Dean & Deluca Invitational: Oft Runner-up Kisner Wins

When you think about it, when you really try to envision what had to be going through Kevin Kisner's mind, what he accomplished on Sunday was pretty special. Jordan Spieth, perhaps golf's top closer, was closing fast two groups ahead of him. Jon Rahm, perhaps the top golfer in the world so far this year, was putting the pressure on from his flank. And when you throw in the prospects of answering more questions about how you again didn't get the job done, well, Kisner had a lot on his plate.

Kisner withstood it all – and "all" included a knee-knocking 5-footer for par on 18 – to win the Dean & DeLuca Invitational at Colonial by one stroke over Spieth, Rahm and Sean O'Hair.

Kisner is best known for all his runners-up – six of them now, including last month's Zurich Classic. Yes, he had already won before, but that lone victory from 2015 was looking smaller and smaller in the rearview mirror. And it wasn't all that large to begin with coming during the fall season at the RSM Classic.

Spieth shot a bogey-free 65 to get into the clubhouse with a 9-under score that for a while had playoff written all over it. Rahm, in the penultimate trio with Kisner, birdied 17 to match Spieth, then had a 10-footer for birdie on 18. Kisner wasn't exactly pristine down the stretch, three-jacking 16 and missing the green on 18. But he got up and down from the fringe while Rahm shockingly missed, and what three minutes earlier could've been a Rahm win in regulation was instead Kisner's.

The PGA Tour's preeminent runner-up thus did not have to figuratively don yet another bridesmaid's dress. Instead, he was forced to wear a literally hideous plaid sport coat as the Colonial champ (think: 1970s game-show host).

Kisner moved from 45 to 22nd in the latest world rankings, though that's still short of his career-best 14th reached early in 2016. He has a terrific all-around game, just what was needed for Hogan's Alley, and also for Muirfield this week at the Memorial. But winning two tournaments in a row is a lot to ask for, and contending at the U.S. Open in a fortnight might also be a reach. While Kisner is proficient in all areas, the extremely large area of 7,800-yard Erin Hills could be too tall a task for someone who's ranked 144th in driving distance at 286.1 yards. A top-10 would be a terrific week (Kisner tied for 12th at 7,695-yard Chambers Bay two years ago).

MONDAY BACKSPIN

Jordan Spieth

We wrote in the RotoWire value picks that even though Spieth entered the tournament having missed two cuts in a row, a golfer of his stature was capable of reversing at any moment. And he did. It's hard to fathom that Spieth fell to No. 7 in the world (he moved back to sixth in the latest rankings), but it's quite easy to envision him winning the Memorial and/or the U.S. Open. Spieth returned to his longtime putter and led the Colonial field in birdies and in putting average.

Sean O'Hair

O'Hair has been Kisner-like with second-place cashes each of the past three seasons. This was also his fourth top-10 of the season, his best total since 2009, which was his top year on Tour. O'Hair has had some lean years since then, but he's now 38th in the point standings. He was T5 last week before this week's T2, so maybe short courses are the way to go with O'Hair. We don't have a real answer for this sudden rejuvenation after so many fallow years.

Webb Simpson

The 54-hole leader was vying for his first win in four seasons, and bogeying the par-5 first by missing a 5-footer was a killer. Simpson to put it kindly is not the best putter around, and that makes his margin for error so slim. It's a testament to his sterling tee-to-green game that he can still contend. Simpson still had a chance to tie on 18, but he bogeyed again to end up solo fifth.

Danny Lee

Through February, Lee was a mess, sitting 181st in the point standings. He then quietly began to turn around his season – until he became very noticeable with a second straight top-10. Lee finished sixth at Colonial after a T5 last week at the Byron Nelson. Yes, he could manage only an even-par 70 on Sunday, when he was in the final group with eyes on a win. Still, he now has six top-25s in the past three months. Suddenly, a golfer who arrived with a breakthrough 2014-15 season, only to falter last season, might have rediscovered his game. Lee's now 80th in the point standings.

Scott Piercy

Speaking of being a mess and rediscovering his game … Piercy tied for seventh at Colonial following a T20 at the Nelson. He was even leading on Saturday before a disastrous double at 13 started a downward spiral. Still, a guy who hadn't had a top-30 in six months appears to have staunched the bleeding.

Paul Casey

It's really odd for someone ranked so high to go years without winning. No. 14 Casey hasn't won anywhere since 2014 and hasn't won on the PGA Tour since his maiden win back in 2009. He had a chance Sunday starting in the final group two strokes behind Simpson. But while the leaders were posting 65s and 66s, Casey stumbled to a 73 to tie for 10th. It was his fourth top-10 and 10th top-25 of the season – stellar totals – but Colonial had to be viewed as a disappointment for him.

David Lingmerth

The former Memorial champion has found his game just in time for this year's tournament. Lingmerth has three top-25s in the past month – his only such finishes all season – following a T12 at Colonial. That isn't to say that because he's been playing his best golf in some time that he will do well at Muirfield. But we're also not saying he won't do well.

Curtis Luck

The Australian was the world's top amateur before turning pro last month after the Masters (T46). He tied for 34th at Colonial and was eighth in the field in birdies. That means he also had a lot of bogeys. Luck was 15th in greens in regulation, usually the most important stat, just as it will be this week at the Memorial, where Luck is in the field. And sure to be one of the lower-priced guys.

Cameron Smith

The young Aussie missed his second straight cut after winning the Zurich Classic with partner Jonas Blixt, a victory that literally left him speechless for the post-match interview. Smith may just need a little more time to return to earth following his maiden win. Might be right to wait a little bit before jumping back on board.

Alex Noren

Is there a quieter top-10 player in the world? Maybe not anymore. Noren shot a 10-under 62 to come from way back and win the prestigious BMW PGA Championship on the European Tour. That moves the Swede to No. 8 in the world with his fifth win since last summer. He really hadn't had any success on the PGA Tour before securing a T10 at The Players. DraftKings continually lowballed him at under $7,000. That can't continue, right?

RotoWire Value Picks

Last week: One top-5, two top-10s, seven top-25s, 12 top-50s, four missed cuts.

This week: Winner (Kisner), five top-12s, six top-25s, three missed cuts. In Tier 1, we had a banner week: four top-12s. Kisner won, Casey tied for 10th and Sergio Garcia and Matt Kuchar tied for 12th. That's not quite as good as it gets, but getting four guys top-12, even Tier 1 guys, is something we'd take every single week. On the other hand … Tier 2. The very expensive Jason Dufner missed the cut, while Brandt Snedeker (T48), Adam Hadwin (T53) and Chris Kirk (T67) didn't fare much better. Tier 3 was better, but not by much. Emiliano Grillo tied for 24th, while Nick Taylor (T61) and Ryan Palmer (T70) finished way back. Still, that was better than Pat Perez's trunk slam. Among the long shots, Piercy delivered big-time with his T7. William McGirt tied for 61st, and Cameron Tringale was 72nd, while Blayne Barber missed the cut.