The PGA TOUR continues to trot around the globe, with this week’s Worldwide Technology Championship at Mayakoba in Mexico. It’s the third country visited by the TOUR in as many weeks, following trips to Japan and Bermuda.
Some of the biggest names in golf are returning to play this week, eager to pick up vital points in the chase for the 2022 FedEx Cup. Justin Thomas and Brooks Koepka are the headliners at this event that has delivered big name winners like Matt Kuchar and Viktor Hovland in recent years.
With the fall series dominated by the younger or struggling members of the PGA TOUR, its lesser names that are heating up or cooling off entering this week’s action.
Who’s Hot
Since earning his PGA TOUR card this fall, Canadian Taylor Pendrith (+10000) has made the most of his opportunity. Pendrith has made all four cuts since joining the PGA TOUR as a full-time member, peaking with a top-5 finish this week in Bermuda.
Over the past six months, Pendrith ranks third in the world in Strokes Gained: Off the Tee according to analytics from DataGolf. That play off the tee should continue to set him up for success.
It has been very exciting to have one of golf’s potential young superstars back in form, with Matthew Wolff (+4000) once again playing well on the PGA TOUR.
Wolff had a wild ride in the 2021 FedEx Cup season, including some time away from the game to recharge and focus on his mental health. His swing, still fast and wild, looks to be in good shape, with Wolff finishing in the top 20 in his last two starts. He was the solo runner-up a few weeks back at the Shriners Children's Open.
Few golfers have played as well as Aaron Wise (+3000) of late. Among players in this week’s field, Wise ranks 6th in terms of strokes gained per round over the last 3 months, per DataGolf.
His lowest finish in his last five starts was T26 at the Sanderson Farms Championship and Wise has earned his way into the top ten in his last two tournaments. He also finished in solo second here at El Camaleon last season.
Who’s Not
Guido Migliozzi (+14000) earned international attention with his play on the European Tour last season, rising into the top 100 in the world rankings, helped in large part by his top five finish at the US Open at Torrey Pines.
He has since cooled off, missing three of his last five cuts. Migliozzi hasn’t finished in the top fifteen of a tournament since August.
Just about this time last year, JT Poston (+25000) was ranked 60th in the world and playing excellent golf. The last 12 months have not been kind to Poston, who now finds himself ranked 132nd in the world.
His 2nd-place finish at the Barbasol Championship was his only top ten of the year, and it came in an opposite field event. He’s now missed five straight cuts.
Hank Lebioda (+20000) was one of the hottest golfers in the world for a stretch in 2021. He fired off three consecutive top ten finishes before withdrawing from the 3M Open due to an illness in his family.
Ever since that tournament, he hasn’t been the same player. He hasn’t made a cut since, now on five missed in a row following his most recent start in Bermuda. Clearly something in Lebioda’s game is out of sync and until he finds it, he shouldn’t be on any bettor’s radar.
