02-15-17

My Valentine’s Day gift to you is a loaded field in L.A. on a fantastic track at  Riviera Country Club.

As if OAD isn’t difficult enough, gamers will have a multitude of decisions to make this week that will effect the rest of their season.

Remember, the D in OAD stands for DONE…

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: $1,465,262; 13 events

• Wins:
• Seconds: 1
• Thirds:
• Top 10s: 4
• Top 25s: 6
• 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
WMPO	Brendan Steele	T-16	$90,952
AT&T Pebble Beach	Phil Mickelson	65th	$15,120

 

Thermometer:

When Mickelson made the turn for home after going out in 33 to get to 10-under, the absolute LAST THING EVAR I thought was going to happen was 44 coming in.

Ever.

On a course where he’s won FOUR TIMES.

On a day where the weather was really good.

Double on No. 10.

Bogey on No. 13.

Quad on No. 15.

And one last one on the 72nd hole to finish DFL for those who made the cut.

$15,120.

Even par on the back would have seen him claim seventh alone.

The good news I won’t have to grind on where to play him down the road. YOU have to suffer that errand! If he’s on your radar outside of Memphis or Royal Birkdale, you’re probably not doing it right. Again that’s now YOUR problem!

 

Keys this Week:

I can’t stress EXPERIENCE and CLASS enough. The classic courses reward every facet of the game, almost like a major, and it’s hardly a wonder why the name is littered annually with big names. It’s also obvious why the field is here is big boy because the world stars don’t show up for 25-under events. They like to have their skills tested and not run over by 60’s and 59’s.

The contrarian will point out that James Hahn and John Merrick have won in the last few years. I’ll point out that Hahn is from the East Bay, played at Cal and has plenty of experience on Poa. I’ll also point out that Merrick is from Los Angeles (the only native L.A. player to ever win here; no Tiger!), played at UCLA and had plenty of experience on Poa. There are a few clues in this paragraph if you choose to go off the reservation this week for your pick.

I wouldn’t and I’m not.

This old classic required experience, patience and execution and usually youngsters don’t possess all three. Knocking around and over dog legs is the easy part but dealing with the stick Kikuyugrass rough and bumpy Poa greens will test the patience of everyone. Throw in heavy weather on Friday plus cool temperatures on the weekend and that will add another level of resilience!

Check my preview for more details!

 

My Weekly Finalists:

 

Dustin Johnson: His record, comfort level and current form screams EASY pick this week. I’ve played him here the last two years and have collected T-2 and fourth paychecks. Those of you saving him for the majors or WGC or FEC Playoffs, I won’t and can’t argue. Remember, the last player to win a major in consecutive years was Rory McIlroy in 2011-12. Before that it was Padraig Harrington in 2007-2008. And before that it was Tiger Woods. In the WGC, it’s only Woods. Interestingly enough, the only player to win an FEC Playoff event in consecutive years is DJ back in 2010-2011.

 

Jordan Spieth: Just about every week you’ll find him in here and every week I’ll remind you I’m playing him at Augusta (health and form permitting).

 

Adam Scott: The contrarian will remind me that he’s defending at PGA National plus wins plenty in Texas and they would be right. He’s the best iron player on Tour and finished T-2 here last year.

 

Bubba Watson: With wins in two of the last three seasons and T-14 sandwiched between, it’s impossible to ignore him. I’m not crazy about his current form or the forecast and you need to find hairs to split with a field of this quality.

 

Hideki Matsuyama:  If you have saved him to this point that is restraint that hasn’t been seen since Tim Tebow. He’s had zero issues adapting to this track and his success comes directly from tee-to-green, THE requirement this week.

 

 

My Choice: Charl Schwartzel — he won last season at Innisbrook, a very similar track although with Bermuda.

Close Second: Francesco Molinari

Outlier: Adam Hadwin

Gut Shot: Keegan Bradley

 

 

QUESTION(S) OF THE WEEK:

 

Wait, what??

Yep, I’m fading myself. DJ is the obvious pick this week but I’m going to save him for a bigger money event. It’s not easy to do and I’m sweating right now. If I panic, which I might, I can always use DJ in Memphis OR any other tournament he enters.

 

You do know you left out World No. 1 Jason Day, right?

 

I sure did. He’ll defend at Bay Hill, Austin Country Club plus THE PLAYERS. The last time the BMW Championship was at Conway Farms he won there as well and they’ll host again this fall. He’s said more than once that Augusta is the ultimate goal as well. I believe, like most of the guys above, Day can win every week he tees it up so I can be picky. Pick him yourself then!

 

Thanks for reading!

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