Sleepers: the Memorial Tournament

Rob Bolton lists five against-the-grain fantasy selections for this week’s event at Muirfield Village GC. Jamie Lovemark … The old man on this page at 29 years of age, he recently hit the century mark in career PGA TOUR starts as a professional. Injuries led to years of mediocrity before he connected with consistently strong form last season. It carried over into 2016-17, but he went without a top 20 for four months until a T18 at the AT&T Byron Nelson two weeks ago. While he projects to remain a regular at this level, if he’s going to break through for victory, it would be logical for it to occur at a big-hitter’s ballpark like Muirfield Village. Now, as Jack Nicklaus likes it, the test grows more challenging closer to every hole, so Lovemark must tighten the screws on approach to pay off his power. The last three times he’s ranked inside the top 25 in a field in greens in regulation, he’s recorded a top 20 in the tournament. Harold Varner III … Back for redemption, or is it revenge? In his debut here last year, he sat T16 and just four strokes back of the tri-leaders entering the final round. Then closed with a field-high 79 to finish T57. Fast forward and you can’t rule out that 2016-17 has been a sophomore slump. The 26-year-old slots just 131st in the FedExCup standings with only one top 20 among 11 cuts made. As a rookie, he recorded four top 10s, three of which by the time he arrived at Muirfield Village. It’s a track on which he should feel comfortable given his proclivity to wield driver as often as he can. In addition to some pop, he’s inside the top third on TOUR in greens in regulation. Patrick Cantlay … Since easing his way back into competition in February, he’s picked his spots and he’s picked them well. This is why he demands attention everywhere, including in his first visit to Muirfield Village. The 25-year-old holdover rookie hasn’t missed a cut in his six starts and sits comfortably at 50th in the FedExCup standings with a runner-up finish at Copperhead and a T3 at Harbour Town. He last competed at TPC Sawgrass where he placed T22 despite a 77 in the finale. If he had enough rounds to officially qualify, he’d rank 37th in greens hit, seventh in strokes gained: putting, 23rd in birdie-or-better percentage and 11th in adjusted scoring. Patrick Rodgers … The Indiana native’s second spin with a PGA TOUR card hasn’t been as impressive as he’d have wanted, but he’s done well with a few opportunities he’s manufactured. Just 5-for-17 on the season, but all of his paydays are top 30s. Top 10s at Seaside and Torrey Pines are why he’s 110th in the FedExCup standings. But this has been his M.O. as he’s averaged one top 10 for every five-and-a-half cuts made in 69 starts as a pro. He made noise in his debut at Muirfield Village in 2015, sitting T5 at the midpoint before backing up for a T40. Easing the absence of consistency (read: confidence?) on and around greens this season, he’s a lofty 43rd in greens in regulation. Equipped with advantageous power off the tee this week, the 24-year-old is likely licking his chops for another opportunity to prove that he’s the total package. Ollie Schniederjans … If you covered his name and face and flashed his rookie season in front of a knowledgeable golf fan for a guess, it’s unlikely that he or she would consider the PGA TOUR rookie. He’s 13-for-18 with four top 10s and ranks 44th in the FedExCup standings. Just 23 years of age, well, at least for another two weeks – his birthday is June 15 – the Georgia Tech product has feasted in the analytics that portend success at Muirfield Village where he’s making his debut. He’s currently T20 in proximity to the hole, 25th in strokes gained: approach-the-green, 31st in strokes gained: tee-to-green and T14 in par-5 scoring. Put everything together and he’s 32nd in adjusted scoring.

Click here to read the full article…