Crush & Fade: 3M Open

Welcome to Crush & Fade, our weekly series where we break down the current PGA Tour event and recap the previous tournament.

It feels like a bit of a letdown this week after our fourth and final major is in the books, but we soldier on back stateside to the Twin Cities and the 3M Open.

The Open: Yet Another Ode to Scottie

Scottie Scheffler wins. Again. Rinse and repeat.

Do you remember those little flip books where you’d let the pages run through your thumb and it looked like a stick figure was in motion or a dog was running? We made them with yellow sticky notes to entertain ourselves back before iPhones and electronics. I know, I’m old.

Why am I getting into flip books, and what does this have to do with Scottie Scheffler? Every time Scottie wins, we get the adorable Bennett Scheffler and his wife Meredith running out to the 18th green to celebrate with him. All Bennett knows is that his dad hits a golf ball around, and then a bunch of cameras get shoved in his face as he waddles out to meet him.

This is the norm because every time Bennett shows up at a golf course, Scottie is winning. We’ve literally watched Bennett grow up in front of our eyes through these 18th-green celebrations. Just like a flip book. Scottie has now won nine times in the 14 months that Bennett has been alive. He also has 22 top-10s, including a streak of 11 straight. He hasn’t missed a cut since 2022. I know not all events have cuts anymore, but still.

Scottie is inevitable. He is a golf machine. And he’s one of the most likable players on Tour. It’s hard to imagine him not being the world number one for a long time, unless his ankles or knees give out from the stress of that unorthodox swing.

If he had one weakness in his game, it was putting. But now he’s working with Phil Kenyon, has gone to the claw grip on shorter putts, and suddenly it feels like everything is dropping. The best player in the world just got better. The best is now bestier. The bestiest.

He is being compared to Tiger Woods, and rightly so. The results are now matching up across the board with the greatest of my lifetime.

Kudos to Scottie. You’re the best golfer on the planet. Not much more needs to be said about The Open Championship in 2025.

3M Open

After major season wraps up, we always get a bit of a comedown event as fans collectively exhale. This week we head to Blaine, Minnesota and TPC Twin Cities, a par 71 that tips out at a robust 7,431 yards.

This tournament is not quite a resort-course birdie fest, but it is still a bit of a shootout. You need to be able to bomb it, then capitalize around and on the greens.

Jhonattan Vegas re-emerged last year to win at 17-under. It should be a fun week with a bunch of guys in the mix. Let’s go make some money.

Sandman Top Bets

This course sets up well for certain guys. A few players have consistently performed well at TPC Twin Cities, so I’m leaning into the horses-for-the-course angle along with current form.

Sam Burns to Win (+1600)
Sam seems to be over the heartbreak of the U.S. Open. He has been playing well coming in and is 3-for-3 here with two top-15 finishes. He feels ready to turn the page and get back in the winner’s circle this week.
Maverick McNealy Top 5 (+475)
I was tempted to pick Mav to win. He posted a T3 here in 2024 and has quietly stacked four top-25s in his last five Tour starts this summer.
Andrew Putnam Top 10 (+650)
I love this guy. He’s a Northwest guy, and his game suits this track. He tweaked his back in the UK, but if healthy, he’s dangerous. Great approach play and putting, with enough length to contend. Top-20s in his last two trips to Minnesota.
Cam Davis Top 20 (+500)
Cam plays out of a club five minutes from my house, so I’m always pulling for him. He also has the best track record at TPC Twin Cities of anyone in the field. Since 2020, he’s 5-for-5 with four top-20s. The form isn’t amazing right now, but his success here is real, and the vibes will be high.

CRUSH: Sam Burns to Win +1600
CRUSH: Maverick McNealy Top 5 +475
CRUSH: Andrew Putnam Top 10 +650
CRUSH: Cam Davis Top 20 +500

Fade of the Week

Picking guys to fade can be trickier since you’re not betting against someone directly, but rather avoiding them despite high expectations. This week I’m focusing on Chris Gotterup.

Nobody has been hotter lately (outside of Scottie). Gotterup has made a strong case for a Ryder Cup captain’s pick, but I wonder how much gas is left in the tank. He’s now played five straight weeks, bouncing from the States to Scotland to Ireland and back again.

He’s been playing great, but at some point fatigue is real. I like the kid, but this feels like a spot to step back.

FADE: Chris Gotterup to Win +2000
FADE: Chris Gotterup Top 10 +225
FADE: Chris Gotterup Top 20 +125

Good luck this week, Sandman Nation, and may all your bets land squarely on the green.

Join our newsletter for weekly updates, banter, and more.

: @EnterSandmanSports