Power Rankings: Regions Tradition

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POWER RANKINGS

Power Rankings: Regions Tradition
- May 10, 2022
  By Mike Glasscott , PGATOUR.COM Follow @MikeGlasscott
Steve Stricker has recorded back-to-back top-10s since returning to competition after a mysterious illness. (Logan Riely/Getty Images)

The first major of the season on PGA TOUR Champions returns to Greystone Golf & Country Club outside Birmingham.

The Regions Tradition, established as a major championship in 1989, will be played at the Founders Course for the sixth time since 2016 (no event in 2020). Alex Cejka, who defeated Steve Stricker in a playoff last year, returns and will lead the field of 78 players in the first of five majors on the annual schedule.

On the line is a purse of $2.5 million, with the winner taking home $375,000 plus a five-year exemption into the Regions Tradition.

POWER RANKINGS

RANK

PLAYER

COMMENT

10		Robert Karlsson	Closed with a course record-tying 64 last year for solo third on his first visit. Has worked with Greystone director of instruction Mark Blackburn previously. Cashed four top-15s in seven starts this season, with three top-10 paydays including T10 at TPC Sugarloaf.
Closed with a course record-tying 64 last year for solo third on his first visit. Has worked with Greystone director of instruction Mark Blackburn previously. Cashed four top-15s in seven starts this season, with three top-10 paydays including T10 at TPC Sugarloaf.

9		Darren Clarke	Whatever was bothering him in Round 1 (79) last week was fixed quickly as he closed 69-64 (bogey-free) for his best payday since March. Opened 66 here last year in less-than-ideal conditions and finished T8. Confidence shouldn't be an issue.
Whatever was bothering him in Round 1 (79) last week was fixed quickly as he closed 69-64 (bogey-free) for his best payday since March. Opened 66 here last year in less-than-ideal conditions and finished T8. Confidence shouldn't be an issue.

8		Jerry Kelly	Twelve rounds all in the red and has cashed T4-T12-T8 in the last three editions. 69.33 scoring average at Greystone. Checks in at fourth in ball striking in 2022.
Twelve rounds all in the red and has cashed T4-T12-T8 in the last three editions. 69.33 scoring average at Greystone. Checks in at fourth in ball striking in 2022.

7		David Toms	T13 or better in six of seven this year. Of his 16 rounds here, 13 are in the red for a scoring average of 70.02. Sits fourth in scoring at 69.24 this season.
T13 or better in six of seven this year. Of his 16 rounds here, 13 are in the red for a scoring average of 70.02. Sits fourth in scoring at 69.24 this season.

6		Padraig Harrington	Making just his seventh start on PGA TOUR Champions and participating in his first major. In four starts this season, he picked up T2 at Rapiscan and T2 last week at a difficult TPC Sugarloaf, closing with 64.
Making just his seventh start on PGA TOUR Champions and participating in his first major. In four starts this season, he picked up T2 at Rapiscan and T2 last week at a difficult TPC Sugarloaf, closing with 64.

5		Alex Cejka	Returns to defend his first major at any level. Flashed form with T2 at Rapiscan and solo fourth at Insperity. Led the field last year in total driving, ball striking, par-4 scoring, scrambling and birdies (21).
Returns to defend his first major at any level. Flashed form with T2 at Rapiscan and solo fourth at Insperity. Led the field last year in total driving, ball striking, par-4 scoring, scrambling and birdies (21).

4		Retief Goosen	Never a bad combination to rank third in GIR and fifth in putting! T15 or better in seven of eight starts including a win and four total top-five paydays. Followed T22 in 2019 with T8 in 2021.
Never a bad combination to rank third in GIR and fifth in putting! T15 or better in seven of eight starts including a win and four total top-five paydays. Followed T22 in 2019 with T8 in 2021.

3		Ernie Els	T30 in all seven starts with four top-10 checks entering the week. Closed 68-67 at TPC Sugarloaf for solo fifth. T4 here in 2021 debut, with a bogey-free 66 in Round 4.
T30 in all seven starts with four top-10 checks entering the week. Closed 68-67 at TPC Sugarloaf for solo fifth. T4 here in 2021 debut, with a bogey-free 66 in Round 4.

2		Steven Alker	Defines confidence by taking last week off despite a streak of win-T2-win. Since joining PGA TOUR Champions last August, his worst finish is T20. Of his 17 starts, 14 have cashed in the top 10. Essentially every course he's seen is "new" so I'm hardly worried.
Defines confidence by taking last week off despite a streak of win-T2-win. Since joining PGA TOUR Champions last August, his worst finish is T20. Of his 17 starts, 14 have cashed in the top 10. Essentially every course he's seen is "new" so I'm hardly worried.

1		Steve Stricker	Long layoff ended with T2 at Insperity and T10 last week at TPC Sugarloaf. Played in the final group at Greystone in the last three editions (P2-win-T2). Of 16 rounds, 10 are in the 60s and he averages 68.13!
Long layoff ended with T2 at Insperity and T10 last week at TPC Sugarloaf. Played in the final group at Greystone in the last three editions (P2-win-T2). Of 16 rounds, 10 are in the 60s and he averages 68.13!

Just missed: Darren Clarke, Lee Janzen, Billy Andrade, Paul Broadhurst

Greystone Golf and Country Club

Yards (per official scorecard):	7,249
Par:	72 (36-36)
Greens:	Champions Bermuda; 6,400 square feet on average.
Stimpmeter:	Tournament Speed.
Rough:	Tifway Bermudagrass at 2 inches.
Bunkers/Water Hazards	41/20 (water in play on 11 holes).
Architects:	Bob Cupp (1991).
Defending Champion:	Alex Cejka (-18; 268; playoff)
Tournament Course Record (entered this week):	64; Robert Karlsson (2021); Steve Stricker, Glen Day (2019); Miguel Angel Jimenez, Jeff Maggert (2018); Bernhard Langer (2017; not entered in 2022).
Tournament Scoring Record:	268 (-20); Bernhard Langer (2017; not entered in 2022).
Fact of the Week:	No cut; four rounds of competition this week beginning on THURSDAY.
Fact of the Week II:	Bernhard Langer is the only multiple winner, as he defended his 2016 title in 2017.

The first of back-to-back major championship events on PGA TOUR Champions kicks off Thursday outside Birmingham.

The event moved to the Founders Course in 2016 after five years up the street at Shoal Creek (2011).

Bob Cupp's par-72 will stretch almost 7,300 yards and will be the longest track on the scorecard of the season to this point.

Over the last five events here, the 2018 edition ranked the easiest of the quintet, checking in at almost a full shot under par (71.017). The most difficult was the 2021 event, as the course played a full shot over par (73.109) for the only time in five events.

Last year, the first two rounds were greeted by chilly northerly breezes and wet conditions (lift, clean and place), which turned a long course even longer. The four 36-hole leaders posted just 7-under before the wind shifted to prevailing breezes on the weekend, temperatures warmed and birdies returned.

Cejka's victory last year was remarkable in a few different departments. He was making just his third start on PGA TOUR Champions. His first two starts, he entered as a Monday qualifier. He began the week at the Regions Tradition as first alternate and gained access after Jay Haas withdrew. Besting defending champion (from 2019; no event in 2020) Steve Stricker in a playoff capped off a dream week.

There's not a ton of room to swing it off the tee, but just 2 inches of rough will make recovery shots possible. Past champions here have excelled in the ball striking component and have ridden hot putters to the title. Although the scoring average suggests 68 or better daily, grinding out pars is also paramount. Rounds in the 60s have been difficult to come by on the weekend over the last two years. No winner here has carded more than four bogeys, one per round on average, for the week. The average margin of victory in the previous four events at Greystone was five shots.

Previous Winners

* playoff

Year	Winner	Score	Comment
2021	Alex Cejka	-18*	Won in his third event on PGA TOUR Champions as he beat Stricker on the first playoff hole.
2020	No Event
2019	Steve Stricker	-18	Made ONE bogey for the week and won by six shots.
2018	Miguel Angel Jimenez	-19	Circled 23 birdies, most on the week, to win by three.
2017	Bernhard Langer	-20	Set the tournament scoring record in his defense; won by five.
2016	Bernhard Langer	-17	Won the first event at Greystone by six shots.

If you have any questions, don't hesitate to reach out through Twitter or email me at mikeglasscott@gmail.com.