This was supposed be 600 words explaining why Tony Finau would win back-toback in just five months. With Tuesday’s withdrawal, the best value in this field has gone awol. The RSM Classic, on the other hand, reverts back to its bizarre end-of season chance for a lower name to win.
The DP World Tour finishes its season at the close of the year. Sea Island Golf Club hosts nine events of the ‘new 2022/2023 before two novelty events bring us through the new year.
The combination of the Seaside, Plantation and Coast courses is coastal but manageable. Despite the possible disasters, winning scores in the past five years have averaged 20-under.
2017 winner Austin Cook stated that the course is more challenging for players who have seen the courses before. Scott Brown and Webb Simpson disagree about the new undulating greens. Simpson said that the slopes are ” that you can really use those slopes as a help and get the ball into the hole.
It’s the same thing, but it’s different.
This tournament is no longer appealing as a place to bet. There is a strong connection between coastal conditions in the world, as shown by the winners Chris Kirk and Mackenzie Hughes, Talor Gooch, Simpson, and Mackenzie Hughes.
This makes it much easier for Brian Harman and in-form Seamus Power to win.
He has now made 11 of his 12 last cuts (since July), and finished in the top-20 at Tour Championship. This was before a run that saw him finish in 15th, 23rd, and then in the final stretch, leading to a wild Russell Henley in Mexico.
My only problem with the 35-year-old local is the absence of an individual win over the past five years. However, with a recent Open record that placed 19th and then tied-sixth respectively, it’s clear that his claims are valid.
Power has also made decent claims after playing some of the best golf he’s ever played.
Although he was always highly regarded, it took him a while to find his game at the lower levels.
There were times during Lockdown and shortly thereafter when he was not as focused on the trophies.
This seems to have changed, as the Irishman, who won the 2021 Barbasol Championship, has steadily climbed up the rankings. His latest win in Bermuda (important for wind and greens), and third at Mayakoba saw him climb to 30th, making him available for all major tournaments in 2023.
Power had many mishaps with his irons in the second half of last season but appears to have sorted it out. With no strokes-gained data available at either Mayakoba or Bermuda, the old-fashioned numbers report him ranking 9th and first for greens-in-regulation. He has the ability to put on Bermuda greens, which is a huge bonus. This will help him to make a claim for a spot at the 2023 Ryder Cup.
Support Power with Joel Dahmen – another top golfer, and winner of the Corales Puntacana Championship 2021.
Lockdown was a time when the 35-year old seemed more interested being a social media personality rather than a competitive golfer at top level. This has all changed with his 10th U.S Open win a sign that it was possible.
Fans had to wait for a while but Dahmen has now made it all five times in five appearances since October. He has two top-20 finishes and earned a bronze medal in Mexico as well as a spot on the front page at Finau’s rout last week.
These results could have been even more impressive. Dahmen was 11th at Sanderson Farms – Mackenzie Hughes won the RSM in Mississippi. He also finished 8th at Zozo in Houston.
Hit fairways and greens and you’ll compete here, and over the past three months Dahmen ranks 10th for driving accuracy, 29th for greens-in-regulation, 20th for scrambling and 26th for putting average. He is a true 20-1 shot with the hot favourite, our.
Aaron Rai has a track record as a wind player. Like his compatriot Tommy Fleetwood he is a proven wind player.
He is still a consummate tee to-green player. Last weekend’s 7th placed result is a clear indication that he is ready for his top-10 finish at Torrey Pines and top-15 finishes in Canada and at Mayakoba.
The 27-year old gives away his distance off the tee, but has also led the driving accuracy lists four times this year. Perfect if the winds do arrive. He hopes that this aspect will allow him to enjoy one of his best weeks with his irons. He flits between very good and terrible, and then uses his exceptional putting to complete a job.
Top-12 in strokes-gained-putting at The Memorial, Irish Open, Sanderson Farms and last week in Houston, he can take encouragement from a 16th placed finish on debut last year, when he struck four almost-equal rounds of 66/67/68/68. He is now 5/2 to achieve that result again.
Now we are in the land where the fantasies exist – or were. The event is now open. I will offer a few more prices for the top-10 and top-20 finishes.
Ben Griffin , a first-season PGA Tour player , is one of many KFT graduates who could become anything in the coming years.
There are more obvious candidates at Sea Island, such as Taylor Montgomery. He has three top-10s and two Top 15s in six starts as a full PGA Tour participant, along with Riley and Thompson. But the 26-year old can still win the lot, after opening his top-level career with a string of impressive results.
The North Carolina graduate won the PGA Tour Canada 2018 in 2018. He lost his way and became a loan officer until 2021. He still secured his PGA card through a 15th-place finish on the Korn Ferry Tour Standings.
Griffin was climbing up the table and finished 4th at Wyndham. He had a final round 64, followed by three missed cuts back at the lower levels.
Griffin continued his performance at the Country Club of Jackson. He finished in 10th at half-way and was a respectable 24th. Griffin continued his run through Shriners. He was just outside the top-30 heading into Sunday. Three rounds of 65/64/66 gave him the lead in the Bermuda Championship.
Payday went well up until the 66th holes of the tournament. An error on the green caused a series mistakes that led to a 6-over back nine.
Griffin admitted that he had a plan but got “a little too comfortable”. This episode contributed to Griffin’s worst performance in this short time – in Mexico.
Griffin is not going anywhere, but Griffin’s 16th place in Houston (8th at halftime) was a sign that he is confident in his abilities.
Griffin, who had his qualifier fee paid once by his club members, knows the importance of hard work. His numbers for the first three rounds of many tournaments are much better than his overall numbers, even though they are not hidden.
It seems irrelevant to this week. Instead, ignore the 2018 missed-cut and take a look at his 18 holes at Sea Island Plantation Course in June – a 59!
https://www.instagram.com/p/CfzaB2qOn8v/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link
Treymullinax is much more visible than Griffin, but it seems like a great chance to return, just as he did in July’s Barbasol Championship.
The 30-year-old finished in the top five in Houston last week, just outside the top-20 at St. Andrews and St. Jude.
Mullinax is solid in all aspects of his game. He has been ranked in the top-15 when it comes to putting in ficve in his last seven outings. Mullinax found at least five strokes in those and gained more than 10 shots on Memorial Park’s Bermuda grass.
We know that he is capable of winning low. Two of his key victories came in 23-under and 25 under the card. Although streaky, he can run and putt on any grass he encounters this week. He looks great on all fronts.
Recommended Bets:
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Seamus Win/Top-5
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Joel Dahmen Win/Top-5
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Aaron Rai Win/Top-5
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Aaron Rai Top-20
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Ben Griffin Top-20
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Treymullinax Win/Top-5
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Treymullinax Top-20
