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Irish Open: Top 10 power rankings at Portstewart Golf Club

By Mike Randleman

CROMWELL, CT - JUNE 24: Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland lines up a putt on the 12th green during the third round of the Travelers Championship at TPC River Highlands on June 24, 2017 in Cromwell, Connecticut. (Photo by Tim Bradbury/Getty Images)
CROMWELL, CT - JUNE 24: Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland lines up a putt on the 12th green during the third round of the Travelers Championship at TPC River Highlands on June 24, 2017 in Cromwell, Connecticut. (Photo by Tim Bradbury/Getty Images) /
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Irish Open
HARTFORD, WI – JUNE 18: Hideki Matsuyama of Japan plays his shot on the 18th hole during the final round of the 2017 U.S. Open at Erin Hills on June 18, 2017 in Hartford, Wisconsin. (Photo by Ross Kinnaird/Getty Images) /

Hideki Matsuyama will make his debut at a regular European Tour event this week. He enters as the highest-ranked in the field.

He shared with the European Tour why he broke from his usual PGA Tour Schedule to head to Northern Ireland:

“It is important to play some links golf ahead of The Open Championship and I’m sure Portstewart will be the perfect preparation for me.”

Few hit the ball as straight and powerful as Matsuyama. It may take him some time to adjust if the greens aren’t receptive. Either way it’s hard to argue anyone in the field, perhaps except Fleetwood, is playing as well as Matsuyama.

Getting a break from the PGA Tour’s oft-undulating and speedy greens could play to his advantage, though. He’s a woeful -.436 in strokes gained putting (174th), which has cost him chances at picking up his first major.

Matsuyama has missed only one cut in 2017, so he’s one of the more reliable picks to see the weekend.

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