2020 QBE Shootout: Ranking the 12 teams at Tiburon GC

No. 6 Tony Finau/Cameron Champ

This should be a fun pairing between two of the longest hitters in golf. As long as at least one of them has an accurate week, they should be able to rake in birdies. The two haven’t teamed up before, but that’s the case for a lot of groups this week.

Plus, they both have pretty solid form leading in. Cameron Champ, ranked No. 71 in the OWGR, posted T-19th in his last start at the Masters and was T-8th before that at the Zozo Championship.

No. 18 Tony Finau got in contention last week at the Mayakoba Golf Classic and finished T-8th. It was his third top-11 in his last five events and fifth straight top-50. Finau last teed it up in the QBE Shootout in 2018 when he and Michael Thompson took seventh.

No. 5 Louis Oosthuizen/Bubba Watson

Louis Oosthuizen makes his QBE Shootout debut alongside Bubba Watson, a man who comes to Tiburon for the sixth time and fourth year in a row.

These two once competed against each other in a playoff at the 2012 Masters where Watson prevailed. Bubba’s a two-time Masters champ and Louis owns a career grand slam of runner-up finishes at the majors.

Oosthuizen, ranked No. 21 in the OWGR, has five top-25s in his last seven starts. No. 45 Watson has four top-20s in his last six.

No. 4 Billy Horschel/Brendon Todd

Billy Horschel comes with the furniture at the QBE Shootout. He’s making his eighth straight tournament appearance. No. 41 Horschel’s mixed up his partners over the years but may have found his go-to partner in Brendon Todd.

The former Florida Gator Horschel and former Georgia Bulldog Todd scored 59-66-63 to tie for third in 2019 just three shots off the pace and one back of second. Horschel was supposed to play with his 2018 partner, Brandt Snedker, but Snedeker withdrew.

World No. 41 Horschel has been steady with six top-40s in his last seven outings, including T-5th last week at the Mayakoba Golf Classic. No. 46 Todd defended his 2019 Mayakoba title well with a T-8th finish.

No. 3 Harris English/Matt Kuchar

Given how well Harris English played this year, he may be slightly disappointed to not win an individual event in 2020. Why not salvage it with a team trophy? World No. 29 English has already gotten it done at Tiburon before, winning in 2013 and 2016 with current partner, Matt Kuchar.

The win in 2013 was their first time together. They posted 64-60-58 (-34) to win by seven. They reached 31-under to finish one shot back in second in 2014, were in second and two back at 28-under in 2015, and recorded 57-66-65 (-28) to win by one in 2016. They dipped to ninth in 2017 and make their first return since.

English finished T-5th last week at the Mayakoba Golf Classic. That was his sixth top-10 in his last nine starts. No. 34 Kuchar will look to revitalize his game as he’s without a top-10 since February.

No. 2 Cameron Smith/Marc Leishman

The QBE Shootout’s two Aussies unite. Marc Leishman and Cameron Smith are also both making their tournament debut.

Smith’s had success in team events before, winning the 2017 Zurich Classic alongside Sweden’s Jonas Blixt. Smith (1-1-1) and Leishman (1-2-2) were both on the 2019 International Presidents Cup team but did not play together.

World No. 28 Leishman was a winner early in 2020 at the Farmers Insurance Open. His game dipped this summer but showed some life at the Masters where he was T-13th. No. 27 Smith was even better at Augusta National, showcasing his shotmaking and short game to post a career high finish in a major, T-2nd.

No. 1 Matthew Wolff/Abraham Ancer

We’ve got Bedlam in Florida. Abraham Ancer played his college golf for Oklahoma a handful of years before Matthew Wolff became a NCAA Player of the Year while at Oklahoma State.

World No. 14 Wolff made his QBE Shootout debut in 2019 with former Oklahoma State teammate, Viktor Hovland. The two tied for sixth at 26-under. No. 23 Ancer makes his tournament debut and comes off T12th last week at the Mayakoba Golf Classic.

I’m not too sure how well these two know each other, but they both seem affable enough to jell as a team. Then in 2022, maybe Presidents Cup opponents. Ancer’s 3-1 record at the 2019 Presidents Cup at Royal Melbourne nearly sparked an International upset victory.