Power Rankings: The Ally Challenge
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SNOQUALMIE, WASHINGTON - AUGUST 14: Jerry Kelly smiles as he puts on his glove on the tee box on the fifth hole during the final round of the Boeing Classic at The Club at Snoqualmie Ridge on August 14, 2022 in Snoqualmie, Washington. (Photo by Steve Dykes/Getty Images)
The final event on the August calendar will provide another familiar stomping ground as the PGA TOUR Champions rolls into Warwick Hills Golf & CC outside of Detroit this week.
The fifth edition of the event takes place this week but Joe Lee's 1967 redesign hosted a PGA TOUR event (Buick Open) from 1979 until 2009. There are more than a few players in the field this week that have had success on this tract!
Joe Durant set the tournament record last year on 17-under as he held off Bernhard Langer by a shot and returns to defend his title.
The field of 78 will play 54 holes (no cut) for a purse of $2 million with the winner taking home $300k.
Power Rankings
Just Missed: Steve Stricker, Paul Broadhurst and KJ Choi.
Warwick Hills was built in the last 1950s but it was Joe Lee's 1967 renovation which put it on the map. Sitting at almost 7,100 yards and playing to a stock Par-72 most of the field has played this course either on TOUR, PGA TOUR Champions or both.
Previous winners on the PGA TOUR here include Vijay Singh (3 wins; not entered), Rocco Mediate, Tom Pernice, Jr., Billy Mayfair and Woody Austin. Jim Furyk has won this event on both PGA TOUR Champions (2020) and the PGA TOUR (2003) and is the only player to do so.
The average winning score here is 15-under over the previous four editions so taking advantage of the Par-5 holes won't hurt again this week. Power rules over precision off the tee but approaches into the 5,500 square feet (on average) Bent/Poa greens will separate the field. The immaculate, sloping green complexes will reward properly struck putts.
The Bluegrass rough will sit at 2.5 inches this week and will be dotted with 87 bunkers plus water on four holes.
Nobody has gone lower on PGA TOUR Champions here than Scott McCarron and his 63 in Round 2 in 2018. Durant's tournament scoring record bested Jerry Kelly's 2019 total by a shot. The highest winning output was in the inaugural season of 2018 when Paul Broadhurst posted 14-under.
There's never been a playoff needed in the first four editions but the biggest margin of victory has been only two shots.
No weather to worry about this week as Mother Nature is on vacation. Temperatures are seasonal, if not below average, until 88 on Sunday. Rain doesn't crack the 25 percent threshold.
Last Time - DICK'S Sporting Goods Open
Rank | Player | Finish |
10 | Duffy Waldorf | T15 |
9 | Bernhard Langer | T6 |
8 | Billy Andrade | T57 |
7 | Thongchai Jaidee | T2 |
6 | Doug Barron | T24 |
5 | Ernie Els | T15 |
4 | David Toms | T31 |
3 | Padraig Harrington | WIN |
2 | Miguel Angel Jimenez | T10 |
1 | Steven Alker | T37 |
Just Missed: Brett Quigley - T37, Wes Short - T61, Woody Austin - T61, Kevin Sutherland - T48, and Rob Labritz - T48 .
If you have any questions, don't hesitate to reach out through Twitter or email me mikeglasscott@gmail.com.