Normally, the Tour Championship would be the conclusion of the Korn Ferry Tour season.
We'd crown 25 new PGA Tour members and turn our attention to how they set up for the fall swing.
Things have obviously changed with this golf season. But there's still plenty to play for this week with berths in the U.S. Open and a few PGA Tour events on the line.
The Course
For the second straight season, Victoria National Golf Course will play host to the event. It measures 7,242 yards for a par 72.
The course has been a regular stop on the Tour since 2012 and, prior to last season, was one of the more difficult to score on. However, Tom Lewis came along last season and fired 23-under par. Before that, the lowest score had been 12 under by Seamus Power in 2016.
It's not overly long, so with challenging rough and water in play on 12 holes, I'd lean more toward precision players this week, but Lewis showed that this course can be overpowered a bit.
Davis Riley +2800 (Bet365)
The card on the Korn Ferry Tour, as usual, begins with Davis Riley. He's just one win away from that PGA Tour card, so every week there will be that added incentive to close out an event. The ball-striking has been solid all season, but the short game has been the separator for him once he gets into contention. He's top 10 in putting and out of the sand and has the fourth-best birdie rate on tour.
Eric Barnes +6600 (Bet365)
Barnes is more of a length than precision guy, but his current form is drawing my attention. He started slow in Boise before working his way inside the top 20. Then last week, he finished 18th but had a share of the lead with eight holes to go. At this price, I'll take a chance on him. He's been one of the more consistent performers, making 10 of 11 cuts. He's also one of the best putters, which will go great with that length off the tee if he can just manage to keep the ball dry.
Dylan Wu +6600 (DraftKings)
Wu ranks sixth in accuracy, 23rd in GIR and third in birdie rate on the KFT. He's just average in length off the tee, but if the accuracy is dialed up, then he's got enough distance to play well here. He's finished inside the top 10 five times, including three top fives. He's shown the high-end upside, but has fallen off a bit in recent weeks with a couple missed cuts. We've seen him with odds about half this at times this year, so this looks to be a good buy-low spot for a guy with the talent to contend.
Tom Whitney 160/1 (Bet365)
Whitney is an accurate player off the tee and is inside the top 50 in GIR, so the course could fit his style if it's a week where something around 10-under par wins. If it turns into a birdie-fest like last year, I doubt his putting will be able to keep up. But the last two weeks have been his best results of the season, seventh in Portland and 18th last week, so his game appears to be peaking heading into this event.
The Korn Ferry Card
- Davis Riley +2800 (1.18 units)
- Eric Barnes +6600 (.5 units)
- Dylan Wu +6600 (.5 units)
- Tom Whitney +16000 (.21 units)
Total Stake: 2.39 units
