PGA First Look: Wells Fargo Championship
The PGA First Look is complete with a course preview, odds, salaries, Official World Golf Rankings, and course history.
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Event Preview
The Wells Fargo Championship is always held in North Carolina, although it will be at a different venue this season. The event is normally played at Quail Hollow, but they are going to be hosting the PGA Championship this season. Rather than having golfers play the same course two times in one season, they moved this week’s event to the Eagle Point Golf Course in Wilmington. If you are wondering why the table below doesn’t feature any course history, it’s because we don’t have any. This course has not hosted a PGA Tour event, which brings a lot of unknowns into play. We do know that the course is a Par 72 that stretches just under 7,400 yards. The course was apparently modeled after Augusta National and based on early reports, it sounds as if it is in pristine condition.
As for the type of course, this is a fairly wide open course. The fairways are wider than average and they have removed a number of trees to open up the course. With it potentially playing over 7,400 yards this week, it won’t hurt to have distance off the tee. This is a coastal course though, so we could see a lot of wind in the forecast. Three of the par fives should be reachable in two, while the fourth is a layup hole that measures a daunting 640 yards. There is also a drivable par four, which always bring an element of risk/reward into play. This is a fairly straight course that only features a single dogleg, so if you hit the ball long and straight, you should have a major advantage this week. The only downside with the bombers this week is that the rough is thick and there is water in play on eight of the holes. Distance is still preferred, but you can get into trouble if you are too wild off the tee.
We have an interesting field this week. We have the number one golfer in the world (Dustin Johnson) and seven of the top 20, but after that, the talent takes a sharp decline. This will be the first time that Johnson has teed it up since falling down the stairs the day before the Masters. It doesn’t sounds like his injury is troublesome, but it will be interesting to see if he shows any rust after a four week layoff. Seeing as how we don’t have any course history to rely on, it could be a good week to go with more of a stars and scrubs approach. When there are a lot of unknowns, we want to have as much exposure as possible to the potential winner. There are also a number of North Carolina natives in the field, which may have an edge when it comes to familiarity of the golf course.
Cut Rule: Top 70 and ties move on after the first two rounds.
Recent Winners of this Event:James Hahn (2016), Rory McIlroy (2015), J.B. Holmes (2014)
Key Statistics (In Order of Importance)
1) Strokes Gained Tee to Green
2) Strokes Gained Approach
3) Birdie or Better Percentage
4) Par 5 Scoring
5) Par 4 Scoring
Salaries, Odds, and Course History (2012-2016)
| Golfer | DK Salary | FD Salary | OWGR | Odds | DK Odds | FD Odds | FDRFT Odds |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dustin Johnson | $13,000 | $11,500 | 1 | 5 | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| Jon Rahm | $11,000 | $10,500 | 13 | 12 | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| Phil Mickelson | $10,200 | $9,800 | 20 | 24 | -67% | -25% | 0% |
| Adam Scott | $10,000 | $9,900 | 11 | 18 | 25% | 0% | 0% |
| Paul Casey | $9,900 | $9,400 | 14 | 20 | 20% | 20% | 0% |
| Patrick Reed | $9,800 | $8,400 | 15 | 38 | -83% | -22% | 21% |
| Webb Simpson | $9,700 | $7,300 | 67 | 34 | -29% | 57% | 10% |
| Bill Haas | $9,500 | $8,500 | 41 | 32 | 13% | 0% | 22% |
| Francesco Molinari | $9,200 | $8,300 | 34 | 45 | -56% | -27% | 18% |
| Wesley Bryan | $9,100 | $7,400 | 36 | 34 | 0% | 47% | -25% |
| Pat Perez | $8,900 | $7,200 | 58 | 64 | -45% | 30% | 24% |
| Rafael Cabrera-Bello | $8,700 | $7,700 | 35 | 90 | -158% | -121% | -7% |
| Lucas Glover | $8,600 | $6,900 | 118 | 69 | -38% | 31% | 45% |
| Kevin Kisner | $8,400 | $9,000 | 40 | 24 | 57% | 0% | 0% |
| Daniel Berger | $8,300 | $8,500 | 38 | 32 | 47% | -14% | -14% |
| Byeong-Hun An | $8,200 | $7,000 | 59 | 75 | -50% | 4% | -4% |
| J.B. Holmes | $8,000 | $8,400 | 43 | 43 | 24% | -44% | 0% |
| William McGirt | $7,900 | $7,400 | 45 | 43 | 33% | 37% | 0% |
| Soren Kjeldsen | $7,900 | $6,700 | 63 | 72 | -17% | 25% | 22% |
| Jim Furyk | $7,800 | $7,700 | 68 | 88 | -50% | -114% | 9% |
| Patton Kizzire | $7,800 | $5,500 | 147 | 107 | -75% | 34% | 27% |
| Hudson Swafford | $7,700 | $6,800 | 77 | 70 | 14% | 30% | 17% |
| JT Poston | $7,700 | $6,100 | 189 | 110 | -64% | -3% | 10% |
| Scott Brown | $7,600 | $6,300 | 123 | 114 | -58% | -19% | 12% |
| Zac Blair | $7,600 | $6,000 | 226 | 169 | -129% | -45% | 2% |
| Emiliano Grillo | $7,500 | $7,200 | 39 | 63 | 42% | 35% | 17% |
| Kevin Na | $7,500 | $7,500 | 55 | 78 | 0% | -44% | -44% |
| Zach Johnson | $7,400 | $8,000 | 57 | 82 | 0% | -133% | -33% |
| Harris English | $7,400 | $6,200 | 98 | 101 | -18% | 0% | 8% |
| Chris Stroud | $7,300 | $5,200 | 344 | 193 | -120% | 8% | -2% |
| Kevin Tway | $7,200 | $5,600 | 282 | 78 | 13% | 44% | 27% |
| Geoff Ogilvy | $7,200 | $5,600 | 196 | 168 | -74% | -13% | 0% |
| Martin Laird | $7,100 | $7,300 | 104 | 72 | 39% | 5% | 23% |
| D.A. Points | $7,100 | $5,300 | 219 | 180 | -85% | 6% | -2% |
| Rory Sabbatini | $7,100 | $4,800 | 480 | 249 | -188% | 0% | 7% |
| Nick Taylor | $7,000 | $5,300 | 280 | 129 | -25% | 31% | -2% |
| David Hearn | $7,000 | $5,300 | 202 | 176 | -64% | 9% | 2% |
| Boo Weekley | $7,000 | $5,000 | 373 | 292 | -194% | -31% | 6% |
| Curtis Luck | $7,000 | $4,600 | 408 | 224 | -122% | 28% | 5% |
| Derek Fathauer | $7,000 | $4,800 | 208 | 320 | -208% | -17% | 7% |
| Luke List | $6,900 | $6,500 | 117 | 72 | 46% | 29% | 19% |
| Shane Lowry | $6,900 | $7,600 | 70 | 76 | 39% | -56% | 22% |
| Brian Gay | $6,900 | $5,400 | 261 | 114 | 5% | 35% | -5% |
| Billy Hurley | $6,900 | $5,300 | 131 | 155 | -27% | 20% | 7% |
| Vaughn Taylor | $6,900 | $5,500 | 166 | 189 | -56% | -21% | 2% |
| Martin Flores | $6,900 | $4,500 | 234 | 231 | -107% | 31% | 4% |
| Andres Gonzales | $6,900 | $4,600 | 279 | 229 | -100% | 26% | 8% |
| Sam Saunders | $6,900 | $5,200 | 294 | 178 | -46% | 17% | 8% |
| J.J. Henry | $6,900 | $5,100 | 392 | 235 | -120% | -15% | -1% |
| Bob Estes | $6,900 | $4,800 | 337 | -185% | -23% | -10% | |
| Chris Kirk | $6,800 | $6,000 | 100 | 119 | 16% | -13% | 2% |
| Chez Reavie | $6,800 | $5,300 | 145 | 199 | -33% | -5% | 1% |
| Matt Jones | $6,800 | $5,400 | 186 | 129 | 10% | 23% | 0% |
| Camilo Villegas | $6,800 | $5,500 | 292 | 111 | 27% | 30% | 29% |
| Johnson Wagner | $6,800 | $4,600 | 232 | 209 | -47% | 32% | -9% |
| Seung-Yul Noh | $6,800 | $5,400 | 258 | 197 | -31% | -12% | -12% |
| Scott Stallings | $6,800 | $5,300 | 276 | 242 | -82% | -43% | -4% |
| Brett Stegmaier | $6,800 | $4,500 | 343 | 470 | -165% | -10% | 4% |
| Shane Bertsch | $6,800 | $4,500 | 994 | 635 | -182% | -17% | -1% |
| Charlie Beljan | $6,800 | $4,500 | 604 | -176% | -15% | 1% | |
| Brian Harman | $6,700 | $6,200 | 93 | 84 | 52% | 12% | 3% |
| Jason Kokrak | $6,700 | $5,400 | 120 | 134 | 21% | 20% | 0% |
| Andrew Johnston | $6,700 | $6,000 | 109 | 170 | 8% | -47% | -4% |
| Sebastian Munoz | $6,700 | $4,600 | 248 | -54% | 15% | 3% | |
| Smylie Kaufman | $6,700 | $4,700 | 175 | 207 | -20% | 30% | 18% |
| Nicholas Lindheim | $6,700 | $4,600 | 383 | 293 | -75% | 4% | 5% |
| Greg Owen | $6,700 | $4,500 | 315 | 338 | -93% | 4% | 6% |
| Derek Ernst | $6,700 | $4,700 | 811 | 278 | -72% | 0% | 1% |
| Vijay Singh | $6,700 | $4,600 | 265 | 365 | -100% | -10% | 3% |
| Joel Dahmen | $6,700 | $4,500 | 546 | 604 | -131% | -15% | 4% |
| Alexander Noren | $6,600 | $7,800 | 12 | 68 | 76% | -31% | |
| Nick Watney | $6,600 | $6,700 | 311 | 93 | 55% | -14% | -3% |
| Kevin Streelman | $6,600 | $5,800 | 140 | 117 | 44% | 9% | 0% |
| David Lingmerth | $6,600 | $5,700 | 116 | 131 | 34% | -2% | -2% |
| Cameron Percy | $6,600 | $5,000 | 330 | 240 | -30% | -14% | 5% |
| John Peterson | $6,600 | $5,000 | 553 | 201 | 3% | 15% | 0% |
| Trey Mullinax | $6,600 | $4,700 | 361 | 259 | -42% | 4% | 11% |
| Jonathan Randolph | $6,600 | $4,600 | 430 | 296 | -52% | 3% | 3% |
| Ben Martin | $6,600 | $4,900 | 243 | 256 | -38% | -10% | 5% |
| Greg Chalmers | $6,600 | $4,600 | 289 | 392 | -77% | -14% | 0% |
| Graeme McDowell | $6,500 | $7,600 | 85 | 75 | 72% | -44% | 0% |
| Alex Cejka | $6,500 | $4,900 | 190 | 227 | 0% | 9% | 4% |
| Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano | $6,500 | $4,900 | 628 | 219 | 5% | 13% | -12% |
| Ryan Armour | $6,500 | $4,500 | 450 | 341 | -47% | 3% | 6% |
| Troy Merritt | $6,500 | $5,100 | 245 | 252 | -19% | -23% | 1% |
| Chad Collins | $6,500 | $4,500 | 340 | 402 | -57% | -3% | 2% |
| Savio Nazareth | $6,500 | $4,500 | 807 | -80% | -19% | 3% | |
| Stewart Cink | $6,400 | $6,700 | 197 | 103 | 61% | -21% | 43% |
| Cheng-Tsung Pan | $6,400 | $4,800 | 143 | 201 | 20% | 26% | -1% |
| Shawn Stefani | $6,400 | $5,000 | 407 | 234 | 0% | -9% | 9% |
| Tag Ridings | $6,400 | $4,800 | 599 | 311 | -25% | -16% | 1% |
| Spencer Levin | $6,400 | $4,600 | 308 | 346 | -38% | -9% | -7% |
| Brian Campbell | $6,400 | $4,500 | 401 | 377 | -42% | -2% | -5% |
| Davis Love | $6,400 | $4,600 | 499 | 372 | -41% | -12% | -4% |
| Mark Hubbard | $6,400 | $4,500 | 539 | 539 | -58% | -13% | 3% |
| Rick Lamb | $6,400 | $4,500 | 442 | 587 | -59% | -14% | 2% |
| Bobby Wyatt | $6,400 | $4,500 | 588 | 478 | -55% | -11% | -2% |
| Max Homa | $6,400 | $4,500 | 565 | 496 | -57% | -12% | 1% |
| Carter Jenkins | $6,400 | $4,500 | 1036 | 626 | -63% | -16% | 3% |
| Harold Varner | $6,300 | $6,000 | 127 | 117 | 59% | -8% | -5% |
| Chad Campbell | $6,300 | $5,200 | 184 | 174 | 42% | 19% | -4% |
| James Hahn | $6,300 | $5,900 | 81 | 141 | 50% | -16% | 11% |
| Tim Wilkinson | $6,300 | $4,800 | 328 | 205 | 29% | 25% | -3% |
| Ryan Blaum | $6,300 | $5,600 | 336 | 213 | 24% | -58% | -10% |
| Roberto Castro | $6,300 | $5,000 | 95 | 235 | 10% | -11% | 13% |
| Tom Hoge | $6,300 | $4,900 | 447 | 329 | -14% | -28% | 12% |
| Mackenzie Hughes | $6,300 | $5,500 | 122 | 230 | 16% | -58% | -22% |
| Fabian Gomez | $6,300 | $5,500 | 126 | 259 | -1% | -91% | 5% |
| Ricky Barnes | $6,300 | $4,900 | 298 | 256 | 2% | -10% | -17% |
| Zack Sucher | $6,300 | $4,500 | 530 | 465 | -34% | -9% | -1% |
| Miguel Angel Carballo | $6,300 | $4,500 | 532 | 491 | -37% | -11% | 2% |
| Xander Schauffele | $6,200 | $4,600 | 349 | 136 | 56% | 56% | 29% |
| Michael Thompson | $6,200 | $5,200 | 205 | 160 | 53% | 26% | 0% |
| Kyle Reifers | $6,200 | $5,400 | 193 | 222 | 29% | -32% | -14% |
| Ryan Brehm | $6,200 | $4,800 | 287 | 257 | 11% | -5% | -12% |
| Whee Kim | $6,200 | $5,500 | 268 | 252 | 13% | -83% | 8% |
| Carl Pettersson | $6,200 | $4,600 | 746 | 172 | 49% | 49% | 36% |
| Jason Bohn | $6,200 | $5,000 | 351 | 329 | -3% | -42% | 3% |
| Ryo Ishikawa | $6,200 | $4,800 | 128 | 261 | 8% | -8% | -6% |
| Chase Koepka | $6,200 | $4,900 | 343 | -7% | -35% | ||
| Brett Drewitt | $6,200 | $4,500 | 674 | 654 | -29% | -18% | 1% |
| Peter Malnati | $6,200 | $4,700 | 409 | 457 | -18% | -26% | 1% |
| Hunter Mahan | $6,200 | $5,700 | 697 | 419 | -15% | -180% | 1% |
| Steven Bowditch | $6,200 | $4,500 | 636 | 896 | -31% | -20% | 2% |
| Brandon Hagy | $6,100 | $5,000 | 285 | 150 | 59% | 37% | -2% |
| Bryson DeChambeau | $6,100 | $6,100 | 115 | 128 | 65% | -26% | -5% |
| Patrick Rodgers | $6,100 | $5,500 | 158 | 118 | 66% | 21% | 16% |
| Robert Streb | $6,100 | $6,100 | 152 | 189 | 50% | -80% | 9% |
| Tyrone Van Aswegen | $6,100 | $5,300 | 253 | 221 | 38% | -20% | -13% |
| Dominic Bozzelli | $6,100 | $6,000 | 142 | 184 | 50% | -63% | 5% |
| Cameron Tringale | $6,100 | $5,600 | 260 | 208 | 41% | -54% | -7% |
| Bryce Molder | $6,100 | $5,600 | 241 | 233 | 30% | -81% | -4% |
| Richy Werenski | $6,100 | $4,700 | 254 | 328 | 10% | -8% | 5% |
| Chesson Hadley | $6,100 | $4,700 | 575 | 306 | 13% | -4% | 4% |
| Steven Alker | $6,100 | $4,500 | 596 | 461 | -6% | -8% | 0% |
| Ernie Els | $6,100 | $5,100 | 404 | 323 | 10% | -44% | 6% |
| Seamus Power | $6,000 | $5,800 | 327 | 233 | 37% | -95% | 3% |
| Brad Fritsch | $6,000 | $4,500 | 459 | 335 | 15% | 6% | -3% |
| Grayson Murray | $6,000 | $4,800 | 163 | 205 | 47% | 24% | -4% |
| Retief Goosen | $6,000 | $5,200 | 214 | 192 | 53% | 10% | -8% |
| Julian Etulain | $6,000 | $5,000 | 429 | 235 | 35% | -10% | 14% |
| Will MacKenzie | $6,000 | $4,800 | 460 | 265 | 24% | -9% | 2% |
| Morgan Hoffmann | $6,000 | $5,200 | 188 | 229 | 40% | -14% | -19% |
| Mark Anderson | $6,000 | $4,500 | 399 | 370 | 10% | 0% | -3% |
| Brendon De Jonge | $6,000 | $4,500 | 646 | 410 | 7% | -4% | 4% |
| Steve Marino | $6,000 | $4,500 | 473 | 443 | 5% | -6% | 2% |
| Ken Duke | $6,000 | $4,500 | 364 | 450 | 4% | -7% | 2% |
Legend
| Term | Description |
|---|---|
| Site Odds | The percentage differential between a golfer’s salary rank and odds rank. The higher the %, the better. |
| OWGR | Official World Golf Ranking |