Slate Breakdown | Charles Schwab Challenge

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Transitioning from a major championship to a regular PGA TOUR event may appear as a downgrade, but the Charles Schwab Challenge still holds plenty of excitement, with a $10,000 prize for the winner. This article will highlight some of this week's top contenders, as well as a few other notable picks to enhance your lineups.

The Tournament

The Charles Schwab Challenge at the Colonial Country Club is one of the PGA TOUR's longest-standing events, held annually at the same location since the 1940s. Despite significant changes in the game of golf over the years, including the increasing hitting distance of players, this event continues to attract a strong field of participants, especially given its timing right after a major championship.

In terms of Reignmakers PGA TOUR classification, this is deemed a premium event, with a total prize pool of $275,000 this week. Prizes are distributed across each tier, ranging from the CORE to the REIGNMAKER, with first-place rewards of $1,000, $2,000, $10,000, $5,000, and $10,000 respectively.

Having introduced the tournament, let's delve into some details about this week's host, the Colonial Country Club.

The Course

The Colonial Country Club is a par 70 course spanning about 7,000 yards. The course is characterized by tree-lined fairways and highly undulating greens, both of which present a significant challenge with roughly 63% hit rates, notably below the tour average. Golfers will need to effectively shape their shots as the layout offers diverse holes. Given the par 70 setup with only two par 5s, scoring tends to be lower here. Over the past 5-10 years, the average winning score has been around 13 under par, with Justin Rose setting the record in 2018 with a 20 under par.

Last 5 Winners

2022: Sam Burns
2021: Jason Kokrak
2020: Daniel Berger
2019: Kevin Na
2018: Justin Rose

The Golfers

The week following a major championship can often lead to mental exhaustion for golfers, yet many of the world's top players have journeyed to Texas for the Colonial Country Club event. Dallas/Ft. Worth resident Scottie Scheffler, despite a commendable performance at the PGA Championship, likely left dissatisfied, particularly after his four-over 74 on Saturday. Viktor Hovland, who rivaled the eventual champion until a disastrous 16th hole, probably shares the sentiment.

They are joined by Collin Morikawa, Sungjae Im, Max Homa, and crowd favorites Jordan Spieth, Justin Rose, and Rickie Fowler, who have yet to obtain a Reignmakers card. With such an elite lineup, selecting the right combination of players could be key to victory this week. To assist in that endeavor, we provide three target suggestions below to complement the aforementioned players.

Three-Ball: 3 DraftKings Reignmakers PGA TOUR Targets

Find below a trio of options for this week's Charles Schwab Challenge:

Sam Burns

The event's reigning champion enters this tournament on a downswing, having finished nearly last at the PGA Championship. Unfortunately, this seems to be a recurring trend for Sam in major championships, despite his otherwise commendable performance on the PGA TOUR. However, I still see value in him at this point. His overall potential remains high, and there's still a chance he could turn things around in the two remaining major championships this year.

Denny McCarthy

Originally recognized mainly for his expertise in putting, McCarthy has since developed a well-rounded game, with all areas of his skill set exhibiting strength. His determination was on display last week, notably on Sunday, when he shot a two-under 68, securing a top-30 finish. This performance should boost his confidence, an element further enhanced by his personal happiness, following his recent engagement announcement. Given his current form and personal circumstances, I anticipate a high level of effectiveness from Denny throughout this season as he competes for a position in the top 50.

Cam Davis

In terms of top 50 world rankings, Davis recently secured his position with a top 5 finish last week. This achievement virtually guarantees him a place in the final two Majors of the year. Beyond that, he plans to participate in all the elevated events, a few in the Midwest, and aims to boost his FedEx Cup rank to reach the TOUR Championship for the first time in his career. Given his fourth-place finish here last year, Davis's recent form, coupled with his solid history, positions him as a strong long-term investment for the portfolio.

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