The First Look: 3M Open

The PGA TOUR enters the home stretch of events prior to the FedExCup playoffs with the 3M Open in Minnesota. Michael Thompson defends from 2020 while reigning FedExCup champion Dustin Johnson tops the field.

FIELD NOTES: Dustin Johnson will tee it up at the 3M Open, looking for his first victory on TOUR since the Masters in November. He has had just two top-10 finishes during this calendar year and withdrew after the first round in Minnesota in 2020 due to a back injury… 54-hole Open Championship leader Louis Oosthuizen is set to make his 3M Open debut… Some of the other major champions set to tee it up in Minnesota include Charl Schwartzel, Jason Dufner, Gary Woodland, Patrick Reed, Bubba Watson, two-time TOUR winner this season Stewart Cink, Sergio Garcia, and recent winner Lucas Glover… Rickie Fowler will make his tournament debut along with American Ryder Cup captain Steve Stricker… Included in the Sponsor Exemptions are a foursome of college studs: Quade Cummins, Ryan Hall, John Pak, and the University of Minnesota's Angus Flanagan.

FEDEXCUP: Winner receives 500 FedExCup points

STORYLINES: Matthew Wolff returns to action on the PGA TOUR. The 2019 3M Open winner, which he won in his rookie season, was disqualified from the Masters and took a two-month break to focus on his mental health before coming back at the U.S. Open. He played the Travelers Championship (MC) and the Rocket Mortgage Classic (58) before choosing not to play the Open Championship. Wolff's win came in just his third TOUR start as a pro… Fans, in full capacity, will be allowed back on site for 2021 and there will be a new, large spectator hub built out around the par-3 17th.

COURSE: TPC Twin Cities, par 71, 7,431 yards. Designed originally by Arnold Palmer, the layout traverses naturally rolling terrain 15 miles north of Minneapolis/St. Paul on a former sod farm. Minnesota native and multi-time TOUR winner Tom Lehman was the player consultant for the course that features lots of water. One of the signature holes is the 7th, dubbed 'Tom's Thumb' after Lehman himself - it's a risk/reward par four.

72-HOLE RECORD: 263, Matthew Wolff (2019)

18-HOLE RECORD: 62, Scott Piercy (first round, 2019), Bryson DeChambeau (second round, 2019), Matthew Wolff (third round, 2019), Lucas Glover (fourth round, 2019)

LAST TIME: Michael Thompson found the winner's circle on the PGA TOUR for the first time in seven years after he won the 2020 3M Open by two shots over Adam Long. Thompson had only one other top-10 finish on the 2019-20 TOUR season (T8, RBC Heritage) and started the year missing his first seven of 11 cuts. However, Thompson opened with a 7-under 64 and kept it steady through the weekend. He birdied No's 16 and 18 on Sunday to hold off Long, who climbed 11 spots on the leaderboard in the final round to get into the mix. He birdied three of his first five holes on the back nine to put the pressure on Thompson, but despite birding No's 16 and 18, like Thompson, a bogey on the penultimate hole ultimately derailed his chances. Nine golfers finished tied for third at 16-under, while defending champion Matthew Wolff was two shots further back and finished T12.

HOW TO FOLLOW (All times ET)

TELEVISION: Thursday-Friday, 2:30 p.m.-6:30 p.m. ET (Golf Channel). Saturday-Sunday 1 p.m.-3 p.m. (Golf Channel), 3 p.m.-6 p.m. (CBS).

PGA TOUR LIVE: Thursday-Friday 7:45 a.m.-6:30 p.m. (Featured Groups). Saturday-Sunday, 7:45 a.m.-3 p.m. (Featured Groups), 3 p.m.-6 p.m. (Featured Holes).

RADIO: Thursday-Friday, 1 p.m.-6:30 p.m. Saturday-Sunday 1 p.m.-6 p.m. (PGA TOUR Radio on SiriusXM and PGATOUR.com).

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