Sleeper Picks: BMW Championship

The big news of the week is what we’ve been waiting for – an official adjustment. The release on June 9 stated how the PGA TOUR would respond to golfers who resigned (and will resign) membership and to those who were (and will be) suspended. On Tuesday of this week, the Eligibility Points List was released. It confirms that the top 125 who haven’t resigned membership and who haven’t been suspended will determine the fields for the FedExCup Playoffs and Korn Ferry Tour Finals. The list consists of all 235 golfers with greater than zero FedExCup Points through the 3M Open. It can be deduced that non-members are chasing the same targets for the non-member top 125 category (for fully exempt status in 2022-23) and the top 200 (to qualify for the KFT Finals). RELATED: Horses for Courses, Sleeper picks At times, for golfers who are on the bubbles, it will be important to cite both rankings. For example, PGA TOUR rookie Callum Tarren is 126th in the FedExCup, but he’s 118th on the Eligibility Points List and just under 25 points clear of Austin Smotherman, who is 126th (but 134th in the FedExCup). Please bear with the references as they will exist only until the fields are set in two weeks. They are intended to provide clarity and reliability for your considerations. POWER RANKINGS WILD CARD Denny McCarthy (+150 for a Top 20) … Shocked that I fielded zero complaints that he was omitted from the Power Rankings. With three top 10s in his last four starts, he presented as a no-brainer. It’d be a fair gripe. The primary reason I’m relatively cool is that his game always plays up on harder courses because his short game and putting are so strong. He landed as the Wild Card for the Travelers Championship when he projected for a personal-best finish. Alas, he missed that cut, thus fulfilling the tacit nod to how he usually don’t make noise on gettable tracks. Naturally, he then responded with a personal-best T6 at the John Deere Classic despite an even-par 71 in the finale. The narrative is that his game is evolving in front of our eyes and with success most of the time, but conservative investors would like another sample of it when scores are low before dipping more than one toe in. DRAWS Adam Scott (+140 for a Top 20) and (+200 for Top Australian) … With Cam Davis defending his title, and even though he’s No. 7 in the Power Rankings, investing in Scott as Top Australian for twice the kickback has merit. Quite a bit of what Davis is experiencing this week is fresh, so we can’t rule out that as a distraction regardless of his sturdy form upon arrival. Meanwhile, Scott recorded top 15s in his last two starts, both of which majors. He has six worldwide this year, and he’ll find Detroit GC to his liking in his debut. Matt Kuchar (+240 for a Top 20) … Another household name who is making his tournament debut, the 44-year-old is promised another deep run in the Playoffs. All told, it’s been a rock-solid season set up by hot starts. Currently second on TOUR in R1 scoring and first in fewest putts per round in R1. Also tops in one-putt percentage, Strokes Gained: Around-the-Green and scrambling. He makes sense in every format. Joohyung Kim (+220 for a Top 20) … Nothing not to love about the 20-year-old from South Korea. Even though he qualified for an accepted Special Temporary Membership [STM], this default endorsement would be incomplete if it didn’t serve as a reminder that he’s ineligible for the FedExCup Playoffs unless he wins this week or next. For a comprehensive review of what STM yields, please read this. Wyndham Clark Mackenzie Hughes Alex Smalley Scott Stallings Callum Tarren Cameron Tringale Jhonattan Vegas Odds sourced on Tuesday, July 26th at 7 p.m. ET. For live odds visit betmgm FADES Webb Simpson … With only one top 15 in eight months(!), it shouldn’t have been a surprise to notice that he was excluded from the Power Rankings. That he’s 125th in the FedExCup and 117th in Eligibility Points is telling. Yes, the injured neck robbed him of a few starts early in 2022, but he hasn’t responded strongly. He presents solely as a contrarian this week. Regardless of the result, the best test will be next week’s Wyndham Championship where he’s the all-time earnings leader. Gary Woodland … When he cashes, that momentum tends to carry forward, so he’s a terrific candidate for live odds, but he’s traded too many missed cuts for too long to retain even average trust. He’s also 0-for-2 at the RMC. Brian Stuard … When we think of him, the very next thought often is this tournament. The Michigan native is a product of nearby Oakland University and he finished T5 in the inaugural edition in 2019, but he’s missed 10 consecutive cuts upon arrival. He also missed the cut here last year with a pair of 1-under 71s. Nothing beats home cookin’, but it doesn’t guarantee anything, either. Jason Day Harris English Russell Henley Charley Hoffman Si Woo Kim Patton Kizzire Luke List RETURNING TO COMPETITION Danny Lee … Third time’s a charm? Since withdrawing during the first round of the Travelers a month ago with an injured hip, he pulled out early from the Scottish and 3M. But he can afford not to push it. At 84th in the FedExCup, he’s been set for the Playoffs pretty much since early November after a T2-T7 surge. Because of his propensity to WD during tournaments and the uncertainty of his health in general, you’re advised to abstain in every format. NOTABLE WDs Emiliano Grillo … With a pair of co-runner-up finishes in July, he’s climbed from the top-150 bubble to 53rd in the FedExCup. Brendon Todd … The timing of his decision presents a good moment to reflect on his career resurgence. Currently 67th in the FedExCup and headed to his third consecutive Playoffs after a four-year downslide. The 37-year-old has remained a reliable contributor once again. RECAP – 3M OPEN POWER RANKINGS Power Ranking Golfer Result 1 Adam Svensson MC 2 Davis Riley MC 3 Cam Davis T16 4 Adam Hadwin T38 5 Maverick McNealy T49 6 Tony Finau Win 7 J.T. Poston T11 8 Sahith Theegala MC 9 Sungjae Im T2 10 Cameron Tringale MC 11 Chez Reavie T49 12 Joohyung Kim T26 13 Michael Thompson T26 14 Adam Long T16 15 Brendan Steele MC Wild Card Hideki Matsuyama WD SLEEPERS Golfer (Bet, if applicable) Result Dylan Frittelli (+260 for a Top 20) MC Nate Lashley (+333 for a Top 20) MC Michael Gligic T16 Cole Hammer MC Justin Lower MC GOLFBET Bet: Maverick McNealy (Top 10) – +280 Result: T49 BIRTHDAYS AMONG ACTIVE MEMBERS OF THE PGA TOUR July 26 … Tim Wilkinson (44) July 27 … Jordan Spieth (29) July 28 … Taylor Moore (29) July 29 … none July 30 … Justin Rose (42) July 31 … none August 1 … none

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Here are nine tidbits from the first round of the Genesis Open 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. Know Thy Enemy These were the top-10 picked golfers in the PGA TOUR Fantasy Golf presented by SERVPRO. A breezy morning caused a bit of havoc, as you’ll read below. Defending champ Dustin Johnson struggled out of the box and never could get anything going. Darkness stranded a handful of players still on the course, so Round 1 will finish early Friday morning. Automatic for the People The best news for gamers at The Riviera Country Club is there is another round before the cut and the PGA TOUR Fantasy Golf presented by SERVPRO allows substitutions. For the second week in a row, Dustin Johnson was the overwhelming favorite in this format. I’m not saying it’s time to panic… yet. Johnson’s 74 today had essentially one really bad hole (triple bogey) on a track he usually dominates. To put it in perspective, it’s his first round over par since 2015, a streak of 10 loops. There’s no chance I’m taking him out of the lineup. Afternoon Edition Justin Thomas lamented on the telecast that there was wind this morning playing havoc through the canyon. Patrick Cantlay and Tony Finau (5-under 66) were in the later flight and share the lead in the clubhouse in Round 1. Both players with West Coast roots were on-point as Cantlay hit the most GIR (16 of 18) and Finau led in strokes-gained: off-the-tee. Both players circled six birdies against only one bogey because the putter also cooperated. Cantlay led the field in putts per GIR while Finau was second. They both set their career-low score here as well. Morning Show The early wave was paced by a trio of 67’s (-4) from Tom Hoge, Dominic Bozzelli and Sam Saunders. Pro gamers will point out that Saunders opened with 64 here last year to lead by two before ending up T49. Hoge’s name is familiar in this column, as he opened with 65 at Waialae and was sniffing around at Torrey Pines after Friday. Bozzelli finished last season No. 119 in the FedExCup standings. He didn’t play after the RCB Canadian Open as he tried to get healthy for the new season. This is only his fifth event of 2017-18, and that matches exactly how many people have rostered him this week in PGA TOUR Fantasy Golf presented by SERVPRO. Bubba Conundrum Bubba Watson is off to a flying start as the two-time champion (2014, 2016) opened with 68 (-3) and sits T6. He’s playing in the NBA All-Star Game Celebrity Game Friday night, so he’ll be hustling to get off the course and to the Staples Center after his Friday round. According to his social media, he met with Ellen DeGeneres and Chuck Lorre earlier in the week, so maybe being in Hollywood is good for his game! Part of me wouldn’t be surprised if he posted a clunky one on Friday because of his pending night on the court in the big game. Caution. Reavie Relief Gamers who were late to the party but are jumping on board this week after P2 at TPC Scottsdale two weeks ago and T2 at Pebble Beach last week, you may now exhale. You’re not the jinx! Reavie hasn’t posted a round above par in 2018, and his 68 to open has him sitting T6 entering Friday. He was six-for-six scrambling in Round 1 to lead the field and didn’t make a bogey! Gamers are catching on as you can see in the chart above. Power Trio The featured PGA TOUR LIVE group of Tiger Woods (T63), Rory McIlroy (T36) and Justin Thomas (T17) saw the youngest member take home the medal honors with 69 (-2). Woods did hit more fairways and circled more birdies (5 to 1) than McIlroy, but the Ulsterman needed one less shot to complete the day. Gamers who have Woods in the lineup this week surely know that this is NOT one of his historical money grabs. I wouldn’t be surprised if he doesn’t get over the finish line tomorrow. McIlroy couldn’t putt last week at Pebble Beach, and that has followed him down the coast. He made one birdie and one eagle but needed almost two putts per green today. Wizard of Westwood That’s John Wooden, the famous UCLA basketball coach, not Ted Potter Jr., who won last week at Pebble Beach. Potter checked in at No. 130 of 144 who teed it up after his opening round 76 (+5). He’ll need something special to make the weekend, but his two-year exemption from winning last week is a very nice insurance policy. Study Hall Bill Haas is lucky to be alive after a Ferrari he was riding in was involved in an accident earlier in the week. The driver, Haas’s host in Los Angeles for the tournament, was killed and multiple vehicles were involved. I have no idea how this will affect Haas moving forward. It wouldn’t surprise me if he takes some time off. We’ll all follow this together. … Jim Herman WD with a foot injury, according to PGA TOUR Media. … Players returning to action this week that caught my eye include Jim Furyk (73) and Charley Hoffman (75). This is Furyk’s first start since the PGA Championship at Quail Hollow last summer. Hoffman WD last week at Pebble Beach with a back injury. … Woods and Marc Leishman both lost a ball in a eucalyptus tree today.

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Another exciting PGA TOUR season recently came to a close. The team at ShotLink compiled some of the best stats from the season. Enjoy. Rory McIlroy closed the season by winning his second FedExCup. He joined Tiger Woods as the only two-time champions of the TOUR’s season-long prize. McIlroy’s win at the TOUR Championship was his third of the season. He also won THE PLAYERS and RBC Canadian Open. It was his third multiple-win season in the FedExCup era (since 2007), Only Tiger Woods (5) has more multiple-win seasons since 2007. There were 14 first-time winners in 2019. Only three seasons since 1970 have seen more players earn their first PGA TOUR win. Most first-time winners on the PGA TOUR since 1970 Justin Thomas suffered a wrist injury this season and struggled with his putting but he still finished third in the FedExCup with a win in the penultimate event, the BMW Championship. Thomas’ par-5 scoring average this season was the fourth-best since 1983. Only Tiger Woods has had lower single-season scoring averages on the par-5s. Best par-5 scoring average on the PGA TOUR since 1983 Sungjae Im was the only rookie to make it to the TOUR Championship. Im, the 2018 Korn Ferry Tour Player of the Year, played a TOUR-high 35 events this season. His combination of endurance and skill helped him make the fourth-most birdies (480) in a season since 1980. Only Steve Flesch and Vijay Singh made more birdies in a season in that span. Flesch made 493 in 2000, while Singh made 484 in 2004. Im also had the lowest score, in relation to par, of the season. Lowest score in relation to par on the PGA TOUR, 2018-19 season Rory McIlroy recorded four rounds of 63 or better, marking the most of any player during this season. Rory McIlroy’s rounds of 63 or better on the PGA TOUR, 2018-19 season Jordan Spieth made seven or more birdies in 15 rounds, the most of any player this season. Most rounds with seven or more birdies in a round on the PGA TOUR, 2018-19 season Spieth struggled with his ball-striking in 2018-19, but incredible putting helped him finish 44th in the FedExCup. This season, he had the highest make percentage of putts from outside 10 feet of his career. Highest percentage of putts made over 10 feet on the PGA TOUR since 2014-15 Cameron Champ was the only player this season to hit more than 300 drives longer than 320 yards. He hit 36.1% of his tee shots past the 320-yard mark. Champ is one of seven players since 2003 to hit 300 or more drives 320+ yards in a season. Most drives over 320 yards on the PGA TOUR, 2018-19 season Players with 300 or more drives 320 or more yards in a season on the PGA TOUR since 2003

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