Power Rankings: Mitsubishi Electric Championship at Hualalai
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KA'UPULEHU-KONA, HI - JANUARY 21: Bernhard Langer of Germany poses with the tournament trophy after winning the weather-shortened PGA TOUR Champions Mitsubishi Electric Championship at Hualalai Golf Club on January 21, 2017 in Ka'upulehu-Kona, Hawaii. (Photo by Chris Condon/PGA TOUR)
Another week, another Tour and I'm back for more! After previewing the Korn Ferry Tour last weekend, I'll also be your ringmaster for the 28-event 2022 PGA TOUR Champions season.
Starting at this week’s Mitsubishi Electric Championship at Hualalai and running through the Charles Schwab Cup Championship in November, I will help get the fields and stars organized for your consumption.
As usual, a limited field of PGA TOUR Champions major winners from the last five seasons, other PGA TOUR Champions winners and select exemptions will open the doors in 2022. This year, 42 players will have the honor at Hualalai and will enjoy a no-cut event staged over 54 holes starting Thursday and running through Saturday.
For the 26th season (since 1997), Jack Nicklaus' Hualalai GC will act as the host.
POWER RANKINGS
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Time for the new season to begin with many familiar faces on a very familiar Hualalai GC!
For the 26th season, Hualalai will kick off the campaign, but this will be only the second edition with Paspalum grass from tee box to parking lot. The greens now have had over a full year to settle in and should be more receptive than they were after being planted in summer 2020.
Clarke's 21-under last year was the lowest winning total since Langer's 22-under in 2014. The top-15 players were 10-under or better and there wasn't a round OVER par from anyone in the top-20. Only one player in the top-20 posted a round of even-par 72. The 2020 renovation included reducing the rough from 2.5 inches to 1.25 inches, so there's plenty of room to move it off the tee, and recovery shots and scoring will still take precedence.
Jimenez (2020) is the only winner of the last four not to finish first or second in GIR. He's also the only one to square more than three bogeys and need a playoff to pick up the trophy since 2013.
Weather and wind will usually play a part in the island script, but maybe not this year! The daily forecast is for temperatures in the low 80s with winds around 10 mph blowing from the same direction all three tournament days. If that's the case, I'd expect another event where 20-something under is lifting the trophy.
If you have any questions, don't hesitate to reach out through Twitter or email me mikeglasscott@gmail.com.