Elliott Heath backed Russell Henley at +1600 to be overall top points scorer. Heath reminded readers that Henley has 14 years of professional experience and five PGA Tour wins even though this is his first Ryder Cup appearance. Henley impressed in last year’s Presidents Cup beside Scottie Scheffler and, with his steady tee-to-green game, is expected to appear in both foursomes and four-balls, giving him a path to four or even five sessions. Heath projected 3.5-4 points if Henley continues his fairway-finding ways and takes advantage of Bethpage’s birdie holes, making the +1600 number a strong value.

Colt Knost said Russell Henley is his outright pick at +1600 to win the 2025 Procore Championship. Knost argued that Henley has been "as hot as anybody on Tour all season" and that the Procore layout—"not the longest, pretty narrow fairways, can get really firm"—demands elite ball-striking and a steady putter. With Henley excelling in both categories right now, Knost believes the betting number undervalues his win equity.

Derek Farnsworth recommended beginning DFS builds with Russell Henley at $10,000. Henley projects only about twelve percentage points worse than Scheffler but costs $4K less, enabling sturdier lineups. He has been a "top-five machine" all season and profiles perfectly for Silverado with strong total driving, precise irons, and a reliable putter. Farnsworth likes Henley in both cash and tournament formats as his primary anchor.

Barnett tagged Russell Henley as the only sub-20-1 player worth betting besides Scheffler. On Bet the Number’s model covering the last 30 rounds, Henley ranks second. His laser accuracy leaves him with so few 100-150-yard rough shots that the database records "NA" in that bucket, proof he rarely misses fairways. Combine that with elite short-iron and around-the-green play and Barnett sees Henley as a live winner at 16-1—especially compared to Justin Thomas at the same price.

Gdula recommended betting Russell Henley at +1600 to win and +150 for a top-10. Over the last 50 rounds Henley is 9th in driving accuracy and 6th in approach while posting a single-round ceiling of +4.81 strokes gained, second only to Scheffler’s +6.03. Henley was a 73rd-percentile putter inside 15 feet on Tour last season (55th percentile outside 15 feet), leading Gdula to flag positive putting regression. That combination of elite iron play, fairway finding, and latent putting upside makes Henley the most attractive option among the co-second choices on FanDuel’s board.

Iain MacMillan targeted Russell Henley at +1200 in DraftKings' “winner without Scheffler” market for the Procore Championship. MacMillan stressed that distance is largely irrelevant at Silverado North, while fairway accuracy and greens-in-regulation are paramount—both long-time strengths for Henley. Over the past three months Henley ranks second in the entire field in total strokes gained, trailing only Scottie Scheffler, underscoring his current form. Because the bet pays if Henley finishes second behind Scheffler (or wins outright), MacMillan believes the consistency of Henley’s tee-to-green game makes him the best non-Scheffler choice on the board at 12-1.

Roberts backed Russell Henley at 14/1 as the best value alternative to Scheffler. Henley has climbed to a career-best No. 4 in the world on the strength of seven straight top-20 finishes, capped by a runner-up at the Tour Championship. While his course log at Silverado reads 41-MC-MC, those starts came in 2016 and 2018 when his form was nowhere near today’s consistency. Roberts noted Henley’s precise iron play and recent win at Bay Hill as indicators that a sixth career title is imminent. Because Henley and Scheffler paired to a 2-1 record at the 2024 Presidents Cup and are expected to partner again at the Ryder Cup, Roberts anticipates Henley will be fully dialed in and “run Scheffler the closest” this week.

Mike McClure’s SportsLine simulation model, which is up more than $8,000 on PGA best bets since 2020 and has correctly called 16 majors, advised fading Russell Henley at +1600 despite his status as the second betting choice. The model projects Henley to “barely crack the top-10” because Silverado’s North Course added distance this year, exposing his season-long weakness off the tee (159th in driving distance, 96th in strokes-gained off-the-tee). Henley’s poor course history—41st place in three appearances with two missed cuts—further compounds the risk. McClure noted that Henley’s elite putting cannot offset the tougher approach shots he will face from consistently longer yardages, making other options better value in outright or DFS builds.

Jim Sannes reiterated that Russell Henley is the lone outright ticket in his account this week at 20-to-1. Citing DataGolf, Sannes noted Henley ranks fourth in true strokes gained and is tied for third in strokes gained at stabilization over the last six months. East Lake deemphasizes distance and rewards fairways, a combination that has already produced strong Henley finishes, including last year’s T4. Even after the odds shortened, Sannes still sees value, arguing Henley checks every box except needing an average putting week to threaten Scottie Scheffler.

Brandon Gdula said he is "really optimistic" about Russell Henley and made Henley his first click in the outright market at 20-to-1 for the Tour Championship. Gdula pointed to Henley’s fourth-place finish at East Lake a year ago and stressed that the course rewards accuracy more than raw distance, aligning perfectly with Henley’s profile. He added that bettors still need Scottie Scheffler’s putter to cooperate only "OK," but the 20-1 price is noticeably better than the numbers on Rory McIlroy, Tommy Fleetwood or Ludvig Aberg. In Gdula’s view Henley offers the best value in the non-Scheffler tier and is worth an early wager.

Brandon Gdula pegged Russell Henley as his top value on the FanDuel board at 20-to-1 (shortened from 27). Henley ranks 12th in approach and 4th in driving accuracy over the last 50 rounds, while his modeled ceiling is sixth-best in the field. He is a 73rd-percentile putter inside 15 feet this season and finished fourth at East Lake last year. Gdula believes Henley’s elite fairway-finding and iron play give him the perfect profile for a soft, rain-soaked East Lake, and that a Scheffler putting hiccup is all that’s needed for Henley to contend for the trophy.

Brandon Gdula highlighted Russell Henley as an automatic click at both 20/1 outright and an $11,300 DFS salary. Henley has finished 4th and 13th in his two Tour Championship appearances, and he rolls in with six consecutive top-17 finishes after a T15 at the BMW. Gdula called him “the new Colin” because his laser-accurate driving and dialed-in wedges match East Lake’s accuracy-plus-short-iron blueprint. With the odds having already moved from 27/1 to 20/1, Gdula still sees enough meat on the bone given Henley’s elite recent form and perfect statistical fit.

Pat Fitzmaurice called Russell Henley a ‘Bermuda specialist’ and said he is automatically on his betting card at East Lake. Henley owns six consecutive top-20 finishes since the Memorial and produced the 4th-best gross score in last year’s Tour Championship. Fitzmaurice emphasized Henley’s long-term dominance on Bermuda greens and tight fairway venues, noting that his accuracy and red-hot putter give him both a secure floor and sneaky win equity in a condensed field.

Calling it an automatic click, Mills loves Russell Henley at +125 to finish Round 1 inside the top ten. Henley “always comes out fast,” carries strong course history at East Lake, and only needs to beat 20 players to cash. Mills even added that he sees Henley as a dark-horse outright, reinforcing why the +125 opening-day placement is, in his words, ‘a smash.’

Keith Stewart identified Russell Henley as his preferred long-shot outright if you fade Scheffler. Henley ranks among East Lake’s career strokes-gained leaders thanks to elite driving accuracy, a key on a course where the Bermuda rough "chews guys up." Stewart added that this third straight par-70 setup puts extra weight on par-3 and par-4 scoring, areas where Henley sits seventh and second on Tour this season. With the winning total projected around −17.5 and Henley trading 40-1 or longer, Stewart believes the accuracy edge gives Henley a realistic chance to upset the FedEx Cup apple cart.

Rick Gehman will be heavy on Russell Henley, noting that in four trips to Eastlake Henley has gained roughly 21 strokes over 16 rounds and has picked up strokes putting in three of those four visits. Henley’s trademark driving accuracy and strong tee-to-green numbers fit a venue that punishes misses, and Gehman expects him to outperform his mid-tier salary in both cash games and GPPs.

Kenny Kim advised grabbing Russell Henley at 14-to-1 on DraftKings before the number slips. In Kim’s 12-round model Henley ranks 1st in fairways gained, dominates long par-3s and par-4s, and is one of the best in the field on approaches from 200+ yards. Kim thinks East Lake’s positional layout is tailor-made for Henley’s precision iron game, giving him genuine win equity at a price still available on one book but already down to 12-to-1 elsewhere.

Patrick McDonald said he is betting Russell Henley at 25-1 to win the Tour Championship. McDonald stressed that East Lake is a ball-striker’s track: last year the top four finishers ranked 1-4 in strokes-gained tee-to-green and seven of the top eight were inside that same metric. With Bermuda rough penalizing misses and the layout playing a lot like TPC Southwind, he wants an ultra-accurate driver who lives in the fairway. Henley ranks near the top of this season’s SG: Approach board and is one of the most accurate drivers left in the playoffs. In a 30-man, no-cut field, McDonald called 25-1 “disrespectful” value and even joked that Keegan Bradley should pair Scheffler and Henley together at the Ryder Cup—his way of underscoring how elite Henley’s current form is.

Jim Sannes said Russell Henley is a strong +230 top-10 wager at the BMW Championship. Sannes acknowledged Henley’s lack of elite distance kept him off the outright card, but he pointed to Henley’s 17th-place finish last week with a cold putter, a driver that gained strokes and a ranking of third in the entire field in his proprietary “relevant strokes-gained” metric. With only 49 players teeing it up, Sannes believes Henley’s current tee-to-green form and accuracy give him more than enough ceiling to cash the top-10 ticket despite a few longer holes at Olympia Fields.

Jim Sannes bet Russell Henley for a Top-10 despite the obvious distance deficiency (48th of 49 in driving distance, losing ~12 yards per drive). Henley counters with elite precision: 10th in approach, 3rd around the green and 20th in putting over the last 50 rounds, numbers strong enough to rank him 30th in SG:OTT even while short. He is eighth in strokes-gained per shot from 150+ yards and fourth in strokes-gained ceiling across the same span, and Sannes pointed to Henley’s reliable record on demanding US Open-style setups as proof he can survive lengthier layouts. The all-around consistency makes a Top-10 ticket attractive, even if Sannes passed on the outright because he questions whether Henley can keep pace on the par-5s.

Gdula highlighted Russell Henley as a sturdy mid-range piece at $9,800 and 35-1. Henley’s 1.81 true strokes gained per round over the last three months comes with elite consistency—five straight top-20s, the first four of which were top-10s. He is second tee-to-green and 32nd in putting during that span. While Henley gives up distance to some bombers, Gdula still likes him in both DFS and outright pools thanks to the rock-solid all-around form.

Pat Perry urged caution on Russell Henley’s Ryder Cup outlook and is looking to fade him in appearance and points props. Henley currently ranks fourth in U.S. qualifying but sits outside the top-100 in driving distance. Perry worries that Bethpage’s 7,500-plus yards and forced carries will highlight that deficiency—Henley loses roughly 0.3 strokes per round with long-iron approach shots. Although Henley posted a top-5 at Torrey Pines, Perry expects U.S. coaches to protect him in four-ball sessions, limiting his playing time. Perry plans to short Henley in ‘to score most U.S. points’ markets and will look for head-to-head fades against longer hitters such as Bryson DeChambeau and Keegan Bradley once books post Ryder Cup matchups.

Rick Gehman suggested pivoting to Russell Henley at $9,700 as ownership gravitates toward Cam Young and JJ Spaun. Henley’s last five starts are all 17th or better with four top-10s across wildly different venues—from the narrow TPC River Highlands to links-style Royal Portrush—showing that course fit is no longer a concern. He ranks top-10 in total strokes gained over the last 36 rounds. Gehman views Henley as a high-floor, high-ceiling option who can differentiate tournament lineups without sacrificing upside.

Calling him his "banker," Tom Jacobs recommended Russell Henley at 22/1 each-way (8 places) on bet365, noting that few players not named Scottie Scheffler are hotter. Henley owns four straight top-10 finishes, back-to-back major top-10s, and an earlier victory at the Arnold Palmer Invitational. Statistically he sits 8th in SG Tee-to-Green, 14th Approach, 5th Around-the-Green and 33rd Putting, a career-best combination. TPC Southwind mitigates his lack of distance and accentuates his accuracy—he has finished 6th and 7th here and has both a win and a playoff loss at the corollary Sony Open. Jacobs trusts the complete skill-set and current confidence to land Henley a second win of 2025 and pay off the each-way ticket.

Polzin labeled Russell Henley a live outright at 27-to-1 and said he will treat Henley as a high-exposure DFS play even though the 9/5 tool only flags him "mid-exposure." Henley enters with four consecutive top-10 finishes, is the No. 2 specialist in the field and sits seventh in stat fit. Polzin suspects mediocre course history is what keeps the model lukewarm but believes Henley’s current form and course-fit make him a legitimate threat to win.

Eric Polzin highlighted Russell Henley as a sneaky cornerstone for balanced roster builds, calling him the No. 2 overall statistical fit in the field despite a mid-tier $10,000 salary. Henley rates top-five in birdie rate, fairway accuracy and wedge play within Polzin’s key-stat mix and also pops in the 9to5 specialist model for no-cut events. Polzin thinks Henley can realistically finish top-five and return 4× value, making him an ideal complement to stars like Scheffler or an anchor in lineups that bypass the $11K tier altogether.

Parker recommended Russell Henley at +3000 on FanDuel, noting the Georgia Bulldog has rattled off four straight Top-10 finishes in stacked fields and currently ranks second in this week’s field in true strokes gained tee-to-green and third on approach. Henley also brings two prior Top-10s at Southwind and will be teeing it up here for the eighth time, giving him both current form and course familiarity at a price that Parker views as mis-tagged.

Brian Giuffra wagered on Russell Henley at +2000 in FanDuel’s "Winner without Thomas, Scheffler, Fleetwood, Schauffele" market. Removing four of the five shortest names still leaves Henley—who owns four straight top-10s and glowing iron numbers—at 20-1. Giuffra is hammering Henley all week, citing metrics that suggest genuine win equity even against the full field.

Brian Giuffra bet Russell Henley outright at +3000, citing four consecutive top-10 finishes and a T6 at Southwind two years ago. Giuffra stressed Henley’s approach numbers have been "on fire" and that his putting traditionally holds up on Poa, giving him the well-rounded profile needed to win this playoff opener.

Giuffra found a creative angle, backing Henley at +2000 in the ‘Winner Without Thomas, Scheffler, Fleetwood, Schauffele’ market. Removing four of the top five favorites still leaves the red-hot Henley, who owns four straight top-10s and ranks among the field’s best in approach and fairways hit, at a longshot price. Giuffra also sprinkled a Top-10 at +195 but views the without-favorites market as the superior leverage play.

Brian Giuffra fired on Henley at +3000 after four straight top-10 finishes. Henley finished T6 at Southwind two years ago, and Giuffra highlighted that he is a historically strong putter on Poa greens and currently gaining heavily on approach—an attribute previous St. Jude champions have shared. His consistency across driving accuracy and irons suggests the Georgia alum is peaking at the right time.

Mayo pointed to Henley’s PGA-National style skill set—elite accuracy and a 175-225-yard proximity rank inside the top 10—as tailor-made for TPC South-wind, another water-guarded track where double bogeys lurk. Henley gains 0.64 strokes per round with his irons over the last three months and owns three straight top-20s on courses that reward staying dry. Mayo likes him as a balanced-build anchor in DFS cash games and as a top-20 wager at plus money.

Jim Sannes said Russell Henley is the “ideal pairing” with Scottie Scheffler for DFS at TPC Southwind. Slotting Henley at $10.8K alongside Scheffler’s $13.4K still leaves an $8.95K average for the final four golfers, the exact range Sannes thinks “rules this week.” Henley’s recent iron play and reliable putting fit the host’s strategy of down-weighting driver distance, while Scheffler supplies unmatched floor/ceiling. Sannes plans to build a large share of lineups around this core because it provides top-tier win equity without forcing uncomfortable punts.

Jim Sannes agreed on the Henley love but prefers the +550 top-5 market to protect against a potential Scottie Scheffler runaway. Henley has five top-10s in nine starts since winning the Arnold Palmer Invitational and has gained strokes in 14 of the last 16 individual SG buckets. Over his past 50 rounds he ranks top-17 in approach, around-the-green and putting while sitting 12th in driving accuracy—traits Sannes feels perfectly match Southwind’s narrow fairways and tiny greens. With two career top-10s at this course already, Sannes views +550 as a ‘good number’ that captures Henley’s high floor without needing him to beat Scheffler outright.

Brandon Gdula declared Russell Henley his favorite outright at 30-1. With driver less important at Southwind, Henley’s elite irons and balanced game shine. He enters with four straight top-10s—two majors and two signature events—proving ceiling in elite fields. Henley finished 6th here in 2023 and 7th in 2016, and Gdula noted that he gains strokes in every category, particularly on approach. Having already banked a massive win at the Arnold Palmer Invitational this season, Gdula believes Henley is undervalued and poised to add another trophy on a course perfectly tailored to his skill set.

Patrick McDonald said Russell Henley was “the lock of the century” in his can-win bucket and later elevated him to his official outright selection, predicting the Georgia Bulldog would win the FedEx St. Jude Championship by four shots. McDonald noted that TPC Southwind is a 7,200-yard par-70 with “a ton of water” where players “gotta hit it straight,” a setup he believes fits Henley perfectly. Claiming he is “seeing the board so clearly right now,” McDonald urged bettors to center their cards around Henley.

Russell Henley mirrors Fleetwood in Sobel’s eyes—elite iron play, steady floor, and a recent Southwind top-10—so he advocates a separate or parlayed top-10 at +200. Henley’s precise approach game mitigates Southwind’s water-guarded greens, giving him multiple paths to another high finish.

Patrick McDonald tabbed Russell Henley as his outright winner at +3000 for the St. Jude Championship. McDonald pointed to Henley’s scorching summer form—four consecutive top-10 finishes, two of them in majors—as proof the Georgian’s game travels anywhere right now. Henley ranks near the top of the field in fairways gained, giving himself constant wedge numbers, and McDonald emphasized that TPC Southwind historically rewards that exact profile. Henley’s putter, traditionally the weak link, has caught fire over the last six weeks, pushing him inside the top 25 in strokes-gained putting during that stretch. With iron precision, a tidy short game, and momentum on the greens, McDonald believes Henley is positioned to grab the opening playoff trophy and a FedEx Cup points windfall at attractive 30-1 odds.

Wes Reynolds backed Russell Henley at 30-1, pointing to a razor-sharp tee-to-green game tailor-made for TPC Southwind’s narrow Zoysiagrass corridors. Henley ranks third in Good Drive Percentage (85.79%), sixth in Fairways Hit (66.48%) and shares 13th in SG: Approach (+0.573). He is historically strongest on Bermuda greens and arrives red-hot with top-10s at both the U.S. Open and British Open plus a runner-up at the Travelers and a fifth at the Memorial in his last five starts. Past Memphis form—T7 in 2016 and 2023—reinforces Reynolds’ view that Henley’s accuracy and reliable Bermuda putting give him a high ceiling in this first FedExCup playoff event.

Henley grades No. 1 in Haslbauer’s weighted model that blends SG: T2G, SG: APP, weighted Bermuda putting, Fairways Gained, and Scrambling. He is one of only six players to check every box across the 10 highest-correlated stats to success at Southwind, and stands out as the only player in that subset currently top-10 in both SG: P (Firm & Fast Greens) and Double-Bogey Avoidance— critical with 11 holes bringing water into play. Over his past 12 rounds Henley ranks fourth in SG: T2G and first in SG: P on Bermuda, while his tidy driving accuracy (6th in Fairways Gained season-long) mitigates Southwind’s penal rough. Haslbauer expects books to open Henley around 28-1 and calls that a must-bet outright number given the Georgia native’s proven heat tolerance and strong comp-course results at PGA National and Harbour Town.

Glasscott labeled Russell Henley a value play at +3000 in finish markets. The Arnold Palmer Invitational winner arrives with four straight top-10s, including a Saturday 61 en route to T2 at the Travelers and T10 finishes in both summer majors. Henley’s nine top-10s trail only Scheffler’s 13, and he already owns two top-seven checks in seven Memphis starts. Growing up on Bermudagrass and boasting elite iron play and scrambling, Henley is positioned to parlay scorching form into another top-10—if not a podium—with quadruple FedExCup points on offer.

Casey Johnston also backed Russell Henley at +3000 but stressed different angles: Henley enters with four consecutive top-10s (two Signature Events, two majors), ranks fifth in total strokes gained this season, and already owns two top-10s at TPC Southwind. Johnston thinks that blend of white-hot form and proven course record positions Henley for win No. 2 of 2025.

Will Gray identified Russell Henley as another +3000 outright worth attacking. Henley’s Bay Hill victory earlier this year underscored his elite strokes-gained approach numbers, and Gray thinks that iron play is exactly what TPC Southwind demands. Calling 2025 a potential career season, Gray believes Henley can punctuate it with a win in Memphis.

Joe Idone said Russell Henley is a must-bet at 30-to-1 in the outright market (both with and without Scottie Scheffler). Idone pointed to Henley’s four consecutive top-10 finishes, noting that the Georgia Bulldog has quietly logged only 15 PGA Tour starts this season yet has gained strokes on approach in every appearance since the Masters. Despite playing just four events since Augusta, Henley has flashed elite proximity numbers and historically thrives on Bermuda greens similar to TPC Southwind. Idone believes Henley’s combination of elite iron play, accuracy off the tee, and proven success on water-heavy tracks makes him an ideal course fit for Southwind, where past champions have relied on precision more than raw distance.

After weighting the last 20 rounds for total strokes gained, multiple approach buckets, driving accuracy, and Bermuda putting, Rick Gehman’s custom model popped Russell Henley as the No. 1 golfer in the entire FedEx St. Jude field. Gehman remarked that Henley has been “really hot” lately and acknowledged the short-term nature of the build, but the across-the-board gains were enough to push Henley ahead of names like Fitzpatrick, English, and Scheffler. Given the model’s emphasis on recent approach play—Henley’s specialty—Gehman indicated he will have to strongly consider making Henley a centerpiece of his DraftKings core.

Rick Gehman called Russell Henley the DFS X-factor in the 9k tier, noting almost no buzz around him despite four straight top-10 finishes. Henley’s iron play has always been his calling card, but Gehman stressed that the putter—Henley’s lone weakness in a three-event slump—is now cooperating again. Because salaries in the 9k range will pull attention to bigger names, Gehman expects suppressed ownership and argues Henley merely needs another top-5/8 to smash salary, not an outright win.

Rick Gehman called Russell Henley the overlooked X-factor of the slate because DraftKings priced him above $10K for only the fourth time since 2020. The sticker shock, plus star names around him, should drive ownership down even though Henley enters with four consecutive top-10 finishes. Gehman framed those results as peak "Henley DNA": elite approach play combined with a recently reheated putter after a brief cold stretch. In a 69-man, no-cut field where placement points are king, Henley doesn’t need to win but must finish near the top, a scenario Gehman believes is realistic given his current ball-striking. He recommends using Henley as a contrarian leverage play in GPP builds that fade one of the chalky $10K options.

Byron Lindeque’s card includes Russell Henley at 30-1. Henley rolls into Memphis with four straight top-10s—two in majors—and already bagged the Arnold Palmer Invitational this year. Byron loves that Southwind removes driver from Henley’s hands, letting his 100-200 yard iron prowess shine. Over the last 24 rounds Henley ranks top-20 in Bermuda putting, and Byron’s model has him third overall this week. Byron expects a relatively easy scoring environment, a setting where Henley historically feasts.

Byron Lindeque recommended a Russell Henley Top-10 at +190 (and even floated +250 on ProfitX). Lindeque dubbed Henley “Sex Panther platinum,” noting the Georgian has landed in the Top-10 in four straight starts and in 60 % of his last seven, converting at nearly double the implied 34 % probability of the +190 number. Henley’s precision from 100-200 yards—the range accounting for 75 % of approaches at Southwind—along with his elite poor-shot avoidance makes him a perfect fit for a layout with the most water balls on Tour since 2003. He owns two Top-10s here in the past five years and traditionally excels on Florida-style, water-heavy courses such as PGA National and Valspar. Lindeque views the market as underrating Henley’s current ceiling and thinks the plus-money Top-10 is a sharp way to ride the heater.

Andy Lack said Russell Henley is another must-consider at Sedgefield. Henley, whom Lack described as having played “tremendous here,” excels in the two stats Lack deems vital this week: elite fairway-finding and precise short-to-mid irons. Given the forecast of firmer greens and more wind, Lack believes Henley’s ability to control trajectory and keep the ball below the hole will separate him from the pack. He intends to deploy Henley heavily in DFS builds and will grab an outright ticket if bookmakers offer anything longer than 30-1.

Calling $10,200 "too cheap," Andrade pointed to Russell Henley’s top-15 ranks in driving accuracy, SG: Approach, GIR%, proximity, and SG: Around-the-Green. Henley rides finishes of T5-T10-T2 and already has eight top-10s in 2025. He placed solo 5th at last year’s Open, and Andrade expects the same fairway-first formula to thrive on Portrush’s 60 strategic bunkers and elevated greens.