There may not be a bunch of hype surrounding this week’s World Wide Technology Championship on the PGA Tour but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t matter. There are Signature Events to qualify for, world ranking points to gather up (with year-end invites to Augusta National top of mind), and simply a chance to breakthrough, particularly for those who haven’t done it … or haven’t in a long time.
Below we’ve listed eight players and their specific rooting interest for Sunday’s final round. It’s time to pick your fighter.
Garrick Higgo: 22 under, leader
Rooting interest: The International Presidents Cup team needs Higgo to take another step on the road to stardom. It’s now, technically, a Presidents Cup year with the biennial event coming in just 10 months. The Internationals, decimated by LIV Golf, could use him.
Carson Young: 21 under, one shot back
Rooting interest: If you like first-time winners, or simply people who literally need to make a name for themselves, this is your man. Young is the rare Tour pro who hasn’t earned enough fame for a Wikipedia page yet. That could change Sunday.
Ben Griffin: 20 under, two shots back
Rooting interest: Benny Booms has been one of the stories of the year. He’s rags (mortgage loan officer) to riches (PGA Tour winner) story has been very fun to watch. It could get even better with another win.
Nick Dunlap, 17 under, five shots back
Rooting interest: Anyone who has ever had the driver yips should be comforted by the fact that it grips the minds of PGA Tour players, too. Dunlap had one of his worst days as a golfer earlier this year at the Masters, but has grown plenty in the months since.
Pro golf has battered Nick Dunlap. But he never lost what he needed
Francesco Molinari, 15 under, seven shots back
Rooting interest: the 2018 Open Champion has been in the wilderness ever since the 2019 Masters. He hasn’t finished in the top 20 of a Tour event since this time last year. It’ll take a 61 or so to put him into winning contention, but I’m sure he’ll gladly take a top 10.
Patrick Rodgers, 17 under, five shots back
Rooting interest: If you’re a college golf fan, you want to see Rodgers break through. He won just as much as anyone during his time at Stanford and arrived on the PGA Tour alongside the Jordan Spieth, Justin Thomas, Xander Schauffele crew … only to never yet get across the line for a win. He’s long overdue.
Sami Valimaki, 19 under, three shots back
Rooting interest: Most weeks of the year there is plenty of Nordic rooting interest, in the form of Viktor Hovland, Ludvig Aberg or even Alex Noren. This week, it’s Finland’s Sami Valimaki. The 27-year-old has never won on the PGA Tour and has battled an up and down season. He could change it all with a 65 Sunday.
Matti Schmid, 18 under, four shots back
Rooting interest: Fall event winners no longer receive an automatic invite to the ensuing Masters, but a win from Schmid would launch him into the top 50 in the world ranking. At the end of the year, Augusta National invites any players ranked in the top 50 of the OWGR, and a victorious Schmid would find himself on the good side of that line with only a handful of tournaments left in 2025.
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