At TPC Summerlin, host of this week’s Shriners Children’s Open, birdies come in bunches. Typically, the winning score has been south of -20. So in order to succeed, players will need to 1) excel with their wedges and putter, and 2) take advantage of the easy par 5s.
Here are three relatively under-the-radar players to focus on this week:
Harris English $9,300
English, the No. 11 player in the world (I’m guessing you didn’t know he was ranked that high), continues to get overlooked. He has won twice in 2021 and has had multiple other chances to win on Sunday, but somehow he’s only the 10th most expensive player at the Shriners. English has been consistent all year, making 15 of his past 16 cuts. He’s also the third-ranked player this week in my statistical model, as he is top 10 in birdies, putting, and par-5 scoring, as well as above average in all other categories.
Chad Ramey $6,800
This time of year, golf fans usually learn the names of a few recent graduates of the Korn Ferry Tour. I think Chad Ramey will be one of those names this fall. He is one of the most consistent players in pro golf, having made the cut in 38 of his past 39 KFT events. Once he gets comfortable on the PGA Tour, he should be a money-making machine. Think Matt Kuchar or Will Zalatoris. At the moment, Ramey can be had at a cheap price, as he hasn’t produced great results in his two PGA Tour starts (T-63 at Sanderson and an MC on the number at the Fortinet). But if you dig into his stats, you’ll see that he lost over four strokes putting combined in those events. Putting is the most unpredictable aspect of the game, and an average week on the greens at the Shriners Children’s Open will most likely mean a made cut for Ramey, which will more than pay off his $6,800 salary.
Scott Piercy $6,700
Piercy, a Las Vegas resident, has finished 32nd or better in nine of the past 11 years at the Shriners. His game showed promise late in the 2020-21 season, and he quietly finished 11th at the Fortinet Championship three weeks ago. $6,700 is way too cheap for a player who knows TPC Summerlin intimately and can absolutely contend this week.