Pick 'Em Preview: Shriners Children's Open

While the primary objective to PGA TOUR Pick ‘Em Live is to win real money, it’s still virtuous to test your patience and establish guidelines from which to learn. Otherwise, the only activity in which you’re participating is a dart-throwing contest with your eyes closed.

Scores will be whizzing all over the board at the Shriners Children’s Open. It’s not the Barracuda Championship, which uses Modified Stableford scoring that turns over a leaderboard more than any other format, but TPC Summerlin will host a 144-man shootout during which truly anything is possible, or at least as closely to that hyperbole as it gets in golf.

As Rob notes in his analysis for his R1 Leader below, two of the three par 5s are located on the inward side of TPC Summerlin. Overall par is 35-36—71, so the side of the draw that closes on 18 stands a better chance of slingshotting around guys on the opposite side in real time. So, there’s that, too.

Most of all, since only five gamers cash, have fun. When you do, you can’t lose and crashing the top five is a bonus.

Register for PGA TOUR Pick ‘Em Live here and monitor Rob’s and Glass’ progress as Influencers.

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TOURNAMENT

TO WIN

Glass … Adam Svensson (+10000)

Jumped in on Sepp Straka at +800 last Sunday and rode him until he bucked me off. There's always time to reevaluate this selection, so take a chance. My chance is going with the Canadian birdie machine. Only two players made more birdies last season and he sat T26 with just over four per round.

Short track will help but he hits plenty of fairways and GIR to factor. And if he doesn't, I'll find somebody who does!

Rob … Harry Hall (+20000)

I know, I know, but the flexibility to change the pick at pretty much any time strips away the absurdity that it presents. So does the fact that shootouts can be indiscriminate.

There’s nothing analytical about it, either. He’s a UNLV product who finished T8 in his tournament debut (as a non-member) a year ago. You also know the story of how he had just popped the question, so he was newly engaged at the time.

With nothing but great vibes in Vegas, he’s the ideal swing for the fence on the first pitch. And hey, it’s not like he hasn’t connected before. He picked off a pair of wins on the Korn Ferry Tour in the last 16 months. The feels and knowhow of winning are the same no matter the circuit.

TOP 10

Glass … Adam Hadwin (+500)

Another Canadian! Another Adam! Please read Horses for Courses for his impressive numbers at TPC Summerlin.

The window for the Top 10 doesn't open as frequently as I would hope, and with a busy weekend on tap, I'm going to lean to the chalkier side of the tracks.

Rob … Emiliano Grillo (+400)

Since I continue to find myself browsing in the vicinity of this value when the window is open on weekends, I’ll open in the same aisle in case I can’t get back to it.

The Argentine has been outstanding since reversing his form on the greens. It yielded a pair of T2s late last season and a T5 last week in Mississippi. Since he’s No. 6 in my Power Rankings for the Shriners, I’m putting my coins with my keyboard is.

TOP 20

Rob … Rickie Fowler (+210)

I laid out the classic combination of factors for why he’ll have a good week in Draws and Fades. I’ve spread my shares for him across numerous considerations this week. This bet is the optimal spot to turn him loose in PGA TOUR Pick ‘Em Live.

Glass … Scott Piercy (+420)

Hoping to set it and forget as the Las Vegas resident knows this place as well as anyone, and the results have followed. Of his 12 starts, he's cashed T32 or better in 10 of them.

I'm willing to roll the dice here especially after closing with 67 last week for T19. Keep rollin’!

ROUND 1

LEADER

Glass … John Huh (+8000)

First 3-ball off tee No. 10, so let's go!

Posted 63 to open on debut in 2012 and went one better with 62 in 2016. Hasn't posted a round in the 60s in six rounds this season, but I'm hoping he remembers the form he had when he posted 61 to open the Wyndham Championship in August!

Rob … Robby Shelton (+6000)

Not that Glass was targeting a guy opening on the back side of TPC Summerlin where two of the three par 5s are located, but I dig the angle for the sole purpose of the positive juices that can start flowing early. Shelton goes off No. 1 in the penultimate threesome of the morning wave, so it’s probably going to backfire, but I love the fit.

He’s one of my Sleepers in part because in two appearances at the Shriners, he’s scored 69-68-67-68-67-67-68-69. And while only two tournaments are complete this season, he cashed in both. Considering that he was the only multiple winner on the Korn Ferry Tour in 2022, I’ll consider the absence of a opening slide (to which guys like Justin Suh and Carl Yuan have not been immune) as a plus.

Basically, I just hope Shelton runs into one, but that’s always the idea with this prop.

NOTE: While Glass and Rob typically stick with their selections as detailed in Pick ‘Em Preview, they are allowed the right to make changes at any time.

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