Preview
2023 Fortinet Championship Tips
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2023 Fortinet Championship Event Info
Starts: 14th September 2022
Course: Silverado Resort & Spa, CA
Par: 72
Length: 7,166 yards
2022 Champion: Max Homa
Course Info
Tournament played here since: 2014
Type of Course: Classic, tree lined.
Fairways: Tight, tree lined.
Rough: Kentucky Bluegrass, not too penal.
Greens: Small, Narrow, Average Pace, Undulating, Poa-annua.
Water: In-play on 2 holes, 11 and 15.
Par 5's: 5th, 9th, 16th and 18th
Premium on: Strong iron play and scrambling.
Significant Info To Be Aware Of
It's the start of the FedExCup Fall so some players may be playing with a fresh mindset and many will be well rested having not qualified for the playoff events.
Weather Forecast
Available shortly
Trends
Winning Score
Homa's winning score in 2021 of -19 has only been beaten by Stewart Cink's winning score of -21 in 2021. The other six editions were between -14 and -18.
Course Form
Six of the last eight winners had recorded a top 40 finish at this course before they won. Max Homa (2022) and Brendan Steele (2017) were the only players to have recorded a top 15 finish prior to winning. Course form isn't essential.
Course Experience
Whilst previous course form might not be essential, course experience has been, seven of the last eight winners had played this event before.
Recent Form
Only Emilliano Grillo and Max Homa (2022) had posted a top 10 finish in their previous 3 events before winning. Form not essential.
Winner's Profile
Homa was ranked 44th in the world prior to his win and it was his 3rd PGA Tour title. Stewart Cink was ranked 319th but was also an experienced winner. Champ was winning his 2nd title in 2019 whilst Kevin Tway won his maiden title here in 2018.
Links to California
Five of the last seven winners had links to California, whether that be place of birth, college or residence.
Stats Analysis
Driving Distance
Two of the last eight winners were 1st for driving distance but Homa was only 34th when winning last year and 41st when winning in 2021. Distance can be an advantage here.
Driving Accuracy
Three of the last eight winners were top 10 for driving accuracy and Homa ranked 15th last year. It is slightly preferred over distance.
Greens in Regulation
All nine winners were in the top 30 for GIR and Cink was 1st in 2021. It's of strong importance to hit the greens here.
Scrambling
Max Homa ranked 3rd in 2022 for Scrambling but 74th when winning in 2021. The three winners immediately before him were 1st or 2nd for scrambling and all of the seven prior winners have been in the top 10. A strong short game is essential this week.
Putting
Two of the last nine winners have been in top 10 for putts per GIR. Homa ranked 15th in this category when winning last year.
In Play
Tough Holes
The 2nd and 13th played as the two hardest holes in 2021.
Birdie Holes
16-18 is an easy stretch. 5th and 9th are reachable par 5's.
Fast or Slow Start
It is possible to win from off the pace. Last year, Max Homa was one shot behind going into the final round. In 2021, Homa was three shots back and Stewart Cink was two strokes back heading into the final round in 2020. Cameron Champ led by three after round 3 in 2019 en route to victory, but the five previous winners all began round three at least two shots behind. Homa was seven shots back at halfway last year, Steele was nine shots back after 36 holes in 2016 and Grillo was six shots back after 36 holes in 2015. Fast starts are not essential.
Previous Fortinet Championship Previews & Blogs
2022
2021
You can access all of our Fortinet Championship in-play blogs for this year's event by clicking the In-play tab above
2023 Fortinet Championship Tips
You can sign up for all our Fortinet Championship picks and PGA Tour tips for 2023 by clicking the button below.
In-play
2023 Fortinet Championship In-Play Blog
17th September 2023, 5.30pm (UK time)
| Player | Total |
|---|
| Theegala |
-17 |
| Thomas |
-15 |
| SH Kim |
-15 |
| Davis |
-15 |
| Kuchar |
-14 |
| Cole |
-14 |
2023 Fortinet Championship Round 3 Summary
Max Homa went five under par through his opening seven holes to take over as favourite from Sahith Theegala but the defending champion stumbled coming home. In contrast, Theegala birdied four of his last seven holes to take a two shot lead into the final round.
2023 Fortinet Championship Round 4 Weather
Sunny intervals. Wind 10-20mph.
Back or Fade The Favourite?
Sahith Theegala is 6/4 favourite as he seeks his first PGA Tour solo win. Theegala went bogey free in round three but once again it was his short game that provided the basis for his score. The youngster ranks 2nd and 3rd for SG: Around the Green and SG: Putting respectively this week. He hit only five fairways in round three and seven in round two and those missed fairways may ultimately cost him.
Third round leaders don't have the best record in this event, only one out of the last five has been able to convert. We see that extending to one in the last six.
In-Play Fortinet Championship Bets We Considered
We advised Justin Thomas to subscribers yesterday at 14/1 and he is the man we see as he main threat to Sahith Theegala. Thomas has been gaining strokes with every area of his game this week and his experience should prove invaluable coming down the stretch.
Fortinet Championship Round 3 Bets
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16th September 2023, 2.10pm (UK time)
| Player | Total |
|---|
| Theegala |
-12 |
| SH Kim |
-12 |
| Bae |
-11 |
| Cole |
-10 |
| Kraft |
-9 |
| Five players tied |
-8 |
2023 Fortinet Championship Round 2 Summary
Sahith Theegala only hit 50% of fairways in round two but his approach play and putting more than made up for his deficiencies off the tee. A round of 64 was his reward and he is the joint leader with S.H. Kim going into the weekend.
2023 Fortinet Championship Round 3 Weather
Sunny intervals. Wind 10-15mph.
Back or Fade The Favourite?
Sahith Theegala is a best price 23/10 to land his first PGA Tour title. It's not a price for us though given his score has largely been built on his short game thus far. Theegala is likely to have pressure applied to him by Max Homa and Justin Thomas and he's a lay for us at the current price.
In-Play Fortinet Championship Bets We Considered
Past champion, Sangmoon Bae, has been talking a good game in his post round press conferences and we like odds of 40/1 and above on the Betfair Exchange. However, the 28/1 with bookmakers makes less appeal and he was passed over.
Stewart Cink and Max Homa were both outside the top 20 at the halfway stage when they triumphed in 2020 and 2021 respectively. With that in mind, we aren't ruling out players who find themselves at six or seven under par.
Fortinet Championship Round 3 Bets
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15th September 2023, 9.10am (UK time)
| Player | Total |
|---|
| Herbert |
-9 |
| Kim |
-7 |
| Hall |
-6 |
| Blair |
-6 |
| Kraft |
-6 |
| Dufner |
-6 |
| Hubbard |
-6 |
| Four players tied |
-5 |
2023 Fortinet Championship Round 1 Summary
Lucas Herbert shot a back nine of 30 to go round in 63 in the morning with S H Kim getting closest with a 65. The afternoon starters could only manage 66 whilst favourite Max Homa is seven back.
2023 Fortinet Championship Round 2 Weather
Sunny intervals. Wind 2-8mph.
Back or Fade The Favourite?
Herbert is a general 7/2 and like Fitzpatrick last night, this price feels short. Herbert gained almost double any other player on the greens yesterday and the belief must be that he will struggle to maintain that. It has to be said that Herbert is a strong closer, having won three times in as many years, but there is a long way to go here.
In-Play Fortinet Championship Bets We Considered
Sam Ryder (40/1) and Justin Lower (50/1) were the two players hardest to leave off the staking plan this morning. Both players are future PGA Tour winners, Lower was 4th here last year and produced nice stats yesterday whilst Ryder has been showing consistency and looks ready to win. Others were preferred.
Fortinet Championship Round 2 Bets
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