExCup points. In limited action on the PGA TOUR last season (20 rounds), he would have ranked second in greens in regulation. That bodes well at The Old White TPC, where he’s a first-timer, but his combination of rest, eagerness to get back inside the ropes and propensity to score comprises the set of supportive angles not to hesitate in every format. David Hearn … Now that he’s fully exempt again (as a KFT grad), he’s going to rise into focus for DFSers during weeks like this. His glistening record at Greenbrier includes a playoff loss in 2015 among four top 20s in seven trips. His scoring average in 26 rounds is 68.62. The Canuck also is fresh off a T4 at the KFT Championship. Mackenzie Hughes Grayson Murray Henrik Norlander Sepp Straka Kevin Streelman Fades Jimmy Walker … With a T2, a pair of T4s and a T18 in seven trips to Greenbrier, few are more comfortable in the climes, but he presents as a trap to course-history buffs who want to extend the benefit of the doubt. Last season easily was his worst in a while. As he continues to recover from Lyme disease, he’s now assisting his wife in her own battle with it. So, use this week as a barometer. If he shows positive signs, log it for potential motivation to invest in the short-range. The time of the year when he excels is on the horizon. Cameron Smith … Since his Playoffs were extinguished with a T59 at THE NORTHERN TRUST, the Aussie celebrated his 26th birthday by qualifying for the Presidents Cup team. However, now making his debut at Greenbrier, gamers expect more from this captivating talent. His game off the tee last season left a lot to be desired and he recorded only two top 25s in the last six months. Zach Johnson … As he enters the final season of his multi-year exemption in which he’s still exempt into all of the majors, the 43-year-old has to figure out a way to tighten up his approaches. His once reliable tee-to-green skill set suffered an ignominy of ranking 180th in greens in regulation last season. Greenbrier will require an elevated level of execution with the irons, so it’s a terrific litmus test for the state of his game right now. Russell Knox … Always a tweener, but for a guy who spikes more often than he slumps, that he failed to crack the top 40 in his last four starts worldwide is enough reason to lay off for one more. His aerial attack should get him to the weekend, but his inconsistent putting needs to cooperate. Kevin Chappell … Returned to competition during the KFT Finals, but this marks his first PGA TOUR stop in 10 months. He had a microdiscectomy in late November and has 23 starts on a Major Medical Extension, so he shouldn’t need much time to close the gap and retain status, but give him at least this one opportunity for him to show us what he has. If course success is any indication in its vacuum, it should be decent. Since 2012, he’s 5-for-5 with a pair of top 20s here. Brian Harman J.B. Holmes Patton Kizzire Robby Shelton Kristoffer Ventura Xinjun Zhang Returning to Competition Sam Burns … Hasn’t competed since missing the cut at the John Deere Classic because he broke his ankle retrieving a basketball not long after. He finished 94th in the FedExCup, so the second-year PGA TOUR member is fully exempt. While obviously rested, expect some rust at The Old White TPC, an ideal spot to get the juices flowing again. Bud Cauley … Abruptly ended his Playoffs when he withdrew before the final round of THE NORTHERN TRUST due to an illness. He sat T79 after a third-round 78 at Liberty National, so he was unlikely to advance, anyway, and ultimately landed at 95th in the FedExCup. In his last trip to The Greenbrier Resort, he finished T4 in 2014. Give him a spin. D.A. Points … You’ll find him as one of the Medical Extensions linked in the intro above. He has 12 starts to collect 360.253 FedExCup points and retain status. On May 2, he underwent surgery to remove a disc in his neck. The 42-year-old is not an advisable own in any format. Notable WDs None. Power Rankings Recap – TOUR Championship Power Ranking  Golfer  Result 1  Justin Thomas  T3 2  Jon Rahm  T12 3  Rory McIlroy  Win 4  Brooks Koepka  T3 5  Patrick Cantlay  T21 6  Adam Scott  6th 7  Brandt Snedeker  T24 8  Hideki Matsuyama  T9 9  Xander Schauffele  2nd 10  Webb Simpson  T16 11  Justin Rose  T26 12  Paul Casey  5th 13  Tony Finau  7th 14  Kevin Kisner  T9 15  Rickie Fowler  T19 16  Patrick Reed  T9 17  Tommy Fleetwood  T16 18  Lucas Glover  T29 19  Louis Oosthuizen  T21 20  Gary Woodland  15th 21  Dustin Johnson  T29 22  Jason Kokrak  14th 23  Abraham Ancer  T21 24  Marc Leishman  T24 25  Matt Kuchar  T16 26  Sungjae Im  T19 27  Bryson DeChambeau  T12 28  Corey Conners  T26 29  Charles Howell III  28th 30  Chez Reavie  8th Power Rankings Recap – FedExCup Playoffs Power Ranking  Golfer  Result 1  Brooks Koepka  T3 2  Rory McIlroy  1st 3  Jon Rahm  T12 4  Justin Rose  T26 5  Justin Thomas  T3 6  Dustin Johnson  T29 7  Webb Simpson  T16 8  Tommy Fleetwood  T16 9  Xander Schauffele  2nd 10  Patrick Cantlay  T21 11  Rickie Fowler  T19 12  Francesco Molinari  40th 13  Adam Scott  6th 14  Tony Finau  7th 15  Billy Horschel  43rd 16  Marc Leishman  T24 17  Gary Woodland  15th 18  Matt Kuchar  T16 19  Hideki Matsuyama  T9 20  Jason Day  54th 21  Ryan Palmer  35th 22  Bryson DeChambeau  T12 23  Charles Howell III  28th 24  Paul Casey  5th 25  Lucas Glover  T29 26  Scott Piercy  39th 27  Sungjae Im  T19 28  Shane Lowry  33rd 29  Chez Reavie  8th 30  Kevin Kisner  T9 Birthdays among active golfers on the PGA TOUR September 10 … none September 11 … Satoshi Kodaira (30) September 12 … Ã�ngel Cabrera (50) September 13 … none September 14 … Tony Finau (30); Emiliano Grillo (27) September 15 … Kevin Na (36) September 16 … Bryson DeChambeau (26)

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What’s the biggest golf apparel trend for 2020? Well, it isn’t a brilliant new color, cool print, or updated fit. Instead, it is sustainability, and Ralph Lauren finds itself at the forefront of this movement. Throughout its history, Ralph Lauren has set the tone for American fashion and now it is taking a leadership role in environmental issues. For 2020, the brand has expanded the use of recycled polyester in three of its popular fabrics for the course—Lightweight Airflow, Featherweight Airflow, and Airtech Pique. Each polo is made of an average of 7 post-consumer use recycled plastic bottles while maintaining the quality and performance attributes players have come to expect from Ralph Lauren’s iconic golf polos. The use of recycled polyester in its golf line fits into Ralph Lauren’s goal to source 100% recycled polyester by 2025 and its ‘Design the Change’ strategy focusing on global citizenship and sustainability. Through ‘Design the Change’ the American fashion house is setting out to create timeless style, protect the environment, and champion better lives. To further its commitment, Ralph Lauren has joined other companies across industries by signing onto the United Nation’s Global Compact (UNGC) to implement universal sustainability principles and to take steps to support UN goals. In addition to its sustainability initiatives, Ralph Lauren showcased its Fall 2020 Collections at the recent PGA Merchandise Show. The early season drop takes us to the New England Coast with preppy looks in an array of soft bright hues that are grounded in white and navy. With prints trending, Ralph Lauren pulled inspiration from vintage Polo neckwear and timeless Ralph Lauren patterns in the form of colorful madras, preppy foulards, tonal paisleys, and micro florals. Over the past few years, Justin Thomas and Billy Horschel have turned to Ralph Lauren’s stylish hybrid layers in cooler conditions. For the season, the brand is updating its range of hybrid layers to higher functioning trims and a new fleece layer called the Polar Tech. Look for players to pair the quilted layers with pants in multiple weights including classic everyday pants to outerwear down and a rain suit pant. With the lines between the course, street and gym continuing to blur, Ralph Lauren is expanding the RLX athleisure-wear collection with new pieces and fabrications. A long-sleeve crewneck and half zip, both in a new lightweight air micro-mesh fabrication highlights the collection by providing sensible warmth inside or outside. A second drop was inspired by Thracian Cliffs, a scenic course along the Black Sea. This collection features a palette of cool lavenders, light blues, and royals that are grounded in navy and grey. Classic prints and yarn dyes from menswear, such as dots, checks, foulards, and glen plaids, provide a sophisticated group of easy-to-wear micro prints. These traditional patterns are executed in performance fabrications for a unique juxtaposition of heritage and tech. PGA TOUR players Tom Watson, Justin Thomas, Billy Horschel, Davis Love III, Jonathan Byrd, and Smylie Kaufman will be decked out in the latest styles and technology from Ralph Lauren throughout the year. Expect them to mix and match pieces from the Polo Golf and RLX Golf Collections. In addition to outfitting these players, Ralph Lauren will provide the uniforms for the United States Ryder Cup Team.

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