This article is part of our Weekly PGA Preview series.
Remember when the new guys on the PGA Tour had to pay their dues before winning? Yeah, well, that's not the case anymore as Bryson DeChambeau picked up his first win Sunday at the John Deere Classic. That means, according to my calculations, every "young gun" now has a win on the PGA Tour.
With so much young talent on the PGA Tour finding success, it sure makes for interesting Sundays, but it also begs the question -- can anyone on the PGA Tour become exceptional on the PGA Tour in its current form? We have a ton of talent out there now, and no one doubts how good guys like Dustin Johnson, Rory McIlroy and Jordan Spieth are, but as we enter the 2017 Open Championship, we are on a streak of eight consecutive first-time champions.
Does that indicate that the golfers we thought were great, aren't as good as we thought or is the PGA Tour so deep that it won't allow for greatness? DJ is regarded as the best player on the planet and has all of one major on his resume, Spieth has just two majors and while McIlroy has four majors, he picked up his first two during a soft spot when all of this young talent had yet to emerge.
The truth is no one can be certain of what's to come. But one thing is certain, if any of these guys rack up multiple majors in this era, they will be considered among
Remember when the new guys on the PGA Tour had to pay their dues before winning? Yeah, well, that's not the case anymore as Bryson DeChambeau picked up his first win Sunday at the John Deere Classic. That means, according to my calculations, every "young gun" now has a win on the PGA Tour.
With so much young talent on the PGA Tour finding success, it sure makes for interesting Sundays, but it also begs the question -- can anyone on the PGA Tour become exceptional on the PGA Tour in its current form? We have a ton of talent out there now, and no one doubts how good guys like Dustin Johnson, Rory McIlroy and Jordan Spieth are, but as we enter the 2017 Open Championship, we are on a streak of eight consecutive first-time champions.
Does that indicate that the golfers we thought were great, aren't as good as we thought or is the PGA Tour so deep that it won't allow for greatness? DJ is regarded as the best player on the planet and has all of one major on his resume, Spieth has just two majors and while McIlroy has four majors, he picked up his first two during a soft spot when all of this young talent had yet to emerge.
The truth is no one can be certain of what's to come. But one thing is certain, if any of these guys rack up multiple majors in this era, they will be considered among the greats of the game.
This week: The Open Championship - Royal Birkdale, Southport, England
Last Year: Henrik Stenson shot a final-round 63 on his way to a three-stroke victory over Phil Mickelson.
PLAYERS TO CONSIDER
Justin Rose
There are a bunch of golfers in the field who played well at Birkdale in 2008. Unfortunately, most are not in top form entering this week. Rose didn't finish well in 2008, but he did make the cut and nearly won the Masters in April. This feels like a good week for Rose. Although there are bigger fish in this pond, Rose is my top pick.
Dustin Johnson
Speaking of bigger fish, DJ is the biggest fish around, or rather, shark, but he's actually in a spot where he'll have to prove himself again soon. DJ is regarded as the best player on the planet, but to keep that status, he'll have to pick up another major soon. DJ usually fares well on Open Championship courses, so there's plenty of reason to think he'll be in contention come Sunday.
Sergio Garcia
It was a common notion that if Garcia were to break through at any major, it would be the Open Championship. But he put that notion to rest when he surprised everyone at the Masters earlier this year. That said, there's still a good chance he picks up an Open Championship at some point because he usually plays well at this event. Garcia has the confidence of a major champion for the first time at this event, which could be all he needs to get over the hump.
Padraig Harrington
Harrington was the champion of this event when it was last held at Birkdale in 2008. If that were the only reason to take him, I certainly wouldn't have him on this list, but he's coming off a top-5 at the Scottish Open as well, so there's plenty to like about Harrington this week.
Adam Scott
Scott might have the best track record at this event in the entire field this week, and part of that track record includes a T16 at Birkdale in 2008. Scott is certainly comfortable on Open Championship courses as proven by his three top-5s in his past four starts.
PLAYERS TO AVOID
Henrik Stenson
Stenson put on a show for the ages last year at the Open Championship, but he was in much better form 12 months ago. I realize that fading Stenson at the Open Championship of all places is dangerous, but the way he's played over the last four months makes it impossible for me to recommend him this week.
Ryan Moore
Moore has a mixed track record at this event, rarely missing the cut, but never finishing high. He's also coming off a terrible performance last week at the John Deere Classic where he missed the cut. Guys miss cuts from time to time and it's no big deal, but Moore had an outstanding track record at that event heading into the week, so a missed cut there, likely means he's way off.
Sean O'Hair
Plenty of players in the field have bad memories of Birkdale, but O'Hair may have the worst of the bunch. Although he made the cut, O'Hair finished at 26-over in 2008. He's also been off his game lately, with two missed cuts and a T77 in his last three stars.
Bubba Watson
Watson missed the 2008 Open Championship by one year and it's probably a good thing because he may have been soured on the event and never come back. As it is, Watson has played in every Open Championship since 2008, but he's never finished better than T23. It doesn't help that Watson has been off his game for most of the season either.
Matt Kuchar
Kuchar has been one of the most reliable players on the PGA Tour for more than a decade, but he's anything but reliable at the Open Championship. Kuchar has missed the cut in half of his 12 starts at the Open Championship and one of those cuts came at Birkdale in 2008.
ONE AND DONE GOLFER
Last week: Brian Harman (T10) - $145,600; Season - $6,787,035
This week: Justin Rose - Entering this season, there seemed to be a clear top 4 atop the PGA Tour and you'd want to make sure to have one of those guys for each of the majors. But that's not the case now, which opens the door to many more golfers, and Rose is one of those guys who can be trusted during the majors.
YAHOO PICKS
Points: 3,534
Rank: 21,481
This Week:
Group A: Adam Scott, Dustin Johnson
Group B: Justin Rose, Phil Mickelson, Jordan Spieth, Paul Casey
Group C: Sergio Garcia, Padraig Harrington
SURVIVOR PICK
Last week: Steve Stricker - (T5); Streak - 4
This week: Justin Rose - Rose has as much major championship experience at Royal Birkdale as anyone in the field as he played here in both 2008 and 1998, so there's little doubt in my mind that anything will surprise him this week. Rose didn't play well on the weekend in 2008, but he made it to the weekend and finished T4 as an amateur in 1998.
