Fortinet Championship Preview 2021

Fortinet Championship Preview 2021

• 2021 Fortinet Championship
• September 13-19, 2021
• Silverado Resort and Spa (North Course)
• Napa, California
• Par 72
• 7,123 yards
• Purse $7 million
• Winner $1.26 million + 500 FedExCup pts.
• 156 players
• 72-hole stroke-play
• 2020 champion Stewart Cink (not in field)

New PGA TOUR Season Begins With The Fortinet Championship

The 2021-22 PGA TOUR Season kicks off this week at the Fortinet Championship, with every PGA TOUR member starting at zero in the race for the FedExCup title. Each of the last two champions of the Fortinet Championship has gone on to qualify for the TOUR Championship; Cameron Champ finished 27th in the 2019-20 standings, while Stewart Cink went on to finish No. 26 last season.

Rookies beginning PGA TOUR careers:

There are 27 rookies in this season’s class on the PGA TOUR, the most in a
season since 2011 (35). 25 of them are in the field this week (all but Matthias Schwab).

Rookies in the field (bold making PGA TOUR debut): Paul Barjon, David Lipsky, Taylor Pendrith, Greyson Sigg, Sahith Theegala, Hayden Buckley, Justin Lower, Mito Pereira, David Skinns, Curtis Thompson, Joshua Creel, Max McGreevy, Aaron Rai, Alex Smalley, Jared Wolfe, Nick Hardy, Taylor Moore, Chad Ramey, Austin Smotherman, Brandon Wu, Lee Hodges, Andrew Novak, Davis Riley, Callum Tarren, Dylan Wu and Cameron Young

World No. 1 Kicks Off The Season:

Jon Rahm, who finished No. 2 in the FedExCup standings last season, will begin the 2021-22 season at the Fortinet Championship. This the first time the No. 1 player in the Official World Golf Ranking has competed at the event (previous-high: No. 2 Phil Mickelson, 2007) and second start for Rahm at Silverado (T15/2016).

Major Champs:

Three of the four reigning major champions are in the field (Hideki Matsuyama, Masters Tournament; Phil Mickelson, PGA Championship; Jon Rahm, U.S. Open).

2021 PGA TOUR Player of the Year and Rookie of the Year

Player of the Year (Jack Nicklaus Award): The PGA TOUR announced Tuesday that FedExCup Champion Patrick Cantlay has been named the 2021 PGA TOUR Player of the Year as voted by the TOUR’s membership for the 2020-21
season. With wins at the ZOZO CHAMPIONSHIP, the Memorial Tournament presented by Workday, BMW Championship and TOUR Championship, Cantlay (4) was the only player with more than two during the 2020-21 season. The last player with four or more victories in a single season on the PGA TOUR was Justin Thomas in 2016-17.

Rookie of the Year (Arnold Palmer Award): The PGA TOUR announced Monday that Will Zalatoris has been named the 2021 PGA TOUR Rookie of the Year as voted by the TOUR’s membership for the 2020-21 season. Zalatoris, 25, is
competing in this week’s Fortinet Championship to open his first full season as a member of the PGA TOUR. Zalatoris joined the PGA TOUR as a Special Temporary Member in November and collected 1,296 non-member FedExCup points, recording eight top-10s and 21 made cuts in 25 starts, highlighted by a runner-up at the 2021 Masters Tournament.

Dustin Johnson qualified for the TOUR Championship for the 13th consecutive season, the longest streak in the FedExCup era (2007-present). Six other players have active streaks of five years or more: Hideki Matsuyama (8), Patrick Reed (8), Justin Thomas (6), Tony Finau (5), Jon Rahm (5) and Xander Schauffele (5).

Streaks extended in 2020-21:

Six players have qualified for the FedExCup Playoffs in each year during the FedExCup era (2007-present): Charley Hoffman (finished 32nd in the FedExCup), Phil Mickelson (70), Bubba Watson (81), Adam Scott (90), Brandt Snedeker (97) and Matt Kuchar (122).

Top Players In The Field

Jon Rahm

• No. 1 in the Official World Golf Ranking
• Led the PGA TOUR in Scoring Average, top-10s, SG: Total, SG: Tee to Green last season
• Only player in the field playing in next week’s Ryder Cup
• Recent Top Finishes
  • Won: (2021) U.S. Open
  • 2nd: TOUR Championship
  • T2: ZOZO CHAMPIONSHIP
  • 3rd: THE NORTHERN TRUST

Hideki Matsuyama

• Finished the 2020-21 season No. 26 in the FedExCup standings
• 2021 Masters Tournament winner
• Two top-fives in four prior starts at the event (T3/2013, T3/2014)
• Recent Top Finishes
  • Won (2021) Masters Tournament
  • T2 WGC-FedEx St. Jude Invitational
  • T2 Houston Open
  • T13 (2021) Masters Tournament

Kevin Na

• Finished the 2020-21 season No. 3 in the FedExCup standings (career high)
• Won on the PGA TOUR in each of the last four seasons
• Two top-fives in eight prior starts at the event (T3/2013, 2nd/2015)
• Recent Top Finishes
  • Won Sony Open in Hawaii
  • T2 Wyndham Championship
  • T2 John Deere Classic
  • 3rd TOUR Championship

Will Zalatoris

• Named 2021 PGA TOUR Rookie of the Year on Monday
• Eight top-10s and 21 made cuts in 25 starts on TOUR last season
• Beginning first full season on the PGA TOUR
• Recent Top Finishes
  • 2nd (2021) Masters Tournament
  • T5 Shriners Children’s Open
  • T6 (2020) U.S. Open
  • T7 Farmers Insurance Open

Phil Mickelson

• Making seventh start at the Fortinet Championship (best result: T3/2017)
• Winner of the 2021 PGA Championship, his 45th PGA TOUR title
• Finished the 2020-21 season No. 70 in the FedExCup standings
• Recent Top Finishes
  • Won PGA Championship
  • T17 WGC-FedEx St. Jude Invitational
  • T21 (2021) Masters Tournament
  • T25 The Honda Classic

TOURNAMENT SCORING RECORDS

Category	Record	Player	YEar
Low 18 Hole Score	61	6 players (7 instances) Most recent, Ricky Barnes, R2	2018
Low 36 hole Score	128	John Mallinger	2012
Low 54 Hole Score	194	Troy Matteson	2009
Low 72 Hole Score	262	5 players. Most recent: J. Lovemark, R Fowler, T. Matteson	2009
Holes in One	14	14 players Most recent: Grayson Murray	2019
Largest 18 Hole Lead	3	Nick O’Hearn	2012
Largest 36 Hole Lead	4	John Mallinger	2012
Largest 54 Hole Lead	4	Sangmoon Bae	2014
Biggest Come From Behind Win	4	Brendan Steele	2016
Largest Margin of Victory	2	4 players. Most recent: Steward Cink	2020
Playoffs	5	Most Recent: K. Tway defeated two players	2018
Wire To Wire Winners	1	Rocco Mediate	2010

via PGA TOUR