Sleeper Picks: The RSM Classic

The images that recently have circulated on social media of Tiger Woods standing and walking without crutches have served as a positive update on the 82-time PGA TOUR winner who suffered serious leg injuries in a automobile crash on Feb. 23. The timing of this week’s ZOZO CHAMPIONSHIP follows nicely because Woods’ title at the inaugural edition in 2019 is his most recent. This also marks the first time that the tournament returns to Accordia Golf Narashino Country Club in Chiba, Japan. Because of the pandemic, the second staging was at Sherwood Country Club in California in 2020. Of course, Woods remains unable to give it a go at Narashino, but a field of 78 has assembled nonetheless. Scroll past the projected contenders for details on the construct of the field, a breakdown of the host course and more. Tuesday’s Fantasy Insider will include reviews of Kramer Hickok, Hank Lebioda, David Hearn and Ryan Armour, each of whom recorded a top 20 in both prior editions of the tournament. Gay always has been a player who’d contend in a driving contest … if accuracy was rewarded. For a long, long time, he was among the leaders in fairways hit on the PGA TOUR. So, when the wind blows on shorter courses, as it can at Hilton Head and El Camaleón – to name two other sites where Gay has prevailed – he’d seem to have as good a chance as anyone. Mitigating the potential of danger on approach with precision off the tee is one way to navigate a lucrative career at the highest level. However, like all other multiple winners, Gay isn’t a one-trick talent. His co-equal strength is the putter. It’s the reason why he’s won shootouts and, notably, the 2009 RBC Heritage by 10 strokes. So, on tracks on which longer hitters must downshift, his possibilities rise by comparison. Port Royal is a par 71 with three par 5s, but it tips at just 6,828 yards. Outside of standard upkeep, maintenance and beautification, the course is the same. Primary rough stands at two inches and the greens – bermudagrass, naturally – are governed to measure just 10½ feet on the Stimpmeter. That’s slow by TOUR standards for a good reason, and it’s going to be necessary this week. The trailing edge of a Nor’easter that’ll be impacting the Eastern Seaboard of the United States will linger into Thursday’s opening round on Bermuda. As of now, winds are forecast to be sustained at 25 mph with gusts touching 35 mph. The breezes will be abate to the more normal range of 15-20 mph for the remainder, but the first-round scoring average could threaten last year’s second-round split of 73.638 for the same reason. For the week, the 2020 field average 71.151, but as it did at just 69.833 in its debut two years ago, the course would play considerably under par over 72 holes without wind as its primary defense. Inclement weather is expected to move in by Saturday and remain a threat on Sunday. At Port Royal last year, Gay ranked T4 in driving accuracy, T15 in greens in regulation and sixth in putts per GIR. The course ranked as the third-stingiest in fairways hit and 14th-toughest in GIR. (ShotLink isn’t utilized in the tournament, so there are no measured strokes. This means that statistics including all Strokes Gained analytics and proximity to the hole aren’t gathered.) Gay finished outside the top 40 in par-3 and par-5 scoring here a year ago, but he led the field in par-4 scoring and slotted 10th in converting his GIR into par breakers in regulation before turning away Wyndham Clark with birdie on the only hole required in a sudden-death playoff. Six golfers who competed at the ZOZO CHAMPIONSHIP made the trip to Bermuda (as of Monday): Matthew NeSmith (T48 at ZOZO), Brandon Hagy (T54), Kramer Hickok (T57), Sepp Straka (T66), Peter Malnati (74th) and Garrick Higgo (T75).. 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: Power Rankings TUESDAY*: Sleepers; Fantasy Insider 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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