When the wheels fall off at THE PLAYERS

Four tournaments remain in Segment 3 of PGA TOUR Fantasy Golf presented by SERVPRO. Each will be contested on the same course as last year and use ShotLink to measure every stroke. While we never can map out who starts where, angling at the greatest value for fantasy scoring is possible. Reviewing the top performers in the 2017 Travelers Championship, Quicken Loans National, A Military Tribute at the Greenbrier and the John Deere Classic, the last two yielded weekly high scores of 1,676 points and 1,669 points, respectively. Meanwhile, last year’s fantasy champ at TPC River Highlands touched 1,507 points. The QLN pacesetter totaled 1,348 points. The differences aren’t negligible for the picky and sometimes the best advice is the most obvious. Invest in what you know. This week’s field is loaded with a short list of prospective winners, many of whom we may not see again until Segment 4. At least make room on your bench for the possibilities. PGA TOUR Fantasy Golf presented by SERVPRO My roster for the Travelers Championship (in alphabetical order): Daniel Berger Paul Casey Charley Hoffman Rory McIlroy Patrick Reed Jordan Spieth You’ll find my starters in Expert Picks. Others to consider for each category (in alphabetical order): Scoring: Jason Day; Bryson DeChambeau; Marc Leishman; Xander Schauffele; Justin Thomas Driving: Keegan Bradley; Jason Day; Bryson DeChambeau; Russell Henley; Kevin Streelman; Bubba Watson Approach: Keegan Bradley; Bryson DeChambeau; Russell Henley; Zach Johnson; Russell Knox; Kevin Streelman; Vaughn Taylor Short: Jason Day; Beau Hossler; Patrick Rodgers; Webb Simpson; Justin Thomas Power Rankings Wild Card Bubba Watson … This is as good a week as any to remind you that omissions from the Power Rankings aren’t default fades. Had the column gone 20 deep, he’d have appeared. This is also to say that I wouldn’t talk you out of any usage this week. He’s been a monster at TPC River Highlands with two wins among three top-six finishes contributing to his position atop the tournament’s all-time money list. However, his form has slipped over the last two months, enough to get bumped from the Power Rankings. You know the risk, you know the reward, so blend him in responsibly. Draws Kevin Streelman … With his walk-off binge to prevail by one in 2014, he’s among the posterized finishes at TPC River Highlands in recent memory, but that’s one of four top 10s in 10 trips, so he’s already a tremendous complement in every format. Last year’s T8 occurred amid a nice burst of form, something that he lacks upon arrival this time, but at third in greens hit, T27 in proximity and third in bogey avoidance, the ingredients exist for another leaderboard appearance. Russell Knox … Before Jordan Spieth slung a sand wedge in the direction of caddie Michael Greller after holing out from the bunker in the playoff last year, it was Knox who fired a seed with his cap after sinking the clinching par save from 12 feet to win the 2016 edition. The Scot has enjoyed a consistently strong 2017-18 that includes a T12 at last week’s U.S. Open, his career-best finish in 13 starts in majors. He’s 10th on TOUR in greens hit and T17 in proximity. He’ll also begin the tournament on Thursday with natural good vibes of this 33rd birthday. Zach Johnson … Hasn’t done anything to discourage us in weekly formats, but he’s not necessarily playing up to his price tag, either. However, with the breadth of this field, you can get away with hopping on the bandwagon. He’s a relative plus. Coming off a steady T12 at Shinnecock Hills and co-leads the TOUR in proximity to the hole. Brandt Snedeker … While it’s hard to believe that it’s been a year already since Spieth’s bunker hole-out to win the Travelers Championship, you can’t blame Snedeker for possibly feeling that it’s been one of the longest 12-month cycles of his career. Little did he know it at the time, but his T14 at TPC River Highlands last year would be his last tournament for five months. And while there have been whiffs of who we’ve always known him to be – a scorer with the sharpest touch around and on greens you’re ever going to find – he’s lacked consistency. Expectations are elevated this week as TPC River Highlands has been the site of many good memories. Given his form this time around, his record doesn’t resonate like other horses, but it certainly doesn’t hurt. Since 2011, he’s 4-for-4 with top 15s in his last three trips. Keegan Bradley … One of two home games (with the Dell Technologies Championship). Not surprisingly, he’s been a fixture and a mild force at both. At TPC River Highlands, the 32-year-old is 7-for-7 with three top 25s, including a personal-best T8 last year. His scoring average in his 28 rounds is a sporty 68.50. Jim Furyk (DFS) Emiliano Grillo (all) Brian Harman (SERVPRO) Russell Henley (all) Billy Horschel (DFS) Chez Reavie (DFS) Fades Kyle Stanley … He’s been a man for the job on all kinds of tracks over the last 15 months, and it was just two weeks ago that he was a playoff victim at Muirfield Village, but he’s best suited for longer tests where his ball-striking with some pop off the tee can really shine. Also just 4-for-8 at TPC River Highlands with but two top-55 finishes. Pat Perez … I love myself some Double-P, but he’s gone seven straight starts in individual competition without a top-35 finish. Granted, there were some challenging events sprinkled in, but that hasn’t stopped him before. This is also his first look at TPC River Highlands in nine years. Patrick Cantlay … It’s not often when he lands in this grouping, especially at the site of his career-low 60 (in 2011), but there are other chips on the board with which you can play. This is his first trip to TPC River Highlands in four years and he’s been a little more miss than hit lately. Only gamers in roster formats wishing to swing for the fences should consider. Luke List … Scuffled in his last four starts and just 1-for-6 at the Travelers from 2007-2016. Andrew Landry … His breakthrough title at the Valero Texas Open connects entirely with his all-or-nothing trajectory of the season. Consider that he’s 8-for-18 and that all four of his top-40 finishes are top sevens, the last of which was the coronation two months ago. Rory Sabbatini … The 42-year-old has been terrific through 2018. He’s 81st in the FedExCup standings and fills numerous analytical roles with full-season stats, but his record at TPC River Highlands is pedestrian. Since 2012, he’s just 2-for-4 with a T18 (2012) and a T56 (2016). Bottom line, this is a bonus opportunity for full-season investors. Bill Haas Adam Hadwin J.B. Holmes Si Woo Kim Jamie Lovemark Returning to Competition Chris Stroud … Be careful here. He hasn’t played since a sore knee forced him to walk off Colonial during the second round four weeks ago. He went 3-for-3 in advance of that start, but withdrew during the Valero Texas Open before that. He’s been perfect in nine starts with four top 20s at TPC River Highlands since 2008 and arrives having signed for 19 consecutive rounds of par or better on the track. So, as much as he screams sleeper, he’s at best a flier in DFS, and fractionally at that. Davis Love III … Committed to this week’s American Family Insurance Championship on the PGA TOUR Champions. It will mark his first live action since he withdrew from the Wells Fargo Championship before his second round due to discomfort in his back. The 54-year-old is in no-man’s land on both circuits right now. He’s 99th in the Schwab Cup standings and 204th in FedExCup points. He may present positively as back-end value for full-season salary gamers in 2018-19, but even if he struggles before that decision is due in a few months, it will be tough to invest in that hope. Notable WDs Louis Oosthuizen … Back-doored a T16 at the U.S. Open with a closing 69. At 65th in the FedExCup standings, he’s poised to build on that this summer. Andrew Putnam … The runner-up at the FedEx St. Jude Classic will have to debut at TPC River Highlands another year. He’s opting for another week off since his close call. Sits a comfortable 51st in FedExCup points. Greg Chalmers … First time he’s missing this tournament in 10 years, although he hadn’t recorded a top 35 since 2009, so maybe it’s just as well. Currently third on TOUR in strokes gained: putting but 165th in the FedExCup standings. His multi-year exemption for winning the 2016 Barracuda Championship expires in two months. Power Rankings Recap – U.S. Open Power Ranking  Golfer  Result 1  Jon Rahm  MC 2  Dustin Johnson  3rd 3  Rickie Fowler  T20 4  Jason Day  MC 5  Justin Thomas  T25 6  Justin Rose  T10 7  Rory McIlroy  MC 8  Phil Mickelson  T48 9  Brooks Koepka  Win 10  Patrick Reed  4th 11  Hideki Matsuyama  T16 12  Webb Simpson  T10 13  Henrik Stenson  T6 14  Bryson DeChambeau  T25 15  Tommy Fleetwood  2nd 16  Louis Oosthuizen  T16 17  Matt Kuchar  MC 18  Jimmy Walker  T56 19  Marc Leishman  T45 20  Jordan Spieth  MC Wild Card  Paul Casey  T16 Sleepers Recap – U.S. Open Golfer  Result Byeong Hun An  67th Keegan Bradley  MC Jason Dufner  T25 Matthew Fitzpatrick  T12 Emiliano Grillo  MC Chesson Hadley  MC Adam Hadwin  MC Andrew Johnston  62nd Russell Knox  T12 Alexander Levy  MC Luke List  MC Shane Lowry  MC Graeme McDowell  MC Thorbjørn Olesen  MC Chez Reavie  MC Patrick Rodgers  T41 Ollie Schniederjans  MC Cameron Smith  MC Brandt Snedeker  T48 Peter Uihlein  T48 Jhonattan Vegas  T41 Matt Wallace  MC Birthdays among active golfers on the PGA TOUR June 19 … none June 20 … Charles Howell III (39) June 21 … Matt Kuchar (40); William McGirt (39); Russell Knox (33); Sangmoon Bae (32); Aaron Wise (22) June 22 … Dustin Johnson (34) June 23 … none June 24 … none June 25 … John Rollins (43)

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OVERVIEW Tony Finau still has just one PGA TOUR title to his name, the 2016 Puerto Rico Open, but is next-level stardom awaiting the long-hitting Utahan in 2019? Brooks Koepka thinks so, and he knows whereof he speaks. Koepka said recently that he intentionally nudged Finau into the bright lights when they were Ryder Cup partners in France, pushing for the duo to be sent out first out for the American team on Friday.  “I wanted me and Tony to go out first,â€� Koepka told Golf.com. “First off, I felt like it was really going to help Tony’s career. He’s such a good player and he’s a lot like me. I could see that scenario really progressing him to be in my shoes. I really could see that.â€� The two were indeed sent out first, and beat Jon Rahm and Justin Rose 1 up as the U.S. took an early lead. Two days later, Finau made six birdies and thumped Tommy Fleetwood 6 and 4 in singles, one of the few highlights for the U.S. on the weekend as he ran his record to 2-1-0. And what of Koepka’s prediction? Finau has since finished second at the World Golf Championships-HSBC Champions, which he called a lost opportunity, and finished out of contention at the Shriners Hospitals for Children Open (T36) and Mayakoba Golf Classic (T16), where the tight El Camaleon course wouldn’t seem to suit his game. When (but not whether) the superstar-in-waiting Finau gets win No. 2 remains one of the biggest questions in golf. – By Cameron Morfit Click here to see who else made the Top 30 list. BY THE NUMBERS FEDEXCUP UPDATE Current 2018-19 position: 12th Playoff appearances: 4 TOUR Championship appearances: 2 Best FedExCup result: 6th in 2018. SHOTLINK FUN FACT Tony Finau has the most Strokes Gained: Off-the-Tee in the last two combined seasons on the PGA TOUR, gaining 115.326 strokes on the field in that category. INSIDER INSIGHTS PGATOUR.COM’s Insiders offer their expert views on what to expect from Tony Finau in 2019. TOUR INSIDER: Finau was 180th in Driving Accuracy last season, but it didn’t hurt him as he was 17th in Greens in Regulation percentage. And it’s hard to argue with 11 top-10s and 19 top-25 finishes in 28 starts (6th in the FedExCup). To turn those close calls into victories, though, he’ll need to putt better (65th in Strokes Gained: Putting last season) and, more crucially, finish better. Last season he was 8th in first-round scoring but fell to 31st in that stat on Sundays. – By Cameron Morfit FANTASY INSIDER: I can’t think of the last golfer with only one PGA TOUR win for whom it’s reasonable to expect multiple victories in a single season sooner than later. He nearly connected with his validation at the World Golf Championships-HSBC Champions in October, but there will not be shortage on opportunities to convert his second title because you could successfully argue that no one who plays as often adapts better to every test. Although he banked $5.620 million in 2017-18, hedge for an increase in his age-29 season. — By Rob Bolton EQUIPMENT INSIDER: Long-hitting Finau, alongside fellow bomber Cameron Champ, plays the ultra-forgiving Ping G400 Max driver; Finau’s driver is 9.5 degrees and has an Accra Z X485 M5 shaft in it. He also plays a Ping i500 3-iron, a hollow-bodied iron designed for forgiveness, in addition to a set of Ping iBlades (4-PW). To go along with 13 Ping clubs – he signed a multi-year contract with Ping in the beginning of 2018 — Finau uses a beautiful Piretti Elite, wide-soled putter. — By Andrew Tursky STYLE INSIDER: Finau is another Nike athlete whose athleticism is a perfect fit for the brand’s high-tech threads. If there is one style move that amateurs should steal from Finau it’s the cut of his trousers. The slim fit, aggressive taper, and short break are on trend. — By Greg Monteforte

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