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The death of the 3-iron and what it means for your bag setup

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The 3-iron is almost extinct. It sounds like an odd statement, but it’s very true. Don’t believe me? Go try and buy one in a set. They are not easily found.

As we evaluate this topic, I’ll refrain from specs from “players” clubs as these are not the irons normally purchased. Yeah, it might skew the data, but even the players capable of playing the long irons are opting out of the 3 iron. And let’s be honest, should any of us be playing a blade 3-iron?

Mizuno only offers 4-PW in the JPX line now. Titleist only offers a 3-iron in T100s, while the rest are void of 3-irons. TaylorMade provides 4-PW in the P790, P790Ti, and P770. Callaway has done the same, only offering a 3-iron in the “players line” of clubs, while the rest is again void of the-iron. Cobra golf has also followed suit.

So are 3-irons just too hard to hit? Is that why no one is buying them, thus causing the OEMs to stop making them? The only ones left to buy are the “players” 3 irons, and those aren’t even reasonable unless you’re a professional.

What if I told you we were being deceived? What if I told you the 3-iron is still very much alive in all the iron sets available but under the guise of a different number?

Let’s hop into the “wayback machine” and take a quick look at the history of iron lofts.

The year is 1970, and the vast majority of irons available are blades. You know, the razor-sharp leading edges that are ready to break your wrist with a deep divot.

The image above is an actual snippet from a catalog from the ’70s. At this point, the 1-iron was virtually extinct, and in 1975, Lee Trevino was immortalized by his joke about how God couldn’t hit a 1-iron, which typically fell in the 18-degree range at the time. 2-irons were standard issue in the set, and the lowest loft you might find is 20 degrees.

Then the ’80s came, and things started to progress. As you might expect, lofts started to decrease. It wasn’t because of flight windows, or launch numbers, because they didn’t have that kind of technology readily available to measure those attributes. It was simply a quest for distance.

Then in the ’90s, you’d pretty much see all iron sets with 21-degree 3-irons, down to 48-degree PW’s, and 21 degrees being the norm for the lowest lofted 3-iron. 2-irons at this time were typically 18 degrees and available by request only.

Then came the 2000’s, an era we all should be familiar with. This is where things started to get interesting. Not only because lofts continued to be strengthened, but because the hybrid became a new option to replace the long irons. Adams Golf made a killing as it perfected this golf club, creating the Idea line that was in the bags of most of the senior tour players and many of the PGA Tour players. These were a fan favorite at retail too. The hybrid was an easy long iron to hit and quickly started to replace 3-irons in golf bags across the country and even on tour.

By this time the pitching wedge lofts started to get pushed to 46 degrees, which was a big jump, to be honest. In the 1970s, MacGregor was making pitching wedges with 49 degrees of loft. So, for the 90’s to be around 48 degrees, it wasn’t too much of a shock. But in the 2000s, we now saw PW’s drop to 46 degrees; a half club stronger. This is where the downfall began, in my opinion.

The first decade of the 21st century needed the gap wedge, also known as the approach wedge or utility wedge or just plain old “wedge.” Now, keep in mind, this club wasn’t anything new. The gap wedge existed ever since the beginning because at 50-52 degrees it was simply a pitching wedge from the ’70s. But it became a necessary element for the bag since the lofts of every iron were starting to move farther and farther away from the sand wedge.

Now in 2020, the average loft of the PW is 43.5 degrees, and the average 4-iron loft is 20.6 degrees. Turns out, the 4-iron from 2020 is .3 degrees stronger than the average 2-iron (20.9 degrees) from 1970. We have come full circle! Instead of maintaining those classic numbers, of 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, PW, the new sets are labeled 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, P, G.

I wonder how many golfers out there carry a 4-iron thinking it’s a club they can hit? Probably too many! Obviously, the 3-iron is dead at this point, since it would actually carry the loft of the elusive 1-iron Trevino claimed was unhittable!

Now, it’s time to discuss how we got to this point. You’ll hear a lot of companies talk about “flight windows” or “launch angles” and how it was changed by engineering, lowering CG’s, and increasing speed through thin faces. Some will talk about how the ball has changed, and it just launches higher, and it requires the lofts to be strengthened, or it will just go too high!

I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but that is all a bunch of baloney, and here is why: They started making gap wedges as part of the set. If the launch was too high or the window was too different, why make a matching gap wedge with the same technology and have the loft of a pitching wedge from the 1990s? Wouldn’t that launch or window then be too high for that club too? And yet you still need to buy another gap wedge to fit the 52-degree range. If the average golfer bought a 2020 game improvement set today, they would find the set make up to be 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, PW (43.5 degrees), Gap #1 (48.6 degrees), Gap #2 (52 degrees). That means if you happen to carry a 56 and a 60 degree, you now have the same amount of label wedges (5) as you do irons (5)!

Five wedges in the bag! Does anyone think this is weird?

Furthermore, when was a higher launching iron shot a bad thing? Wouldn’t average golfers benefit from a steeper angle of descent so the golf ball stops quicker on the green?

I conducted a study where I tested a Titleist 716 MB 8-iron with 39 degrees of loft to a TaylorMade P790 9-iron with 40 degrees of loft. All the data was captured on the Foresight GC2 launch monitor. It wasn’t a perfect test since they didn’t have the same shaft or loft, but my findings were surprising none the less. They went the same distance, almost down to the decimal. The Titleist went 165.2 yards, and the TaylorMade went 165.1 yards. Launch was only .6 degrees different while peak height was less than four feet different. So, unless you are Tiger Woods, you are not noticing a difference out on the golf course.

Some of you might think, “so, the label on the bottom of the club changed, it’s all going the same distance. So, what’s the big deal?” To me, it’s the confusion it creates more than anything. By decreasing the lofts, you’re just making the numbered iron go farther, and you are creating even bigger problems by having large gaps with the sand wedge when all amateurs need those clubs. It’s also putting clubs into the hands of golfers when they have no business hitting, like the 4-iron with 20 degrees of loft. Titleist has already made a T400 5-iron with 20 degrees of loft, and that’s just silly.

There also is the argument that golfers love distance, and when they start playing and can hit a 7-iron relatively far, it helps grow the game. Growing the game isn’t a bad thing, but if they are new to the game, they shouldn’t have any preconceived notions of how far to hit a 7-iron, and that means loft at that point becomes irrelevant.

I will not refute that a 40-degree lofted game improvement iron will be slightly longer than an identical lofted players club, but I think you’d be surprised to see the actual difference is a maximum of about three yards longer. The technology works, but by no means is it so substantial that we need to change the label on the bottom of the golf club.

The bottom line is that loft is king, regardless of the technology involved, and I have seen, but one equipment company make a change backwards! This is TaylorMade with their P770 irons. In comparison the P790, they increased the loft by one degree in the short irons and up to two degrees in the long irons, to add height and spin to the irons to improve performance. Imagine that, more spin and height are an advantage! And that was backed by their testing and their data.

Now to even further nail down my point, it is worth noting that TaylorMade Golf offers the highest lofted Pitching Wedge in the industry at 49 degree, which are in the Tiger lofts of the P7TW irons. That same iron set has a 22.5-degree 3-iron. At 22.5 degrees, it is typically the lowest-lofted iron in the golf bag of the best iron player on the PGA Tour in 2019. Of course, he has the skill to play an iron with lower loft, but the point that history reveals to us is that the effective loft of playability for an iron is about 22 degrees and higher. Anything lower lofted than that is typically replaced with a hybrid. This is not just a trend for the amateur golfer either, and it is even happening on tour with the best players in the world.

We will probably never see the lofts rolled back, but the least we can do is update Lee Trevino’s quote, “if you ever find yourself in a thunderstorm, lift up your 4-iron, because not even God can hit a 4-iron.”

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Weston Maughan is a golf equipment designer and collegiate champion golfer who has played the game for over 20 years. He worked in the golf industry for over a decade as a golf professional, PGA Tour caddie, custom fitter, and technical staff representative for a major manufacturer. He was a final contestant on the Golf Channel's Wilson's Driver vs Driver season one, and a guest on the Gear Dive podcast from GolfWRX. He received his undergrad from Brigham Young University in business management and his graduate degree from the Academy of Art University in Digital Communications. Now an amateur golfer with a +1.3 handicap, he resides in Utah and works as a software sales manager at Awardco while raising 5 children with his amazing wife. You can find Weston on Instagram at @westonmaughangolf where he posts about golf equipment, products, tips, and experiences.

57 Comments

57 Comments

  1. HfJeff

    Feb 23, 2023 at 2:10 pm

    I am a below average golfer and love the 3 iron. Not getting into the weeds of angles and loft and shifting weight, I hit it straighter and further than hybrids on the long fairway shots. I know it is a matter of practice makes perfect, but this old Dunlop 3 iron is coming along for the ride if I get a new set.

  2. Kevin

    Feb 9, 2022 at 1:01 am

    What does it all matter.Just use the club that goes the required distance no matter what the number on the bottom of the club says.It seems that most club makers are selling to your ego .

  3. Pingback: The 7 Best Golf Irons For High Handicappers In 2021 - DunedinGolf

  4. Pingback: 2 Hybrid Vs 4 Wood – Which Club Is Better To Carry? - (MUST READ Before You Buy)

  5. Todd

    Apr 15, 2021 at 4:56 am

    Best thing I’ve read in awhile. I’ve been trying to tell people this when we stand on a par 3 and I grab my Ping Eye 2 5-iron and they are pulling 7 and looking at me funny. People just don’t get it. This quest for “who can hit their irons the longest” is beyond silly. After driver (and arguably 3-wood, to reach long par 5’s in two), it’s distance CONTROL that is most important. If I need the ball to travel 165 yards to the pin, I don’t care if it says 6,7,8,9 or elephant on the bottom. It’s whatever implement gets the job done. If I knock my “6” iron stiff, and your “8” iron (which is the same club as my 6 with a different number stamped on the bottom), and you blow it over the green or sideways, what good did that do you?

  6. TW

    Mar 4, 2021 at 5:59 pm

    I think they need to stop making sets in numbers. An ideal set for me would be driver, 3 wood at 14 degrees, 5 wood at 18 degrees. Then irons spaced out in 5 degree gaps, 20 25 30 35 40 45 50 55 60.. Putter to finish! I think that is 13 clubs but who cares, lighter for the caddy! It would remove ego as golfers would accept that some use the 40 degree iron to reach that 150 whereas some use the 35 or 30 iron! If golfers wanted to stop their set with the longest iron being 25 or 30 thats fine they can adopt a 25 degree fairway wood/hybrid! no marketing & no ego, simple really!

  7. AMG PUMA

    Feb 15, 2021 at 7:08 pm

    A cavity back or whatever head shape golf club set with PW or GW stamped in the sole wont ever be a wedge. A wedge club has its own design.

  8. HKO

    Feb 13, 2021 at 1:44 am

    almost the best article on WRX ’til the P770 part. why’d you ruin such good one with a silly shill at the end?

  9. Mo

    Feb 2, 2021 at 12:12 pm

    @Taylormade for shame 42* pw? 18* 4i iron?
    Utter joke

  10. Tony Wright

    Feb 1, 2021 at 7:40 am

    Great article thanks!

  11. Shallowface

    Jan 31, 2021 at 2:15 pm

    Perhaps it is time we did away with the terms woods, hybrids, and irons, and just referred to everything as a “club.” Driving club. 2 club, 13 degrees. 3 club 15 degrees. 4 club 18 degrees, whether wood, hybrid or iron. 5 club, 21 degrees, which is where some current 5 irons are starting to fall, and so on until you get to the wedges.

  12. Benjamin Hendricks

    Jan 31, 2021 at 9:04 am

    I hit long irons well and have the speed to use them. My current 4 iron is 1* weak of standard at 23* and it goes as far as my 2 iron did in the 90’s. It at times is tough to stop on greens because the ball we play doesn’t spin as much on longer shots AND greens have gotten firmer and faster in the last 20 years. I used to hit 2 iron into greens and not worry about stopping the ball (balata days). Really the issue is #1 the ball doesn’t spin enough on long iron shots #2 greens are firmer and faster than ever and a WAY distant #3 is the clubs themselves. the reason good players are ditching long irons are #1 and #2, not the clubs themselves. irons are more accurate for high speed/high spin players usually, a hybrid or high lofted wood is only necessary because of the ball and conditions. We are being forced to stop the ball with height/angle of descent more and more every year.

    • Chris

      Mar 12, 2021 at 5:05 pm

      Your 4 iron is weak of standard. What standard is that? There your issue. There is NO standard in golf. It’s the worst used word ever.

  13. iLovett

    Jan 29, 2021 at 6:19 am

    Also, that quote wasn’t about a 4 iron

  14. iLovett

    Jan 29, 2021 at 6:17 am

    That’s weird, I have a new Taylormade P770 3 iron… it’s 19.5 degrees stock.

    With the post-modern lofts it’s arguable that at 20-22 degree 4 irons are actually high launching 3 irons that stop. If you have speed and want some roll, you need a low spin 2 iron these days

  15. James

    Jan 26, 2021 at 6:04 pm

    I absolutely love my Mavrik Pro 21 degree loft 4 Iron. Absolute go-to fairway finder. Way easier to hit and launch than older gear.

  16. Bud

    Jan 25, 2021 at 3:47 pm

    Thank you for doing this article. I get tired of golf club sales people trying to compare my Ping eye2 + to there modern 7iron and telling me I hit theirs further.

  17. Beeno

    Jan 25, 2021 at 4:52 am

    A few points as a counter argument:
    1. You are still limited to 14 clubs in your bag and except for the driver and putter, the rest of the clubs need to travel an exact distance every time and all the time. The only thing the driver needs to do is travel as far as possible and land in a good spot for a second shot.
    2. You mention most clubs sold in the 70’s were MB blades. The lofts on blades have not changed much even for today’s modern blades. These clubs are meant for good ball strikers and the reason elite golfers prefer to play them is distance and direction control. (There might be other reasons)
    3. Your so called loft jacked clubs (GI and SGI) are meant for mid to high handicap players that need help with distance and elevation. If all these modern clubs with higher MOI and lower CG still had traditional lofts, the ball would go nowhere and too high for a slow swinging high handicap player and an elite player will struggle to get consistent yardages.
    4. If you removed the numbers on all the irons and just added degrees of loft, your set make-up will still look the same as you are only allowed 14 clubs. Depending on your skill level, the type of club will obviously perform different for different types of players.
    5. Because elite golfers are murdering golf courses, today’s courses are playing much longer for the average golfer. The modern golf ball can be blamed for this. The modern golf ball is designed for elite players with high swing speeds.
    6. I’m sure if you have a bit of talent, put in the time to practice and hone your skills, get properly fit for your clubs and get lessons so someone can keep you in check, you will be able to hit any club produced (even a 1970’s 2-iron). Unfortunately we live in an era where we want things easily and we want it now and we don’t care about the cost to get it.

    • Shallowface

      Jan 31, 2021 at 2:08 pm

      The thing is, CGs are not lower today than they were several years ago. Check out the MPF measurements on The Golfworks website. Regardless of whether or not you agree with how they weigh the various factors to compe up with a points rating, the actual physical measurements of the clubheads DO NOT LIE.

  18. Euan Hardman

    Jan 22, 2021 at 11:20 am

    Basically, what this excellent article is saying is that all the irons should have been re-stamped 2 numbers lower. The PW is actually an 8 iron and we have to buy a 48 AW (9 iron) and 52 GW (PW) to fill the gap.
    Now I know why I have trouble with my 4 (2!) iron.

  19. ChipNRun

    Jan 18, 2021 at 7:30 pm

    I carry a 22* CB Pro Tungsten set 4i (hollow head) refitted w/ a hybrid shaft. It’s a driving iron now, and gives a low fairly hot draw – one club that flies low when needed.

  20. Kevin Ricciardelli

    Jan 18, 2021 at 7:20 pm

    The clubs could not be “jack-up” if the ball didn’t fly higher. Balata balls from the 70’s back, simply flew lower. Blade clubs flew lower due to higher COG. The lofts are stronger because they can still be playable. Look at the 3 iron lofts available from Ping. Standard, Power and Retro.

  21. Karaten’s Ghost

    Jan 18, 2021 at 4:17 pm

    Everyone talks about loft-up like distances aren’t different.

    Why does no one address that the ball goes further today all on its own? Test some of the jacked lofts with balata, and you may realise this isn’t just marketing.

    Also, there’s more margin on a $300 hybrid than a $130 iron.

  22. Cody Reeder

    Jan 18, 2021 at 1:02 pm

    Well written Weston,

    Thanks!

  23. Mark Paschal

    Jan 18, 2021 at 7:00 am

    This article ignores the other changes that go along with modern clubs that allow for higher launch angles and steeper descent angles. If you really just changed the numbers on 70’s clubs you would have much lower ball flight, less forgiveness, less solid contact due to the longer shafts. There is much more to an iron than loft, and comparing irons from different manufacturers with similar lofts doesn’t render the other variables moot. This was an enjoyable read but definitely from the “equipment hasn’t improved” camp.

    • Weston Maughan

      Jan 19, 2021 at 11:33 am

      I would probably need to write another 2 or 3 articles to cover all the aspects, but to say I’m from the camp that golf clubs haven’t improved is a stretch. It wasn’t an article discussing forgiveness of iron design, which we both know countless studies confirm low CG and perimeter weighting has become better each year.

      Take into account all the other changes… golf ball, improvement of irons designs, low CG’s and shaft lengths increasing… regardless of all the factors you throw at it, every golf club since the inception of the game has had a loft between 8° and 62° and you can call them what ever you want, but you still need them in a consistent gapping.

      Lastly, the rational of needing to preserve flights and trajectories appears to be a logical discussion. But how has this necessary change never touched the sand wedge. It’s some how avoided the changes all together and sits at 56°. If the preservation of flight due to ball changes and club design are true, we would need to have 50° sand wedges by now. Thoughts?

      • Ken

        Jan 26, 2021 at 5:25 pm

        Weston, you are spot on. I had two sets of irons, CDI 990 and JPZ-EZ identical lofts through the set just different numbers on the sole. I hit them the same distances even though one was an all steel players cavity and the other had plutonium embedded somewhere. Anyway truth be told the old clubs flew straighter because the lower MOI made them easier to square up at impact. Resistance to twisting at impact also means resistance to squaring up at impact. That’s why even pros don’t like to turn over their current drivers and use a 3 wood for that instead.

        An additional issue with new clubs, an amateur does an online club fitting and they are asked how far they hit their 7 iron and they respond with the yardage their current 7-iron, which was a 5 iron at the time the fitting algorithm was created and they wind up with a shaft flex that is too stiff.

  24. gregory aziz

    Jan 17, 2021 at 9:04 pm

    Well researched and enjoyable article but the author omitted the BEN HOGAN FORT WORTH 15 model,
    which addressed this weighty subject of loft strengthening in 2015.
    I am on my 2nd set and have not looked back.

    • Al Fiscus

      Jan 25, 2021 at 9:42 am

      Exactly- still on my first !! The undiscovered blessing of sets with 44 degree PW’s is that we GET TO fill in the 48 & 52, hopefully matching our 56 & 60.. Blades are far superior in ALL 4 of the upper lofts.. SCOR proved that, & they’re still in my bag..

  25. Roy

    Jan 17, 2021 at 9:00 pm

    Best article on WRX in a long time – thanks!

    • Jake DeJong

      Jan 18, 2021 at 10:07 am

      Agreed. Thoroughly researched and well written.

      Anyone in disagreement is just an ostrich.

  26. Milo

    Jan 17, 2021 at 8:28 pm

    I’m gonna buy a 12.5° Lynx Prowler driving iron. Thoughts?

  27. Micheal

    Jan 17, 2021 at 2:43 pm

    Your information is incorrect, I just bought a set of Taylormade P790’s 3 iron though pitching wedge.

  28. Bob

    Jan 17, 2021 at 1:15 pm

    The 3-iron didn’t die. It was just given a different number. Please stop with the drama.

  29. Dwight L. Cramer

    Jan 17, 2021 at 11:08 am

    The same thing has happened with fly fishing line weights. If you fly fish, you know that the line and the rod must match up (i.e., a 4 wt. line for a 4 wt. rod, a 6 wt. line for a 6 wt. rod). But, in the universal quest for distance (not just golfers have that obsession), the line manufacturers have embraced ‘technology’ to create a marketing advantage, and it’s taken them in one direction, while the rod manufacturers have done the same, and headed off elsewhere. In other words a brand xx line rated as 4 wt. and a brand yy rod rated at 4 wt. may not be compatible. This creates real confusion for the fisherman, especially the newbie, or the guy who’s more into fishing that gear. (Free hint for newbies to fly fishing–buy the Orvis entry level set up and be done with it.)

  30. A golfer

    Jan 17, 2021 at 10:54 am

    This is a great article and I really appreciate the historical data provided. The one counter argument I would make is that the “long irons” in many of these sets look and behave very similarly to hybrids. I would bet that a 20* Hot Metal or Mavrik, for example, would launch materially higher than a 20* blade, unlike the 39-40* example provided.

    • A golfer

      Jan 17, 2021 at 11:12 am

      The other important counterpoint is that jacked lofts in game improvement sets are a way of helping offset the early extension and flip that poor players almost universally exhibit. These players present way too much loft at impact, so they may actually have less of an issue launching the ball up at any given loft and swing speed level.

      • Paolo

        Jan 25, 2021 at 1:48 pm

        This is the only advantage . To strengthening lofts .
        Forget numbering irons just put the lofts on them .

  31. A Golfer

    Jan 17, 2021 at 10:49 am

    This is a great article and I really appreciate the historical documents pulled out. The one counterpoint I would make on the long end, is that many of these sets have “long irons” that look and behave very much like hybrids. I think if you took a 20* Hot Metal or Mavrik and put it against a 20* blade you would see a material difference in launch angle, unlike with the 39-40* example you provided.

  32. Webster

    Jan 17, 2021 at 9:07 am

    It’s all about the loft/length relationship to me. My 150 yd club has pretty much always had 40* loft and 36″ length. Started playing seriously in the mid-90’s and that was pretty much the std for an 8 iron. Today I’m playing X-hot Pros that have a 40*, 36″ club…it just happens to have a 9 stamped on it; still goes 150yds.

  33. John Little

    Jan 17, 2021 at 6:52 am

    Instead of iron numbers why not just stamp loft numbers. 4 degrees apart. A typical conversation might be.I made the par 3 7th with my 38 degree. Oh really! I did it with my 42.

  34. Munter

    Jan 17, 2021 at 4:16 am

    Not sure about all this “loft jacking” ballyhoo.

    I replaced half my AP2s with Mizuno JPX Hot Metal Pros a few months ago – 4i to 7i. Best upgrade I’ve ever made. Literally. Period.

    OK, so actually now I have two 7 irons. The AP2 is still used a lot, it goes about 145m. Pretty standard for a 14 handicap, right?

    The amazing thing is this: the JPXs go loooong. I now pull out 4i on any hole where I need to go 180-190m. Sometimes it rolls out past 200m. Where I would have sprayed my 3-hybrid, now I pull out my 5i, with a LOT more confidence it will go straight and looong.

    So, with all respect, i now play much better golf, not because my lofts are jacked, but because the “hot” technology actually works. Forgiveness + cranking distance when you middle it. This *cannot* simply be about lofts, otherwise I would have been getting the same results with my AP2s, just one club less.

    • Jake DeJong

      Jan 18, 2021 at 10:09 am

      Anecdotal. No facts. Come back with launch monitor results?

  35. Nate

    Jan 17, 2021 at 1:21 am

    I read a lot of these articles from Golfwrx. This is a stand out. Nice work.

  36. Reece

    Jan 16, 2021 at 11:40 pm

    I bought a brand new set p790’s this last week and it came with a 3 iron. In left hand no less.

  37. Lefthack

    Jan 16, 2021 at 9:21 pm

    Great article. My newish irons were a 5-PW set of Nike Vapor Pro Combos and I’ve been on the search for the 3 and 4 (the 2 is only available in right hand). I scored a 3 off the classified that is 20 degrees and can’t wait to hit it. I have no issues hitting my 3h and 4h but they take up more room in the bag than irons would.

  38. Rich Douglas

    Jan 16, 2021 at 7:02 pm

    I’ve always maintained the theory of “loft deflation,” even when countered with the launch angle issue.

    But if you keep your head about you, it really doesn’t matter. The numbers on the clubs have shifted, but it’s still the same 14 clubs, more or less. So I don’t have a 3-iron, but everything is shift down and I fill the gap between the PW and the SW with a wedge. It’s still the same number of clubs doing the exact same things.

    Two advantages here: First, it’s not just lower lofts. A 4-iron with a 3-iron’s loft is still a 4-iron in length. It’s 1/2-inch shorter and, thus, easier to hit on center. That makes the entire set easier to hit than before.

    Second, low-lofted irons are being replaced with hybrids, which have better perimeter weighting, lower CGs, and are easier to hit and to loft.

    But if everything shifts down, doesn’t that create a gap between the 3-wood and the rest of the set? Yes, but who cares? Most players cover it with a hybrid, better to hit than a true 3-iron. Besides, most players can’t hit the ball well enough for that gap to matter anyway.

    I haven’t carried a 3-iron in nearly two decades, and I dumped my 4-iron recently. That’s because I went to single-length irons built at 36.5″ (8-iron length). You just can’t generate enough clubhead speed to get a 4-iron to gap properly anyway. But the advantages of single-length irons–so much more consistent–outweigh having to swap the 4-iron for the hybrid.

    • Frank

      Jan 16, 2021 at 7:07 pm

      I beg to differ on the 4-iron length with 3-iron loft, I have a set of Hogan blades from the 60s and the 2-iron is 38.75″ which is in between today’s 3-iron and 4-iron “standard” length. They’re not just decreasing the loft, they’re increasing the length, too.

      • Rich Douglas

        Jan 16, 2021 at 7:08 pm

        Not if you’re paying attention. And it certainly isn’t an industry trend.

  39. KP

    Jan 16, 2021 at 5:00 pm

    Great article. I always feel like manufacturers use their marketing to trick people into thinking that they’ve engineered something special that gives players more distance and forgiveness. Fact is they’re bs’ing us into buying new equipment every year. Crossfield and Shiels have done many videos that demonstrate how little difference there is in golf equipment year to year.

    • Rich Douglas

      Jan 16, 2021 at 7:07 pm

      Especially in irons. There have been only a handful of useful developments since the days of forged blades and nothing else:

      — Perimeter-weighted cast irons (starting with Ping)

      — Perimeter-weighted forged irons (starting with Hogan Edge)

      — Multi-metal designs (allowing for higher COR on faces, more extreme perimeter weighting, and altered CGs)

      — Graphite shafts good enough for irons

      That’s about it. That Nike sling thingy, the twice-a-year TM bouncy clubs, or anything else are just derivatives from the above.

    • Jon Barton

      Jan 16, 2021 at 7:20 pm

      The manufacturers have been very clever. They have slowly turned a set of 3iron to SW (9clubs) into a set of 5,6,7,8,9.W. (6 clubs) with an option to add a 4i and in some cases a 3i. Great deal for them 6clubs for the price of 9.
      The SW is usually not included in a modern set.
      So we golfers also get to choose an extra 3 wedges, lucky us. But just a minute, that means we now buy an extra 3.
      So the original 9 shrinks to 6. With an option of buying an extra 5.
      So we now buy 11 for the price 14!
      Oh, and maybe a utility or two as well. ?

  40. Brandon

    Jan 16, 2021 at 4:43 pm

    In my opinion, a set that starts with a 22* 4 iron and stops at a 46* pw is perfect. 4 degree gaps between each club. Carry a 18 or 19* 5w,hybrid, or utility iron. Whatever 3 wedges you want above your pw. If I played a set with a 43* pw I’d need 2 gap wedges, which is just ridiculous. I think loft jacking is just to pad the ego of the short hitter who thinks he is hitting his pw as far as a player hits their 8 or 9 iron.

  41. Ben Wallace

    Jan 16, 2021 at 4:37 pm

    True. However, it doesn’t matter what the club is designated so long as the player can hit the club and knows the carry numbers for the club. I don’t care if the clubs have a number, symbol, degree listing, letters of the alphabet, or names of rock and roll bands as the club’s designation so long as I know which club I am pulling out the bag. I won’t be reaching for a long iron anyway. I play driver, 3w, 5w, 7w, 4h, 5i-PW, 54, 60, and putter.

    • Bas

      Jan 19, 2021 at 5:17 am

      Same, but I play 4w, 7w. And my irons are GI, so the lofts are probably a bit stronger, so they are 6i-AW (26-49 degrees).

      I can’t hit an iron with a loft below 26 degrees.

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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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