This article is part of our Weekly PGA Preview series.
If seems like just weeks ago that we were wrapping up yet another season on the PGA Tour, wait, it was just weeks ago. Whereas last year the new schedule was, well, new, this time around we all feel like seasoned vets, right? I, for one, am much more comfortable with everything, which can only mean that as I write, the folks at PGA Tour headquarters are devising a new schedule structure for 2016. Perhaps one that has no offseason, but three four-week breaks throughout the season, plotted on the calendar not to coincide with any of the other major sports. Wait, that's not possible. OK, how about a season that doesn't compete with football in any way? Not possible? Correct.
Short of holding tournaments entirely on weekday mornings, the PGA Tour is always going to be up against a larger entity and it seems like the powers that be have accepted that fact ... for now. The new schedule, as crazy as it sounded last year, seemed to have worked. There's meaning again to the fall season, but better yet, the process by which players earn their PGA Tour cards makes more sense now. Instead of one late-season event to determine the new entrants on the PGA Tour, now there's a formula that takes into account how players have done all season. It's not perfect, but at least it's starting to make more sense. Let's just hope there isn't another change in the works.
This week: Frys.com Open -
If seems like just weeks ago that we were wrapping up yet another season on the PGA Tour, wait, it was just weeks ago. Whereas last year the new schedule was, well, new, this time around we all feel like seasoned vets, right? I, for one, am much more comfortable with everything, which can only mean that as I write, the folks at PGA Tour headquarters are devising a new schedule structure for 2016. Perhaps one that has no offseason, but three four-week breaks throughout the season, plotted on the calendar not to coincide with any of the other major sports. Wait, that's not possible. OK, how about a season that doesn't compete with football in any way? Not possible? Correct.
Short of holding tournaments entirely on weekday mornings, the PGA Tour is always going to be up against a larger entity and it seems like the powers that be have accepted that fact ... for now. The new schedule, as crazy as it sounded last year, seemed to have worked. There's meaning again to the fall season, but better yet, the process by which players earn their PGA Tour cards makes more sense now. Instead of one late-season event to determine the new entrants on the PGA Tour, now there's a formula that takes into account how players have done all season. It's not perfect, but at least it's starting to make more sense. Let's just hope there isn't another change in the works.
This week: Frys.com Open - Silverado Country Club North Course, Napa, Calif.
Last Year: Jimmy Walker shot a final-round 66 on his way to a two-stroke victory over Vijay Singh.
PLAYERS TO CONSIDER
Jimmy Walker
New season, and this week is a new course, so there's little, if anything, to go on for the season-opening event. That said, it might be wise to use golfers who played well during fall season last year, and no one was better than Walker at the end of the last fall season.
Hideki Matsuyama
Matsuyama took a nice leap forward last season, but does he have another bump in his game this year? I think so, and this small stretch during fall would be a good place to gobble up FedEx Points and a lot of money as well.
Matt Kuchar
Kuchar will tee it up at this event for the first time this year, and while most in the field have an edge on him in that aspect, they are all playing this course for the first time, so the advantage is nullified. Look for Kuchar to get off to a good start this season with a solid showing this week.
Brooks Koepka
Koepka was not a member of the PGA Tour when he teed it up here last year, but he played himself onto the tour, and now he's looking to build on his success from last season. Koepka is exactly the type who should take advanatge of the fall season, which carries much less pressure than the regular season.
Gonzalo Fdez-Castano
Castano failed to live up to some lofty expectations last season, but with a full year on the PGA Tour under his belt and a little less pressure this season, I expect a better effort. We should be able to tell right out the gate as the competition is not too stiff this week.
PLAYERS TO AVOID
Vijay Singh
A runner-up and a fourth-place finish in two attempts at this event, but remember, it doesn't mean anything as those performances occurred on different tracks. Singh's game took a hit with the deer antler spray scandal a couple years back, and now that some time has passed, his game might better, but he's suddenly 50 years old.
Aaron Baddeley
To be honest, finding five players to avoid this week under the current condidtions is tough. For that reason, I'll have to rely on my gut more than usual. Baddeley doesn't seem like a "fall" guy. He seems like an early season guy, but not in the current sense; I'm talking about the early-season in the old format, you know, the West Coast Swing?
Adam Hadwin
Hadwin finished the 2014 atop the Web.com money list and expectations are therefore high. For some reason, golfers who make a huge splash on the Web.com Tour have historically failed to live up to expectations the following year on the PGA Tour.
Zach Sucher
Some are wired to come through in big spots, and while Sucher might be one, the odds are stacked against him in his first start on the PGA Tour this week.
Davis Love III
While Love III would, well, love to stay on the PGA Tour forever, his game will simply not allow that to happen. Look for Love III to start eyeing the Champions Tour as the year progresses.
ONE AND DONE GOLFER
This week: Brooks Koepka - Seems too early to burn a big name, so I'll go with a guy who's played well for most of the calendar year and should be able to take advantage of a weak field this week.
YAHOO PICKS
Yahoo's fantasy game does not use the fall season, beginning in January for the traditional start of the PGA Tour season.
Last Season:
Points: 5,516
Rank: 15,723
SURVIVOR PICK
This week: Brooks Koepka - Might as well double-up to start the season. Taking a big name this early in a survivor format seems a little risky given that most of these guys haven't teed it up in a few weeks.
