Nick Dunlap’s pro debut and JT’s aim to bounce back at rainy Pebble Beach

Here are nine tidbits from the third round of the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am that gamers can use tomorrow, this weekend or down the road. Be looking for the Emergency 9 shortly after the close of play of each round of the tournament. Door Ajar Co-54-hole leader Dustin Johnson was 16-under-par for the event and four-under for the day after seven holes on Saturday. His three bogeys on his next 11 holes saw him fall out of the lead. With that, a nice chunk of players were also let back into the tournament. Johnson righted the ship with a birdie on the last at Pebble Beach for 70 (-2) but after that beginning, it almost felt like a round over par. He’ll play in the final group tomorrow with Ted Potter, Jr. #59Watch Potter needed to play the final three holes at Monterrey Peninsula Country Club one-under-par to add his name to the famous list. Instead of a birdie, he made two bogeys instead and now finds himself tied with Johnson entering Sunday.  The lefty does own a T16 from three attempts at this event but backing up his career-best 62 playing with Dustin Johnson and Wayne Gretzky would truly be something. He’s cashed three top-10 finishes in 83 TOUR events, two at Greenbrier, including his only win and the other at Riviera, site of next week’s Genesis Open. Noted. SaturDay The last Saturday Jason Day was in the mix he was three back of Alex Noren at Torrey Pines and we all know how that worked out. Tomorrow he’ll begin the day T3, two shots back as he looks to win in back-to-back events for the third time in his career. That’s an impressive number considering he has 11 TOUR wins. His last four Sundays at Pebble Beach are 67, 71, 67 and 67.   Familiar Faces Gamers wondering where popular picks Jon Rahm and Phil Mickelson are in the PGA TOUR Fantasy Golf and One & Done presented by SERVPRO don’t have to look very far. Rahm held his T5 position with 70 (-2) at Spyglass Hill while Mickelson made nothing but still resides inside the top 10 (T9) after an even-par round at Pebble Beach. Mickelson suggested that anything in the mid to upper 60’s tomorrow will be premium due to the difficult conditions. Of the top five selections in One & Done, four are T14 or better. Never Daunted Chez Reavie is clearly not a history major. He battled Gary Woodland into a playoff last week on a course where he NEVER had any success. He’s clearly riding that wave of confidence this week as well as his 66 at MPCC today moved him up 15 spots to eighth place and was the low round of the day on that track. Reavie’s largest direct deposit from this event was two years ago and it was good for T26. Not even an opening round 63 at MPCC that year could spring him forward. He’s played Pebble Beach on three Sundays and has signed for 74,76 and 77. He fired 67 there Thursday with seven birdies and a double so we’ll see which trend is bucked. Moving Day William McGirt had the low round of the day at Pebble Beach with 66. He moved up 71 spots to T16 after his bogey-free loop. Now, do it again! … Ben Martin’s set the low one at Spyglass Hill, also with 66, but he only moved up 70 spots to T29. This is the first time he will make the cut in four tries. … Russell Knox was one short of McGirt but his 67 advance him 54 spots to T16. Knox will be looking to improve on his best finish of T27. Moving Day Wrong Way Robert Garrigus has been sniffing around recently but his 75 at MPCC today dropped him 62 spots from T23 to T85 (MC). … Matt Kuchar fell right on the line after his 75 at Pebble Beach dropped him from T18 to T60. His reward is he gets another crack at Pebble Beach tomorrow. … Gamers noticed J.B. Holmes’ course history the last three weeks. After taking his time on the final hole at Farmers Insurance Open, he’s MC/MC in his last two. His 73 on Saturday dropped him 37 spots to the wrong side of the cut line. Here’s how tight the field is entering the final day: Vaughn Taylor carded 70 (-1) and dropped 12 spots from T8 to 20th. … Last year’s 54-hole leader Byeong Hun An posted 72 and dropped from T8 to T26. Don’t Sleep On… Each Saturday when I’m not dying from Flu I’ll check in on a few of Rob Bolton’s Sleepers. This week, Kevin Streelman shared the first round lead and is still in the top 10 (T9) after 54 holes. Streelman and Larry Fitzgerald are leading the Pro-Am so he’ll be locked in tomorrow. Nick Watney and Sam Saunders are also teeing it tomorrow and will look to sneak in the back door. Study Hall Don’t be surprised tomorrow if the rookies and newbies aren’t hanging around. Pebble Beach is notorious for chewing them up and spitting ’em out on the weekend so if you’re having lineup issues, lean veteran I say. … K.J. Choi is T16 heading into the final round but I’ll point out he’s 17-for-17 at Riviera and is in the field next week. … Rory McIlroy suggested after his round that the Poa annua might have gotten stuck in his mind after a rough Friday. He’ll get another dose of it at Riviera next week. I might just stick him in the closet until he returns to a more familiar South Florida. … Corey Connors streak of weekends is over at eight. I see you, rookie! … Charley Hoffman WD during the round citing a back issue. As of today he was in the field at the Genesis Open next week. Eyes open.

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The Open Championship returns to Carnoustie Golf Links in Angus, Scotland, for the third major of the season. The 147th playing of The Open Championship will feature 156 players attempting to tame one of the most difficult courses, links or otherwise, in the world. Hosting for the eighth time, Carnoustie will stretch to a wind-swept 7,402 and play to Par-71 (36-35). While Jordan Spieth is the defending champion of the event it’s Padraig Harrington who picked up The Claret Jug the last time Carnoustie played host in 2007. He defeated Sergio Garcia in a four-hole playoff to win his first major championship. Fantasy gamers will have to hold their nerve as well as big events will be coming thick and fast over the next eight weeks. The Open Championship, which will award $1.89 million and 600 FedExCup points to the winner, will be one of two majors in the next four weeks. There will also be a World Golf Championship in two weeks after the TOUR stops outside Toronto after this week. Following the PGA Championship it’s a quick trip to North Carolina and the Wyndham Championship before four FedExCup Playoffs events played over five weeks to wrap up the season. In the previous seven events held at the course, dubbed “CarNasty” after a very difficult 1999 edition, plenty of history has been made from a variety of reasons. Tommy Armour’s 1931 was the first winner at Carnoustie after James Braid’s redesign of the course in 1926. Henry Cotton followed in 1937 taking home his second Claret Jug. Ben Hogan teed it up on the links for the first time in 1953 and completed the third leg of the Grand Slam. Benign weather gave the field a chance but not against Hogan in his pomp. Gary Player’s 1968 victory included two rounds in 60s. For the week. For the entire field. Tom Watson, making his first appearance in the event in 1975, needed an 18-hole playoff to claim his first of five titles. His winning score of 9-under-par suggests weather wasn’t any issue in that edition, either. Weather was the story in 1999 but Paul Lawrie ate up a 10-shot deficit with a 67 on Sunday. Every golf fan knows how that tournament ended (Think Jean van de Velde). I’ll remember Garcia’s news conference after his loss in 2007 as he suggested he was playing against “unseen forces” as he couldn’t close out Harrington with a six-shot lead. I can’t wait to see how this edition unfolds! The Open results 2007-2017 Scottish Open results 2008-2018 NOTE: Golfers inside the top 25 in each statistic on the 2017-18 PGA TOUR are listed only if they are scheduled to compete this week. * – Finished inside the top 10 since 2010 or is a former winner. SG: Tee to Green Rank  Golfer  1  *Dustin Johnson  2  *Francesco Molinari  3  *Henrik Stenson  4  Justin Thomas  5   Luke List  6  *Tiger Woods  7  *Adam Scott  8  *Paul Casey  9  Patrick Cantlay 10 *Rory McIlroy 11 *Justin Rose 12 Keegan Bradley 13 Tommy Fleetwood 14 *Jordan Spieth 15 Bryson DeChambeau 16 Tony Finau 17 Ryan Moore 19 *Rafael Cabrera-Bello 20 Jon Rahm 21 Byeong-Hun An 23 Patrick Reed 24 Emiliano Grillo 25 Brendan Steele Greens in Regulation Rank  Golfer  1  *Henrik Stenson  3  *Adam Scott  4  *Jordan Spieth  6  Russell Knox  7  Keegan Bradley  8  Kyle Stanley  9  Gary Woodland 11 Bubba Watson 12 *Rafael Cabrera-Bello 14 *Francesco Molinari 17 Jon Rahm 18 Brendan Steele 20 Bryson DeChambeau 22 Russell Henley 23 Charles Howell III 24 Patrick Cantlay 25 *Rickie Fowler SG: Putting Rank  Golfer  1  *Jason Day  2  *Phil Mickelson  5  *Webb Simpson  7  *Justin Rose  9  *Alex Noren 10 Beau Hossler 12 *Branden Grace 13 Emiliano Grillo 15 Brian Harman 17 Kevin Kisner 18 *Dustin Johnson 23 Chesson Hadley 24 *Tyrrell Hatton Scrambling Rank  Golfer  1  *Louis Oosthuizen  2  *Jason Day    3  *Webb Simpson  4  Kevin Na  5  *Henrik Stenson  5  *Rickie Fowler  7  Ryan Moore  8  *Dustin Johnson 10 *Rory McIlroy 14 *Brooks Koepka 15 *Justin Rose 17 Patrick Reed 19 *Jordan Spieth 20 Chez Reavie 22 *Brandt Snedeker 23 Charles Howell III 24 *Tiger Woods 26 Justin Thomas The winners and winning scores from recent Open Championships suggest weather has not been much of an influence. Nobody has ever gone lower than Branden Grace and his 62 last year on Sunday at Royal Birkdale. 2016 saw Henrik Stenson’s total match the major championship scoring record by posting 20 under at Royal Troon. Zach Johnson prevented Jordan Spieth from winning the first three majors of the year in 2015. His playoff win over Louis Oosthuizen and Marc Leishman required 15 under to participate. McIlroy’s first title missed Tiger Woods’ record-setting total by a shot. If there isn’t wind, there isn’t much to defend The Old Course and all of these old courses. The modern player and modern equipment it meant to be in full control and only indecision and the elements throw off the world’s best. Carnoustie will hopefully provide all of the above this week. Protection of par this week will begin with the design and end with the condition of the course. The most northern course used in The Open rota, Carnoustie’s main defense is its narrow fairways. Players who repeatedly hit errant shots will have to deal with gorse, long fescue and 111 bunkers. Recovery shots and patience aren’t statistical categories but they’ll be very important this week. Since 2007, No. 2 tee box has been moved and No. 3 fairway has been widened to provide more options. Spectator mounds have been added to Nos. 8, 12 and 14 that will add or disrupt visual clues. In 2007 there wasn’t much wind but the course still played 73.382 for the week. Gulp. The refrain of “I hope it plays firm and fast” will not be just wishful thinking this week. In between the tee boxes and greens, the fine fescue is tan, brown and firm as a parking lot so those who can control the golf ball will have an advantage. I’ll still say the bombers always have the advantage if they can knock it past the trouble as they will have shorter clubs in hand for approach shots. The final four holes, as we’ve seen through history, will define the winner again this year. They are some of the most difficult around and there were only 18 birdies for the week on the last in 2007. I don’t need to remind you how 1999 finished. The leaderboard at dry, crusty Shinnecock Hills (7,400 yards, Par-70) was littered with the game’s most powerful players so I’m using that as a guide. As for the event, The Open Championship is the most interesting for gamers because of the intangibles and weather. Taking a look at the last handful of winners, it’s a list of some of the best of this generation and it doesn’t include Tiger Woods. Navigating the weather, the draw, the links and the non-TOUR conditions shouldn’t be easy and it’s not. It’s not easy mentally or physically as the conditions as the course can change hourly and daily. There’s a reason there are three greens over 50 yards deep and another nine stretching out to 40 yards or longer. It’s the same reason as why the fairways will roll faster than the exposed greens. The more intangibles suggest the recent winners in this event are not surprising. Quick Notes: • Of the last eight winners, six have played the week before (Scottish Open/John Deere Classic). • Top 70 and ties play the weekend. • If tied after 72 holes, a four-hole playoff will break the tie. If tied after four holes, sudden death will determine the winner. • The last player to win The Open while winning the week before was Phil Mickelson (Scottish Open) in 2013. • The last player to win a major while winning the week before was Rory McIlroy (WGC-BI, PGA Championship) in 2014. • The last player to win back-to-back majors was McIlroy (Open, PGA 2014). • The last player to defend The Open Championship is Harrington (2007-08). • Ben Curtis and Tom Watson are the last two players to win The Open Championship in their first try. • Of the last 12 winners, nine have resided inside the OWGR top 30. • Tommy Fleetwood owns the course record, 63, set last October during the Dunhill Links. Rob Bolton’s Power Rankings will give you more juice for the week so make sure you stop by. It’s also who I trust with the weather each week so pay attention! NOTE: The groups below are comprehensive to assist in data mining. Inclusion doesn’t imply automatic endorsement in every fantasy game as all decisions are specific to your situation.  

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