Even casual golf fans and golf bettors are familiar with other participants such as Xander Schauffele, Will Zalatoris, Max Homa, Justin Thomas and Collin Morikawa. The Florida swing on the PGA Tour begins this week at the 2023 Honda Classic as players aim to kickstart their seasons in the Sunshine State. Things are about to get good on the PGA Tour. Maybe Bay Hill can sort him out, where he finished 2nd last year and struck it well in four starts. Jordan Spieth PGA Tour Power Rankings: Is Jon Rahm ready to return to the top? The reigning U.S. Open winner has only four PGA Tour starts this season; his best finish was a tie for seventh at the Tournament of Champions. 20. 1. If you are looking to back our Arnold Palmer Invitational predictions, be sure to do so at DraftKings Sportsbook. PGATOUR.coms Rob Bolton recaps and previews every tournament from numerous perspectives. An opening-round 73 left him out of the mix in Phoenix, but he's still playing as well as anyone in the world. Rahm still has the lead in the FedEx Cup points race. Scoring will be the name of the game this week. All of them are reachable for longer players and allow eagle chances throughout the round. Cantlay, who is ranked No. . He'll have a chance to get things right at Riviera, where he tied for second, 2 strokes behind Joaquin Niemann, last season. Jon Rahm is a +650 favorite to triumph at Bay Hill. Thomas, the reigning PGA Championship winner, still seemed to be dialing things in heading into Phoenix. pga power rankings this week - PGA Gameday 6. He'll make his debut on tour this year at Riviera. 1. The California native has already won twice in his home state this season, picking up victories at the Fortinet Championship in Napa and Farmers Insurance Open at Torrey Pines. Scheffler had a round of 9-under 62 in the second round in Phoenix, which was his fifth career round of 62 or lower. *: Power Rankings (Puerto Rico), Sleepers (API), Payouts and Points (API), Payouts and Points (Puerto Rico), Medical Extensions, Qualifiers, Reshuffle, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. A cozy field of 120 is chasing a winners cut of 550 FedExCup points and $3.6 million from a prize fund of $20 million. The greens can run fast if conditions allow. Ranks 2nd in SG: APP and 4th in GIRs Gained. Northern Ireland's Rory McIlroy entered the year ranked No. Only 10 players broke par for 72 holes. Morikawa showed a lot of backbone by finishing third at the Farmers Insurance Open, his first start after blowing a 6-shot lead in the final round of the Tournament of Champions. PGA Tour Power Rankings: Talent is not being wasted on the young Schauffele's ailing back hasn't been much of a problem since he withdrew from the Tournament of Champions in his first start of 2023. He is scheduled to play in the Genesis Invitational. His opening 74 was the highest score by anyone inside the top 28. McIlroy (2018) is another former champion of the tournament. Thats where 2022 PRO champion Ryan Brehm is competing this week. 13. On a track that can reach 7,506 yards and with primary rough at a standard two inches in height, shorter hitters are influenced to just play their game, but like all proper tests, Grand Reserve rewards all archetypes. Marc Leishman The short game has been way off, but the ball striking continues to be there. His career victory total is second among South Korean golfers; K.J. With that being said, it seems that distance may be becoming less important since some changes from the Bay Hill superintendent that have opened the course up more and made the fairway width closer to average. The weather forecast for the week appears to be warm, dry, and windy, so expect the course to play fiery once again. Scheffler will defend his title as The No. In his first start at the Genesis last year, he tied for 15th at 4-under, 8 strokes behind winner Max Homa. Arnold Palmer Invitational Odds, Predictions, Power Rankings & Favorites 2022 PGA Championship Power Rankings - Pro Golf Weekly 7 in the world last week, JT said, "I tried to stop looking because, yeah, it pisses me off, too. 1 for more than another dozen years to catch Woods' record total of 679 weeks ranked atop the Official World Golf Ranking. *: Power Rankings (Puerto Rico), Sleepers (API), Payouts and Points (API), Payouts and Points (Puerto Rico), Medical Extensions, Qualifiers, Reshuffle, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. Scheffler is atop the OWGR for the second time in his career, after spending 30 weeks at No. Rafael Campos The 34-year-old native of Puerto Rico hasnt been the same since an injured left elbow thwarted his only DNP in tournament history in 2020. 15 and 17 annually are among the most challenging as a set on TOUR, a fact due to sustained breezes from a southeasterly direction. Few players have performed better at the TPC Scottsdale than Matsuyama, who had victories there in 2016 and 2017. Missed fairways will be inevitable, so playing out of the thick rough with short irons instead of long irons is a big advantage. Because it can stretch to 7,466 yards and winds often punish, muscle almost always has contributed to the profile of the champion. PGA Tour golf rankings at CBSSports.com include the world golf rankings, FedEx Cup points, and money list. Round 3 PGA DFS Showdown Slate Picks - 2023 Arnold Palmer Invitational Last week at PGA National gave us a fun week considering the lack of star power in the field. Ranks 3rd in Proximity: 200+ Yards and 5th in the model. He was also fifth in fewest putts per round (28.14). Were now onto a multi-week jaunt through Florida starting with the Honda Classic. The 15th edition of the Puerto Rico Open is slated to be contested concurrently with the Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by Mastercard for the second straight year. 57 in the OWGR, moving him closer to the top 50 for an invitation to the Masters in April. The goal will be to hit shorter irons into challenging targets with invisible forces poised to smack even properly executed strikes out of the sky. It was the last time Honda will host the tournament at PGA National. PGA Championship 2022 Power Rankings: Top-50 Players This Week at Southern Hills Golf Credit: Getty Images. 12. Hes a Louisianan, but he tends to play his best golf in the southeastern United States. Day climbed from No. 1 once again. He has two top-15 finishes in his past three starts, including a tie for 14th in Phoenix. Ranks 2nd in GIRs Gained and 4th in Proximity: 200+ Yards. What weve seen more often that not lately is Bermuda history continues to very relevant on Florida courses. Ranks 9th in SG: Par 5 and 12th in High Winds. The former Wake Forest University star has gained strokes on the greens in all four of his starts in 2023, which is an encouraging trend for a player who had previously struggled with that part of his game. Greenside seats, you've been warned. The good news is that the worst of the wind in early forecasting is moderate and kicking up only on Thursday and Sunday. TUESDAY*: Power Rankings (Puerto Rico), Sleepers (API), SUNDAY: Payouts and Points (API), Payouts and Points (Puerto Rico), Medical Extensions, Qualifiers, Reshuffle. 20. (Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images). So, the test still tips at 7,125 yards, the tallest of the overseeded rough might not reach three inches and the TifEagle bermuda greens will run 12 feet on the Stimpmeter. @JordanSpieth found out on this unique ruling on No. Arnold Palmer Invitational, Bay Hill, Itd be dumb to ignore him at a course that requires elite driving, and he gained 4.6 OTT here in a 13th last year. Because it can stretch to 7,466 yards and winds often punish, muscle almost always has contributed to the profile of the champion. I feel like I'm way better than that and I've been working harder to try to do that.". Tom Kim : Going through his first mini-slump here since getting his PGA Tour card, but theres not too much to be concerned about. There were plenty of changes in this week's edition of the PGA Tour Power Rankings, including a new No. Sundays finale easily will be the best round in the context of scoring conditions, but Bay Hills bite might strengthen even more than usual as the wind will rotate and howl in from the north. Hell bank 300 FedExCup points and $684,000 of a record prize fund of $3.8 million. To go forward, we must go back for a moment and tie off a loose end. TUESDAY*: Power Rankings (Puerto Rico), Sleepers (API), SUNDAY: Payouts and Points (API), Payouts and Points (Puerto Rico), Medical Extensions, Qualifiers, Reshuffle. Power Rankings: Puerto Rico Open Bermuda grass is where he tends to thrive. Daniel Berger The greens tend to not be too difficult to roll putts in on, especially for guys based in the Southeast U.S. used to Bermuda. Previous rank: 6 Its one of seven cuts made in 2022-23. Jason Day : Day now has one finish worse than 21st in his last 10 starts, and hes tallied four Top 10s in that stretch. Payne Stewart in 1987 was the only player to go 20-under when he won by three. Finishes of 10th and 38th at Bay Hill with elite ball striking. 2023 Honda Classic: Top 10 Power Rankings at PGA National 2. Both made their way into the PGA Tour Power Rankings, which had quite a few adjustments from a week ago. Still, given his track record at Bay Hill and doses of phenomenal form a fortnight ago at Riviera, youll excuse any competitor for not missing him on the leaderboard this week. The four Par 5s are the real scoring opportunities at Bay Hill. The goal will be to hit shorter irons into challenging targets with invisible forces poised to smack even properly executed strikes out of the sky. TUESDAY*: Power Rankings (Puerto Rico), Sleepers (API), SUNDAY: Payouts and Points (API), Payouts and Points (Puerto Rico), Medical Extensions, Qualifiers, Reshuffle. Scottie Scheffler : The World No. Burns also finished T-11th at The American Express. Unlike, PGA National last week, Bay Hill isnt a complete second-shot course. Collin Morikawa Get ESPN+ here | Download the app | WatchESPN. 11. "High praise from Michael Greller on @JordanSpieth's ridiculous shot on 17 @WMPhoenixOpen. looped in on merit, so even its reorder at the conclusion of the West Coast Swing had no impact. Jon Rahm is a +650 favorite to triumph at Bay Hill. Brutally difficult conditions led to Scottie Scheffler persevering to win at 5-under last year. 8. Patrick Cantlay * - Rob is a member of the panel for PGATOUR.COMs Expert Picks for PGA TOUR Fantasy Golf, which also publishes on Tuesday. By Friday, thatll be the sustained average for the prevailing push from the southwest, while gusts will reach 35 mph. Chris Kirk lifted his first trophy since 2015 as he completely a lovely comeback story after dealing with alcoholism and depression. Bay Hill plays as a 7,400-yard par 72 featuring Bermuda greens and much thicker rough than weve seen all year and usually see around Florida. He's as hot as they come entering the Honda Classic, having won in Abu Dhabi a month ago (for a European Tour event) then finishing as the runner-up in Phoenix earlier this month. There are designated events, and then there is the Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by Mastercard. PGA Tour Power Rankings: Arnold Palmer Invitational Written by Tyler Duke Last Updated Feb 28, 2023 Each week in our golf power rankings, we will highlight the top players on the PGA TOUR in order of likeliness to win the tournament. Wind is often a factor at this event and seven water hazards eat up a lot of wayward shots. He finished tied for third, his first top-20 finish in his past 11 tour starts. PGA Championship Fantasy Golf Power Rankings (odds via DraftKings as of May 12) 1. Previous rank: Not ranked Rickie Fowler : You cant look past Fowlers recent iron play, as the former top 5 player has gained more than 15 strokes on approach in his last three starts. On the heels of last weeks Honda Classic in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, the tour takes its talents to Orlandos Bay Hill Club & Lodge for the Arnold Palmer Invitational that begins on Thursday and wraps up on Sunday. Winners become PGA TOUR members for life, but theyre treated to so much more. He also led the Phoenix field in strokes gained: tee to green and scrambling. Horse For The Course: PGA DFS Course History - 2023 Arnold Palmer Hes much better on Bermuda, and hes worth a look this week due to his strong ball striking and ability to get it around well in high winds. Unlike last week, none of the top-10 golfers in the world are in attendance this week; only 12 of the top-50 in the world are making their way to PGA National for The Honda Classic. Daytime highs could hit 90 degrees until the wind shifts. Competed once before at Grand Reserve, finishing T52 in 2020 via a sponsor exemption. Like Deion Sanders, Rickie Fowler is coming. Ranks 17th in the model. Here is the list of favorites at DraftKings Sportsbook: If you or a loved one has questions or needs to talk to a professional about gambling, call 1-800-GAMBLER or visit 1800gambler.net for more information. 2. pic.twitter.com/RQMtrMLJ8D. The cash and the stakes arent as high as they were in recent weeks in Scottsdale and Los Angeles, but the Honda Classic is still a worthwhile watch. With that being said, some of the players who have caught fire on the greens arent necessarily great putters historically, so well take an average look at SG: Putting on Bermuda. After a weekend of beer showers, aces and shirtless celebrations at the biggest party of the season at the WM Phoenix Open, the PGA Tour returns to normalcy with this week's Genesis Invitational at Riviera Country Club. Predicting 2023 NFL starting QBs Seamus Power: irl 2.579 . 19. Nothing but sunshine and a few passing clouds will consume the sky. It should also be noted that Zalatoris was in the top 10 at the Arnold Palmer Invitational in 2021. Previous rank: 13 He finished second in the Saudi International, 2 shots behind LIV Golf's Abraham Ancer, and collected $525,000. Ultimately, his top-10 exemption wasnt necessary, anyway, as the entire Korn Ferry Tour graduate reshuffle category looped in on merit, so even its reorder at the conclusion of the West Coast Swing had no impact. Call 1-800-GAMBLER if you have a gambling problem. Any tournament can be won with elite iron play, but with higher scores and the importance on driving it well here, you can get away with just a decent week with the irons. 2023 Honda Classic picks, odds, Fantasy golf power rankings: PGA Tour This will be even more pronounced in tomorrow's slate, with winds looking to be brutal as the day progresses. Ranks 2nd in SG: P and 16th in the model. According to ESPN Stats & Information research, only one other player in the past 20 seasons has put together a stretch like that: Tiger Woods. When he competed here last year, it was via Past Champion status and he was 1,030th in the Official World Golf Ranking. Previous rank: 25 The first designated event of the PGA Tour season means a $20 million purse, and world No. Zalatoris didn't play in Phoenix after he was forced to pull out of the AT&T Pebble Pro-Am a week earlier after testing positive for COVID-19. Schauffele was right in the mix again in Phoenix, even after a run-in with a cactus and losing his regular caddie, Austin Kaiser, who tested positive for COVID-19 on Wednesday. His dreams of winning ended on Sunday when his tee shot on No. It currently plays to a par 70 at 7,244 yards with a 75.5 course rating and 149 slope rating. In five starts, Burns has made a respectable four cuts, but last years T-9th (72-69-75-71) was his first top-10 at Bay Hill. How Arnold Palmers Bay Hill Club & Lodge will present itself, what Mother Nature has planned and more can be found below. Shane Lowry : Im going to make the prediction that Lowry ends his strange poor history of four missed cuts here this week. When the wind machine was on high for the final round, the course yielded a 75.481, highest for any final round on TOUR all season. The PGA Tour's 2021-22 season started way back in September but it kicks into high gear this week with the annual Sentry Tournament of Champions at Kapalua's Plantation course.. These Bermuda greens are fast and pure, and the winner here tends to have a really strong week with the flat stick. 3. One prize fight after another. 24. He is skipping the Genesis Invitational after missing the cut in his last two starts at Riviera. All five dozen bunkers on the property also are equipped with new drainage and sand. Ranks 10th in the model and 11th in SG: APP. * - Rob is a member of the panel for PGATOUR.COMs Expert Picks for PGA TOUR Fantasy Golf, which also publishes on Tuesday. PGATOUR.coms Rob Bolton recaps and previews every tournament from numerous perspectives. Other results in Orlando include T-49th in 2018, T-54th in 2019, T-36th in 2020, and a missed cut in 2021. Viktor Hovland Look for his following contributions as scheduled. Just a friendly reminder that these aren't necessarily the 25 most talented players in the . Jon Rahm : Rahms numbers in the model this week are just absurd, and hes a runaway No. 16. Free to enter! McIlroy hasn't played in the U.S. since winning The CJ Cup at Summit. Previous rank: 22 4. Brett White's wife, Natalie, was emotional watching her husband make his TOUR debut @WMPhoenixOpen. Bay Hill currently measures 7,419 yards for a par 72. TifEagle bermuda greens are larger than average in size (and not overseeded), but theyre equipped to flirt with and exceed 13 feet on the Stimpmeter. His ball-striking is elite and ranks . 4 @WMPhoenixOpen. Our experts have broken down the betting odds and are ready to deliver their Arnold Palmer Invitational predictions with odds provided by DraftKings Sportsbook. However, giving the benefit of the doubt that, indeed, his game can travel, the third-ranked putter on TOUR deserves attention on a track that, like TPC Summerlin, can capitalize on piling up the scoring opportunities. He won here in 2020, finished 2nd last year, and added a 4th as a debutant in 2017. Ranks 5th in Proximity: 200+ Yards and 8th in SG: OTT. "I'm gonna say exactly what 99.99 percent of fans said about players leaving . pic.twitter.com/djDjZuFQFy, 321 yards 13 feet@MaxHoma23 with one of the best drives of the week on 17 @WMPhoenixOpen. TPC Southwind boasts 94 bunkers and 10 water hazards, and usually ranks as a top-third difficult course. Will Zalatoris He led the field in shots gained: approach this past weekend, the first time he has accomplished that since the 2022 U.S. Open at Brookline. He lost in a playoff to Homa and finished second in the 2021 Genesis Invitational. 3 will tee it up at a place hes won at and has finished worse than 13th just once in eight tries. pic.twitter.com/gpqP1Q1WlN. In addition to fully exempt status in the winners category through 2025, the champion will earn exemptions into THE PLAYERS Championship next week, the PGA Championship in May and the Sentry Tournament of Champions in 2024. Shortest in odds and claiming top honor is Sungjae Im. With primary rough at least 3 inches high, distance and accuracy off the tee plays up all week. It's a weaker field than we've seen at the past two designated PGA Tour events, with the likes of Sungjae Im and Shane Lowry headlining the Honda Classic 2023 field. *All stats are from a players last 24 rounds. With a win, each also would qualify for the 2024 editions of the API. PGA Championship Player Power Rankings: In-form players at Kiawah 91 to No. The next step in Lees young career is playing well on the PGA Tour. It was his ninth consecutive top-10 finish worldwide; he was in the top five in seven of his past nine events. Our Arnold Palmer Invitational predictions are focused on Will Zalatoris, who is also among the top choices at +2200. Rahm is followed by Rory McIlroy (+900), Scottie Scheffler (+1000) and a large group at +2000 that is headlined by Xander Schauffele and Collin Morikawa. Details of the variables of the week are below. 12. He carded a 7-under 64 in the third round of the WM Phoenix Open, his 15th such round of 64 or better since 2021. It didnt matter to him that there were two fewer par 5s at the time, but thats always been a cornerstone weapon for the 82-time PGA TOUR winner. The field at Bay Hill is absolutely loaded once again for the PGA Tours new elevated events. Rather, its one of those tracks that players will say is all out in front of you. That means its all about executing. The qualifications for this exclusive event are pretty simple: win a tournament during the 2021 calendar year, stretching across two seasons (January to December). PGATOUR.coms Rob Bolton recaps and previews every tournament from numerous perspectives. PGA TOUR Golf Power Rankings: Jon Rahm Dominates, Patrick Reed Revival? PGA Tour Power Rankings: Cameron rises, Rory surges and LIV players exit 220d Mark Schlabach A battle for No. All four Par 3s, all four Par 5s and a few Par 4s will likely require a long iron this week at Bay Hill. The Korn Ferry trademark is also a registered trademark, and is used in the Korn Ferry Tour logo with permission. Schauffele made more than 89 feet of putts -- on the first five holes Sunday. 5. Let's get down to the top 10 players to get it done at PGA National: 10 Min Woo Lee OWGR: T-47th, FedEx Cup: --, Min Woo Lee is making his Honda Classic debut this week on a sponsor exemption.. Finau has (barely) cooled off from his sizzling stretch last season, in which he won in back-to-back starts and was ninth at the Tour Championship. Previous rank: 15 He had a 1-shot lead at the Sandersons Farms Championship in October and tied for eighth. Young, the 2022 PGA Tour Rookie of the Year, had quite the week. 2 ranked player in the world. When the wind machine was on high for the final round, the course yielded a 75.481, highest for any final round on TOUR all season. In addition to the aforementioned rewards, clutching the silver trophy and slipping on the iconic red sweater, the winner will be exempt into THE PLAYERS Championship through 2025 and his PGA TOUR membership will be extended through at least 2026. In years past, I may have skewed driving stats toward Driving Distance on the week, but Ill simply be using SG: Off the Tee. Rahm would have to be ranked No. It started to come together at TPC Scottsdale. His PGA TOUR Horse for the Course for daily fantasy golf based on course history. 1 player catch lightning in a bottle at Pebble Beach, where he picked up his first PGA Tour victory in four years, or was it the start of a real resurgence? That helped him make it onto the American Presidents Cup team where Burns played well despite a middling record. 6. A string of solid performances at the Corales Puntacana that read 14th (2020), 22nd (2021) and runner-up last year, and a top-12 (2021) at the Bermuda Championship are signs that Smalley has a liking to these tropical locations. He hit the ball well last year, gaining nearly 2 strokes per round tee-to-green on the field, but his putting was dreadful, which is why he finished in a tie for 43rd. A week after picking up his first PGA Tour victory, in his 203rd career start, at Pebble Beach, Hoge followed it with another top-15 at TPC Scottsdale. In five starts, Burns has made a respectable four cuts, but last year's T-9th (72-69-75-71) was his first top-10 at Bay Hill. Sam Burns Access 4,300-plus hours of live coverage from 35 PGA Tour tournaments each year, including four days of coverage at 28 events with four feeds each day. All you have to do is place a bet of at least $5 bet on any pre-game money line, and you wont even need a DraftKings promo code. 1 Jon Rahm. The through line is hitting greens in regulation no matter how that equation is written for the individual. SUNDAY: Payouts and Points, Medical Extensions, Qualifiers, Reshuffle. 1 for much of last season, when he won four times, including his first major championship (at the Masters). Just a friendly reminder that these aren't necessarily the 25 most talented players in the world or the 25 greatest players on tour. 21+: TheLines.com and all content herein is intended for audiences 21 years and older. A year ago, Kim was preparing for the Royal's Cup in Thailand on the Asian Tour. Sam Burns, Arnold Palmer Invitational, Mandatory Credit: Reinhold Matay-USA TODAY Sports. Even with a playoff loss Sunday, one can argue that the reigning PGA Tour Player of the Year is playing better than anyone right now -- even world No. 2023 Honda Classic predictions, expert picks, odds, field rankings 8. Will Zalatoris : It was good to see him play well at Riviera with a 4th place finish and nearly 8 strokes gained with his ball striking.