Wells Fargo Championship
Wilmington, NC
For the first time since the tournament’s beginning in 2003, the Wells Fargo was not played at Quail Hollow Club in Charlotte, NC, as it is hosting the PGA Championship in August.
Overall, this was the 15th edition, making the one-year move to the 7,396-yard par-72 (36-36) Eagle Point Golf Club in Wilmington.
Beginning the final round two strokes back, World No. 93 Brian Harman, a pre-tourney 80/1 outright, birdied the 71st and 72nd holes en route to a 4-under-par 35-33=68 and a 72-hole total of 10-under 278, good for a 1-shot win over Dustin Johnson and Pat Perez.
This is his second PGA TOUR title in his 172nd career start (168 pro), joining the 2014 John Deere Classic (88 starts ago), where he was the 54-hole leader by one and won by one, closing in 5-under 66.
After kicking off in 71-69-70, the 30-year-old began in a four-way T4, trailing 54-hole leader Patrick Reed, who stumbled to an inward 40 for 3-over 75 and T12.
Johnson, six groups ahead of Harman, posted the clubhouse mark of 9-under, later matched by Perez, who was three groups ahead.
Harman, playing out of the third-to-last twosome, striped 13 (of 14) fairways and hit 14 greens in regulation (GIR), posting 3.090 SG: Tee-to-Green and 1.288 SG: Putting.
The Georgia alum went out in 1-under, outpacing bogey-6 at four with birdies at Nos. 5 and 9 from 24’0” and 20’2”, respectively. He saved par from 6’1” at 10 and parred the 11th, now T5 and two off the pace of Reed and Perez.
The St. Simons Island, Georgia, resident circled 12 and 14, the latter after stiffing his approach from 176 yards to 32 inches, before a 3-putt bogey at 15 (from 40’5”).
He tied the clubhouse lead with birdie-3 at 17 (hitting his approach to 4’9” from 144 yards away), setting up the dramatic finish.
At the par-5 18th, a hole he hadn’t birdied in Rounds 2 and 3, Harman hit his drive 317 yards in the fairway, leaving 271 to the hole. He went for the green but nuked it 283 yards into the left rough, 83’10” from the target.
After a free drop (grandstands), Harman stubbed his pitch, barely making the surface, leaving 28’4”, which of course, he rammed in for the eventual winner.
Jon Rahm, one group behind, needed eagle to tie, but settled for a 2-putt par after airmailing the green long, landing in solo 4th.
Harman wins in his 17th start of the season, is a ninth top 25 and fourth top 10, brushing aside a previous-best T3 at the Farmers. He checked in off T14 last week at the Zurich (teamed with Charlotte resident Johnson Wagner).
The victory comes in his sixth WFC appearance and is a second top 10 (T10/2013).
With the win, the Savannah, Georgia, native earns a 2-year exemption on TOUR (thru 2018-19) and invites to the 2017 PGA Championship and WGC-Bridgestone, and the 2018 SBS Tournament of Champions and the 2018 Masters. He’d previously qualified for the 2017 PLAYERS.
Harman’s 1st-place prize: $1,350,000
Harman’s Position by Round:
R1: T31
R2: T5
R3: T4
With a Strength of Field (SOF) rating of 317 (down from 436 last year), Harman collects 50.00 world-ranking points and jumps 41 places to career-high 52nd in the Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR).
He banks 500 FedExCup (FEC) points for the victory and moves 23 spots to 9th in the FEC standings.
Field Scoring Average:
R1: 72.763; R2: 73.414*; R3: 72.228; R4: 72.378
Total: 72.824
*Round 2 utilized preferred lies and was contested over two days (Fri/Sat) due to a 3-hour weather delay on Friday morning.
Harman’s rounds: 71-69-70-68 for 12.784 SG: Total.
Key Stats:
Harman was T2 in par-4 scoring, 3rd in total birdies, 3rd in SG: Tee-to-Green, T3 in total putts, T4 in bogeys and 5th in scrambling.
Harman’s Weekly Stats (ranking of 74 players):
Birdies: 18 (3rd)
Bogeys: 8 (T4)
Par-3 Scoring: 3.13 (T44)
Par-4 Scoring: 3.85 (T2)
Par-5 Scoring: 4.63 (T6)
Driving Distance (all drives): 284.0 yards (40th)
Driving Accuracy: 40/56 (T7) at 71.43 percent
GIR: 46/72 (T26) at 63.89 percent
Proximity to hole: N/A (data incomplete)
Putts per GIR: 1.696 (T7)
Total Putts: 106 (T3)
Putts by Round: 28-25-26-27
Scrambling: 20/26 (5th) at 76.92 percent
SG: Off-the-Tee: 2.260 (18th)
SG: Approach-the-Green: 3.871 (12th)
SG: Around-the-Green: 2.905 (10th)
SG: Tee-to-Green: 9.036 (3rd)
SG: Putting: 3.748 (17th)
Draw:
A total of 79 players from a field of 156 made the 36-hole cut of 1-over 145:
35 (of 74) EARLY/late; 4 WDs
44 (of 78) LATE/early
Note: Since more than 78 players made the 36-hole cut, a second cut of low 70 and ties came after 54 holes (4-over 220), leaving 74 players.
11 players finished in the top 10 with SIX of those LATE/early, including the champion.
LATE/early: Brian Harman (Won), Jon Rahm (4th), Kevin Tway (T5), Seung-Yul Noh (T5), Jonathan Randolph (T8), Billy Hurley III (T8)
EARLY/late: Dustin Johnson (T2), Pat Perez (T2), Smylie Kaufman (T5), Nick Taylor (T8), Byeong Hun An (T8)
Yahoo! Low Rounds:
R1: Francesco Molinari (66)
R2: Brian Harman, Pat Perez, Billy Hurley III, Nick Taylor, D.A. Points, Vaughn Taylor, John Peterson, Carl Pettersson, Trey Mullinax (69)
R3: Dustin Johnson, Seung-Yul Noh, Patrick Reed (67)
R4: Dustin Johnson, Jonathan Randolph (67)
Runners-Up:
Dustin Johnson: Playing out of the ninth-to-last twosome, the FedExCup leader and World No. 1 fashioned a day-tying-low 5-under-par 34-33=67 to throw 9-under 279 and the clubhouse lead, but came up one short.
Seven of the 32-year-old’s 15 TOUR titles have been in come-from-behind fashion, but settles for his ninth runner-up in 209 career starts.
He arrived off three consecutive wins, most recently at the WGC-Match Play six weeks ago, preceded by trophies at the WGC-Mexico and the Genesis.
After opening in 70-75, the Coastal Carolina product was 1-over (T56) at the midpoint, one of 24 to make the cut on the number, playing the weekend in 10-under with matching 67s.
He began the finale T14, four shy, and landed nine (of 14) fairways and 14 GIR, posting 3.905 SG: Tee-to-Green and 1.473 SG: Putting.
The Jupiter, Florida, resident squared a lone bogey-5 at eight, offset by six birdies at Nos. 2 (from 18'1"), 4, 6, 12, 13 and 18, walking off with an up-and-down 4 from 14'8".
This was his fourth WFC, first since a missed cut in 2011, and his second cash (T29/2010). He led the field in GIR at 75.00 percent (54/73) and SG: Approach-the-Green (6.819), but was 63rd in SG: Around-the-Green (-1.725).
Pat Perez: Playing out of the fifth-to-last twosome, the World No. 58 authored a 4-under-par 34-34=68 to round off his 13th appearance on 9-under 279, up six spots into a two-way T2, one shy.
This was the 41-year-old’s fifth career runner-up in 391 career events, first since T2 at the 2014 Farmers.
It’s his fifth top 25 at the Wells Fargo and second top 10, joining T6 in 2011.
After opening in 72-69-70, the Arizonian began T8, three adrift. He found seven (of 14) fairways and 13 GIR, posting a stellar 1.385 putts per GIR and 4.443 SG: Putting.
Perez went out in 2-under, outpacing bogeys at 5 and 8 with birdies at 2-4 and 6, and co-led with Reed on 9-under after birdies at 10 and 12.
He fell back with a 1-putt double bogey-6 at 14 however, retrieving those with his seventh and eighth birdies of the round at 16 and 18.
This was the Arizona State product’s ninth top 25 of the season (15 starts), fifth top 10 and third podium (Win, OHL Classic; T3, SBS TOC). He jumps 16 places to a career-high 42nd in OWGR.
Consecutive top 10s on TOUR:
Dustin Johnson (T2-1st-1st-1st-3rd)
Kevin Tway (T5-3rd-T3)
Bud Cauley (T5-T10-T9)
Brooks Koepka (T5-2nd)
Ryan Palmer (4th-T6)
Cameron Smith (P1-T6)
Kevin Tway: The World No. 282 rallied for a 2-under-par 37-33=70 to finish off his second appearance (T65/2014) on 7-under 281, up three places into a three-way T5, three back.
After not recording a top-10 finish in his first 43 career events, the 28-year-old has now rung up three straight top 5s in as many weeks, joining T3 (Valero) and solo 3rd last week in New Orleans (teamed with Kelly Kraft), the latter two results are tied career bests.
He was making his 14th start of the season, and prior to the run, had a best of T32 at the Puerto Rico Open.
Over the past three weeks, the Oklahoma State product has vaulted from 175th in the FEC standings to 55th and catapulted from OWGR No. 432 to a career-high 211. Bear in mind, his 3rd at the Zurich was accompanied by zero world-ranking points, or he’d be higher than that.
After opening in 72-70-69, Tway began T8, three back, and found 10 (of 14) fairways and 12 GIR, posting 1.750 putts per GIR and 1.433 SG: Putting.
The Web.com Tour grad was birdie-less 1-over thru 12 holes, squaring bogey-4 at five, but awoke to circle 13, 14 and 16. He also saved par three times from between six and nine feet, including a 6-footer at the par-5 last to secure the top-5 finish.
Consecutive top-10 streaks ended:
Brian Gay (T52-T6-T6)
Paul Casey (T12-6th-T9)
First-timers and/or Rookies:
First-timers: 33
Top-10 finishes: 2
Jon Rahm: The first-time member (though not a rookie) stalled out to a 1-under-par 36-35=71 to conclude his tourney debut on 8-under 280, down two places to solo 4th, two back.
After kicking off in 69-71-69, the 22-year-old began in a two-way T2, one shy. Playing out of the penultimate twosome, he striped 11 (of 14) fairways and hit 12 GIR, posting a pedestrian 1.833 putts per GIR and -1.127 SG: Putting.
The Spaniard traded birdies at 3 and 4 with bogeys at 1 and 6 to turn even-par, now T3 but still just one shot adrift.
He got back on the birdie train with a pitch-in 3 at 10 (from 36'0" away) and ticked 4 on the par-5 12th, but played his final six holes in birdie-less 1-over, squaring a third bogey at the par-3 15th (failed sand save).
For the week, Rahm was T1 in total birdies (19) but T38 in bogeys with 11. He improves to 12-for-12 on the season with nine top 25s, six top 10s, five of those top 5s, and bumps one spot to a career-high 12th in OWGR.
Smylie Kaufman: The second-year man backdoored a T5 with 4-under-par 33-35=68 to wrap his tourney debut on 7-under 281, up 14 places on the day, three shy.
After opening in 70-71-72, the 25-year-old began T19, five back. Playing out of the 13th-to-last twosome, he mustered six (of 14) fairways and 11 GIR, posting a stellar 1.545 putts per GIR, 2.244 SG: Putting and 25 putts total.
The Alabaman squared a lone bogey-5 at 13, camouflaged by five birdies at holes 1, 4, 6, 11 and 18, highlighted by a 31-footer for birdie-4 at four.
This was his 14th start of the season and just a fifth cash, easily supplanting a previous-best T37 at the Valero two (individual) starts ago. The LSU alum arrived missing seven of his last eight cuts, including at last week’s Zurich while teamed with Harold Varner III.
This is his first top-10 finish since T10 at the Quicken Loans last June and jumps 38 places to 137th in OWGR.
TOUR Rookies: 20
Top-10 finishes: 0
Xander Schauffele (71-70-76-68) and J.T. Poston (71-73-70-71) tied for low-rookie honors with T24s on 3-under 285.
This was Schauffele’s first time as low rookie (14 starts) and Poston’s second time in 17 starts (T10, Puerto Rico Open).
Top 10 in FEC standings (points):
1. Dustin Johnson (2,148)
2. Justin Thomas (1,852)
3. Hideki Matsuyama (1,826)
4. Jon Rahm (1,496)
5. Pat Perez (1,341); UP two
6. Adam Hadwin (1,201); DOWN one
7. Jordan Spieth (1,192); DOWN one
8. Rickie Fowler (1,096)
9. Brian Harman (1,040); UP 23
10. Justin Rose (980)
Note: Brendan Steele (964); idle; dropped from No. 10 to No. 11
Top 10 in OWGR (this week’s finishes):
1. Dustin Johnson (T2)
2. Rory McIlroy (idle)
3. Jason Day (idle)
4. Hideki Matsuyama (idle)
5. Jordan Spieth (idle)
6. Sergio Garcia (idle); UP one
7. Henrik Stenson (idle); DOWN one
8. Justin Rose (idle)
9. Rickie Fowler (idle)
10. Justin Thomas (idle)
16 of the Top 50 in OWGR were in the field
2 finished in the top 10 (D. Johnson and Rahm)
In total, 11 players finished in the top 10. Average world ranking: 162nd
Season Trends:
15 winners were in their 20s
9 were in their 30s (Harman: age: 30)
3 were in their 40s
19 of the 25 winners (minus Match Play) have emerged out of the FINAL group on Sunday. The six outliers:
Brian Harman (Wells Fargo): Third-to-last twosome: erased 2-shot deficit w/ 4-under 68; won by 1
Wesley Bryan (Heritage): Third-to-last twosome: erased 4-shot deficit w/ 4-under 67; won by 1.
Marc Leishman (API): Penultimate twosome: erased 3-shot deficit w/ 3-under 69; won by 1.
Hideki Matsuyama (WMPO): Penultimate threesome: erased 4-shot deficit w/ 5-under 66; won in playoff.
Jon Rahm (Farmers): Fifth-to-last threesome: erased 3-shot deficit w/ 7-under 65; won by 3.
Brendan Steele (Safeway): Third-to-last threesome: erased 4-shot deficit w/ 7-under 65; won by 1.
54-hole leaders/co-leaders are now 11-for-26 converting:
Converted: Hideki Matsuyama (WGC-HSBC), Mackenzie Hughes (RSM Classic), Justin Thomas (SBS TOC), Justin Thomas (Sony), Jordan Spieth (AT&T Pro-Am), Dustin Johnson (Genesis), Rickie Fowler (Honda), Adam Hadwin (Valspar), Sergio Garcia (Masters), Kevin Chappell (VTO), Jonas Blixt/Cameron Smith (Zurich)
Failed: Patton Kizzire (Safeway), Anirban Lahiri (CIMB), Luke List, Chris Kirk (Sanderson Farms), Lucas Glover (Shriners), Gary Woodland (OHL), Adam Hadwin (CareerBuilder), Patrick Rodgers, Brandt Snedeker (FIO), Byeong Hun An (WMPO), Justin Thomas (WGC-Mexico), Kevin Kisner, Charley Hoffman (API), Chris Stroud (PRO), Sung Kang (SHO), Justin Rose (co-Masters), Jason Dufner (Heritage), Patrick Reed (Wells Fargo)
Up Next:
The TOUR heads to Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida, for THE PLAYERS at TPC Sawgrass where Jason Day defends. The Aussie won last year’s edition by four over Kevin Chappell and in wire-to-wire fashion.
Stay tuned to this space for all the latest player news and analysis as the TOUR readies for its 27th tournament of the season (of 47).
