01-18-17

Another week and another week that I did NOT select Justin Thomas in this format.

If you’re scoring at home, which you should be, that makes three of the last five for Yung JT.

He’s not playing this week but this guy is:

OAD

Each week I painfully writhe and wretch trying to figure out the proper strategy to find a player that will hit the top 10. Wins are great but aren’t likely, so I’m satisfied with having a chance to hit the big money. Missed cuts are absolutely the death in this game, but even the surest of things don’t always happen in the reality world of fantasy golf. Remember, fade or follow, it’s up to you.

 

Gamers who are new to OAD must remember that the most lucrative purses, the majors, WGC events, THEY PLAYERS and FedExCup Playoffs, are down the road and you’ll need to save some big boys for these events, all 12 of them.

 

 

2015-16 Season: Il Disastro

Season total: $5,978,929; 47 events

• Wins: 2 (Matsuyama, Hoffman)
• Seconds: 0
• Thirds: 1
• Top 10s: 9
• Top 25s: 18
• MC: 8 (Mickelson, FIO; Oosthuizen, SHO; Chappell, Colonial; Casey, Memorial; Woodland, FESJC; Hearn, RBC Canadian; McGirt, Wyndham; Justin Thomas, DBC)

 

2016-17 season: Brand New Day

Season total: $1,359,190, 9 events

• Wins:
• Seconds: 1
• Thirds:
• Top 10s: 4
• Top 25s: 5
• MCs (2): Grayson Murray (Safeway Open); Patton Kizzire (SFC).

 

Thermometer:

This was the fourth event in a row I’ve cashed over $100k and third time I’ve hit the top 10. The bad news is Justin Thomas wasn’t any of those choices.

Sigh.

Charles Howell III (T-8) did his usual Charles Howell III things at the Sony so job done. I was quite impressed to see Thomas win in back-to-back events and to rack up three in his last five is moving towards another level. The good news is that I still have him for down the road. The bad news is I have missed out on three victories.

A mixed bag last week bombed out but Gary Woodland (T-6) and my choice (T-8) did find the top 10.

 

2016-17 Uses

Event	Golfer	Place	Money
Safeway Open	Grayson Murray	MC	$0
CIMB Classic	Hideki Matsuyama	T-2	$756,000
WGC-HSBC Champions	Martin Kaymer	T-40	$62,000
Sanderson Farms	Patton Kizzire	MC	$0
Shriners	Chris Kirk	T-61	$14,190
OHL Mayakoba	Emiliano Grillo	T-10	$175,000
RSM Classic	Russell Henley	T-10	$150,000
SBS TOC	Brandt Snedeker	T-14	$122,000
Sony Open	Charles Howell, III	T-8	$180,000

 

Keys this Week —CB Challenge

For in-depth details, check out my preview by clicking here but know this event is played on two of the three easiest courses used on Tour last year. The host, Pete Dye’s Stadium Course, checked in at No. 41 of 50 used so there’s not that much too worry about.

All three tracks are par 72 with par fives galore so scoring will be a major factor again this week.

The weather will NOT be cooperating this week so the normal six hour rounds will be even longer with the rain and the cold.

If the ball isn’t traveling as far or running off the fairways and greens, target golf will be on the cards. I’m looking for guys who can overpower these layouts, all shorter than 7,300 yards and who can break par into pieces.

 

 

My Weekly Finalists:

OWGR listed in (  )

Bill Haas (42): Hard to argue against this two-time winner that calls the Coachella Valley home for his preseason practice. He knocked the rust off last week with T-13 and all four rounds in the 60’s at another scoring venue.

Patrick Reed (8): 2014 champ didn’t show much issue playing in the weather last summer in Scotland and is as mentally tough as they come.

Jamie Lovemark (85): He knocked on the door here last year before 73 on Sunday saw him finish T-6. He’s on the same arc this season after top 10’s in his last two starts at RSM and Sony.

Ryan Palmer (76): The Texan won’t be bothered if the blowers are on and he has plenty of power plus scoring panache to factor.

Emiliano Grillo (25): His ball-striking travels and he won’t be too far behind in his maiden voyage. Dufner’s win last year adds evidence to first-time ball-strikers.

 

My Choice: Jamie Lovemark checks the all the boxes this week and I won’t “miss” him down the road if he doesn’t fire this week.

Close Second: Patrick Reed can be used anywhere but I’m always leery about birdie-fests where one 59 and POOF, it’s over. He has the talent to win weekly.

Outlier: Francesco Molinari’s close to 2016 was impressive but it was lost in the Matsuyama wake. He won and bagged two other top 10’s in his last four starts. I like that he can play in the elements and saw this course last  year (T-62).

Gut Shot: Luke List has had too much form to ignore and grew up in Seattle.

 

QUESTION(S) OF THE WEEK:

 1.) Phil was T-3 here last year! Where’s he at?!?!

2.) No love for the defending champ, Jason Dufner?

 

ANSWER(S) OF THE WEEK:

1.) I covered the Mickelson angle in my preview so check that out. You don’t NEED him this week so wait until he’s healthy.

2.) I’m always on the fence for defending champions because they have extra duties once they arrive on site. The other problem I have with Dufner is that his putter will need to be on point (30 birdies last year) to contend again and that’s not always the case with him. His MC at Sony last week in another shoot out gives me colder feet than the forecast.

 

Thanks for reading!

Good luck and hit me up at mikeglasscott@gmail.com or on Twitter (@MikeGlasscott) if you have any questions!