2021 3M Open leaderboard, grades: Cameron Champ secures third PGA tour victory of career at TPC Twin Cities

It is troublesome to make sense of this yr’s 3M Open winner, Cameron Champ. He held off a trio of Louis Oosthuizen, Charl Schwartzel and Jhonattan Vegas, all of whom completed two strokes behind Champ’s 15-under quantity.

It was not easy. Champ went to the ultimate gap needing only a bogey for the win, and he hooked his drive on the par-5 right into a spot on the course that positively introduced double into play. Two pictures later, he had 127 yards into the pin on No. 18, not a distance he is been all that adept at up to now this season (189th on the PGA Tour in proximity from that distance). He stood it as much as 3 ft.

Champ was practically flawless on the weekend at TPC Twin Cities. A single double on Saturday was offset by 11 birdies over the past two days. That is the half that doesn’t make sense. Champ, who is likely one of the 5 or 10 finest drivers on the planet, completed fortieth in driving this week. He is likely one of the 5 or 10 worst putters on the PGA Tour, and he completed first in placing this week.

Statistically, this doesn’t add up. It isn’t the one method it would not add up, both. This yr, Champ has missed much more cuts (9) than he has prime 50s (5). He missed the lower at 4 of his earlier six occasions main into this one.

There are different methods he would not make sense, too. If all you watched was ball flights and shot shapes off the tee, you’d assume Champ was one of many best golfers of all time. He flushes the golf ball. However over the course of his profession to this point, he is been a one-trick pony — driver solely with little else complementing his one elite talent.

Now, for one remaining twist right here, it is sort of labored! Champ has now gained 3 times on the PGA Tour in his first 74 begins as an expert — greater than Tony Finau, Tommy Fleetwood and Louis Oosthuizen mixed. If profitable is the objective, then Champ is assembly it regardless of his excessive inconsistency (he solely makes the lower slightly over half the time he performs).

The place he goes from right here will likely be fascinating. The pedigree is nice up to now, and will probably be intriguing to see what occurs when, like this week on the 3M Open, he has extraordinary placing weeks. Or if his iron play jumps up a stage or two.

Cameron Champ typically doesn’t make very a lot sense, and his win this week at TPC Twin Cities is emblematic of that. Profitable is a talent, although, and when Champ has gotten close to a lead like he did on Sunday, he is transformed extra typically than most golfers. That is a significant metric that’s fairly uncommon, and it exhibits that this three-time winner has turn into an aptronym, which is an efficient factor to be when your final identify is Champ. Grade: A+

Rick Gehman is joined by Kyle Porter, Greg DuCharme and Mark Immelman to interrupt down and react to Cameron Champ’s victory on the 3M Open. Observe & take heed to The First Lower on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

Listed below are the remainder of our grades for the 2021 3M Open.

Louis Oothuizen (T2): Oosty backed up his T3 on the Open Championship final week at Royal St. George’s with one other nice end this week. Nonetheless, that second win — both at a significant or non-major — nonetheless eludes him. Oosthuizen practically dunked his method on the ultimate gap for eagle, however he nonetheless has but to win within the final 10 years on the PGA Tour.

“I used to be completely satisfied to play this week,” stated Oosthuizen. “I form of did not actually wish to simply take into consideration final week, about not taking part in nice on that Sunday and instantly shortly return into match mode after which play this match. So, nice monitor. We had fun right here this week and I am simply attempting to see if I can go one higher than all these seconds and thirds.” Grade: A

Patrick Reed (T34): Reed performed superb this week, however his weekend was upended by information that he will the 2020 Tokyo Olympics subsequent week to interchange Bryson DeChambeau, who needed to withdraw due to a constructive COVID-19 take a look at end result. Reed has a wild schedule over the following few days the place he has to get examined 3 times, 24 hours aside, earlier than flying from Houston to San Francisco to Tokyo. He’ll arrive the afternoon earlier than the competitors.

“Anytime I can characterize my nation and go play for my nation, I’ll do it it doesn’t matter what, regardless of the place it’s, it doesn’t matter what time zone or how I’ve to get there or something,” stated Reed. “After they gave me the identify Captain America, the followers did, it looks like an obligation and an obligation of mine to exit and play for our nation each time I can and each time I get the decision. To have the ability to name myself not simply an Olympian however a two-time Olympian is fairly candy. I look ahead to going over there and taking part in.” Grade: B

Rickie Fowler (T34): After taking part in his first 48 holes in 11 beneath, Fowler performed his final 24 in 5 over, together with 4 over alongside on the par-5 18th. I am unsure how a lot progress was made this week, however the excellent news right here is that he rolled it fantastically. That is one thing he struggled with on the finish of 2020 and starting of 2021, however he is largely righted the ship over the previous few months, which is nice contemplating that from 2015-19 he was mainly a top-10 putter on the planet. It is going to be attention-grabbing to see how Fowler units up the remainder of his schedule as he continues to take a seat on the FedEx Cup bubble. He would not have to fret about taking part in privileges subsequent yr as a result of he has some exemptions he may use, however it could be odd to not have him within the postseason after he is been a mainstay for the final decade. Grade: B+