Sleeper picks: RBC Canadian Open

Hideki Matsuyama won the Sony Open in Hawaii thanks to an eagle in a playoff over Russell Henley. Check out the clubs he used to close out the victory. RELATED: Final leaderboard Driver: Srixon ZX7 (9.5 degrees, flat) Shaft: Graphite Design Tour AD DI 8 TX 3-wood: TaylorMade SIM2 Titanium (15 degrees) Shaft: Graphite Design Tour AD DI 9 TX 5-wood: Cobra King RadSpeed Tour Shaft: Graphite Design Tour AD DI Irons: Srixon Z-Forged (4-9) Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue S400 Wedges: Cleveland RTX 4 Forged Prototype (46, 52-10, 56-8 @57.5, 60-08 @62) Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue X100 (S400 in 46, 52) Putter: Scotty Cameron Newport 2 GSS Ball: Srixon Z-Star XV Grips: Iomic X

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Bee-yoo! Bee-yoo! Arnold Palmer alert! Arnold Palmer alert! That line from “The Other Guys” is ironic because The King needs no introduction. His legend will last forever. It’s a fact cemented further with Monday’s announcement that the Rookie of the Year will now receive the Arnold Palmer Award. Of course, as much it all started in golf, his cool was kept fresh throughout his life thanks in part to his dedication to keeping golf courses current. This is perhaps no more evident than at Bay Hill Golf Club and Lodge. It hosts the Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by Mastercard for the 41st time this week. For the latest modifications to the track, expectations for those in the field and more, scroll past the ranking. Tuesday’s Fantasy Insider will include Phil Mickelson, Henrik Stenson, Bubba Watson, Louis Oosthuizen and The Honda Classic champion Keith Mitchell among other notables. Bay Hill is a stock par 72, but it wasn’t always. It debuted as a par 71 in 1979, transitioned to a par 72 in 1990 (when Robert Gamez holed out for eagle on the par-4 finisher to win; he’d go on to claim what is now the Arnold Palmer Award) and tightened to a par 70 from 2007-2009 before it reclaimed its par of today (following a significant renovation). Palmer’s penchant for tinkering served as the common thread for the fabric of his tournament’s history. It’s a theme carried on this year with new tee boxes on the par-5 fourth hole and par-4 ninth that have lengthened the course by an aggregate 35 yards to a tournament-record 7,454 yards. In addition to other upgrades such as a new area to work on the short game and numerous spots of improved landscaping, modern irrigation has been introduced to water only the primary rough whenever preferred. Speaking of which, the longest rough, which is overseeded, has been allow to grow as high as three-and-a-half inches. TifEagle bermudagrass greens, which are not overseeded, are average in size but prepped to run as fast as 13-and-a-half feet on the Stimpmeter. Of all publicized measurements, that’s as slick as it gets on the PGA TOUR. Rory McIlroy put on a clinic with his putter en route to a three-stroke victory here last year, but that’s what he needed to do to prevail. He ranked just T45 in greens in regulation (at the field average). However, when he manufactured those scoring opportunities, he led the field in proximity to the hole and paid them off also by pacing it in strokes gained: putting, fewest putts and scrambling. Of 61 attempts inside 10 feet, he whiffed just twice. While the primary rough separates the excessively wayward, hitting fairways isn’t a prerequisite to contend. At T48, McIlroy felt short of the field average. Instead, distance off the tee is more valuable, especially when it concerns gettable par 5s, while the greens are as fair as the field would want. Mother Nature should cooperate. After some rain, wind and cooling early in the week, a dry, calm and warming trend will take over. Sunshine is expected through Saturday while daytime highs will climb 10 degrees or so and into the low 80s by the weekend. The return of the threat of rain re-enters the picture on Sunday when the high could climb into the mid-80s. The impact of wind will be felt only with the energy. As of midday Monday, the field stood at 123. That’s three more than what’s scheduled because Gamez, Ernie Els and Tim Herron are exempt as winners prior to 2000. They’re considered add-ons and would not be replaced if any withdrew. For the fifth consecutive year, the champion will receive three-year exemptions for PGA TOUR membership and into THE PLAYERS. ROB BOLTON’S SCHEDULE PGATOUR.COM’s Fantasy Insider Rob Bolton recaps and previews every tournament from numerous angles. Look for his following contributions as scheduled. MONDAY: Rookie Ranking, Qualifiers, Reshuffle, Medical Extensions, Power Rankings TUESDAY*: Sleepers, Fantasy Insider WEDNESDAY: One & Done THURSDAY: Champions One & Done * – Rob is a member of the panel for PGATOUR.COM’s Expert Picks for PGA TOUR Fantasy Golf, which also publishes on Tuesdays.

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PALM BEACH GARDENS, Fla. – Keith Mitchell had a perfect run through California during the recent West Coast Swing. Three starts. Three missed cuts. Let’s see if we can pinpoint the problem here. “I hate poa annua so much I can’t even see straight,� Mitchell said Friday. That would do it. Now that Mitchell’s back on his beloved Bermudagrass, his game – and his demeanor – have definitely improved. His 4-under 66 in Friday’s second round of The Honda Classic moved him to 6 under and a share of the lead with Sungjae Im heading into the weekend. California’s poa annua greens that can sometimes become bumpy and inconsistent throughout the day have been replaced by PGA National’s new firm, consistent greens. For Mitchell, it’s like going from Purgatory to Perfection. He came into this week ranked 218th (out of 221 ranked players) in Strokes Gained: Putting, giving up more than a stroke per round to the field on the greens. Of his seven rounds in California this season, only one was lower than 72. Thursday’s opening round wasn’t much better from a putting standpoint – he ranked 121st among the 143 finished players in Strokes Gained: Putting – but he still managed to shoot a 2-under 68. On Friday, he actually gained a stroke against the field, as his 66 included 18 putts inside 10 feet. He made them all. “It’s definitely the grass,� said Mitchell, who was born in Tennessee and went to school in Georgia. “It’s Bermuda. I grew up on Bermuda. I know how to putt it. I know how to read it. It’s definitely helped a lot … “I just have a tough time reading poa annua greens, and here in Florida, it’s just a lot better for me.� Prior to this week, the last time Mitchell played on Bermuda greens was at Waialae, the host course for the Sony Open in Hawaii. Through three rounds, he was tied for third and played in the final threesome on Sunday with Andrew Putnam and eventual champion Matt Kuchar. Mitchell’s 72 dropped him to T-16. “I knew I was making strides putting,� Mitchell said. “Once I got back to Bermuda, I knew I was a little bit more comfortable. My ball-striking has been above average on the West Coast, but my scores aren’t there. “The last great tournament I had was Sony, and I was in the last group on Bermuda greens. I don’t want to say my game is winnier on Bermuda greens, but I’ve just got to get better on the West Coast and poa annua.� For the time being, though, he doesn’t have to concern himself with that type of grass. With the PGA TOUR just now starting its Florida Swing, Mitchell hopes to hit his stride. “I’m playing every Bermuda event we’ve got this year,� he said.

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