This article is part of our Weekly PGA Preview series.
When Zach Johnson won the 2015 Open Championship, he started a trend that would see 10 majors in a row won by 10 different golfers.
While it's certainly a testament to the depth of the PGA Tour, the cynic in me believed that it was merely a matter of coincidence, part of a larger cycle that was bound to come around to the point where the cream rose to the top more often than not.
As it turns out, I may have been mistaken. Apparently, there is a never-ending current of young golfers destined for greatness on the PGA Tour, and last week we were witness to yet another one. It's hard to keep track of who is supposed to be the next big thing and who simply emerges out of thin air, and to be honest, it really doesn't matter their pedigree, if a guy can play, he can play. Aaron Wise did not hit the PGA Tour with the hype of Jordan Spieth or John Rahm, but watching him closely Sunday, you'd never have known that he was a first-time winner.
Wise was unshakable, in a spot where he had every right to stumble and fall flat on his face. Wise had the lead and by default, the spotlight on him for the majority of the final round and he had a more than capable foe chasing him. It was a scenario where a collapse was nearly inevitable and yet, Wise never wavered, not one single bit. It
When Zach Johnson won the 2015 Open Championship, he started a trend that would see 10 majors in a row won by 10 different golfers.
While it's certainly a testament to the depth of the PGA Tour, the cynic in me believed that it was merely a matter of coincidence, part of a larger cycle that was bound to come around to the point where the cream rose to the top more often than not.
As it turns out, I may have been mistaken. Apparently, there is a never-ending current of young golfers destined for greatness on the PGA Tour, and last week we were witness to yet another one. It's hard to keep track of who is supposed to be the next big thing and who simply emerges out of thin air, and to be honest, it really doesn't matter their pedigree, if a guy can play, he can play. Aaron Wise did not hit the PGA Tour with the hype of Jordan Spieth or John Rahm, but watching him closely Sunday, you'd never have known that he was a first-time winner.
Wise was unshakable, in a spot where he had every right to stumble and fall flat on his face. Wise had the lead and by default, the spotlight on him for the majority of the final round and he had a more than capable foe chasing him. It was a scenario where a collapse was nearly inevitable and yet, Wise never wavered, not one single bit. It was a performance that in year's past would stamp him as lock to win a major down the road, but that's not the present state of the PGA Tour. There's a current out there, and it's only getting stronger.
This week: Fort Worth Invitational - Colonial Country Club, Fort Worth, Texas
Last Year: Kevin Kisner shot a final-round 66 on his way to a one-stroke victory over Jordan Spieth, Jon Rahm and Sean O'Hair.
PLAYERS TO CONSIDER
Jordan Spieth
There's no doubt that Spieth is not at the top of his game, but he's shown the ability to easily find his game, and his track record here is tough to ignore. Unlike last week, where he wasn't a great one-and-done option because of the new venue, this week he's at the top of the list because he's not only played here, but he's won here.
Aaron Wise
Does a spotless game on a links-style course translate to Colonial? Probably not, but after seeing Wise mow down the competition last week, I'd be willing to bet that he'll play well again this week. I usually fade first-time winners in their following start, but first-time winners usually stumble to the finish while winning and Wise did anything but stumble. In other words, this challenge doesn't seem too big for him.
Danny Lee
considering the state of Lee's game just a few weeks ago, it's amazing that he's on this list so soon, but that's his nature. Lee has always been extremely streaky, and if his most recent start at the Players is any indication, he's about to play well the next few weeks. The timing works as well as he has a solid track record here with two top-10s in his last three starts at this event.
Adam Scott
It's time to lower expectations for Scott as he's simply not the dominant golfer we got used to seeing over the last decade. That said, he's proven in his last couple starts that he's still got game. Not the game we are used to, but certainly good enough to make a run here and there. He made a run last week, but came up short. Considering he's won this event, he's certainly capable of making another run this week on a course he's familiar with.
Ryan Palmer
Palmer is not the guy you want to take if you are in or near the lead in your one and done pool, but if you want to take a flyer on someone who should be lightly owned and comes with a high upside, then Palmer could be your guy. Palmer has finished in the top 5 at this event in each of the last three even years, and, as you are probably aware, it's 2018.
PLAYERS TO AVOID
Beau Hossler
I considered Hossler as a bounce-back candidate this week, but upon further review, I decided his game just wasn't where it needed to be. I tracked Hossler closely last week and what I saw was a golfer who was all over the map for most of the week ... on a course with which he was familiar. Hossler finished 8-over last year in his only start at this event.
Martin Laird
Laird is having a decent season. He's carded a few top-10s and is comfortably inside the top 100 on the FedEx Cup Points list. He's also posted a couple top-10s at this event, which would seem to indicate that he's a good play this week. But he's failed to make the cut here in his last two starts and missed the cut last week at the Byron Nelson Classic.
Wesley Bryan
Bryan has been so bad since the calendar flipped that it's almost pointless to put him on this list. But he is still one of the bigger names in the field this week, so I feel it's necessary to remind everyone just what a funk he is in. Bryan has missed seven on his last eight cuts on the PGA Tour and he could only muster a T48 in his first start at this event last year.
Patton Kizzire
Kizzire won two events this season before the calendar turned to February, so it's tough to blame him if he let up a little after that. Kizzire is locked into every big event for the remainder of the season, which is great, but if he plans to get anything done while playing is said events, he might want to pick up his game a little. Kizzire has missed the cut in his last four starts on the PGA Tour.
Brandt Snedeker
I mentioned last week that Snedeker was supposed to get back to his old form this season and that obviously hasn't happened. But while he was hanging in there as recently as a few weeks ago, his game his simply gone off the rails the last month. Snedeker has missed his last three cuts on this PGA Tour and doesn't have a great track record at this event, so there's really no reason to use him.
ONE AND DONE GOLFER
Last week: Beau Hossler (T32) - $39,116; Season - $5,535,239
This week: Aaron Wise - This is a pick that I never would have made in years past as I'm more of a track record vs. recent play guy and I rarely like using the golfer who won the previous week. But something about Wise's demeanor gives me a good feeling about this week. Then again, maybe I'm reaching because I'm no longer in first place in my primary one-and-done league. Believe it or not, this pick came down to Wise and Danny Lee, but I like Wise's upside for obvious reasons.
PGATOUR.COM PICKS
This Week:
Starters: Jordan Spieth, Aaron Wise, Jimmy Walker, Adam Scott
Bench: Danny Lee, Webb Simpson
SURVIVOR PICK
Last week: Beau Hossler - (T32); Streak - 2
This week: Kevin Na - This is one of the easier events to pick in the survivor format each season as there are plenty of good options from which to to choose. I'm going with Na because of his form and overall track record at this event. Na doesn't have a huge upside this week, but he's made the cut here in nine of 11 starts.
