Wells Fargo Championship Preview 2018

Wells Fargo Championship Preview 2018

Dates: April 30 – May 6
Where: Quail Hollow Club
Par/Yards: 71/7,554
2017 champion: Brian Harman
Purse: $7,700,000/$1,386,000
FedExCup: 500 points to the winner
Format: 72-hole stroke play; After 36 holes, the field of 156 competitors is cut to the low 70 scores and ties.
Field: 156
Twitter: @WellsFargoGolf

 

Field by the numbers

• This is the 16th year of the tournament (est. 2003)
• 16 of the top 30 in the FedExCup standings, led by Justin Thomas (1), Patton Kizzire (2) and Phil Mickelson (4).
• 16 of the top 30 in the Official World Golf Ranking, led by Justin Thomas (2), Rickie Fowler (6) and Rory McIlroy (7).
• 12 of this season’s PGA TOUR winners: Justin Thomas, Patton Kizzire, Austin Cook, Jason Day, Gary Woodland, Ted Potter, Jr., Phil Mickelson, Paul Casey, Rory McIlroy, Brice Garnett, Patrick Reed and Andrew Landry.
• 10 past champions: Brian Harman (2017), James Hahn (2016), Rory McIlroy (2015, 2010), J.B. Holmes (2014), Derek Ernst (2013), Rickie Fowler (2012), Lucas Glover (2011), Sean O’Hair (2009), Tiger Woods (2007) and Vijay Singh (2005).
• 22 major winners including Tiger Woods (14), Phil Mickelson (5) and Justin Thomas who won his first major at Quail Hollow Club at the 2017 PGA Championship.
• 7 former PLAYERS Championship winners: Jason Day (2016), Rickie Fowler (2015), Martin Kaymer (2014), Tiger Woods (2001, 2013), Phil Mickelson (2007), Adam Scott (2004) and Davis Love III (1992, 2003).

Race for the FedExCup

• 27th of 44 events in the PGA TOUR Regular Season
• 8 players have competed at the Wells Fargo Championship while holding the FedExCup lead: Justin Thomas (2018), Dustin Johnson (2017), Adam Scott (2016), Jimmy Walker (2014), Hunter Mahan (2012), Bubba Watson (2011), Geoff Ogilvy (2009) and Vijay Singh (2007).
• 6 of the 11 winners of the Wells Fargo Championship have qualified for the TOUR Championship, the final event of the season that crowns the FedExCup champion: Brian Harman (2017), Rory McIlroy (2015), Rickie Fowler (2012), Sean O’Hair (2009), Anthony Kim (2008) and Tiger Woods (2007). After winning the 2007 Wells Fargo Championship, Woods went on to win the inaugural FedExCup.
• 5 FedExCup champions are in the field: Justin Thomas (2017), Rory McIlroy (2016), Bill Haas (2011), Tiger Woods (2009, 2007) and Vijay Singh (2008).

 

A look back at the 2017 Wells Fargo Championship

• One-year stop at Eagle Point Golf Club in Wilmington, North Carolina.
• Beginning the final round two strokes back, Brian Harman birdied the 71st and 72nd holes to claim his second career PGA TOUR win in his 172nd career PGA TOUR start at the age of 30 years, 3 months, 18 days.
• Harman birdied 18 from 28’4” to win by one stroke over Dustin Johnson and Pat Perez.
• Harman was the first left-handed winner of the Wells Fargo Championship.

 

Notes on the 2017 PGA Championship at Quail Hollow

• 64 players in the field competed in the 2017 PGA Championship, including winner Justin Thomas
• 9 of the top-10 at the 2017 PGA Championship are in the field (*bolded below)

 

1	Justin Thomas	73	66	69	68	276/-8
T2	Francesco Molinari	73	64	74	67	278/-6
T2	Louis Oosthuizen	70	67	71	70	278/-6
T2	Patrick Reed	69	73	69	67	278/-6
T5	Rickie Fowler	69	70	73	67	279/-5
T5	Hideki Matsuyama	70	64	73	72	279/-5
T7	Graham DeLaet	70	73	68	69	280/-4
T7	Kevin Kisner	67	67	72	74	280/-4
T9	Jason Day	70	66	77	70	283/-1
T9	Matt Kuchar	71	74	70	68	283/-1
T9	Jordan L Smith	70	75	70	68	283/-1
T9	Chris Stroud	68	68	71	76	283/-1

 

 

Notes on THE PLAYERS Championship

• The Wells Fargo Championship is the final opportunity to qualify for THE PLAYERS Championship and there are two ways to do so: win the Wells Fargo Championship, or move into the top 10 in the FedExCup standings.
• 90 players in the field are qualified for the PLAYERS.

 

Players At The Wells Fargo Championship

Justin Thomas
Entering this week

#1                           FedExCup
#2                           OWGR
105                         PGA TOUR starts
8                             PGA TOUR wins (most recently 2018 Honda Classic)
2                             Wells Fargo Championship starts
T7 (2015)              Best Result at Wells Fargo Championship

• Can claim the top spot in the OWGR with a solo-12th finish or better. World No. 1 Dustin Johnson is not in the field.
• Is in search of his third win of the season (THE CJ CUP @ NINE BRIDGES, The Honda Classic).
• Won his first major title at the 2017 PGA Championship at Quail Hollow Club last August.
• Is currently ranked 3rd in Strokes Gained: Total (2.118), behind only Dustin Johnson and Phil Mickelson.

 

Tiger Woods
Entering this week

#53                         FedExCup
#91                         OWGR
334                         PGA TOUR starts
79                           PGA TOUR wins (most recently 2013 WGC-Bridgestone Invitational)
6                             Wells Fargo Championship starts
Win (2007)           Best Result at Wells Fargo Championship

• Making his first start in the Wells Fargo Championship since 2012 (MC).
• The 2007 Wells Fargo Championship is his only TOUR win in the state of North Carolina.
• In six starts this season, has 2 top-10s and only one missed cut (Genesis Open).
• Currently ranked 6th in Strokes Gained: Total (1.820) and 6th in Strokes Gained: Around-The-Green (.528).

 

Rory McIlroy
Entering this week

#32                         FedExCup
#7                           OWGR
138                         PGA TOUR starts
14                           PGA TOUR wins (most recently 2018 Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by Mastercard)
7                             Wells Fargo Championship starts
Wins (2010,2015)  Best Result at Wells Fargo Championship

• The 2010 Wells Fargo Championship was his first victory on the PGA TOUR.
• Is the only multiple winner of the Wells Fargo Championship.
• Has played every Wells Fargo Championship since 2010, with the exception of 2017.
• Leads the tournament money list ($3,656,054.17)
• Finished T22 at the 2017 PGA Championship at Quail Hollow Club last August.
• First start since a T5 at the Masters Tournament.

 

Phil Mickelson
Entering this week

#4                           FedExCup
#19                         OWGR
581                         PGA TOUR starts
43                           PGA TOUR wins (most recently 2018 WGC-Mexico Championship)
14                           Wells Fargo Championship starts
9                             Wells Fargo Championship top-10s

• First start since a T36 at the Masters Tournament.
• Defeated Justin Thomas in a one-hole playoff at the 2018 WGC-Mexico Championship to win his 43rd career PGA TOUR title and first since the 2013 Open Championship, a span of 96 events.
• Missed the cut at the 2017 PGA Championship at Quail Hollow Club last August.
• Owns most top-10s in the Wells Fargo Championship with 9 (Rory McIlroy is second with 6).
• Has never missed a cut in 14 tournament appearances, the most consecutive cuts made by a player in the event.
• The Wells Fargo Championship is 1 of 8 tournaments Mickelson has made 10 or more starts without a win.

Phil Mickelson 10 or More Starts Without a Win

Event	Starts
U.S. Open	26
BMW Championship	20
WGC- Bridgestone Invitational	19
the Memorial Tournament presented by Nationwide	17
THE NORTHERN TRUST	16
WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play	14
Wells Fargo Championship	14
Shriners Hospitals for Children Open	12

• Season stat highlights: 2nd (Strokes Gained: Putting/1.172), 3rd (Birdie Average/4.72) and 1st Sand Save Percentage (66.18%).

 

Patrick Reed

#5                           FedExCup
#11                         OWGR
166                         PGA TOUR starts
6                             PGA TOUR wins (most recently 2018 Masters Tournament)
5                             Wells Fargo Championship starts
T12 (2017)            Best Result at Wells Fargo Championship

• Finished T2 at the 2017 PGA Championship at Quail Hollow Club last August. Was his best major finish until his Masters win.
• Earned his first PGA TOUR win in the state of North Carolina (2013 Wyndham Championship).
• Comes into the week with top-10s in last five starts, dating to the Valspar Championship (T2), Arnold Palmer Invitational (T7), WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play (T9), Masters (Won) and Zurich Classic of New Orleans (T7).
• Ranks 4th in Strokes Gained: Around-the-Green.

 

Jason Day
#16                         FedExCup
#14                         OWGR
219                         PGA TOUR starts
1                             PGA TOUR wins (most recently 2018 Farmers Insurance Open)
2                             Wells Fargo Championship starts (not since 2012)
T9 (2012)              Best Result at Wells Fargo Championship

• Has won 10 times on TOUR since his last start at Wells Fargo Championship in 2012.
• Finished T9 at the 2017 PGA Championship at Quail Hollow Club last August.
• Ranks 1st on TOUR for Strokes Gained: Putting (1.386) and 1st in Total Driving.

Rickie Fowler

#17                         FedExCup
#6                           OWGR
205                         PGA TOUR starts
4                             PGA TOUR wins (most recently 2017 Honda Classic)
6                             Wells Fargo Championship starts
Won (2012)          Best Result at Wells Fargo Championship

• Won his first PGA TOUR event at the 2012 Wells Fargo Championship.
• Did not play the 2017 Wells Fargo Championship in Wilmington. In 2016 at Quail Hollow Club, held the solo 54-hole lead. Closed with a 74 to finish T4.
• Finished T5 at the 2017 PGA Championship at Quail Hollow Club in August.
• First start since runner-up at the Masters. He has finished runner-up in 3 majors (2018 Masters, 2014 U.S. Open, 2014 Open Championship
• One of 7 former PLAYERS champions in the field.

Joaquin Niemann

• Not a member of the PGA TOUR.
• In his professional debut at the Valero Texas Open, finished solo-sixth to top-10 into the field.
• Turned pro after playing the Masters (MC); won the Latin America Amateur Championship to earn the Masters berth.
• From Chile, was former No. 1 amateur in the world.

 

Wells Fargo Championship tournament records

• The 54-hole leader has won five of 15 Wells Fargo Championships (David Toms-2003, Jim Furyk-2006, Anthony Kim-2008, J.B. Holmes-2014 and Rory McIlroy-2015).
• Vijay Singh owns the largest come-from-behind victory. He came from six strokes back when he defeated Sergio Garcia and Jim Furyk in a playoff in 2005.
• Joey Sindelar (2004) is the oldest champion, while Rory McIlroy (2010) is the youngest (20).

 

Tournament Record   267         Rory McIlroy (2015)
Course Record          61 Rory McIlroy (2015)