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Power Rankings: Northern Trust Open
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February 15, 2016
By Rob Bolton, PGATOUR.COM
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Charl Schwartzel brings serious momentum into this week's stop at Riviera Country Club. (Stuart Franklin/Getty Images)
Suffice it to say that Riviera Country Club has aced the test of time. Oh, sure, there have been moments in recent editions of the Northern Trust Open when modern talent has solved the 90-year-old track in Pacific Palisades, California, but through proper upgrades and an evergreen requirement to cherish every stroke (and stroke saved), the historic venue has held as one of the toughest on the PGA TOUR schedule.
With a scoring average of 72.592 last year, Riviera was the most challenging par 71 in 2014-15. That clip also serves as a reminder as to why Lanny Wadkins’ 20-under 264 in 1985 remains the tournament record. The greens on the 7,322-yard track (down 27 yards from last year, all at the par-4 eighth hole) were the hardest to hit in regulation, too. Last year’s field of 144 averaged just 9.25 GIR per round (or 51.38 percent).
But what makes Riviera so doggone formidable is just getting the ball into the hole. It’s ranked as the most difficult from three feet and in for five consecutive seasons. Last year, there were 72 whiffs inside that range. Of the 38 courses measured, none of the others had more than 46 misses. What’s more, Riviera’s splits from 4-8 feet and inside 10 feet were also TOUR lows.
Sergio Garcia’s reputation is that of a premium ball-striker, but it was that asset that let him down at the end of regulation last year. Pulled tee balls at the par-5 17th and par-4 18th led to title-crushing bogeys after he led outright with those two holes to play. Ironically, the Spaniard was perfect on 43 tries from three feet and in for the week.
James Hahn is defending his lone TOUR title this week. He survived a playoff with Dustin Johnson and Paul Casey that went three holes. Hahn ranked outside the top 25 in both fairways hit and GIR, but just above the field average in both. And while he lost 0.201 strokes to the field in putting for the tournament (ranking 50th), he placed second in strokes gained: tee-to-green. Plain and simple, he got the job done on the par 4s, which were the second-hardest of all non-majors last season at 4.20. Hahn led the field with scoring average of 3.93 on the set. He played the drivable 10th in bogey-free 1-under in regulation and added a masterful up-and-down 3 there on the second hole of the playoff.
Come 2017, Riviera will be hosting the U.S. Amateur for the first time. Northern Trust will be shifting its sponsorship to The Northern Trust to lead off the FedExCup Playoffs (replacing Barclays as title sponsor). Hyundai will be assuming the vacated sponsorship at Riviera. The U.S. headquarters for the South Korean automaker are in Southern California.
Scores at Riviera should drop a bit as compared to last year when it was cool throughout the tournament. Gradually warming high temperatures into the upper 70s will ride along with crowning this week’s champ on Sunday. Winds could be moderate. If rain falls on Wednesday, the course may be a bit slow on Thursday when the field of 144 can attack.
POWER RANKINGS: Northern Trust Open
RANK PLAYER COMMENT 1 
Hideki Matsuyama Took the week off after playoff victory at the WMPO where he led the field in GIR. T23 here in his debut in 2014; shared fourth last year.
2 
Jordan Spieth Bogey-free 66 on Sunday at Pebble Beach reeled in back-door T21. T4 at 2015 NTO; only golfer under par in every round. T12 here in 2014.
Bogey-free 66 on Sunday at Pebble Beach reeled in back-door T21. T4 at 2015 NTO; only golfer under par in every round. T12 here in 2014.
3 
Charl Schwartzel Forever a moving target, but coming off a runaway win in native South Africa after two-month break. Rung up top fives at Riviera in 2013 and 2014.
Forever a moving target, but coming off a runaway win in native South Africa after two-month break. Rung up top fives at Riviera in 2013 and 2014.
4 
Jimmy Walker Riviera is his favorite course, but he’s fared no better than T4 twice. Four top 20s in nine trips. No worse than T13 in first four starts of 2016.
Riviera is his favorite course, but he’s fared no better than T4 twice. Four top 20s in nine trips. No worse than T13 in first four starts of 2016.
5 
Justin Rose Silenced skeptics at Pebble Beach with a T6 in his debut. Top 15s in 2011 and 2012 at Riviera where his tee-to-green precision is rewarded.
Silenced skeptics at Pebble Beach with a T6 in his debut. Top 15s in 2011 and 2012 at Riviera where his tee-to-green precision is rewarded.
6 
Bubba Watson Missed 54-hole cut at the AT&T, but returns to a comfort zone at Riviera. Winner here in 2014 when he went bogey-free 64-64 post-cut. T14 last year.
Missed 54-hole cut at the AT&T, but returns to a comfort zone at Riviera. Winner here in 2014 when he went bogey-free 64-64 post-cut. T14 last year.
7 
Rory McIlroy Tournament debut. Pseudo reset after missing time last summer. Won 2015 Race to Dubai. Opened 2016 with T3 (Abu Dhabi) and T6 (Dubai).
Tournament debut. Pseudo reset after missing time last summer. Won 2015 Race to Dubai. Opened 2016 with T3 (Abu Dhabi) and T6 (Dubai).
8 
Sergio Garcia Failed to slam the door here last year, but his record is strong. Only twice outside the top 25 in nine tries. Posted a T7 in his last start in Qatar.
Failed to slam the door here last year, but his record is strong. Only twice outside the top 25 in nine tries. Posted a T7 in his last start in Qatar.
9 
J.B. Holmes Capitalized on par 5s at the AT&T, but it’s his greenside game and putting that’s fueled a T6-T6-T11 run upon arrival. Six top 25s at Riviera; T22 last year.
Capitalized on par 5s at the AT&T, but it’s his greenside game and putting that’s fueled a T6-T6-T11 run upon arrival. Six top 25s at Riviera; T22 last year.
10 
Dustin Johnson Uncharacteristically struggled at the AT&T, placing T41, but has five top 10s at Riviera since 2009, including a solo second (2014) and a P2 (2015).
Uncharacteristically struggled at the AT&T, placing T41, but has five top 10s at Riviera since 2009, including a solo second (2014) and a P2 (2015).
11 
Freddie Jacobson Can’t rule out the immeasurable relief following his son’s health scare as a spark for top fives in three of his last four starts. T3 here in 2013.
Can’t rule out the immeasurable relief following his son’s health scare as a spark for top fives in three of his last four starts. T3 here in 2013.
12 
Bill Haas As long as he’s playing well (tied for eighth at Pebble Beach), the 2012 champ deserves respect. Added a T3 in title defense; five top 25s here overall.
As long as he’s playing well (tied for eighth at Pebble Beach), the 2012 champ deserves respect. Added a T3 in title defense; five top 25s here overall.
13 
Harris English Balanced bag plays at Riviera where his 3-for-3 slate includes a T10 in 2014. Solo third in his last start at TPC Scottsdale.
Balanced bag plays at Riviera where his 3-for-3 slate includes a T10 in 2014. Solo third in his last start at TPC Scottsdale.
14 
Paul Casey Among notables cut at Torrey Pines where he made his 2016 debut, but progressively improving record at Riviera is highlighted with last year’s playoff loss.
Among notables cut at Torrey Pines where he made his 2016 debut, but progressively improving record at Riviera is highlighted with last year’s playoff loss.
15 
James Hahn The defending champ also won unofficial Best Presser of the Year afterwards. New experience this week, but showing enough of late to warrant spot here.
The defending champ also won unofficial Best Presser of the Year afterwards. New experience this week, but showing enough of late to warrant spot here.
ROB BOLTON'S WRITING SCHEDULE
PGATOUR.COM's Fantasy Columnist will be filing his usual staples leading up to this week's event. Look for the following features later this week:
MONDAY: Power Rankings
TUESDAY: Sleepers, Fantasy Insider
WEDNESDAY: One-and-Done, Comfort Zone
THURSDAY: Most-picked players -
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Took the week off after playoff victory at the WMPO where he led the field in GIR. T23 here in his debut in 2014; shared fourth last year.