02-01-17

TPC Scottsdale throws a hell of a party and No. 16 is the center of that universe.

With plenty of beer cans and birdies in the mix, the field should be wide open this week.

If the beer is as cold as my recent OAD selections, I’d expect a proper party!

One-and-Done

 

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, THE PLAYERS and FedExCup Playoffs, are down the road and you’ll need to save some big boys for these events, all 12 of them.

 

 

Last 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; 11 events

• Wins:
• Seconds: 1
• Thirds:
• Top 10s: 4
• Top 25s: 5
• MCs (4): Grayson Murray (Safeway Open); Patton Kizzire (SFC); Jamie Lovemark (CB Challenge); Jimmy Walker (FIO).

 

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
CB Challenge	Jamie Lovemark	MC	$0
Farmers Insurance	Jimmy Walker	MC	$0

Thermometer:

It’s fitting that tomorrow is Groundhog Day as I MC in this format for the second week in a row. I find it hilarious that we base climatology on whether or not a fat, fuzzy fecker sees his shadow or not. Who game up this rule? Anyhow, the West Coast swing has been nothing but a disaster as I floated two theories and got bounced on both of them.

Torrey Pines usually finds an experienced winner but Rahm, C.T. Pan, Finau, Rodgers, Schniederjans and Spaun all hit the top 10. I bet they don’t have 100 Tour starts combined. To see Day, DJ and Walker all miss out was something but most patient, pro gamers were saving those big hitters for down the road.

As you can see above, I’ve trotted out  course horses, youth, major winners, veterans and everything in between in the first 11 events. With 36 events to go, including ALL OF THE BIG MONEY EVENTS, I’m going to be looking everywhere but to the power players I’ll need in the majors/WGC/Playoffs. Time to get creative and lucky!

 

KEYS THIS WEEK:

 

With three, first-timer Tour winners picking up the big, cardboard check in the last five years, this field should be wide open.

The course was just redone in 2014 and has only hosted two events so the historians won’t be as important this week.

As with most standard TPC designs, the length shouldn’t bother and par five scoring should be a premium.

Also, the new design hasn’t seen anything lower than a 63 two years ago from Matsuyama while 64 was the lowest score last year. Shane Lowry’s 22 birdies led the field and he was T-6.

Check my preview for more details!

 

My Weekly Finalists:

OWGR listed in (  )

 

Hideki Matsuyama (6): I’m not usually big on defending champions but his recent form combined with never finishing outside the top four makes him irresistible.

Justin Thomas (8): He’s won two in a row and three from his last five.

Bubba Watson (11): He hates the course. He hates the redesign. He’s 100-under par in 10 events career.

Brendan Steele (56): Lovely meld of course form and recent results makes for a solid, if not spectacular, selection.

Ryan Moore (30): Too many good rounds in the last six months to ignore, especially in the desert. No rounds over par in his last four trips to TPC Scottsdale.

Jon Rahm (46): I love that he said that he has no interest in celebrating or partying this week in Scottsdale because he doesn’t do that. #ALLBUSINESS. Expecting a 22-year old to win back-to-back Tour events is ridiculous but that matches his talent level: Ridiculous!

 

My Choice: Brendan Steele

Close Second: Jon Rahm

Outlier: Pat Perez

Gut Shot: Webb Simpson

 

 

QUESTION(S) OF THE WEEK:

 

I have to play Matsuyama this week, don’t I?

Er, not really since he can win ANYWHERE during any event. BUT he absolutely rakes on this track and he won’t have any similar course form anywhere else. I’m not going to talk you out of this and if you don’t use him this week, you’ll have PEEE LENTY of chances down the road. I used him here last year. #W.

After two decent weeks in a row, surely it’s Mickelson time!?!?!

Mickelson hasn’t won on Tour since 2013 but his form suggests he’s gaining on it. He co-led the field in birdies last week with 20 but rounds of 69, 76, 69, 71, 65 and 71 on the new design at TPC Scottsdale don’t scream PUT ME IN. Remember, he plays GREAT at FESJC, Pebble and has embraced The Open the last few years.

 

Thanks for reading!

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