This article is part of our Weekly PGA Preview series.
The week after the Masters can be tough for golf fans and for the event that finds itself on the calendar the week following the Masters. Months of anticipation is built up prior to the Masters and when it's over, you're left with just the memories. This year felt a little different, though. It felt like there was some leftover excitement, maybe even some momentum.
Unfortunately, all the big names in the field were hit with a Masters hangover and the final round was pushed up due to inclement weather, placing CBS in the dreaded "tape-delay" zone. Unlike MLB, which has been ravaged by delays and postponements this year, the PGA Tour has slipped through relatively unscathed. It's not always like this, though. There are years when the words "54-hole event" and "Monday finish" are commonplace.
If the MLB season has taught us anything, it's to be thankful for the little things, like just playing when you are supposed to be playing. No, we don't always get the results we are looking for. Jordan Spieth can't make a historic final-round charge, at the most revered event on the schedule, every week. That's actually impossible for several reasons. The best golfers don't always rise to the top and not every event can capture the imagination of the nation. Sometimes it's more entertaining to debate whether a guy should wear a green jacket everywhere he goes than watch the sport he actually plays.
Hey, it's tough playing the shadow of The Masters.
The week after the Masters can be tough for golf fans and for the event that finds itself on the calendar the week following the Masters. Months of anticipation is built up prior to the Masters and when it's over, you're left with just the memories. This year felt a little different, though. It felt like there was some leftover excitement, maybe even some momentum.
Unfortunately, all the big names in the field were hit with a Masters hangover and the final round was pushed up due to inclement weather, placing CBS in the dreaded "tape-delay" zone. Unlike MLB, which has been ravaged by delays and postponements this year, the PGA Tour has slipped through relatively unscathed. It's not always like this, though. There are years when the words "54-hole event" and "Monday finish" are commonplace.
If the MLB season has taught us anything, it's to be thankful for the little things, like just playing when you are supposed to be playing. No, we don't always get the results we are looking for. Jordan Spieth can't make a historic final-round charge, at the most revered event on the schedule, every week. That's actually impossible for several reasons. The best golfers don't always rise to the top and not every event can capture the imagination of the nation. Sometimes it's more entertaining to debate whether a guy should wear a green jacket everywhere he goes than watch the sport he actually plays.
Hey, it's tough playing the shadow of The Masters.
This week: Texas Open - TPC San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas
Last Year: Kevin Chappell shot a final-round 68 on his way to a one-stroke victory over Brooks Koepka.
PLAYERS TO CONSIDER
Charley Hoffman
Hoffman was on a roll this time last year, so leading up to this event, an event where he was the defending champ, he looked like a great pick ... and wound up with a T40. When something looks too good to be true in this game, it often is. This year, however, he's coming in with just the normal amount of hype as a former champion, which is perfect. His track record here is excellent with eight top-15s in his last nine starts.
Brendan Steele
Perhaps there was something in the water last year, or maybe they played on a different course? No? OK, well, something strange happened as Steele entered with a stellar track record at this event as well, but somehow managed just a T62. Steele's track record isn't as strong as Hoffman's, but it's pretty good with a win in 2011 and two top-10s in his five starts since.
Kevin Chappell
Chappell has missed the cut in his last two starts on the PGA Tour, but one of those was at the Masters, so we really can't count that. Although consecutive missed cuts in a little concerning, he finished in the top 10 just a month ago at the Arnold Palmer, so he's probably not that far off. He's also the defending champ, but he's had more success than that at this event. He posted a top-5 the year prior to his win.
Jimmy Walker
Walker's biggest issue this season has been his performance on the weekend, which could be a lingering effect of his Lyme's disease diagnosis last year. Whatever the case, he looked solid on the weekend at Augusta and if he can play well there on the weekend, then he can do the same in San Antonio. Walker's track record here is strong as well with win in 2015 and a top-15 last season.
Luke List
He doesn't have a strong track record at this event, but the same could probably have been said prior to every start this season, and look what he's done so far. List has three top-10s in his last six starts and two of those have resulted in top-3s as well. List seems to be in the mix almost every week, and there's no reason to think this week will be any different.
PLAYERS TO AVOID
Peter Uihlein
Uihlein was a hot commodity entering this season because of his world ranking, but even though he's been in two WGC fields, he hasn't accomplished much. In his last three full-field events, he missed two cuts and finished T66. Uihlein is talented enough to turn it around on a dime, but there have been no signs that a turnaround is imminent.
Danny Lee
Lee has always been a streaky player, and it looked like that he might be catching a hot streak early last week, but he crashed hard with a 79 on Sunday at the RBC and we are left to wonder if he's close, or if he's still off like he' been for much of the season. Whatever the case, he'll probably have a tough time this week as he's never played well at this event. Lee has failed to make the weekend in three of four starts at this event.
Kevin Tway
If you check last year's results, you'll notice that Tway finished third at this event. That, however, was during a stretch of golf where Tway was playing out of his mind. Unfortunately for Tway, he hasn't come close to that level of golf since and as such, I wouldn't expect him to contend again this year in San Antonio.
William McGirt
McGirt looked like a decent sleeper pick entering last week at the RBC as his track record there was solid, but he turned that into a T70. His track record here is not terrible, but it's nowhere near as good as it was at the RBC and now that we know his form isn't great, there's no reason to take him.
Daniel Summerhays
If you believe that course history is all you need, then Summerhays is your guy this week. If you think current form has to factor into the equation, then Summerhays is not your guy. We found out last week with Luke Donald that even a tremendous track record can't always overcome terrible form and Summerhays will be in a similar spot this week as he's played well here over the last six years, but his game is off. That and he missed the cut last year after posting four consecutive top-15s here.
ONE AND DONE GOLFER
Last week: Matt Kuchar (T23) - $53,823; Season - $4,948,025
This week: Charley Hoffman - I thought Kuchar was the clear No. 1 choice last week, and while I think Hoffman is the No. 1 option this week, it's a bit closer as Steele is also a strong option. That said, I like that Hoffman did not play well here last year, I think that helps his cause this year and it might reduce ownership ever so slightly.
PGATOUR.COM PICKS
This Week:
Starters: Charley Hoffman, Brendan Steele, Luke List, Jimmy Walker
Bench: Kevin Chappell, Sergio Garcia
SURVIVOR PICK
Last week: Matt Kuchar - (T23); Streak - 4
This week: Charley Hoffman - Kuchar didn't come through in the one-and-done format last week, but he made the cut and that's all that matters for this format. I'll once again double-up on my one-and-done pick and go with Hoffman, who is a 12-for-12 at this event.
