The first of the PGA Tour’s elevated events takes place this week, and the 2023 Sentry Tournament of Champions in Maui boasts a stacked field. The tournament tees off Thursday on the Plantation Course at Kapalua, and 39 top PGA Tour golfers will be vying for the $2.7 million winner’s share. Previous winners in the field include Justin Thomas (2017, 2020), Xander Schauffele (2019) and Jordan Spieth (2016), and 2022 runner-up Jon Rahm comes in as the favorite. Rahm finished one stroke behind Cameron Smith, who shot a tour-record 34 under par. Smith moved to LIV Golf and is ineligible to defend his title, while world No. 1 Rory McIlroy and Shane Lowry are the only other top-20 players who won’t compete.

Caesars Sportsbook lists Rahm as the 13-2 favorite – followed closely by Scheffler (9-1), Xander Schauffele (19-2) and Patrick Cantlay (10-1) –  in its latest 2023 Sentry Tournament of Champions odds. More than a dozen golfers are listed at 20-1 or shorter in the Sentry Tournament of Champions field. They include Tony Finau (14-1), Sungjae Im (16-1), Viktor Hovland (18-1) and Collin Morikawa (18-1), while Spieth is at 22-1. Before locking in any 2023 Sentry Tournament of Champions picks, be sure you check out the PGA Tour predictions and best bets from SportsLine golf insider Patrick McDonald.

After spending time at FanSided and NBC Sports EDGE, McDonald joined CBS Sports as a golf writer in the spring of 2022. Now covering the sport from a broader perspective, McDonald still likes to dip his toes into the betting pools on a weekly basis on the PGA Tour. 

McDonald takes a measured approach to his outright selections and is having a profitable 2022-23 season in every category. He nailed the Houston Open, backing Tony Finau to win at 25-1, and is up more than 16 units on his plays overall. That’s a profit of more than $1,600 for $100 bettors. The expert also has been on the money on his matchup plays and cashed in huge on Brendan Steele (80-1) as the first-round leader at the Zozo Championship.

The expert finished the 2021-22 season up 42 units on his outright plays, having hit Cameron Smith (22-1) at the Tournament of Champions, Hudson Swafford (250-1) at The American Express, Joaquin Niemann (70-1) at the Genesis Invitational and Justin Thomas (66-1) live at the PGA Championship. Anyone who follows McDonald’s advice has been cashing in.

Now, McDonald has studied the 2023 Sentry Tournament of Champions field and locked in his best bets, top sleepers and favorites to avoid. You can head to SportsLine now to see all his PGA picks and predictions.  

Top 2023 Sentry Tournament of Champions expert picks

In a surprise move, McDonald is fading U.S. Open champion Matt Fitzpatrick (22-1), who is one of the best at grinding out victories. Unfortunately, that won’t be required this week on a Kapalua course that won’t put up much fight. The Englishman didn’t shoot better than 64 all of last season, and his best score among his eight worldwide victories is 17 under. The average winning score over the past decade in Maui is 23 under. This is also the 28-year-old’s tournament debut, and it typically takes a couple of rounds to get used to the rolling terrain on this course.

Meanwhile, McDonald knows Rahm will be out to finish the job he couldn’t close out last year. The Spaniard was one of three players to shoot a course-record 61 and shared the lead with Smith entering Sunday. Rahm shot 66, but the Australian did him one better. Given the roll he is on, with two victories and five straight top-10 finishes in Europe, Rahm should go low again. The 28-year-old is excellent off the tee (first in total driving in 2021-22) and to the green (third in GIR), so Kapalua should remain an easy stroll for him. He was 17th in par breakers last season. You can see who else to back at Kapalua here.

How to make 2023 Sentry Tournament of Champions golf picks

McDonald has locked in his best bets for the 2023 Sentry Tournament of Champions. His outright plays include a golfer who has excelled on similar courses but just doesn’t have the victories to show for it. If he pulls off the victory at Kapalua, anyone who backs him would cash in at more than 20-1. You can find out who it is, and see the rest of McDonald’s Sentry Tournament of Champions picks, predictions, and best bets at SportsLine.

So which 2023 Sentry Tournament of Champions picks should you target? Which talented golfer could pull off a surprise victory in this loaded Tournament of Champions field for a payoff of more than 20-1? Check out the odds below, then visit SportsLine to see Patrick McDonald’s top prop picks for Sentry Tournament of Champions 2023, all from the expert who is up more than $1,600 on his PGA Tour picks this season, and find out.

2023 Sentry Tournament of Champions odds, field, top contenders

See full Sentry Tournament of Champions 2023 picks, best bets, and predictions here.

Jon Rahm +800
Scottie Scheffler +1000
Xander Schauffele +1000
Justin Thomas +1000
Patrick Cantlay +1200
Viktor Hovland +1800
Tony Finau +1800
Joo-hyung (Tom) Kim +1800
Matthew Fitzpatrick +1800
Sungjae Im +1800
Collin Morikawa +1800
Jordan Spieth +2000
Cam Young +2000
Max Homa +2800
Sam Burns +2800
Will Zalatoris +2800
Hideki Matsuyama +2800
Sahith Theegala +3300
Billy Horschel +4000
Seamus Power +4500
Aaron Wise +4500
Corey Conners +4500
K.H. Lee +5000
Keegan Bradley +5000
Russell Henley +5000
Sepp Straka +5500
Tom Hoge +6000
Adam Scott +6000
Brian Harman +6000
Mackenzie Hughes +7000
Luke List +7500
Trey Mullinax +8000
J.T. Poston +8500
Adam Svensson +8500
J J Spaun +9000
Scott Stallings +10000
Chez Reavie +12500
Chad Ramey +12500
Ryan Brehm +20000

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For the first time all week, a new man occupies the top spot on the leaderboard of the 2022 DP World Tour Championship. Former world No. 1 Jon Rahm was simply brilliant around Jumeirah Golf Estates on Saturday en route to his bogey-free 7-under 65. Carding seven birdies for the second consecutive day, the Spaniard has slowly meandered his way to 15 under and possesses a one-stroke lead over Matt Fitzpatrick.

With four birdies in his opening eight holes, a moment of unease arose on the difficult par-4 ninth. Making bogey on this hole the first two days, Rahm was forced to chip out of trouble before converting a momentum-saving par putt from just inside 15 feet. Adding three birdies on his inward half, Rahm has now positioned himself to become the first man to win the DP World Tour Championship three times.

“I don’t think I could have shot any lower today,” Rahm said. “Maximized the round. Wasn’t my best off the tee but I was able to actually get some birdies out of some not so good situations. I didn’t hit any of the fairways on the par fives and still played them three-under par. I’m hoping come tomorrow I can be a little better off the tee, and still keep the good iron play and good putting going.”

First-round leader and 36-hole leader Fitzpatrick will be sure to apply some pressure as the Englishman battles for both the DP World Tour Championship and the season-long race. At 14 under, he is in the precarious position of trailing not only Rahm, but also Rory McIlroy as the world No. 1 is projected to win the Harry Vardon Trophy after his round of 7-under 65.

“Something I’ve learnt massively this year is to be more patient,” Fitzpatrick said. “I’m not the best at it. I’ve got so much better, probably, since being told off by Billy [Foster, his caddie] in April. So I think that’s been a big thing that’s come on for me is just being patient and knowing that I’m playing some good golf. I feel really comfortable with my irons this week, and that’s been a big, big change and a big step forward over the last few months. So, I’m looking forward going into tomorrow.

“It would mean the world [to win the DP World Tour Rankings]. I’m going to need a lot of things go my way,” Fitzpatrick added. “I feel like this…could be a third win here, and if it happens, it could be all three times I’ve not won [the DP World Tour Rankings].”

McIlroy began his second round in a volatile fashion as two bogeys sandwiched an eagle in his first three holes. Making birdie on seven of his final 14 holes, the Northern Irishman has returned to the pole position in the season-long race ahead of the final 18 holes. McIlroy will attempt to join Henrik Stenson as the only men to win both the DP World Tour and PGA Tour season-long titles in the same year.

Round 3 leaderboard, scores

• 1. Jon Rahm: -15
• 2. Matt Fitzpatrick: -14
• 3. Alex Noren: -13
• T4. Rory McIlroy: -12
• T4. Tyrrell Hatton: -12
• T6. Tommy Fleetwood: -10
• T6. Adrian Meronk: -10
• 8. Jorge Campillo: -9
• T9. Maximilian Kieffer: -8
• T9. Kurt Kitayama: -8

DP World Tour Rankings up in the air heading into final day

Coming into the week, only seven players were able to win the DP World Tour Rankings. Through three rounds, this number has likely whittled down to only two as Fitzpatrick and McIlroy vie for the season-long crown. After commanding the lead the first two days, Fitzpatrick was projected to claim the title, but the four-time major champion has battled back with a vengeance courtesy of rounds of 68-65. Here are the scenarios for each player heading into the pivotal final round.

• Rory McIlroy: If he wins or finishes ahead of the other six, he wins the season-long race
• Matt Fitzpatrick: Has to finish in top two and have McIlroy finish worse than seventh

“It’s really cool, I’ve got to this stage in the game over 15 years as a pro, and I’m still trying to do things for the first time,” McIlroy said. “I’ve never won the FedExCup and this tour’s rankings in the same year, so it would be really nice. It’s been a wonderful year. I’ve played some really, really great golf and really consistent golf. If I’m able to go out there tomorrow and shoot a good score and get the job done, it would be a really nice way to end what’s been a great year.”

2022 DP World Tour Championship updated odds and picks

• Jon Rahm: 11/10
• Matt Fitzpatrick: 14/5
• Rory McIlroy: 9/2
• Alex Noren: 9-1
• Tyrrell Hatton: 12-1

This is reminiscent of the old Tour Championship on the PGA Tour for those unfamiliar with the DP World Tour Rankings. Rahm, Noren and Hatton have no chance to win the season-long crown while Fitzpatrick and McIlroy will shoulder the pressure of trying to claim victory in both the tournament at hand and the DP World Tour Rankings. With these odds applying strictly to the DP World Tour Championship, Rahm looks to be the fairest price and will remain our selection to win.

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As was the case upon the completion of the first round, Matt Fitzpatrick and Tyrrell Hatton find themselves alongside each other at the top of the leaderboard heading into the weekend at the 2022 DP World Tour Championship. Playing in the final group in the second round, the two Ryder Cup teammates traded blows around Jumeirah Golf Estates, and ultimately signed for rounds of 5-under 67 to finish their days at 12 under for the tournament.

While Fitzpatrick was the one to shoot out of the gates on Thursday, it was Hatton’s turn on Friday. Connecting on four birdies in his opening five holes, Hatton quickly opened up a three-stroke lead over his playing competitor. 

“I’m pretty happy with the score. I got off to another nice start again today,” said Hatton. “Hopefully the putter stays fairly hot and we have a good weekend. There’s still 36 holes to play. I have a fairly good record around here. Matt [Fitzpatrick] has an excellent record around here. But, you know, we’ll enjoy each other’s company tomorrow and hopefully we can keep playing well.”

Struggles and visible disdain ensued for the world No. 29 as three bogeys in his next seven holes allowed Fitzpatrick to claw his way back. The reigning U.S. Open champion reclaimed a share of the lead with a birdie on the par-4 15th, and pushed ahead with another on the following hole. This lead would be short-lived as Hatton converted a birdie opportunity from 20 feet on the par-3 17th before the two were able to save par on the closing par-5 18th after struggles off the tee.

“Just got to keep pushing on, just keep playing how I feel like I’m playing right now. I feel really comfortable with where my game is at, particularly after three weeks off, and looking forward to the weekend,” said Fitzpatrick. “I feel like I’ve played two good rounds to start with and put myself in position, and I’ll just keep doing more of the same and see where it gets me come Sunday.”

For their efforts, the Englishmen have grown a three-stroke edge over their nearest pursuers. Former European Ryder Cup member Alex Noren stands at 9 under alongside Adri Arnaus, and a bit further back a couple big fish are waiting in the shallows. Two-time DP World Tour Championship winner Jon Rahm stands at 8 under after a splendid round of 6-under 66 while Rory McIlroy is at 5 under courtesy of a fast finish.

Round 2 leaderboard, scores

• T1. Matt Fitzpatrick: -12
• T1. Tyrrell Hatton: -12
• T3. Alex Noren: -9
• T3. Adri Arnaus: -9
• T5. Jon Rahm: -8
• T5. Jorge Campillo: -8
• 6. Kurt Kitayama: -7
• T8. Tommy Fleetwood: -6
• T8. Rasmus Hojgaard: -6
• T8. Min Woo Lee: -6
• T11. Rory McIlroy: -5
• T11. Adrian Otaegui: -5
• T11. Richie Ramsay: -5
• T11. Yannik Paul: -5
• T11. Maximilian Kieffer: -5

World No. 1 may have found something

A birdie-birdie-eagle finish propelled McIlroy to a round of 4-under 68 in his second round and back into contention. Playing his first 33 holes in 1 under, the world No. 1 found himself as many as 10 strokes back. Now at 5 under, he sits in a tie for 11th and only seven adrift. McIlroy is projected to finish second in the DP World Tour Ranking after entering the week in the top spot given Fitzpatrick’s presence at the top of the leaderboard.

“[It was] pretty mediocre golf for the first 33 holes, and then something sort of clicked,” said McIlroy of his fast finish. “Whatever it is, I need to bottle it for the weekend. It was nice to finish with a flourish there and put myself a little closer to the guys. You never know, that finish here on Friday could be key to something that happens over the next 36 holes.”

DP World Tour Championship updated odds and picks

Odds via Caesars Sportsbook

• Matt Fitzpatrick: 8/5
• Tyrrell Hatton: 5/2
• Jon Rahm: 5-1
• Rory McIlroy: 12-1
• Alex Noren: 12-1
• Adri Arnaus: 25-1
• Kurt Kitayama: 30-1
• Tommy Fleetwood: 35-1

One member of the English pair is likely to nab this title, but I can’t help but look in the direction of Rahm at 5-1. Entering the week as one of the hottest players in the world, the Spaniard was able to climb his way back into this tournament with seven birdies against only one bogey. Rahm left a couple shots out there on Friday and should be in with a chance come the final nine holes on Sunday if he is able to wield the putter in the same manner as his previous five starts.

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Matt Fitzpatrick leads the race to become Europe’s no.1 after carding an opening 65 at the DP World Tour Championship in Dubai.

The 28-year-old started the opening day of the season’s finale with five consecutive birdies, making two further gains in a bogey-free round as he bids to win this event for the third time. He is joined by Ryder Cup teammate Tyrrell Hatton, on seven under par at Jumeirah Golf Estates.

Hatton set the early clubhouse lead after carding eight birdies and dropping just one shot as he seeks a first win since his victory at the 2021 Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship.

The pair sit one stroke ahead of Ryder Cup teammate Alex Noren, after the Swede fired a six under par round of 66. Spaniard Adri Arnaus is one stroke further back on five under par.

Fitzpatrick is now projected to finish at the top of the DP World Tour rankings after Rory McIlroy and Ryan Fox carded opening rounds of 71 and 73 respectively.

Fitzpatrick, who was delighted with his fast start, said: “It was a nice start to the day. I remember when I won this event in 2020 that I started with four birdies on the bounce, so get to five in a row was amazing and hope it provides some sort of omen. I think the most pleasing thing about today’s round was hitting 17 greens in regulation. I kept giving myself chances and I putted well as well.”

Hatton, who entered the tournament in 21st place in the DP World Tour points list and 29th in the world rankings, said: “Obviously it was a good day. I hit a lot of good shots and the putter was great, so I’m pretty happy with that start. Although my head’s a bit fried at the moment, as I dropped a shot at the last, which is never a good way to finish. It would be great to finish off the season on a high note, as apart from that good finish at Bay Hill, there really hasn’t been too much to get excited about to be honest. I think I’ve only missed two cuts this year, and had seven or eight top-10s, but I feel like I’ve been consistently very, very average this year.”

To check out the current leaderboard, click here. 

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Three major winners emerged as the favorites to win the DP World Tour Championship earlier this week, and one of them co-leads in Dubai after Round 1 as the DP World Tour season comes to a close. Matt Fitzpatrick, who has won two of the last six season-ending tournaments on this golf course, shot a 7-under 65 and is tied with Tyrrell Hatton after 18 holes of play.

For a while, it looked as if it might be even better than that. Fitzpatrick birdied his first five holes before cooling off and playing the next 13 in just 2 under. Still, it’s an ideal start for the reigning U.S. Open champion as he looks to cap what has been a spectacular year with a second win and, potentially, his first Harry Vardon trophy, given to the player who tops the DP World Tour’s season-long points race.

“I was laughing to be honest [about the hot start],” Fiztpatrick said. “I said to [caddie] Billy [Foster] yesterday, ‘When we won in 2020, didn’t we have four in a row?’ Then we did four in a row and we laughed about that, then I made a fifth. It was a nice start to the day.”

Hatton, too, had a nice start to his day. He birdied four of the first seven, and then four more after that before making his only bogey of the day (a six on the 18th hole). He fell into a tie with Fitzpatrick because of a mistake at the last but is still in a good spot to get what would be his first win since Abu Dhabi at the start of 2021.

“I’m surprised to hear it’s my lowest round to start with [at this event],” said Hatton. “Obviously it was a good day. Hit a lot of good shots. Putter was great. Kind of happy with that start. Although my head’s a bit fried at the moment. My mind is just raging at the last there. But it is what it is.”

Those two lead a resurgent Alex Noren by one and Adri Arnaus by two, but the bigger names and more feared players are further back. Tommy Fleetwood is 4 under; Jon Rahm is 2 under; pre-tournament favorite Rory McIlroy is 1 under; Shane Lowry is 1 over; and Viktor Hovland is 2 over. That’s a lot of ground for nearly everyone in this group to make up on two Ryder Cup-level players like Fitzpatrick and Hatton.

“I play well here,” said McIlroy. “[I was] 3 under through eight holes. I’m not — it’s not far away. It’s not as if there’s anything that I need to drastically work on. And yeah, thankfully there’s three rounds left, go out and shoot a good one tomorrow and be ready for the weekend.”

The silver lining for McIlroy is two fold. One, there’s plenty of time left to make up a lot of ground, and he’s perhaps the best ever on this golf course (although Fitzpatrick is terrific as well). Two, McIlroy only narrowly trails Fitzpatrick for the season-long points race. Even if Fitzpatrick wins, McIlroy can still win the race by finishing second in this field.

Regardless, the tone has been set by two Englishmen for this week’s tournament. Several other superstars are chasing, but running down one of Hatton and Fitzpatrick will be difficult enough. To get by two of them will be, if it happens, an extraordinary feat.

DP World Tour Championship Odds

• Matt Fitzpatrick: +230
• Tyrrell Hatton: +450
• Rory McIlroy: +750
• Alex Noren: 9-1
• Jon Rahm: 9-1
• Tommy Fleetwood: 11-1

Fitzpatrick and McIlroy have changed positions here. McIlroy was shorter than 3-1 to win coming into this week, and Fitzpatrick was 9-1 before his 65 in the first round. I’m hesitant about the players beyond Hatton because of how quality the top two are, and I’m glad to have picked Fitzpatrick at 9-1. However, if I have to take somebody outside of the top two, I’m going with Fleetwood, who is coming off a win last week in South Africa and just three back.

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Michael Greenberg, the president of Skechers Golf, has paid tribute to brand ambassador Matt Fitzptraick following his stunning victory at the 122nd US Open at The Country Club, Brookline.

Fitzpatrick earned his first Major victory – and the first tournament win wearing Skechers shoes – after firing a final round 71 to claim a one-shot win over Will Zalatoris.

Competing in Skechers GO GOLF Pro 5 Hyper footwear, Fitzpatrick finished on six-under par to become only the second player in history to win the US Amateur (2013) and US Open at the same venue.

“It came down to the end on Sunday and winning my first major has been a lifelong goal, so for it to happen on this course where I won the US Amateur, there’s just so much emotion,” said Fitzpatrick. “The weather was a big challenge, but I was able to stay focused, thanks to the comfort and performance of Skechers working well for me on the course.”

Michael Greenberg, president of Skechers, said: “We always knew Matt was a special player, so for him to be in Skechers earning a career-defining victory at the historic US Open is valuable exposure for the Skechers GO GOLF brand.

“The US Open is one of the most prestigious showcases for the sport, so millions viewing on television watched a player never give up and compete to the end for his first Majors win — all while illustrating how our footwear delivers the comfort and performance that any golfer desires. There’s so much on the horizon for this champ, and we’re honored to be with him.”

Earlier this year, Fitzpatrick joined the stable of Skechers tour pros, which also includes Brooke Henderson, Colin Montgomerie and Billy Andrade. Former NFL quarterback and broadcaster Tony Romo is also an ambassador for the brand’s golf footwear and appears in GO GOLF marketing campaigns.

Known for its lightweight, high-quality, stable and comfortable designs, Skechers GO GOLF has achieved prominence within the golf category alongside the brand’s award-winning running, walking and training collections. Select styles include signature innovations like Skechers Arch Fit, ULTRA GO and Hyper Burst cushioning, along with other key features.

Skechers GO GOLF footwear is available at Skechers retail stores and at skechers.com, as well as select retail partners and pro shops.

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After winning the US Open in dramatic fashion, Matt Fitzpatrick has finally arrived at golf’s top table, but true to his Yorkshire roots, he’s doing it while keeping his feet firmly on the ground

Exclusive interview by Nick Bayly

A major champion, a first victory in the US, and now ranked inside the world’s top 10. How good does life feel right now?
Winning a major title is a dream come true for me. It’s something I’ve worked very hard for for a very long time, and it feels like I’ve been rewarded for all that hard work and patience. I feel like I can retire a happy man.
Looking back, it was always going to be a leap into the unknown when I turned professional after leaving college nine years ago, so to be where I am, and having achieved what I have so far, makes me very proud. Although there is obviously a lot more I want to do in the game in the years ahead, I’m pretty pleased with where I am right now.

Having won the US Amateur at Brookline there was a lot of extra focus on you at the US Open. Did you feel that extra pressure, and do you feel like you put extra pressure on yourself in the Majors anyway?
I do put extra pressure on myself in the big events, it’s only natural, but as each one has come along I feel like I’ve got better at handling them, and that showed at the US Open. I felt very comfortable on the course, and felt like I knew where to hit it and where not to miss it.
The people around me say that I’m different in a major week and while I can’t see it myself it’s something that I knew I needed to work on. I feel that I’m a different player now to how I was in the early part of my career, so hopefully I can relax more in the Majors and it will start to show. With that first one [Major title] in the bag, I feel like a can win a few more of these. I’m targeting six. It might sound greedy, but I really think it’s an achievable goal.

You also went out in the last group on Sunday at the PGA Championship, with every chance of winning, but ultimately finished fifth. What was take on that week and how did it set you up for what you were able to achieve at the US Open?
The PGA was a pretty good week for me, regardless of the result. To have that experience, going out in the last group on Sunday in a major championship, was a first for me. I was obviously disappointed not to have got it done, but I learned a lot about myself that week and I was definitely able to draw on that experience when I got into the same group at the US Open. Of course, I didn’t think it would come around quite so quickly, but perhaps that was even more to my advantage to have that experience so fresh in my mind.
The biggest takeaway from the PGA was staying patient. I think Saturday’s third round was one of my best days on a golf course in a long time. I got off to such a poor start, so to be able to battle back and shoot what I did, gave me a lot of satisfaction. That was a big positive despite not coming away with the title. At the end of the day, I didn’t play well enough. I probably had my ‘C’ game on Sunday, not even my ‘B’, and that was never going to good enough.
The US Open required similar, if not more patience, especially with all the wind that we faced. There were so many holes which could bite you, yet there were holes that you could get after. It was defend, attack, defend, attack, and it was about knowing when par was a good score.

A few seasons ago you were complaining that the Majors were in the hands of the big hitters, but you seemed to have transformed yourself into one of those players. How have you achieved that?
I’ve spent a lot of time over the last 18 months to two years working with Mike Walker and my coach and biomechanist Dr Sasho Mackenzie. We did a little bit then, and he gave me this speed stick called The Stack. I’ve been doing that religiously week in and week out. It’s like going to the gym. I’ll be honest, it’s worked wonders for my long game.
I feel like if I’d been leading a major three or four years ago, and I was playing with someone like Will Zalatoris in the final group, I’d be concerned that I’m going to be 20 yards behind him off the tee. But I felt comfortable all day that I was going to be past him. To know that I’d be hitting a club less than him on a lot of approach shots gave me alot of confidence. It certainly gave me a mental boost.

You’ve had ten top-ten finishes in your last 17 starts. What do you feel like has been the key to your consistent play over the last six months?
Statistically speaking, my iron play has been considerably better so far this year than it was last year. I’ve made far fewer mistakes. I feel like I’m getting quite deep into a lot or rounds without having a bogey on the card, so that’s been a positive. My short game is also a lot sharper and when I miss greens I’ve been able to rescue pars, which previously might have been bogeys, so it’s little improvements here and there that are making the difference, nothing dramatic. It hasn’t all come together until now, and the result speaks for itself.

It’s well documented that you pay very close attention to your performance stats. Where does this attention to detail come from?
Yeah, I’ve been doing my own stats for a long time – since I was 14, if you really want to know, so it’s not a new thing for me. But during the first lockdown back in March 2020, I got in touch with Edoardo Molinari, who plays on the European Tour, but has also created his own stats analysis programme that records pretty much anything you want to record.
One element of his programme tracks dispersion, something which I’d not done before, but was very interested in. Say, on your approach to the green you’re aiming four yards right of the flag each time, but you’re pulling it two yards left, there’s a six-yard difference there on your aim. So, while it might look good on your ‘strokes gained approach’ stats, when measured against your actual target you’re still six yards away. Using Edoardo’s programme, I now know what my strokes gained to my target is rather than just strokes gained to the pin. It just made it more specific to my game, seeing my own patterns, and it helps me plot my way around the golf course a bit better.
Over time we’re gradually building up a better picture of my overall game, and although the improvements might be marginal, or sometime barely noticeable, it gives me a better understanding of where my weaknesses – and strengths – lie and what we can work on. It’s certainly helped me structure my practice sessions better, enabling me to focus on the things that need improving rather than spending too much time on things that are already working well.

As a player, you seem like someone who is never quite satisfied, and that you will always pushing to find that bit extra. Is that a fair assessment?
No matter how good your achievements are, I think you can always be striving for more. There will always be guys that are having success and I suppose that competition is what motivates me. With so many players out there playing well week-in and week-out, you can never be content with your own game, no matter how good it is. I really want to be the best golfer I can possibly be, and if I give 100 per cent – there isn’t much more I can ask of myself.

Billy [Foster] once described you as ‘the ultimate professional’ and ‘Bernhard Langer’s love child’. What did he mean by the Langer reference?
It was nice to hear the first part, but I guess what he really means by the Langer bit is that I might be prone to over-analysing things and get overly obsessed with details! I’m very lucky to have Billy. He’s got so much experience, and has been there, done it and got the T-shirt.

How great was it to have Billy on the bag for your major breakthrough and for you to help him to his first major win as a caddie?
I am so pleased for him. He’s had quite a few near misses over the years, so I was just delighted that we were able to get the job done. He was almost more emotional than I was at the end there, but it just showed how much it meant to both of us. He has been just an asset over the last 3-4 years since we started working together, and I’m just so lucky to have someone with that much experience to guide me through these tournaments.

What will being able to call yourself a major champion do you for going forward. Do you feel like the shackles are off?
It’s funny, after Shane [Lowry] won the Open, he told me that he got some abuse at a tournament soon after when he wasn’t playing very well and he said that it didn’t bother him at all, because I knew he’d won a major. And I think I’ll be drawing on that one a lot when things aren’t going my way.
But once you’ve got one, you know you want to go and win more now, there’s no doubt about that. I’ll just keep doing what I’m doing and hopefully more will come.

How much are you looking forward to teeing it up at St Andrews as a major champion?
It will be great. I love playing St Andrews. It’s a great golf course. It’s going to be interesting, obviously, with the length and everything. And now I’m a bomber, I’ll probably be driving most of the greens! Yes, I’m looking forward to it. I’ve got two weeks off now, which I couldn’t be happier about. I’ll get my head around a few things, and then we’ll go to St Andrews.

You seem to have cut back on your schedule over the last two seasons. Is that to help you fresh?
Yes, I have deliberately played fewer events over the last couple of years, and that has really helped to keep me fresh. When Billy came on to my bag, he stressed the need to take more breaks. Looking at my schedule in years gone by, I was playing as many as 32 events, and last year I think played 28 or 29. It doesn’t sound like a big difference, but it is. It’s an extra week or two to work on the game, and it’s an extra week or two of rest. It all adds up over the course of a season, and it certainly made a big difference to my performances.

You’ve recently joined Skechers as a tour ambassador. What attracted you to the brand and what specific performance demands do you have from a golf shoe?
The big thing that attracted me to Skechers is that it is solely a footwear company – that’s all they do and they are renowned for making quality products. Things weren’t quite working out the way I wanted with my previous brand, and after speaking with my trainer we decided to make a switch.
I’ve been wearing and testing Skechers GO GOLF shoes for some time now, and I’m really pleased with the comfort and performance that I’m getting from my Pro 5s out on the golf course. I like the way they look, as they’re perhaps a bit more athletic than previous models, and it’s been any easy transition to make.
The service they offer on tour is first class, and they’re happy for me to work with them, sharing ideas and passing on insights that hopefully can help improve future products and help players at all levels of the game.

 Do you switch between spikeless and spiked models depending on course conditions?
No, I purely play in spiked shoes. I slide around too much at impact if I wear spikeless. Nothing against those models, but my foot pressures are all over the place, so they just don’t provide enough stability for me. If I’m practicing at golf courses at home in Florida or back in the UK, I’ll wear SoftSpikes – plastic cleats – as they’re kinder to the greens, but when I’m on tour its metal spikes only.  I get through three two or three pairs of golf shoes a month. That might sound like a lot, but the amount we play and walk around the course, shoes can scuff up pretty easily and not look their best, so I guess it’s in both our interests to have fresh pairs ready to go. I mainly wear white shoes, but I’ll mix and match depending on what I’m wearing.

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