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Power Rankings: 3M Open
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July 20, 2020
By Rob Bolton, PGATOUR.COM
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Extended Highlights
Matthew Wolff's Round 4 highlights from 3M Open
There are coronations, and then there are coronations. The inaugural edition of the 3M Open always will be remembered as the latter.
With his 26-foot eagle conversion on the final hole to win by one, Matthew Wolff simultaneously alerted the world that he was the real deal all the while cementing the tournament in PGA TOUR lore. It was just the third start in the professional career for the then-20-year-old with the funky but reliable action.
A field of 156 is assembled at TPC Twin Cities this week. It includes the defending champion. Wolff is one of 10 in play who competed in each of the first six tournaments since the season resumed. Continue reading below the projected contenders for more on how he got the job done (before the walk-off putt), how the course has changed (a little) since it made its TOUR debut and more.
RELATED: Featured Groups | The First Look | Inside the Field
POWER RANKINGS: 3M OPEN
RANK PLAYER COMMENT 15 
Charles Howell III Returns to the site of lost opportunity with a similar top-30 drought as this time in 2019. He began last year's finale just two shots off the lead, and then backpedaled into a T23.Returns to the site of lost opportunity with a similar top-30 drought as this time in 2019. He began last year's finale just two shots off the lead, and then backpedaled into a T23.
14 
Will Gordon Reset after missing the cut in Detroit, but he's all set for membership in 2020-21. Everything until then is a bonus. In 26 rounds on the PGA TOUR this season, he ranks eighth in GIR.
Reset after missing the cut in Detroit, but he's all set for membership in 2020-21. Everything until then is a bonus. In 26 rounds on the PGA TOUR this season, he ranks eighth in GIR.
13 
Patrick Rodgers Refuses to rest but why should he with a pair of top 20s in the restart. That includes a T18 at the Memorial where he led the field in putting inside 10 feet (67-for-70).
Refuses to rest but why should he with a pair of top 20s in the restart. That includes a T18 at the Memorial where he led the field in putting inside 10 feet (67-for-70).
12 
Doc Redman Got chewed up at Muirfield Village last week, but he connected three top 25s on easier tracks in his three previous starts. Currently 18th on TOUR in greens in regulation.
Got chewed up at Muirfield Village last week, but he connected three top 25s on easier tracks in his three previous starts. Currently 18th on TOUR in greens in regulation.
11 
Russell Henley The streaky 31-year-old missed last year's cut, but he placed T7 at the Workday Charity Open where he ranked second in GIR and T5 in proximity. Also led the field in scrambling.
The streaky 31-year-old missed last year's cut, but he placed T7 at the Workday Charity Open where he ranked second in GIR and T5 in proximity. Also led the field in scrambling.
10 
Luke List Not that he's complaining because it has to feel good, but he's played some stressful golf lately. At the same time, the win on the KFT in June also was a relief. T10 last week at Muirfield Village.
Not that he's complaining because it has to feel good, but he's played some stressful golf lately. At the same time, the win on the KFT in June also was a relief. T10 last week at Muirfield Village.
9 
Erik van Rooyen Last week's T22 positioned the South African to strike for PGA TOUR membership in 2020-21. Inside the top 10 at the Memorial in GIR, proximity and Strokes Gained: Tee-to-Green.
Last week's T22 positioned the South African to strike for PGA TOUR membership in 2020-21. Inside the top 10 at the Memorial in GIR, proximity and Strokes Gained: Tee-to-Green.
8 
Lucas Glover Closed out a T7 here last year with a course-record-tying 62. Since play resumed this summer, the renown ball-striker is 5-for-5 with four top 25s thanks to consistently improved putting.
Closed out a T7 here last year with a course-record-tying 62. Since play resumed this summer, the renown ball-striker is 5-for-5 with four top 25s thanks to consistently improved putting.
7 
Henrik Norlander Flashed terrific putting for the second straight start, this time it yielded at T6 at Memorial. It also keeps alive the possibility for something special for a guy best known as a ball-striker.
Flashed terrific putting for the second straight start, this time it yielded at T6 at Memorial. It also keeps alive the possibility for something special for a guy best known as a ball-striker.
6 
Charley Hoffman The 43-year-old has manufactured what could be classified as a veteran season amid bouts of flat form. Rested after a T7 at the Workday. He's 20th on TOUR in putting: birdies-or-better.
The 43-year-old has manufactured what could be classified as a veteran season amid bouts of flat form. Rested after a T7 at the Workday. He's 20th on TOUR in putting: birdies-or-better.
5 
Tommy Fleetwood Don't call it a holdout, but the Brit was patient in his return to action during a pandemic. In the last 12 months, he has a win, three seconds, a third, a T4 and a T5 worldwide.
Don't call it a holdout, but the Brit was patient in his return to action during a pandemic. In the last 12 months, he has a win, three seconds, a third, a T4 and a T5 worldwide.
4 
Tony Finau Hard to believe that last week's front-loaded solo eighth was his first top 20 since the playoff loss in Arizona in early February. T3 in greens hit en route to a T23 at last year's 3M Open.
Hard to believe that last week's front-loaded solo eighth was his first top 20 since the playoff loss in Arizona in early February. T3 in greens hit en route to a T23 at last year's 3M Open.
3 
Dustin Johnson After taking two weeks off post-Travelers triumph, he went 80-80 at Memorial. It's less intense to miss the cut by a million than by one, though. Ranks 16th in putting: birdies-or-better.
After taking two weeks off post-Travelers triumph, he went 80-80 at Memorial. It's less intense to miss the cut by a million than by one, though. Ranks 16th in putting: birdies-or-better.
2 
Matthew Wolff Given his profile, the first-time defending champ doesn't project concern despite new distractions and duties. Rebounded for a T22 at Memorial where almost everything was solid.
Given his profile, the first-time defending champ doesn't project concern despite new distractions and duties. Rebounded for a T22 at Memorial where almost everything was solid.
1 
Harris English If time off due to COVID-19 was a bother, it wasn't reflected in a T13 at the Memorial. Nine top 20s this season. So consistently strong throughout his bag and showing no signs of a slump.
If time off due to COVID-19 was a bother, it wasn't reflected in a T13 at the Memorial. Nine top 20s this season. So consistently strong throughout his bag and showing no signs of a slump.
Brooks Koepka, Paul Casey, Bubba Watson and Chris Kirk will be among the notables reviewed in Tuesday's Fantasy Insider.
By and large, if you want to make headlines faster, hit it far. There's a reason why there's the world's longest drivers have their own tour and television time instead of great iron players and putters. It's why Major League Baseball's All-Star Game festivities includes a Home Run Derby instead of a defensive skills challenge or contest to measure pitching accuracy and effectiveness. But to make a living, score.
Matthew Wolff turns head with his waggle and swing, but he's the complete player. He proved it in college and he put it on display en route to his breakthrough title at TPC Twin Cities a year ago. He ranked fifth in distance of all drives for the week and T31 in fairways hit (above the field average), but he also slotted sixth in greens in regulation (averaging 15 per round) and third in converting par breakers on those 60 chances.
Not all ball-striking performances are created alike, however. Consider that Kevin Streelman and Corey Conners co-led the field with 64 GIR, but they finished a respective T34 and T46 on the leaderboard because they didn't pay off those scoring opportunities. In contrast, Wolff paced the field in Strokes Gained: Tee-to-Green by capitalizing on his best holes. This is the scorer's profile. It's supported by his rank of T25 in bogey avoidance (with seven bogeys) for the week, unimpressive in a shootout during which he completed 72 holes in 21-under 263.
As indicated by a scoring average of 69.455 and a 36-hole cut at 3-under 139, Tom Lehman's sweeping course enhancements at TPC Twin Cities in advance of the 2019 3M Open were no match for the best players in the world. While the PGA TOUR Champions had their way with the track in Blaine, Minnesota, in the previous 18 years, even the unfamiliarity of the bentgrass greens averaging 6,500 square feet couldn't govern scoring in its TOUR debut.
Adjustment and adaptation are components of the way of life for touring professionals, so it wasn't surprising that the first field hit the ground running, but efforts have been made since to increase the challenge.
Fairways have been pinched on five holes, including the par-5 finisher measuring 596 yards, and bunkers on 10 holes had work done. Because the par-4 first hole is 10 yards shorter (it now tips at 416 yards) and the par-3 17th was reduced by 17 yards (now 202 yards), overall length of the par 71 is 7,431 yards. Overshadowed by its ease overall, the ninth and second holes at TPC Twin Cities ranked a respective 21st- and 41st-most difficult of 522 par 4s during the 2018-19 season.
Primary rough returns at a max height of three-and-a-half inches and the greens once again are prepped to run up to 12-and-a-feet on the Stimpmeter. Whether that speed will be typical is questionable. Daytime heating during the height of the summer means that rain and boomers cannot be ruled out throughout the tournament. Threats and winds will vary, but the constant will be the warm, muggy air. After a seasonable opening round, temperatures will exceed 90 degrees on the weekend.
ROB BOLTON’S SCHEDULE
PGATOUR.COM’s Fantasy Insider Rob Bolton recaps and previews every tournament from numerous angles. Look for his following contributions as scheduled.
MONDAY: Rookie Ranking, Qualifiers, Reshuffle, Medical Extensions, Power Rankings
TUESDAY*: Sleepers, Fantasy Insider
* - Rob is a member of the panel for PGATOUR.COM’s Expert Picks for PGA TOUR Fantasy Golf, which also publishes on Tuesday.
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