PGA First Look: WGC-Bridgestone Invitational
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
We don’t see many golfers defend their title at an event, but Jhonattan Vegas was up to the task as last week’s RBC Canadian Open. Dustin Johnson will look to follow in his footsteps this week by defending his title at the Firestone Country Club in Akron, Ohio. This is a WGC event, which means most of the top golfers in the world will be in attendance. This is an invitational with only 78 golfers in the field. This is important to note because that means no cut this week. Barring any withdrawals (don’t get me started on Daniel Berger here last season), golfers are guaranteed to play all four rounds. This is a bit different than a usual event, as it places a bigger emphasis on picking the winner. It also allows us to be a little more aggressive with our player selection because we don’t have to worry about anyone missing the cut.
Firestone Country Club is a Par 70 that measures 7,400 yards. This is a long course that only features two par fives. A quick glance at the scorecard and you will see some lengthy par fours and the longest hole on the PGA Tour. Number 16 is a par five that measures 667 yards, which means only one par five will be reachable this week. Par four scoring will prove critical this week. Being such a long course, we will see plenty of drivers this week. I typically place a bigger emphasis on approach game, but this week I want the golfers that can gain strokes off the tee. These are difficult fairways to hit thanks to the narrow and undulating landing areas. The rough is typically average length and with the fairways being hard to hit for everyone, we will place a bigger weight on driving distance over accuracy.
Course history is important this week. We haven’t had a first timer win here since 1999 and that was Tiger Woods. We all know that Tiger wasn’t your average first timer. We typically see the same golfers play well here year after year and most of them fit the mold of being solid off the tee and good with their long irons (Dustin Johnson and Rory McIlroy have both won here in the last three years). Greens in regulation is never a bad statistic to look at, especially at this course and in a no cut event. Giving yourself as many birdie opportunities as possible will help you score fantasy points. I always like to use greens or fringe in regulation because often times a ball that just misses the green has a better birdie opportunity than one that hits the green.
Cut Rule:There is no cut this week. The Friday cut sweat will have to wait until the PGA Championship.
Recent Winners of this Event: Dustin Johnson (2016), Shane Lowry (2015), Rory McIlroy (2014), Tiger Woods (2013), Keegan Bradley (2012)
Key Statistics (In Order of Importance)
1) Strokes Gained Off the Tee
2) Birdie or Better %
3) Strokes Gained Approach
4) Par 4 Scoring
5) Greens (or Fringe) in Regulation
Salaries, Odds, and Course History (2012-2016)
| Golfer | DK Salary | FD Salary | FDRFT Salary | OWGR | Odds | DK Odds | FD Odds | FDRFT Odds | 2016 | 2015 | 2014 | 2013 | 2012 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jordan Spieth | $12,000 | $9,900 | $19,000 | 2 | 8 | 0% | 0% | 0% | 3 | 10 | 49 | 500 | 500 |
| Dustin Johnson | $11,800 | $9,700 | $18,400 | 1 | 10 | -50% | -50% | 0% | 1 | 53 | 500 | 33 | 19 |
| Rory McIlroy | $11,400 | $9,600 | $18,500 | 4 | 9 | 33% | 33% | 0% | 500 | 500 | 1 | 27 | 5 |
| Brooks Koepka | $11,100 | $8,600 | $17,100 | 10 | 17 | -25% | 44% | -25% | 500 | 6 | 500 | 500 | 500 |
| Rickie Fowler | $10,600 | $9,000 | $17,100 | 11 | 16 | 20% | 20% | 0% | 10 | 10 | 8 | 21 | 60 |
| Hideki Matsuyama | $10,200 | $8,700 | $16,800 | 3 | 19 | 0% | 25% | 0% | 42 | 37 | 12 | 21 | 500 |
| Justin Rose | $9,900 | $7,900 | $16,300 | 13 | 26 | -29% | 31% | 0% | 46 | 3 | 4 | 17 | 5 |
| Jon Rahm | $9,700 | $9,200 | $16,500 | 6 | 21 | 13% | -75% | 0% | 500 | 500 | 500 | 500 | 500 |
| Henrik Stenson | $9,500 | $8,300 | $16,400 | 8 | 25 | 11% | 20% | 0% | 500 | 6 | 19 | 2 | 500 |
| Jason Day | $9,400 | $8,800 | $16,300 | 7 | 26 | 0% | -67% | -11% | 3 | 12 | 500 | 53 | 29 |
| Matt Kuchar | $9,300 | $8,000 | $16,000 | 12 | 30 | -18% | -8% | -8% | 3 | 25 | 12 | 27 | 8 |
| Sergio Garcia | $9,200 | $8,800 | $16,000 | 5 | 28 | 8% | -83% | 8% | 500 | 37 | 2 | 40 | 29 |
| Paul Casey | $9,000 | $7,600 | $15,900 | 18 | 32 | -8% | 7% | 0% | 16 | 17 | 500 | 27 | 500 |
| Adam Scott | $8,800 | $8,200 | $16,200 | 17 | 29 | 14% | -9% | -9% | 10 | 45 | 8 | 14 | 45 |
| Branden Grace | $8,600 | $7,300 | $15,500 | 32 | 39 | -7% | 11% | -7% | 10 | 17 | 23 | 65 | 36 |
| Tommy Fleetwood | $8,400 | $7,400 | $15,400 | 15 | 40 | -6% | -6% | -6% | 500 | 500 | 500 | 500 | 500 |
| Daniel Berger | $8,300 | $6,900 | $15,400 | 19 | 40 | -6% | 14% | -13% | 500 | 500 | 500 | 500 | 500 |
| Justin Thomas | $8,200 | $7,400 | $15,300 | 14 | 43 | -6% | -19% | 0% | 33 | 500 | 500 | 500 | 500 |
| Alexander Noren | $8,100 | $7,700 | $15,200 | 9 | 45 | -5% | -43% | 0% | 500 | 500 | 500 | 500 | 500 |
| Marc Leishman | $8,000 | $6,500 | $15,400 | 28 | 39 | 25% | 40% | 6% | 55 | 33 | 3 | 500 | 45 |
| Zach Johnson | $8,000 | $6,300 | $14,600 | 71 | 60 | -25% | 14% | -9% | 10 | 33 | 23 | 4 | 40 |
| Phil Mickelson | $7,900 | $6,600 | $14,800 | 27 | 55 | 0% | 4% | -5% | 27 | 63 | 15 | 21 | 43 |
| Rafael Cabrera-Bello | $7,900 | $7,200 | $14,800 | 16 | 49 | 5% | -11% | 0% | 500 | 500 | 500 | 500 | 29 |
| Louis Oosthuizen | $7,800 | $6,700 | $14,400 | 23 | 68 | -29% | -41% | -15% | 21 | 42 | 61 | 500 | 4 |
| Patrick Reed | $7,800 | $7,000 | $14,400 | 25 | 64 | -21% | -45% | -7% | 52 | 15 | 4 | 500 | 500 |
| Bubba Watson | $7,700 | $5,900 | $14,300 | 47 | 72 | -23% | 11% | 0% | 14 | 2 | 37 | 27 | 19 |
| Lee Westwood | $7,700 | $6,300 | $13,900 | 55 | 83 | -31% | -17% | -3% | 500 | 17 | 19 | 40 | 70 |
| J.B. Holmes | $7,600 | $6,400 | $13,300 | 51 | 95 | -32% | -37% | -6% | 27 | 37 | 26 | 500 | 500 |
| Chris Wood | $7,600 | $6,000 | $13,300 | 64 | 101 | -39% | -15% | -11% | 500 | 500 | 500 | 7 | 500 |
| Kevin Chappell | $7,500 | $5,700 | $14,600 | 29 | 60 | 13% | 37% | -13% | 3 | 500 | 500 | 500 | 500 |
| Gary Woodland | $7,500 | $5,900 | $14,400 | 42 | 66 | 0% | 17% | -11% | 500 | 57 | 19 | 500 | 500 |
| Charley Hoffman | $7,400 | $6,300 | $14,500 | 31 | 61 | 16% | 7% | -4% | 33 | 31 | 500 | 500 | 500 |
| Brian Harman | $7,400 | $5,300 | $13,300 | 26 | 101 | -25% | 13% | -14% | 500 | 500 | 65 | 500 | 500 |
| Thomas Pieters | $7,300 | $6,600 | $14,600 | 34 | 59 | 32% | 0% | 0% | 500 | 500 | 500 | 500 | 500 |
| Xander Schauffele | $7,300 | $5,500 | $13,100 | 78 | 94 | -6% | 18% | 10% | 500 | 500 | 500 | 500 | 500 |
| Jason Dufner | $7,200 | $6,200 | $14,400 | 30 | 60 | 33% | 25% | 11% | 51 | 500 | 66 | 4 | 7 |
| Charl Schwartzel | $7,200 | $6,400 | $14,400 | 21 | 61 | 22% | -4% | -4% | 7 | 31 | 4 | 21 | 24 |
| Ross Fisher | $7,200 | $5,400 | $12,900 | 40 | 122 | -25% | 0% | -10% | 500 | 500 | 500 | 500 | 500 |
| Russell Henley | $7,100 | $5,200 | $13,900 | 53 | 81 | 15% | 30% | 0% | 500 | 17 | 41 | 27 | 500 |
| Kevin Kisner | $7,100 | $5,800 | $13,300 | 24 | 85 | 10% | 10% | 0% | 16 | 37 | 500 | 500 | 500 |
| Thorbjorn Olesen | $7,100 | $4,700 | $12,400 | 86 | 149 | -38% | 7% | -4% | 500 | 500 | 500 | 48 | 500 |
| Bernd Wiesberger | $7,000 | $5,600 | $12,800 | 33 | 122 | -5% | -5% | 2% | 500 | 25 | 500 | 500 | 55 |
| Matthew Fitzpatrick | $7,000 | $6,500 | $12,900 | 41 | 119 | -2% | -72% | -5% | 500 | 500 | 500 | 500 | 500 |
| Andy Sullivan | $7,000 | $5,600 | $12,800 | 70 | 126 | -14% | -14% | -7% | 500 | 500 | 500 | 500 | 500 |
| Bill Haas | $6,900 | $5,800 | $12,900 | 38 | 108 | 9% | -5% | 0% | 38 | 25 | 41 | 7 | 19 |
| Emiliano Grillo | $6,900 | $5,100 | $12,400 | 49 | 152 | -22% | -10% | -6% | 14 | 500 | 500 | 500 | 500 |
| Tyrrell Hatton | $6,900 | $6,100 | $12,300 | 22 | 169 | -24% | -70% | 0% | 500 | 500 | 500 | 500 | 500 |
| Francesco Molinari | $6,800 | $5,900 | $13,300 | 20 | 99 | 21% | -6% | -9% | 500 | 61 | 31 | 44 | 40 |
| Billy Horschel | $6,800 | $4,700 | $12,500 | 45 | 143 | -8% | 10% | -4% | 500 | 33 | 500 | 44 | 500 |
| Bryson DeChambeau | $6,800 | $4,500 | $12,600 | 87 | 141 | -4% | 21% | -2% | 500 | 500 | 500 | 500 | 500 |
| Kyle Stanley | $6,700 | $5,000 | $12,700 | 61 | 115 | 18% | 19% | 11% | 500 | 500 | 500 | 500 | 16 |
| Brendan Steele | $6,700 | $4,900 | $12,900 | 54 | 125 | 10% | 15% | -12% | 500 | 500 | 500 | 500 | 500 |
| Jhonattan Vegas | $6,700 | $5,200 | $12,700 | 48 | 126 | 8% | 0% | 0% | 500 | 500 | 500 | 500 | 500 |
| Ryan Moore | $6,600 | $5,100 | $12,400 | 46 | 145 | 2% | -6% | -2% | 500 | 42 | 8 | 33 | 500 |
| Scott Hend | $6,600 | $4,500 | $11,400 | 107 | 274 | -24% | -6% | -3% | 500 | 500 | 500 | 500 | 500 |
| Renato Paratore | $6,600 | $4,500 | $11,400 | 119 | 280 | -26% | -8% | -5% | 500 | 500 | 500 | 500 | 500 |
| Jimmy Walker | $6,500 | $6,000 | $12,500 | 39 | 139 | 14% | -44% | 2% | 16 | 53 | 26 | 500 | 500 |
| Harold Varner | $6,500 | $4,500 | $11,600 | 152 | 249 | -12% | -2% | 0% | 500 | 500 | 500 | 500 | 500 |
| Hideto Tanihara | $6,500 | $5,000 | $12,100 | 52 | 198 | -4% | -13% | 0% | 500 | 500 | 500 | 500 | 500 |
| Wesley Bryan | $6,400 | $4,600 | $12,300 | 37 | 169 | 5% | 7% | -2% | 500 | 500 | 500 | 500 | 500 |
| Adam Hadwin | $6,400 | $4,800 | $12,000 | 56 | 200 | 0% | -7% | 0% | 500 | 500 | 500 | 500 | 500 |
| Andres Romero | $6,400 | $4,500 | $11,400 | 174 | 269 | -10% | -5% | -2% | 500 | 500 | 500 | 500 | 500 |
| Hudson Swafford | $6,300 | $4,500 | $11,900 | 95 | 220 | 2% | 2% | -2% | 500 | 500 | 500 | 500 | 500 |
| Mackenzie Hughes | $6,300 | $4,500 | $11,200 | 112 | 267 | -3% | -3% | 7% | 500 | 500 | 500 | 500 | 500 |
| Thongchai Jaidee | $6,300 | $4,600 | $11,400 | 99 | 282 | -10% | -13% | -6% | 500 | 57 | 52 | 500 | 500 |
| Russell Knox | $6,200 | $4,900 | $11,800 | 50 | 209 | 8% | -13% | 2% | 54 | 500 | 500 | 500 | 500 |
| Danny Willett | $6,200 | $4,800 | $11,700 | 44 | 244 | 5% | -13% | 0% | 500 | 17 | 500 | 500 | 50 |
| Si Woo Kim | $6,200 | $5,200 | $12,400 | 35 | 141 | 23% | -9% | 2% | 500 | 500 | 500 | 500 | 500 |
| Pat Perez | $6,100 | $4,700 | $12,300 | 43 | 170 | 16% | 0% | -4% | 500 | 500 | 500 | 500 | 500 |
| Fabrizio Zanotti | $6,100 | $4,500 | $11,300 | 105 | 286 | -1% | -11% | -1% | 500 | 500 | 26 | 500 | 500 |
| Rod Pampling | $6,100 | $4,500 | $10,600 | 192 | 511 | -7% | -17% | -1% | 500 | 500 | 500 | 500 | 500 |
| Jeunghun Wang | $6,100 | $4,500 | $10,800 | 72 | 402 | -4% | -14% | 0% | 500 | 500 | 500 | 500 | 500 |
| Satoshi Kodaira | $6,000 | $4,500 | $11,200 | 121 | 308 | 3% | -13% | -1% | 500 | 500 | 500 | 65 | 500 |
| Shaun Norris | $6,000 | $4,500 | $10,500 | 278 | 602 | -4% | -21% | 0% | 500 | 500 | 500 | 500 | 500 |
| Paul Lawrie | $6,000 | $4,500 | $10,600 | 364 | 493 | 0% | -16% | 0% | 500 | 500 | 500 | 27 | 50 |
| Sam Brazel | $6,000 | $4,500 | $10,600 | 188 | 527 | -3% | -19% | -3% | 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
| 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 |
| Cuts | Cut record of each golfer at this course in the last five seasons. |
| 2012 – 2016 Columns | Course history at this event in the last five seasons. |