This video provides a preview of the Truist Championship, a golf tournament held at a new course, Philly Cricket. The speaker, Rick, discusses his upcoming appearances on PGA Tour Live and ESPN's bet feed, then analyzes the course layout and offers fantasy golf picks and sleepers based on data-driven analysis.
Based on course fit and recent play, Rick specifically likes the following players:
Rory McIlroy: His long driving distance is a significant advantage on this course, allowing him to avoid many hazards. His overall strong recent play further solidifies his position as a top pick.
Russell Henley: Henley's positional golf skills are well-suited to a course that doesn't demand extreme distance. His recent strong performances, including a win and several top-10 finishes, make him a valuable pick.
Patrick Cantlay: Despite some putting inconsistencies, Cantlay's exceptional ball-striking and strong performance on bent grass courses make him a viable option.
Jordan Spieth: Spieth's recent return to form, marked by consistent top finishes, makes him attractive despite potential course-specific challenges.
Daniel Berger: Berger’s consistently strong performance across all areas of his game, especially his tee-to-green play, is highlighted as a key factor making him a strong pick.
Andrew Novak: Novak's recent string of strong finishes (third, second, first in his last three tournaments) makes him a strong choice despite the unknown of this particular course.
Brian Harman: While not usually a top pick, Harman's accuracy and lack of reliance on extreme distance make him a surprising suggestion for this course.
Sahith Theegala: Theegala's historically low price and improved putting performance following the Zurich Classic present an intriguing low-risk/high-reward option.
Alex Noren: Noren's return from injury and his reputation as a grinder make him a possible low-risk, low-reward pick. The low price makes him worth considering despite the lack of recent competitive data.
Note that Rick also mentions several other players in different price ranges, but these are the ones he explicitly highlights based on both course fit and strong recent form.
Rick's commentary on each player mentioned is as follows (note that this is a summary, not direct quotes):
High-Priced Players:
Rory McIlroy: Rick considers McIlroy the best player in the field by a significant margin in 2024. His long driving distance gives him a major advantage on the course, allowing him to bypass many hazards. His current form and newfound freedom make him a top pick.
Collin Morikawa: Rick acknowledges Morikawa's exceptional overall talent, noting his status as one of the best players since 2024 despite lacking tournament wins. However, he expresses concern that Morikawa's driving distance might put him at a disadvantage on certain holes where fairway bunkers are in play. He also mentions concerns about Morikawa's putting and his recent caddy change.
Xander Schauffele: Rick believes Schauffele is underpriced and underappreciated. He points to his consistent top-18 finishes and strong tee-to-green performance as reasons to pick him, considering his injury to start 2025 as having passed.
Justin Thomas: Rick highlights Thomas's recent win at Harbour Town but notes that he's been losing strokes off the tee, raising some concerns. He's considered a solid option despite not being as long off the tee as some other players.
Mid-Priced Players:
Russell Henley: Rick sees Henley as a strong value pick. His style of positional golf is well-suited to the course, which doesn't demand extreme distance. His recent strong performances are a major selling point.
Patrick Cantlay: Rick emphasizes Cantlay's excellent ball-striking, noting his high ranking in strokes gained tee-to-green. However, he points out putting as a potential weakness that may or may not be mitigated by the course's bentgrass greens. He is relatively optimistic about Cantlay's chances.
Jordan Spieth: Rick highlights Spieth’s recent resurgence, marked by a string of top finishes, and believes the pieces of his game are coming together again. He is bullish on Spieth's chances.
Low-Priced Players:
Andrew Novak: Rick points to Novak's incredible recent run of finishes (third, second, and first in his last three events) as a compelling reason to consider him, regardless of the unknown course.
Brian Harman: Usually not a player Rick favors, he sees Harman as a potential pick this week because the course's shorter length negates his lack of distance. His recent improved tee-to-green game and putter are also factors.
Sahith Theegala: After a strong showing at the Zurich Classic, Rick highlights Theegala's historically low price and believes this is a great opportunity to acquire him early.
Alex Noren: Returning from injury, Noren is considered a low-risk/low-reward play due to his reputation as a grinder and his past performance. His very low price makes him a worth considering.
Other Players Mentioned:
Several other golfers are mentioned but not analyzed in the same depth. These include players such as Ludvig Aberg, Tommy Fleetwood, Victor Hovland, Sam Burns, Danny McCarthy, Michael Kim, Rasmus Hojgaard, Lucas Glover, and Takumi Kanaya. While Rick may offer brief comments on their potential, the analysis for those players is not as comprehensive.
