MonthlyJoyride

Adam Scott lost in a multi-way playoff here in 2021 for his T2 finish in the end. Last time he played here in 2023, he again went well with a T7 finish. On a course where distance is not a prerequisite, you have to fancy the Australian in a field with most of the elite-level players taking a break in the lead-up to the playoffs.

Adam Svensson finished T14 last week on a setup that is not suited to his game at all, with his lack of distance putting him at a significant disadvantage to the field. But the good showing indicates his game is in great shape. Here he returns to a course where he has finished T7 in both of the last two years, so I think he could be set for a great week here.

Cameron Young is remarkably still in search of his maiden PGA Tour title, and it would be fitting for it to come here at an event where he has local ties, having gone to Wake Forest. So he is more than familiar with the course layouts in these parts and, more importantly, the grass types. He finished T22 here last year and is playing a lot better this time around. So here's hoping come Sunday evening he is no longer the best player without a PGA Tour win.

Chris Kirk is a name that is always to be kept in mind when the tour hits stops where being a bomber off the tee is not a significant advantage, and that is very much the case here this week. His approach play can earn him more than enough chances this week to allow for some, as is usual for him, wayward putting. He is a guy who has warmed up nicely at this time of the year before, with him performing well notably in playoff events previously, which begin next week.

Max Homa has had his more than notable struggles this season, but I think he has been showing signs of piecing his game back together in the last couple of months. He has no doubt been motivated by missing taking part in major championships. The playoffs are another spectacle he looks like missing out on, as he likely needs a win or runner-up finish here to even get into the opening event of them next week. That clarity and freedom of expectation could play a key role in freeing him up mentally this week.

Josh Rock is emerging as a top 5 player in the world. He has steadily risen since bursting on the scene and has now backed up his haul of floor titles with a couple of European Tour titles on the stage. This year, he won the World Cup alongside Gurney for Northern Ireland. He is also starting to make serious headway in major TV events with notable wins over the likes of van Gerwen and Price. I think he will finish the year strongly and come the time of the World Championships, he could well enter the event as 3rd or 4th favorite at odds in the teens.