Bolton: Look for Viktor Hovland to make run at defending FedExCup crown

In lieu of a traditional opening to this weekly column, I’m extending attention to my primer for Perfect 30, a new game dedicated to the FedExCup Playoffs.

As its name suggests, the objective of Perfect 30 is to guess the final leaderboard of the TOUR Championship (including FedExCup Starting Strokes). That quite literally would be a perfect entry because it would activate all bonuses baked into the scoring system. Short of that, gamers will total points that will be ranked at the conclusion of the tournament. The top 10 entries will win prizes. You can enter the game here. Rules, the scoring system and how to play is here.

If you’re familiar with my annual Power Rankings for the Playoffs, the primer will look like that, and its construct essentially is the same, but now it has specific context for Perfect 30. Beneath the ranking of the 30 that represents my entry is historical trending, my advice, peeks at each of the three tournaments in the Playoffs and much more information to educate and assist in your experience.

For those submitting late entries, here’s a bit of context from early submissions: everyone loves the favorites. A whopping 89.34% of entries through Tuesday have selected either Scottie Scheffler or Xander Schauffele to win the FedExCup, including nearly 73% on Scheffler alone. Plan accordingly.

It’s free to play, so give it a whirl and let me know what you think on X.

Weather

Summer in the Home of the Blues conjures all kinds of feelings about outdoor conditions that match the reality of this week.

Hot and muggy air will blanket the area for Thursday’s opening round. With heat indices approaching 110 degrees, those who embrace the challenge will be better off. There’s simply no hiding from it. A threat for rain rises by Friday and even further on Saturday as daytime highs gradually slide. Come Sunday, it might not reach even 90 degrees if clouds block the sun.

Even if there’s a delay at some point, no one should be losing sleep about finishing on time on Sunday.

Power Rankings wild card

Viktor Hovland (+110 = Top 20) … There’s always a debate in the philosophy of whether a champion is defending a title or merely chasing consecutive titles. It boils down to the individual, but the fact still remains that no golfer has successfully defended a FedExCup. He opens as the 57-seed, so it’ll require a strong week just to advance. That’s the immediate goal as he pursues history. This year has been one of the steeper climbs on his learning curve with only one top 10 (at the PGA Championship), so retreating into this finish in a 70-man field with his unique perspective of the experience has juice.

Other notables

Chris Kirk (+110 = Top 30) … It’s funny how we can forget about winners early in the season. He was the first No. 1 in the FedExCup when he won The Sentry to start the year and didn’t drift outside the top 10 until the second half of May. Now 28th, he’s on the bubble to pay off the front-loaded boon for a trip to East Lake, and he’s treated with an opener where he finished T16 a year ago. He also turned in a T6 at TPC Southwind in 2018. There’s more of a sum-is-greater-than-its-parts profile nowadays for the 39-year-old, and that’s just fine for modest plus value for this finish.

Taylor Pendrith (+250 = Top 20) … Since breaking through at THE CJ CUP Byron Nelson, he’s been on the fast track to return to the Presidents Cup. That was the ignition for what’s been one of the sharpest angles to capture the attention of captain and fellow Canadian, Mike Weir. Pendrith strides him having connected fifth-place finishes at the Barracuda Championship and the 3M Open. And if you’re the aggressive type considering splitting a unit for a top 10 at +550, he has six of those this year. (You’ll find the 27-seed in my Perfect 30 entry linked at the top.)

Tap-ins

NOTE: Not everything needs a setup. For a variety of reasons, these lines are too enticing to ignore.

• Corey Conners (+138 = Top Canadian)
• Max Greyserman (+240 = Top 20)
• Sungjae Im (+300 = Top Asian)
• Taylor Moore (+250 = Top 20)
• Erik van Rooyen (+160 = Top South African)

Returning to competition

Matt Fitzpatrick … Back in action after a strained right thumb forced him out after the third round of the Olympics. It was cited as a preexisting injury by the International Golf Federation and could explain the absence of a top-35 finish in his previous four starts. Even if you love the contrarian angle, consider that he’s 40th in points, so he’s a lock to advance to the BMW Championship. This means that if he feels like he’s putting his thumb in further danger, he can afford another week to rest, recover and reset for Castle Pines. There is no urgency to force it.

Harris English … The 51-seed was a late scratch from the Wyndham Championship due to a back that wasn’t ready to go. The tall drink of water broke through at TPC Southwind 11 years ago and he added a solo fourth in 2021, so it’s a special stage, but uninspiring form ahead of the unplanned week off is reason to sprinkle your units elsewhere.

Jake Knapp … With no cut at TPC Southwind, all golfers are guaranteed to cash, except if they are disqualified during or withdraw from the tournament. He had made the cut at the 3M Open and withdrew after the third round, citing an injured shoulder. He then withdrew after the commitment deadline of the Wyndham, so he’s not only dealing with a physical issue at the wrong time, he’s putting any investment in him in jeopardy. Abstain from the 50-seed.

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