Winner’s Bag: Team Thomas, PNC Championship

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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CROMWELL, Conn. – Harris English is making his third start after undergoing surgery to repair a torn labrum in his right hip. He is also using a new putter grip – the same model that was so frayed it was deemed non-conforming in a minor kerfuffle at the Ryder Cup at Whistling Straits last fall. Both changes are working out just fine, as the defending champion carded a second-round 65 to reach 9 under par halfway through the Travelers Championship at TPC River Highlands. “Yeah, the hip is doing better,” said English, who on February 14 had the operation in Vail, Colorado, and didn’t play at all from the Sony Open in Hawaii (T55) to the Memorial Tournament presented by Workday (MC) earlier this month. “The toughest thing is walking and playing. I mean, I feel like back home I can go hit a bunch of balls on the range, but up and down these hills and being on your feet for five or six hours is the toughest part.” The hip had bothered him for a while, and he had tried everything from injections to physical therapy. Finally, having won the Sentry Tournament of Champions and the Travelers last season, English figured he had enough runway in terms of TOUR status to go ahead and fix it. “Yeah, more looking at the next ten years of golf,” English said. “I want to be playing out here for a long time. I just didn’t want to be hurt. Didn’t want to be playing hurt. It’s tough to compete even at 100% out here. There are a lot of good players and young guys coming up. “I was like, well, had two wins last year so I’ve got some status for the next few years. Might as well get surgery and get it behind me so I can get after the next few years.” As for his Ping Palm Lock putter grip, it’s the same model he used to win the Travelers in an eight-hole playoff against Kramer Hickok last year. In fact, he told John Peterson and JJ Killeen on the Fore the People podcast, he had been using it for close to 10 years when at the Ryder Cup last fall someone called in about two hours before his singles match against Lee Westwood. The grip was so frayed, the caller said, it might be non-conforming. A Rules official deemed it so, citing the frayed cloth at the butt end of the club. That’s when U.S. Ryder Cup Captain Davis Love III arrived with an X-Acto knife, cutting off the offending piece of grip and wrapping gauze around the incision to keep everything flush. The grip held up in his singles loss to Westwood, but English eventually had to abandon it. “Tried to play with it in Vegas (at the Shriners Children’s Open in October) and it was deemed damaged, I couldn’t play with it,” he said. “So, I took it off, put another grip on that I played with years ago trying to switch it up a little bit. “Just hadn’t really putted that great,” added the four-time TOUR winner. “Streaky putting and put the new Ping grip on this week and it’s worked out so far.” Using a new Ping Palm Lock, which he’d thrived with for years to the point of it being “all raggedy and torn up,” as he put it, English made over 141 feet of putts Friday. He took 27 putts for the second day in a row.

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• COURSE: East Lake Golf Club, 7,385 yards, par 70. The original home of the Atlanta Athletic Club, the course opened in 1908 as a Tom Bendelow design and was revamped five years later by Donald Ross. It’s best known as the place where Bobby Jones learned the game, shooting 80 by age 11 and later stamping his name in history by completing the 1930 Grand Slam. East Lake hosted the 1950 U.S. Women’s Amateur and 1963 Ryder Cup before a decaying neighborhood sent members moving to the north suburbs. The AAC itself followed in 1967, leaving East Lake in the hands of 25 members opposed to the move. A revival began in 1993 when a partnership was formed to restore the club as a tribute to Jones. The TOUR Championship came to East Lake for the first time in 1998, becoming the annual host in 2004. • FEDEXCUP: Winner receives 2,000 points. • CHARITY: The East Lake Foundation, established in 1995 to spearhead revitalization of the neighborhood surrounding the historic course. The foundation has spurred such projects as the Charles R. Drew Charter School, East Lake Family YMCA and Charlie Yates Golf Course. Funding also is directed to The First Tee. • FIELD WATCH: FedExCup leader Jordan Spieth and Justin Thomas, separated by just 27 points entering the BMW Championship, headline the 30-man lineup in pursuit of a $10 million bonus for the season champ. World No.1 Dustin Johnson rounds out a strong headline trio. … At least 11 members of the U.S. Presidents Cup roster are projected to tee it up at East Lake, with Phil Mickelson the only one needing to play his way in at Conway Farms. … The International team will send Hideki Matsuyama, Marc Leishman, Jhonattan Vegas, Adam Hadwin and Louis Oosthuizen to Atlanta, with Jason Day on the bubble. • 72-HOLE RECORD: 257, Tiger Woods (2007). • 18-HOLE RECORD: 60, Zach Johnson (3rd round, 2007). • LAST YEAR: Rory McIlroy took home the $10 million season crown with his second victory in three weeks, going four extra holes to survive a wild finish with Ryan Moore and Kevin Chappell. McIlroy fired a 6-under-par 64 to get into the playoff, getting a lift at No.16 when his wedge from 137 yards found the cup. Still, Moore had a chance to win in regulation – and give Johnson the FedExCup – but an 8-foot birdie try at the par-5 18th grazed the edge. Chappell held a two-shot lead with two holes to play when he bogeyed No.17 – just his third of the week – while McIlroy and Moore birdied ahead. The playoff began with McIlroy facing a 6-foot eagle putt, but he missed while Moore drained a 10-foot birdie. Moore’s silver lining was selection to the final spot on the U.S. Ryder Cup team, where he later tallied the clinching point at Hazeltine National. • STORYLINES: Spieth, Thomas and Johnson are assured of heading to East Lake among the top five in points, allowing them to capture the FedExCup simply by winning the finale. Matsuyama and Jon Rahm have the inside track to the other top-five spots, though the winner at Conway Farms also figures to be in the mix. … Points are reset after the BMW Championship, allowing everyone a mathematical chance of claiming the crown. For No.30 to win, though, the points leader would have to finish in the bottom two at East Lake. … Barring a top-4 finish from McIlroy at Conway Farms, it’ll mark the eighth time in 10 years that the reigning FedExCup champ hasn’t defended at East Lake. The exceptions: Brandt Snedeker in 2013 and Spieth last year. • SHORT CHIPS: Each of the past seven FedExCup champions have done so while winning the TOUR Championship. The last one who didn’t was Tiger Woods, who claimed the 2009 crown while second to Mickelson on the East Lake leaderboard. … Last year’s playoff was the longest in the TOUR Championship’s 30-year history. In 2011, Bill Haas went three extra holes to outlast Hunter Mahan for the twin trophies. … Mickelson is eyeing what would be his 19th TOUR Championship start, extending his own record. • TELEVISION: Thursday-Friday, 1-6 p.m. ET (Golf Channel). Saturday, 12:30-2:30 p.m. (GC), 2:30-6 p.m. (NBC). Sunday, noon-1:30 p.m. (GC), 1:30-6 p.m. (NBC). • PGA TOUR LIVE: Thursday-Friday, 10 a.m.-1 p.m. (featured groups), 1-6 p.m. (featured holes). Saturday-Sunday, 11:30 a.m.-6 p.m. (featured holes). • RADIO: Thursday-Friday, noon-6 p.m.; Saturday, 1-7 p.m.; Sunday, 1-6 p.m. (PGA TOUR Radio on SiriusXM and PGATOUR.com).

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