There are nine players in the 3M Open field with Minnesota connections but listen carefully and it might sound more like the state open than a PGA Tour event.

Players who use one of eight "Minnesotan" words or phrases during their media sessions will have $500 donated to the First Tee Minnesota in their names.

How's it going so far? Just ask Billy Horschel about the weather we're having.

"I wasn't expecting the temperatures to be this high. I mean, holy buckets, it's a scorcher out there."

Say, Justin Thomas, this course has a lot of water. What's your plan for this week?

"Oh, yeah, sure. It's tough, but at the end of the day it's still golf, right?"

And you're playing well when you're having fun, right JT?

"You betcha."
Brian Stensaas, Star Tribune

The heat is on

Thursday's weather forecast calls for 94 degrees and a 20-percent chance of rain.

"It's easier to get tired faster," defending 3M Open champ Tony Finau said. "You have to hydrate. That's extremely important when it's hot and humid. It puts a lot of emphasis on your caddie. He's got to carry more water, sometimes more fruit and food. You've just got to eat and stay hydrated."

Thursday's forecast is similar to the first three practice/pro-am days. Mid-80s are forecast Friday through Sunday.

A family tradition

Finau rented a house on TPC Twin Cities' back nine and on the water so he, his wife and five children can fish.

"We do fishing once a year I would say and it's here in Minnesota," he said. "We didn't get the same house. We got a house close to it. I think we're on the same lake. I'm not crazy superstitious where everything got to be the same for me to win again. Never really been that way. But we are in the same area here in Blaine and I think we'll be fishing the same lake."

Time changes

Players returning from last week's British Open in Liverpool, England fight jet lag. Thomas got an early start, arriving in Minnesota on Saturday afternoon after he missed Friday's cut.

"Just basically taped my eyes open to stay awake as long as I possibly could," Thomas said. "The next day, I woke up at 2:30 [Monday morning] with all the lights on in my room. I didn't even make it to the bedside table to just turn the light off."