Brandon Wu (+170 for a Top 20) … As a rookie in his debut at Port Royal last year, it was the site of his only cut made in his first 11 PGA TOUR starts, and he sat inside the top 25 before backpedaling into a T34 in the finale. Of course, he righted the ship and qualified for the FedExCup Playoffs, but it was a surprising launch into his career at this level for a talent with his pedigree. Already 3-for-4 this season with a T29 at the ZOZO CHAMPIONSHIP, but he’s still learning on how to make the most of his chances on a consistent basis. At Narashino, he ranked T7 in greens hit and fourth in scrambling, so he squandered his latest golden opportunity to break through, but the ingredients are mixing. Patrick Rodgers (+200 for a Top 20) … He’s gone 219 starts as a professional on the PGA TOUR and he’s still chasing his first victory, but he’s only 30 years of age, so by no means is the sunset within view; well, at least not as it concerns his career. An actual sunset at Port Royal must be a thing of beauty, so maybe his career-defining experience will preface Sunday’s. He hasn’t missed an edition of the Butterfield Bermuda Championship and he recorded a personal-best fourth here last year. He’s also on a patented run of form upon arrival with a T16 at Narashino as the nearest object in the rearview mirror. Chesson Hadley … Although he’s tended to do his best work very late in the season, he placed T16 here in his only prior trip in 2020. So, while I’m not endorsing extending a unit into his direction for a top 20, it wouldn’t be unprecedented for him to deliver on the investment. That aside, supporting his mental adjustment to get the job done under the pressure of qualifying for the FedExCup Playoffs and keeping his card is the fact that he’s executed the plan reliably, and glimmers of that form are still fresh. After all, he connected for four top 10s in a seven-start stretch within just the last four months. Callum Tarren … The 32-year-old Englishman is fresh off one of the most unsung, in-season comeback stories of 2021-22. Consider that he opened his rookie campaign by going 0-for-8 and didn’t cash for the first time in 2022 until the third week of February … on the Korn Ferry Tour (playing time needed because he had plummeted in the KFT graduate reshuffle category on the PGA TOUR). But he battled until he crashed the Playoffs. That opening skid included a disqualification at Port Royal where he signed for an incorrect scorecard following his second round, but he wasn’t going to make the cut, anyway. He’s cashed just once in three tries this season, but that means that he’s way ahead of last year’s, uh, successful pace, and it was for a T13 at the Sanderson Farms Championship. All of his last six cuts made (spanning 10 starts) yielded a top 30, so that’s the target market if you can find it. Austin Eckroat … He’s one of five rookies with as many as three cuts made already this season, but he’s the only among the group without at least one top 10. In fact, his best finish is but a T54 at the Sanderson Farms. Consistency is a marvelous mechanism on which to build, but it wouldn’t be surprising if he rattles a few flagsticks this week especially. He debuted at Port Royal last year and placed T22. (NOTE: I’m managing my coverage of the rookies a little differently this season. For an explanation and the latest Rookie Ranking, please click or tap here. Odds were sourced on Tuesday, Oct. 25, 2022. For live odds, visit BetMGM. Responsible sports betting starts with a game plan. Set a budget. Keep it social. Play with friends. Learn the game and know the odds. Play with trusted, licensed operators. CLICK HERE to learn more at HaveAGamePlan.org.
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