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The Wedge Guy: Your shoes – Golf equipment, comfort, or fashion?

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WARNING: This is an “opinion” piece, but it might get you thinking a bit.

I have paid close attention to the evolution of golf shoes over the past two or three decades or so, as the “athletic shoe” styling has become increasingly more popular than the traditional leather saddle oxford and other styles. But for me, I have always stuck to a classic, leather saddle oxford style shoe, as I consider my shoes a very serious piece of my equipment.

Here’s why

It all started with the move to “lighter” golf shoes, marketed primarily as a nod to comfort. The old leather or firm polymer soles were replaced with foam outer soles, and the spike patterns were adjusted narrower to accommodate the reduced strength of that sole.

I bought in early, as I was primarily a walker so why wouldn’t I want that, right? But not long after, I found myself in one of those “slumps” where my ball-striking just wasn’t what I was used to seeing. I struggled with that for a while …until I had an “ah-ha” moment when my brother and I played in a tournament and his girlfriend at the time was taking pictures (unbeknownst to either of us).

Anyway, she captured a photo of me just after impact with a driver, and I quickly saw that I was leaving way too much weight on my back foot . . . an easy fix, now that I saw the photo. So, I go to the range and on the very first “corrective” swing, I nearly fell over – that lightweight shoe just did not give me the structural stability to powerfully move my weight to the outside of my left foot like I always had. (Nod to Ben Hogan’s Five Lessons).

For background, I’ve always loved saddle oxford styling in my golf shoes (and street shoes for that matter), but I never related that to the fact that my shoes were a very important part of my golf equipment. It was an eye-opening moment to realize that the comfortable lightweight shoes just could not give me that same foundation to “hit against”. I immediately went back to my saddle oxfords and fixed my swing immediately. And I haven’t owned a pair of golf shoes that was not that style since then.

Nowadays it seems like the vast majority of golfers are wearing lighter and therefore somewhat “flimsier” golf shoes, constructed mostly of fabric rather than leather. Even on professional tours. And maybe not coincidentally, you see professional and young athletic golfers “jumping” into impact rather than hitting firmly into their left side, as I was taught as a young golfer.

So, that makes me think of the old chicken and egg thing. Did the shoe manufacturers realize that the “modern” golf swing didn’t require the same technologies as the older style swing? Or did the modern swing evolve partly because of the change in shoe design? Or did the “shoe guys” just realize that most golfers don’t consider their shoes as a vital part of their equipment “team”, so they would buy comfort and styling over its impact on performance.

Please understand that I am a serious student of the golf swing. I observe dozens if not hundreds, of recreational golfers of all skill levels, and the most egregious swing flaw I see over and over is that most mid- to high-handicap golfers just do not move their weight powerfully to their lead side as the starting move of the downswing. Most, in fact, primarily swing the club with their arms and hands, and the body core follows them through impact . . . rather than leading the arms, hands and club through impact.

So, are today’s “modern” shoe designs helping cause that elemental swing flaw?

Or are the shoe companies just accepting that most golfers don’t hit firmly into their left side, so they won’t notice that their shoes won’t let them do that.

It’s another one of those many things that make me go,“hmm.”

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Terry Koehler is a fourth generation Texan and a graduate of Texas A&M University. Over his 40-year career in the golf industry, he has created over 100 putter designs, sets of irons and drivers, and in 2014, he put together the team that reintroduced the Ben Hogan brand to the golf equipment industry. Since the early 2000s, Terry has been a prolific writer, sharing his knowledge as “The Wedge Guy”.   But his most compelling work is in the wedge category. Since he first patented his “Koehler Sole” in the early 1990s, he has been challenging “conventional wisdom” reflected in ‘tour design’ wedges. The performance of his wedge designs have stimulated other companies to move slightly more mass toward the top of the blade in their wedges, but none approach the dramatic design of his Edison Forged wedges, which have been robotically proven to significantly raise the bar for wedge performance. Terry serves as Chairman and Director of Innovation for Edison Golf – check it out at www.EdisonWedges.com.

14 Comments

14 Comments

  1. Pingback: Oxford Shoes Guide – Wearing, Buying, & What To Avoid – Like Pets

  2. Pingback: The Wedge Guy: New Year’s rambling – GolfWRX

  3. ChipNRun

    Dec 25, 2021 at 12:16 am

    “Equipment, comfort or fashion…”

    Golf shoes better deliver all three. I play on fairly hilly courses, so the soft spikes better keep me anchored. Comfort… not looking for deck shoes to wear to the poolside bar, but I don’t want them to hurt my feet. Fashion…don’t want them to be ugly.

    “Nowadays it seems like the vast majority of golfers are wearing lighter and therefore somewhat “flimsier” golf shoes, constructed mostly of fabric rather than leather. Even on professional tours.”

    Golf shoe needs to be firm enough to provide lateral support. The past decade, golfdom has delivered lots of warnings about the dangers of playing in running shoes. The reason? Not much lateral support.

    Case in point: A caddie gig at a Symetra Tour event, wearing running shoes.. My player was very fast walker, so I was working hard to keep up. One time I took a shortcut through a creekbed, slipped sideways and ripped the inner liner of my right shoe in half (top to bottom).

    Had to throw the pair away post-round. Fortunately, I switched to my much sturdier cross-training shoes for Day 2.

    For playing golf shoes, got two Nike and one Adidas pair from few years back… Pulled them off shelf and they were much sturdier – especially lateral support – but I pretty well used them up over three years.

    One option: spend extra $$ and get into custom shoes. Shoe repair shops can put in touch with people that still make the sturdier, heavier leather oxford golf shoes.

  4. Jeff

    Dec 20, 2021 at 10:24 pm

    What about Sam Snead practicing bare footed!! LOL

  5. Michael

    Dec 18, 2021 at 6:47 pm

    Terry, I know what you mean! I recently purchased a pair of Sqairz golf shoes. These shoes are heavier and wider than most. They took some getting used to as I immediately notices far less sway. After a couple of rounds I noticed that I was hitting my drives straight far more often. As to being longer, I also noticed I hit some good long ones more often too. I believe they contribute to a greater average distance as I am hitting more fairways. This past summer after enjoying success with they I purchased a second pair. They remind me of the golf shoes of old. I carry my bag and walk 18 holes in them and that’s been no problem.
    PS I have three Hogan wedges in my bag that you designed, super!

  6. Scott Johnson

    Dec 17, 2021 at 10:01 am

    I can wear 5 different golf shoes and have 5 different swings . Got a pair of flex shoes last season and duck hook short irons .change to addis and flush it. Thanks

  7. UncleMookie

    Dec 16, 2021 at 10:49 am

    I hate to do more than “mee too” but here I am.

    I love my full-support DryJoys (I’m a big guy) but wanted to add something a little more modern without going full “track shoe.” My new Tour Xs are traction and support monsters and my playing partner immediately noticed me compressing the ball better.

    Twist and shout, y’all!

  8. Pi

    Dec 16, 2021 at 6:46 am

    Hmmm, making me think now… been playing absolutely %^^&! this year not really understanding why. Played my best golf last year wearing quite heavy steel nosed work shoes with good grip. This year been using lightweight running shoes or basketball shoes (no golf shops in this country..)

    Might just experiment this weekend wearing the big hiking boots I used to wear playing golf..

  9. Ts

    Dec 16, 2021 at 12:36 am

    It’s absolutely equipment. All you have to do is look at Ben Hogan, again.

  10. Prime21

    Dec 16, 2021 at 12:27 am

    Yeah, it’s the shoes ? Once everyone started wearing Jordans they all played like him, right? Poor weight shift & a lack of sequence is certainly a major flaw in most amateurs games, however the shoes are not the cause. This one is a wiff.

  11. Brandon

    Dec 15, 2021 at 8:47 pm

    Interesting. I have a bad left knee, and I’m fairly certain that my body subconsciously holds back from fully transferring my weight to my front side in an effort to guard against reinjuring myself. Wonder if going back to a heavier shoe would help.

  12. Casey L Patterson

    Dec 15, 2021 at 3:32 pm

    I can’t agree with you more than on your observation. It took me a while to catch how my footwear had either a positive or negative effect to my weight transfer. I settled on more sturdy footwear especially in the forefoot and heel cup. This is aligned with shoe drop and height awareness are the additional factors I noticed in where the club bottoms out in the golf swing. Granted I am a very aggressive swinger better weight transfer has also help my short game.

  13. LOWEBOY

    Dec 15, 2021 at 1:48 pm

    I have to agree. I have a pair of DryJoys, and a pair FJ Golf Sneakers. I got the sneakers for walking, and to have a pair of white golf shoes to offset my pair of black golf shoes. Variety. I have noticed that my swing suffers when wearing the sneakers, as they are not as stable as the dryjoys. I wanted buy another pair of dryjoys, and I guess they are no longer available, so more research is due to find a comparable replacement. Until then, the dryjoys get worn and the sneakers get closet time…lol…

  14. Thomas A

    Dec 15, 2021 at 10:43 am

    Most shoes are poorly designed for either style or athletics. Your saddle shoes pinch your toes and don’t give your feet room to perform as they should. You’re losing stability there. Athletic style shoes also pinch the toes, but also have midsoles that are too soft for the golf swiing. They are usually designed after running shoes (also bad designs) to cushion impact. That is totally unnecessary when walking on grass and detrimental in the golf swing.

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Instruction

The Wedge Guy: My top 5 practice tips

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While there are many golfers who barely know where the practice (I don’t like calling it a “driving”) range is located, there are many who find it a place of adventure, discovery and fun. I’m in the latter group, which could be accented by the fact that I make my living in this industry. But then, I’ve always been a “ball beater,” since I was a kid, but now I approach my practice sessions with more purpose and excitement. There’s no question that practice is the key to improvement in anything, so today’s topic is on making practice as much fun as playing.

As long as I can remember, I’ve loved the range, and always embrace the challenge of learning new ways to make a golf ball do what I would like it to do. So, today I’m sharing my “top 5” tips for making practice fun and productive.

  1. Have a mission/goal/objective. Whether it is a practice range session or practice time on the course, make sure you have a clearly defined objective…how else will you know how you’re doing? It might be to work on iron trajectory, or finding out why you’ve developed a push with your driver. Could be to learn how to hit a little softer lob shot or a knockdown pitch. But practice with a purpose …always.
  2. Don’t just “do”…observe.  There are two elements of learning something new.  The first is to figure out what it is you need to change. Then you work toward that solution. If your practice session is to address that push with the driver, hit a few shots to start out, and rather than try to fix it, make those first few your “lab rats”. Focus on what your swing is doing. Do you feel anything different? Check your alignment carefully, and your ball position. After each shot, step away and process what you think you felt during the swing.
  3. Make it real. To just rake ball after ball in front of you and pound away is marginally valuable at best. To make practice productive, step away from your hitting station after each shot, rake another ball to the hitting area, then approach the shot as if it was a real one on the course. Pick a target line from behind the ball, meticulously step into your set-up position, take your grip, process your one swing thought and hit it. Then evaluate how you did, based on the shot result and how it felt.
  4. Challenge yourself. One of my favorite on-course practice games is to spend a few minutes around each green after I’ve played the hole, tossing three balls into various positions in an area off the green. I don’t let myself go to the next tee until I put all three within three feet of the hole. If I don’t, I toss them to another area and do it again. You can do the same thing on the range. Define a challenge and a limited number of shots to achieve it.
  5. Don’t get in a groove. I was privileged enough to watch Harvey Penick give Tom Kite a golf lesson one day, and was struck by the fact that he would not let Tom hit more than five to six shots in a row with the same club. Tom would hit a few 5-irons, and Mr. Penick would say, “hit the 8”, then “hit the driver.” He changed it up so that Tom would not just find a groove. That paved the way for real learning, Mr. Penick told me.

My “bonus” tip addresses the difference between practicing on the course and keeping a real score. Don’t do both. A practice session is just that. On-course practice is hugely beneficial, and it’s best done by yourself, and at a casual pace. Playing three or four holes in an hour or so, taking time to hit real shots into and around the greens, will do more for your scoring skills than the same amount of range time.

So there you have my five practice tips. I’m sure I could come up with more, but then we always have more time, right?

More from the Wedge Guy

 

 

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19th Hole

Vincenzi: Fortinet Championship First Round Leader picks

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The PGA Tour begins its fall season with a trip to Wine Country as the world of golf patiently awaits the 2023 Ryder Cup which is just a few weeks away. Silverado is a course where plenty of players with varying skill sets can compete, but strong West Coast history tends to be a major factor.

In the past four editions of the Fortinet Championship, there have been six first-round leaders or co-leaders. Of the six, three have started their rounds in the morning wave, and three started in the afternoon. The leading scores have all been between 63 and 65.

As of now, the winds look to be very docile, with speeds of 4-7 MPH throughout the day. I don’t see either the AM or PM wave as having a major advantage.

2023 Fortinet Championship First-Round Leader Picks

Zac Blair +9000 (FanDuel)

First-Round Tee Time: 1.22 p.m PT

A big theme for me this week is targeting players who have had success at both Silverado and the West Coast in general. Blair finished 22nd here last year, and also finished 4th back in 2019. That year, he shot 66 in rounds two and three, showing his ability to go low on this track.

In 2022, Blair gained 3.8 strokes putting and in 2019, he gained 8.6. The 33-year-old seemingly has these greens figured out.

C.T. Pan +9000 (FanDuel)

First-Round Tee Time: 8.23 a.m PT

At the end of the 2023 season, C.T. Pan showed flashes of what made him a good player prior to his injury struggles early in the year. He finished 4th at the AT&T Byron Nelson in May, and 3rd at the RBC Canadian Open in June. He also finished 6th at Silverado back in 2021, gaining 4.5 strokes on approach and 6.6 strokes putting.

A few weeks off may have given Pan a chance to reset and focus on the upcoming fall swing, where I believe he’ll play some good golf.

Joel Dahmen +110000 (FanDuel)

First-Round Tee Time: 7:28 a.m PT

After becoming a well-known name in golf due to his affable presence in Netflix’ “Full Swing” documentary, Dahmen had what can only be considered a disappointment of a 2023 season. I believe he’s a better player than he showed last year and is a good candidate for a bounce back fall and 2024.

Dahmen finished in a tie for 10th at the Barracuda Championship in late July, and the course is similar in agronomy and location to what he’ll see this week in Napa. He has some strong history on the West Coast including top-ten finishes at Riviera (5th, 2020), Pebble Beach (6th, 2022), Sherwood (8th, 2020), TPC Summerlin (9th, 2019) and Torrey Pines (9th, 2019).

James Hahn +125000 (Caesars)

First-Round Tee Time: 1:55 p.m PT

James Hahn absolutely loves golf on the West Coast. He’s won at Riviera and has also shown some course form with a 9th place finish at Silverado back in 2020. That week, Hahn gained 4.7 strokes putting, demonstrating his comfort level on these POA putting surfaces.

He finished T6 at the Barracuda back in July, and there’s no doubt that a return to California will be welcome for the 41-year-old.

Peter Malnati +125000 (BetRivers)

First-Round Tee Time: 12.27 p.m PT 

Peter Malnati excels at putting on the West Coast. He ranks 3rd in the field in Strokes Gained: Putting on POA and has shown in the past he’s capable of going extremely low on any given round due to his ability to catch a hot putter.

His course history isn’t spectacular, but he’s played well enough at Silverado. In his past seven trips to the course, he’s finished in the top-35 four times.

Harry Higgs +150000 (BetRivers)

First-Round Tee Time: 1.55 p.m PT

In what is seemingly becoming a theme in this week’s First-Round Leader column, Harry Higgs is a player that really fell out of form in 2023, but a reset and a trip to a course he’s had success at in the past may spark a resurgence.

Higgs finished 2nd at Silverado in 2020 and wasn’t in particularly great form then either. Success hasn’t come in abundance for the 31-year-old, but three of his top-10 finishes on Tour have come in this area of the country.

Higgs shot an impressive 62 here in round two in 2020, which would certainly be enough to capture the first-round lead this year.

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19th Hole

Vincenzi’s Fortinet Championship betting preview: California native ready for breakthrough win in Napa

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After a three-week break, the 2022-23 PGA TOUR season kicks off in Napa Valley at the Silverado Resort and Spa to play the Fortinet Championship.

Prior to 2021, the event was called the Safeway Open, but the tournament sponsor changed to Fortinet with contract that will last for three more seasons. Although the name has changed multiple times, Silverado’s North Course has been featured on the PGA TOUR since 1968.

The course is a par 72, measuring at 7,166 yards. Silverado features Poa annua greens that can be tricky, especially as the surface becomes bumpier in the afternoon. The tree-lined fairways aren’t easy to hit, but the rough shouldn’t be exceedingly penal. Shorter hitters are in play on this relatively short course, and accuracy will be at a premium.

There will be a re-routing at Silverado for this year’s Fortinet Championship. Ten holes will be played in a different order. Holes 1-7 and 18 will remain as in year’s past. The new finishing stretch – No. 14 (par 4), No. 15 (par 5), No. 16 (par 4), No. 17 (par 3) and No. 18 (par 5). The new 17th was previously the 11th, which is the signature hole on the course.

The field will consist of 155 players. Being the swing season, the field for this event is usually relatively weak. However, there are some intriguing names in the field including Justin Thomas, Webb Simpson, Sahith Theegala, Joel Dahmen, and Kevin Kisner.

Past Winners

  • 2022: Max Homa (-22)
  • 2021: Max Homa (-19)
  • 2020: Stewart Cink (-21)
  • 2019: Cameron Champ (-17)
  • 2018: Kevin Tway (-14)
  • 2017: Brendan Steele -15
  • 2016: Brendan Steele -18

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

Strokes Gained: Approach

Historically, one of the North Course’s defenses will be tightly tucked pin placement, so effective shot-shaping and a higher ball flight may be an advantage this week. In order to find success, players need to hit the correct level of the sloping Poa Annua greens.

Strokes Gained: Approach past 24 rounds:

  1. Chez Reavie (+24.7)
  2. Sam Ryder (+20.0)
  3. Mark Hubbard (+17.8)
  4. Kevin Streelman (+18.3)
  5. Doug Ghim (+17.1)

Good Drives Gained

Hitting fairways in regulation at Silverado is more difficult than TOUR average, as players have done so in the past at a rate of only 52.2%. While the rough isn’t extremely long here, controlling spin out of the thick grass is much more difficult than doing so from the fairway. In order to find success, players need to hit the correct level of the sloping Poa annua greens.

In 2021, the top eight players on the leaderboard all had a positive week in “Good Drives Gained. The winner, Max Homa was +3.3 in the category and Mito Pereira, who finished third, was +8.3.

In 2022, 12 of the top 13 players on the leaderboard gained in the category including the winner Max Homa (+6.0) and runner up Danny Willet (5.0).

Good Drives Gained past 24 rounds:

  1. Doug Ghim (+24.4) 
  2. Matt NeSmith (+23.8) 
  3. Russell Knox (+20.6)
  4. Brice Garnett (+19.9)
  5. Ryan Armour (+19.8)

Par 4: 400-450

There are six par 4’s at Silverado that are between 400 and 450-yards. It will be important to target players who excel at playing these holes. With the par 5s being fairly short and reachable, the par 4 scoring may prove to be the bigger difference-maker.

Par 4: 400-450 past 24 rounds:

  1. Beau Hossler (+14.7) 
  2. Max Homa (+12.4)
  3. Garrick Higgo (+8.5)
  4. Justin Suh (+8.3)
  5. Stephan Jaeger (+8.2)

Birdie or Better: Gained

With scores at Silverado potentially approaching the 20 under par range, making plenty of birdies will be a requirement in order to contend this week.

Birdie or Better: Gained in past 24 rounds:

  1. Nick Hardy (+15.3)
  2. Scott Piercy (+15.2)
  3. Ryan Gerard (+14.9)
  4. Max Homa (+14.0)
  5. Peter Kuest (+13.5)

Strokes Gained: Putting (Poa Annua)

Poa annua greens on the West Coast can be quite difficult for golfers to adjust to if they don’t have much experience on the surface.

Prior to the 2019 Safeway Open, Phil Mickelson talked about how the type of putting surface is a major factor:

“I think a lot of guys struggle with the Poa annua greens, which is a grass that I grew up playing, so I’m very comfortable on the greens. When you grow up and spend most of your time back east in Florida on the Bermuda, this is a very awkward surface to putt on. The color looks different — it’s hard to sometimes read. But when you’re used to it, I don’t know of much better surfaces than these right here.”

This week it is important to look for the golfers who historically excel on Poa annua.

Total Strokes Gained in category in past 24 rounds:

  1. Kevin Kisner (+27.7) 
  2. Max Homa (+21.2)
  3. Peter Malnati (+20.5)
  4. Justin Suh (+18.5)
  5. Mackenzie Hughes (+16.0)

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 (25%), Good Drives Gained: (25%), Birdie or Better (20%), Par 4: 400-450 (15%), SG: Putting (Poa annua) (15%).

  1. Max Homa (+750)
  2. Doug Ghim (+5000)
  3. Andrew Putnam (+4000)
  4. Chez Reavie (+4500)
  5. Kevin Streelman (+5500)
  6. Mark Hubbard (+5000)
  7. Sam Ryder (+7000)
  8. Brendon Todd (+3500)
  9. Akshay Bhatia (+6000)
  10. Cameron Davis (+2200)

2023 Fortinet Championship Picks

Sahith Theegala +2000 (DraftKings):

Sahith Theegala is yet to break out for his maiden PGA Tour victory but is a great candidate for a player who can have a strong fall and take advantage of some weaker fields. The 26-year-old ended his season on a positive note, finishing 13th at the FedEx St. Jude and 15th at the BMW Championship.

I’ve long believed that Theegala’s first win would come on the West Coast. He grew up in California and was a three-time All-American at Pepperdine University, where he became the fifth player to win the Jack Nicklaus Award, Haskins Award and Ben Hogan award all in the same year (2020). Sahith made his PGA Tour debut at Silverado in 2020, where he finished in a tie for 14th. Last year, he finished 6th at the Fortinet Championship.

Theegala is very comfortable playing in California. That is perhaps most noticeable on the putting surface where he gains an average of +0.44 strokes on the field per event on POA, which is more than four times what he gains on Bermudagrass or Bentgrass. The POA greens at Silverado can get especially difficult late in the day, which is a reason why players with a background on them have had so much success at the course. In the past seven years of the event, five winners have come from California.

Theegala is pricey this week and is as close to the top of the odds board as I can remember him being, but that’s the nature of the PGA Tour fall season. It’s hard to find a spot on the schedule that Sahith will have a better chance at winning than this one.

Justin Suh +5000 (PointsBet)

Consistency has been an issue early in the career of Justin Suh, but he’s shown flashes in 2023 of what made him such a highly regarded prospect to begin with. After a few top-10 finishes at the PLAYERS Championship and the Honda Classic, Suh ended the season on a bit of a sour note, failing to finish better than 34th in his last five starts of the season.

Despite the struggles, I’m optimistic about Suh as we begin the fall swing. The 26-year-old made the trip to Crans-Montana, Valais, Switzerland to play in the Omega European Masters, and finished 24th in a decent field. More encouraging than the finish was how Suh hit the ball. He gained 5.24 strokes on approach and hit plenty of fairways.

The 2018 Pac-12 Player of the Year grew up on California golf courses. Suh was a highly decorated amateur golfer with plenty of wins on the West Coast prior to attending USC, where he was one of the best players in the country.

When he’s on, Suh is one of the best putters on Tour, and he should comfortable playing in his home state in search of his first PGA Tour victory.

Akshay Bhatia +5500 (DraftKings):

Akshay Bhatia is still just 21 years old and one of the most tantalizing prospects in the world of golf. The smooth-swinging lefty was able to obtain his first PGA Tour victory at the Barracuda Championship at Tahoe Mountain Club in Truckee, California just a few months ago. The course is just a few hours ride from Silverado and the conditions and course should be very similar.

Bhatia will have no issue making birdies in bunches at Silverado, and the rough shouldn’t be exceedingly penal if he gets loose with his driver.

Bhatia made his debut at Silverado in 2020 at just 18 years old and managed to finish 9th. Since then, he’s gained a great deal of confidence and has refined his game as a professional.

Akshay got engaged this week. He can celebrate with a victory this week at the Fortinet.

Sam Ryder +8000 (FanDuel):

Statistically, Sam Ryder jumps off the page this week. In his past four measured starts, he’s gained 4.2, 5.4, 5.2 and 5.7 strokes on approach and is completely dialed in with his irons. Despite the numbers, he hasn’t managed to crack the top-30 on the leaderboard in that stretch but this is a field that is much weaker than he faced at the end of last season.

In addition to the recent stats, Ryder played some good golf on the West Coast last year. Most notably, he finished 4th at Torrey Pines in a loaded field and also finished 20th at both the Waste Managment Phoenix Open and the Genesis Invitational.

If Ryder continues with his hot approach play, he should be able to contend at Silverado this week.

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