Alone at the top

Let's take a break from the endless online discourse covering the pitter-patter of Patrick Cantlay's pre-shot routine, or the argument over NBC's shot-predicting tracer line. The internet's worst-kept secret, Sam Burns is going to Bethpage, and yes, Tommy Fleetwood should definitely receive full credit for his win over 26 of the top 30 of the OWGR at East Lake. In place of Taylor Swift's engagement and Keegan's announcement, I present the FM Championship. I know it is a tough sell but hear me out for a second. This is the largest non-major championship purse of the season ($4 million). The winner receives a check for $615,000. Seven of the top 10 players in the world are competing, along with 26 of the top 30 in the Rolex World Rankings.

In many ways, this should be a flagship event for the LPGA. We have an awesome market (Boston), the PGA TOUR and LIV are off, and the Ryder Cup is still 29 days away. But who's counting? In year two of this championship, we head to a familiar professional golf venue in TPC Boston. Located 30 minutes south of the city, the women will get great crowds for Nelly, Jeeno, local favorite Megan Khang, and US Women's Amateur Champion Megha Ganne. It's a field of 144 that will be cut down to the top 65 and ties after 36 holes. Twenty-one of the 23 winners on tour from 2025 are playing, and we can watch featured group coverage on ESPN+. This is a big week for the LPGA, and I cannot wait to see how their new leadership handles the attention.

One last opening remark. Congratulations to Tommy Fleetwood for his first PGA TOUR victory on Sunday. I was in Atlanta and had a great grasp of the event. Our strategy nearly played out perfectly with a Scottie-Tommy, first-second exacta on the board. Ten to one on Fleetwood was a nice win for the RTL faithful, along with a great live betting H2H record (7-2). We have seven more PGA TOUR events left, 11 LPGA tournaments, two money grabs, and the Ryder Cup. Our winning will continue...

FM Championship starts in...

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TPC Boston has hosted 17 PGA TOUR events. Thirteen of those 17 were FedEx Cup playoff tournaments. Who can forget the Labor Day weekend event that ended on Monday every year? I always enjoyed that standout moment on the TOUR schedule. The South Shore region of Massachusetts has been relatively dry in August. Just a sprinkle of days gave the region rain. The forecast calls for precipitation on Friday from mid-morning through the PM wave of tee times. Approximately one-quarter inch of rain is expected. Temperatures will be wonderful for scoring with mornings in the mid 50s and afternoons highs reaching the mid 70s. That's birdie weather, especially when you include a daily wind forecast in the 8-12 mph range. Late August in New England what a beautiful time of year. At least one major professional tour gets it right. Atlanta, one week ago, was brutal for everyone on the property.

Haeran Ryu won the first FM Championship last year in a playoff over Jin Young Ko. Two legit ball strikers, they tied at 15 under par after 72 holes. Other "names" from the top 10: Jeeno Thitikul, Ariya Jutanugarn, Jennifer Kupcho, Hannah Green, Lauren Coughlin, and Carlota Ciganda. All are either major champions or Solheim Cup stars. Ten holes have water in play, and 58 bunkers dot the landscape of this original Arnold Palmer design. More on that in a minute, the cutline last year was two over par. Past champions at TPC Boston from the men's side are a who's who of professional ball strikers: Rory (twice), Vijay, Tiger, Rickie, and Henrik Stenson.

The 2024 FM leaderboard reminded me of another elite event on the LPGA schedule: the Chevron Championship. Played at Carlton Woods in Texas, that leaderboard mirrors the Sunday finish at the FM. A big ballpark, both were designed by golf royalty, Boston (Palmer) and Carlton Woods (Nicklaus). Each requires elite ball striking and scoring. This is our third parkland course in three weeks. Each layout continues to get progressively harder. The women face a par 72 scorecard stretching over 6,500 yards with an average green size of 5,500 sq/ft. Back on northern bentgrass, these green surfaces will be pure. Brad Faxon and Gil Hanse elevated Palmer's original design, which now encourages players to use their imagination. Just four more regular-season events on Mainland USA before the CME Group Tour Championship. If you're not one of those players who travel to Asia, these next three weeks are an incredible opportunity to secure points. Not to mention, the attention of the whole golfing world.

Hit it here

With just one edition of the FM Championship in the record books, comparison venues tell us a bunch about what we can expect from TPC Boston. I'm rating the comps based upon a couple of factors. The first is playability. I have played TPC Boston several times, totaling around 10 visits. I once played the day after the Deutsche Bank Championship. On the par 5 eighteenth hole, a player in my group drove it into the left trees and had to punch out on the closing par 5. His third shot was from 235 yards, and he holed it out! That's a pretty good eagle. Walking on-site is one level of research, playing the course is another. As a full-time handicapper for the LPGA, I have seen similar leaderboards. I mentioned the Chevron Championship and Carlton Woods, but I also like last week's venue for the CPKC and Blythefield Country Club, where they play the Meijer LPGA Classic in Michigan.

Big parkland layouts that require ball speed and precision. With a 4+ million-dollar purse, we should have a serious venue. Strokes gained OTT is my first stop. I'm looking for GREAT drivers of the golf ball. I took total driving into consideration as well. Arnold Palmer crafted the original design. For those who have played here, you know there's room off the tee. With small target greens, there's a huge advantage to being an exceptional driver. Get the ball as close as you can in or near the fairway, and you'll have a chance to score and separate. The front nine is really spread out. TPC Boston is an athlete's playground. The players will face a ton of elevation changes and rocky terrain. Eleven of the 14 driving holes bend. Great drivers can also cut corners in certain situations, leaving even less of an approach to contend with.

Ball striking overall includes iron play. Most of the green complexes are small and raised. Controlling spin will be crucial in approaching these targets. The par 3s are an opportunity to differentiate yourself. Haeran Ryu was awesome on the 3s en route to victory. Most of the approach shots for the better drivers fall in the 150-yard range or less. Getting a scoring iron in your hand leads to sub-par scores. The field will need them, as two players fired 15 under par last year over 72 holes. Ryu had 26 birdies and finished at 15. Fewer mistakes on approach lead to a very nice birdie-to-bogey ratio. Get those iron shots on target and you'll be better prepared for Sunday's close. When Gil and Brad came in to update the course, they added a ton of character around the greens. So now we have this driver-heavy golf course with an intimate feel around the green.

When players miss greens at TPC Boston, getting up and down can be challenging in a variety of ways. Players will face deep bunkering, sloped run-off areas, and heavy rough or fescue near the putting surfaces. This presents a compounding situation. Miss a bunch of greens, and it will not only be tough to make birdies, but even worse to save par. The blueprint is simple: attack off the tee, be precise on approach, and convert with the putter. These bentgrass putting surfaces will promote scoring for the best flatstick aficionados. Selecting our outrights this week means leaning heavily on approach play and putting. Can you score on a course like Carlton Woods or Mississauga from last week? Go low on a big parkland layout and you're definitely on my short list of ladies I fancy for the FM Championship.

Outright winners - FM Championship

If Cam Young and Tommy Fleetwood can get it done, so can Hye Jin Choi. Choi's driving creates an edge against the field at TPC Boston. Throw in her top 5 putter, and she will score. Choi is steady and possesses a great birdie to bogey ratio. Players can get into trouble at this venue, and Hye Jin's ability to keep the ball in play separates her. Six top 10s this season, she's been very close. Choi's going to win, and when she does, we will be holding the winning ticket. Hye Jin Choi +3500 (BM)

The bucket is a ball striking fiend. Somi Lee won the Dow team championship back in June. Fifteenth last week, she excels on courses where her driver and approach play can set her apart. Lee is ranked top 10 in the field for both. Fifth in the field for BoB%, she destroys par 5s. We're looking for 20+ sub-par scores this week, and Somi can keep up. Complement the ball striking with a top 10 birdie-to-bogey ratio, and the birdies she does make are going to lower her score. Somi Lee +3500 (CS)

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