The third edition of the 3M Open tees off on Friday from TPC Twin Cities in Minnesota.
With the fourth and final major of the year behind us, players are now vying for a spot in the FedEx Cup Playoffs with the Northern Trust now just over a month away.
Two of the world’s Top 10 golfers, Dustin Johnson and last week’s Open Championship runner-up, Louis Oosthuizen, will be in attendance this week, while 2019 champion Matthew Wolff also looks to be among the main chances.
We’ve run through all the numbers and offer our best bet, best value, and best roughie in our 2021 3M Open Preview below.
2021 3M Open Best Bet
Dustin Johnson at $7.50
DJ isn’t the most exciting choice, but he’s got the numbers on the board to suggest he can improve on last week’s strong T8 at Royal St George’s.
The world No. 2 came undone with a third round 72, but his final round 67 was full of merit as he ventures back to TPC Twin Cities after being forced to withdraw in this tournament last year.
Hitting the greens with accuracy is key this week, but so is driving distance.
The 7,431-yard par-71 is one of the flatter courses on TOUR, but the amount of water surrounding the holes favours players that can bomb it, much like we’ve seen from Bryson Dechambeau and Matthew Wolff in recent years.
Johnson currently ranks seventh on TOUR in driving distance, so I think this weekend sets up nicely for the favourite.
2021 3M Open Best Value
Emiliano Grillo at $31.00
I think the current price on the Argentinian might be a touch over the odds.
Grillo missed the cut at three straight tournaments before bouncing back with a tidy T8 last week at The Open – his third Top 10 finish of the year.
More importantly, the 28-year-old ranks first on TOUR in Strokes Gained: Approach and fifth in Greens in Regulation, two key statistical categories when it comes to TPC Twin Cities.
Throw in a T3 on debut last year, and Grillo looks a good bet if you’re searching for some value.
2021 3M Open Best Roughie
Jhonnatan Vegas at $51.00
The Venezuelan has quietly been stringing together some consistent results as he prepares for his second trip to the Twin Cities.
Vegas has finished Top 15 in three of his last six tournaments, the most recent of which came at the John Deere Classic a fortnight ago.
He’s well-rested and also ranks first on TOUR in Strokes Gained: Off the Tee over his last 24 rounds.
