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Chart: 3M Championship primer

July 31, 2015 at 6:15AM

Marco Dawson teed off on the 5th hole during the Pro-Am at the 3M golf tournament at TPC Twin Cities, Thursday, July 30, 205 in Blaine, MN. ] (ELIZABETH FLORES/STAR TRIBUNE) ELIZABETH FLORES • eflores@startribune.com (The Minnesota Star Tribune)

The favorites

Bernhard Langer

Why he'll win: Two-time champion (2009, '12) thrives on this course. Third in Schwab Cup standings, Langer has the most to gain with the top two Champions Tour players (Colin Montgomerie, Jeff Maggert) not in the field.

Why he won't: Fatigue. Langer played in the British Open and Senior British Open in back-to-back weeks six time zones away before coming to the 3M.

Kenny Perry

Why he'll win: The defending champion is rested. Perry has been idle since July 12, and he figures to use that extra energy to improve on a Champions Tour-best driving average of 298.8 yards.

Why he won't: No player in the event's 22-year history has successfully defended the championship. Tom Kite came the closest when he finished fifth in 2004.

Marco Dawson

Why he'll win: Momentum. Dawson won the Senior British Open last week, his second victory. In 12 events this season he's earned more money than he did in any one full season on the PGA Tour.

Why he won't: Putting. By his own admission putts aren't falling the way he wouldd like. That's not a good sign at this course.

The dark horses

Jeff Sluman

Why he'll win: He has four top-10 finishes in seven career appearances in Blaine. Sluman shot an 8-under 28 on the front nine on the final round in 2013.

Why he won't: His scoring average of 70.89 ranks 25th on the Champions Tour.

Kevin Sutherland

Why he'll win: He can go low. Shot a 59 on the Champions Tour last August. In his 3M debut last year, he shot back-to-back 67s (5 under) on the weekend including a pair of eagles in Round 2.

Why he won't: Lack of consistency. It will likely take three straight rounds in the low 60s to win this event.

John Cook

Why he'll win: He has 10 Champions Tour wins and plays well in this part of the country. In events in Iowa and Illinois this season he's never shot above a 70.

Why he won't: Can he close? He has lost in six playoffs since 2008.

BRIAN STENSAAS

Bernhard Langer, of Germany, watches his tee shot on the first hole in the final round of the U.S. Senior Open golf tournament at Del Paso Country Club in Sacramento, Calif., Sunday, June 28, 2015. (AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli) ORG XMIT: CARP102 (The Minnesota Star Tribune)

Kenny Perry reacts after hitting his tee shot on the 17th hole during the first round of the Encompass Championship golf tournament Friday, July 10, 2015, in Glenview, Ill. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh) ORG XMIT: ILNH113 (The Minnesota Star Tribune)

Jeff Sluman reacts as he watches his tee shot on the 11th during the second round of the Encompass Championship golf tournament Saturday, July 11, 2015, in Glenview, Ill. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh) ORG XMIT: ILNH107 (The Minnesota Star Tribune)

Kevin Sutherland reacts to missing a putt on the seventh hole during the final round of the Regions Tradition Champions Tour golf tournament at Shoal Creek Country Club, Sunday, May 17, 2015, in Birmingham, Ala. (AP Photo/Butch Dill) ORG XMIT: otkbd316 (The Minnesota Star Tribune)

John Cook plays during the third round of the Champions Tour's 3M Championship golf tournament at TPC Twin Cities in Blaine, Minn., Sunday, Aug. 3, 2014. (AP Photo/Paul Battaglia) ORG XMIT: MNPB10X (The Minnesota Star Tribune)