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Rumor: Rory to join Nike? Five reasons it could happen

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GolfWRX is member published and that means you can join and share your opinions. Last week a member started a rumor that he heard Rory McIlroy is headed to Nike Golf for 250 million dollars over 10 years. Click here to see that post in the forums.

As the friendship between Rory McIlroy and Tiger Woods has flourished in recent weeks, so too have the rumors on GolfWRX that McIlroy will join Woods as a Nike Golf athlete next year.

Imagine Woods and McIlroy playing together in the final pairing of The Masters, both sporting Nike swooshes. While the scenario seemed impossible when Woods was the only golfer who enjoyed major media coverage, McIlroy’s dominating performances in the 2011 U.S. Open and the 2012 PGA Championship have brought him to a level of stardom that only Woods can best.

McIlroy currently has an apparel deal with Oakley and is a brand ambassador for Titleist/Footjoy and Jumeriah Hotels & Resorts — a Dubai-based international luxury hotel chain. But all of these deals were signed before McIlroy vaulted to stardom, which means that he and his management company may be looking to cash in on his increased value.

While it is only a rumor for now, a McIlroy-Nike Golf partnership makes sense for both parties. Here are five reasons why we might see McIlroy make a move to Nike Golf in the near future:

No. 1: Nike Golf needs another top-ranked golfer

Unfortunately for Woods and Nike Golf, it’s not 2008 anymore. Woods is no longer an unrivaled force in golf and his continued injury problems put the length of his legendary career in jeopardy. And while Woods is still easily the most popular golfer on the planet, his scandal has hurt his popularity. More importantly it has also seemed to shake the confidence that earned him 14 major championship titles.

Of Nike Golf’s 12 current PGA Tour athletes, only two players are ranked in the top 50 in the Official Golf World Rankings — Woods (No. 3) and Carl Pettersson (No. 32). You have to go all the way to the No. 110 in the OGWR to find the next top Nike Golf athlete on the PGA Tour, Paul Casey, who has made just two cuts this year. To be fair, Nike also sponsors European Tour members Charl Schwartzel (No. 24), Francesco Molinari (No. 25) and Simon Dyson (No. 48), but they are players are unlikely to impact apparel and equipment sales in the way McIlroy could.

No. 2: Global sports stardom

Name a Titleist-sponsored golfer who has risen to global sports stardom? I’ll wait.

Titleist is seen as an equipment brand for the elite player, a market where the company leads the industry. Few products receive as much buzz on GolfWRX as Scotty Cameron putters and Vokey wedges, and with ProV1 and ProV1X Titleist can also lay claim as the undisputed golf ball champion of the world. But it is not a brand that can lead to global sports stardom, a practice Nike has written the book on.

We love Titleist Brand Ambassador Adam Scott, but he’s no Phil Mickelson. He’s not even Ernie Els. McIlroy has the potential to be bigger than both Mickelson and Els. And while he’ll probably never be Lebron James or Dwayne Wade, with Nike and mentor Woods he can certainly be marketed in a similar way as Nike’s biggest star in tennis, Roger Federer.

No. 3: Commercials

Remember the Nike Golf Anthony Kim 20Xi golf ball commercials? They were beautiful while they lasted.

Kim has fallen off the face of the golf world since winning the 2010 Shell Houston Open. Because of injuries to his elbow, wrist and thumb, the one-time golf phenomenon earned less than $34,000 in 10 events in 2012, and he was forced to go under the knife in July after injuring his achilles tendon while sprinting.

A marketing campaign of Woods and Kim was obviously from the get go — at one time they were two of the most energetic, entertaining athletes in golf. But a Woods-McIlroy TV spot would be even better, and would likely rival the Tiger-Frank commercials that became instant classics. Combine Woods’ pedigree and sense of humor with McIlroy’s youth, honestly and charm and you have a hit, folks.

No. 4: Products that match

Nike Golf markets its tour players as athletes, not golfers. McIlroy’s physique and unbelievable clubhead speed gel perfectly with the company’s image. He’s also a natural fit to be dressed head to toe in Nike Golf’s athlete-minded golf apparel.

As far as golf equipment, McIlroy uses a bag full of clubs that are very similar to what Woods uses. He prefers blade irons, one of Nike Golf’s most highly acclaimed products. Nike Golf also convinced Woods, one of the best putters and wedge players of all time, to switch to its wedges and putter, as well its driver and fairway woods. For the right amount of money Nike could probably convince McIlroy to do the same.

No.5: McIlroy has changed courses before

McIlroy surprised many when he jumped ship from Chubby Chandler’s ISM sports management agency in favor of the Dublin-based Horizon Sport Management group in Nov. 2011. Chandler managed one of McIlroy’s childhood heros, Darren Clarke, as well as friend Lee Westwood, making the decision to leave even tougher on McIlroy. But McIlroy said he felt Chandler was leading him “down the wrong path.”

McIlroy always wanted to play the PGA Tour, but under the guidance of Chandler and Westwood the Northern Irishman did not join the Tour in 2011 and skipped The Players Championship that year in favor of the Volvo World Match Play Championship in Spain. McIlroy later said that he regretted not joining the PGA Tour and skipping The Players.

There are hurdles to McIlroy migrating from his current sponsors, such as the length of his current contracts, but just like a round of golf can quickly change its course, so too can endorsement deals on the PGA Tour. Consider Rickie Fowler’s move from Titleist to Cobra-Puma last year. Fowler completely altered the direction of the former Acushnet-owned brand, making them a serious player among the major OEMs. McIlroy could take a brand like Nike Golf, a company that started out much like Cobra-Puma in its infancy, and grow it to the level of a company like TaylorMade-Adidas with the help of Woods.

Agree? Disagree? Leave your comments here, or in the “Tour/Pre-release forum.”

You can follow Zak on Twitter @ZakKoz or GolfWRX @GolfWRX.

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60 Comments

60 Comments

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  2. xorisszdiegr

    Mar 28, 2013 at 7:19 pm

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  3. tony

    Mar 8, 2013 at 9:16 am

    I think PHIL got it right when he said “all those years ago”, if Tiger was to play with decent equipment, just think how good he would really be. It will destroy McIlroys game using Nike clubs.

  4. deano

    Jan 14, 2013 at 11:33 am

    Titleist clubs seem to have worked well for steve stricker!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  5. Ron Faldo

    Dec 12, 2012 at 11:40 pm

    Team Nike for Rory, Nick Watney…and a few other players to be named later. He will still win with Nike clubs and they will have the most technologically advanced driver on the market in 2013. Schwartzel just demolished Asia with “inferior clubs” that Phil jealous Mickelson is referring to. Watch Nike explode in 2013 with wins all over the PGA Tour…..

  6. schellbomber

    Nov 28, 2012 at 9:10 pm

    that will be legit if he goes to nike!

  7. calvin

    Oct 26, 2012 at 6:27 pm

    Since when does Woods have a sense of humor?

  8. Eugene

    Oct 22, 2012 at 7:54 pm

    Marc V …where did u here this ..I for one hope it is a done deal!

  9. Marc V.

    Oct 22, 2012 at 3:19 pm

    Wow, don’t some of you look just rediculous! “Rors” (like you say Jordan, are you all his good friends) just announced this morning that he will be signing a deal with NIKE GOLF in the range of the 10 million (according to SportsCenter). Rory wants SO much to be like Tiger Woods, of course he went with Nike. Shame on all of you for thinking you know something about the golf business…. fools.

  10. Steve Wright

    Oct 18, 2012 at 8:38 am

    I hear that to be true this week, Taylormade offered him a deal over the Olympics when Dustin, Justin and Sergio were hitting balls in the Thames but Nike have blown their deal….rumour is its excess of $30 Million a year

  11. Jordan

    Oct 18, 2012 at 1:33 am

    I love it how some of you are calling Rory “Rors” like you are best friends. Do you guys kick it at his house and talk about future plans and contracts? Hit up the bumper cars? You guys make me laugh. “Rors wouldn’t do that”. Oh..okay? Text him and tell him what we’re saying, k? Haha

    As for the contract goes, that would be awesome. Suck for Titleist. But imagine the marketing Nike could have. Imagine a “RM” forged blade? No, wait, a “Rors” forged blade. Yup. Sold! Haha

  12. Todd

    Oct 10, 2012 at 2:22 pm

    You can’t keep arguing, and throwing out different reasons why it won’t happen and that it isn’t going to happen. But I GUARANTEE you, he signs with Nike within the next year (probably sooner than later). Got word from our Nike reps in the area where they produce all Nike tour clubs.

  13. Adder

    Oct 9, 2012 at 6:36 pm

    When Rors was with ISM there was talk that Taylor Made & Nike were in a bidding war to sign Rors. But having resigned with Titleist it wont happen for another 2.5 years at least. So no Rors will not be playing Nike next year.

    • Ron Faldo

      Dec 12, 2012 at 11:42 pm

      You can eat those words now…..salt, pepper, ketchup?

  14. mike felt

    Sep 23, 2012 at 9:27 am

    Rory is a fine young man and has made good choices during his young career. I hope he’s not going to change because of the large monies that have ruined all sports today.

  15. JakeAzgolf

    Sep 21, 2012 at 12:11 am

    Nike has way to much money to spend now, after the jersey switch for the NFL also. i wouldnt be surprised if the bought canada and called it Northern Nike!!!!

    • Joel

      Feb 1, 2013 at 12:38 pm

      As a canadian, and a Nike fan, using nike irons in my bag, and nike shoes on the track, (best track spike in the world barre none) I would be fine with this, so long as they gave me a discount on gear.

  16. Sebastian

    Sep 19, 2012 at 10:01 pm

    That must be the reason why the Florida resident has broken the 18 Major record…

  17. Jayrock72

    Sep 18, 2012 at 4:13 pm

    Method putters are the finest craftsmanship the putter Market can offer. I’ve had many scottys and now am the happiest I’ve ever been using the method 001. Class

  18. jamrock

    Sep 17, 2012 at 9:05 pm

    I have a been loyal Nike fan for the past 8 years fsince my first set of pro combos. I currently play the vr pro limited, Dymo 3 wood and Vr pro ltd 5 wood with VR forged irons and wedges.To each his own but how can you have an educated opnion on something if you have never tried it.

    I also saw comments on “Chasing the Money”. I would like to know what they would do if someone offered you 3 or 4 times their salary to try something diffrerent? Say no. I am not working for money. These make their living playing golf and have to make the best financial decision for them.

    JUST ENJOY THE RIDE!! The equipment with he top brands offer the same quality

  19. Sean

    Sep 16, 2012 at 4:01 pm

    In regards to the people thinking that Nike golf equipment is garbage, Nike has 2 of the top 3 forgers in the world. Number one being of course Mr Miura. David Franklin is a close second, but has nowhere near the publicity Miura has gotten, given Miura created his own business.

  20. Sean

    Sep 16, 2012 at 3:42 pm

    I agree with this article, titliest has not sponsored athletes or golfers for that matter that has even come close to the level of global stardom that Nike has produced for its athletes. For example, Tiger Woods, Michael Jordan, Roger Federer, Bo Jackson, Lance Armstrong, Etc
    Titliest?…….Mind still draws a blank. Plus Titliest has no where close to the kind of money Nike is willing pay its athletes. If the rumor of 250 million for 10 years is correct for Rory, he would be stupid not to say yes.

  21. Tyson

    Sep 16, 2012 at 12:04 pm

    If you ACTUALLY think Tiger uses anything but Nike clubs (i.e. cloned titty or mizzy clubs) then you haven’t a clue. I’ve even heard people say his putter isn’t a method, its a painted scotty. LOL you guys are clowns.

  22. Sebastian

    Sep 15, 2012 at 8:29 pm

    He must have been two years old at that time…

  23. Adam

    Sep 15, 2012 at 8:21 pm

    It’s no secret that Rory tried to get a contract with Nike before he was good and they turned him down.

  24. Zach

    Sep 15, 2012 at 10:05 am

    In regards to number 4 and Nike convincing Tiger to use their wedges and putter. Im not one to think equipment makes people better or worse its more swing and technique but Tiger use to be the best putter, mayb ever, and one of the best wedge players, after switching to nike garbage, his putter and wedge game has been aweful. most likely whats keeping him from playing Tiger like golf. The method putter is better for slow greens and long, slow strokes which is obvious by Tigers lack of making putts. His firm stroke and aggressive speed dont match up with the method putter. When it comes to wedges and putters Scotty and Vokey are the best,

  25. chazz

    Sep 15, 2012 at 2:48 am

    I have to agree with Andrew, Nike clubs have come a long way and after playing with a few, i wouldn’t mind putting them in play. Honestly, Nike started off with such a bad reputation among lower handicap players that people still assume Nike clubs are garbage. Just because Nike invests more than the next brand in marketing their equipment does not automatically mean they lack in performance.

  26. Sebastian

    Sep 14, 2012 at 10:14 pm

    Dear Andrew, I did not intend to say that Titleist clubs are for everybody. My old 681’s have been with me since I was 15 and I still can find a chik hotter than them (not to mention my fellow club members). I do find enlightning your post. It quite confirms my point.
    Cheers,
    S

  27. Andrew

    Sep 14, 2012 at 4:55 pm

    Sebastian…you obviously must be an expert in everything. I am a 2 handicap player and play with nike forged irons as well as the VR 3 wood. I play Ping Anser Driver. The feel on the irons are completely different. I’ve played Titleist 690’s and also AP1’s…Nike are just as forgiving and make me a better golfer.
    Maybe you should play a few rounds before you blow your wad on something you clearly don’t understand.

    Rory is a phenominal talent and should stick to his roots. If he wants to get paid for it, why not? He’s clearly the next generation of greatness for the world of golf.

  28. Sebastian

    Sep 13, 2012 at 9:07 pm

    No, Chazz. I quite agree with you.

    I just intended to make a point on what I consider to be important in deciding which clubs I play (i.e. performance, performance, performance) and what I just consider rubbish (i.e. advertising and endorsements).

    Cheers!

  29. gmacguy

    Sep 13, 2012 at 7:11 pm

    It would be a smart move for Nike to sign up Rory. After all, they have Kobe and Lebron on the same ticket. Nike would love to stick it to Oakley too. Adidas/TM may be a player in this game. Notice who his girlfriend plays for. Maybe Nike should sign up both!

  30. Sebastian

    Sep 13, 2012 at 6:56 am

    C’mon! TW uses a cloned Titleist set (with the Nike stamp, of course, BUT they are still a cloned Titleist set) and his fortune with the money-maker club has gone anywhere south since he stoped using his long-mate Scotty’s newport 2…
    In the past, Tiger dominated the game because of his putting and, ABOVE ALL, because of the aura of superiority he used to take to the course (both of them, have been long lost in the mists of time…). All in all, I don’t know a single golfer with a one-digit handicap that would spend a dollar on Nike clubs (or balls), even if TW, Rors, the Queen of England, his mom and mistress, all together, would ask him to give them a try…

    • Ron Faldo

      Dec 12, 2012 at 11:53 pm

      Arizona teaching professional, all Nike in my bag, strong 3 handicap and they are as good as anything on the market. Only thing that has come close is my Ben Hogan Apex blades, ’99 edition. Of course shaft changes on the woods and 2 iron. Nike started out rough but has the cash in excess to be the top club manufacturer if they wanted to….best driver of 2013… Nike Covert. Shwartzel just destroyed Asia with all Nike clubs…..

  31. chazz

    Sep 13, 2012 at 5:13 am

    and Kenny Perry?? seriously?

  32. chazz

    Sep 13, 2012 at 5:12 am

    seriously, all this talk about Rory not performing well with nike clubs is garbage. Obviously these guys can get whatever they want and are not using the same clubs you and I buy off the rack. I’m not a Nike fanboy or even a Tiger fanboy, but how many tournaments and majors has Tiger won using Nike equipment?? and the inconsistency in his game right now is obviously not the equipment. Even Phil switched and is still winning. You can’t bring guys like camillo and graeme in the same conversation because they dont have the same talent as Rory. There are tons of other factors you have to consider when a player switches brands and fails to live up to expectations….think about it, money perhaps?? you just land a huge million dollar contract and just maybe you get complacent. is that possible?? yes. This might even be a better explanation rather than the “blame it on the equipment.” and it might be a huge factor as to why global elite players continue to do well and others do not. Their pure passion for the game and their determination to be the best. And does Rory possess these qualities?? I think yes.

  33. bravesgolf

    Sep 13, 2012 at 4:16 am

    Hey John. Thanks, I used to follow the Atlanta braves a while back (not as much now) so it’s a name I’ve used for forums and ebay for quite some time now. I guess I was just thinking that non golfers (no matter the country) would more than likely know Tiger Woods more than any other golfer (possibly more than any other athlete). That’s what I took from the article as meaning global star. I think lot’s of golf fans from all around the world would know the top USPGA golfers (NW, JD, BH and WS are all at the top of course) but if you asked non golfers as well, I think Tiger Woods would be one of the very few (if not the only one) that people would recognise. Having said all of that, GO PHIL (from Australia!) for the Fedex cup!

  34. pooch

    Sep 12, 2012 at 5:49 pm

    Worst idea in the world is to change clubs after you’ve won several majors. I remember Kenny Perry warning all young players “chasing money isn’t worth losing your game”

  35. memphisunited

    Sep 12, 2012 at 10:13 am

    Switching equipment companies hasn’t seemed to work very well for most players lately. Graeme McDowell switched after the US Open and he didn’t have much success afterward. I think Rory should take note before making a jump. It may come down to legacy or quick cash…which one does he want?

  36. Sebastian

    Sep 11, 2012 at 11:30 pm

    Nike manufactures cheap clubs for sunday golfers (alleged “1 digit handicapers” who would not break 90 if they would play in greens other than those parking lot-size greens they are used to play). Nike could very well use McIlroy or Woods to market its products, but they will remain cheap OTC products that, at best, last barely more than a summer affair…

  37. Big O Rick

    Sep 11, 2012 at 1:24 pm

    I bet Tiger would give anything to be putting with a Scotty Cameron right now. Putting is about the only thing that hasn’t come back for him. I may be crazy but I just see Rors being a little more loyal a kid and not as much a money grubber. That set up seems to be working just fine fo him now and I am sure Titeleist will make it worth his while to keep their name on his bag.

  38. Ryan

    Sep 11, 2012 at 12:38 am

    Why would you have the best year of your career and jump ship to, as Phil called it, “inferior equipment.” Where did this story come from, ESPN?

  39. Underpar

    Sep 10, 2012 at 10:56 pm

    I just wanna say that people that think nike dosent care as much for its golf division last year they have injected more money in the driver that callaway as put in there full line of club so for sure nike as the money ans they will sign rory if they think its worth it. And by the way nike blades are the best blade on tour right now you just have to try it to know it( if you are a good golfer for sure)

    Nice article zak!

  40. Chico

    Sep 10, 2012 at 10:22 pm

    Rory and Tiger = Nike a major player in the golf industry!

  41. Stephen

    Sep 10, 2012 at 12:37 pm

    Rory with Nike Golf=$$$$$ for Nike Golf.

  42. Tyler

    Sep 10, 2012 at 10:08 am

    If Rory has any aspirations of beating Jack’s (or possibly Tiger’s) record for major championships, he’d better stick with a golf equipment company that just does golf equipment. My guess is that Nike could care less about their golf division. I’m sure they make 5x more money on soccer equipment than golf equipment and not to mention they have to pay a huge chunk to Tiger. I think if Rory goes to Nike we’ll know he’s lost sight of beating Jack’s record and is more focused on money. That will be a sad day!

  43. cyrus681

    Sep 10, 2012 at 8:16 am

    Yeti,
    Although I agree with some of your personal theorem, it still has plenty of holes. For #1- #3, the spending prowess of Nike is unmatched at a level that none of Rory’s current endorsers can see or sniff…their company ideology is different. Just like the Yankees organization, Nike will pursue a candidate that will best promote their brand. Rory is the hands-down chosen one. TMAG and NIKE will always have that battle, which Nike seems to win a majority of the time…biggest example was the big Wie-zer. In hindsight the ROI isn’t enough to break even…if only her parents would let go.

    As far as Tiger having to share the throne with Nike, it’s too easy to forget the Tiger-Duval era, because people dwell on David’s fall from immortality. Tiger has shown that he enjoys the friendly rivalry, and he tends to protect players within his inner circle. You cannot look past the benefits of a Tiger mentorship for Rory. I believe Rory can do perfectly fine co-existing with the media, as he has a different personality than Woods. , but there is so much he could benefit from the business perspective. Nike has written the book in marketing athletes, and is a perfect conduit for any player to be idolized in a legendary stature. G-Mac can give advise him all he wants but he’s never been at the Tiger level…the only best advice he can provide is that Rory stay true to himself…which I hope he does.

    Asia IS the new world golf platform. Nike is a US firm, but it holds a large stake in Asia for promoting “athletes” and their gear, especially in Basketball. It may not hold a large piece of the market share in golf equipment, but with a Rory and Tiger tandem, they can gain tremendous respectability in Asia…and THAT is one reason they can afford to invest a large amount in swaying Rory to the “dark side”.

  44. GN

    Sep 10, 2012 at 7:42 am

    Re: 5 why it won’t happen
    I think you assume too much. Nike is one of the best marketing companies the world has ever seen. Their calendar is projected out at least 10 years from now. Not present tense or…….when was Tiger’s last major?

    That’s the difference between Rory and someone like you. You’ll see Rory as the new Tiger after he wins a couple more majors, but to do what Rory has already done, I’m betting Rory has been believing that he’s the best for over five years now. I’d wager that Rory doesn’t think or believe he is second fiddle to Tiger or anyone else. He is kicking Tiger’s butt on a regular basis now. Yeah they’re buds, so Rors maybe thinks, ‘if this old cat wants to lay and go down peacefully so be it. I’ll just kick his @%% with a smile on my face like I do everyone else.” Rory is classy guy opposite his new pal. Facebook it people the Tiger era is coming to a end. That’s great, time to move on, the future is bright.

  45. Yeti

    Sep 9, 2012 at 10:53 pm

    And I’ll give you 5 reasons why it won’t happen.
    1) TIGER – just because they have exceled in a few rounds played together and appear to be friends – Tiger does not want anyone and I mean anyone encrouching on his turf. At Nike its Tiger and then all the B list stars. Tiger does not want that to change for oh say the next 10 years. And Nike does not want to rock the boat with Tiger – they know he is and will remain the face of its golf dept for many years to come – hence sticking with him through the scandal.
    2) Rory – Rory wants to be the big fish thats why he changed agents and its why he won’t go to Nike – in Oregon and at the Oven he will always be second fiddle to Tiger and thats not gonna change until he wins another 4 or 5 majors or Tiger falls out of the top 10 golfers in the world. Rory is #1 at Titleist and would be #2 at Nike – I don’t think the kid wants to be #2 anywhere – not on a leaderboard or in the world rankings and not at a golf company.
    3) Contracts – Rory hasn’t changed any of his major sponsors since moving to Horizon – why? He is under contract with everyone (Titleist, Dubai, Oakley) and Nike would have to out pay collectively for all of Rory’s sponsorship space since Nike does not allow its athletes to sport any other logos (bags not included). Thats gonna be expensive and the golf market is too small for Nike to pump $$ into marketing both Tiger and Rory – something would have to give.
    4) Rory has been playing fantastic golf for the last couple of seasons so why mess with success on the course. Sure he’s made changes outside the ropes – but he hasn’t changed a thing when it comes to playing the game. Equipment is the same, caddie is the same, swing coach is the same. There’s a long list of guys who switched gear only to struggle to regain form – all Rory has to do is ask his buddy GMac about that.
    5) The furture for Rory is in Asia – unlike for Jack and Arnold there will be no money to be made for Rory in buidling golf courses. His long term earning potential lies in marketing goods and services – particularily in the worlds growing markets in Asia. And guess where Titleist’s parent company Fila is located? Thats right Asia – Korea to be exact. Sure Nike has a presence there but it is and always will be a US firm.

  46. john

    Sep 9, 2012 at 2:24 am

    bravesgolf i like the name. but as to the descussion we are both right. while simpson, hass, duffner may not be well known by people in the nfl comunity or nba. or for even that manner they may not be house hold names. but who really is. there are several pro athealetes that are not “house hold” but Global is diffrent. and on this i can speak. I live in japan and play golf with japanese people who do know these names. and many of these people can name more golfers than any other popular u.s. sports stars. so its all in how catigorize it.

  47. MarltonPro

    Sep 8, 2012 at 11:53 pm

    Agree with Tiger pairing ,and molding him to follow in Tiger’s footsteps with Nike, and help from the greatest this era whether you like him or not would literally make him explode….EVERYWHERE. It would do massive amounts for his “marketability” (made that word up) and pockets world wide. Nike is recognized all over the world, and I’m sure a huge percentage of people think tiger when they think Nike. I’m sorry, and love titleist, not one Nike piece of equipment in my bag (def some apparel), and I love acushnet, but they could never match what Nike could do for Rory if it comes down to dollars in cents. This is all just my opinion, but Zak (writer) makes sense, and I actually hope for his sake and amount of talent he does it. Ask ten random people if they know Rory. Do the same with tiger…(even before the off-course contraversy). Then do it again 2-3 years from now after being with Nike. Best for Rory. And yes, it’s about money, and not one person would turn down redicilous amounts of loot, or strippers…..;)jk

    *He and tiger work well together
    *Nice piece Zak

  48. bravesgolf

    Sep 8, 2012 at 11:19 pm

    Zac is talking about global stardom, not golf stardom. I can’t stand Tiger Woods but he is a global star. My wife knows nothing about golf but she knows who Tiger Woods is. She wouldn’t have a clue who Webb Simpson, Nick Watney, Jason Dufner or Bill Haas are. C’mon John, they are top players on the PGA tour, but global stars, give me a break!

  49. Surlyn

    Sep 8, 2012 at 10:02 pm

    I think you’re onto something here. Rory is too big to be repping a hotel chain in Dubai.

  50. Trey

    Sep 8, 2012 at 4:31 pm

    I like Rory in Titleist more.

  51. bob

    Sep 8, 2012 at 3:16 pm

    ^ You sound very intelligent. Not.

  52. Chris

    Sep 8, 2012 at 10:55 am

    Really good article, I love how people post comments that try to make themselves look better – get over it.

    The author mentioned CS being ranked number 24 you clown.

  53. AC McGaha

    Sep 8, 2012 at 9:25 am

    Yeah, that was a great move for Duval…oh, wait…

  54. john

    Sep 8, 2012 at 7:46 am

    “Name a Titleist-sponsored golfer who has risen to global sports stardom? I’ll wait.”

    Tiger woods started as a Titleist player.
    Phil Mickelson played for titleist
    Ricky Fowler was titleist you mentioned it your self.
    Bill hass
    webb simpson
    nick watney all titleist players
    jason duffner as well.

    Look at ricky’s new clubs how much do you think Cobra payed to use a titleist iron with cobra stamped on it

    Tiger changed putters mostlikly becouse of his contract and is fall in stock value. i bet if nike didn’t pressure him he would still be using a scotty.

  55. Mark

    Sep 7, 2012 at 6:59 pm

    “Nike Golf markets its tour players as athletes, not golfers”. Look at Carl Pettersson, he is the picture of athleticism.

  56. Glenn Racz

    Sep 7, 2012 at 6:11 pm

    I believe Charl Schwartzel is a head to toe Nike player and is ranked 24th in the OWGR

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19th Hole

Vincenzi’s 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open betting preview

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As the Florida swing comes to an end, the PGA Tour makes its way to Houston to play the Texas Children’s Houston Open at Memorial Park Golf Course.

This will be the fourth year that Memorial Park Golf Course will serve as the tournament host. The event did not take place in 2023, but the course hosted the event in 2020, 2021 and 2022.

Memorial Park is a par-70 layout measuring 7,432 yards and features Bermudagrass greens. Historically, the main defense for the course has been thick rough along the fairways and tightly mown runoff areas around the greens. Memorial Park has a unique setup that features three Par 5’s and five Par 3’s.

The field will consist of 132 players, with the top 65 and ties making the cut. There are some big names making the trip to Houston, including Scottie Scheffler, Wyndham Clark, Tony Finau, Will Zalatoris and Sahith Theegala.

Past Winners at Memorial Park

  • 2022: Tony Finau (-16)
  • 2021: Jason Kokrak (-10)
  • 2020: Carlos Ortiz (-13)

In this article and going forward, I’ll be using the Rabbit Hole by Betsperts Golf data engine to develop my custom model. If you want to build your own model or check out all of the detailed stats, you can sign up using promo code: MATTVIN for 25% off any subscription package (yearly is best value). 

Key Stats For Memorial Park

Let’s take a look at several metrics for Memorial Park to determine which golfers boast top marks in each category over their last 24 rounds:

Strokes Gained: Approach

Memorial Park is a pretty tough golf course. Golfers are penalized for missing greens and face some difficult up and downs to save par. Approach will be key.

Total Strokes Gained: Approach per round in past 24 rounds:

  1. Tom Hoge (+1.30)
  2. Scottie Scheffler (+1.26)
  3. Keith Mitchell (+0.97) 
  4. Tony Finau (+0.92)
  5. Jake Knapp (+0.84)

Strokes Gained: Off the Tee

Memorial Park is a long golf course with rough that can be penal. Therefore, a combination of distance and accuracy is the best metric.

Total Strokes Gained: Off the Tee per round in past 24 rounds:

  1. Scottie Scheffler (+0.94)
  2. Kevin Dougherty (+0.93)
  3. Cameron Champ (+0.86)
  4. Rafael Campos (+0.84)
  5. Si Woo Kim (+0.70)

Strokes Gained Putting: Bermudagrass + Fast

The Bermudagrass greens played fairly fast the past few years in Houston. Jason Kokrak gained 8.7 strokes putting on his way to victory in 2021 and Tony Finau gained in 7.8 in 2022.

Total Strokes Gained Putting (Bermudagrass) per round past 24 rounds (min. 8 rounds):

  1. Adam Svensson (+1.27)
  2. Harry Hall (+1.01)
  3. Martin Trainer (+0.94)
  4. Taylor Montgomery (+0.88)
  5. S.H. Kim (+0.86)

Strokes Gained: Around the Green

With firm and undulating putting surfaces, holding the green on approach shots may prove to be a challenge. Memorial Park has many tightly mowed runoff areas, so golfers will have challenging up-and-down’s around the greens. Carlos Ortiz gained 5.7 strokes around the green on the way to victory in 2020.

Total Strokes Gained: Around the Green per round in past 24 rounds:

  1. Mackenzie Hughes (+0.76)
  2. S.H. Kim (+0.68)
  3. Scottie Scheffler (+0.64)
  4. Jorge Campillo (+0.62)
  5. Jason Day (+0.60)

Strokes Gained: Long and Difficult

Memorial Park is a long and difficult golf course. This statistic will incorporate players who’ve had success on these types of tracks in the past. 

Total Strokes Gained: Long and Difficult in past 24 rounds:

  1. Scottie Scheffler (+2.45)
  2. Ben Griffin (+1.75)
  3. Will Zalatoris (+1.73)
  4. Ben Taylor (+1.53)
  5. Tony Finau (+1.42)

Course History

Here are the players who have performed the most consistently at Memorial Park. 

Strokes Gained Total at Memorial Park past 12 rounds:

  1. Tyson Alexander (+3.65)
  2. Ben Taylor (+3.40)
  3. Tony Finau (+2.37)
  4. Joel Dahmen (+2.25)
  5. Patton Kizzire (+2.16)

Statistical Model

Below, I’ve reported overall model rankings using a combination of the five key statistical categories previously discussed.

These rankings are comprised of SG: App (24%) SG: OTT (24%); SG: Putting Bermudagrass/Fast (13%); SG: Long and Difficult (13%); SG: ARG (13%) and Course History (13%)

  1. Scottie Scheffler
  2. Wyndham Clark
  3. Tony Finau
  4. Joel Dahmen
  5. Stephan Jaeger 
  6. Aaron Rai
  7. Sahith Theegala
  8. Keith Mitchell 
  9. Jhonnatan Vegas
  10. Jason Day
  11. Kurt Kitayama
  12. Alex Noren
  13. Will Zalatoris
  14. Si Woo Kim
  15. Adam Long

2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open Picks

Will Zalatoris +2000 (Caesars)

Scottie Scheffler will undoubtedly be difficult to beat this week, so I’m starting my card with someone who I believe has the talent to beat him if he doesn’t have his best stuff.

Will Zalatoris missed the cut at the PLAYERS, but still managed to gain strokes on approach while doing so. In an unpredictable event with extreme variance, I don’t believe it would be wise to discount Zalatoris based on that performance. Prior to The PLAYERS, the 27-year-old finished T13, T2 and T4 in his previous three starts.

Zalatoris plays his best golf on long and difficult golf courses. In his past 24 rounds, he ranks 3rd in the category, but the eye test also tells a similar story. He’s contended at major championships and elevated events in the best of fields with tough scoring conditions.  The Texas resident should be a perfect fit at Memorial Park Golf Club.

Alex Noren +4500 (FanDuel)

Alex Noren has been quietly playing some of his best golf of the last half decade this season. The 41-year-old is coming off back-to-back top-20 finishes in Florida including a T9 at The PLAYERS in his most recent start.

In his past 24 rounds, Noren ranks 21st in the field in Strokes Gained: Off the Tee, 30th in Strokes Gained: Around the Green, 25th in Strokes Gained: Total on long and difficult courses and 21st in Strokes Gained: Putting on fast Bermudagrass greens.

In addition to his strong recent play, the Swede also has played well at Memorial Park. In 2022, Noren finished T4 at the event, gaining 2.2 strokes off the tee and 7.0 strokes on approach for the week. In his two starts at the course, he’s gained an average of .6 strokes per round on the field, indicating he is comfortable on these greens.

Noren has been due for a win for what feels like an eternity, but Memorial Park may be the course that suits him well enough for him to finally get his elusive first PGA Tour victory.

Mackenzie Hughes +8000 (FanDuel)

Mackenzie Hughes found himself deep into contention at last week’s Valspar Championship before faltering late and finishing in a tie for 3rd place. While he would have loved to win the event, it’s hard to see the performance as anything other than an overwhelming positive sign for the Canadian.

Hughes has played great golf at Memorial Park in the past. He finished T7 in 2020, T29 in 2021 and T16 in 2022. The course fit seems to be quite strong for Hughes. He’s added distance off the tee in the past year or and ranks 8th in the field for apex height, which will be a key factor when hitting into Memorial Park’s elevated greens with steep run-off areas.

In his past 24 rounds, Hughes is the best player in the field in Strokes Gained: Around the Greens. The ability to scramble at this course will be extremely important. I believe Hughes can build off of his strong finish last week and contend once again to cement himself as a President’s Cup consideration.

Akshay Bhatia +8000 (FanDuel)

Akshay Bhatia played well last week at the Valspar and seemed to be in total control of his golf ball. He finished in a tie for 17th and shot an impressive -3 on a difficult Sunday. After struggling Thursday, Akshay shot 68-70-68 in his next three rounds.

Thus far, Bhatia has played better at easier courses, but his success at Copperhead may be due to his game maturing. The 22-year-old has enormous potential and the raw talent to be one of the best players in the world when he figures it all out.

Bhatia is a high upside play with superstar qualities and may just take the leap forward to the next stage of his career in the coming months.

Cameron Champ +12000 (FanDuel)

Cameron Champ is a player I often target in the outright betting market due to his “boom-or-bust” nature. It’s hard to think of a player in recent history with three PGA Tour wins who’s been as inconsistent as Champ has over the course of his career.

Despite the erratic play, Cam Champ simply knows how to win. He’s won in 2018, 2019 and 2021, so I feel he’s due for a win at some point this season. The former Texas A&M product should be comfortable in Texas and last week he showed us that his game is in a pretty decent spot.

Over his past 24 rounds, Champ ranks 3rd in Strokes Gained: Off the Tee and 30th in Strokes Gained: Total on long and difficult courses. Given his ability to spike at any given time, Memorial Park is a good golf course to target Champ on at triple digit odds.

Robert MacIntyre +12000 (FanDuel)

The challenge this week is finding players who can possibly beat Scottie Scheffler while also not dumping an enormous amount of money into an event that has a player at the top that looks extremely dangerous. Enter McIntyre, who’s another boom-or-bust type player who has the ceiling to compete with anyone when his game is clicking on all cylinders.

In his past 24 rounds, MacIntyre ranks 16th in the field in Strokes Gained: Off the Tee, 17th in Strokes Gained: Around the Green and 10th in Strokes Gained: Total on long and difficult courses.

MacIntyre’s PGA Tour season has gotten off to a slow start, but he finished T6 in Mexico, which is a course where players will hit driver on the majority of their tee shots, which is what we will see at Memorial Park. Texas can also get quite windy, which should suit MacIntyre. Last July, the Scot went toe to toe with Rory McIlroy at the Scottish Open before a narrow defeat. It would take a similar heroic effort to compete with Scheffler this year in Houston.

Ryan Moore +15000 (FanDuel)

Ryan Moore’s iron play has been absolutely unconscious over his past few starts. At The PLAYERS Championship in a loaded field, he gained 6.1 strokes on approach and last week at Copperhead, he gained 9.0 strokes on approach.

It’s been a rough handful of years on Tour for the 41-year-old, but he is still a five-time winner on the PGA Tour who’s young enough for a career resurgence. Moore has chronic deterioration in a costovertebral joint that connects the rib to the spine, but has been getting more consistent of late, which is hopefully a sign that he is getting healthy.

Veterans have been contending in 2024 and I believe taking a flier on a proven Tour play who’s shown signs of life is a wise move at Memorial Park.

 

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Opinion & Analysis

Ryan: Why the race to get better at golf might be doing more harm than good

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B.F. Skinner was one of the most important psychologists of the 20th century, developing the foundation of the development of reinforcement, and in doing so, creating the concept of behaviorism. In simple terms, this means that we are conditioned by our habits. In practical terms, it explains the divide between the few and far between elite instructors and college coaches.

To understand the application, let’s quickly review one of B.F. Skinner’s most important experiments; superstitions in the formation of behavior by pigeons. In this experiment, food was dispensed to pigeons at random intervals. Soon, according to Skinner, the pigeons began to associate whatever action they were doing at the time of the food being dispensed. According to Skinner, this conditioned that response and soon, they simply haphazardly repeated the action, failing to distinguish between cause and correlation (and in the meantime, looking really funny!).

Now, this is simply the best way to describe the actions of most every women’s college golf coach and too many instructors in America. They see something work, get positive feedback and then become conditioned to give the feedback, more and more, regardless of if it works (this is also why tips from your buddies never work!).

Go to a college event, particularly a women’s one, and you will see coaches running all over the place. Like the pigeons in the experiment, they have been conditioned into a codependent relationship with their players in which they believe their words and actions, can transform a round of golf. It is simply hilarious while being equally perturbing

In junior golf, it’s everywhere. Junior golf academies make a living selling parents that a hysterical coach and over-coaching are essential ingredients in your child’s success.

Let’s be clear, no one of any intellect has any real interest in golf — because it’s not that interesting. The people left, including most coaches and instructors, carve out a small fiefdom, usually on the corner of the range, where they use the illusion of competency to pray on people. In simple terms, they baffle people with the bullshit of pseudo-science that they can make you better, after just one more lesson.

The reality is that life is an impromptu game. The world of golf, business, and school have a message that the goal is being right. This, of course, is bad advice, being right in your own mind is easy, trying to push your ideas on others is hard. As a result, it is not surprising that the divorce rate among golf professionals and their instructors is 100 percent. The transfer rate among college players continues to soar, and too many courses have a guy peddling nefarious science to good people. In fact, we do at my course!

The question is, what impact does all this have on college-age and younger kids? At this point, we honestly don’t know. However, I am going to go out on a limb and say it isn’t good.

Soren Kierkegaard once quipped “I saw it for what it is, and I laughed.” The actions of most coaches and instructors in America are laughable. The problem is that I am not laughing because they are doing damage to kids, as well as driving good people away from this game.

The fact is that golfers don’t need more tips, secrets, or lessons. They need to be presented with a better understanding of the key elements of golf. With this understanding, they can then start to frame which information makes sense and what doesn’t. This will emancipate them and allow them to take charge of their own development.

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19th Hole

Vincenzi’s 2024 Valspar Championship betting preview: Elite ballstrikers to thrive at Copperhead

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The PGA TOUR will stay in Florida this week for the 2024 Valspar Championship.

The Copperhead Course at Innisbrook Resort is a par 71 measuring 7,340 yards and features Bermudagrass greens overseeded with POA. Infamous for its difficulty, the track will be a tough test for golfers as trouble lurks all over the place. Holes 16, 17 and 18 — also known as the “Snake Pit” — make up one of the toughest three-hole stretches in golf and should lead to a captivating finish on Sunday.

The field is comprised of 156 golfers teeing it up. The field this week is solid and is a major improvement over last year’s field that felt the impact of players skipping due to a handful of “signature events” in a short span of time. 

Past Winners at Valspar Championship

  • 2023: Taylor Moore (-10)
  • 2022: Sam Burns (-17)
  • 2021: Sam Burns (-17)
  • 2019: Paul Casey (-8)
  • 2018: Paul Casey (-10)
  • 2017: Adam Hadwin (-14)
  • 2016: Charl Schwartzel (-7)
  • 2015: Jordan Spieth (-10)

In this article and going forward, I’ll be using the Rabbit Hole by Betsperts Golf data engine to develop my custom model. If you want to build your own model or check out all of the detailed stats, you can sign up using promo code: MATTVIN for 25% off any subscription package (yearly is best value). 

Key Stats For Copperhead

1. Strokes Gained: Approach

Strokes Gained: Approach grades out as the most important statistic once again this week. Copperhead really can’t be overpowered and is a second-shot golf course.

Total SG: Approach Over Past 24 Rounds (per round)

  1. Tony Finau (+.90)
  2. Nick Taylor (+.81)
  3. Justin Thomas (+.77)
  4. Greyson Sigg (+.69)
  5. Christiaan Bezuidenhout (+.67)

2. Good Drive %

The long hitters can be a bit limited here due to the tree-lined fairways and penal rough. Playing from the fairways will be important, but laying back too far will cause some difficult approaches with firm greens that may not hold shots from long irons.

Golfers who have a good balance of distance and accuracy have the best chance this week.

Good Drive % Over Past 24 Rounds

  1. Brice Garnett (+91.3%) 
  2. Zach Johnson (+91.1%)
  3. Sam Ryder (+90.5%)
  4. Ryan Moore (+90.4%)
  5. Aaron Rai (+89.7%)

3. Strokes Gained: Ball Striking

Adding ball-striking puts even more of a premium on tee-to-green prowess in the statistical model this week. Golfers who rank highly in ball-striking are in total control of the golf ball which is exceedingly important at Copperhead.

SG: Ball Striking Over Past 24 Rounds:

  1. Xander Schauffele (+1.32)
  2. Keith Mitchell (+1.29)
  3. Tony Finau (+1.24)
  4. Cameron Young (+1.17) 
  5. Doug Ghim (+.95)

4. Bogey Avoidance

With the conditions likely to be difficult, avoiding bogeys will be crucial this week. In a challenging event like the Valspar, oftentimes the golfer who is best at avoiding mistakes ends up on top.

Gritty golfers who can grind out difficult pars have a much better chance in an event like this than a low-scoring birdie-fest.

Bogey Avoidance Over Past 24 Rounds

  1. Brice Garnett (+9.0)
  2. Xander Schauffele (+9.3)
  3. Austin Cook (+9.7) 
  4. Chesson Hadley (+10.0)
  5. Greyson Sigg (+10.2)

5. Strokes Gained: Total in Difficult Conditions

Conditions will be tough this week at Copperhead. I am looking for golfers who can rise to the occasion if the course plays as difficult as it has in the past.

Strokes Gained: Total in Difficult Conditions Over Past 24 rounds

  1. Xander Schauffele (+1,71) 
  2. Min Woo Lee (+1.39)
  3. Cameron Young (+1.27)
  4. Jordan Spieth (+1.08)
  5. Justin Suh (+.94)

6. Course History

That statistic will tell us which players have played well at Copperhead in the past.

Course History Over Past 24 rounds

  1. Patrick Cantlay (+3.75) 
  2. Sam Burns (+2.49)
  3. Davis Riley (+2.33)
  4. Matt NeSmith (+2.22)
  5. Jordan Spieth (+2.04)

The Valspar Championship Model Rankings

Below, I’ve compiled overall model rankings using a combination of the five key statistical categories previously discussed — SG: Approach (27%), Good Drive % (15%), SG: BS (20%), Bogeys Avoided (13%), Course History (13%) Strokes Gained: Total in Difficult Conditions (12%).

  1. Xander Schauffele
  2. Doug Ghim
  3. Victor Perez
  4. Greyson Sigg
  5. Ryan Moore
  6. Tony Finau
  7. Justin Thomas
  8. Sam Ryder
  9. Sam Burns
  10. Lucas Glover

2024 Valspar Championship Picks

Justin Thomas +1400 (DraftKings)

Justin Thomas will be disappointed with his finish at last week’s PLAYERS Championship, as the past champion missed the cut despite being in some decent form heading into the event. Despite the missed cut, JT hit the ball really well. In his two rounds, the two-time major champion led the field in Strokes Gained: Approach per round.

Thomas has been up and down this season. He’s missed the cut in two “signature events” but also has finishes of T12 at the Arnold Palmer Invitational, T12 at the Waste Management Phoenix Open, T6 at the Pebble Beach AT&T Pro-Am and T3 at the American Express. In his past 24 rounds, he ranks 3rd in the field in Strokes Gained: Approach and 6th in Strokes Gained: Ball Striking in the field.

Thomas loves Copperhead. In his last three tries at the course, he’s finished T13, T3 and T10. Thomas would have loved to get a win at a big event early in the season, but avoidable mistakes and a balky putter have cost him dearly. I believe a trip to a course he loves in a field he should be able to capitalize on is the right recipe for JT to right the ship.

Christiaan Bezuidenhout +6000 (FanDuel)

Christiaan Bezuidenhout is playing spectacular golf in the 2024 season. He finished 2nd at the American Express, T20 at Pebble Beach and T24 at the Genesis Invitational before finishing T13 at last week’s PLAYERS Championship.

In his past 24 rounds, the South African ranks 3rd in the field in Strokes Gained: Approach and 26th in Strokes Gained: Ball Striking. Bezuidenhout managed to work his way around TPC Sawgrass last week with minimal damage. He only made five bogeys in the entire week, which is a great sign heading into a difficult Copperhead this week.

Bezuidenhout is winless in his PGA Tour career, but certainly has the talent to win on Tour. His recent iron play tells me that this week could be a breakthrough for the 35-year-old who has eyes on the President’s Cup.

Doug Ghim +8000 (FanDuel)

Doug Ghim has finished in the top-16 of his past five starts. Most recently, Ghim finished T16 at The PLAYERS Championship in a loaded field.

In his past 24 rounds, Ghim ranks 8th in Strokes Gained: Approach and 5th in Strokes Gained: Ball Striking. In terms of his fit for Copperhead, the 27-year-old ranks 12th in Bogey Avoidance and 7th in Strokes Gained: Total in Difficult Conditions, making him a great fit for the course.

Ghim has yet to win on Tour, but at one point he was the top ranked Amateur golfer in the world and played in the 2017 Arnold Palmer Cup and 2017 Walker Cup. He then won the Ben Hogan award for the best male college golfer in 2018. He certainly has the talent, and there are signals aplenty that his talent in ready to take him to the winner’s circle on the PGA Tour.

Sepp Straka +8000 (BetRivers)

Sepp Straka is a player who’s shown he has the type of game that can translate to a difficult Florida golf course. The former Presidents Cup participant won the 2022 Honda Classic in tough conditions and should thrive with a similar test at Copperhead.

It’s been a slow 2024 for Straka, but his performance last week at the PLAYERS Championship surely provides some optimism. He gained 5.4 strokes on approach as well as 1.88 strokes off the tee. The tee-to-green game Straka showed on a course with plenty of danger demonstrates that he can stay in control of his golf ball this week.

It’s possible that the strong performance last week was an outlier, but I’m willing to bet on a proven winner in a weaker field at a great number.

Victor Perez +12000 (FanDuel)

Victor Perez is no stranger to success in professional golf. The Frenchman has three DP World Tour wins including a Rolex Series event. He won the 2019 Alfred Dunhill Links Championship, as well as the 2023 Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship, which are some big events.

Perez earned his PGA Tour card this season and enters the week playing some fantastic golf. He finished in a tie for 16th in Florida at the Cognizant Classic and then tied for third in his most recent start at the Puerto Rico Open.

In his past 24 rounds in the field, Perez ranks 11th in Strokes Gained: Approach, 1oth in Strokes Gained: Ball Striking, 6th in Good Drive % and 15th in Bogey Avoidance.

Perez comes in as a perfect fit for Copperhead and offers serious value at triple-digit odds.

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