Koepka: ‘I’ve got a chance’ entering weekend at U.S. Open

Drew Nesbitt led the way at open qualifying for this week’s Wells Fargo Championship, carding 6-under 64 on Monday at Cattail Creek CC in Glenwood, Maryland, to secure a tee time Thursday at TPC Potomac at Avenel Farm outside Washington, D.C. This year’s Wells Fargo Championship has relocated to TPC Potomac at Avenel Farm from its typical Quail Hollow Club site in Charlotte, as Quail Hollow will host this year’s Presidents Cup. Also advancing into this week’s field were Norman Xiong (65), Nicholas Thompson (66) and David Lingmerth (68). Lingmerth advanced via a 4-for-1 playoff against Steve Marino, Brett Stegmaier and Lee Detmer. For all scores from the Wells Fargo Championship qualifier, click here. Here’s a capsule look at the four Wells Fargo Championship qualifiers … DREW NESBITT (64) Age: 27 Hometown: Toronto, Ontario, Canada Alma mater: N/A PGA TOUR starts: 4 Cuts made: 1 Best PGA TOUR finish: 83rd; 2019 The Honda Classic Notes: Has competed on PGA TOUR Latinoamerica since 2018, making 19 cuts in 25 starts, highlighted by a victory at the 2019 Mexico Open (60 Abierto Mexicano de Golf) as well as two-runner up finishes in the 2020-21 season. Finished No. 7 on 2020-21 PGA TOUR Latinoamerica Order of Merit to earn conditional Korn Ferry Tour status in 2022; has yet to make a career Korn Ferry Tour start … Gained social media fame by going shirtless to hit a shot from the water at the 2019 Honda Classic, en route to saving par … Grew up playing hockey in winter and golf in summer … Turned pro at age 18, moving from Canada to Florida to compete on mini-tour circuits … Became the first player on PGA TOUR Latinoamerica history to record a sub-60 score, carding a second-round 59 at the 2018 Brazil Open (65 JHSF Aberto do Brasil). NORMAN XIONG (65) Age: 23 Hometown: San Diego, California (born in Guam) Alma mater: University of Oregon PGA TOUR starts: 10 Cuts made: 2 Best PGA TOUR finish: T26; 2018 Sanderson Farms Championship Notes: Will make his first PGA TOUR start since the 2021 3M Open, into which he also Monday qualified … Monday qualified into this year’s LECOM Suncoast Classic on the Korn Ferry Tour, where he channeled his inner Nesbitt and went shirtless to hit a shot from the water … As a sophomore at Oregon in 2017-18, received both the Fred Haskins Award as nation’s most outstanding collegiate golfer and the Jack Nicklaus Award as top NCAA Division I men’s collegiate golfer … Set an Oregon record with six wins in a season (2017-18), in which he recorded a 69.05 stroke average … Represented United States in 2017 Walker Cup and Palmer Cup … Goes by the nickname “Panda.” NICHOLAS THOMPSON (66) Age: 39 Hometown: Plantation, Florida Alma mater: Georgia Tech PGA TOUR starts: 228 Cuts made: 114 Best PGA TOUR finish: T2; 2008 Ginn sur Mer Classic Notes: Has played seven full TOUR seasons, most recently in 2014-15. Career-best FedExCup showing is No. 41 in 2008, a season in which he recorded 11 top-25s in 36 starts … Has made 188 career Korn Ferry Tour starts, highlighted by a victory at the 2007 HSBC New Zealand PGA Championship … Was a three-time all-ACC player at Georgia Tech and represented United States on 2005 Walker Cup team … Siblings Curtis (PGA TOUR) and Lexi (LPGA) also play professional golf. DAVID LINGMERTH (68; advanced via 4-for-1 playoff) Age: 34 Hometown: Tranas, Sweden Alma mater: University of Arkansas PGA TOUR starts: 188 Cuts made: 107 Best PGA TOUR finish: Win; 2015 the Memorial Tournament presented by Workday Notes: Returns to comfortable turf outside Washington D.C., as Lingmerth won the Korn Ferry Tour’s 2012 Neediest Kids Championship at TPC Potomac at Avenel Farm, finishing 8-under total across a chilly, windy October week … Played six consecutive full PGA TOUR seasons from 2013 to 2017-18, highlighted by a No. 37 finish on the 2014-15 FedExCup, with 10 top-25 finishes in 28 starts including his playoff victory at Muirfield Village … Avid hockey fan; Washington Capitals (NHL) are his favorite pro team.

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With back-to-back weeks of invitational fields in the rear-view mirror, the PGA TOUR heads to Southampton, Bermuda and Port Royal Golf Course for the second edition of the Bermuda Championship. Brendon Todd buried his demons in this event last year as he closed with 62 to win by four. His first victory on TOUR since 2014 officially cured him of “the Yips”. The proof was winning the following week at Mayakoba and then taking fourth at RSM the week after. Todd will lead the field of 132 as they will attack 6,828 yards (Par-71) of breezy, coastal golf designed by Robert Trent Jones. The top 65 and ties will play the weekend. With only one hole over 517 yards on the card and the Bermuda/Zoysia rough sitting at only two inches, it is not a mystery why 30 players were double digits under-par last year. RELATED: Power Rankings | Expert Picks The major defense of any coastal track is Mother Nature and the wind will blow this week. I’d expect the TifEagle greens, which at 6,000 square feet on average are hardly enormous, to run quietly this week as the wind is forecast to blow. Only 19 acres of fairway suggest very tight landing areas and 88 bunkers will provide deterrence off the tee and into the greens. Water will be in play on five of the holes. Last year, the inaugural event was played opposite the WGC-HSBC Champions in Shanghai. This season, it is a stand-alone event with the winner earning $720,000 of the $4 million prize pool PLUS earning a trip to the Sentry Tournament of Champions, the 2021 Masters and THE PLAYERS Championship, just to name a few. As always, there is PLENTY to play for each week on TOUR and most of these guys will be rested and ready to go. Only Todd and K.H. Lee played in the invitational events over the last two weeks. The PGA Grand Slam of Golf was held on this track from 2009 thru 2014. The only participant from that run of events in the field this week is Stewart Cink. Recent Winner Recent Winners & Notables Inaugural Event 2019: Brendon Todd (-24) Shot a career-best 62 (co-low round of the week) to win by four. … Played in the final pairing with 54-hole leader Harry Higgs (2nd). … First-ever official event in Bermuda. … Led the field in Par-3 scoring and T1 Par-4 scoring. … Top five Fairways, GIR, Scrambling, Birdie-or-Better Percentage and Bogey Avoidance. … 27 birdies led the field. … Zero 3-putts. … 51st in Driving Distance. … Posted 63 in Round 2. … MC in four of the five events leading in but was T28 the week before in Houston. Notables: Higgs (not entered) was bogey free thru 36 holes and led the field in scrambling (22 of 23) for his best career finish. … Brian Gay (T3) posted his last top 10 on TOUR here with all four rounds in the 60s and was T4 Birdies (24). … Hank Lebioda also joined the podium as he closed with 63 and was top five in Putting Average. … Aaron Wise (T3) circled 20 birdies and two eagles and was T3 GIR. … Fabian Gomez (7th) co-led the field in GIR and made led the field with FOUR eagles. … Ryan Armour (T8) was third in birdies (25). … David Hearn (T8) was second in Fairways. … Wes Roach (T8) opened with 63 and was second in Putting Average. … Cut was 2-under (140). … 22 bogey-free rounds. … Only more eagles made at TPC Summerlin, TPC Boston and Muirfield Village Golf Club. Other Top Finishes: T11 Bo Hoag (posted two rounds of 64) T11 Russell Knox (opened with 64, T1 GIR) T11 Josh Teater (15-under last 54 holes) T15 Kramer Hickok (2nd, Scrambling) T15 Denny McCarthy (T9, Putting) T18 Rafael Campos T18 Scott Stallings T24 Beau Hossler (2nd birdies, 26) T24 Rob Oppenheim (opened with 64) T24 D.J. Trahan (T7, Fairways) Key stat leaders Top golfers in each statistic on the 2019-2020 PGA TOUR are listed only if they are scheduled to compete this week. Players in BOLD below deserve deeper inspection. Ball-Striking 4 Doc Redman 6 Jhonattan Vegas 9 Harold Varner III 10 Emiliano Grillo 11 Josh Teater 11 Chesson Hadley 15 Adam Schenk 15 Will Gordon 17 Henrik Norlander 20 Aaron Wise 26 Kyle Stanley 26 D.J. Trahan 29 Seamus Power 30 Doug Ghim Greens in Regulation 2 Kyle Stanley 3 Aaron Wise 4 Will Gordon 7 Josh Teater 7 Emiliano Grillo 12 Doc Redman 13 Henrik Norlander 15 Harold Varner III 16 Pat Perez 19 Jhonattan Vegas 20 Chesson Hadley 21 Nick Watney 23 Russell Knox 24 Chris Baker 25 Joseph Bramlett 26 Bo Hoag 27 Brice Garnett 28 Cameron Tringale 30 Cameron Percy Bogey Avoidance 6 Brice Garnett 9 Cameron Tringale 11 Russell Knox 13 Tim Wilkinson 14 Ben Martin 20 Adam Schenk 22 Pat Perez 23 Brendon Todd 27 Mark Anderson 27 Scott Stallings 29 Harold Varner III 30 Cameron Percy

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The Ryder Cup starts Friday at Le Golf National outside Paris. The U.S. is seeking its first win on foreign soil in 25 years. Will it happen, or will the European team bounce back from its loss two years ago in Hazeltine? Our staff writers weigh in with their predictions. SEAN MARTIN Senior Editor Winning team: USA (14.5 to 13.5) USA MVP: Tony Finau. The rookie may not go undefeated, but a winning record from the last man picked will be crucial in such a close match. European MVP: Sergio Garcia. Yes, he had a lackluster season, but the Ryder Cup will re-ignite his flame. Comment: The United States will win on foreign soil eventually. May as well be this year. This strong U.S. contingent has won its past three team competitions by a combined 51.5 – 36.5 margin. It won’t be easy, but they will get the job done. The U.S. is too strong from top to bottom. MIKE McALLISTER Managing Editor Winning team: USA (16 to 12) USA MVP: Tiger Woods. Fresh off his first PGA TOUR win in five years, he’ll carry the momentum into this week with a dominant performance. European MVP: Ian Poulter. His form fell off a bit in his last few TOUR starts, but he’ll deliver the usual passion and spunk that we expect from him against the U.S. Comment: Honestly, I’m not sure it’ll be all that close. U.S. has more guys in form and too many young players without scar tissue. Don’t expect them to be fazed in the least on foreign soil. CAMERON MORFIT Staff Writer Winning team: USA (14.5 to 13.5) USA MVP: Brooks Koepka. No one is on a better run of excelling on really hard courses. European MVP: Francesco Molinari. He’s had the best season of any European and is tough to beat right now. Comment: The U.S. will run out to an early lead, but outmanned Europe will keep it close with the home crowd urging them on. In the end, the score will reflect which side has the better players, and the U.S. will win a road game for the first time in a quarter century. JONATHAN WALL Equipment Insider Winning team: USA (15 to 13) USA MVP: Patrick Reed. Always finds a way to raise his game to another level during the biennial matches. He’ll do it again on foreign soil.  European MVP: Tommy Fleetwood. Has the game and confidence to make a major statement as a rookie. Comment: The U.S. team is stacked. It’s easy to see Europe keeping it close, but there are too many questions at the bottom of the roster, namely a lack of consistency from some key captain’s picks. Going with experience over a couple of hot hands winds up being the difference for Thomas Bjorn. BEN EVERILL Staff Writer Winning team: Europe (15 to 13) USA MVP: Justin Thomas. He will prove he’s the next “liferâ€� for the U.S. team. European MVP: Justin Rose. He’s killing it right now and accuracy is going to be a key factor. Comment: The home team will set up conditions to negate the U.S. firepower and the crowds will put the visitors off their usual swagger. HELEN ROSS Contributor Winning team: USA (14.5 to 13.5) USA MVP: Patrick Reed. Captain American loves this stage, and he’ll especially enjoy taking his curtain calls before the partisan European crown. European MVP: Justin Rose. Ian Poulter and Sergio Garcia immediately come to mind – and I expect both to rise to the occasion — but you can’t ignore the way the new FedExCup champ has been playing. Comment: It’s time for the Americans to win the Ryder Cup in Europe. It won’t be a runaway but the U.S. has been building to this ever since the task force was formed.  ROB BOLTON Fantasy Insider WINNER: USA (15.5 to 12.5) USA MVP: Patrick Reed EUROPE MVP: Thorbjorn Olesen COMMENT: Both teams have moxie, so this will be a terrific battle. Europe has the experience on the course and we should expect captain Thomas Bjorn to have an impact in what sets up as a transitional edition for the hosts. However, the Americans are as deep as they’ve ever been and the evolution of the new team philosophy is still fresh and fun. MIKE GLASSCOTT Fantasy Contributor Winning team: Europe (15 to 13) USA MVP: Brooks Koepka continues his ascendancy with another big performance but it’s not enough to push the Stars and Stripes over the finish line.  European MVP: Ian Poulter lives up to the expectations and cements his place as one of the greatest of all time in this format. Comment: The European rookies are buoyed on by the partisan crowd and play with freedom as Bjorn’s “old guard” holds up their part of the bargain. The USA struggles to find enough fairways and continues their struggles away from home in this event.

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