Shane Lowry cards bogey-free 65 in Round 1 at RBC Heritage

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A dozen tournaments into the 50-tournament Super Season, we're still a lot closer to the beginning than the end. Regardless, we've got enough information to guess which 30 players will qualify for the season-ending TOUR Championship at East Lake on Sept. 2-5, 2021. Eight of the 10 winners from the fall of 2019 went on to qualify for the most recent TOUR Championship, the most since the wraparound season began eight years ago. So, yeah, we'll go out on a limb and say Safeway Open champ Stewart Cink (fourth in the FedExCup standings) is going to make it back to East Lake for the first time since 2009. Could Jason Day, Brooks Koepka and/or Tiger Woods get back to the TOUR Championship? Yes, but chronic injuries make it too risky to put them on this list. Koepka looked especially improved in the fall with a T5 at the Vivint Houston Open and T7 at the Masters, but the fact remains those three are wildcards. So is Italy's Francesco Molinari, who just moved his family to America. Herewith, in no particular order, a fearless prediction for the last 30 men standing: 1. Dustin Johnson - The defending FedExCup champion leads the standings again going into the holiday break, and he may just extend his 252-point lead at the Sentry Tournament of Champions next month, as Johnson has twice won at Kapalua (2013, 18). 2. Bryson DeChambeau - He's second in the FedExCup standings after just three starts in the new season, including a six-shot runaway at the U.S. Open at Winged Foot. Setback at Masters, where long-ball approach yielded only a T34 finish, but Mad Scientist will be back. 3. Viktor Hovland - Clutch 72nd hole birdie netted him recent Mayakoba Golf Classic presented by UNIFIN. Two-time TOUR winner and pride of Norway is fast catching up to peers Matthew Wolff - Hovland's Oklahoma State teammate - and 2020's breakout star Collin Morikawa. 4. Stewart Cink - Was 144th in FedExCup last season and 179th in 2019. Seems like ages ago now that Cink, 47, is up to fourth in the standings after winning the Safeway Open to end an 11-year victory drought. Kept good times rolling at Sanderson Farms (T12) and Bermuda (T4) Championships. 5. Patrick Cantlay - Prevailed at the ZOZO CHAMPIONSHIP @ SHERWOOD in thrilling finish that also included world-beaters Jon Rahm and Justin Thomas. Missed TOUR Championship last season but clearly has the all-around game to win the whole thing, not just make the field. 6. Rory McIlroy - Struggled after the break, but with wife Erica was keeping a secret - daughter Poppy was born the week of the TOUR Championship. Since then, he has racked up top-10 finishes at East Lake (T8), the U.S. Open (T8) and Masters (T5). 7. Carlos Ortiz - Cue the imminent TOUR Championship debut of Mexico's Ortiz, FedExCup No. 6, whose Vivint Houston Open victory was one of the feel-good stories of the fall. Korn Ferry Tour record shows he can string the wins together when he's feeling it. 8. Jason Kokrak - Victory at THE CJ CUP @ SHADOW CREEK was a long time coming (233rd career start) for this Vegas afficionado who turns into one of the game's elites when his putter is switched on. Currently third in Strokes Gained: Putting but 146th in SG: Approach the Green. 9. Justin Thomas - The 2017 FedExCup champion hasn't exactly lit it up in the new season but he has finished no worse than 12th in five starts, including the U.S. Open (T8) and Masters (4th). He'll start the new year ranked No. 8 in the standings. Watch out early as former Sentry TOC and Sony Open in Hawaii winner is a fast starter. 10. Matthew Wolff - Played himself into near exhaustion after the Return to Golf in June. Still chasing second TOUR win but showed consistency with runner-up finishes at Rocket Mortgage Classic, U.S. Open, Shriners Hospitals for Children Open. Up to ninth in FedExCup. 11. Sergio Garcia - Fell out of world top 50 and missed the FedExCup Playoffs for second time last season. Victory at Sanderson Farms Championship in October broke dry spell dating to 2017 Masters; is now up to FedExCup No. 10. Shame to miss Augusta with coronavirus in November. 12. Xander Schauffele - Hasn't won since 2019 Sentry Tournament of Champions but that didn't hold him back much in second-place FedExCup finish last season. Top-10 machine already has a fifth at the U.S. Open and runner-up at THE CJ CUP @ SHADOW CREEK this season. 13. Cameron Smith - Co-runner-up with Sungjae Im at the Masters in November, Smith, who will defend his first individual title at the upcoming Sony Open in Hawaii, is just starting to show how good he is after offering fleeting glimpses of potential in team events. 14. Justin Rose - His T3 at the Charles Schwab Challenge in June was a bright spot as coaching and equipment changes led him to finish an uncharacteristic 91st in the FedExCup. The 2018 FedExCup winner and a recent world No. 1 seems primed for a bounce-back year. 15. Cameron Champ - Struggled with inconsistency in rookie year on TOUR but was steadier last season from Safeway Open win all the way to T10 at PGA and 24th in FedExCup. Long driving impressed partner Tony Finau at recent QBE Shootout and is growing into game at 25. 16. Doc Redman - Up-and-comer was 71st in FedExCup last season but is up to 41st going into the break this season after T3 at the Safeway Open and T4 at the Bermuda Championship. Will be a young 23 to start 2021. Ranked 12th in Strokes Gained: Approach-the-Green last season. 17. Harris English - Slumped but is back in spotlight after bounce-back last season (12th in FedExCup). Already has a solo fourth at U.S. Open and three other top-10s this season, and with Matt Kuchar utterly dominated recent (unofficial) QBE Shootout with record 37 under. 18. Sungjae Im - Ironman with eight starts already this season nearly cashed in with T2 finish at recent Masters Tournament. Gearing up for title defense at The Honda Classic in early 2021. Could work on his short game at 234th in Strokes Gained: Around the Green. 19. Jon Rahm - Edged world No. 1 Dustin Johnson in wild finish at BMW Championship and was chasing another victory at ZOZO @ SHERWOOD (T2) until closing holes. World No. 2 contended at Masters (T7) in November but faded with 72-71 weekend. 20. Hideki Matsuyama - Five-time TOUR winner hasn't lifted a trophy since 2017 WGC-Bridgestone Invitational but seems to be on the rise after T13 at the Masters and T2 at the Vivint Houston Open. Still needs work on the greens at 158th in Strokes Gained: Putting. 21. Tyrrell Hatton - Taming temper and reached elite status with breakthrough TOUR win in challenging conditions at Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by Mastercard. Makes every swing count with six top-10s in 11 starts last season (seventh in FedExCup). 22. Tony Finau - Still looking for first victory since 2016 Puerto Rico Open; was on the verge of getting it until Webb Simpson birdied last two holes of regulation and beat him in a playoff at the Waste Management Phoenix Open. Still growing into sizable game but will likely get there. 23. Scottie Scheffler - Consistent leaderboard presence is off to a poor start this season (92nd in the FedExCup) after getting the coronavirus and missing the U.S. Open. Showed plenty in '20 with seven top-10 finishes, run at PGA Championship, and fifth-place showing in FedExCup. 24. Webb Simpson - Won Waste Management Phoenix Open, RBC Heritage and led in scoring average (68.978) last season. His T8 at U.S. Open in September was best there since winning in 2012; also posted T10 at recent Masters. Aiming for fifth straight East Lake appearance. 25. Matthew Fitzpatrick - He's 108th in current FedExCup standings but coming off victory at the European Tour's season-ending DP World Tour Championship earlier this month. Third-place finish at Memorial and T6 at BMW attests to his toughness in difficult conditions. 26. Tommy Fleetwood - Third at The Honda Classic last season and collected six top-10s in 2019. Lackluster 2020 (92nd FedExCup) but not across pond; T3 at Portugal Masters, second at Scottish Open, and T13 at BMW PGA Championship, the European Tour's flagship event. 27. Patrick Reed - Won the WGC-Mexico Championship and registered top-15 finishes at PGA Championship, U.S. Open and Masters. Was aiming to become first American to win European Tour's Race to Dubai until two late bogeys at DP World Tour Championship (T3). 28. Abraham Ancer - Still aiming for first TOUR win after two runner-up finishes last season. Contended at recent Masters until final-round 76 dropped him to T13; that and T12 at Mayakoba showed TOUR Championship appearance and 18th in FedExCup last season was no fluke. 29. Daniel Berger - Underrated player is only 96th in the latest FedExCup standings. Was one of the hottest in the game over the second half of last season starting with win at Charles Schwab Challenge at Colonial. Put him down for the U.S. Ryder Cup team while you're at it. 30. Collin Morikawa - Broke out with wild Workday Charity Open win over Justin Thomas. Hit perhaps shot of the year, driving the green on 16, in winning PGA Championship at TPC Harding Park. Admits to losing focus this season (124th in FedExCup), but it won't last.

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You wouldn’t think so to look at it as a whole, but there’re more flexibility in the PGA TOUR schedule than meets the eye. RELATED: The First Look While stretching 47 tournaments across essentially as many weeks – when setting aside the annual holiday break – prioritizes the fit of the jigsaw pieces over the process of moving them around for organizational purposes, there’s always been room for creativity and situational awareness. Without a World Golf Championship slotted adjacent to or during the Florida Swing this year, the Puerto Rico Open slides into an unprecedented position opposite the Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by Mastercard. That’s where PRO defending champion Branden Grace will be competing. Both tournaments host 120-man fields, but the annual stop at Bay Hill is an invitational that takes precedence. Yet, just as it always has since it debuted in 2008, the PRO remains an official event contributing to the FedExCup. For a breakdown of what’s up for grabs at Grand Reserve County Club east of San Juan, how it tests and more, scroll or swipe past the projected contenders and others to consider. OTHERS TO CONSIDER • Bo Van Pelt … Greg Kraft, Michael Bradley (twice), Alex Cejka, D.A. Points. All are former winners of the Puerto Rico Open and all were touring professionals of a certain age at the time of their triumphs. BVP is 46 but he’s made a few ripples in recent memory since returning from extended time away to heal from multiple injuries and surgery. That includes a T15 here last year to go 5-for-5 at Grand Reserve. • Chase Seiffert … It’s always a heavier lift for non-winners with conditional status than it is for winners who often receive more sponsor exemptions, but the 30-year-old is hanging tough with a pair of top 25s this season, including a T25 at The Honda Classic where he was lurking at the midpoint. He’s 2-for-2 at Grand Reserve with a T15 last year when he averaged 14 greens in regulation per round to rank T5. • Chan Kim … The 31-year-old continues to struggle finding success on PGA TOUR tracks. In 18 career starts spanning the last six seasons, he’s made 10 cuts but connected for only three top 25s. He’s just 1-for-3 with a T65 at Pebble Beach in 2022, but as the earnings leader on the 2020-21 Japan Golf Tour where he won twice last fall, expectations remain elevated to him to pop over here. • Ted Potter, Jr. … The Wizard has been precisely that at Grand Reserve. He’s 4-for-4 with a T6 and a T7 in the last two editions, respectively. They’re also his most recent top-15 finishes in PGA TOUR-sanctioned competition. He scored 14-under 274 in both. • Rafael Campos … This preview would be incomplete without him. The Puerto Rico native has teed it up in every edition of this tournament but one. In what was his debut season as a PGA TOUR member in 2020, he sat out that edition with a sore left elbow, but he returned with gusto for a personal-best T3 last year. It’s one of three top 10s in his last four appearances. A record purse of $3.7 million will be distributed to the low 65 and ties who survive the 36-hole cut this week. The winner will pocket $666,000, 300 FedExCup points and secure PGA TOUR membership through at least 2023-24. He’ll score exemptions into the PGA Championship in May and the 2023 Sentry Tournament of Champions, among other invitationals. He’ll also punch a ticket into THE PLAYERS Championship next week. Joseph Bramlett, Brice Garnett, Chesson Hadley, Kyle Stanley, Brian Stuard and Richy Werenski are the only commits at Grand Reserve who are already eligible for the PGA TOUR’s flagship event. Although ShotLink technology isn’t used on the stock par 72 measuring 7,506 yards, there are no analytical advantages per se. Paspalum greens average just 6,000 square feet, so the premium is on hitting them in regulation as persistent breezes push in from a prevailing easterly direction. They’re governed to just 11 feet on the Stimpmeter, so they’ll hold approaches even from primary rough that’s just three-quarters-of-an-inch high and also primarily paspalum. The threat of rain and thunderstorms – the latter of which a term we haven’t heard in a while on TOUR – will be as omnipresent as the flapping trousers along the northeastern shore of the island. There’s always a reasonable chance for rain in these parts at this time of the year, but the smaller field makes it easier to stay on time in case of a delay. ROB BOLTON’S SCHEDULE PGATOUR.COM’s Rob Bolton recaps and previews every tournament from numerous perspectives. Look for his following contributions as scheduled. MONDAY: Power Rankings (API) TUESDAY*: Power Rankings (PRO), Sleepers (API), Draws and Fades WEDNESDAY: Pick ’Em Preview SUNDAY: Qualifiers, Reshuffle, Medical Extensions, Rookie Ranking * – Rob is a member of the panel for PGATOUR.COM’s Expert Picks for PGA TOUR Fantasy Golf, which also publishes on Tuesday.

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