After a brief hiatus, the PGA Tour returns to action this week in Napa, California, at the Fortinet Championship.
Max Homa, who was recently in Rome with the United States Ryder Cup team on a scouting mission of Marco Simone Golf and Country Club, returns to Silverado Resort’s North Course as the two-time defending champion.
The 32-year-old comes into the week with five straight top-20 finishes: T-12 (Scottish Open), T-10 (The Open), T-6 (FedEx St. Jude), T-5 (BMW) and T-9 (Tour Championship). After struggling mid-summer, Homa is back to the form we saw from him in the late winter and spring of 2023.
Ryder Cup teammate Justin Thomas, Sahith Theegala and rising star Akshay Bhatia join him in the field.
Golf course
Silverado Resort and Spa (North Course) | Par 72 | 7,123 yards
A general view of the 15th hole during the second round of the Fortinet Championship at Silverado Resort and Spa North course on September 16, 2022 in Napa, California. (Photo by Mike Mulholland/Getty Images)
Course history
Course history at Silverado (North) for the #FortinetChampionship going back to 2014.
-Includes average finish position and Strokes Gained per round in each category. Players are sorted by SG: Total.
-22nd (out of 43) most predictive annual course on Tour. pic.twitter.com/MnsbNs0Jdz
— Ron Klos (@PGASplits101) September 12, 2023
Betting preview
| Player | Odds | Player | Odds |
| Max Homa | (+700) | Andrew Putnam | (+3500) |
| Justin Thomas | (+1400) | Davis Thompson | (+4000) |
| Sahith Theegala | (+1600) | Akshay Bhatia | (+4000) |
| Cam Davis | (+1800) | Justin Suh | (+4500) |
| Stephan Jaeger | (+2200) | Garrick Higgo | (+4500) |
| Beau Hossler | (+2500) | Alex Noren | (+4500) |
| Eric Cole | (+3000) | Taylor Montgomery | (+5500) |
| Lucas Herbert | (+3500) | Sam Stevens | (+5500) |
| J.J. Spaun | (+3500) | Sam Ryder | (+5500) |
| Brendon Todd | (+3500) | Nick Hardy | (+5500) |
Justin Thomas lines up a putt on the first green during the second round of the Wyndham Championship golf tournament. Mandatory Credit: David Yeazell-USA TODAY Sports
Yes, before you say anything, this is a storyline pick. Imagine after all the crap fans across the sport have spewed about JT making the U.S. Ryder Cup roster, he comes out in California and wins the Fortinet. Plus, judging by his social media, the guy has been grinding, Tin Cup style.
In his last appearance at Silverado’s North Course — 2019 — Thomas tied for fourth.
Sahith Theegala tees off on the first hole during the first round of the PGA Championship golf tournament at Oak Hill Country Club. Mandatory Credit: Aaron Doster-USA TODAY Sports
He’s due to win at some point, so why not this week against a not-so-strong field?
Theegala, who tied for sixth at last year’s Fortinet and for 14th in 2020, missed three straight cuts going into the FedEx Cup Playoffs but turned it around once the postseason began. He tied for 13th at the FedEx St. Jude Championship and for 15th at the BMW Championship.
Davis Thompson of the United States plays his shot from the 13th tee during the second round of the Wells Fargo Championship at Quail Hollow Country Club on May 05, 2023, in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images)
Thompson tied for ninth at last year’s Fortinet and is coming off a solid run of golf. In his last four starts, the 24-year-old tied for 24th at the Rocket Mortgage Classic, for 31st at the John Deere Classic and for 22nd at the Wyndham Championship (he missed the cut at the 3M Open).
Mark Hubbard reacts after making a birdie putt on the first hole during the final round of the Charles Schwab Challenge golf tournament. (Photo: Raymond Carlin III-USA TODAY Sports)
Hubbard’s last eight starts have been a mixed bag. He missed four cuts, but he also finished T-10 or better three times.
The 34-year-old, who’s yet to win on Tour, has played well in Napa over the last several years. Aside from an MC in 2020, Hubbard has finished 21st or better in three of the last four playings of the Fortinet.
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