Top 30 Players to Watch in 2019: No. 20 Patrick Cantlay

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SOUTHAMPTON, Bermuda – Of the few things in golf that cannot be debated, the ageless adage that “it’s an outdoor game” remains at the top of a very short list. RELATED: Full leaderboard | ‘Brutal’ conditions lead to wild day Acceptance of that has, in turn, always opened the door to reminders that Mother Nature is in charge, that “rub of the green” needs to be part of the process, and that you are defenseless against the unpredictable ways of weather. Fair enough, all of that, but here’s a disclaimer: You can take measures to be proactive against extreme weather and that’s why Nick Watney was among a steady parade of players who offered good cheer to the PGA TOUR rules and competitions folks. “I think they did a really nice job of setting the course up to where it was playable with this much wind,” said Watney, who teed off at 8:08 in the fourth pairing at the Butterfield Bermuda Championship at Port Royal Golf Course and competed when the weather was at its worst. Wind blew steadily at about 25 m.p.h. and gusted up to 35-to-40, rain came down at various points, sometimes in sheets, and the word every rules official dreads – oscillating – was very much in play. Ricky Barnes certainly was thinking about that. After all, he has played at Pebble Beach and St. Andrews when play came to a halt, despite brilliant sunshine, because balls were moving on the green. Yet with wind blowing hats off players’ heads and efforts to even hold an umbrella proving futile, officials never had to blow the air horn. Credit the decision to keep green speeds to “around 10,” said PGA Tour rules official John Mutch, who got here Sunday and has seen a series of accurate forecasts. “I didn’t have a ball move,” said Barnes. “It was difficult, but it was playable.” The decision to make one of the shorter courses on the PGA TOUR (Port Royal is 6,828 yards) even shorter focused on the demanding par 3s. Yardage was trimmed from each (Nos. 3, 8, 13, 16) and when Watney talked of “shots that are scary” at Port Royal, he circled 16. There, both tee and green hang out over the ocean. “Playing that hole at 235 with that sort of wind in your chops, that wouldn’t have been right,” said Mutch, who set it up at 165. Ditto No. 13, which was 195 yards downhill into wind, but not the 235 it could have been. “But they still gave you all you wanted,” said Mutch, and the numbers supported him. The 13th and 16th played over par and were ranked third- and second-most difficult. Which isn’t to say that Port Royal won’t grow a little bit overnight and into the weekend. “Friday, it will be a little more sporty,” said Mutch. “We have a better forecast.”

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Now that the freshest crop of Web.com Tour graduates has broken the seal on the 2018-19 season, it’s time for the most successful of returning PGA TOUR members to begin capitalizing on opportunities procured. Beginning with this week’s CIMB Classic in Malaysia and extending into next week’s second annual THE CJ CUP @ NINE BRIDGES in South Korea, the top 60 available in the FedExCup standings from last season are exempt. While sponsor exemptions and members of the Asian Tour and KPGA will populate fields of 78 for each event, the FedExCuppers will serve as the majority of both. Scroll beneath the ranking for details on the comprehensive renovation that TPC Kuala Lumpur underwent since last year’s CIMB Classic, what it’s taken to contend on the course in its five-year history as host and more. Tuesday’s Fantasy Insider will include defending champion Pat Perez, Louis Oosthuizen, Kevin Na, Kiradech Aphibarnrat and Thomas Pieters among other notables. Because the first two events of the three-week Asian Swing are limited-field invitationals, Web.com Tour grads have known that they’d have this time off before the Sanderson Farms Championship on Oct. 25-28. For the busiest of the grads, this is their first break of this length since early April. For those qualified and committed to either of the next three tournaments (including the World Golf Championships-HSBC Champions in China the same week as the Sanderson Farms Championship), the transpacific trip guarantees FedExCup points and earnings as there are no cuts. TPC Kuala Lumpur presents the first test. It’s a stock par 72 tipping at just 7,005 yards. Although last year’s scoring average of 70.663 registered a three-year high, it’s been one of the most gettable tracks of the season. However, how it scores this week remains to be seen. All paspalum grass has been replaced with bermudagrass. The combination of Celebration tees and fairways with TifEagle greens replicates the agronomy at TPC Sawgrass, for example. Hot and humid conditions with the omnipresent threat of rain and storms will cap Stimpmeter readings at 12 feet, while TOUR-average targets may repel approaches until mature. Still, with rough no longer than two-and-a-half inches and perennially soft conditions, low scores are projected in these climes. Pat Perez aims to become the third consecutive two-time defending champion of the CIMB Classic. Ryan Moore (2013-14) and Justin Thomas (2015-16) preceded. Perez co-led his field in greens in regulation en route to 23-under 265, but he ranked outside the top 10 in both putts per GIR and birdies-or-better with the putter. With new putting surfaces, the premium of creating scoring opportunities rises. ShotLink technology will not be utilized in any of the three events in Asia. 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, Twitter live fantasy show THURSDAY: Champions One & Done * – Rob is a member of the panel for PGATOUR.COM’s Expert Picks for PGA TOUR Fantasy Golf presented by SERVPRO, which also publishes on Tuesdays.

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