06-08-16
If you’ve used this column as a FADE for the last three weeks, you should be winning your league CONVINCINGLY!

The birthday girl after reading this column…
Back-to-back weeks of loose picks have forced me to where I should have been three weeks ago: Picking studs.
Of the current OWGR top 30 or so, I have the following players remaining:
1.) Jason Day
2.) Jordan Spieth
10.) Justin Rose
11.) Patrick Reed
12.) Branden Grace
13.) Sergio Garcia
18.) Brandt Snedeker
21.) Zach Johnson
22.) Charl Schwartzel
23.) Chris Wood
24.) Russell Knox
25.) Kevin Kisner
27.) Ben An
28.) Rafael Cabrera Bello
29.) Jim Furyk
30.) Justin Thomas
31.) Kevin Na
37.) Bill Haas
The internationals who don’t play on Tour probably will drop by the way unless Wood gets a go at Royal Troon. Based on what I have in front of him and that prize pool, there’s no reason for him to be the choice.
The good news is I have these players to choose from.
The bad news is I have these players to choose from.
With three majors, one WGC and four Playoff events left, there’s no need to keep the safety on.
Guys who aren’t playing well now (Snedeker, Haas, Furyk , Kisner & Rose (injured)) hopefully find form later in the summer. Guys like Day, Spieth, Reed will come down to which event you’ll believe them to be most comfortable. Remember, Day and Spieth both rake at East Lake. So does Furyk. And Rose. And Haas. And Snedeker. You’ll need just one of them at the end!
As of today, here’s the plan:
Jason Day: Oakmont
Sergio Garcia or Branden Grace: Royal Troon
Jordan Spieth: Baltusrol
Justin Rose: Waiting to see his return after a back injury that kept him out of the BMW PGA at Wentworth and Memorial last week.
Let’s see who has already made the ultimate fantasy sacrifice already:
Frys.com | Brooks Koepka | T-41 | $21,000 |
Shriners | Scott Piercy | T-25 | $44,832 |
CIMB | Anirban Lahiri | T-21 | $78,400 |
WGC-HSBC Champions | Adam Scott | T-70 | $42,000 |
Sanderson Farms | Patrick Rodgers | T-20 | $41,356 |
OHL Mayakoba | Patton Kizzire | T-58 | $13,764 |
RSM | Brendon de Jonge | T-33 | $27,049 |
HTOC | Brandt Snedeker | T-3 | $381,000 |
Sony | Kevin Kisner | T-5 | $220,400 |
CB Challenge | Ryan Palmer | T-17 | $75,897 |
Farmers | Phil Mickelson | MC | $0 |
Waste Management | Hideki Matsuyama | WIN | $1,170,000 |
AT&T Pebble Beach | Jimmy Walker | T-11 | $143,500 |
NTO | Dustin Johnson | 4th | $326,400 |
Honda | Luke Donald | T-61 | $13,115 |
WGC-Cadillac Champ | Henrik Stenson | T-28 | $79,428 |
Valspar | Danny Willett | T-22 | $52,959 |
Arnold Palmer | Scott Brown | T-27 | $41,934 |
WGC-Dell Match Play | Rickie Fowler | T-53 | $63,000 |
Puerto Rico Open | Graham DeLaet | T-11 | $66,000 |
Shell Houston Open | Louis Oosthuizen | MC | $0 |
Masters | Bubba Watson | T-37 | $50,250 |
RBC Heritage | Matt Kuchar | T-9 | $147,500 |
Valero Texas Open | Charley Hoffman | WIN | $1,116,000 |
Zurich Classic | Daniel Berger | T-20 | $64,909 |
Wells Fargo | J.B. Holmes | T-53 | $16,589 |
THE PLAYERS | Rory McIlroy | T-12 | 212,625 |
AT&T Byron Nelson | Jason Dufner | T-24 | 54,020 |
Colonial | Kevin Chappell | MC | $0 |
Memorial | Paul Casey | MC | $0 |
2015-16 season
Season total: $4,533,917; 30 events
- Wins: 2
- Seconds: 0
- Thirds: 1
- Top 10s: 6
- Top 25s: 15
- MC: 3 (Mickelson, FIO; Oosthuizen, SHO; Chappell, Colonial)
Last week: Paul Casey (MC; $0)
All three of my “choices” were dire (MC, T-74, MC) but well done to those who had faith in McIlroy, Kuchar and DJ this week.
WHAT COULD POSSIBLY GO WRONG THIS WEEK!?!?!
Thermometer:
Absolute zero
Keys this Week:
- Handling the heat
- Course management
- Power preferred
My Five Finalists:
1.) Dustin Johnson*
2.) Phil Mickelson*
3.) Harris English
4.) Gary Woodland
5.) Ryan Palmer*/Brooks Koepka*
*already burned
My Choice: Gary Woodland
Close Second: Harris English
Long Shot Special: Ben Crane or Seung-Yul Noh
Verdict: There are not enough tournaments remaining for splitting hairs as this will be No. 31 of 43. Time to start cooking with gas and making a move. Commit to your major players, then Playoff players and work backwards from there. Or, LIGHT IT ON FIRE NOW to catch up and hope the big boys don’t fire down the stretch. Woodland gets the nod because I’m looking for a winner this week, not a good finish. I don’t have time for shiny, happy top 10’s.
Stratagem:
Those of you leading or contending, Mickelson makes the most sense as this field will be WAY EASIER than “defending” at Baltusrol. Harris English should be the easy second choice if Mickelson is gone and you’re not a Woodland fan. I’d be surprised if Koepka or Palmer were around for most of you but no complaints there either with Koepka getting the slight lean as he wins more often.
QUESTION OF THE WEEK: Why no love for DJ?
ANSWER OF THE WEEK: Because he’s hit the top seven in four of the last five majors. That’s why.