K.J. Choi … Since first qualifying for this tournament in 2001, he hasn’t missed an appearance. The now-47-year-old hasn’t missed a cut, either. He’s perfect in 17 trips, nine of which have resulted in a top 25. In fact, a T5 in 2016 and the T17 last year are his top-two finishes on the PGA TOUR in the last 24 months. With a scoring average of 69.91 in 66 rounds and a red number in each of the last 10 finales, you could say that Riviera is right up his alley. Brian Gay … I’ve suggested before that there’s a Fountain of Youth at the Mayakoba Resort what with the litany of veterans who have connected with form that defined their prime. Gay is in that bin with an 8-for-8 record that includes victory at the 2008 OHL Classic at Mayakoba. There’s little correlation between El Camaleón Golf Club and Riviera, but he’s been on a tear since a T25 south of the border in November. Sparked by that, he’s survived six consecutive cuts, three of which for a top 10. That already equals last season’s total. It’s exactly the kind of momentum he needs to reverse the curse at the Genesis Open where he’s missed the cut in five straight appearances since 2007. J.B. Holmes … If not for the headlines shadowing his solo fourth at the Farmers three weeks ago, you wouldn’t see him coming, but he still warrants this attention on his fit alone. In 11 appearances, he’s rattled off six top-12 finishes and has missed just one cut. In short, he and the handful of household names for whom Riviera is their personal playground have bomb-and-gouged their way to the spoils. Adam Hadwin … While his breakthrough victory at last year’s Valspar Championship leaps off the page, it’s forced further focus on the scope of his successes. What you find is a quilt of varietal tests that wouldn’t seem to merge en masse with his profile as tremendous putter. From Muirfield Village to El Camaleón to the Coachella Valley to Copperhead to Bay Hill to Firestone to TPC Boston, all sites of top-15 finishes since 2016, he’s adapted the other areas of his game to ascend on those leaderboards. Due to a sturdy record, Riviera presents as the next logical spot to join the club. He’s 3-for-3 with a pair of top 25s and a scoring average of 70.08. Led last year’s field in scrambling. Brandon Harkins … The 31-year-old impressed in the fall with a trio of top-25 finishes, but he picked up where he left off before the holiday break with another four already in 2018. It’s landed him considerable attention in the weekly Rookie Ranking given he’s either shared or earned low-rookie honors in three of the last four tournaments, each of which has been a struggle for his class. With an even-keeled temperament and quiet confidence, inexperience has been shrouded by patience and moxie. An artful touch around and on greens hasn’t hurt, either.
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