Tiger withdraws from Masters due to foot injury

Johnson Wagner … Even headliners like Rory McIlroy, Rickie Fowler, Phil Mickelson and defending champion Jason Day won’t feel as comfortable as Wagner, who is a perennial Sleeper given he’s a member of Quail Hollow Club. He’s a three-time PGA TOUR winner, but this isn’t his club championship, so he’s absolved from the criticism that last year’s T13 was his first top 25 in 11 tries since he splashed onto the circuit in 2007. The course fits his eye in part because he’s a tee-to-green tactician, a skill set rewarded here. However, he’s also averaging over one stroke gained per tournament with his putter this season. His local knowledge mattered last year as he ranked third in strokes gained: putting and led the field in conversion percentage inside 10 feet. Luke List … The last time the long hitter landed in this space, he delivered with a T10 at Bay Hill. He’s cooled since, but inconsistency aligns with his reputation. Quail Hollow aligns with his profile, and it’s paid dividends. He finished T16 as a rookie in 2013 and a T9 last year when he slotted third in strokes gained: tee-to-green. Sits 14th on TOUR in the stat right now as well as ninth in par-5 scoring. Joel Dahmen … After making hay easier tracks last season, he’s replicating the process on stiffer tests in 2018-19. Already with a T9 at Torrey Pines, a T12 at TPC Sawgrass and a T16 at Harbour Town on the board, he’s projecting toward another top 20 at Quail Hollow. In fact, it wouldn’t be his first on the course as he placed T16 in his debut a year ago. The 31-year-old feeds off keeping his ball in play off the tee, and despite his evolving profile, he still doesn’t mind dipping into the red numbers. Currently T3 on TOUR with 39 of them this season. Matt Jones … Currently 110th in the FedExCup, but it wasn’t until a T13 at Torrey Pines three months ago that his rally was sparked. He’s 8-for-8 since with three top 20s in individual competition, including another T13 at Copperhead. The Aussie also is no stranger at Quail Hollow where he’s logged 21 rounds and recorded a pair of top 25, albeit not since a T21 in 2011, but that experience in conjunction with his recent consistency warrants this focus. Currently 50th on TOUR in strokes gained: tee-to-green, 34th in scrambling and T33 in par-5 scoring. Wyndham Clark … While the former Pac-12 Conference individual champ (2017) at the University of Oregon arguably is best known as a long hitter, he ain’t no one-trick pony. Now 25 years of age and in his rookie season on the PGA TOUR, he’s 12th in strokes gained: putting, second in putts per greens in regulation and fifth in putting: birdies-or-better. He also leads the circuit in conversion percentage inside 10 feet. His muscle off the tee means that he won’t be overwhelmed by the biggest of ballparks, but tough ones also are within his mastery. His last two top 20s occurred at PGA National (T7) and TPC San Antonio (T20). With four top 20s on the season, he’s sitting comfortably at 91st in the FedExCup standings as he debuts at Quail Hollow. NOTE: Sleeper is a relative term, so Rob uses unofficial criteria to determine who qualifies. Each of the following usually is determined to be ineligible for this weekly staple: Winners of the tournament on the current host course; winners in the same season; recent major champions; top 50 in the Official World Golf Ranking; recent participants of team competitions.

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Justin Thomas was growing up outside Louisville, Kentucky, during Tiger Woods’ prime years. He had a prime seat in Valhalla’s clubhouse for one of Woods’ most memorable major triumphs, at the 2000 PGA Championship. “That week was the reason that I was like, ‘Okay, this is really what I want to do,’â€� Thomas said after his triumph at last year’s PGA Championship. On Wednesday, Thomas elaborated on the ways that Woods inspired him. If you look at childhood videos of Thomas competing in tournaments, he’s wearing black pants and a red shirt. That’s not a coincidence. Thomas even emulated Woods’ grip. “He’s someone that I’ve looked up to ever since my first memories of golf and someone I’ve always tried to model my game after,â€� Thomas said in his pre-tournament press conference at The Honda Classic. “I wore black pants and red shirt every tournament I played when I was a junior because of him. I use an interlocking grip because I saw a picture of him when I was a kid following through and he had an interlocking group and that was the day I started using interlocking and I’ve done it ever since.â€� Woods is nearly two decades older than Thomas, and made his PGA TOUR debut a year before Thomas was born, but their relationship has changed now that they are PGA TOUR peers. Woods was a Captain’s Assistant for last year’s U.S. Presidents Cup Team, which Thomas was a member of. Thomas and Woods flew together to last week’s Genesis Open, where they were paired for the first two rounds. The reigning FedExCup champ and only two-time winner of the FedExCup are now friends. “We have a great friendship, and I’m very lucky and I cherish that,â€� Thomas said. “He’s definitely somewhat of a mentor for me.â€�

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Don’t let the tranquil setting or modest length fool you. Across its first three iterations, the Butterfield Bermuda Championship has proven one of the PGA TOUR’s most unique challenges. Entering its fourth playing, the event has assumed a staple role on the TOUR’s fall calendar, set for October 20-23 at Port Royal GC in Southampton, Bermuda. The event’s reputation has only grown since 2019, as its history and tradition build by the year. “What an amazing place this is,” said Peter Malnati, who has recorded back-to-back top-25 finishes in Bermuda. “I played in the (2020) pro-am with four locals, and there’s just a demeanor here on the island of calmness, and it’s a relaxed nature. It’s obviously visually stunning, gorgeous, beautiful, but it seems to have a nice spirit to it. I love it, and I’m very comfortable. “Week-in and week-out on the PGA TOUR, we play the best golf courses in the world, and we’re playing one of them right here in Bermuda, so it’s really cool.” To date, the Bermuda Championship has raised over $1.1 million for local charities, a number that is sure to only grow in the years to come. It’s a memorable week in both venue and transportation routine. Players challenge a Port Royal GC layout that demands a variety of shot values, after a scenic ferry ride from one of the island’s ample resort districts. Port Royal GC measures just 6,828 yards but with its seaside setting, elevation changes and a variety of doglegs, asks a lot of questions. It’s a strategic test that produces a worthy champion and sets up players for continued success through the fall and remainder of the TOUR season. “You’ve got to be so much more precise,” said 2021 winner Lucas Herbert, who navigated tricky wind conditions over the weekend en route to a 15-under total and one-stroke victory. “You’ve got to be really good at understanding how the wind moves around the golf course. “It’s not the longest golf course we play on TOUR, but the test is not about the length, it’s all about controlling the golf ball.” “You’ve got to be in control of your ball flight and know your numbers and distances, where to hit and not to,” said Matt Fitzpatrick, reigning U.S. Open champion. “I think there’s a lot of mental stuff involved, and you’ve really got to think your way around. You’ve got to be on top of your game; it’s a challenge, and you’ve got to be on it for 72 holes.” I think there’s a lot of mental stuff involved, and you’ve really got to think your way around. You’ve got to be on top of your game. The winner at Port Royal GC will be exempt on TOUR through 2025 and qualify for this season’s Masters, PLAYERS and PGA Championship among other perks. The stakes are high, in contrast to the leisurely setting of the 15-minute ferry ride from the hotel to the golf course. Players can meander the top deck and savor the ocean views, or converse with their peers in the cabin below. Rob Oppenheim has even converted the ferry into a practice facility, doing putting drills on the top deck en route to a top-25 finish in the event’s first playing in 2019. Bermuda comprises more golf courses per square mile than anywhere else in the world, and the tournament has strived to provide opportunities to local players through the years, including Brian Morris, head professional at nearby Ocean View GC who has terminal brain cancer but competed at last year’s Butterfield Bermuda Championship on a sponsor exemption. Morris maintained an upbeat presence throughout the week at Port Royal GC, capturing the spirits of fellow pros and fans as well as the worldwide golf landscape. “I believe that a positive attitude and positive outlook is probably better than any miracle drug,” Morris said. “We have a lot to be thankful for, outside of the bad things. There’s so much to life without dwelling on the bad stuff.” Bermuda’s climate is conducive to year-round golf, allowing local pros ample time to hone their games. Concurrently, the sport has become an integral part of the international business landscape on the island. Each year, tournament exemptions are awarded via a local qualifier for Bermudians. The 2022 qualifier was conducted Wednesday, with Michael Sims, Jarryd Dillas and Nicholas Jones earning spots in the field at Port Royal GC. Sims, who has spent time on the Korn Ferry Tour, has now qualified for the Bermuda Championship on four consecutive occasions. Across the past three years, his former Korn Ferry Tour-turned-PGA TOUR peers have discovered the truth to Sim’s sentiments of the island’s magic. “I had a ton of fun with everyone,” said Harry Higgs, who finished runner-up at the inaugural Butterfield Bermuda Championship in 2019. “The island’s great, so hospitable, well-run event. It was a lot of fun, for sure.”

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