Mickelson beats Thomas in playoff in Mexico

For PGA TOUR Fantasy Golf presented by SERVPRO gamers, it’s wise to approach the next two weeks as one swing thought. The Wells Fargo Championship back at Quail Hollow presents the opportunity to invest in chalk who hit the ball a long way. Next week THE PLAYERS Championship at TPC Sawgrass gives us a rare reprieve from that angle in an event in which most of the world’s best are scheduled to compete. This is because, other than maybe Sergio Garcia, there are no horses on the Pete Dye design. And because of that fact, the objective will be simply to get four into the weekend. Treat any bonus points you collect as exactly that. Looking ahead only to next week now, the Power Rankings for THE PLAYERS will mimic what I wrote for the Masters. Every golfer in the field will be included in some capacity. This means that all Sleepers will appear in the Power Rankings, thus putting that stand-alone staple on hiatus until the AT&T Byron Nelson the following week. The FI will be abridged just as it was for the Masters. This will be the construct for the remaining three majors as well. PGA TOUR Fantasy Golf presented by SERVPRO My roster for the Wells Fargo Championship (in alphabetical order): Jason Day Tony Finau Rickie Fowler Rory McIlroy Phil Mickelson Justin Thomas You’ll find my starters in Expert Picks. Others to consider for each category (in alphabetical order): Scoring: Bryson DeChambeau; Tommy Fleetwood; Chesson Hadley; Kevin Kisner; Luke List; Grayson Murray; Alex Noren; Patrick Reed; Tiger Woods Driving: Byeong Hun An; Bryson DeChambeau; Tommy Fleetwood; Emiliano Grillo; Alex Noren; Louis Oosthuizen; Kyle Stanley; Kevin Streelman Approach: Emiliano Grillo; Chesson Hadley; Brian Harman; Andrew Landry; Louis Oosthuizen; Webb Simpson; Kevin Streelman Short: Emiliano Grillo; Chesson Hadley; Brian Harman; Kevin Kisner; Alex Noren; Webb Simpson Power Rankings Wild Card Hideki Matsuyama … This has nothing to do with his fit and everything to do with his fitness. He’s still clawing back into form after suffering discomfort in his left wrist and pad of his thumb in his two-time title defense of the Waste Management Phoenix Open. Give him this week to perform alone, and then revisit as a cornerstone in PGA TOUR Fantasy Golf presented by SERVPRO for THE PLAYERS. If his previous seasons are any indications, he won’t play much in Segment 3. Draws Brian Harman … He’s the tournament’s defending champion, but PGA champion Justin Thomas truly is the only golfer who has prevailed on Quail Hollow as the field sees it this week. Harman won at pinch-hitting Eagle Point in downstate Wilmington, North Carolina, but he’s been nails everywhere, including at Quail Hollow where he placed T13 in the PGA three months post-victory. With video game-like numbers to support the 31-year-old, it’s merely a coincidence that he’s the defending champion. Tiger Woods … Getting his first look at Quail Hollow since 2012 and there are parts that he won’t recognize. Furthermore, as one who has dominated tracks on which length and par are at a premium, there’s reason to put that reputation up against his evolving profile of today. Contrast that against his co-runner-up finish in what was his debut at similarly challenging Copperhead in March and there’s reason to continue to believe that it doesn’t matter where he plays because he’ll be a factor just as he’s always been. Andrew Landry … It was amusing that I had the right idea about slapping the Sleeper tag on him for the RBC Heritage (where he placed T42), only to watch him to take down the Valero Texas Open the following week. There’s a lesson in there about being more patient, but there’s also proof that the Nappy Factor is alive and well. That performance at TPC San Antonio itself was a reminder that he plays tough courses well. As a result, DFSers should give him a look at Quail Hollow even though he’s a debutant. Alex Noren … His only weakness is relative inexperience at Quail Hollow, but he’s one of the 65 in this week’s field who were here for the PGA Championship last August. So, brush that aside as a non-factor. Checking all of the boxes statistically in his first spin with a PGA TOUR card. Already has three podium finishes in 2018, too. Gary Woodland … Quail Hollow sets up as the kind of test where golfers should not expect to find their games, but it projects to be a slump-buster for this guy. He’s just 3-for-7 since the playoff victory at TPC Scottsdale three months ago, but he struts onto this week’s course with a 7-for-7 slate that includes top 25s in his last four appearances, including a T22 at the PGA Championship. Joaquin Niemann … Closed like a boss at TPC San Antonio with a pair of 67s on the weekend to finish sixth. Even better, he ranked eighth in distance of all drives, which was the initial (mild) concern in his professional debut. Real deal. Bryson DeChambeau (all) Lucas Glover (all) Emiliano Grillo (SERVPRO) Luke List (all) Sean O’Hair (DFS) Xander Schauffele (all) Ollie Schniederjans (DFS) Fades Brooks Koepka … As easily as it is to dismiss the missed cut (with Marc Turnesa) in New Orleans and attach to his confidence back inside the ropes, there’s no reason to rush it. My duty as a conservative analyst is to give him the space to prove that the rust is gone. Jason Dufner … It seems like cherry-picking, but stay with me. He’s gone five straight stroke-play starts of individual competition without a top-50 finish. While experience at Quail Hollow has value, he didn’t impress with a T58 at the 2017 PGA Championship, which was his first visit since missing the cut in 2010. Adam Scott … Continues to struggle mightily with his putting. That has dampened otherwise solid performances tee to green. Because the latter should keep him afloat at Quail Hollow, he’s a contrarian investment at best, but the glimmers for more than making the cut are barely visible. Daniel Berger … Like many tweeners, this is relative. He hasn’t been scuffling, but he’s really not impressing, either. Bottom line, the flat trajectory is a reflection of the common reality of the challenge of putting four rounds together. So, he won’t hurt you, but the depth in this field furnishes other options who are more tantalizing at the moment. Martin Kaymer … If his right wrist isn’t giving him any problems, it’s not realized in his results. Since returning to action in Houston, he’s 2-for-4 without a top-45 finish. Sat out the 2017 PGA Championship at Quail Hollow due to an injured left shoulder. Bud Cauley Ross Fisher Dylan Frittelli Bill Haas Tyrrell Hatton Beau Hossler Chris Paisley Charl Schwartzel Peter Uihlein Returning to Competition Francesco Molinari … Rested the last two weeks due to discomfort in a shoulder. Currently 117th in the FedExCup standings without a top-15 finish on U.S. soil since … a co-runner-up at the 2017 PGA Championship at Quail Hollow. We can’t expect the same result, but DFSers should reattach as usual and compete against other DFSers who are concerned about the injury. Adam Hadwin … Back at it after withdrawing from his commitment to the RBC Heritage to attend to a personal matter. He’s been dynamite for most of 2018 with six top 25s, including in each of his last five starts. While labeled as a great putter, his tee-to-green precision is carrying the load this season. Opting to connect that with a track like Quail Hollow is shrewd. Get him back in to your lineup. Notable WDs Camilo Villegas … Still nursing a sore right shoulder. It’s forced him to withdraw after his last three commitments. He’s 171st in FedExCup points. Sangmoon Bae … The 31-year-old hasn’t been the same since resuming his career after honoring his military obligation in South Korea. He’s logged only one top-60 finish among just three cuts made in 13 starts this season. John Senden … Just 1-for-2 with a solo 79th/MDF at Valero in his return. Has 11 starts remaining on his Major Medical Extension. Power Rankings Recap – Zurich Classic of New Orleans Power Ranking Team Result 1 Justin Thomas-Bud Cauley MC 2 Patrick Reed-Patrick Cantlay T7 3 Justin Rose-Henrik Stenson T19 4 Bubba Watson-Matt Kuchar T28 5 Sean O’Hair-Jimmy Walker T25 6 Jordan Spieth-Ryan Palmer MC 7 Steve Stricker-Jerry Kelly MC 8 Cameron Smith-Jonas Blixt MC 9 Emiliano Grillo-Peter Uihlein MC 10 Kevin Kisner-Scott Brown T15 Wild Card Billy Horschel-Scott Piercy Win OTHERS CONSIDERED Team Result Daniel Berger-Gary Woodland MC Jason Dufner-Pat Perez 2nd Rafa Cabrera Bello-Sergio Garcia MC Russell Knox-Martin Laird T7 Louis Oosthuizen-Charl Schwartzel 3rd Sleepers Recap – Zurich Classic of New Orleans Team Result Retief Goosen-Tyrone Van Aswegen T19 Seamus Power-David Hearn T10 J.J. Spaun-Sam Ryder MC Birthdays among active golfers on the PGA TOUR May 1 … Stuart Appleby (47); Chris Couch (45) May 2 … none May 3 … Brooks Koepka (28) May 4 … Rory McIlroy (29) May 5 … Cameron Percy (44) May 6 … none May 7 … none

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SAN ANTONIO — Valero Texas Open co-leader Matt Wallace tried a new idea this week when practicing to play a greenside bunker shot. He swung the club cross-handed. RELATED: Full leaderboard "I've been working with my coach on trying to keep my right shoulder down, a little bit flatter, keeping the right elbow in," Wallace said. "Helps my low point. I sometimes get a little bit steep and on top. Cross-handed helps me fold my right arm and keeps my shoulder down." Wallace said his ball flight has been higher as a result. (He grips it conventionally for the shot, naturally.) "I think my bunker play's been really good this week," he said. It's better than most. Wallace is four of seven in sand saves, good for a tie for 21st in the field of 78.

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DUBLIN, Ohio – For Martin Kaymer it has been almost five years. Adam Scott has gone past the three-year mark. Jordan Spieth is coming up on two years. Those three are no strangers to winning on the PGA TOUR’s biggest stages. But all three have waited longer than they would like since last hoisting a trophy. Through 54 holes, one of them appears to have the best chance of winning the prestigious the Memorial Tournament presented by Nationwide. RELATED: Watch Tiger on PGA TOUR LIVE on Sunday | Leaderboard | Tee times | Tiger stalls after double bogey Joining them in the top five on the leaderboard at Jack Nicklaus’ Muirfield Village Golf Club is Hideki Matsuyama and Patrick Cantlay. Matsuyama’s drought is at 22 months. And Cantlay is now around 19 months. Sunday will be a shootout to see who wants to end the drought more. Kaymer is the conductor at this point. Rounds of 67-68-66 put the German at 15 under and two shots in front. He has nine European Tour wins. He’s won the PGA Championship (2010) before. He won THE PLAYERS Championship and U.S. Open in the same year. But that was in 2014. He hasn’t won since. “Once you lead a golf tournament, it’s so much about how much can you handle yourself,â€� Kaymer said. “And obviously if somebody takes a run at you, it is what it is. But the game plan doesn’t really change. For me it’s pure enjoyment the way I play right now. I don’t have many weaknesses that I see at the moment. “But under the circumstances, it can change. Obviously handling certain nerves and pressure and stuff like that, who knows how you will react. And that is the beauty of golf; that you can’t really prepare yourself for those special situations.â€� Kaymer leads the field in Strokes Gained: Putting having missed just one putt inside 15-feet all week. He will look to continue the form Sunday. “I just really (need to) embrace the challenge tomorrow, try to keep working on the progress,â€� he said. “If it happens to win, fantastic; if not, I will learn a lot, which will help me, especially with the busy summer that’s coming up for me.â€� Next in line is Scott. The Australian’s 71-66-66 effort has him at 13-under, alone in second place. He’s also a former THE PLAYERS champion (2004) and the 2013 Masters champion. In total he has 13 PGA TOUR wins (and another unofficial one) plus a further 13 International wins. Scott won back-to-back weeks in early 2016 on the TOUR but not since. He leads the field this week in Strokes Gained: Tee-to-Green and Approach-the-Green. “I’m just going to play as good as I can tomorrow. I like where it’s all at. I feel like the last few times I’ve been in with a chance, going back to the PGA Championship last year, I felt comfortable. So I’m not worried. I feel like this is the spot I’m meant to be,â€� Scott said. “And since then, I’ve seen lots of good golf, and I feel like my game is at a level that, if I put it all together properly and control myself out there, I can win.â€� Spieth (66-70-69), Matsuyama (71-70-64) and Cantlay (68-69-68) all sit at 11 under, four back. No one else is closer than six shots to the lead. Spieth, a former FedExCup champion with three majors to his name among 11 PGA TOUR wins also has won two Australian Opens. But he hasn’t won since the 2017 Open Championship. Three weeks ago he had gone 10 months without a top-10 finish but has since been amongst the best players two weeks in a row. “All in all I’m pleased with the progress that’s been made. If I look back three weeks from the Byron Nelson to now, it’s night and day, in my opinion, about how I feel about my game and how it’s actually producing,â€� Spieth said. “So I’m pleased with that. I’m just trying to make a little bit more progress for tomorrow.â€� Matsuyama has five PGA TOUR wins including two World Golf Championships and a win here at Muirfield Village (2014). There are also eight Japan Tour wins on his resume. Cantlay won his only PGA TOUR title at the Shriners Hospitals for Children Open back in early November 2017. “All of them, if you take Jordan, if you take Adam, or Matsuyama…, they have won huge tournaments. They’re good enough to win any week,â€� Kaymer said. “And it’s the same for me. It’s just a matter of how much can you handle Saturday and Sunday. And you need a little bit of luck here and there as well. “So I think we can all play good golf, and it’s quite nice for tomorrow because no one is really holding back.â€� At the end of it all, Nicklaus will be waiting for his customary winner’s handshake. As a 73-time TOUR winner who won at least once in his first 17 seasons, he isn’t super familiar with the feeling of ending droughts. But he’ll have an idea when he sees the champion’s face.

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