Power Rankings: Puerto Rico Open

It is time for the first opportunity event of the season. You may call them opposite events, but to the 120 in pursuit of a boatload of benefits, Puerto Rico is the island of opportunity.

The 15th edition of the Puerto Rico Open is slated to be contested concurrently with the Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by Mastercard for the second straight year. Perks for the winner, a brief breakdown of Grand Reserve Golf Club and more can be found below.

OTHERS TO CONSIDER

• Michael Kim … He’s a living, breathing example of the power of the additional event. When he competed here last year, it was via Past Champion status and he was 1,030th in the Official World Golf Ranking. He finished T16. It had chased a couple of grumbles on the Korn Ferry Tour just before that. They turned out to be foreshocks for four months of brilliant form that yielded a return to fully exempt status on the PGA TOUR. Now 291st in the OWGR, the 29-year-old is seeking to rekindle the form that he flashed here last year. Also recorded a T11 at Pebble Beach four weeks ago.

• Harry Hall … Until he showcases his talent outside of Las Vegas, he’ll remain typecast as a no-brainer to give it a proper run at the Shriners. Both of his top 25s on the PGA TOUR have occurred in his transplanted hometown event, and both are top-15 finishes. However, giving the benefit of the doubt that, indeed, his game can travel, the third-ranked putter on TOUR deserves attention on a track that, like TPC Summerlin, can capitalize on piling up the scoring opportunities. He’s 4-for-5 in 2023.

• MJ Daffue … The first-time PGA TOUR member finally connected for his first top 25 of the season at The Honda Classic. His opening 74 was the highest score by anyone inside the top 28. It’s one of seven cuts made in 2022-23. They sandwiched a pair of top 15s in his native South Africa in December, so it’s not like he hasn’t put four round together in a minute. Competed once before at Grand Reserve, finishing T52 in 2020 via a sponsor exemption. His strength is on approach and, given his roots, also confidence when the wind blows.

• Rafael Campos … The 34-year-old native of Puerto Rico hasn’t been the same since an injured left elbow thwarted his only DNP in tournament history in 2020. However, with five consecutive paydays going back to 2016, three of which for a top 10, it’d be surprising only if he wasn’t among others to consider, and he’s hardly a throw-in. He’s proof of the value of a home game.

You needn’t consider further than the household names among first-time winners such at Tony Finau (2016) and Viktor Hovland (2020) to understand the springboard effect that the Puerto Rico Open can have. Winners become PGA TOUR members for life, but they’re treated to so much more. In addition to fully exempt status in the winners category through 2025, the champion will earn exemptions into THE PLAYERS Championship next week, the PGA Championship in May and the Sentry Tournament of Champions in 2024. He’ll bank 300 FedExCup points and $684,000 of a record prize fund of $3.8 million.

As of Tuesday, five commits are currently exempt into THE PLAYERS, so the PRO also is an opportunity for Nate Lashley, Max McGreevy, Scott Piercy, Austin Smotherman and Nick Watney to sharpen their tools for the PGA TOUR’s flagship event. With a win, each also would qualify for the 2024 editions of the API. That’s where 2022 PRO champion Ryan Brehm is competing this week.

Returning participants will be greeted to a course that will be wholly familiar. There haven’t been any significant modifications to Grand Reserve, a stock par 72 on the coast east of San Juan. Average-sized paspalum greens won’t exceed 11 feet on the Stimpmeter because of the omnipresence of the sea breezes from the east.

On cue, the wind steps forward as the primary defense to a course that surrendered a scoring average of 71.339 last year, which essentially is the expectation. The strongest that the invisible force will get is approximately 20 mph, but the positive spin, as it were, is that it’ll be consistent throughout the tournament. Daytime temperatures will eclipse 80 degrees and the threat for rain is relegated to a passing shower at worst.

On a track that can reach 7,506 yards and with primary rough at a standard two inches in height, shorter hitters are influenced to just play their game, but like all proper tests, Grand Reserve rewards all archetypes. The through line is hitting greens in regulation no matter how that equation is written for the individual.

NOTE: ShotLink is not utilized for this tournament.

ROB BOLTON’S SCHEDULE

PGATOUR.com’s Rob Bolton recaps and previews every tournament from numerous perspectives. Look for his following contributions as scheduled.

MONDAY: Power Rankings (API)

TUESDAY*: Power Rankings (Puerto Rico), Sleepers (API)

WEDNESDAY: Golfbet Insider

SUNDAY: Payouts and Points (API), Payouts and Points (Puerto Rico), Medical Extensions, Qualifiers, Reshuffle

* - Rob is a member of the panel for PGATOUR.COM’s Expert Picks for PGA TOUR Fantasy Golf, which also publishes on Tuesday.