Power Rankings: Visit Knoxville Open

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POWER RANKINGS

Power Rankings: Visit Knoxville Open
- May 10, 2022
  By Mike Glasscott , PGATOUR.COM Follow @MikeGlasscott
2019 Visit Knoxville Open winner Robby Shelton aims to channel his winning vibes in Tennessee. (Mike Mulholland/Getty Images)

The foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains provide the backdrop for the second consecutive week of Korn Ferry Tour action in the state of Tennessee.

Similar to last week, Holston Hills Country Club will be serving as host for just the second time in the history of the event. The Donald Ross design (1927) and Tom Doak redesign (1998) replaced Fox Den CC after the 2019 edition.

Greyson Sigg opened the proceedings last year by posting 61 but needed a final-round 66 to chase down 54-hole leader Stephan Jaeger to win by a shot. Both players have since progressed to the PGA TOUR.

The 2022 season has had 10 first-time winners lift the trophy through 11 events. Only Tyson Alexander was a previous Korn Ferry Tour winner.

The field of 156 is chasing a prize pool of $750,000, with the winner enjoying $135,000.

HOLSTON HILLS CC

Yards (per official scorecard):	7,028
Par:	70 (35-35).
Greens:	Crenshaw Bentgrass; 5,600 square feet on average.
Stimpmeter:	Tournament speed.
Rough:	419 Bermuda at 2 inches.
Bunkers/Water Penalty Areas	104/2 (in play on 2 holes).
Defending Champion:	Greyson Sigg (not entered).
72 Hole Tournament Record (course):	260, (-20); Greyson Sigg (2021).
Course Record:	61; Greyson Sigg (Round 1); Seth Reeves (Round 4).

POWER RANKINGS

RANK

PLAYER

COMMENT

10		Patrick Fishburn	After MC in five of his first six, he's ripped off T51-T40-T18-T13 and T13 last week in his last five. Confidence is a dangerous commodity and so is iron play that has resulted in seventh in GIR.
After MC in five of his first six, he's ripped off T51-T40-T18-T13 and T13 last week in his last five. Confidence is a dangerous commodity and so is iron play that has resulted in seventh in GIR.

9		Quade Cummins	Another learning experience outside of Nashville last week as he led by three after 36 holes. The weekend wasn't as kind as he found a triple bogey in each of the final two rounds and settled for T27. Posted 20 birdies last week and 20 birdies at Huntsville (T4), which included a 64 in Round 2.
Another learning experience outside of Nashville last week as he led by three after 36 holes. The weekend wasn't as kind as he found a triple bogey in each of the final two rounds and settled for T27. Posted 20 birdies last week and 20 birdies at Huntsville (T4), which included a 64 in Round 2.

8		MJ Daffue	Sits seventh in scoring average, and only Mark Hubbard averages more birdies per round. Rolls in on eight straight paydays and nine of 10 on the season.
Sits seventh in scoring average, and only Mark Hubbard averages more birdies per round. Rolls in on eight straight paydays and nine of 10 on the season.

7		Robby Shelton	His streak of made cuts is now six straight, and the last three are the best three of his season. Winner of this event in 2019, the return to Knoxville after his best finish of his season (T8 at Simmons Bank Open, where he has also won) has my attention. So does his putting numbers, No. 2 in putting on Tour.
His streak of made cuts is now six straight, and the last three are the best three of his season. Winner of this event in 2019, the return to Knoxville after his best finish of his season (T8 at Simmons Bank Open, where he has also won) has my attention. So does his putting numbers, No. 2 in putting on Tour.

6		Carl Yuan	Gave it a run here last year with T7 as he was second in GIR. Plenty of power off the tee should put him in similar positions again this week. He was 14-under in his other three rounds but signed for the only over-par round in the top 16 last year with 71 in Round 3. Unfinished business.
Gave it a run here last year with T7 as he was second in GIR. Plenty of power off the tee should put him in similar positions again this week. He was 14-under in his other three rounds but signed for the only over-par round in the top 16 last year with 71 in Round 3. Unfinished business.

5		Taylor Montgomery	Sits eighth in the all-around, buoyed by his No. 2 ranking in putting. His current run of form suggests he's close as he backed up his T4 in Texas with T13 last week. He's 29-under combined in those two events. Throw in T9 and T15 from the Louisiana swing before, and he's in tight form. Next step is putting four rounds together in the same week.
Sits eighth in the all-around, buoyed by his No. 2 ranking in putting. His current run of form suggests he's close as he backed up his T4 in Texas with T13 last week. He's 29-under combined in those two events. Throw in T9 and T15 from the Louisiana swing before, and he's in tight form. Next step is putting four rounds together in the same week.

4		Kevin Yu	I'm always interested to see how guys react to being so close to that life-changing event. Yu played in the final group last week as he led by one before posting 71 to fall a shot short of a playoff. The 23-year-old made 21 birdies against just six bogeys and that should reinforce how close he is. Already has a top-10 on TOUR this year with T7 at Puerto Rico Open.
I'm always interested to see how guys react to being so close to that life-changing event. Yu played in the final group last week as he led by one before posting 71 to fall a shot short of a playoff. The 23-year-old made 21 birdies against just six bogeys and that should reinforce how close he is. Already has a top-10 on TOUR this year with T7 at Puerto Rico Open.

3		Erik Barnes	Folks, he's going to be in here until he plays himself out! His streak is now six events of T26 or better and cashed T27 here last year. Hard to ignore top-10 standings in scoring (third), all-around (seventh), birdie average (ninth) and putting average (10th).
Folks, he's going to be in here until he plays himself out! His streak is now six events of T26 or better and cashed T27 here last year. Hard to ignore top-10 standings in scoring (third), all-around (seventh), birdie average (ninth) and putting average (10th).

2		Zecheng Dou	Quietly he's rattled off seven paydays in a row after missing the weekend in Colombia. Last time he was on bentgrass in Huntsville, he posted his best payday in his last six events (T13). Played in the final group last week with Kevin Yu before shooting 72 and posting T5. Posted four rounds here in the 60s last year for T27.
Quietly he's rattled off seven paydays in a row after missing the weekend in Colombia. Last time he was on bentgrass in Huntsville, he posted his best payday in his last six events (T13). Played in the final group last week with Kevin Yu before shooting 72 and posting T5. Posted four rounds here in the 60s last year for T27.

1		Harrison Endycott	Before winning on bentgrass at Huntsville by five shots, his T4 here last season was his best Korn Ferry Tour showing. He'll return this time around and look to improve on his 19 birdies and 16-under score through 54 holes. He also led the field in scrambling. Something about golf in the mountains for the Aussie!
Before winning on bentgrass at Huntsville by five shots, his T4 here last season was his best Korn Ferry Tour showing. He'll return this time around and look to improve on his 19 birdies and 16-under score through 54 holes. He also led the field in scrambling. Something about golf in the mountains for the Aussie!

One of the four original Ben Hogan Tour events still in existence, Rocky Top and Donald Ross teamed up last season to introduce Holston Hills as the new track in longtime host city Knoxville.

The Visit Knoxville Open became a quick study as Sigg posted 20-under on the par-70, with 21 players posting 10-under or better. Only one player in the top 16 posted a round above 70, and that was just 71 exactly one time.

Holston Hills sets up right in front of the players, and the track will play a touch shorter as Knoxville sits at almost 1,000 feet above sea level. With 33 acres of fairway, there's plenty of room to swing it off the tee.

As is the case with classic Donald Ross venues, the main defense of the golf course is its greens, which mainly slope back-to-front. Perched and vigorously protected by complex bunkering, getting the ball on the dance floor -- preferably below the hole -- is the first order of business. Crenshaw Bentgrass will run true, and putts will be falling left and right.

As results from Donald Ross' Sedgefield CC on the PGA TOUR have taught us over the years, hitting the most greens will give players the most chance at holing birdies and getting low.

With only two par-5 holes, racking up birdies on the par-4 holes is also a must this week. Sigg played the four-shotters in 16-under and led the field with 25 birdies. There's no time for bogeys this week either, so make pars and move on. Only the Country Club at Wakefield Plantation accrued more pars than Holston Hills last season.

Mother Nature is always on the move, but four days of 80 degrees-plus are scheduled, with slight chances of rain Saturday and Sunday.

Last Week - Simmons Bank Open

No. 10 - Spencer Ralston - MC

No. 9 - Brent Grant - WINNER WINNER

No. 8 - Taylor Montgomery - T14

No. 7 - Marty Dou - T5

No. 6 - Nicolas Echavarria - T32

No. 5 - Kevin Dougherty - T22

No. 4 - Paul Haley II - T22

No. 3 - Justin Suh - T27

No. 2 - Seonghyeon Kim - T55

No. 1 - Erik Barnes - T22

Others: Carl Yuan - T40, Robby Shelton - T8, Eric Cole - MC, Ben Griffin - T17, Nick Voke - MC, Quade Cummins - T27

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