2023 3M Open: Top 10 Power Rankings at TPC Twin Cities

It’s looking more and more likely Sepp Straka will be heading to Rome this fall. The Austrian is playing some of the best golf in his career and is closing in on an automatic qualifier spot for the European Ryder Cup team. If not, it’ll be tough for Luke Donald to turn Straka down as a captain’s pick.

Straka won for the second time in his career, and in as many years, two starts ago at the John Deere Classic. The former Georgia Bulldog threatened 59 at TPC Deere Run before settling for a final-round 62 and a two-shot victory. Not bad after opening in 73, eh?

It’s easy to beat up on the weak field at the JDC, but Straka proved himself against the game’s best in his next outing at The Open Championship. The 30-year-old was one of four players at Royal Liverpool to post even par or better all four days en route to finishing T-2nd.

While Brian Harman cruised to victory, Straka got as close as anyone came to making a charge.

"“That’s really the first success I’ve had in majors in my career. I’ve had some decent finishes but nothing crazy good,” Straka was transcribed by Tee Scripts. “But I think my ball-striking has improved a lot over the last year. It’s gotten a little more consistent, so I’ve been able to kind of show up with my best game a couple more times.”"

Straka is coming to the 3M Open for the third time. He missed the cut in 2019 and 2021 but played well in 2020 where rounds of 70-67-71-63 netted him T-18th.

Straka ranks 14th on the PGA Tour in strokes gained per round on approach (.599) and gains strokes in every category except for around-the-green, which is not a stat of huge importance this week.