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Power Rankings: Wells Fargo Championship
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May 03, 2021
By Rob Bolton , PGATOUR.COM
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Top 10
All-time shots from Wells Fargo Championship
The current fortnight on the PGA TOUR correlates to and aligns with the administration of final exams across the country right now. It wasn’t the original plan but the rescheduling of the Valspar Championship immediately preceding this week’s Wells Fargo Championship has set up a pair of the toughest tests for membership.
Quail Hollow Club in Charlotte, North Carolina, is poised to host 156 who have registered. Scroll past the projected contenders for its similarities to Copperhead, how it sets up this week, how Max Homa prevailed in 2019 and more.
RELATED: The First Look | How the field qualified
POWER RANKINGS: WELLS FARGO CHAMPIONSHIP
RANK PLAYER COMMENT 15 
Shane Lowry Enjoying a quietly fruitful 2021. Cashed in last five starts with a solo eighth at TPC Sawgrass, a T21 at Augusta National and a T9 at Harbour Town. Fourth appearance for the Wells Fargo.Enjoying a quietly fruitful 2021. Cashed in last five starts with a solo eighth at TPC Sawgrass, a T21 at Augusta National and a T9 at Harbour Town. Fourth appearance for the Wells Fargo.
14 
Abraham Ancer Although he presents stronger on shorter tracks, he’s earned this respect. Led Valspar in fairways hit and Strokes Gained: Putting en route to a solo fifth. Fourth on TOUR in bogey avoidance.
Although he presents stronger on shorter tracks, he’s earned this respect. Led Valspar in fairways hit and Strokes Gained: Putting en route to a solo fifth. Fourth on TOUR in bogey avoidance.
13 
Cameron Tringale The 33-year-old has reclaimed the kind of well-balanced form that yielded so much success short of a victory early in his career. Now fresh off a T3 at Copperhead. Ninth start at Quail Hollow.
The 33-year-old has reclaimed the kind of well-balanced form that yielded so much success short of a victory early in his career. Now fresh off a T3 at Copperhead. Ninth start at Quail Hollow.
12 
Keegan Bradley He’s 8-for-8 with five top 25s upon arrival. His record at Quail Hollow is even worse than at Copperhead where he was the runner-up. A T33 in the 2017 PGA Championship is the highlight.
He’s 8-for-8 with five top 25s upon arrival. His record at Quail Hollow is even worse than at Copperhead where he was the runner-up. A T33 in the 2017 PGA Championship is the highlight.
11 
Corey Conners The tee-to-green machine managed a T21 at the Valspar Championship without his A-game, but he’s now connected six top 25s in stroke-play competition since Bay Hill. Four were top 10s.
The tee-to-green machine managed a T21 at the Valspar Championship without his A-game, but he’s now connected six top 25s in stroke-play competition since Bay Hill. Four were top 10s.
10 
Tony Finau He’s built for this ballpark. He’s 4-for-4 with a pair of top 25s in the WFC and consistently stronger nowadays. Sits 11th in the all-around ranking. Recently connected for a T10 at the Masters.
He’s built for this ballpark. He’s 4-for-4 with a pair of top 25s in the WFC and consistently stronger nowadays. Sits 11th in the all-around ranking. Recently connected for a T10 at the Masters.
9 
Max Homa He’s the defending champion but he’s been performing at a consistently higher level than when he broke through here in 2019. A T6 at Copperhead was the 10th top 25 in his last 13 starts.
He’s the defending champion but he’s been performing at a consistently higher level than when he broke through here in 2019. A T6 at Copperhead was the 10th top 25 in his last 13 starts.
8 
Xander Schauffele Continues to position himself for victory but still has settled for a trio of second-place finishes and a T3 this season. Statistically best as the PGA TOUR’s leader in the all-around ranking.
Continues to position himself for victory but still has settled for a trio of second-place finishes and a T3 this season. Statistically best as the PGA TOUR’s leader in the all-around ranking.
7 
Rory McIlroy He’s been in a self-induced funk but Tuesday (May 4) is his 32nd birthday and he’s the all-time earnings leader and two-time champion at Quail Hollow. It’s the softest of the soft landings.
He’s been in a self-induced funk but Tuesday (May 4) is his 32nd birthday and he’s the all-time earnings leader and two-time champion at Quail Hollow. It’s the softest of the soft landings.
6 
Viktor Hovland Ended a string of five starts without a top 20 with a T3 at Copperhead with already vintage ball-striking. Longer than advertised at 29th in distance of all drives. Sixth in the all-around.
Ended a string of five starts without a top 20 with a T3 at Copperhead with already vintage ball-striking. Longer than advertised at 29th in distance of all drives. Sixth in the all-around.
5 
Will Zalatoris Power and precision has defined many winners at Quail Hollow, which also has yielded a short list of Who’s Whos among breakthrough champions. Defied logic with Masters runner-up in debut.
Power and precision has defined many winners at Quail Hollow, which also has yielded a short list of Who’s Whos among breakthrough champions. Defied logic with Masters runner-up in debut.
4 
Webb Simpson Arguably the hardest “club championship” to win. Predictable position on his home course but he’s managed only two top 10s in 11 appearances, including the 2017 PGA. T12-T9 upon arrival.
Arguably the hardest “club championship” to win. Predictable position on his home course but he’s managed only two top 10s in 11 appearances, including the 2017 PGA. T12-T9 upon arrival.
3 
Bryson DeChambeau A big boy for a big-boy track. Leads TOUR in distance of all drives, Strokes Gained: Off-the-Tee and SG: Tee-to-Green. Also T1 in par-5 scoring. Finished fourth in last start here in 2018.
A big boy for a big-boy track. Leads TOUR in distance of all drives, Strokes Gained: Off-the-Tee and SG: Tee-to-Green. Also T1 in par-5 scoring. Finished fourth in last start here in 2018.
2 
Justin Thomas The 2017 PGA Championship winner at Quail Hollow. Recent winner at TPC Sawgrass. The FedExCup points leader is leading TOUR in adjusted scoring. Also ranks second in the all-around.
The 2017 PGA Championship winner at Quail Hollow. Recent winner at TPC Sawgrass. The FedExCup points leader is leading TOUR in adjusted scoring. Also ranks second in the all-around.
1 
Jon Rahm Making his WFC debut at Quail Hollow but he finished T58 in the 2017 PGA Championship. Leads the PGA TOUR with nine top 10s, including in each of his last four starts. T4 in the all-around.
Making his WFC debut at Quail Hollow but he finished T58 in the 2017 PGA Championship. Leads the PGA TOUR with nine top 10s, including in each of his last four starts. T4 in the all-around.
Tuesday’s Fantasy Insider will include Patrick Cantlay, Patrick Reed, Joaquin Niemann and former Wells Fargo Championship winners Rickie Fowler and Jason Day among the notables.
When both Copperhead and Quail Hollow last staged their respective competitions in 2019, they ranked a respective 1 and 2 among the hardest par 71s of all non-majors. Further consider that Quail Hollow’s scoring average of 71.762 reflected a significant drop from its 72.132 as the hardest par 71 in a non-major during the 2017-18 season. It had served as the backdrop for the 2017 PGA Championship for which it debuted as a par 71 after playing to a par of 72 as host of the Wells Fargo Championship from 2003-2016. (Eagle Point Golf Club in Wilmington, North Carolina, hosted the 2017 edition of the WFC.)
Quail Hollow also is the longest par 71 on the PGA TOUR, although this year’s maximum walk of 7,521 yards reflects a reduction of 33 yards, all as a result of the decision not to use the back tees on the par-3 17th hole that now tips at 190 yards.
Like Copperhead’s closing three holes dubbed The Snake Pit, the last three at Quail Hollow Club also has a nickname. It’s The Green Mile. The par 4-3-4 sequence averaged a collective 0.780 strokes over par in 2019. As compared to all holes on the course, they ranked third, first and second, respectively. No. 17 was the fourth-hardest of 197 par 3s in all of 2018-19, while the finisher was 24th-hardest of 522 par 4s.
Given the challenge nearest the finish line, whoever prevails will want to be the front-runner when he pencils in his score on the par-5 15th hole on Sunday. Max Homa birdied the last of the trio of par 5s in his final round before closing bogey-par-par for a three-stroke breakthrough victory. For the week, he scored 2-over on The Green Mile.
The length of the course in conjunction with greens that are slightly above average in size promotes the bomb-and-gouge equation, and that has had merit over time, but Homa converted on his coronation with his shortest sticks. He finished inside the top 25 in distance of all drives, greens in regulation and proximity to the hole, and then led the field in Strokes Gained: Putting and ranked second in scrambling. He also paced it in par-4 scoring and ranked T2 in par-5 scoring.
Inclement weather early this week will have moved on by the time balls are in the air on Thursday morning. Primarily sunny skies and probably dry conditions will allow for zero interruption throughout. It also means that the bermudagrass greens will have an opportunity to reach 13 feet on the Stimpmeter. This elevates the importance of avoiding the primary rough measuring two-and-a-half inches.
Extremely comfortable daytime highs in the 70s will get shoved away with a high in the mid-80s for the finale. It’s also when wind will most influence decisions.
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: Power Rankings
TUESDAY*: Sleepers; Fantasy Insider
SUNDAY: Qualifiers, Reshuffle, Medical Extensions, Rookie Watch
* - 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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