This article is part of our Golf Barometer series.
Injury scares for two of golf's biggest stars have dominated headlines upon the conclusion of the Hawaiian Swing, and we'll check in on them below.
We'll also take a look at several players trending up or down in fantasy value ahead of the American Express. With the Tour electing not to force players through a Pro-Am gauntlet, and eliminating the need to use La Quinta Country Club for one of the first three rounds, PGA West is the lone site of the event this year.
VALUE RISING
Satisfying the requirements to retain his PGA Tour card on the very last start of a major medical exemption, Kirk tied for second at the Sony Open to vault 135 spots up the Official World Golf Ranking to No. 128. He's now made the cut in five consecutive cuts dating to the Sanderson Farms Championship, currently residing 36th in the FedEx Cup standings. Kirk ranks seventh among the American Express field in SG: Tee-to-Green over his last 24 rounds and he's 18th in par-4 scoring this season.
Hoffman was never able to regain positioning inside of the OWGR top-100 throughout the 2020 calendar year, but he's made the cut in four straight starts dating to the Vivint Houston Open while notching a trio of top-30 finishes during this span. He also owns three top-15 results this season, most recently posting a T14 at the Sony Open where he gained 8.3 strokes from tee to green. On the season, Hoffman
Injury scares for two of golf's biggest stars have dominated headlines upon the conclusion of the Hawaiian Swing, and we'll check in on them below.
We'll also take a look at several players trending up or down in fantasy value ahead of the American Express. With the Tour electing not to force players through a Pro-Am gauntlet, and eliminating the need to use La Quinta Country Club for one of the first three rounds, PGA West is the lone site of the event this year.
VALUE RISING
Satisfying the requirements to retain his PGA Tour card on the very last start of a major medical exemption, Kirk tied for second at the Sony Open to vault 135 spots up the Official World Golf Ranking to No. 128. He's now made the cut in five consecutive cuts dating to the Sanderson Farms Championship, currently residing 36th in the FedEx Cup standings. Kirk ranks seventh among the American Express field in SG: Tee-to-Green over his last 24 rounds and he's 18th in par-4 scoring this season.
Hoffman was never able to regain positioning inside of the OWGR top-100 throughout the 2020 calendar year, but he's made the cut in four straight starts dating to the Vivint Houston Open while notching a trio of top-30 finishes during this span. He also owns three top-15 results this season, most recently posting a T14 at the Sony Open where he gained 8.3 strokes from tee to green. On the season, Hoffman ranks 13th on Tour in SG: Off-the-Tee and 37th in proximity.
Long, who put himself on the map with a win at 2019 American Express, has used a trio of top-5 finishes since the 3M Open to ascend to No. 62 in the OWGR. He tied for third in his most recent start at the Mayakoba Golf Classic in December, picking up additional momentum ahead of his 2021 debut at PGA West, the site of his aforementioned victory. Over his last 36 rounds compared to those in the American Express field this week, Long ranks top-20 in overall proximity, proximity from 150-175 yards and proximity from 200-plus.
VALUE FALLING
Snedeker was my "Bust" in our Golf Draft Kit released ahead of the 2020-21 season, and aside from a T17 at the Sanderson Farms Championship in early October, his placement in that discouraging category has been warranted. Snedeker's back-to-back missed cuts at the RSM Classic and the Sony Open have him just one spot shy of falling to 100th in the OWGR. He's posted just one top-25 performance in 16 starts since the PGA Tour's 2020 schedule resumed in June, racking up eight missed cuts during this stretch as well. The 40-year-old ranks outside of the top-150 on Tour in many ball-striking metrics such as SG: Off-the-Tee, SG: Approach and SG: Tee-to-Green.
Since making the cut at the Masters, which is less of a feat than actually earning an invite, Reavie went MC-MC-T67 from the RSM Classic through the Sony Open. The flat stick has completely failed the former Sun Devil since late September, losing an average of 3.7 strokes putting per event throughout his last five measured tournaments. There is some hope for positive regression down in the Californian desert this week, however, as Reavie ranks third in driving accuracy over his last 50 rounds and fourth in proximity over his last 36 rounds. Reavie's short-term outlook is essentially dependent entirely on his putting, which can be morphed into a tame issue given his iron prowess.
Norlander eventually rose to legitimate relevance as a value play in daily fantasy formats upon his graduation from the Korn Ferry Tour in 2019, but he's recently missed four consecutive cuts from the Bermuda Championship through the Sony Open. The Swede has missed the cut in six of eight starts to begin the 2020-21 campaign, though he managed to flash the upside he harnesses by tying for fourth at the Sanderson Farms Championship last fall. There is hope for Norlander moving forward as he's gained strokes on approaches in three straight measured events, but issues both on and around the greens have really dragged him down as of late.
INJURY UPDATE
The Spaniard was forced to withdraw from The American Express this week after tweaking something during his preparation back home in Scottsdale, but the issue is believed to be minor and likely won't have an impact on his season-long outlook as he simply plays it safe for now. Rahm's withdrawal was a major hit to the field strength at PGA West, given he was not only a past champion but also the outright betting favorite by a solid margin. Nonetheless, Rahm already plans to return at the Farmers Insurance Open next week.
In a bit more alarming injury news, it's come to light that Woods has been out of commission since a T38 at the Masters due to a fifth back surgery, which he underwent in December. The procedure was a microdiscectomy to remove a pressurized disc fragment, which had caused discomfort by pinching a nerve. The surgery was deemed a success and there are even reports that he was walking around the next day, but he will miss a couple tournaments he usually plays, and his status for the Masters in April is questionable. At 45 years old, it'll be especially important to monitor for any delays or setbacks in the rehabilitation process.
