This article is part of our Weekly PGA Preview series.
Two years into the team format at the Zurich Classic and the jury is still out. It felt like there was more excitement leading into last week's event than the first year, but as the week wore on, that excitement seemed to fade.
It surely doesn't help when players such as Jordan Spieth, Justin Thomas and Jon Rahm fail to make it to the weekend. It that sense, perhaps no event, outside of a major could survive with almost all of the top players absent on the weekend. For proof of that point, you need look no further than the 2017 Players Championship, which was entirely void of star power, and as such, there was little to get excited about on the weekend.
Getting the best players in the field into contention is always optimal for these events, well actually all events, but it's absolutely critical for the events that take place in the barren land between the Masters and the U.S. Open. There's no way of ensuring that, however, which means the tournament must find other ways to pull in the general golf fan. Yes, general golf fan. Not casual, not avid, but general, the type that doesn't need Tiger, but needs something other than Scott Piercy and Billy Horschel to pique his interest.
Has the Zurich Classic accomplished that with its new format? That's still to be determined, but at least we had something to talk about leading up to this event and at minimum, there's a debate
Two years into the team format at the Zurich Classic and the jury is still out. It felt like there was more excitement leading into last week's event than the first year, but as the week wore on, that excitement seemed to fade.
It surely doesn't help when players such as Jordan Spieth, Justin Thomas and Jon Rahm fail to make it to the weekend. It that sense, perhaps no event, outside of a major could survive with almost all of the top players absent on the weekend. For proof of that point, you need look no further than the 2017 Players Championship, which was entirely void of star power, and as such, there was little to get excited about on the weekend.
Getting the best players in the field into contention is always optimal for these events, well actually all events, but it's absolutely critical for the events that take place in the barren land between the Masters and the U.S. Open. There's no way of ensuring that, however, which means the tournament must find other ways to pull in the general golf fan. Yes, general golf fan. Not casual, not avid, but general, the type that doesn't need Tiger, but needs something other than Scott Piercy and Billy Horschel to pique his interest.
Has the Zurich Classic accomplished that with its new format? That's still to be determined, but at least we had something to talk about leading up to this event and at minimum, there's a debate whether it's working. There's no such thing as bad publicity, right? Is that still true?
This week: Wells Fargo Championship - Quail Hollow, Charlotte, N.C.
Last Year: Brian Harman shot a final round 68 on his way to a one-stroke victory over Dustin Johnson and Pat Perez.
PLAYERS TO CONSIDER
Rory McIlroy
No matter his form, even during the last few years when his game was not great, McIlroy has always found a way to play well at this event. Check that, he did miss the cut in 2011, but in each of his over seven starts, he's finished in the top-10. He also won this event twice, in 2010 and 2015. We haven't seen McIlroy for a while, but he looked pretty good when he was last on the PGA Tour, and if that's still true, then he's a lock to contend this week.
Phil Mickelson
Mickelson also has a strong track record at this event and also comes in with some good form. Mickelson has teed it up here 14 times and never missed a cut. He's done much more than just make the cut, though, as he's finished in the top 5 in five of his last nine starts here. Mickelson doesn't have the wins here that McIlroy has over the last decade, but his overall success at this event takes a back seat to no one.
Rickie Fowler
A lot of firepower at the top of the list this week, but the cream seems to rise to the top here, so it might be wise to go big this week. Fowler is certainly a big gun who's in play because he finished runner-up in his most recent start at the Masters and won this event in 2012. For good measure, he also finished T4 in his most recent start at this event in 2016.
Tommy Fleetwood
McIlroy won this event as a first-timer in 2010 and Derek Earnst did the same in 2013, which means it's not out of the question that a first-timer will emerge this week. If that's the case, then Fleetwood is at the top of the list of candidates as he's going to break through very soon. He's also coming off a solid showing at the Zurich Classic, albeit a team event, but still, you can't finish in the top 5 of a team event without both guys playing well.
Lucas Glover
As mentioned, this is a good week to go chalk, not only because the cream rises to the top more often than not, but because there aren't many good options among the lower end of the field. Glover is a decent option this week as he contributed to an opening-round 60 at the Zurich Classic last week and he is a former champion here.
PLAYERS TO AVOID
Whee Kim
Kim and his partner got off to a good start last week at the Zurich Classic, but they faded in the final round, which, given Kim's play over the last couple months, wasn't that surprising. Adding to Kim's recent woes this week is his inability to make a cut at this event, where he's zero for three.
Jonas Blixt
Blixt and Cameron Smith were the defending champ last week at the Zurich Classic and they proceeded to miss the cut. That gives us an idea of where his game is now. Blixt has missed six of his last eight cuts on the PGA Tour. He's also struggled at this event with four missed cuts in five starts.
Bill Haas
Haas has played well in spots this season, but for the most part, it's been a disappointing year on the course. Haas has only one top-10 in 11 starts and is outside the top 125 on the FedEx points list. His track record here leaves a lot to be desired, as well as he has only two top-10s in 14 starts.
J.B. Holmes
Holmes won this event in 2014, but his overall track record indicates that his win was more a reflection of his form at the time then a general feel for this course. If that is indeed the case, then he doesn't stand much of a chance this week as he's missed his last two cuts on the PGA Tour.
Robert Streb
Streb has a respectable track record at this event as he's made the cut in four of his five stars here, including a top-5 in 2015, but his form is way off. Streb has missed nine consecutive cuts on the PGA Tour.
ONE AND DONE GOLFER
Last week: Bud Cauley (MC) - $0; Season - $4,961,623
This week: Rory McIlroy - I made the decision at the beginning of the season to use golfers in good spots instead of worrying about saving them for later and to this point it's paid off. It might come back to burn me later, but as long as the pick makes sense, I'm OK using a lot of firepower outside of the majors. With that in mind, I'm using McIlroy this week because he has a better chance of winning this week than he does at any of the three majors remaining.
PGATOUR.COM PICKS
This Week:
Starters: Rickie Fowler, Tommy Fleetwood, Phil Mickelson, Rory McIlroy
Bench: Bryson DeChambeau, Justin Thomas
SURVIVOR PICK
Last week: Cauley/Thomas - (MC); Streak - 0
This week: Tommy Fleetwood - Mickelson is the obvious play here ... if you still have him, but if not, Fleetwood looks like a good option. I'm generally not fond of using first-timers in this format, but Fleetwood has yet to miss a cut on the PGA Tour this season. McIlroy is also a good option, but for this format, I'd rather save him for a major.
