07-20-16

From haggis to grits to  poutine, like the food listed here, my picks need serious help. With only nine events left to go, gamers should have a decent idea of who is going where.

Ok, poutine is quite decent but I have no time for haggis or grits, sorry.

Time to make a move on it!

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 good news is I have these players to choose from.

The bad news is I have these players to choose from.

With two majors  and four Playoff events left it’s time to start firing on all cylinders.

Guys who aren’t playing well now (Haas & Rose) 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! I have written this weekly and the point still stands.

 

The Current Plan

 

Jason Day: Oakmont (T-8; $247,806)

Sergio Garcia: Royal Troon (T-5; $310,797)

Jordan Spieth or Branden Grace: Baltusrol

Zach Johnson; JDC

Justin Rose: Returned with MC at U.S. Open and followed with T-46 at Firestone; T-22 last week at Royal Troon is turning this baby in the right direction!

For the new Stenson “fans” that haven’t burned the Swede yet, check out my recap from The Open/Barbasol to find you will have PLENTY of options heading down the stretch.

Jim Furyk: T-2 at U.S. Open caught my attention; T-21 at Congressional in back-to-back weeks suggests he’s more than fine. A stumble at Firestone, where he usually rakes as well, cooled me off and a quiet Open doesn’t help. He’s usually a player in Canada so this week should lend a more accurate look of where he’s at currently.

Here are the gory details from a nothing short of terrible season:

Event	Golfer	Place	Money
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
FESJC	Gary Woodland	MC	$0
U.S. Open	Jason Day	T-8	$247,806
Quicken Loans	Patrick Reed	T-39	$28,290
Barracuda	Jon Rahm	MDF	$6,420
WGC-BI	Shane Lowry	T-36	$73,500
Barbasol	Kyle Reifers	T-35	$15,808
The Open	Sergio Garcia	T-5	$310,797

Results

Season total: $5,216,358; 37 events

• Wins: 2
• Seconds: 0
• Thirds: 1
• Top 10s: 8
• Top 25s: 16
• MC: 5 (Mickelson, FIO; Oosthuizen, SHO; Chappell, Colonial; Casey, Memorial; Woodland, FESJC)

Last week:

Sergio Garcia, T-5 ($310,797) & Kyle Reifers (Barbasol), T-35 ($15,808)

Thermometer:

Wrong big-time world player won his first major…

 Keys this Week:

• Par breakers plus par five scoring
• Use ’em or lose ’em
• Bogey avoidance

 

My Five Finalists:

1.) Jim Furyk

2.) David Hearn

3.) William McGirt

4.) Tony Finau

5.) Colt Knost

 

My Choice: David Hearn

Close Second: Jim Furyk

Long Shot Special: Brian Harman

Analysis/Stratagem: 

SCREW IT.

The few results that I have thrown up this year have been decent but when I can’t even get the PROPER BPTNWAMC last week, I give up. You shouldn’t though. Hearn went close last year but was hunted down and passed by two of the best/hottest players on the planet at the time (Day, Watson). He’s now lost in a Playoff to Jordan Spieth and on the back nine on Sunday to Day and Watson.

That’s experience.

That’s scar tissue.

Plus, I don’t have Day or DJ to burn anyhow.

Leaders and front runners in OAD leagues: Furyk will be my “fill-in” down the stretch as he can play anywhere but he’s just not on OAD form form me. I’d lean McGirt before Furyk unless you’re going to save him for Wyndham in his native North Carolina. I’d be surprised if anyone has Kuchar left but if you do, DO IT NOW. Finau is interesting based on recent form and Knost’s stability (cut-making machine) also entices.

Those of you who are desperate will be scraping the barrel this week to come up with a long-shot selection but Kevin Streelman is on recent fire; John Vegas opened 65-60 last week in Alabama; Brian Harman does NOT have a top 10 here!

Hey, YOU’RE DESPERATE.

 

QUESTION OF THE WEEK: Where’s everybody???

 

ANSWER OF THE WEEK: I have no problem with anyone sitting on DJ or Jason Day to burn them this week in a field that won’t be nearly demanding as the PGA Championship or the late Playoff events. But, the prize for a top 10 isn’t nearly as lucrative either. #DoubleEdgedSword.

Remember, there are NINE tournaments left and the big boys will be playing only a handful of them so don’t get caught with premium players on the sidelines!

Check my preview to split the hairs between Day, Johnson, Furyk, Kuchar, Snedeker and any of the “major” names YOU have remaining! Remember, like most of you, I’ve burned the big boys already so that’s why they aren’t mentioned. If you need me to tell you that Jason Day needs to be No. 1 this week, you don’t need to be playing!!

Good Luck!