Opinion & Analysis

The 7 most underrated players at the Tour Championship

Published

11 years ago

Sep 22, 2015

The top 30 players in the FedExCup Points list take to the Tour Championship — the culmination of the 2015 FedExCup Playoffs — where they’ll compete for the $10 million overall prize.

Fans will also compete for big money in the DraftKings $400,000 contest where the winner earns $100,000! It’s also the last event of the PGA Tour season, so it’s your last time to win big money in a DraftKings fantasy golf contest.

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Below, I’ll give you information on the course and 7 undervalued players in order to help you win the big $100K prize.

The Course

www.pga.com

East Lake Golf Club located in Atlanta measures almost 7,400 yards in length, plays to a tournament par of 70, and has been the permanent home of the Tour Championship by Coca-Cola since 2004. Famously re-designed by Donald Ross in 1913 and later restored by Rees Jones, East Lake is the oldest golf course in Atlanta. Notably, it was the home course of Robert Tyre “Bobby” Jones II.

As the primary home to the Tour Championship (1998, 2000, 2002 and 2004 – present), previous winners have averaged 11.64-under par for 72 holes, and 2.84-under (67.16) per tournament round. The lowest 72-hole score in the 14-year history of this event at East Lake is 23-under by Tiger Woods in 2007. It is possible, yet no guarantee, that one player could win the Tour Championship, and another the $10 million FedExCup payday. The top five players (Day, Spieth, Fowler, Stenson, and Watson) in FedExCup points entering this week, however, control their fate with a win.

My 7 Underrated Players

Steve Bowditch ($6,700)

FedExCup Ranking — 24th
All-Around Ranking — 593 (45th)
Strokes Gained: Tee-to-Green — 0.224 (69th)
Par 5 Birdie or Better Leaders — 45.95 percent (37th)

Bowditch was recently selected as a captain’s pick for the International Team at the 2015 President’s Cup by Nick Price, 2003 WGHF member. Further, this season he has posted nine top-25s, earned almost $3 million in prize money, and won the AT&T Byron Nelson back in May 2015.

Having publicly expressed his desire to represent the International Team in South Korea at the President’s Cup, expect Bowditch to play hard in anticipation of and preparation for that event. While inconsistent at times, Bowditch is a multiple winner on the PGA Tour and provides tremendous value at only $6,700 this week.

Danny Lee ($7,000)

Photo credit: Twitter

FedExCup Ranking — 19th
All-Around Ranking — 458 (19th)
Strokes Gained: Putting — 0.365 (25th)
Strokes Gained: Tee-to-Green — 0.243 (66th)

A former U.S. Amateur champion (2008), and this season’s winner at The Greenbrier Classic, Lee is having his best PGA TOUR season to date. In addition to his win, Lee has posted two third-place finishes, 12 top-25s, and made more than $3 million in earnings.

While Lee has been leaking oil (so to speak) in the FedExCup playoffs, his game is complete and he has demonstrated the ability to win at the PGA Tour level. Lee’s exceptional putting should serve him well this week in Atlanta. Do not miss out on this steal at $7,000.

Kevin Na ($7,100)

FedExCup Ranking — 27th
All-Around Ranking — 581 (43rd)
Strokes Gained: Putting — 0.281 (44th)
Strokes Gained: Tee-to-Green — 0.694 (29th)

No stranger to East Lake Golf Club, Na most recently qualified for the Tour Championship in 2014 and finished T19. Over the course of his career, Na has repeatedly demonstrated the uncanny ability to compete at the highest level of PGA Tour golf with little more than grit and determination.

He is a gifted putter and surprisingly strong tee-to-green overall. Na has posted 12 top-25 finishes, made 22 of 25 cuts, and tallied more than $2.5 million in earnings this season. I suggest you take a chance on Na at $7,100 this week.

Robert Streb ($7,300)

FedExCup Ranking — 14th
All-Around Ranking — 434 (15th)
Strokes Gained: Putting — 0.361 (27th)
Strokes Gained: Tee-to-Green — 0.807 (24th)

Streb has had a banner year, as evidenced by his statistics, on the PGA Tour (sans a couple guys named Day and Spieth). He won early in the 2014-2015 season at The McGladrey Classic in a playoff, which has led to 15 top-25 finishes, earned in excess of $3.75 million, and garnered an OWGR ranking of 32nd in his second year on Tour.

Streb’s play in these FedExCup playoffs has been solid, but not spectacular. With a well-rounded game, sufficient length (297.7 yards) off the tee, and strong putting on average, put Streb in your lineup this week for $7,300. He is definitely worth the cash.

Paul Casey ($7,500)

FedExCup Ranking — 22nd
All-Around Ranking — 478 (20th)
Ball Striking — 14 (5th)
Strokes Gained: Tee-to-Green — 1.186 (9th)

In so many ways, Paul Casey remains an absolute mystery. Gifted with (and obviously worked hard for) a golf swing incredible in both its form and execution, Casey has only one PGA Tour win, though he is a 13-time winner on the European Tour.

Statistically, he hits almost every relevant mark this season and with an excellent week of putting on the greens, he will certainly be in the thick of things. Casey has, in fact, been close in 2015 to winning on the PGA Tour with two second-place finishes and two third-place finishes. Expect a run this week from an inexpensive stud.

Patrick Reed ($7,600)

FedExCup Ranking — 10th
All-Around Ranking — 547 (37th)
Strokes Gained: Putting — 0.531 (11th)
Strokes Gained: Tee-to-Green — 0.523 (39th)

Despite a villainous reputation that may forever follow him, Reed is similarly likely to earn his place in the group of the youngsters currently taking over the PGA Tour. While Reed has only one victory this year back in January at the Hyundai Tournament of Champions, he has reeled off overall 14 top-25s, made 24 of 26 cuts, and earned almost $3.5 million to date this season.

Reed is a putting genius, who tends to threaten to win when hitting his irons in close proximity to the hole with consistency. Love him or hate him, avoid getting emotional about putting Reed in your lineup for the bargain price of $7,600 and do it.

Louis Oosthuizen ($7,700)

FedExCup Ranking — 29th
All-Around Ranking — 411 (T12)
Ball Striking — 79 (T31)
Strokes Gained: Tee-to-Green — .821 (22nd)

Oosthuizen has a golf swing for the ages and a knack for competing late on Sunday in professional major championships. Absent a balky putter, Oosthuizen would likely have several major victories to his name, instead of just the 2010 Open Championship at the Old Course at St. Andrews.

In fact, while Oosthuizen has 10 top-25 finishes this season, his best finishes were notched at the U.S. Open and Open Championship, respectively, where he finished tied for second. As to the latter, he lost in a playoff to Zach Johnson. In short, Oosthuizen plays big in big events and at championship caliber golf courses like that of East Lake Golf Club. Jump on the bandwagon this week for the paltry sum of $7,700.

Don’t forget to enter here for a chance to win $100,000!

Opinion & Analysis

5 Things We Learned: Thursday at the PGA Championship

Published

2 weeks ago

May 15, 2026

Ronald Montesano

Aronimink is not a storied club, but when Donald Ross himself proclaimed it to be as good as he can design and build, one had to take notice. Jay Sigel was the pre-eminent male amateur golfer from the mid-1970s to the mid-1990s. He might have called any number of Philadelphia clubs home, but he chose Aronimink. It served him well. Gary Player won a PGA Championship here in 1962, and was followed by the 1993 winner … nobody. Aronimink gave that event away to Inverness, for reasons of which it is certainly not proud. So be it. We had to wait sixty-four years for the PGA to return to Newtown Square, but here we are. Aronimink has been neo-restored by Gil Hanse and team, to return Ross features with an eye toward defense against the dark arts, errrr, high-tech equipment.

Day one saw Rory McIlroy and Bryson DeChambeau dig big holes, to the tune of plus-four and plus-six, respectively. Since the first-round lead will be minus-three at worst, many shots will need to be made up for the power couple to reach contention. By nightfall, seven golfers held the day-one lead at three-under par 67. Shots and sticks caught our attention, and we are proud to present Five Things We Learned on Tech Thursday at the 2026 PGA Championship. Thanks to InsideTourGolfer, Today’s Golfer, and GolfWRX for initial equipment research.

First, meet Min Woo Lee

Min Woo Lee, aka Dr. Chipinski, has once again thrust himself into the conversation of Can he, will he, when will he? Lee has so much talent, wins not nearly as often as we believe that he should, and has no major near-misses (much less titles) on his wiki. The young Aussie is getting older and wiser, but is he able to avoid the scarring that holds the older and wiser back from breaking through? Philadelphia offers another opportunity. Min Woo signed for five birdies and two bogeys on day one, and grabbed a share of the opening-day lead at Aronimink. Winners transcend history and the moment, and Lee will need that sort of ascent to lift the Wannamaker on Sunday.

Second, meet Aldrich Potgeiter

The young South African golfer can rip driver with the best of them. Aronimink tips out at nearly 7400 yards, but beyond the fairway bunkers that ensnare only the mortals, Potgeiter can take his chances with wedge from the rough. On Thursday, he spent plenty of time in the spinach. Like Popeye, he used his muscles to gouge and thrash and dig his way out. Six birdies against three bogeys on the card brought AP in a three deep.

Third, meet Martin Kaymer

Not a major event takes place without a where’s he been throwback moment. We know that Martin Kaymer left the PGA and DP World tours for LIV golf, but the two-time (US Open and PGA) major winner has a lifetime exemption into at least one major event, and he seizes the opportunity each May. Kaymer joined the six-seven brigade with four birdies and a solitary bogey on day one. Kaymer was never a long hitter, and the years are kind to no golfer. The German champion will need to uncork every bottle of guile and strategy in his cabinet to remain in contention. For today, though, he occupies a rung on the ladder of Tour Tech.

Fourth, meet Scottie Scheffler

Let’s see, he’s the defending champion at the PGA, and he found his way back to the top tier with five birdies against two bogeys. To be a favorite and then play up to that stature and expectation is quite difficult. Just ask Rory, Bryson, and some of the other pre-tournament heartthrobs. Scheffler’s game is complete, and to knock him off the OWGR #1 pedestal, one needs to defeat him at the majors. Aronimink is the sort of course that fits Scheffler’s game. Better yet, it unfits the game of many of his challengers. Don’t expect Scheffler to go away anytime soon. Come Sunday, he’ll be around.

Fifth, meet Stephan Jaeger

Clocking in for the unheralded players shift are Ryo Hisatsune and Stephan Jaeger. Hisatsune logged seven birdies on day one, but gave most of them back with four bogeys. Still, he’s tied at the top for a time. Jaeger pitched five birdies against two bogeys, including a run of three consecutive, from holes four through six. Odds are that one of the two will hang around through 36 holes. Odds also suggest that both will be gone by Saturday evening. Still, the PGA Championship has historically been the major most likely to be won by an under-known. Both Hisatsune and Jaeger feature on that list, so good luck, lads!

Club Junkie

Club Junkie’s Titleist GTS driver fitting results!

Published

2 weeks ago

May 14, 2026

Brian Knudson

On this episode of the Club Junkie Podcast, I head to the Titleist Performance Institute for a full driver fitting with the new Titleist GTS lineup. We dive into the fitting process, talk about what made the biggest difference in performance, and break down how the different GTS heads and shaft combinations compare on the launch monitor. If you are thinking about a new driver setup for this season, there is a lot to take away from this one.

I also get into Brooks Koepka and the gear setup he brought to the PGA Championship, including the putters that caught my eye during the week. There are some interesting equipment trends showing up at the highest level right now and we break down what stands out.

To wrap things up, I talk about reshafting a few wedges, what I learned during the process, and swapping an adaptor onto a new shaft for another build project in the shop. A gear packed episode from start to finish for anyone who loves golf equipment and club building.

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Club Junkie

Club Junkie WITB, week 16: New Titleist GTS woods!

Published

2 weeks ago

May 14, 2026

Brian Knudson

Excited for this week’s WITB as we get to add the new Titleist GTS woods to the bag! I was fit at Titleist’s TPI facility in Oceanside California a few weeks ago and my new clubs just showed up. I am also adding a cool set of irons that I built last year some wild custom wedges into a new golf bag. Speaking of the bag I have a new Ghost Anyday Black Ops stand bag that I will be using on my Motocaddy Remote M7 electric cart.

Driver: Titleist GTS3 (11 degrees @ 10.25)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Red 6s

3-wood: Titleist GT1 3Tour (14.5 degrees)
Shaft: Graphite Design Tour AD CQ-7s

5-wood: Titleist GTS (18 degrees)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Red 7s

9-wood: Titleist GT1 (24 degress)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Red 7s

Irons: Bettinardi CB24 (5-PW)
Shafts: KBS C-Taper Lite 110 stiff

Wedge: TaylorMade MG5 (50-09 SB)
Shaft: Mitsubishi MMT 125 Stiff

Wedge: TaylorMade MG5 (56-12 SB)
Shaft: Mitsubishi MMT 125 Stiff

Wedge: TaylorMade MG5 (60-08 LB)
Shaft: Mitsubishi MMT 125 Stiff

Putter: Dan Carraher ZT Proto

Ball: Callaway Chrome Tour

Bag: Ghost Anyday Black Ops Stand Bag