Pierceson Coody vs. Michael Thorbjornsen

Michael Thorbjornsen's best finish on Tour came right here, a T2 at TPC Deere Run two years ago, and he backed that with a T21 in this event last year. This is a course he clearly reads well, and he's arriving rested, having skipped both the U.S. Open and Travelers while most of the field ground through four straight weeks. That rest matters on a course that rewards a hot driver, and Thorbjornsen ranks inside the top 20 in both distance and accuracy this season with six top-25 finishes to show for it. He's also posted four top-3 finishes over his last two and a half seasons, specifically on birdie-fest style courses like this one, the kind of setup where his game has consistently shown up. Pierceson Coody has had a strong spring of his own, with a T2 at the Farmers and top-25s that carried into the U.S. Open, but his history at this course is thinner than it looks. He missed the cut here last year after an opening 79, and while his other five rounds in Silvis have all been 70 or better, one disaster round is still part of the sample. I like the freshness and course fit working in Thorbjornsen's favor this week. Thorbjornsen is the play in this head-to-head matchup.