Opinion & Analysis

Is there legal recourse against the anchored putter ban?

Published

11 years ago

Aug 26, 2013

Barring a position reversal by the governing bodies of golf or a dramatic legal challenge to the anchoring rule, the anchored stroke will no longer be permitted at any level on Jan. 1, 2016. The anchoring ban was solidified when the PGA Tour policy board adopted Rule 14-1b, the anchoring-ban rule adopted by the United State Golf Association and Royal & Ancient Golf Club (the “USGA” and “R&A,” respectively).

While the Tour was originally one of the most vocal critics of the anchoring ban, the policy board cited the need to provide golfers of all levels with a uniform set of rules that define an acceptable golf stroke as the reason for the change of heart.

When the USGA and R&A first announced Rule 14-1b, nine golfers, including Adam Scott and Tim Clark, retained legal counsel to explore any legal avenues available to them to challenge the rule. As of this moment, it appears that none of the nine plan on taking legal action to challenge Rule 14-1b.

However, their actions do raise an interesting question: What legal recourse might be available to affected professional golfers that wish to challenge the anchoring ban?

Relevant Laws

Antitrust Law

An affected golfer’s best legal challenge to the anchoring ban would involve filing an action under Section 1 of the Sherman Act arguing that the USGA and PGA Tour have made the game of golf less competitive for golfers relying on an anchored stroke by adopting Rule 14-1b.

The Sherman Act was initially introduced by Congress to regulate anticompetitive commercial activities. However, courts have since held that non-profit, voluntary organizations that sanction and regulate professional sporting contests and tournaments, such as the PGA Tour and USGA, are subject to antitrust law in the exercise of their rule-making authority. Moreover, courts have determined that while each such sanctioning organization has the primary noncommercial purpose of promoting organized sports in an orderly fashion, the process of creating uniform rules to govern the sport could trigger the applicability of the Sherman Act if such conduct restricted interstate trade or commerce in an unreasonable manner.

The most prominent antitrust challenge to a USGA rule is the case of Gilder v. PGA Tour. In the early 1990s, Ping and a group of golfers led by Bob Gilder challenged and won a favorable settlement from the USGA and PGA Tour after Ping’s Eye 2 irons and wedges were banned for violating the USGA’s groove spacing rule. The challenging golfers refuted the USGA’s determination that the clubs were performance enhancing by providing the court and the USGA with data demonstrating that golfers using the Eye 2 clubs earned less on the PGA Tour than those who did not use the clubs. The case was ultimately settled, and the Eye 2’s were grandfathered in when the USGA revised its groove specifications. Although the case was settled, Gilder and Ping successfully obtained a preliminary injunction against the rule by the use of the empirical earnings data they presented to the district court.

While the settlement was a big win for PING and its staffers, a long-putter uses would be unwise to rely on Ping’s success in obtaining a preliminary injunction in a challenge to the anchoring ban. First, an affected golfer would have to provide empirical statistics and support that demonstrates an anchoring stroke does not provide a competitive advantage and perhaps demonstrate that an anchored stroke may lead to less success on the Tour. Secondly, even if the affected golfer was able to provide such evidence, that evidence would only get the golfer a preliminary injunction to stay the rule from going into effect until a court could decide the issue on the merits of an antitrust suit.

Even if the affected golfer obtained a preliminary injunction in his favor, it is unlikely that his challenge to Rule 14-1b would succeed on the merits. Similar to the case at hand, an equipment manufacturer challenged a United States Tennis Association (the “USTA”) rule that banned the use of “spaghetti string” rackets and stringing systems in Gunter Harz v. USTA.

The USTA supported its ban with data demonstrating that spaghetti-string rackets and stringing systems provided an unfair performance advantage to players utilizing the system and banned the use of such rackets under its rules. Ruling in favor of the USTA, the court determined that courts should give latitude to the rule-making function of a non-profit, governing body of a sporting organization and merely examine if the rule change bears a rational relationship to the goal of conducting organized competitions in an orderly fashion. In characterizing this latitude and ruling in favor of the USTA, the court explained that a court should avoid substituting its judgment for that of a highly sophisticated group focused on creating the uniform rules that govern a sport and defer to those rules created by the elected officials of that sanctioning body.

It is highly unlikely that an affected golfer will succeed by filing an antitrust action to challenge the anchoring ban. Similar to the USTA in the Gunter Harz case, the USGA and R&A can argue that they have decisive rule-making authority and that it is reasonable for them to further define what is an acceptable stroke. The PGA Tour would argue that it is reasonable to abide by those rules for uniformity. For these reasons, a court hearing an antitrust challenge to the rule banning the anchored stroke will most likely defer to the USGA and R&A rather than substitute its own judgment on the issue.

Americans with Disabilities Act

In a narrower challenge, if the affected golfer utilizes a belly putter for the same reason as Fred Couples, who uses the belly putter because it puts less stress on his chronically bad lower back, he may see PGA Tour v. Casey Martin as a window to continue using an anchored stroke under the Americans With Disabilities Act of 1990 (the “ADA”). The ADA protects individuals with recognized disabilities who are not provided with a reasonable accommodation by an employer; or are denied equal access to a public facility, services or goods on the basis of a person’s recognized disability.

In PGA Tour v. Casey Martin, a golfer with an ADA recognized disability, Casey Martin, requested that the Tour make a reasonable modification to its “walking rule” during tournaments and filed suit under the ADA when the Tour refused. The Supreme Court ruled that Martin may use a golf cart in Tour events and that to deny his request was a violation of the ADA. The Court reached this conclusion by determining: (1) that a golf course used for a PGA Tour event was a place of public accommodation; and (2) that allowing Martin to use a cart would not fundamentally alter the game of golf because walking is not an essential aspect of the game of golf.

Despite what appears to be a glimmer of hope from the Martin case, it unlikely that an affected golfer with a recognized disability would succeed in challenging Rule 14-1b under the ADA. Casey Martin succeeded in his challenge due to a liberal definition of a place of public accommodation and because the Court determined that walking was not a fundamental aspect of the game of golf. However, a stroke is an essential aspect of the game of golf and Rule 14-1b is an intended modification of this rule. Thus, allowing a golfer with a recognized disability to use an anchored stroke would fundamentally alter the game such that the USGA and R&A would have to modify its definition of a stroke.

Furthermore, an affected golfer could not challenge Rule 14-1b as a disabled employee of the PGA Tour seeking a reasonable accommodation because professional golfers are not PGA employees by definition. In Martin, the Court found that since professional golfers make their own schedules, sign their own endorsement deals and act in their own self interest, they are considered independent contractors rather than employees of the PGA Tour.

Ironically, the freedom of being an independent contractor hurts a professional golfer here. In instances where a professional sport is unionized, the player’s union must approve any major change to the rules and the power to bring legal action under employment law. However, independent contractor status provides individual golfers with little leverage to dispute a rule change. Therefore, a golfer with a recognized disability is highly unlikely to succeed in a suit filed under the ADA to challenge Rule 14-1b.

Conclusion

The current legal landscape and the legal barriers presented by the deferential nature of the courts for rule-making bodies like the USGA and R&A make it clear that Adam Scott and the other golfers currently dependent on the anchored stroke will have to master a new stroke with the long putter or return to using a standard length putter to conform with Rule 14-1b in the near future. Just how much the rule will affect the earnings and rankings of these golfers is yet to be seen.

Furthermore, it will be interesting if the anchoring ban will create a push for a PGA Tour players union to better position players to challenge a rule change in the future. Only time will establish the true fallout of the anchoring ban.

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48 Comments

Lai Kai

Dec 10, 2015 at 2:41 am

Short statured golfers will have a problem using standard putters to meet Rule 14-1b, because the top of the putter handle will inevitably touch his/her belly so where do these golfers stand due to Rule 14-1b. Will these golfers be considered as anchoring?

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Greg Hapac

Nov 22, 2013 at 10:20 am

It all comes down to one thing, the UGGA found it necessary to come up with a solution for a problem that didn’t exist.

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Roelof

Sep 3, 2013 at 1:40 pm

Graphite shafts! Now there is something that gives a huge advantage and should have never been allowed.

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GSark

Sep 1, 2013 at 7:01 pm

I think everyone is missing the point. The point is that the USGA and R&A allowed it for over twenty-five years. Now you have a case where guys have put tens of thousands of hours of practice in with the long putter, and you want to take all that away. Now guys like Tim Clark and Bernhard Langher must abandon 25+ years of work, start over and go compete at the highest level. Yeah, that’s fair.
I wonder how people would feel if the USGA put a ban on graphite shafts in regular, womens and A flex? What about a ban on the “two ball” and the “craz-e” and every putter that looks like a carving of a bugs head.
I’m so tired of people who have 460cc titanium faced, graphite shafted drivers, hybrid irons, 3-piece golf balls and bugs head putters talking about “the purity of the game.” Get real.

Reply Report comment
- PMonty
  
  Dec 15, 2013 at 11:07 am
  
  GStark. I couldn’t have said it better. Probably the one area they should be concerned with is the golf ball, especially for the professionals, who are making the courses obsolete with their length.
  
  Reply Report comment
Leftright

Aug 30, 2013 at 8:27 am

The Court reached this conclusion by determining: (1) that a golf course used for a PGA Tour event was a place of public accommodation; and (2) that allowing Martin to use a cart would not fundamentally alter the game of golf because walking is not an essential aspect of the game of golf.
The courts are right on number 2 but wrong on number 1. A PGA tour event is not a public accommodation. That said I think the right ruling was made in Casey Martin’s case.
As far as long putters go and I have “never” used one, I don’t care whether it is illegal or not. The PGA, USGA and R&A screwed up by not addressing this 25 years ago. It was allowed to continue and an unfair advantage has not been proven during this time or everyone would be using this method. They use anchoring as an important word but what is anchoring. I anchor the iron grip to my hand when I swing by gripping it. The ball is anchored to the tee, under their opinion golfers should have to hit off the grass all the time. I know it sounds foolish but this whole thing is foolish if you ask me.

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- GSark
  
  Sep 1, 2013 at 7:25 pm
  
  Best post here.
  
  Reply Report comment
mortyjeff

Aug 29, 2013 at 8:55 pm

Hats off to the USGA for brilliant approach to eliminating anchoring while reducing exposure from a litigation standpoint. The whole solicitation for comment period was a nice way for the USGA to receive “depositions” from supporters of anchoring; thus allowing them to analyze the risk associated with the rules change. How does one sue for damages if there are not damages to sue for? Anchoring remains as a permitted method of putting until the end of 2015. Only in 2016, when a player cannot deploy an anchored method can such player begin to determine damages.

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Opa

Aug 27, 2013 at 12:01 pm

The issue is the demonization of Democracy. The governing bodies of any sport should be allowed to set rules for its “games” and the players who want to make money in it should have to be forced to conform to it. Unfortunately there are too many “special interest” groups supposedly looking after the lesser common man that get in the way of how things are already being done, by usurping the laws and crying foul.
Golf is such a sad sport in this way to allow the game to not have any real power over its own rules, the rules that now seem to be negotiable when entities like the ADA gets involved to ruin it for everybody else.
I don’t see anybody from the ADA or any other organizations going after the NFL or NHL to have its players remove the helmets and pads, because in the end, the helmets and pads are not necessary to the game.
Nor is anybody going after the NBA to lower the position of the nets, because, after all, the net doesn’t have to be at that height!

and so it goes……. people like Casey Martin makes me sick to my stomach.

Reply Report comment
- David Cameron
  
  Aug 27, 2013 at 1:00 pm
  
  Casey Martin has a reasonable right to glean an income from playing professional golf. No accommodation was made regarding the actual golf, rather the walk. No one is advocating that any accommodation be made for anyone regarding the striking of the ball or putting, rather…..how you get to the ball. In an absurd case, Casey martin could have a “sedan chair” built ala Cleopatra of Ancient Egypt fame and have 4 guys carry him around. That would be perfectly “legal” in tournament golf without a variance.
  
  Silly but legal.
  
  Casey is a great guy…..nothing there merits being sick.
  
  Have we had enough of the USGA yet?
  
  Reply Report comment
  - Alex
    
    Sep 6, 2013 at 5:24 pm
    
    Golf? Exclusionary? Nooooo
    
    Reply Report comment
James

Aug 27, 2013 at 3:40 am

The issue is that we will only see the effect once the rule come into play. Adam might have been 50th in putting at the masters same with Ernie at the open, fact is if you remove the anchored stroke from both who are great ball strikers and Adan turns out to be no 1 in ball striking but end up no 60 in putting missing a few key puts due to the mental and physical advantage for him using the long putter, after many years of struggling with the conventional stroke, then both them and the others who succeeded in majors would not have won. The Angel would have won the masters in 2013. So the issue is not in the putting stats only. We see week in and out how the best ball strikers don’t win due to putting. This is the one area of the game where we need a level playing field more than any other aspect. TW in his prime would win tournaments scrambling as he was the best chipper and putter the game has seen for a long time. Why don’t we give the short hitters a 20 yard advantage from the T purely because the struggle with hitting long drives? The anchored stroke should never have been allowed, it is an evel that crept into the game and has tarnished the image of fair play. These golfers must suck up and cope with their problems. If they can’t make a living as golfers because they struggle with putting, let them find a job. I would love to play pro golf for all the money but I am not a good enough putter. So I have a job and fight my putting daemons Nona Saturday.

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- steff
  
  Aug 27, 2013 at 10:50 am
  
  Wow I really dissagree with you!
  
  First of all you have to compare an anchored stroke with an non-anchored stroke from scratch i.e If an anchored stroke produces better putters than non anchored putters.
  
  Because of different putting strokes suits different people it is not fair to base your oppinion on if someone is better with a belly putter than a normal putter.
  
  I mean to say that a putting style is superior and gives the player an advantage you actually have to base it on facts. Not compaird to yourself as a putter with a normal style.
  
  Tiger Woods for example says he cant putt with an anchored putter. Well than it doesnt suit him. But it suits some people who putt better with it. Just because you putt better with it doesnt mean its an advantage compaird to a short putter. Get the difference?
  
  But based on all the facts i´ve seen an anchored putter does not give the player an unfair advantage. It is just a different style of putting. And the worlds best golfers still putt with a short putter.
  
  Reply Report comment
  - PMonty
    
    Dec 15, 2013 at 11:13 am
    
    Are there any pros on the tour who use the anchored putting style, in the top ten of putting stats on tour?
    
    Reply Report comment
Billy

Aug 26, 2013 at 10:46 pm

Besides this year, Adam Scotts putting has remained lackluster with the long stick (he’s 53rd in putting this year). Many other pro’s have seen similar results. Kuchar seems to have benefited most by his arm lock style but thats not being banned. I have a feeling most pros using the long/belly putter will probably go to this method or adopt a counter balanced putter in.

In the end, the pros will find a new method and then that will be the governing bodies next target. It just seems to me that the R&A and USGA are trying to show they are still relevant, much like a District Manager showing up to say there’s a new policy that is completely useless. This same nonsense happened with the groove rules (twice) and have now been proven irrelevant both times. The pros are hitting their approach shots closer on average now with u-grooves, despite all the evidence the USGA/R&A fabricated to show the huge advantage they offered. So what’s next? No grooves?

Maybe next time the USGA and R&A can look at rolling back the players. Maybe institute a handicap system where if your in the top 50 in driving you can’t have a driver or a 3 wood over 43 inches and under 13 degrees or you have to use practice whiffle balls. Top 50 putters lose their putter and have to blade wedges to putt. Top 50 Scramblers/bunker players lose their wedges. Top 50 in each iron category say good bye to your irons. If you’re tops in all those categories you get a shovel, baseball bat, and a broom stick. I bet they still find a way to shoot something near par.

Why not focus on increasing the number of golfers, instead of trying to find new ways to alienate portions of our base.

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Chris Downing

Aug 26, 2013 at 7:00 pm

Its a game where the governing rules are set by the authorities of the game. If you don’t like those rules – find another game. Simple.

(They should have never allowed the use of long putters in the first place, then none of this argy bargy would have happened. Long putters are obviously not in the spirit of the game as it has always been played.)

Reply Report comment
- Peter Alford
  
  Aug 26, 2013 at 7:34 pm
  
  Chris-
  
  You point is very valid–there is need to have a governing body that provides a uniform set of rules for the game of golf. Without such a governing body, the game we love would be a mess.
  
  However, to your aside: I wonder if you find titanium drivers, cavity back irons, steel and graphite shafts and golf ball advancements to be in the “spirit of the game” as well? While a belly putter requires an anchored stroke (and thus changes the definition of a “stroke”), I believe 460cc drivers were not what was envisioned when the rules of golf were established either.
  
  I think this raises an essential concern for the future: who gets to define these terms? How can the game of golf better represent the interests of the entire field (amateurs, professional players, equipment manufacturers, etc.)? I think the PGA, USGA and R&A have a lot of questions to answer between this equipment issue and the developing lawsuit by Vijay Singh regarding PEDs and the possible need for a players union to better represent player interests.
  
  Reply Report comment
  - AndyT
    
    Mar 21, 2014 at 3:51 pm
    
    If a few pros do not like the rules of golf they are free to create their own game and set their own rules. They can call it ProGolf or whatever. Where I fall out with them is when they claim the right to make the rules for millions of players worldwide based on what is best for them.
    
    Reply Report comment
- David
  
  Aug 28, 2013 at 11:11 am
  
  Let’s keep the game and get new authorities in charge.
  
  Reply Report comment
- GSark
  
  Sep 1, 2013 at 7:21 pm
  
  Do you use a titanium driver? A 3 piece ball? graphite shafts? Do you have a handicap? A hybrid club? Does your putter have an insert or look like a bugs head? Do you play golf courses from where they were meant to be played, or do you move up? If you answered yes to any of these questions your a hypocrite and should not speak about the “spirit of the game.”
  
  Reply Report comment
Sam

Aug 26, 2013 at 4:09 pm

I used a belly putter for 5 years before the USGA announced the ban. And I have to say, anchoring helped me tremendously with not breaking my wrist, especially under pressure situations at men’s club tournaments. But I switched back to standard length putter the minute they announced the ban because I did not want to invest a single minute on something that I can’t use 2.5 years from now.
I sucked at the beginning with my old putter, then I re-gripped it with the fat grip and that helped tremendously. I had kept my belly putter handy just in case. But after trying the Fat grip for a while, I decided to cut down my belly putter and made it standard length (a taylormade ghost).
I believe all professional and amateurs alike can adapt, it just takes hard work and finding something in your stroke that causes the breakdown and work on fixing it. In my case I found the fat grip to be tremendously helpful in forcing me not to break my wrist. No wonder a lot of good putters like Michelson, Furyk, KJ Choi, Sergio and others are using that grip.
I hope the USGA doesn’t ban that next!!!!

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- David Cameron
  
  Aug 26, 2013 at 7:20 pm
  
  I do not think that the USGA will go after the larger putter grip.. Those have been around for 50 years under differing guise.
  
  I think that as the day approaches, they will include “any secondary interaction with the grip or the shaft for the purpose of altering the fundamental requirement of the golfers grasp of the club” to eliminate the Matt Kuchar variation and the old Bernhard Langer method.
  
  Reply Report comment
  - rob
    
    Aug 26, 2013 at 11:44 pm
    
    Anchoring has been around at least that long. I watched the highlights of the 1966 Open Championship and Phil Rodgers used a belly putter. Also in 1924 Leo Diegel did something similar.
    
    Reply Report comment
    - Alex
      
      Sep 6, 2013 at 5:23 pm
      
      Bingo.
      
      It makes just as much sense to go after oversize grips because they aren’t all the same as the small ones.
      
      In fact, why doesn’t the USGA just make an approved set of clubs and everyone has to play the same ones.
      
      Then the “competitive advantage” would be gone.
      
      Reply Report comment
  - bert
    
    Oct 17, 2013 at 6:04 pm
    
    Don’t be so sure. Long Putters have been around longer than 50 years.
    
    Reply Report comment
- Seb D
  
  Sep 4, 2013 at 9:38 pm
  
  Hum…. I have to address this…
  
  Amigo, you have the Yips.
  That’s why you were helped by the long putter… cause it takes the right hand off the equation (where the yips likes to surface), and that’s also why the fat grip helps… not cause you suddenly found the right stroke path, but simply because you put less pressure on a bigger grip, therefore in situations with slightly higher amount of pressure, you grip it lighter and therefore miss it less, but you miss it. And you know that.
  
  I have the yips, and it’s an ugly B****
  Didn’t know what making more than 30 putt was like, and it hit me… But the worst part about it, it’s not that it hits you at any given time. It’s the fact that having the yips in your putting stroke, will make you doubt your ability to make putts, which will put a hell of a lot of pressure on your short game (cause deep inside you know that knocking it close is the only way to come out of this chin-up), and since you doubt your shortgame, you know you have to hit a lot of greens. Too much pressure on your swing —–> Failure
  
  What I’m trying to say to you… is that this rule will take away the pleasure that people have struggled so hard to get back, and now that it’s in their bag, we want to take it away from them. This ain’t a sermon, because I will follow the rule and suck it up… but taking the risk of going back to the short, unimpressive, rigid, little stick it is supposed to be, and making it the only club I don’t want to touch in my bag. Tho I’m not worried, because I know what our brands have in stock to address our case, hot bread.
  
  Anywho, I didn’t mean to address your message with the intention of dissing your opinion in any way shape or form.. but I do feel obligated to let you know that the yips thing you’re going through won’t be cured till you can admit to yourself you have what probably 2 thirds of golfers have without knowing… And on a finale note, I do believe that too big of putter grips are as much of a help as anything else…
  
  Phil is the biggest feel player we know, has a 64° in his bag, and a fat grip on his putter. I’m even willing to risk it and say that if you take the top 20 in the world at putts per round… there will be more players with oversized putter grips, or counterbalanced grips than players with belly or long putters….
  
  Anyways, sorry for the novel. Big fan of this site, loving the good reads.
  
  Best,
  SD
  
  Reply Report comment
JohnS

Aug 26, 2013 at 2:50 pm

I am 71 years old and have been using an anchored putter for about 25 years. First it was because of the yips and now, as for Fred Couples, because of a bad back. I know I am not alone. As I see it, I and others like me are merely “collateral damage” and have never been taken seriously, or even considered, as this rules change was discussed and made. I cannot understand why special cases cannot be handled by “conditions of competition.” This could handle both anchoring and the ball issue. It is guys like me who pay for and support the game. I am very disappointed and would be happy to join in a class action suit if that were possible.

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- david
  
  Aug 26, 2013 at 6:11 pm
  
  You can still use a long putter to help you with your back issues. You just won’t be able to anchor it anymore. Anchoring the putter doesn’t save your back.
  
  Reply Report comment
david

Aug 26, 2013 at 2:44 pm

What’s next, he will sue so he can drive on the left side of the road? Get over it already.

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David Cameron

Aug 26, 2013 at 12:57 pm

Who put the USGA in charge of golf rules and regulations for the United States?

I will continue to play(on occasion) my father’s 1966 Haig Ultra irons(conforming groove or not).

The USGA purports to “love the game”…..I do not agree. Changing the ball has been and will always be the easiest method for “reeling” the tournament professional back to only 300 yard drives. To not have a “professional” ball is foolish. To eliminate players who use a belly/long putter is exclusionary in nature. Why they continue to tamper with “clubs” and not the disposable ball, they will have to explain that. Tennis has different balls, so should golf. I do not even think that 14 clubs should be a rule…..bring what you want and enjoy the game.

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- GSark
  
  Sep 1, 2013 at 7:14 pm
  
  Here,Here!!!
  
  Reply Report comment
  - AndyT
    
    Mar 21, 2014 at 3:54 pm
    
    I think you mean Hear Hear
    
    Reply Report comment
- AndyT
  
  Mar 21, 2014 at 3:58 pm
  
  Who put USGA in charge? The golf clubs of the USA. As for R&A they were setting rules before golf was even heard of in USA.
  
  Reply Report comment
Marc

Aug 26, 2013 at 12:21 pm

I do not like anchored or long putters primarily for aesthetics. I believe anchoring can be advantageous, especially when nerves get the best of you.

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- steff
  
  Aug 27, 2013 at 4:07 am
  
  I disagree. Nerves can get the best of you with a long putter too!
  
  I has not been discussed here, but I think it is a disadvantage on long putts with a long putter. I struggle a lot with putts over 12 yards! A lot easier with a short putter!
  
  Reply Report comment
john daniell

Aug 26, 2013 at 11:59 am

It is quite obvious that there is a distinct advantage when using a long putter. I have to wonder if the likes of Adam Scott would have won a major without being able to anchor one end of the putter to his chest. I’m sure the majority of golfers support the banning of long putters. Tiger Woods suggestion that the putter be no longer than the shortest club in your bag makes a lot of sense.
Why wait over 2 years to ban them?
John D.

Reply Report comment
- Jim McManus
  
  Aug 26, 2013 at 1:04 pm
  
  Adam was actually 50th at the masters in putting, however he was 1st in greens in regulation. To same is true of Ernie El’s win at last years British Open. The only “obvious” thing that can be learned is that ball striking is more important than putting
  
  Reply Report comment
  - john daniell
    
    Aug 28, 2013 at 10:39 am
    
    Whatever is said on this forum is just an opinion and of course there will be many different ones. Who is to say that one opinion is better than the other. However, those players that adopted the long putters did so because they must have thought it would benefit their game otherwise why would they have changed. To make putters a standard length seems to be a reasonable requirement…but that is only my opinion.
    John D.
    
    Reply Report comment
  - john daniell
    
    Sep 2, 2013 at 10:25 am
    
    The old adage that you drive for show and put for dough still holds true. If you can’t put, the best ball striking in the world isn’t going to a win tournaments. Ball striking is beside the point as is some other items brought into the equation. When Nick Faldo asked Adam Scott if he would switch to a short putter before the ban takes place, he replied he would continue to the very end. Ernie Ells said he would defend the use of long putters with “every fibre of my body”…I guess Ernie realizes the advantages. Roll on 2016!
    John D.
    
    Reply Report comment
  - Alex
    
    Sep 6, 2013 at 5:20 pm
    
    Fitting that after given some data that shows how ridiculous this ban is, the argument resorts back to some old cliche that is irrelevant.
    
    Fact is, no one had any measurable advantage and it was a knee-jerk reaction.
    
    Just be honest about it, it’d be easier to deal with if they just said, “We don’t like it” versus trying to come up with some ridiculous argument that isn’t factual at all.
    
    Reply Report comment
- Nick
  
  Aug 26, 2013 at 1:09 pm
  
  This horse has been thoroughly beaten, but I am skeptical that the long putter offers a distinct advantage. There is certainly no data to support it. I understand the theory that it minimizes wrist break and forearm rotation, but I think the more important effect is the change in form seems to appeal to those who struggle with a short putter. To date, the best putters presenetly on tour (Tiger, Snedeker, Stricker, etc) use a short putter. Scott is a winner because of his superlative ball striking, not his putting. He putts well enough to win but he often wins in-spite of his putting, not because of it. Scott still misses lots of short puts (such as his crushing 18th hole performance in the 2012 open championship)that are supposed to be in the long putters wheelhouse. Web Simpson, Keegan Bradley, Ernie Ells, and Carl Peterson have played well recently, but I would hardly consider them top tier putters either. Their use has increased as the stigma has faded, but it hasn’t taken off like large head drivers, hybrids, etc because unlike those technologies (which aren’t banned) the long putter isn’t objectively better than the short putter.
  
  Reply Report comment
  - Jim McManus
    
    Aug 26, 2013 at 1:30 pm
    
    I would agree Nick. Mike Davis of the USGA has been very careful throughout this process to avoid using terms like competitive advantage, and has focused his comments on the stroke itself. His counterpart at the R&A however has been very vocal in stating that it makes putting easier despite the lack of actual evidence. If they have to go to court over this, Peter Dawsons comments could be damaging
    
    Reply Report comment
- DB
  
  Aug 26, 2013 at 2:56 pm
  
  Nick is spot on. The best putters in the world use a short putter. Have you used a long or belly putter John? As someone that has used them all and still puts with a short putter I would be the first to attest that it doesn’t matter what it is putting is hard. It’s a style of putting that someone doesn’t like might as well ban the claw grip Kuchar’s style along with good ole Hubert Green because apparently he had a distinct advantage over everyone else the way he putted.
  
  Reply Report comment
- Louis
  
  Aug 26, 2013 at 4:24 pm
  
  It’s an advantage to those players that can’t use a short o standard length putter, however, have you realized that the best putters on tour don’t use long sticks?
  
  My putting is not that great but I score by achieving greens in regulations. In my bag there is a 35″ mallet putter.
  
  Reply Report comment
  - GSark
    
    Sep 1, 2013 at 7:10 pm
    
    I think a mallet putter offers you a competitive advantage, otherwise you wouldn’t use it.
    
    Reply Report comment
- gxDD
  
  Aug 30, 2013 at 4:04 pm
  
  50th in putting overall means nothing. What did he rank inside 10ft, 7ft, 6ft, 4ft… that’s what matters, and that’s where the long putter helps the most.
  
  I have to wonder if… Keegan Bradley, Web Simpson, and Adam Scott would be anywhere near where they are now with out the long putters. It IS obvious there is a distinct advantage to the anchoring. Part of the purity of the game is how you control your wrists in the swing. Tons of books have been written on this fundamental. Using clubs that allow you to avoid wrist movement should be illegal.
  
  FYI… loved this article. I would side with Freddy, or others in an ADA position, just like I did with Casey Martin. I’ve always viewed the long putter as an alternative for golfers with Bad Backs… nothing wrong with that.
  
  Reply Report comment
John Russell

Aug 26, 2013 at 11:34 am

Surely the answer is simple , take your game and ply your trade where the USGA & the R & A rules do not apply if you do not want to play by their rules .

Reply Report comment
Courtney

Aug 26, 2013 at 10:17 am

As it should be. The ruling bodies of a sport are supposed to be able to regulate themselves without the government interfering – unless, of course the sport is actually breaking a law.

Reply Report comment

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19th Hole

Vincenzi’s 2024 PGA Championship betting preview: Rising star ready to join the immortals at Valhalla

Published

2 days ago

May 13, 2024

Matt Vincenzi

The second major of the 2024 season is upon us as the world’s best players will tee it up this week at Valhalla Golf Club in Louisville, Kentucky to compete for the Wanamaker Trophy.

The last time we saw Valhalla host a major championship, Rory McIlroy fended off Phil Mickelson, Henrik Stenson, Rickie Fowler and the creeping darkness that was descending upon the golf course. The Northern Irishman had the golf world in the palm of his hand, joining only Tiger Woods and Jack Nicklaus as players who’d won four major championships by the time they were 25 years old.

Valhalla is named after the great hall described in Norse mythology where the souls of Vikings feasted and celebrated with the Gods. The course is a Jack Nicklaus-design that has ranked among Golf Digest’s “America’s 100 Greatest Courses” for three decades.

Valhalla Golf Club is a par-71 measuring 7,542 yards with Zoysia fairways and Bentgrass greens. The course has rolling hills and dangerous streams scattered throughout and the signature 13th hole is picturesque with limestone and unique bunkering protecting the green. The 2024 PGA Championship will mark the fourth time Valhalla has hosted the event.

The field this week will consist of 156 players, including 16 PGA Champions and 33 Major Champions.

Past Winners of the PGA Championship

2023: Brooks Koepka (-9) Oak Hill
2022: Justin Thomas (-5) Southern Hills
2021: Phil Mickelson (-6) Kiawah Island
2020: Collin Morikawa (-13) TPC Harding Park
2019: Brooks Koepka (-8) Bethpage Black
2018: Brooks Koepka (-16) Bellerive
2017: Justin Thomas (-8) Quail Hollow
2016: Jimmy Walker (-14) Baltusrol
2015: Jason Day (-20) Whistling Straits
2014: Rory McIlroy (-16) Valhalla

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 Valhalla

Let’s take a look at five key metrics for Oak Hill to determine which golfers boast top marks in each category over their past 24 rounds.

1. Strokes Gained: Approach

Valhalla will play as a true all-around test of golf for the world’s best. Of course, it will take strong approach play to win a major championship.

Strokes Gained: Approach Over Past 24 Rounds

Shane Lowry (+1.25)
Scottie Scheffler (+1.09)
Jordan Smith (+1.05)
Tom Hoge (+.96)
Corey Conners (+.94)

2. Strokes Gained: Off the Tee

Valhalla will play long and the rough will be penal. Players who are incredibly short off the tee and/or have a hard time hitting fairways will be all but eliminated from contention this week at the PGA Championship.

Strokes Gained: Off the Tee Over Past 24 Rounds:

Bryson DeChambeau (+1.47)
Scottie Scheffler (+1.11)
Keith Mitchell (+.90)
Alejandro Tosti (+.89)
Ludvig Aberg (+.82)

Strokes Gained: Total on Nickalus Designs

Valhalla is a classic Nicklaus Design. Players who play well at Nicklaus designs should have an advantage coming into this major championship.

Strokes Gained: Total on Nicklaus Designs over past 36 rounds:

Jon Rahm (+2.56)
Scottie Scheffler (+2.48)
Patrick Cantlay (+2.35)
Collin Morikawa (+1.79)
Shane Lowry (+1.57)

Strokes Gained: Tee to Green on Very Long Courses

Valhalla is going to play extremely long this week. Players who have had success playing very long golf courses should be better equipped to handle the conditions of this major championship.

Strokes Gained: Total on Very Long Courses Over Past 24 Rounds:

Scottie Scheffler (+2.44)
Rory McIlroy (+2.24)
Will Zalatoris (+1.78)
Viktor Hovland (+1.69)
Xander Schauffele (+1.60)

Strokes Gained: Total in Major Championships

One factor that tends to play a large role in deciding major championships is which players have played well in previous majors leading up to the event.

Strokes Gained: Total in Major Championships over past 20 rounds:

Scottie Scheffler (+3.14)
Will Zalatoris (+2.64)
Rory McIlroy (+2.49)
Xander Schauffele (+2.48)
Tommy Fleetwood (2.09)

Strokes Gained: Putting on Bentgrass Greens

Valhalla features pure Bentgrass putting surfaces. Players who are comfortable putting on this surface will have an advantage on the greens.

Strokes Gained: Putting on Bentgrass Greens over Past 24 Rounds:

Ludvig Aberg (+1.12)
Denny McCarthy (+1.08)
Matt Fitzpatrick (+0.99)
Justin Rose (+0.93)
J.T. Poston (0.87)

Strokes Gained: Total on Zoysia Fairways

Valhalla features Zoysia fairways. Players who are comfortable playing on this surface will have an advantage on the field.

Strokes Gained: Total on Zoysia Fairways over past 36 rounds:

Justin Thomas (+1.53)
Will Zalatoris (+1.47)
Xander Schauffele (+1.40)
Brooks Koepka (+1.35)
Rory McIlroy (+1.23)

2024 PGA Championship Model Rankings

Below, I’ve compiled overall model rankings using a combination of the key statistical categories previously discussed — SG: Approach (25%), SG: Off the Tee (22%), SG: T2G on Very Long Courses (12%), SG: Putting on Bentgrass (+12%), SG: Total on Nicklaus Designs (12%). SG: Total on Zoysia Fairways (8%), and SG: Total in Major Championships (8%).

Brooks Koepka
Xander Schauffele
Rory McIlroy
Scottie Scheffler
Bryson DeChambeau
Shane Lowry
Alex Noren
Will Zalatoris
Cameron Young
Keith Mitchell
Hideki Matsuyama
Billy Horschel
Patrick Cantlay
Viktor Hovland
Adam Schenk
Chris Kirk
Sahith Theegala
Min Woo Lee
Joaquin Niemann
Justin Thomas

2024 PGA Championship Picks

Ludvig Aberg +1800 (BetMGM)

At The Masters, Ludvig Aberg announced to the golf world that he’s no longer an “up and coming” player. He’s one of the best players in the game of golf, regardless of experience.

Augusta National gave Aberg some necessary scar tissue and showed him what being in contention at a major championship felt like down the stretch. Unsurprisingly, he made a costly mistake, hitting it in the water left of the 11th hole, but showed his resilience by immediately bouncing back. He went on to birdie two of his next three holes and finished in solo second by three shots. With the type of demeanor that remains cool in pressure situations, I believe Ludvig has the right mental game to win a major at this point in his career.

Aberg has not finished outside of the top-25 in his past eight starts, which includes two runner-up finishes at both a “Signature Event” and a major championship. The 24-year-old is absolutely dominant with his driver, which will give him a major advantage this week. In the field he ranks, in Strokes Gained: Off the Tee, and has gained strokes in the category in each of his past ten starts. Aberg is already one of the best drivers of the golf ball on the planet.

In Norse mythology, Valhalla is the great hall where the souls of Vikings feasted and celebrated with the Gods. The Swedes, who are of Old Norse origin, were the last of the three Scandinavian Kingdoms to abandon the Old Norse Gods. A Swede played a major role in the 2014 PGA Championship at Valhalla, and I believe another, Ludvig Aberg, will be the one to conquer Valhalla in 2024.

Bryson DeChambeau +2800 (BetMGM)

Bryson DeChambeau is one of the few players in the world that I believe has the game to go blow-for-blow with Scottie Scheffler. Although he isn’t as consistent as Scheffler, when he’s at his best, Bryson has the talent to beat him.

At The Masters, DeChambeau put forth a valiant effort at a golf course that simply does not suit his game. Valhalla, on the other hand, is a course that should be perfect for the 30-year-old. His ability to overpower a golf course with his driver will be a serious weapon this week.

Bryson has had some success at Jack Nicklaus designs throughout his career as he won the Memorial at Muirfield Village back in 2018. He’s also had incredible results on Bentgrass greens for the entirety of his professional career. Of his 10 wins, nine of them have come on Bentgrass greens, with the only exception being the Arnold Palmer Invitational at Bay Hill. He also has second place finishes at Medinah and TPC Summerlin, which feature Bentgrass greens.

Love him or hate him, it’s impossible to argue that Bryson isn’t one of the most exciting and important players in the game of golf. He’s also one of the best players in the world. A second major is coming soon for DeChambeau, and I believe he should be amongst the favorites to hoist the Wanamaker Trophy this week.

Patrick Cantlay +4000 (FanDuel)

There’s no way of getting around it: Patrick Cantlay has been dissapointing in major championships throughout his professional career. He’s been one of the top players on Tour for a handful of years and has yet to truly contend at a major championship, with the arguable exception of the 2019 Masters.

Despite not winning majors, Cantlay has won some big events. The 32-year-old has won two BMW Championships, two Memorial Tournaments as well as a Tour Championship. His victories at Memorial indicate how much Cantlay loves Nicklaus designs, where he ranks 3rd in the field in Strokes Gained: Total over his past 36 rounds behind only Scottie Scheffler and Jon Rahm.

Cantlay also loves Bentgrass greens. Six of Cantlay’s seven individual wins on the PGA Tour have come on Bentgrass greens and he also was one of the best putters at the 2023 Ryder cup at Marco Simone (also Bentgrass). At Caves Valley (2021 BMW Championship), he gained over 12 strokes putting to outduel another Bentgrass specialist, Bryson DeChambeau.

Cantlay finished 22nd in The Masters, which was a solid result considering how many elite players struggled that week. He also has two top-ten finishes in his past five PGA Championships. He’s undeniably one of the best players in the field, therefore, it comes down to believing Cantlay has the mental fortitude to win a major, which I do.

Joaquin Niemann +4000 (BetMGM)

I believe Joaquin Niemann is one of the best players in the world. He has three worldwide wins since December and has continued to improve over the course of his impressive career thus far. Still only 25, the Chilean has all the tools to be a serious contender in major championships for years to come.

Niemann has been the best player on LIV this season. Plenty will argue with the format or source of the money on LIV, but no one can argue that beating players such as Jon Rahm, Bryson DeChambeau, Dustin Johnson, Brooks Koepka and Cameron Smith is an unremarkable achievement. Niemann is an elite driver of the golf ball who hits it farther than just about anyone in the field not named Bryson DeChambeau or (arguably) Rory McIlroy.

Niemann is another player who has been fantastic throughout his career on Bentgrass greens. Prior to leaving the PGA Tour, Bentgrass was the only green surface in which Joaco was a positive putter. It’s clearly a surface that he is very comfortable putting on and should fare around and on the greens this week.

Niemann is a perfect fit for Valhalla. His low and penetrating ball flight will get him plenty of runout this week on the fairways and he should have shorter shots into the green complexes than his competitors. To this point in his career, the former top ranked amateur in the world (2018) has been underwhelming in major championships, but I don’t believe that will last much longer. Joaquin Niemann is a major championship caliber player and has a real chance to contend this week at Valhalla.

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Opinion & Analysis

The Wedge Guy: What really makes a wedge work? Part 2

Published

6 days ago

May 9, 2024

Terry Koehler

In my last post, I explained the basic performance dynamics of “smash factor” and “gear effect” as they apply to your wedges and your wedge play success. If you missed that post, you can read it here.

At the end of that post, I promised “part 2” of this discussion of what makes a wedge work the way it does. So, let’s dive into the other two components of any wedge – the shaft and the grip.

It’s long been said that the shaft is “the engine of the golf club.” The shaft (and grip) are your only connection to all the technologies that are packed into the head of any golf club, whether it be a driver, fairway, hybrid, iron, wedge or even putter.

And you cannot ignore those two components of your wedges if your goal is optimizing your performance.

I’ve long been an advocate of what I call a “seamless transition” from your irons into your wedges, so that the feel and performance do not disconnect when you choose a gap wedge, for example, instead of your iron-set-matching “P-club.” In today’s golf equipment marketplace, more and more golfers are making the investment of time and money to experience an iron fitting, going through trial and error and launch monitor measuring to get just the right shaft in their irons.

But then so many of those same golfers just go into a store and choose wedges off the retail display, with no similar science involved at all. And that’s why I see so many golfers with a huge disconnect between their custom-fitted irons, often with lighter and/or softer graphite or light steel shafts . . . and their off-the-rack wedges with the stock stiff steel ‘wedge flex’ shaft common to those stock offerings.

If your wedge shafts are significantly heavier and stiffer than the shafts in your irons, it is physically impossible for you to make the same swing. Period.

To quickly improve your wedge play, one of the first things you can do is have your wedges re-shafted with the same or similar shaft that is in your irons.

There’s another side of that shaft weight equation; if you don’t have the forearm and hand strength of a PGA Tour professional, you simply cannot “handle” the same weight shaft that those guys play to master the myriad of ‘touch shots’ around the greens.

Now, let’s move on to the third and other key component of your wedges – the grips. If those are not similar in shape and feel to the grips on your irons, you have another disconnect. Have your grips checked by a qualified golf club professionals to make sure you are in sync there.

The one caveat to that advice is that I am a proponent of a reduced taper in your wedge grips – putting two to four more layers of tape under the lower hand, or selecting one of the many reduced taper grips on the market. That accomplishes two goals for your scoring.

First, it helps reduce overactive hands in your full and near-full wedge swings. Quiet hands are key to good wedge shots.

And secondly, it provides a more consistent feel of the wedge in your hands as you grip down for those shorter and more delicate shots around the greens. And you should always grip down as you get into those touch shots. I call it “getting closer to your work.”

So, if you will spend as much time selecting the shafts and grips for your wedges as you do choosing the brand, model, and loft of them, your scoring range performance will get better.

Vincenzi’s 2024 Wells Fargo Championship betting preview: Tommy Fleetwood ready to finally land maiden PGA Tour title

Published

1 week ago

May 6, 2024

Matt Vincenzi

The PGA Tour season ramps back up this week for another “signature event,” as golf fans look forward to the year’s second major championship next week.

After two weaker-field events in the Zurich Classic and the CJ Cup Byron Nelson, most of the best players in the world will head to historic Quail Hollow for one of the best non-major tournaments of the year.

Last season, Wyndham Clark won the event by four shots.

Quail Hollow is a par-71 measuring 7,521 yards that features Bermudagrass greens. The tree-lined, parkland style course can play quite difficult and features one of the most difficult three-hole stretches in golf known as “The Green Mile,” which makes up holes 16-18: two mammoth par 4s and a 221-yard par 3. All three holes have an average score over par, and water is in play in each of the last five holes on the course.

The field is excellent this week with 68 golfers teeing it up without a cut. All of the golfers who’ve qualified are set to tee it up, with the exception of Scottie Scheffler, who is expecting the birth of his first child.

Past Winners at Quail Hollow

2023: Wyndham Clark (-19)
2022: Max Homa (-8)
2021: Rory McIlroy (-10)
2019: Max Homa (-15)
2018: Jason Day (-12)
2017: Justin Thomas (-8) (PGA Championship)
2016: James Hahn (-9)
2015: Rory McIlroy (-21)

Key Stats For Quail Hollow

Strokes Gained: Approach

Strokes gained: Approach will be extremely important this week as second shots at Quail Hollow can be very difficult.

Total SG: Approach Over Past 24 Rounds

Akshay Bhatia (+1.16)
Tom Hoge (+1.12)
Corey Conners (+1.01)
Shane Lowry (+0.93)
Austin Eckroat (+0.82)

Strokes Gained: Off the Tee

Quail Hollow is a long course on which it is important to play from the fairway. Both distance and accuracy are important, as shorter tee shots will result in approach shots from 200 or more yards. With most of the holes heavily tree lined, errant drives will create some real trouble for the players.

Strokes Gained: Off the Tee Past 24 Rounds:

Ludvig Aberg (+0.73)
Rory McIlroy (+0.69)
Xander Schauffele (+0.62)
Viktor Hovland (+0.58)
Chris Kirk (+0.52)

Proximity: 175-200

The 175-200 range is key at Quail Hollow. Players who can hit their long irons well will rise to the top of the leaderboard.

Proximity: 175-200+ over past 24 rounds:

Cameron Young (28’2″)
Akshay Bhatia (29’6″)
Ludvig Aberg (+30’6″)
Sam Burns (+30’6″)
Collin Morikawa (+30’9″)

SG: Total on Tom Fazio Designs

Players who thrive on Tom Fazio designs get a bump for me at Quail Hollow this week.

SG: Total on Tom Fazio Designs over past 36 rounds:

Patrick Cantlay (+2.10)
Rory McIlroy (+1.95)
Tommy Fleetwood (+1.68)
Austin Eckroat (+1.60)
Will Zalatoris (+1.57)

Strokes Gained: Putting (Bermudagrass)

Strokes Gained: Putting has historically graded out as the most important statistic at Quail Hollow. While it isn’t always predictable, I do want to have it in the model to bump up golfers who prefer to putt on Bermudagrass.

Strokes Gained: Putting (Bermudagrass) Over Past 24 Rounds:

Taylor Moore (+0.82)
Nick Dunlap (+.76)
Wyndham Clark (+.69)
Emiliano Grillo (+.64)
Cam Davis (+.61)

Course History

This stat will incorporate players that have played well in the past at Quail Hollow.

Course History over past 36 rounds (per round):

Rory McIlroy (+2.50)
Justin Thomas (+1.96)
Jason Day (+1.92)
Rickie Fowler (+1.83)
Viktor Hovland (+1.78)

Wells Fargo Championship Model Rankings

Below, I’ve compiled overall model rankings using a combination of the five key statistical categories previously discussed — SG: Approach (27%), SG: Off the Tee (23%), SG: Total on Fazio designs (12%), Proximity: 175-200 (12%), SG: Putting Bermuda grass (12%), and Course History (14%).

Wyndham Clark
Rory McIlroy
Xander Schauffele
Shane Lowry
Hideki Matsuyama
Viktor Hovland
Cameron Young
Austin Eckroat
Byeong Hun An
Justin Thomas

2024 Wells Fargo Championship Picks

Tommy Fleetwood +2500 (DraftKings)

I know many out there have Tommy fatigue when it comes to betting, which is completely understandable given his lack of ability to win on the PGA Tour thus far in his career. However, history has shown us that players with Fleetwood’s talent eventually break though, and I believe for Tommy, it’s just a matter of time.

Fleetwood has been excellent on Tom Fazio designs. Over his past 36 rounds, he ranks 3rd in the field in Strokes Gained: Total on Fazio tracks. He’s also been incredibly reliable off the tee this season. He’s gained strokes in the category in eight of his past nine starts, including at The Masters, the PLAYERS and the three “signature events” of the season. Tommy is a golfer built for tougher courses and can grind it out in difficult conditions.

Last year, Fleetwood was the first-round leader at this event, firing a Thursday 65. He finished the event in a tie for 5th place.

For those worried about Fleetwood’s disappointing start his last time out at Harbour Town, he’s bounced back nicely after plenty of poor outings this season. His T7 at the Valero Texas Open was after a MC and T35 in his prior two starts and his win at the Dubai Invitational came after a T47 at the Sentry.

I expect Tommy to bounce back this week and contend at Quail Hollow.

Justin Thomas +3000 (DraftKings)

It’s been a rough couple of years for Justin Thomas, but I don’t believe things are quite as bad as they seem for JT. He got caught in the bad side of the draw at Augusta for last month’s Masters and has gained strokes on approach in seven of his nine starts in 2024.

Thomas may have found something in his most recent start at the RBC Heritage. He finished T5 at a course that he isn’t the best fit for on paper. He also finally got the putter working and ranked 15th in Strokes Gained: Putting for the week.

The two-time PGA champion captured the first of his two major championships at Quail Hollow back in 2017, and some good vibes from the course may be enough to get JT out of his slump.

Thomas hasn’t won an event in just about two years. However, I still believe that will change soon as he’s been one of the most prolific winners throughout his PGA Tour career. Since 2015, he has 15 PGA Tour wins.

Course history is pretty sticky at Quail Hollow, with players who like the course playing well there on a regular basis. In addition to JT’s PGA Championship win in 2017, he went 4-1 at the 2022 Presidents Cup and finished T14 at the event last year despite being in poor form. Thomas can return as one of the top players on the PGA Tour with a win at a “signature event” this week.

Cameron Young +3500 (DraftKings)

For many golf bettors, it’s been frustrating backing Cam Young this season. His talent is undeniable, and one of the best and most consistent performers on the PGA Tour. He just hasn’t broken through with a victory yet. Quail Hollow has been a great place for elite players to get their first victory. Rory McIlroy, Anthony Kim, Rickie Fowler and Wyndham Clark all notched their first PGA Tour win at Quail.

Throughout Cam Young’s career, he has thrived at tougher courses with strong fields. This season, he finished T16 at Riviera and T9 at Augusta National, demonstrating his preference of a tough test. His ability to hit the ball long and straight off the tee make him an ideal fit for Quail Hollow, despite playing pretty poorly his first time out in 2023 (T59). Young should be comfortable playing in the region as he played his college golf at Wake Forest, which is about an hour’s drive from Quail Hollow.

The 26-year-old has played well at Tom Fazio designs in the past and ranks 8th in the field in Strokes Gained: Total on those courses in his last 36 rounds. Perhaps most importantly, this season, Young is the best player on the PGA Tour in terms of proximity from 175-200 in the fairway, which is where a plurality and many crucial shots will come from this week.

Young is an elite talent and Quail Hollow has been kind to players of his ilk who’ve yet to win on Tour.

Byeong Hun An +5000 (FanDuel)

Byeong Hun An missed some opportunities last weekend at the CJ Cup Byron Nelson. He finished T4 and played some outstanding golf, but a couple of missed short putts prevented him from getting to the winning score of -23. Despite not getting the win, it’s hard to view An’s performance as anything other than an overwhelming success. It was An’s fourth top-ten finish of the season.

Last week, An gained 6.5 strokes ball striking, which was 7th in the field. He also ranked 12th for Strokes Gained: Approach and 13th for Strokes Gained: Off the Tee. The South Korean has been hitting the ball so well from tee to green all season long and he now heads to a golf course that should reward his precision.

An’s driver and long irons are absolute weapons. At Quail Hollow, players will see plenty of approach shots from the 175-200 range as well as some from 200+. In his past 24 rounds, Ben ranks 3rd in the field in proximity from 175-200 and 12th in proximity from 200+. Playing in an event that will not end up being a “birdie” fest should help An, who can separate from the field with his strong tee to green play. The putter may not always cooperate but getting to -15 is much easier than getting to -23 for elite ball strikers who tend to struggle on the greens.

Winning a “signature event” feels like a tall task for An this week with so many elite players in the field. However, he’s finished T16 at the Genesis Invitational, T16 at The Masters and T8 at the Arnold Palmer Invitational. The 32-year-old’s game has improved drastically this season and I believe he’s ready to get the biggest win of his career.

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