Waters takes 3-shot lead at rain-affected UK Championship

Nestled inside the West Coast Swing is a fortnight of bucket-list experiences during which we’re at the midpoint. Simply attending the Waste Management Phoenix Open checks off one box for all fans of the PGA TOUR, but to play Pebble Beach Golf Links even once in a lifetime sits atop the ranking of targets for all golfers. But how about twice in four months? After it anchors this week’s AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am, the host course will gear up in earnest for the U.S. Open in mid-June. As of midday Monday, 13 of the 156 golfers in this week’s field officially are qualified for the season’s third major, and many more entrants will gain entry over time without having to endure sectional qualifying. So, this week presents the bonus of a scouting trip for the major. Those who have flocked to the Monterey Peninsula will be treated to a sampling of what to expect in the U.S. Open. Scroll past the ranking for details on that, how co-hosts Spyglass Hill Golf Club and Monterey Peninsula Country Club’s Shore Course fit in, an explanation of the tournament’s format and more. Tuesday’s Fantasy Insider will include defending champion Ted Potter, Jr., 2014 winner Jimmy Walker, Adam Scott, Patrick Reed and Tony Finau. It also will dive into more detail about the difficulty of each course and how fantasy gamers should approach the tournament. To prepare Pebble Beach for the U.S. Open, primary rough already has been allowed to grow on the perimeters of the fairways. While landing areas will be noticeably tighter than usual, the longest of the grass will be capped at two inches for the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am. In 2010, when Pebble Beach was striding to the plate to host the U.S. Open, the field split 65.40 percent of the fairways in the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am earlier in the year. That represented a decrease of 10-12 percent compared to the years leading into that season. Field averages have fluctuated in between since, but finding the short grass will again have some value this week. Considering that Pebble’s distance of all drives of 271.3 yards was the shortest average among all courses measured last season (and in line with its long-term trend) and that the course’s putting surfaces average a tiny 3,500 square feet, boring golf is great golf amid the best of vistas. This is the 10th consecutive edition of the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am for which the current rotation of courses is used. Pebble Beach and Spyglass Hill are par 72s, while MPCC’s Shore Course is a par 71 with five par 3s. Three of MPCC’s par 5s are on the inward nine, so the respective pars are 34 and 37. All three tracks are among the shortest tackled all season, but Spyglass Hill now boasts the longest walk of the trio, if barely. Thanks to an increase of seven yards on the par-3 third hole (to 172 yards), its overall yardage is 6,960 yards, two yards longer than MPCC. Pebble Beach checks is as usual at 6,816 yards. (It was stretched to 7,040 yards for the 2010 U.S. Open.) Severe weather over the weekend caused damage to temporary structures erected for the tournament. Trees also were uprooted, but none of the three courses were affected directly. So, the only twister you’ll see is Ho Sung Choi’s swing. The 45-year-old from South Korea is making his PGA TOUR debut this week (on a sponsor exemption). His action went viral last summer, and then he won the Casio World Open in late November. If he can replicate or improve on the result of Matthew Wolff – he of his own unique swing – at last week’s WMPO (T50), it’ll be a mission accomplished. After every golfer records one round on each course, only the low 60 and ties at the conclusion of 54 holes will play the finale at Pebble Beach. However, just like at every non-major with a cut, the low 70 and ties will collect FedExCup points and official earnings. Furthermore, the low 25 pro-am teams also will compete for their respective title at Pebble Beach on Sunday, even if the pro in the partnership missed the cut in the tournament proper. Because ShotLink will be used only on Pebble Beach for the tournament, lasered statistics including distance of all drives, proximity to the hole and all stroked-gained data will apply only to the host course. Winter is hanging on tightly along the Northern California coast. Daytime highs may not even reach the mid-50s throughout, and even that reflects a mild warming. After a dry opening round, rain is all but guaranteed during each of the last three, so the Poa annua greens likely won’t touch 11-and-a-half feet on the Stimpmeter as designed. Sustained winds at 10-15 mph will accompany the precipitation. Indeed, a bucket-list experience at Pebble Beach.   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 presented by SERVPRO, which also publishes on Tuesdays.

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Phil Mickelson didn’t have his best day Saturday at the Travelers Championship. Did that cost him a chance for a win on Sunday?

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The 149th Open Championship, the last major of the season, will be played at Royal St. George’s Golf Club located in Sandwich, Kent, England. The course will play as a par 70, measuring 7,211 yards. The greens will be 40% bentgrass and 60% fescue this week. Set your DraftKings fantasy golf lineups here: $2.5M Fantasy Golf Millionaire [$1M to 1st + ToC Entry] (PGA) STRATEGY Royal St. George’s GC has hosted 14 Open Championships and was the first course outside of Scotland to host the tournament back in 1894. Built on a wild duneland, this course is a proper test of links golf, with partially blind shots and deep bunkering around the course; the fourth hole is reported to have the deepest bunker in championship golf. Situated on the coast, Royal St. George’s GC will be susceptible to inclement weather, even with wind power as benign as 10 mph. The weather can also change at a moment’s notice, so checking the weather report right up until lock is highly advised. Only one player, Greg Norman, was able to record a double-digit winning score of 13-under back in 1993, but scores this and every year will depend on the conditions. This week’s field is somewhat of a moving target, with several players deciding not to play due to travel requirements or other reasons. Sungjae Im and Si Woo Kim have decided to prepare for the Olympics in Tokyo. Hideki Matsuyama, Kevin Na, Matthew Wolff and Cameron Davis have opted not to make the trip, while Bubba Watson, who was in close contact with someone who tested positive for COVID-19, and Zach Johnson, who tested positive for COVID-19, are also not in the field. Links experience is crucial this week. Six out of the past nine winners played at the Irish or Scottish Open, on a links course, the week previous. Also, 13 of the past 14 winners have had a top 10 in an Open Championship before their victory. Still, current form and golfers who are playing well heading into The Open Championship is also worth mentioning. As with all par 70s, par 4 efficiency will be important this week. The top 5 in Strokes Gained: Par 4 coming into this week is Jordan Spieth (+1400, $9,700), Patrick Cantlay (+3500, $8,900), Abraham Ancer (+6500, $ 7,600), Collin Morikawa (+2500, $9,200) and Louis Oosthuizen (+2500, $9,300). Placement Off-the-Tee will help this week but make no mistake, this is a second shot course. The top five golfers in Strokes Gained: Approach-the-Green over the last 24 rounds are Morikawa, Emiliano Grillo (+20000, $6,700), Daniel Berger (+4500, $7,400), Paul Casey (+3500, $8,600) and Rory McIlroy (+1800, $10,900). GOLFERS TO CONSIDER Brooks Koepka (+1800 to Win, $10,700 on DraftKings) The narrative of playing Brooks at a major needs no explanation at this point. He has three top 5s in his previous four starts with a fourth at the U.S. Open and a runner up at the PGA Championship. With a top 5 in 2019 and a sixth-place finish back in 2017 at Royal Birkdale, Koepka should be an anchor in both cash and GPP lineups this week. Over his previous 24 rounds, Brooks ranks 10th in approach and sixth Off-The-Tee. It should be noted that Brooks’ finishes at the U.S Open at Torrey Pines and the PGA Championship at the Ocean Course were both coastal courses. He also had a seventh-place finish at the RBC Heritage last season at Harbour Town, another coastal track. Paul Casey (+3500 to Win, $8,600 on DraftKings) The Englishman has had stellar finishes in the two previous majors and a win earlier this season at the Omega Dubai Desert Classic. Ranked 20th in the world, Casey’s form is just what you want coming into this week. He’s got 16 Open Championship appearances to his name, with a T3 in 2010 as his best finish. Don’t worry about his T54 in 2011 here; focus more on his form, ranking second in Strokes Gained: Tee-to-Green over the previous 24 rounds. A top-5 finish at Pebble Beach and the PGA Championship, along with his stellar iron play and tournament experience, make Casey my favorite play this week, especially when the greens are bentgrass (even if it’s only 40%). Branden Grace (+7000 to Win, $7,200 on DraftKings) Another favorite play this week is the smooth-swinging South African. No, not Louis Oosthuizen (+2500, $9,300), but Branden Grace, the 2021 Puerto Rico Open champion. Few have been playing better than Grace, ranking ninth in Strokes Gained: Total over the past 24 rounds and 23rd with his irons over the previous dozen rounds. We know Grace can go low at this tournament, with the lowest Saturday round of 62 at Royal Birkdale in 2017. Grace has a top 20 in 2015 and a sixth-place finish in 2017 at past Open Championships. Another player we should be interested in is Alex Noren (+8000, $7,200), who has been playing fantastic golf recently. A form player, Noren has a top 15 and a top 5 in two of the past three starts, gaining an average of 3.37 strokes Tee-to-Green over that timeframe. Noren also has a spectacular record at this tournament, finishing 11th in 2019 and earning top 10s in 2017 and 2012. Kevin Kisner (+18000 to Win, $6,900 on DraftKings) Since 2015, Kisner ranks 30th in SG: Total at The Open Championship. A top 30 last season and a runner-up finish in 2018 at Carnoustie CC, Kisner has found success across the pond, which is most likely his best chance of winning a major. Hamstrung by his lack of length, Kisner more than makes up for it with his short game, ranking 34th in Strokes Gained: Around-the-Green and third in putting over the past 24 rounds. He’s missed the cut in all three majors this season, but he’s another player who’s had success on coastal courses. Refer a friend and get $20 DK Dollars! Head to the DraftKings Playbook Promo page for more details! Set your DraftKings fantasy golf lineups here: $2.5M Fantasy Golf Millionaire [$1M to 1st + ToC Entry] (PGA) Put your knowledge to the test. Sign up for DraftKings and experience the game inside the game. All views expressed are my own. I am an employee of DraftKings and am ineligible to play in public DFS or DKSB contests. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, crisis counseling and referral services can be accessed by calling 1-800-GAMBLER (1-800-426-2537) (IL). Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER (NJ/WV/PA/MI), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN), 1-800-522-4700 (NH/CO), 1-800-BETS OFF(IA), 1-888-532-3500 (VA) or call/text TN REDLINE 1-800-889-9789 (TN). 21+ (18+ NH). CO/IL/IN/IA/NH/NJ/PA/TN/VA/WV/MI only. Eligibility restrictions apply. See draftkings.com/sportsbook for full terms and conditions.

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