Myrtle Beach Classic Recap: Breakouts, Busts, and a Packed Leaderboard

 The inaugural Myrtle Beach Classic delivered a thrilling week of golf, featuring low scores, career-defining performances, and plenty of movement on the Golf’s Greatest Gamble leaderboard. As a new event on the PGA Tour calendar, the tournament brought fresh faces into the spotlight and offered our league members a chance to capitalize—or come up empty.

Let’s break down the biggest winners (and losers) from our Myrtle Beach selections, then look at the season storylines taking shape as we head into a crucial stretch.

💰 League Highlights: Who Got Paid?

Top Earners:

  • Harry Higgs and Mackenzie Hughes both T2’d at -15, netting $356,000 and 135 FedEx Cup Points apiece. Hughes scorched the course with an opening round 63, while Higgs was Mr. Consistency all week (67-66-68-68). Anyone who picked one of them just made a big leap in the standings.

  • Kevin Yu was right behind at solo 4th with a four-round total of -14 (270), earning $196,000 and 80 FedEx Cup Points.

  • Alex Smalley quietly posted four rounds in the 60s for a T5 finish and $154,500. A savvy pick paying off in a big way.

  • Sami Valimaki and Thorbjørn Olesen both finished T7 at -12, banking $113,333.33 each—strong results for lesser-known names.

Steady Hands:

  • Chris Gotterup looked comfortable all week, posting -11 and landing in T13 for $69,571.43.

  • Ben Silverman delivered a clean T20 finish and $45,480—not huge, but a solid return for a lower-tier pick.

❌ Missed Cuts and Missed Opportunities

It wasn’t all sunshine in Myrtle Beach. A few players failed to make it to the weekend, delivering goose eggs in both cash and points:

  • Adam Schenk, Chandler Phillips, Joel Dahmen, Davis Riley, and Patrick Fishburn all missed the cut. Zero dollars. Zero points.

  • Tom Kim, the highest-ranked player in the field (OWGR 41), made the cut but underwhelmed with a T54 and just $9,460.

These busts could have long-term consequences in the “One and Done” format—burning a name for no gain.

📈 Storylines to Watch

With the Myrtle Beach Classic in the books, we’re entering the heart of the PGA Tour season. Here’s what to keep an eye on:

🔥 Surprise Stars Emerging

Kevin Yu, Alex Smalley, and Chris Gotterup are proving they can hang with the Tour’s best. If you still have them available, they might be valuable contrarian plays later this summer.

⏳ Clock is Ticking

Many league members have already burned a few top-50 OWGR players without a big payoff. Strategic picks in upcoming events—like the PGA Championship and the Memorial—will be critical.

🧯 Bounce-Back Watch

Names like Tom Kim and Adam Schenk underperformed this week. If you’ve yet to use them, keep an eye on how they respond over the next few starts.

🏆 The Money Race Tightens

With Higgs, Hughes, and Yu pulling in big checks, the standings are tightening. It's a reminder: every pick counts, especially in weeks like this when a sharp choice makes a six-figure difference.

The next few tournaments will separate contenders from pretenders. Will someone ride a no-name to the top, or will the big guns reassert dominance?

Stay sharp, make your pick.

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