Franklin Templeton Shootout Preview – 2016

2016 Franklin Templeton Shootout Preview

• This will be the 28th playing of the $3.1 million Franklin Templeton Shootout and it will be staged at the Tiburon Golf Club at The Ritz-Carlton Resort in Naples, FL. This marks the 16th consecutive year Naples will serve as host of the 24-player event.
• The teams:
  • Jason Dufner & Brandt Snedeker
  • Harris English & Matt Kuchar
  • Bryson DeChambeau & Lexi Thompson
  • Sean O’Hair & Kenny Perry
  • Charles Howell III & Rory Sabbatini
  • Smylie Kaufman & Justin Thomas
  • Jerry Kelly & Steve Stricker
  • Mike Weir & Gary Woodland
  • Kevin Chappell & Kevin Kisner
  • Charley Hoffman & Billy Horschel
  • Daniel Berger & K.J. Choi
  • Luke Donald & Russell Knox

• Jason Dufner and Brandt Snedeker will return to defend their 2015 title after finishing two strokes better than Harris English and Matt Kuchar.
• No team has enjoyed more success in the past three years than Harris English and Matt Kuchar since the pair teamed up in 2013. They won the title in their first year together and have finished as runner-ups the past two years.
• This year’s field includes players representing six different countries. They include South Korea (K.J. Choi), Canada (Mike Weir), England (Luke Donald), Scotland (Russell Knox), South Africa (Rory Sabbatini) and the United States.
• Competitors in the 2016 Franklin Templeton Shootout have amassed 107 victories, including 99 on the PGA TOUR and seven on the LPGA Tour. Kenny Perry owns 14 of those wins on Tour, two more than Steve Stricker.
• There will be seven new teams competing this year, including eight players making their debuts in this tournament. The new teams are Bryson DeChambeau/Lexi Thompson; Smylie Kaufman/Justin Thomas; Kevin Chappell/Kevin Kisner; Daniel Berger/K.J. Choi; Luke Donald/Russell Knox; Jerry Kelly/Steve Stricker; Charley Hoffman/Billy Horschel.
  Lexi Thompson is just the second woman to compete in the Franklin Templeton Shootout. Annika Sorenstam teamed with Fred Couples in 2006.
• Two players in this year’s field competed at the recent Rio Olympics. Matt Kuchar was a bronze medalist in the men’s competition and Lexi Thompson finished T17 in the women’s competition.
• Two former FedEx Cup winners are among the 24-player field. Brandt Snedeker won the title in 2012, while Billy Horschel prevailed in 2014.
• Kenny Perry, who will be playing with Sean O’Hair, is making his 14th appearance in the tournament, the most by any of the 24 players entered. Perry has won more money in this event than any other player, earning $1,993,957. Perry is a three-time winner of the tournament and all three were with a different partner. He teamed with Sean O’Hair in 2012, Scott Hoch in 2008 and John Huston in 2005.
• Eight players in the field earned a total of nine victories during the 2015-2016 season: Charley Hoffman, Daniel Berger, Justin Thomas, Kevin Kisner, Jason Dufner, Russell Knox (two wins), Brandt Snedeker and Smylie Kaufman. In addition, Lexi Thompson won the LPGA’s Honda LPGA Thailand. Thomas recently defended his CIMB Classic title in Malaysia.
• Kenny Perry has the most top-five career Shootout finishes among players in the field with nine. Perry shares the all-time record with Greg Norman and Mark O’Meara. Perry’s playing partner this week is Sean O’Hair, who has won the event (2012) and finished T5 with Perry (2014). The team with the most top-five finishes in tournament history is O’Meara and Curtis Strange. The pair accumulated five solid performances between 1989 and 1996 including a victory in the inaugural Shootout.
• Eight players in the field are ranked among the top 50 in the Official World Golf Rankings: Russell Knox (No.18), Matt Kuchar (No. 20), Justin Thomas (No. 22), Brandt Snedeker (No. 27), Kevin Chappell (No. 30), Daniel Berger (No. 31), Gary Woodland (No. 48) Kevin Kisner (No. 49).
• After not competing a year ago, Jerry Kelly returns to the Franklin Templeton Shootout for his 11th appearance in the tournament. He’ll team with fellow Wisconsin resident Steve Stricker for a record eighth time in the event. The pair won this tournament in 2009 and Kelly was also victorious in 2006 with Rod Pampling.
• Eleven players have won the Franklin Templeton Shootout in their first attempt: Mark O’Meara (1989), Curtis Strange (1989), Fred Couples (1990), Scott McCarron (1997), Hank Kuehne (2003), Rod Pampling (2006), Woody Austin (2007), Keegan Bradley (2011), Brendan Steele (2011), Harris English (2013) and Cameron Tringale (2014).
• Eight players forming four new teams will be competing for the first time in the Franklin Templeton Shootout—Bryson DeChambeau & Lexi Thompson; Smylie Kaufman & Justin Thomas; Kevin Chappell & Kevin Kisner; Luke Donald & Russell Knox.
• Three players in the field were involved in the 2016 Ryder Cup matches. Competing from the victorious United States’ team are Matt Kuchar and Brandt Snedeker along with assistant captain Steve Stricker
• The order of formats for each competitive round will be Scramble (Thursday), Modified Alternate Shot (Friday) and Better Ball (Saturday).
• This year’s event will be televised live by Golf Channel on Thursday (1-4 p.m.) and Friday (1-4 p.m.) and FOX on Saturday (1-5 p.m.). All times are Eastern.

via PGA TOUR