It pays to be in front early at the Wyndham Championship
J.T. Poston watches his ball after an approach shot to the 14th green during the first round of the 2019 Wells Fargo Championship. (Photo by William Howard/Icon Sportswire)
August 12th, 2020
After a thrilling final day of the PGA Championship the PGA Tour has arrived in Greensboro, North Carolina for the Wyndham Championship.
At one point Sunday, there was a seven-way tie for the lead, as punters were treated to a golfing masterclass that saw Collin Morikawa come out on top.
This is only the beginning. 🏆
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) August 10, 2020
23-year-old @Collin_Morikawa wins in his first ever @PGAChampionship.
It's his third TOUR win in 27 starts as a pro. pic.twitter.com/RCsmz9jSUD
While it was edge-of-the-seat stuff for most golf fans, it wasn’t the most comfortable viewing for backers of Jason Day, Paul Casey, or Dustin Johnson, who all were well-backed and had a share of the lead at some point.
To make this weekend a little easier on the nerves, and to prevent any more grey hairs from the stress of the final 18 holes, here’s a look at the 10-year trends for the Wyndham and who you want to back.
Sitting pretty on top
Since 2010, four players who led after 36 holes have won this tournament — Brandt Snedeker, Si Woo Kim, Patrick Reed, and Arjun Atwal.
If your guy is on top in the clubhouse Friday evening, he has a fair chance to get the job done.
Brandt Snedeker doesn’t know he dunks his approach shot at the 2018 Wyndham en route to a 59. He won wire to wire that week. pic.twitter.com/A676zMTrwK
— By The Flagstick (@ByTheFlagstick) March 14, 2020
Even the halfway leaders who did not go on to win played well on the weekend.
There have been 12 names on top of the Wyndham leaderboard at the halfway stage in the last decade (including joint leaders), and nine have finished in the top four. The only player who led after 36 holes and did not finish in the top 10 was Tom Hoge in 2015.
But if your selection isn’t at the top of the shop Friday night do not panic.
Staying in contention
You need to be within three shots. Nobody in the last decade has come from more than three shots behind at the halfway stage to win the Wyndham.
Webb Simpson in 2011 and J.T. Poston a year ago were both three shots off the leaders and went on to win. Simpson shot a 64 Saturday to put him in the lead nine years ago, while Polston didn’t have a single bogey in 72 holes and carded a 62 on the final day to pick up the trophy.
The final putt to go bogey-free for 72 holes. 💪
— Golf Digest (@GolfDigest) August 4, 2019
With his win at the Wyndham Championship, J.T. Poston is projected to move inside the top 30 in the FedEx Cup standings. pic.twitter.com/jzaGKNOIVV
If you’re any more than three shots off the lead, the stats don’t look good. Even if you’re hoping for a top-five finish, the last decade suggests you need to be within seven or eight shots after 36 holes.
As a punter checking the scores Friday, you’ll want to be within touching distance of the leader or on top of the leaderboard, otherwise it might make for difficult weekend watching.
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