PGA First Look: Wells Fargo Championship

by Derek Farnsworth (Notorious) Last Updated 2018-05-08 13:18:27

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

Did everyone enjoy their week off from fantasy golf? Of course not. While I thought I’d have some interest in the team event at the Zurich Classic, I didn’t watch a single second on television and I checked the scoreboard two times all week. It’s safe to say that DFS plays a big role in how much we care about these PGA Tour events. We are back with a star-studded field this week at the Wells Fargo Championship. This event has always been played at Quail Hollow, but they had to play at Eagle Point last year because this course hosted the PGA Championship.

In order to get ready to host a major championship, Quail Hollow went through a re-design after the 2016 edition. They lengthened the course and changed it from a Par 72 to a Par 71. In other words, the course got longer, harder, and it lost a stroke on the scorecard. If you remember last year’s PGA Championship, it was the toughest course on the entire PGA Tour. I don’t expect to see the same conditions this week, but it should play a little harder than past Wells Fargo Championships.

Quail Hollow now measures 7,554 yards. It features three par fives that are reachable by the longest of hitters. The fairways and greens are both Bermudagrass. This plays as a typical Carolina course, as the fairways are tree-lined and there are plenty of dog legs. In order to succeed here, you have to be a great driver of the golf ball. I am giving distance an edge over accuracy this week, but total driving or strokes gained off the tee may be your best bets. You have to be able to score on the par fives and tread water on these long par fours. I seem to say this most weeks, but ball striking will be critical.

The course history table below is strictly for Quail Hollow. The 2017 course history is from the PGA Championship, since the Wells Fargo Championship was played at a different course last season.

Cut Rule: Top 70 and ties move on after the first two rounds. The MDF rule is in effect if more than 78 golfers make the initial cut.

Recent Winners of this Event: Justin Thomas (2017 – PGA Championship), James Hahn (2016), Rory McIlroy (2015), J.B. Holmes (2014), Derek Ernst (2013)

Key Statistics (In Order of Importance)

1) Strokes Gained Off the Tee (lean toward distance over accuracy)
2) Strokes Gained Approach
3) Birdie or Better %
4) Par 5 Scoring
5) Par 4 Efficiency (450-500 yards)

Hole by Hole Breakdown

Salaries, Odds, and Course History (2013-2017)

Golfer	DK Salary	FD Salary	FDRFT Salary	OWGR	Odds	DK Odds	FD Odds	FDRFT Odds	Cuts	2017	2016	2015	2014	2013
Luke List	$7,400	$9,700	$13,800	54	67	40%	16%	0%	1/3	84	86	500	500	16
Kevin Streelman	$7,200	$9,100	$13,700	107	82	45%	22%	-16%	3/4	500	79	9	14	6
Trey Mullinax	$6,800	$8,300	$12,400	171	97	64%	41%	29%	0/0	500	500	500	500	500
Bryson DeChambeau	$8,000	$9,900	$14,400	49	51	5%	14%	-13%	1/2	33	86	500	500	500
Chesson Hadley	$7,500	$9,200	$14,100	70	49	43%	51%	11%	2/3	500	11	20	146	500
Gary Woodland	$7,400	$9,300	$13,300	36	90	11%	6%	3%	5/5	22	24	4	18	61
Francesco Molinari	$7,400	$9,700	$13,800	31	76	31%	4%	-14%	2/2	2	17	500	500	500
Lucas Glover	$6,800	$8,300	$12,600	96	107	59%	33%	9%	4/5	33	8	28	115	27
Paul Casey	$8,900	$11,200	$15,800	13	24	30%	30%	0%	2/2	13	41	500	500	500
Alexander Noren	$8,100	$10,900	$14,300	17	47	17%	-25%	12%	1/1	67	500	500	500	500
Adam Scott	$7,300	$10,400	$13,600	68	81	39%	-69%	7%	2/3	61	17	82	500	500
Webb Simpson	$8,400	$10,900	$15,000	41	42	13%	-8%	-8%	4/5	33	122	2	38	32
Byeong-Hun An	$7,600	$9,300	$13,700	86	81	4%	21%	-4%	1/2	28	106	500	500	500
Emiliano Grillo	$7,700	$9,400	$13,800	72	66	20%	35%	5%	1/2	112	61	500	500	500
Tony Finau	$8,700	$11,300	$14,600	33	38	0%	-33%	14%	3/3	44	28	16	500	500
Jamie Lovemark	$7,100	$9,500	$13,000	95	105	37%	-38%	-11%	2/3	33	53	500	74	500
Charles Howell	$7,200	$9,500	$13,300	63	99	28%	-31%	-19%	4/5	73	106	38	18	10
Brian Harman	$7,900	$10,100	$14,100	23	68	-5%	-16%	-16%	4/5	13	35	129	65	10
Kyle Stanley	$7,000	$9,100	$12,700	48	103	48%	-5%	0%	2/4	112	86	500	60	6
Tommy Fleetwood	$9,000	$11,500	$15,600	12	29	-11%	-43%	0%	1/1	61	500	500	500	500
Ryan Moore	$8,500	$10,000	$14,300	61	48	-14%	20%	6%	4/5	13	86	47	18	6
Tiger Woods	$9,100	$11,400	$15,800	93	24	0%	0%	-14%	0/0	500	500	500	500	500
Xander Schauffele	$7,400	$9,400	$13,200	29	92	9%	-3%	6%	0/1	129	500	500	500	500
Daniel Berger	$8,000	$10,600	$13,800	37	71	-21%	-53%	-10%	2/3	84	17	28	500	500
Phil Mickelson	$9,200	$11,600	$15,700	19	27	-29%	-50%	0%	4/5	118	4	4	11	3
Tyrrell Hatton	$7,400	$9,600	$13,700	20	80	29%	7%	0%	0/1	84	500	500	500	500
Patrick Reed	$9,700	$11,700	$15,900	10	21	0%	0%	0%	4/4	2	28	58	500	32
Hideki Matsuyama	$9,400	$11,100	$15,900	8	22	0%	45%	-20%	4/4	5	11	20	38	500
Sean O’Hair	$7,300	$8,800	$12,700	84	93	25%	27%	15%	3/5	33	35	20	139	84
Justin Thomas	$11,300	$12,400	$17,500	2	10	0%	-100%	0%	2/3	1	106	7	500	500
Jason Day	$10,200	$11,900	$16,100	14	19	0%	0%	0%	1/1	9	500	500	500	500
Adam Hadwin	$7,400	$10,400	$13,500	46	87	14%	-88%	0%	1/3	129	61	109	500	500
Jason Kokrak	$7,300	$8,500	$11,900	120	141	-14%	6%	7%	3/5	33	106	93	23	50
Grayson Murray	$6,900	$8,500	$12,700	106	111	51%	19%	-10%	1/1	22	500	500	500	500
J.B. Holmes	$7,300	$8,900	$12,700	104	96	20%	17%	10%	3/4	28	53	82	1	500
Nick Watney	$7,000	$8,600	$11,800	261	162	21%	-16%	-4%	1/3	500	500	109	101	10
Rickie Fowler	$11,100	$12,000	$17,500	6	11	0%	0%	-50%	4/4	5	4	500	38	73
Sam Burns	$7,500	$8,700	$12,400	160	119	-50%	4%	12%	0/0	500	500	500	500	500
Keegan Bradley	$7,800	$9,200	$12,700	76	135	-109%	-37%	-23%	1/1	33	500	500	500	500
Kevin Kisner	$8,300	$9,800	$14,800	24	45	13%	39%	-8%	3/4	7	86	38	6	500
Beau Hossler	$7,400	$9,000	$13,200	87	99	-6%	5%	-9%	0/0	500	500	500	500	500
Andrew Landry	$7,500		$12,600	64	138	-63%		-9%	0/0	500	500	500	500	500
Stewart Cink	$7,100	$8,300	$11,300	143	207	-11%	-15%	-1%	2/2	500	500	20	23	500
Louis Oosthuizen	$8,800	$10,300	$15,200	30	36	0%	39%	0%	1/2	2	500	93	500	500
Rory McIlroy	$11,800	$12,300	$18,400	7	7	0%	50%	0%	5/5	22	4	1	8	10
Dylan Frittelli	$7,100	$9,000	$12,700	53	125	25%	-21%	-21%	1/1	63	500	500	500	500
Rory Sabbatini	$7,200	$8,200	$11,800	173	153	-8%	12%	0%	1/3	500	500	120	8	84
Russell Henley	$8,200	$9,900	$13,700	50	81	-65%	-33%	-12%	2/3	71	500	500	139	43
Shane Lowry	$7,000	$8,700	$12,600	82	144	28%	-15%	-20%	1/2	48	86	500	500	500
Austin Cook	$7,100	$9,000	$11,900	110	143	19%	-31%	6%	0/0	500	500	500	500	500
Brooks Koepka	$8,600	$10,700	$14,600	9	59	-46%	-36%	-36%	1/1	13	500	500	500	500
Keith Mitchell	$7,100	$8,400	$11,700	172	182	-2%	-14%	-5%	0/0	500	500	500	500	500
Patton Kizzire	$7,200	$8,700	$11,800	57	169	-15%	-30%	-7%	1/1	500	24	500	500	500
Ollie Schniederjans	$7,400	$8,900	$13,000	88	109	-20%	0%	-17%	0/1	500	79	500	500	500
Vaughn Taylor	$6,900	$8,000	$11,100	249	237	14%	-7%	-3%	2/2	500	35	500	500	10
Ben Martin	$6,600	$8,200	$11,100	223	235	41%	-15%	-1%	2/3	500	86	38	50	500
Scott Stallings	$6,600	$8,400	$10,900	137	253	35%	-48%	-5%	1/4	500	53	93	115	131
Aaron Wise	$7,100	$8,000	$11,400	206	206	-10%	3%	-5%	0/0	500	500	500	500	500
James Hahn	$7,800	$8,500	$12,600	69	144	-130%	0%	-18%	4/5	13	1	73	152	50
Brandon Harkins	$7,000	$7,800	$10,800	210	249	-9%	-3%	0%	0/0	500	500	500	500	500
Bud Cauley	$7,700	$8,900	$12,600	122	143	-108%	-24%	-16%	3/4	33	122	500	38	38
Kevin Tway	$6,600	$7,800	$11,200	220	224	43%	9%	0%	1/1	500	500	500	65	500
Joaquin Niemann	$6,800	$8,000	$12,500	645	121	54%	35%	8%	0/0	500	500	500	500	500
Abraham Ancer	$6,800	$8,200	$11,300	190	201	34%	-3%	3%	0/0	500	500	500	500	500
Bill Haas	$7,600	$9,800	$12,400	79	150	-104%	-139%	-8%	3/5	54	86	68	44	110
Sam Saunders	$6,600	$7,500	$10,800	211	270	31%	1%	-7%	1/2	500	86	47	500	500
Cheng-Tsung Pan	$6,700	$7,500	$10,700	184	243	32%	12%	10%	0/0	500	500	500	500	500
Jason Dufner	$7,900	$9,600	$13,500	56	95	-62%	-26%	-13%	1/1	58	500	500	500	500
Ross Fisher	$7,500	$8,800	$11,800	42	156	-93%	-29%	-2%	1/2	76	500	500	500	10
Brice Garnett	$7,200	$8,000	$11,400	123	196	-25%	7%	0%	0/2	500	500	82	128	500
Graeme McDowell	$7,000	$8,400	$11,700	234	172	17%	-11%	-2%	0/1	84	500	500	500	500
Corey Conners	$6,600	$8,100	$10,900	460	241	39%	-13%	3%	0/1	500	500	93	500	500
Aaron Baddeley	$7,000	$8,300	$11,100	216	247	-8%	-33%	-9%	1/1	500	500	55	500	500
JT Poston	$6,700	$7,900	$10,700	345	266	25%	-13%	1%	0/0	500	500	500	500	500
Martin Kaymer	$7,400	$8,600	$11,700	103	168	-71%	-18%	2%	2/3	500	41	500	18	98
Patrick Rodgers	$7,600	$8,100	$11,900	139	151	-107%	18%	-4%	1/3	133	86	2	500	500
Andrew Putnam	$7,100	$7,700	$11,500	270	193	-3%	21%	0%	0/1	500	500	129	500	500
Tom Hoge	$6,800	$7,300	$10,900	188	244	22%	22%	0%	1/2	500	41	120	500	500
Troy Merritt	$7,200	$7,600	$10,800	362	268	-64%	-1%	-6%	0/2	500	500	138	101	500
Peter Uihlein	$7,500	$7,900	$11,600	66	172	-107%	18%	3%	0/1	76	500	500	500	500
Nate Lashley	$7,300	$7,300	$10,700	293	254	-91%	17%	3%	0/0	500	500	500	500	500
Charl Schwartzel	$7,200	$8,700	$12,900	67	118	17%	6%	-16%	1/2	48	500	138	500	500
Sam Ryder	$6,500	$7,500	$10,600	231	300	34%	-4%	1%	0/0	500	500	500	500	500
Adam Schenk	$6,700	$7,400	$10,600	312	300	18%	3%	1%	0/0	500	500	500	500	500
Jhonattan Vegas	$7,300	$8,400	$11,300	59	215	-61%	-27%	-3%	2/4	95	53	76	74	500
Anirban Lahiri	$6,700	$8,100	$11,100	97	246	30%	-18%	-8%	2/2	75	41	500	500	500
Tom Lovelady	$6,500	$7,300	$10,300	277	419	10%	-25%	-17%	0/0	500	500	500	500	500
Danny Lee	$6,900	$7,500	$11,400	181	215	19%	20%	-8%	3/4	125	9	13	50	500
Michael Thompson	$6,700	$7,700	$10,700	300	307	13%	-21%	-14%	2/3	500	148	28	11	500
Seamus Power	$6,700	$7,400	$10,800	352	271	22%	7%	-9%	0/0	500	500	500	500	500
Bronson Burgoon	$6,500	$7,000	$10,400	412	356	23%	17%	-6%	0/1	500	106	500	500	500
Retief Goosen	$7,300	$7,400	$10,800	342	259	-93%	11%	-4%	3/3	500	14	38	50	500
Scott Brown	$7,300	$7,100	$11,300	155	204	-55%	42%	1%	4/5	13	106	13	30	38
Kelly Kraft	$6,900	$7,900	$11,000	158	231	16%	3%	5%	1/2	58	122	500	500	500
Johnson Wagner	$6,800	$7,500	$10,500	425	322	0%	-13%	-1%	2/4	500	28	82	68	110
Martin Flores	$7,000	$7,100	$10,300	292	372	-51%	4%	-5%	3/3	500	500	47	3	38
Matt Every	$6,700	$7,300	$10,600	565	331	11%	-1%	-9%	0/1	500	147	500	500	500
Shawn Stefani	$6,600	$7,100	$10,300	371	394	6%	-1%	-10%	3/4	500	135	9	44	27
Rob Oppenheim	$6,800	$7,200	$10,400	265	356	-7%	1%	-6%	1/1	500	71	500	500	500
Hudson Swafford	$7,100	$7,900	$10,400	129	331	-62%	-34%	0%	0/2	84	500	500	128	500
Alex Cejka	$7,100	$7,200	$10,400	253	334	-65%	5%	-2%	2/2	500	53	58	500	500
Denny McCarthy	$7,100	$7,600	$10,600	417	303	-52%	-12%	-2%	0/0	500	500	500	500	500
Nicholas Lindheim	$6,800	$7,400	$10,600	281	309	1%	-4%	-6%	0/0	500	500	500	500	500
Talor Gooch	$7,000	$7,200	$10,300	232	353	-43%	2%	1%	0/0	500	500	500	500	500
Tyrone Van Aswegen	$6,700	$8,000	$10,300	282	413	-8%	-73%	-14%	0/3	500	79	151	143	500
Ted Potter	$7,200	$7,500	$10,700	83	282	-72%	-2%	-5%	2/2	500	500	500	50	32
Jonathan Byrd	$6,700	$7,200	$10,400	302	375	0%	-5%	-12%	2/4	500	152	120	14	80
Brian Stuard	$6,800	$7,700	$10,600	228	294	9%	-12%	2%	1/4	500	122	38	74	149
Nick Taylor	$6,500	$7,000	$10,300	224	403	14%	7%	-12%	0/2	500	106	93	500	500
John Senden	$6,600	$7,200	$10,200	853	438	-2%	-19%	-6%	2/2	500	17	500	500	22
Harold Varner	$6,700	$7,100	$10,300	197	381	-1%	3%	-6%	1/2	500	24	500	128	500
Chris Stroud	$6,500	$7,200	$10,700	182	279	36%	17%	-3%	3/5	9	35	109	88	80
Tyler Duncan	$6,600	$7,000	$10,200		456	-4%	-2%	-7%	0/0	500	500	500	500	500
Joel Dahmen	$6,600	$7,300	$10,200	529	456	-4%	-31%	-7%	0/0	500	500	500	500	500
Blayne Barber	$7,000	$7,200	$10,300	397	394	-59%	-9%	-10%	0/2	500	106	82	500	500
Ryan Blaum	$7,000	$7,200	$10,200	347	413	-64%	-13%	0%	0/0	500	500	500	500	500
Fabian Gomez	$7,000	$7,100	$10,300	599	391	-56%	1%	-8%	1/3	500	9	145	500	110
Richy Werenski	$6,600	$7,400	$10,200	314	409	4%	-27%	1%	0/0	500	500	500	500	500
Steve Marino	$6,500	$7,100	$10,200	676	438	7%	-10%	-6%	1/3	500	135	500	115	61
Jonas Blixt	$6,900		$10,700	252	303	-9%		-10%	0/5	106	106	109	74	140
Sung Kang	$7,100	$7,100	$10,500	112	303	-52%	19%	4%	1/2	44	86	500	500	500
Dominic Bozzelli	$7,000	$7,700	$10,300	248	419	-68%	-54%	-17%	0/0	500	500	500	500	500
Martin Piller	$6,700	$7,100	$10,300	237	366	3%	6%	-3%	1/1	500	41	500	500	500
Vijay Singh	$7,200	$7,000	$10,300	486	356	-104%	17%	0%	3/4	66	77	109	30	500
Ernie Els	$7,300	$7,300	$10,400	610	341	-141%	-5%	-4%	2/3	95	69	500	44	500
J.J. Henry	$6,800	$7,100	$10,200	443	494	-35%	-15%	-11%	0/3	500	500	151	146	110
Xin-Jun Zhang	$6,900		$10,200		491	-53%		-10%	0/0	500	500	500	500	500
Derek Ernst	$6,500	$7,000	$10,200	1139	547	-2%	-10%	-16%	3/4	500	41	93	30	1
Chris Paisley	$6,900			89	300	-6%			0/0	500	500	500	500	500
Robert Streb	$6,800	$7,000	$10,200	227	338	-4%	19%	15%	4/5	22	28	4	23	110
Benjamin Silverman	$7,100	$7,100	$10,300	262	391	-86%	1%	-8%	0/0	500	500	500	500	500
Rod Pampling	$6,800	$7,500	$10,200	330	494	-35%	-53%	-11%	1/2	133	500	500	500	43
Whee Kim	$7,200	$7,000	$10,300	149	369	-111%	14%	-4%	0/2	500	135	93	500	500
John Peterson	$6,900	$7,600	$10,200	775	422	-45%	-49%	-4%	1/3	500	500	20	101	110
Peter Malnati	$6,900	$7,300	$10,200	672	516	-61%	-41%	-15%	0/2	500	122	500	101	500
Sang-Moon Bae	$6,500	$7,300	$10,200	917	425	8%	-28%	-5%	2/2	500	500	58	38	500
Davis Love	$6,500	$7,200	$10,100	779	569	-3%	-32%	-1%	0/0	500	500	500	500	500
Ryan Ruffels	$6,900	$8,400	$10,200	691	413	-40%	-120%	0%	0/0	500	500	500	500	500
Stephan Jaeger	$6,900	$7,000	$10,200	323	500	-59%	-8%	-14%	0/0	500	500	500	500	500
Jonathan Randolph	$6,700	$7,000	$10,200	313	494	-19%	-5%	-11%	1/1	500	500	20	500	500
Mac Hughes	$6,900	$7,100	$10,200	209	472	-52%	-14%	-9%	0/2	95	148	500	500	500
Geoff Ogilvy	$7,000	$7,000	$10,300	395	384	-55%	11%	-7%	3/4	500	135	7	14	38
Bob Estes	$6,600	$7,100	$10,100		709	-17%	-25%	-3%	0/0	500	500	500	500	500
Roberto Diaz	$6,800	$7,000	$10,200	541	497	-38%	-7%	-13%	0/0	500	500	500	500	500
Derek Fathauer	$6,500	$7,000	$10,200	288	506	-1%	-8%	-15%	0/2	500	150	93	500	500
Billy Hurley	$6,500	$7,000	$10,100	383	741	-6%	-15%	-4%	1/2	500	500	38	74	500
Kyle Thompson	$6,600	$7,000	$10,000	435	938	-19%	-16%	-1%	0/0	500	500	500	500	500
Greg Chalmers	$6,900	$7,000	$10,100	582	609	-65%	-12%	-1%	0/1	500	500	500	74	500
D.A. Points	$6,700	$7,000	$10,100	365	641	-28%	-12%	-2%	2/5	54	86	120	101	16
Smylie Kaufman	$6,600	$7,000	$10,100	348	653	-16%	-13%	-3%	0/0	500	500	500	500	500
Charles Frost	$6,500	$7,000	$10,000		1500	-9%	-17%	-2%	0/1	500	500	500	500	110
Dru Love	$6,500	$7,000	$10,000		773	-7%	-15%	-1%	0/0	500	500	500	500	500

Color Coding
Course history in BLUE indicates a top ten finish.
Course history in GREEN indicates a top 25 finish.
Course history in YELLOW indicates a made cut with a finish outside of the top 25.
Course history in RED indicates a missed cut.

Legend