Since then he has become a pariah and, if he does play, will surely be overwhelmed by the scrutiny. He's 81.080/1 having been 201.0200/1 for the win last year (and 1000.0 on the Exchange).
As usual, Dave Tindall's Trends article has narrowed the focus to a handful of important factors.
A detailed read of his research is advised, but the gist is that winners tends to be American, in their 20s, in the world's top 20, a winner already this season, in good form, and with a top 20 in their tournament back catalogue.
We'll bear these details in mind when also adding two other factors in the picks below that are looking to capitalise on the 10 places availale on the Betfair Sportsbook.
Perry Maxwell was a Kentucky-born banker of Scottish descent who in later life became known as "the father of Oklahoma golf", his influence most keenly felt in design of the state's courses.
Southern Hills is one of those and so, too, is Colonial Country Club, home of the Charles Schwab Challenge, and Merion, which hosted the 2013 US Open.
It was notable that superb Colonial performers excelled in that latter event. Justin Rose, Phil Mickelson and Steve Stricker, all of them winners at Colonial, finished first, second and eighth while Colonial play-off loser Jason Dufner was fourth.
It's also true that Southern Hills is tree-lined with a series of dog legs, a description that aptly fits Colonial, too.
Southern Hills has been thinned out, in terms of those trees, but the Colonial connection, added to Dave's numbers, informs the first pick.
Jordan Spieth is in his 20s, the right nationality, high in the world rankings, a winner this season at Harbour Town, and has two top three finishes in the PGA Championship.
And what about at Colonial? He's made nine starts, landed seven top 10s, been second three times and was the winner in 2016.
Second pick veers away from a few of Dave's trends.
Hideki Matsuyama is not, of course, American and, as of February this year, he is not in his 20s.
But he's a winner this year (at the Sony Open), he's a two-time top five finisher in the PGA Championship, he's in the world's top 20 and he's in good form.
Dave also noted that hitting lots of greens in regulation tends to be vital at Southern Hills and Matsuyama ranks high in that category this season.
It's also true that if a golfer becomes a multiple major winner it happens in a short space of time so the 2021 Masters winner is ripe if he's up to taking that next step.
And then there is his one experience of playing at Colonial: he finished 10th, but he did share the lead after 54 holes.
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