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49/150.00 Hadwin heads Steve's trio
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16/117.00 Im can go on better in 2023 says Dave
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[100/1+] shots, first round leader tips and more
3M Open: Canadian pair fancied in Minnesota
Steve Rawlings: "We've only had four renewals so we probably shouldn't get too hung up on the stats, but it looks like accurate approach play is the key to playing well here.
"Looking at the traditional stats, the first four winners have ranked 36th, 46th, eighth and 16th for Driving Distance and they've ranked 31st, 22nd, 49th and sixth for Driving Accuracy. And they've ranked 21st, 51st, 40th and third for Strokes Gained Off the Tee so last year's winner, Tony Finau, is the only one of the four with a noteworthy tee game.
"Neither the inaugural winner, Matthew Wolff, or last year's champ, Tony Finau, putting sensationally, but the two winners in-between did...
"Adam Hadwin missed the cut when a selection at the John Deere Classic last time out but I'm happy to overlook that given it came a week after he'd been beaten by Rickie Fowler in the playoff at the Rocket Mortgage Classic.
"Well-rested, having not played since, and with strong recent approach numbers, course form figures reading 4-6-28, and with form at the RMC reading 4-MC-37-2, I was more than happy to take 50.0."
3M Open Each-Way Tips: Im in with excellent chance
Dave Tindall: "Tony Finau won here last year having finished 28th in the Open Championship. Two things to note: the suffering from jet-lag argument didn't wash while he'd performed reasonably without being in contention at St Andrews.
"Sungjae Im has a very similar profile this week having finished tied 20th at Hoylake. That was easily the Korean's best performance in an Open after a missed cut at Royal Portrush in 2019 and 81st at St Andrews last year.
"Not that his average performance at the Old Course 12 months ago stopped him playing well here. Im jetted back from Scotland to Minnesota and shot rounds of 65-70-67-68 to finish runner-up to Finau.
"That followed a tied 15th on debut (his only other appearance) in 2019 when he fired the almost identical scores of 65-70-68-67. On the stats this season, Im ranks 22nd for Total Driving and 23rd for Strokes Gained: Off The Tee so clearly ranks as one of the best drivers in the field.
"And if the Korean's top 20 at Royal Liverpool is a sign of a return to his best (Im also made the top 25 at the Rocket Mortgage Classic two starts earlier) then that must put him in with a great chance of victory."
3M Open First-Round Leader Tips: 80/1 Hadley to hit heights early
Dave Tindall: "Chesson Hadley has been on the first page of the R1 leaderboard in each of the last two years, opening with a 67 to sit ninth after 18 holes in 2021 and firing 68 to land in eighth following the first lap last year.
"In that latter event he stayed in the top 10 all week so this is a good course on which Hadley can score. Over the last few months, he's been getting off to plenty of good starts and these are his last seven openers: 69, 67, 67, 66, 68, 70, 66.
"The second 67 gave Hadley a piece of the first-round lead at the Canadian Open while last week's strong opener at the Barracuda Championship put him in the top dozen.
"He eventually finished sixth at the Barracuda so will head to TPC Twin Cities in good spirits and hopefully ready to go low on day one."
Find Me a 100 Winner: Cink can build on Hoylake success
Steve Rawlings: "I wasn't in a rush to side with anyone that contended at Hoylake last week but I'm more than happy to make an exception with Stewart Cink who has a record of playing well the week after a major championship.
"The 50-year-old veteran, who now balances his playing time between the PGA Tour and the Champions Tour, finished tied for 23rd last week with his wife on the bag and I fancy he could be a factor this week too.
"His course form figures read 46-MC-24 but he was sitting 13th after three rounds last year and while his Rocket Mortgage Classic form figures don't look great, reading 70-57, he has played well there."
3M Open 2023: Course and current form stats
Course Notes: "Opened in 2000, the course was designed by Arnold Palmer in consultation with Tom Lehman. Situated approximately 15 miles north of Downtown Minneapolis, the course was part of the Champions Tour for 18 years from 2001.
"It then switched allegiance to the PGA Tour, although the layout had to be toughened up to accommodate golf's bigger hitters and younger pros. This task belonged to Tom Lehman and Steve Wenzloff who decided to narrow fairways, add new tees and bunkers, as well as grow areas of rough.
"There is a plentiful supply of sizeable water hazards which come into play on 11 holes, while sand is also a constant threat...
"JT Poston has posted a brace of top-six finishes this month and is currently 60th in the FedEx Cup standings. Is almost certain to qualify for the first play-off event in Tennessee. Tied-11th at TPC Twin Cities 12 months ago."