Wie West-led initiative to support LPGA players

Last week’s CJ CUP @ NINE BRIDGES was the first tournament of the 2019-20 season for which ShotLink wasn’t used. That meant that fantasy scoring was determined by actual scores and bonus points only. Since all of the remaining four events this fall used in PGA TOUR Fantasy Golf also won’t have ShotLink measurements contributing, it’s interesting to review how fantasy scoring at NINE BRIDGES stacked up against the first five tournaments. (The Seaside Course at The RSM Classic will be lasered, but because the co-hosting Plantation Course won’t be, ShotLink will not apply to that tournament for fantasy purposes.) The top performers at the first four tournaments recorded totals of 958 points (Greenbrier), 986 points (Sanderson Farms), 924 points (Safeway) and 1,081 points (Shriners). The weekly winner of the Houston Open amassed only 875 points. The broad-stroke analysis of why the best teams varied as such is rooted in the usual variables of distance off the tee and overall scoring. Golf Club of Houston yielded the shortest average of distance of all drives and the highest scoring average thus far. RELATED: Power Rankings | Horses for Courses | Daily fantasy advice Without ShotLink active at NINE BRIDGES, “tampatom” led all fantasy gamers with 880 points. While he collected bonus points with Justin Thomas (win), Danny Lee (2nd), Hideki Matsuyama (T3) and Byeong Hun An (T6), overall scoring was comparable to Houston (with ShotLink) because actual scoring was lower in the tournament proper. Scoring at Narashino Country Club this week is projected to be tempered during the first two rounds due to wind. Come the weekend, the only defense for the short course with three par-5s might be hole locations. The wind will lay down, so it could surrender low scores. As a long-time gamer and honest critic of the various fantasy formats that have been offered, I must stress that the current iteration of PGA TOUR Fantasy Golf finally gets it right. Any game in which you have as much to gain as you have to lose while covering the alternative dynamics such as the current stretch that covers the no-cut Asian Swing and without ShotLink, without golf shoes getting hurled at it, is impressive. Short- and long-range fantasy golf formats are far from perfect due to the nature of the sport, so appreciating what we have now is as important as the value that has been validated. PGA TOUR Fantasy Golf My roster for the ZOZO CHAMPIONSHIP (in alphabetical order): Tony Finau Matthew Fitzpatrick Hideki Matsuyama Rory McIlroy Xander Schauffele Justin Thomas You’ll find my starters in Expert Picks. Others to consider for each category (in alphabetical order): Scoring: Paul Casey; Adam Hadwin; Ryan Moore; Collin Morikawa; Kevin Na; Patrick Reed; Adam Scott; Jordan Spieth; Gary Woodland Driving: n/a Power Rankings Wild Card Jason Day … A rare second consecutive appearance by the same golfer in this space, so go ahead and debate it. He was sharp in the opener at NINE BRIDGES with a bogey-free, 6-under 66, but he didn’t break 71 the rest of the way and drifted to T31 for his sixth straight result outside the top 30. It’s irrelevant that he won Monday’s MGM Resorts The Challenge, except for what that could do for his confidence. Winning is winning is winning and he proved something to himself amid his current slump. So, maybe it’s not so irrelevant after all. Draws Joaquin Niemann … Bell answered. I was cool on him THE CJ CUP @ NINE BRIDGES because I wasn’t yet convinced that he had separated from the career achievement of winning at Greenbrier. How much time required to turn the page mentally from a breakthrough victory and the next start that showcases similar form varies. That he was the first Chilean to win a PGA TOUR event brought with it more significance than usual. Given his results in the two events that followed, we couldn’t rule out the hangover effect (even though he doesn’t turn 21 until Nov. 7, wink wink). Lo and behold, he walked off NINE BRIDGES with an eagle-3 and signed for a 4-under 68 to finish T12. Consider the page turned. Ian Poulter … Split the bull’s-eye at NINE BRIDGES with a T16. It piles onto a record there that started with a T15 and a T10, but he’s always flourished in the limited-field, no-cut events. The ZOZO CHAMPIONSHIP is yet another that allows him to put another brick on the wall for the season. Marc Leishman … As he continues to experience inconsistency, this is not a time to run. He’s only two starts and less than one month removed from a solo third at Silverado. It’s one of, count ’em, seven top-fives worldwide in the last 11 months. His class is permanent. What should excite you (and him) this week is that the wind is expected to play a role during the first two rounds (assuming no extended delays on Friday). Suit him up! Andrew Putnam … I’m slowly generating a man-crush on the 30-year-old. Go ahead and cite a weakness. I’ll wait. … Exactly. Since a T3 at Colonial, he’s 12-for-12 worldwide with seven top-25s. He’s nails no matter your format. He’s also affordable in DFS. Chez Reavie … Arrives on a downturn, but Narashino is a short track that will reward his tee-to-green precision. Invest in a likely upswing. Viktor Hovland Shugo Imahira Kevin Kisner Collin Morikawa Kevin Na Harold Varner III Fades Tiger Woods … Once upon a time, and still to a lesser degree today, playing time late in the calendar year for golfers coming off an injury was considered an opportunity for gamers to observe for relevant action to come. However, since the wraparound schedule was introduced six years ago, these guys can contribute to the bottom line. The trick is letting them come to you, no matter the billing. Monday’s exhibition was a bonus that allowed his owners to exhale in advance of his season debut, which is his first official action since the BMW Championship in August and, more importantly, since he underwent knee surgery. Yes, there’s no cut, Narashino is a short course and he’s capable of winning, obviously, but there are hotter, healthier and younger talents from which to choose. If you can’t help yourself, then just stow him on your bench in PGA TOUR Fantasy and surround him with chalk. Danny Lee … First and foremost, we have to respect the emotional component and unquantifiable motivation triggered by the premature birth of his second child on the eve of THE CJ CUP @ NINE BRIDGES. He mentioned it after the third round even though he wasn’t going to speak about it until after the tournament, and then decided not to elaborate. That tournament also was contested in his native South Korea, so it’s only natural to connect his focus to when he wanted to qualify for the Presidents Cup in the country in 2015, which he achieved. In terms of execution, he ranked just T56 in greens in regulation at NINE BRIDGES but led the field in both scrambling and fewest putts taken. On unfamiliar greens at Narashino this week, he’ll be better suited to hit more of them than he found of the massive targets last week. And now a week removed from the variables of going to work immediately after a significant life event and an admission of it, it’d be understandable if he lacks the same fire in Japan. Byeong Hun An … Although he led after one round at NINE BRIDGES and finished T6 for his second top-10 of the season, I prefer his hit-it-and-find-it style better on longer tracks where his distance is a distinct advantage. So, consider this as an opportunity to sit him out until the fit improves. Bubba Watson … His missed cut in his last start at the Shriners to open October was his fifth MC in 10 starts. He managed only one top-45 finish in the other five (T8, WGC-FedEx St. Jude). Daniel Berger Keegan Bradley Joel Dahmen Billy Horschel Jason Kokrak Returning to Competition Hudson Swafford … He got back after it in last week’s European Tour stop in Paris. After opening with 3-over 74 in the Open de France, he converted three eagles and four birdies en route to a second-round 65 to make the cut. After respective rounds of 69 and 76 on the weekend, he finished T29. The 32-year-old hadn’t played anywhere since missing the cut at the RBC Canadian Open in early June. It was his fifth straight MC and eighth in nine starts. Two weeks later, he withdrew early from the Travelers Championship, citing an injured foot. He opened this season with a Minor Medical Extension affording seven starts, but because he passed the four-month checkpoint without competing, he’s been elevated to the Major Medical category. If he earns 133.289 FedExCup points in seven starts, he’ll retain status for the remainder of 2019-20. He is not playing this week. Notable WDs J.B. Holmes … Withdrew during his third round at NINE BRIDGES with a shoulder injury, and then pulled out of the ZOZO not long after the commitment deadline. He’s had only one top-50 finish in his last 15 starts in individual competition (T21, Rocket Mortgage). Power Rankings Recap – THE CJ CUP @ NINE BRIDGES Power Ranking  Golfer  Result 1  Justin Thomas  Win 2  Brooks Koepka  WD 3  Sungjae Im  T39 4  Rafa Cabrera Bello  T26 5  Tommy Fleetwood  T20 6  Tyrrell Hatton  T6 7  Hideki Matsuyama  T3 8  Cameron Smith  T3 9  Danny Willett  T46 10  Marc Leishman  T43 11  Viktor Hovland  T31 12  Jazz Janewattananond  T65 13  Gary Woodland  T3 14  Kevin Na  T20 15  Pat Perez  T31 Wild Card  Jason Day  T31 Sleepers Recap – THE CJ CUP @ NINE BRIDGES Golfer  Result Joel Dahmen  T43 Kyonghun Moon  T46 Ryan Palmer  T12 Adam Schenk  T46 Brian Stuard  T72 Birthdays among active golfers on the PGA TOUR October 22 … none October 23 … none October 24 … Marc Leishman (36) October 25 … Troy Merritt (34); Xander Schauffele (26) October 26 … none October 27 … Fabián Gómez (41) October 28 … none

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It’s still the “Greenest Show on Grass” and #ThePeoplesOpen, and it still excites all the senses, but now it’s known as the WM Phoenix Open. Spectacular weather in the Valley of Sun – what else! – is expected for the most-attended sporting event in the world. As usual, TPC Scottsdale’s Stadium Course serves as the stage to 132 entrants. Details on the course, what it takes to prevail and more can be found beneath the projected contenders. Recent winners Tom Hoge (Pebble Beach), Harold Varner III (Saudi International), Luke List (Farmers) and Hudson Swafford (American Express) will be among the notables reviewed in Draws and Fades on Tuesday. Compared to most of the rest of the country, any winter in Phoenix is preferable, but to locals, it doesn’t take much more than a daytime high in the mid-60s to generate conversation about finding a sweater and something thicker than a light jacket. That’s also almost too cold for the ubiquitous hoodie/jeans/flip-flops combo in these climes. But not this week. A warming trend with temperatures approaching 80 degrees will bridge all four rounds of the tournament. Believe it or not, that’s well above average for this time of year. Wind will not be a factor. The weather, or lack thereof for anyone who defines it as requiring something other than glorious sunshine, parallels expectations inside the ropes at TPC Scottsdale. The course is the same as it was last year, and it’s perfect. The par 71 with three par 5s tips at 7,261 yards. Greens will roll at 12 feet on the Stimpmeter. Primary rough is trimmed to 2½ inches. Last year’s field averaged a cool 69.455, easily the lowest since Tom Weiskopf’s renovation was unveiled in 2015. However, that was in part due to a wet season immediately preceding it; that is the Stadium Course really didn’t have a chance. Greens that average a sizeable 7,000 square feet were hit on an average of almost 13 times in regulation per round. Those scoring opportunities yielded close to an average of four par breakers per round. With a drier pattern a year later, the track should punch back a bit. Brooks Koepka likely largely is remembered for holing out for eagle on the par-4 17th hole in the final round en route to his second victory on the course – he recorded his first PGA TOUR title here in 2015 – but he wouldn’t have been in position to pay off that 2 unless he put all the pieces together beforehand. As is often the case on the Stadium Course, distance off the tee is rewarded. Although cacti and other desert flora await the most wayward of tee balls, it serves more as the visual routing in contrast with the rich greens of the overseeded bermuda that blanket every hole. Koepka has the muscle, of course, but he also co-led the field in greens in regulation, missing only 10 all week. He ranked second overall in both Strokes Gained: Tee-to-Green and the all-around to post 19-under 265, lowest since Weiskopf went to work. ROB BOLTON’S SCHEDULE PGATOUR.COM’s Rob Bolton recaps and previews every tournament from numerous perspectives. Look for his following contributions as scheduled. MONDAY: Power Rankings TUESDAY*: Sleepers, Draws and Fades 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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PALM HARBOR, Fla. — Sam Burns kept piling up birdies Friday, turning a solid start into a great round of 8-under 63 for a share of the lead in the Valspar Championship. RELATED: Leaderboard | Max Homa ties ShotLink record to contend at Valspar Keegan Bradley got there with one shot. Bradley ended his round by holing out for eagle from 100 yards in the ninth fairway, over a deep bunker to the elevated green. The shot left him guessing until he saw the fans jump out of their seats. That gave him a 66 and the best uphill walk at Innisbrook. “I turned a good day into a great day,” Bradley said. “Man, it was a fun day. And what a way to finish. It was a blast.” Bradley and Burns were at 12-under 130, and their play in the steamy afternoon on the Copperhead course gave them a little separation starting out the weekend. Lucas Glover (65), Charley Hoffman (66) and Max Homa (68) were four shots back. Only 10 players were within five shots of the lead through 36 holes. Bradley, whose longest par putt was 4 feet in his bogey-free opening round, opened with two quick birdies before coming up short of the green on the 12th hole and making his first bogey. Birdies were hard to come by the rest of the way, but he made up for it with one swing. With the steep hill, he played the 100-yard shot as if it were 119, and then he added 6 yards to account for a little wind. It was a gap wedge. “A perfect shot,” he said. “You can’t see the green from down there, so you have to wait for the crowd’s reaction,” he said. “And when everyone puts their arms up, normally that means it goes in. So another bonus of having fans out here. It makes it a lot more exciting for everybody.” Maybe not for Phil Mickelson. The five-time major champion said he is struggling to keep his focus, or to regain his focus after distractions in the gallery, such as a phone ringing. He bogeyed two of his last three holes for a 69 to miss the cut by one shot. “My physical ability to refocus, to back away and then refocus and so forth, I’m physically not able to do it right now,” the 50-year-old Mickelson said. Burns had a few key par saves early in his round, and he took off after making the turn. He holed an 18-foot birdie putt on No. 10, reached the par-5 11th in two for a birdie and then holed a bunker shot on the 12th. “Birdied the first three on the back and then just kind of we’re off,” he said. Burns had a one-shot lead after 54 holes in the Vivint Houston Open in November and closed with a 72 to tie for seventh. He had a two-shot lead at Riviera going into the last round and shot 69 to finish one shot out of a playoff won by Homa. “For me it’s just sticking to what I’ve been doing, having a good game plan going into the day,” he said. “I know over the weekend there will be some challenges, and I’m excited for the opportunity.” Homa still has plenty of confidence from his win two months ago at Riviera, and it shows. He doesn’t feel as though any part of his game is out of order, and his putting has been superb. Homa has made five putts of 25 feet or longer. And his short track record at Innisbrook — three appearances, three missed cuts, all six rounds over par — is a distant memory that comes with a simple explanation. “I think I’m just better at golf now,” Homa said. Among those at 7-under 135 were Sungjae Im, one of the best iron players on TOUR at a course renowned for rewarding good ball-strikers, and past Innisbrook winner Charl Schwartzel. Due to the great finishes of Burns and Bradley, the top two players have their work cut out for them. Dustin Johnson (68) was nine shots back, while Justin Thomas (71) was 10 behind. Glover had a good stretch of his own, hitting 6-iron from 209 yards to 4 feet on No. 3, the hardest hole of the second round on the Copperhead course. He followed that with a chip 7-iron to a front pin just over the bunker on the par-3 fourth, settling 4 feet away for another birdie. Glover is trying to build confidence. Unlike Homa, he doesn’t have a recent victory to give him a spark. The last win for the former U.S. Open champion was 10 years ago at Quail Hollow. Still, there is a rhythm to how he plays and how he walks that is starting to look familiar. Glover doesn’t waste any time stepping over the ball and making contact — usually in the middle of the clubface — nor does he get overly excited on a Friday. But it’s a step in the right direction. His iron play has been average. His short game has bailed him out. All he wants now is to get his game a little more tidy. “Two more rounds to go. A lot can happen,” Glover said. “But I’m happy the way I’m playing, happy with the way I’m putting and just want to have a shot.”

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