sports247

Thorbjornsen’s lines already are wild, but the jury still is out concerning his long-term recovery from a stress fracture in his back and surgery on his right ankle last year. I red advised patience during what’s been a lot in his life and now his career. It’s also relevant to point out that the Travelers was a home game where he finished fourth two years ago, so we could use some objective data before assigning hope.

So, because Shipley has the kind of momentum that we prefer and now with stakes, he’s the most attractive in the Top 20 market. And because Koivun is having the time of his life – Auburn won the national championship, by the way – he’s the pick among the Top 40s.

Weather: Mixed bag of conditions awaits in Detroit

The field of 156 couldn’t ask for better conditions during the first two rounds. It’ll be the kind of comfort that helps convey why summers in Michigan are the best, but it won’t last with something significant brewing on Saturday. A front will push through and introduce rain and thunderstorms that would delay play. Fortunately, these are the longest days of the year in terms of daylight and, with a glorious Sunday essentially guaranteed, the tournament is scheduled to finish on time.

There is no expectation that either side of the draw will benefit, so have at it with your favorites in DFS.

Power Rankings wild card

Nate Lashley (+130 = Top 40): Not the prototypical wild card, but he’s forever the inaugural champion of the tournament in 2019. Still, it doesn’t help that none of the notables omitted from the Power Rankings and Sleepers are deserving of the same finish, lest the fact that they’re all shorter, anyway. So, the case for the veteran will suffice. Five of his six paydays in 2024 are top 40s, and he’s still balanced throughout his bag. His problem is that he’s a slow starter, but if he makes the cut, he can tap into the feels of ranking T14 in third-round scoring and seventh in final-round scoring.

Returning to competition

Doug Ghim (+120 = Top 40): The early-season contributor has quieted in the last three months, but he’s still recorded a pair of top 40s in his last five starts. His most recent resulted in a mid-tournament withdrawal at the RBC Canadian Open, but it was due to an illness and nothing affecting his swing. He’s 2-for-4 at Detroit Golf Club with a pair of top 35s. He’s also relentless from tee to green and T9 in par-5 scoring.

Alex Smalley (+170 = Top 40): With only five paydays in 17 starts this year, four of which going for a top 25, he’s the definition of speculative. He’s also rested for a month since an illness bounced him from the Charles Schwab Challenge after just one round. Through it all, he’s remained proficient from tee to green, so the angle here is not rust but the injection of a recharge on a stage where he can shine.

Taylor Montgomery: Officially leading the PGA TOUR in Strokes Gained: Putting but he hasn’t competed since withdrawing after an opening 80 at THE CJ CUP Byron Nelson on May 2. It was his second mid-tournament WD in three starts, neither for which an explanation was released, and he’s been crickets on social. It’s outstanding that he’s back and poised to contribute again, but use this week for observation only.

Carl Yuan: Called it quits after opening the RBC Canadian Open with a 6-over 76 due to an unspecified injury. He had battled through a sore neck in mid-February, but details of this latest malady haven’t surfaced. At 117th in the FedExCup, he’s making the most of his late opportunity for fully exempt status, but he’s cashed just twice in his last eight, neither for a top 55, so beware jumping in solely due to a T14 in his debut at Detroit Golf Club last year.

Assuming he sticks with the commitment, it’ll be his first appearance in 37 months on the PGA TOUR, on which he has . Multiple injuries and surgeries sidelined the lefty from New Zealand until he returned to his national open about four months ago. Arrives for his second try at Detroit Golf Club having after consecutive starts on the Korn Ferry Tour, the latter of which yielded a payday (70th). So, the 45-year-old basically has a chip and a chair to see what happens down the stretch. At the very best, limit him to a spot start as a throw-in in DFS.

is triples his early withdrawals as compared to PGA TOUR starts, 3-1, and leaves him on 21 via a medical extension. The holdover rookie has shown flashes on the Korn Ferry Tour this year, but he’s yet to gain any traction overall. Depending on how he manages his schedule through the FedExCup Fall, he could be a penny stock in salary leagues in 2025 because of the available playing time.

Rob Bolton is a Golfbet columnist for the PGA TOUR. The Chicagoland native has been playing fantasy golf since 1994, so he was just waiting for the Internet to catch up with him. Follow Rob Bolton