Tag: Abraham Ancer

2022 American Express fantasy golf power rankings, odds, and picks

Jon Rahm highlights a stacked field in the desert. We have a list of players to target in fantasy.

After two weeks in Hawaii, the PGA Tour is back on the U.S. mainland. The boys are headed to the California desert for the American Express, a tournament hosted by the coffee-drinking stallion, Phil Mickelson.

One thing that won’t change this week: the amount of birdies.

After two events in a row that produced 34 and 23 under winners, expect the same again.

World No. 1 Jon Rahm, whose last appearance was the Sentry Tournament of Champions (runner-up to Cameron Smith), is in the field as a past champion of the AmEx (2018) and the betting favorite (+550).

Three courses will be used throughout the week, with PGA West Stadium Course hosting the final round after a 54-hole cut.

Odds provided by Tipico Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds a full list.

Fantasy golf top 10

Jon Rahm (+550)

Sentry Tournament of Champions 2021
Jon Rahm plays a second shot on the fourth hole during the third round of the Sentry Tournament of Champions at the Plantation Course at Kapalua Golf Club on January 8, 2022 in Lahaina, Hawaii. (Photo by Cliff Hawkins/Getty Images)

This is a chalk pick, no way around that. But it’s impossible to ignore what this man is doing right now. Every time he tees it up he’s near the top of the leaderboard with a chance to win. He’ll be expensive in lineups, but if you can afford him he’ll be worth it.

Patrick Cantlay (+900)

Another chalk pick, but another guy absolutely golfing his ball. He shot 61 in the final round here last season, nearly stealing the win from Si-Woo Kim. Cantlay is coming off a top-5 finish at the Sentry.

Scottie Scheffler (+2000)

The Texan is still looking for his first PGA Tour win, and this may be a great spot to grab it. Scheffler finished third here in 2020 and is coming off a fantastic fall season. Watch out for the Ryder-Cupper.

Russell Henley (+3000)

After having him for a top 20 and outright win last week, only feels right to come back to him. It hurt the soul to see him once again stumble down the back-nine at the Sony, but it’s easy to see he’s playing great golf.

Abraham Ancer (+3000)

Honest Abe is coming off a couple tough weeks in a row. After nearly coming in last at the Sentry TOC, Ancer missed the cut at the Sony Open. However, he loves it in the desert: in the last three seasons, Ancer owns the lowest cumulative score at the American Express.

Matthew Wolff (+3000)

Mathew Wolff celebrates after hitting a hole-in-one on the par-3 ninth hole during the final round of the Houston Open. (Photo: Thomas Shea-USA TODAY Sports)

Whenever there’s going to be a lot of birdies needed to win, it’s tough not to look Wolff’s way. He’s 11th on Tour in birdie average and first in scoring average.

Will Zalatoris (+5000)

This will be the PGA Tour Rookie of the Year’s first start of 2022. The ball-striking machine should work his way around the three tracks with ease, but it’ll all come down to the flat stick. Can he put the yips away and make some putts?

Seamus Power (+3000)

The Irishman is coming off two solid weeks in Hawaii, T-15 and T-3, and is off to a fantastic start to the new season. In eight starts, Power has six finishes of T-21 or better (that includes five top 15s).

Tony Finau (+2000)

The big man likes himself some desert golf. Finished solo fourth last season and tied for 14th in 2020. In Maui he played decently, eventually tying for 19th.

Si-Woo Kim (+5000)

Tough not to put the defending champion on the list. Kim is coming off two mediocre performances on the islands, but if he’s able to get the putting going, watch out for the South Korean.

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Confirmed players for Netflix series features A-list of PGA Tour stars

Jordan. Justin. DJ. Brooks. Max. And plenty more.

If you’ve ever wondered what it’s like to be a member of the PGA Tour, the folks at Netflix are about to show you.

On Wednesday it was announced that Netflix would air a PGA Tour docuseries that would take fans behind-the-scenes and show what life on Tour is really like.

“This partnership with Netflix presents the PGA Tour and the four major championships an opportunity to tap into a completely new and diverse audience,” said Rick Anderson, the Tour’s Chief Media Officer. “This documentary will give fans an authentic look into the real lives of our athletes, and what it’s like to win — and lose — during a season on the PGA Tour.”

Filming is underway and will continue throughout 2022.

Confirmed players (alphabetically): Abraham Ancer, Daniel Berger, Cameron Champ, Joel Dahmen, Tony Finau, Matthew Fitzpatrick, Tommy Fleetwood, Rickie Fowler, Sergio Garcia, Harry Higgs, Max Homa, Viktor Hovland, Dustin Johnson, Brooks Koepka, Collin Morikawa, Kevin Na, Mito Pereira, Ian Poulter, Xander Schauffele, Jordan Spieth, Justin Thomas, and Bubba Watson.

Keita Nakajima, the world’s No. 1 amateur, will also be featured.

Japan’s next star: Is it Takumi Kanaya or Keita Nakajima? Or both?

“We are thrilled to bring golf’s leading organizations and players together for this first-of-its-kind partnership and unparalleled window into life on the Tour,” said Brandon Riegg, Netflix Vice President of Unscripted and Documentary Series. “Our members will love getting to know the players and personalities as well as the iconic venues along the way. Even the most devoted golf fans have never seen the sport quite like this.”

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Jon Rahm, reigning U.S. Open champion and World No. 1, will play in American Express

The six-time Tour winner leads a loaded field that includes numerous Ryder Cuppers.

Jon Rahm, the reigning U.S. Open champion and the No. 1 player in the world, will return to The American Express later this month.

Rahm won the 2018 American Express event but has not played in the tournament the last two years. He was scheduled to play in the 2021 tournament but withdrew just days before the event when he tweaked a muscle in a gym session.

As the No. 1 player in the Official World Golf Ranking, Rahm will be the first No. 1 to play in the event since Justin Rose was No. 1 when he played in the 2019 event. The tournament will be played January 19-23 at three courses La Quinta Country Club, and the Stadium and Nicklaus Tournament courses at PGA West.

Rahm joins a field that includes host and reigning PGA champion Phil Mickelson, defending champion Si Woo Kim, former British Open winner Francesco Molinari, 2021 PGA Tour rookie of the year Will Zalatoris, five-time Tour winner Rickie Fowler, and U.S. Ryder Cup members Tony Finau and Scott Scheffler.

The Northern Trust
Jon Rahm (left) and Tony Finau share a laugh coming to the 4th green during the third round of The Northern Trust at the Liberty National Golf Club. Photo by Mark Konezny-USA TODAY Sports

The tournament has also announced that Abraham Ancer of Mexico, fifth in the event last year and second two years ago, has committed to the event.

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Rahm won the 2018 tournament in a four-hole playoff with Andrew Landry. In 2021, Rahm experienced the highs and lows of the season. He held a six-shot lead after the third round of the Memorial tournament in Ohio only to be pulled from the field because of a positive COVID-19 test. Two weeks later, Rahm rolled home critical putts on the final two holes of the fourth round to win the U.S. Open on the South Course at Torrey Pines in San Diego, his first major championship.

Abraham Ancer prepares to play a shot on the 11th hole during the second round of The American Express tournament on the Jack Nicklaus Tournament Course at PGA West on January 22, 2021 in La Quinta, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)

A star at Arizona State, the same university attended by Mickelson, Rahm has six PGA Tour wins and seven DP World Tour wins.

Ancer’s first PGA Tour victory came last August in the WGC-FedEx St. Jude Invitational. He is currently ranked 17th in the OWGR.

Players have until January 14 to commit to the $7.6 million event.

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Phil Mickelson, Bryson DeChambeau and Dustin Johnson highlight loaded field of confirmed players for 2022 Saudi International

Some of the biggest names in golf are bound for Saudi Arabia in 2022.

Back in October, Golfweek reported that eight players asked for the PGA Tour’s permission to play in the controversial Saudi International.

On Monday when the tournament released a list of confirmed players for the 2022 on Feb. 3-6 at Royal Greens Golf and Country Club, all eight appeared on the list alongside a few other notable names.

Two-time winner Dustin Johnson, 2020 champion Graeme McDowell, Abraham Ancer, Lee Westwood, Tommy Fleetwood, Henrik Stenson, Kevin Na and Jason Kokrak will be joined by Phil Mickelson, Bryson DeChambeau, Sergio Garcia, Tyrrell Hatton, Adri Arnaus, Rafael Cabrera Bello, Paul Casey, Jason Dufner, Shane Lowry, Joaquin Niemann, Louis Oosthuizen, Ian Poulter, Xander Schauffele, Adam Scott, Henrik Stenson, Harold Varner III, Jhonattan Vegas and Bubba Watson in Saudi Arabia in 2022.

The PGA Tour previously said it would deny waivers for its members to take part in the Saudi International. In past years the Tour granted releases to its members for the first three Saudi Internationals when it was a European Tour event. Last summer the PGA and European tours announced a strategic alliance, which removed the event from the European Tour schedule and was widely interpreted as a joint effort to stymie any rival tours.

In its first year as part of the Asian Tour schedule, the 2022 Saudi International features the strongest field in the history of the tour.  The Saudis previously made a $100 million investment in the Asian Tour.

“History will reflect upon how developments like the Saudi International and Golf Saudi’s partnership with the Asian Tour helped see in a new era in the professional game,” said Cho Minn Thant, CEO of the Asian Tour, via a media statement. “With the right guidance, it’ll be the sport that benefits most, with more top athletes from across a wider geographical spectrum present at the very top level and more interest from a more diverse and committed group of stakeholders.”

Since the inaugural Saudi International in 2019, the tournament has been widely criticized as part of the government’s effort to “sportswash” its human rights abuses, same as LIV Golf Investments, the new golf venture backed by the Public Investment Fund which operates on behalf of the government of Saudi Arabia.

“Whilst this is a product of many factors, there is no denying the massive impact the best players in the world can have on creating multi-generational interest in the sport. This is why we place such importance on securing the strongest field possible, each and every year,” said Majed Al-Sorour, CEO and Deputy Chairman of Golf Saudi and the Saudi Golf Federation, via a media statement. “While we do not allow ourselves to be distracted from our long-term objectives by any external voices, we have been encouraged by strengthening discussions around the importance of fresh competition and innovation in the professional game.

“We are strong advocates for this, as we see it as the only way to achieve golf’s true global potential and realize the game’s considerable untapped value. All we will say is it is better for the sport if the competition remains healthy and respectful, as opposed to hostile, as all parties look at new ways to benefit this great game.”

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World Wide Technology Championship at Mayakoba odds, picks and PGA Tour predictions

Feeling lucky? Here are several players to watch this week in Mexico.

The PGA Tour is back in Mexico this week for the World Wide Technology at Mayakoba. The young Norweigan Viktor Hovland is the defending champion, as he was able to bring down Aaron Wise by a single shot last December. A few of the biggest names in golf will be looking to take the hardware away from the former Oklahoma State star, including two former world No. 1s.

Justin Thomas will make his second-straight start at this event looking to build on a T-12 performance last season. He’s made just one start on Tour since the new season got underway which resulted in a top 20 (T-18) performance at the CJ Cup. Brooks Koepka will be making his third start of the new season, as he’s still searching for his first top 30. He missed the cut at this event in 2020.

El Camaleón Golf Course will play as a par 71, hovering around 7,017 yards throughout the week as the yardage is subject to change.

Odds provided by Tipico Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds a full list.

2021 World Wide Technology Championship at Mayakoba picks – Favorite

Abraham Ancer (+1500)

Ancer has loved playing in front of his home country of Mexico over the last few years, especially at this event where he finished T-12 in 2020, T-8 in 2019, and T-21 in 2018.

He finished last season with three top 10 finishes in his final four starts, including a win at the WGC FedEx St. Jude. Despite missing the cut at his first event of the new season, he came right back the next week and posted a top 15 at the CJ Cup.

Over Ancer’s last 24 rounds on the PGA Tour at venues measuring under 7,200 yards, he ranks inside the top 35 in Strokes Gained: Off the Tee, Ball-Striking, Tee to Green, and Total.

2021 World Wide Technology Championship at Mayakoba picks – Contender

Maverick McNealy (+5000)

Fortinet Championship
Maverick McNealy hits his tee shot on the first hole during the final round of the Fortinet Championship at Silverado Resort and Spa on September 19, 2021 in Napa, California. (Photo by Meg Oliphant/Getty Images)

The first several events of the young season have been a mixed bag for McNealy with a solo runner-up to Max Homa at the Fortinet Championship thanks to a late shank, and a missed cut at the Shriners. However, he posted a top 25 in his last start over in Japan at the Zozo Championship.

He’s played in this event the last two seasons with a T-26 back in 2019, and improved on that in 2020 with a T-12 performance.

So far this season McNealy ranks 20th in scoring average, important at an event where the winning score will be around 20 under. He’s been great off the tee ranking inside the top 30 in both distance and SG: Off the Tee.

2021 World Wide Technology Championship at Mayakoba picks – Long shot

Danny Lee (+10000)

After his final round 71 last week at the Butterfield Bermuda Championship, many may forget how great Lee played despite finishing T-2. Three holes on the back nine cost him, as he played 12-14 4 over.

Lee didn’t play here in 2020, but has a great track record from 2017-2019 with finishes of T-25, solo 2nd, and T-26 respectively.

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Here’s a look at the 8 players who applied for permission to play The Saudi International

The Super Golf League’s previous pitch was built upon one core foundation. Cash.

The game of golf may be changing.

On October 22nd, Golfweek reported eight players have asked permission to play in The Saudi International scheduled for February 3-6 at Royal Greens Golf and Country Club in King Abdullah Economic City.

Is this a sign of bigger things? The Super Golf League’s previous pitch was built upon one core foundation. Cash. The Saudis had promised gaudy paychecks for the biggest names in golf, reportedly $30 million in some cases.

Expectedly, PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan then made it clear that any player who joins a rival league could face a lifetime ban from the PGA Tour.

For the best players in the world, any decision will be determined by aspirations in the game. A bank account with an incredible amount of zeros, or a legacy built by Tour success (accompanied by large paychecks, don’t forget)?

Dustin Johnson is one of eight players who have requested permission from the Tour to play in the Saudi International. Below is a full list.

Fifteen of world’s top 20 bound for the Bahamas as Tiger Woods announces 2021 Hero World Challenge field

An impressive array of past champions and world No. 1’s are off to Albany.

The world’s best are bound for the Bahamas once again.

On Monday morning 15-time major champion Tiger Woods took to Twitter to announce the field for his 2021 Hero World Challenge Dec. 2-5 in Albany.

Champion Golfer of the Year Collin Morikawa makes his debut in the star-studded event which benefits Woods’ TGR Foundation, while Henrik Stenson returns to defend his title among a field that also includes the following: Patrick Cantlay, Xander Schauffele, Justin Thomas, Bryson DeChambeau, Tony Finau, Brooks Koepka, Harris English, Abraham Ancer, Rory McIlroy, Viktor Hovland, Jordan Spieth, Daniel Berger, Tyrrell Hatton, Patrick Reed, Webb Simpson, Scottie Scheffler and Justin Rose.

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Of the 20 players in the field, 15 are ranking inside the top 20 of the Official World Golf Ranking. Stenson (2019), Matsuyama (2016) and Spieth (2014) are all previous winners of the Hero, held at Albany now for six years.

Proceeds from the 2021 Hero World Challenge benefit the TGR Foundation, Tavistock Foundation and Bahamas Youth Foundation. Find out more here.

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Abraham Ancer makes an albatross—or is it a double eagle?—at CJ Cup at The Summit

Abraham Ancer ripped his second shot from 250 yards and then it watched it track to the hole.

Sure, a hole-in-one is cool but the truly rare feat in golf is the albatross, also known as the double eagle, and we got one on Friday.

In the second round of the CJ Cup at The Summit Club in Las Vegas, Abraham Ancer pounded his drive on the par-5 14th hole 300 yards.

That left him 250 yards away to the green and he went with a 4-iron. The hole location was in the back left, which is where he ball was headed after it initially bounced short of the green. It had some pace on it and then found the ridge. Making a big, sweeping left turn, the ball had eyes and it rolled into the cup for a 2.

The National Hole-in-One Registry gives a PGA Tour pro a 3,000-to-1 chance at making a hole-in-one. The Double Eagle Club, in a story by former longtime Golf World writer Bill Fields, reports the odds of an albatross are about 6 million-to-1.

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In-depth preview for the Shriners Children’s Open with key stats, players to watch, and more

Brooks Koepka and Viktor Hovland lead a strong field in Vegas.

Well, it’s officially that time of year for golf fans. It’s football season, and maybe golf takes a back seat. This week, the PGA Tour heads to TPC Summerlin in Las Vegas for the Shriners Children’s Open.

A few U.S. Ryder Cup team members have made their way to Vegas; Brooks Koepka, Harris English, and Scottie Scheffler. So maybe this week won’t be a wash after all, especially with other big names in the field like Hideki Matsuyama, Rickie Fowler, Patrick Reed, Viktor Hovland, Will Zalatoris, and Louis Oosthuizen.

Let’s jump into all the stats and see if we can find winner.

Golf course

TPC Summerlin

Par 71

7,255 yards

Back for some desert golf this week; artificial water features, bentgrass greens, with a few mountains and canyons to look at. Not my favorite type of golf if I’m going to be honest. Granted, it’s not the same desert golf as the Waste Management, but still.

Yardage book: TPC Summerlin for the Shriners Children’s Open

Weather

Day Conditions Chance of rain Wind & Direction
Tuesday Showers 45 percent 7 MPH (ESE)
Wednesday Mostly Sunny 3 percent 8 MPH (ESE)
Thursday Mostly Cloudy 1 percent 11 MPH (SSE)
Friday Cloudy 1 percent 13 MPH (SSW)
Saturday Sunny 2 percent 6 MPH (N)
Sunday Sunny 1 percent 8 MPH (NNE)

Key stats

According to DataGolf, performance off the tee is the least important statistic this week. Short golf course, with fairways on the generous side, is a receipt for every single player in this field to have an opportunity to get into contention. Just look at last years winner (Martin Laird).

Strokes gained approach: The winning score here last season was 23-under. Theses guys will need to make a lot of birdies to contend. How do you do that efficiently? Hit the ball close to the hole.

Data Golf information

Course Fit (compares golf courses based off the degree to which different golfer attributes — such as driving distance — predict who performs well at each course – DataGolf): 1. TPC San Antonio, 2. Monterey Peninsula CC, 3. St. Georges Golf and Country Club

Trending (among the players in the field): 1. Erik Van Rooyen (last 3 starts: 7, 5, T-22), 2. Kevin Na (T-17, 3, MC), 3. Louis Oosthuizen (T-17, T-38, T-14)

Percent chance to win (based on course history, fit, trending, etc.): 1. Webb Simpson (3.9 percent), 2. Scottie Scheffler (3.7 percent), 3. Brooks Koepka (3.3 percent)

Betting odds

Odds provided by Tipico Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds a full list.

Louis Oosthuizen (+2000) Webb Simpson (+2000)
Brooks Koepka (+2000) Abraham Ancer (+2000)
Scottie Scheffler (+2000) Viktor Hovland (+2000)
Will Zalatoris (+2000) Sam Burns (+2000)
Paul Casey (+3000) Kevin Na (+3000)

Players to watch

Abraham Ancer: Ancer had a fantastic finish to his 2020-21 campaign. Three top 10s in his last four starts, including a win at the WGC FedEx St. Jude Invitational.

Ancer is one of the most consistent players on Tour when it comes to accuracy. Last year he was fifth in fairways in regulation, and 22nd in greens in regulation. He was also 12th in scoring average, which is huge this week as the winner is usually around 20-under par.

He’s played in this event three times, two of those finishes are solo fourth and T-4. This will be his first start of the new season.

+2000 to win

Abraham Ancer plays his shot from the 12th tee during the first round of The Northern Trust at TPC Boston on August 20, 2020 in Norton, Massachusetts. (Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images)

Cameron Tringale: Tringale is off to a hot start this season, with a T-22 finish at the Fortinet Championship, and a T-11 last week at the Sanderson Farms. His great play really goes back to last season, where he strung together four finishes of T-26 or better in his last five starts.

Over his last 24 rounds he’s 31st in Strokes Gained: Approach, and 18th in SG: Putting. I love this combination at TPC Summerlin due to the projected winning score coming Sunday.

He cashed in a top 20 last season at the Shriners, and finished T-2 back in 2015.

+4000 to win.

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Maverick McNealy: McNealy was close at the Fortinet Championship a few weeks ago, but a late shank led to a double bogey and a Max Homa win. However, I loved what he told our Adam Schupak during the week in Napa, and he seems extremely motivated.

He’s finished outside the top 30 just once since the PGA Championship (nine starts). But, he’s missed the cut here twice in three starts, with his best performance being a T-37 in 2020.

+5000 to win.

Fortinet Championship
Maverick McNealy hits his tee shot on the first hole during the final round of the Fortinet Championship at Silverado Resort and Spa on September 19, 2021 in Napa, California. Photo by Meg Oliphant/Getty Images

Scottie Scheffler: Just like my relationship with Will Zalatoris (who I almost put on this list again this week), Scheffler just has to win at some point soon. This week? He’s riding on the fumes of his Sunday singles beatdown of World No. 1 Jon Rahm.

His record at this golf tournament isn’t great, with a T-74 and missed cut (shot 6-under and missed the cut, that’s tough). In his last 10 starts, he had four top tens, and seven finishes of T-22 or better.

+2000 to win.

Sleeper of the week

Pat Perez hits his tee shot on the 1st hole during round two of the Safeway Open at Silverado Resort on September 11, 2020 in Napa, California. (Photo by Jed Jacobsohn/Getty Images)

For me, it’s impossible to look at Pat Perez and not think Vegas. And as an Arizona native, he knows desert golf as well as anyone on Tour.

He missed the cut in his last appearance at the Shriners, but in 2019 finished solo third, and grabbed a T-7 in 2016.

Over his last 24 rounds on Tour, his best two strokes gained categories have been approach (33), and putting (14). If he put’s it in the fairway this week, look for Perez to make a run.

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Masters: Abraham Ancer docked two strokes for Rules violation during opening round

Abraham Ancer was penalized two strokes for touching the sand behind a ball in a bunker and violating Rule 12.2b(1)

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AUGUSTA, Ga. –  Abraham Ancer’s opening-round 73 at the Masters didn’t look too bad on a day when Augusta National played tough. That is until the 30-year-old native of Mexico was hit with a two-stroke penalty that resulted in a first-round 75.

On the 15th hole during Thursday’s play, Ancer unknowingly touched the sand before making his third stroke from the greenside bunker. After Ancer had signed his scorecard and exited the scoring area, video evidence was reviewed by the Masters Competition Committee regarding a potential breach of Rule 12.2b (1), which states that “touching sand in a bunker right behind the ball results in a penalty.”

The Committee deemed that the touching of the sand was visible to the naked eye. According to a statement from Jim Hyler Jr., chairman of the Competitions Committee, “had this not been the case, the video evidence would have been disregarded and a penalty would not have been applied.”

Masters: Leaderboard | Photos | TV, streaming info

Ancer, who played in the final group of the final round of the 2020 Masters in November before finishing T-13, had his score on 15 increased from 6 to 8, resulting in a first-round 75.

Prior to learning of the penalty, Ancer said of his round, “I’m not mad or disappointed. I feel like I played pretty solid for how I hit it.”

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