Power Rankings: Safeway Open

[ad_1]


Wednesday’s Fantasy Insider will include past champions Emiliano Grillo (2015) and Kevin Tway (2018). Jordan Spieth, Sergio Garcia, Will Gordon and Erik van Rooyen also will be among the notables reviewed.

Already now the seventh edition of the Safeway Open at Silverado, it’s a veteran host during the fall portion of the season. Its North Course is a stock par 72 tipping at just 7,166 yards, but it’s not as easy as its benign distance suggests.

Silverado’s scoring average of 71.244 last year landed where it was expected despite the full complement of four par 5s. That was due in part because the par 5s ranked 13th-hardest among all courses with a scoring average of 4.70. Additionally, of the last three seasons combined, only six courses have yielded a fairways-hit percentage lower than the North Course. Last year’s field split just 50.03 percent of the 14 fairways.

While the ryegrass rough ranging three inches helps defend scoring off the tee, the wind is the primary challenge on approach into the Poa-bentgrass greens prepped to run a customary 11-and-a-feet on the Stimpmeter. It’s all but an annual expectation north of San Francisco, and it is again this week, at least in doses.

Southwest breezes will peak in the moderate range (10-15 mph), but they will not howl. It’ll be just enough to sharpen the decision-making process. Daytime temps will climb into the mid- to upper-80s and it’ll remain dry.

Champ is resting ahead of the rescheduled U.S. Open, but he left breadcrumbs for how to excel at Silverado. Granted, he was inspired by the fact that his grandfather, “Pops,” was in his last days before passing less than a month after Champ sealed his second PGA TOUR victory, but the torment of a dying loved one also can propel a professional athlete into the other direction. Centering his focus on the task directly in front of him, Champ harnessed his length off the tee, ranking third in distance of all drives (306.3 yards) and first in Strokes Gained: Off-the-Tee. He also finished T3 on the par 5s.

Champ’s greens-in-regulation clip of 13.25 per round was good for T10 and he paced the field in Strokes Gained: Tee-to-Green. For good measure, he also led in scrambling by going 16-for-19. His putting wasn’t among the best in the field, but it didn’t hold him back en route to a one-stroke margin at 17-under 271.

For the week, Silverado allowed an average of just 11.83 GIR per round per golfer last year. That should rise with more manageable wind this week, but the undulating greens figure to thwart mid-round scoring bursts.


ROB BOLTON’S SCHEDULE

PGATOUR.COM’s Fantasy Insider Rob Bolton recaps and previews every tournament from numerous angles. Look for his following contributions as scheduled.

TUESDAYRookie RankingQualifiersReshuffleMedical Extensions, Fantasy Preview, Power Rankings

WEDNESDAY*: Sleepers, Fantasy Insider

* – Rob is a member of the panel for PGATOUR.COM’s Expert Picks for PGA TOUR Fantasy Golf, which also publishes on Wednesday.

[ad_2]

Source: PGA tour

Related Posts

LPGA debuting its own behind-the-scenes documentary

Bryson DeChambeau on Dude Perfect video: ‘Times are changing’

ContentsROB BOLTON’S SCHEDULE Bryson DeChambeau on Dude Perfect – AUGUSTA, Ga. – Count Bryson DeChambeau among those who was surprised Augusta National green-lit the now viral Dude Perfect video. “Everybody…

Read more
LPGA debuting its own behind-the-scenes documentary

Brooks Koepka has inkling of what Tiger Woods faces in return at Augusta National

ContentsROB BOLTON’S SCHEDULE Brooks Koepka – AUGUSTA, Ga. – Brooks Koepka at least has some semblance of an idea of what Tiger Woods is facing this week at Augusta National….

Read more
LPGA debuting its own behind-the-scenes documentary

Fred Couples happy to be getting Tiger Woods texts again at Masters

ContentsROB BOLTON’S SCHEDULE [ad_1] AUGUSTA, Ga. – Fred Couples has become a regular practice round partner of Tiger Woods at the Masters, but as this year’s tournament approached he didn’t…

Read more
LPGA debuting its own behind-the-scenes documentary

Collin Morikawa much better at making golf history than recalling it

ContentsROB BOLTON’S SCHEDULE [ad_1] Collin Morikawa wants to make history. Remembering it, however, is a different story. Morikawa won two majors, the PGA Championship and The Open, prior to turning…

Read more
LPGA debuting its own behind-the-scenes documentary

Watch: Masters tweets video of Tiger Woods’ Sunday practice round

ContentsROB BOLTON’S SCHEDULE [ad_1] Tiger Woods arrived at Augusta National on Sunday afternoon after tweeting that competing in the 86th Masters Tournament would be a “game-time decision.” Woods, around 3:20 p.m….

Read more
LPGA debuting its own behind-the-scenes documentary

Drive, Chip and Putt recap: Bubba Watson fan Autumn Solesbee among winners

ContentsROB BOLTON’S SCHEDULE [ad_1] AUGUSTA, Ga. – Waiting for Autumn Solesbee under the iconic oak tree behind Augusta National’s clubhouse was Bubba Watson. As a former Masters champion, Watson has…

Read more

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *