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Quicken Loans National 2017: 5 groups to watch in Rounds 1 & 2

By Luke Norris

HARTFORD, WI - JUNE 17: Justin Thomas of the United States plays his shot from the 17th tee during the third round of the 2017 U.S. Open at Erin Hills on June 17, 2017 in Hartford, Wisconsin. (Photo by Andrew Redington/Getty Images)
HARTFORD, WI - JUNE 17: Justin Thomas of the United States plays his shot from the 17th tee during the third round of the 2017 U.S. Open at Erin Hills on June 17, 2017 in Hartford, Wisconsin. (Photo by Andrew Redington/Getty Images) /
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Quicken Loans National
Jun 16, 2017; Erin, WI, USA; Rickie Fowler tees off the twelfth hole during the second round of the U.S. Open golf tournament at Erin Hills. Mandatory Credit: Michael Madrid-USA TODAY Sports /

1. Marc Leishman, Adam Hadwin, Rickie Fowler

Round 1: 10th tee, 8:21 a.m.

Round 2: 1st tee, 1:21 p.m.

All eyes are on Rickie Fowler this week. The highest-ranked player in the field this week, Fowler is playing his first tournament since the U.S. Open and many will be looking to see how he responds after a disappointing tie for fifth. It’s almost unfair to call a T-5 at the U.S. Open “disappointing”, but Fowler, who is still just 28 years old, has had so many close calls at major championships and just hasn’t been able to seal the deal. But that tournament is over now and there’s nothing he can do but move forward. He’ll get his next chance at a major in a few weeks at The Open Championship at Royal Birkdale but he’ll get some swings in this week and enters the Quicken Loans National as the favorite. He’s finished lower than 16th just once in his last 10 starts, a stretch that includes five top 10s. Rickie’s going to be just fine.

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But speaking of The Open Championship, Marc Leishman has to be getting excited and will use this week as one of his warm-ups for Royal Birkdale. This year’s winner of the Arnold Palmer Invitational didn’t factor in at Royal Troon last year — anyone not named Henrik Stenson or Phil Mickelson didn’t factor in — but he got into the three-man playoff at St. Andrews two years ago and tied for fifth in 2014 at Royal Liverpool. Certainly, he’s got big things in mind and a good showing here would give him some confidence and some momentum. He tied for 39th at Congressional last year.

29-year-old Adam Hadwin broke through with his first PGA TOUR win at the Valspar Championship earlier this year and has missed the cut just once in his nine starts since then. He got things going early at Erin Hills, turning heads with an opening-round 4-under 68 but struggled the next three days, shooting 13-over, including an 80 in the final round to finish tied for 60th. He followed it up with a T-57 at the Travelers Championship this past weekend so he could use some low numbers to get his confidence back. He missed the cut at the Quicken Loans National in 2016.

Next: Quicken Loans National fantasy picks

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