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Here we go again! The introduction of the wraparound season on the PGA Tour means the gap between the old and the new seems miniscule. So just over a week since the Tour Championship finished, the 2021/22 campaign will be teeing off in California. It’s a familiar opening venue but not a familiar tournament name. Previously known as the Safeway Open, this time it’s the Fortinet Championship although the main thing of note for punters is that it’s being played on the usual course – Silverado Country Club. It’s a par 72 measuring a shortish 7,166 yards so certainly not a bomb and gouge course which will be music to the ears for some of the shorter hitters. We have seven years of course form to peruse, the winning scores in those years from 2014 to 2020 ranging from 14-under to Stewart Cink’s 21-under in 2020. The last five editions have been won by Americans. It’s California so the greens at Silverado are a mix of Bent and Poa Annua. Short game is crucial and tight pins are often used to stop scores getting too low. Angles to consider 1/ Scrambling Stewart Cink finished 2nd for Scrambling last year and that continued a trend: every winner at Silverado since it returned as a venue in 2014 has ranked in the top seven in that category. Don’t turn up with a weak short game. 2/ Californians/West Coast performers Brendan Steele won this event in both 2016 and 2017 while Cameron Champ took the title in 2019. That means three wins for Californians in the last five years. Others with proven West Coast records such as 2018 runner-up Brant Snedeker have also shone. 3/ Par 4 Performance The Par 4s at Silverado often hold the key. Four of the last six winners ranked in the top four in this category while the best player on them last year, Chez Reavie, finished third. Selections The above angles have been used to create a shortlist from which the following players are selected. John Rahm Picking Rahm suggests a lack of thought but his case is particularly strong given what we’re looking for. He’s had two wins and seven top fives on Poa Annua greens in California and that includes his recent US Open win at Torrey Pines. His recent Scrambling numbers are superb and he finished 6th for Par 4 Scoring last season. Add in the motivation of not being voted Player of the Year and his desire to get sharp for the Ryder Cup next week and he’ll be hard to beat. Kevin Na Na shot the lowest strokeplay score at the Tour Championship along with Rahm but the format meant he was denied a shot at the win. Overlooked for a Ryder Cup pick, he’ll have a point to prove and this is a great course for him. He was runner-up on debut in 2015 and also has a seventh in his other three appearances. Na ranked 4th for Scrambling on the PGA Tour last season and 12th for Par 4 Performance. Charles Howell III Howell was 3rd on the PGA Tour for Scrambling in 2020/21 and has a bunch of strong West Coast and California form. Also 18th for Par 4 Performance last term, he was tied fourth on his last appearance at Silverado in 2019 and also tied 17th two starts before that. He looks to be underrated by the bookies. Tips 0-3; -6.00pts 2pts win Jon Rahm at 15/4 (bet365, William Hill) mc 1.5pts e.w. Kevin Na at 20/1 (William Hill, Skybet 1/5 1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8) mc 0.5pts e.w. Charles Howell at 90/1 (Paddy Power, Betfair 1/5 1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8) mc
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