03-29-17
The calm before the storm on Wednesday morning.
The Golf Club of Houston is the prep ground for 29 Masters invitees.
The other 115 can join the party with a win this week.
Last Week: 158
Winter Points: 1,768
Winter Rank: 2,587
Season Points: 1,768
Last Week:
Back at Bay Hill, I had McIlroy in the mix on Sunday but he just missed out on the bonus points. The other good news was I didn’t burn a start on Rickie Fowler.
Group B was solid as my three former Ryder Cuppers had a decent showing led by Molinari’s T-7.
With Stenson scoring eight points before MC and Zach Johnson scoring six more on the weekend, I’ve learned maybe not to stick to vets in the same group. Both had superior course form and neither fired as Tyrell Hatton hit the top 10 again on his first visit.
I’m learning each week and you should be too!
This Week:
Remember, Yahoo! is a SCORING GAME ONLY.
Nothing else matters.
It’s the first week of the new segment so everyone has a fresh start with a big field.
GCH averages almost 16-under-par as the winning score so you better find guys who circle birds and can avoid the bogey train. It’s also well known that guys who can get it down the fairway here are usually holding the trophy Sunday evening. Set up to mock Augusta National, that’s not surprising. Check my preview for more course and player details!
I’m mixing my rosters this week with guys who can hole a few putts along with the guys who plug GIR. I never believe that “one way” is the right way and I like having options. We’ll see what Ned thinks as well!
Group A
Starts remaining in parentheses
Rickie Fowler (8) — I’m making up for lost time here but I didn’t need him last time out at Bay Hill. I’m not sure there’s anyone stronger through the bag right now whose last name isn’t Johnson.
Adam Scott (8) — It’s his first trip back in a few years but I don’t believe he’s going to add this to schedule to play two rounds and go home. He’s MC once since the 2015 Barclays worldwide. #Insurance.
SUPER SUBS
Patrick Reed: I don’t think he’s on the form right now that trumps either Scott or Fowler. Reed hasn’t MC since Oakmont but his last top 25 was Career Builder.
I’m going to let the chalk getting my spring season started.
Group B
Jordan Spieth (7) — He leads the Tour in GIR, is second in birdies and third in scoring average. The only question is when NOT to use him!
Phil Mickelson (9) — Because Yahoo! is a scoring game and Mickelson is 66-under here since 2011.
Charles Howell, III (7) — This isn’t the week to jump off as he’s hit the top 10 here the last two seasons.
Charley Hoffman (10) — He’s 10 weekends from 10 starts at GCH and has T-4 and T-2 in his last three starts. He shot the low round of the event last year with 64.
SUPER SUBS
The next four should include in some order Justin Rose, Matt Kuchar, Cameron Tringale and Jimmy Walker. Jamie Lovemark makes for a tasty outsider.
Group C
Henrik Stenson (7) — Don’t play angry. It’s just more proof that nothing in golf is automatic besides Tiger Woods 2000. Stenson has hit the podium three times in five events here.
Jon Rahm (8) — I don’t think there has been an easier two-some to select. I have “is doing” and “should do” in this group.
SUPER SUBS
I’ve often referred to Group C as the Rummage Sale of fantasy golf as there is something in here for any theory or style.
J.B. Holmes is the perfect zag for the zigs above. I could argue that playing those two are just as much about playing defense as offense this week. But, since I’m terrible at timing who goes when, I’ll find a way to screw it up.
Course horse Russell Henley has a penchant for going low and has proven that theory more than once.
Billy Horschel finished second his last time in town back in 2013 and has found a bit of form recently.
Beware of the Puerto Rico mafia top 10’s from last week but Christ Stroud is local who knows how to get it around.
“Ned says…”
Ned Brown returns to drop his knowledge in Yahoo! as he did here last year. Ned is a legend in the gaming world and has cleaned up in Yahoo while most of you were in diapers! He’ll share his thoughts and picks here when he wants!
@ESoxGolf
Last Week: 188
Winter Points: 1,871
Winter Rank: 140
Season Points: 1,871
“Ned says…
Well you wouldn’t think that 188 points at the API would do a whole lot, but it moved me to 140th overall to finish out the Winter Segment with 1871 points.
I did earn a virtual trophy for my fantasy profile on Yahoo! which is always fun.”
Group A
Rickie Fowler (9)– He’s continued to play well after his championship at The Honda with a T-16 at the WGC Mexico and a 12th place at the API. His recent record at the SHO is good with a sixth place in ’14 and a T-10 last year.
Adam Scott (8) — He has played well in a light schedule this year although he is coming off his worst performance since last year’s Japan Open with a T-45 at the WGC Mexico. He won this event in ’07, but this is his first time back since 2010 so he is a bit of shot in here.
SUPER SUBS
Patrick Reed, Jhonattan Vegas
Group B
Jordan Spieth (5) — He seems to have cooled down off his hot start to the year, but anytime around the Masters is tough to fade him and he did finish in a playoff second place here just two years ago.
Phil Mickelson (10) — I’ve been impressed the way Mickelson has played the last couple of times out. He tied for seventh at the WGC Mexico and he went deep to T-5 at the WGC Match Play. He won here in ’11 and his worst finish since then was a T-17 in ’15.
Justin Rose (7) — The Englishman rebounded back from a disappointing T-38 at the WGC Mexico with a respectable T-13 at the API. He has only played in this event four times and only once in the last six years, so he is more about trying to use a talented player that overall has played well this year.
Charles Howell III (5) — Where I will try to save Spieth on the bench and force Spieth to make me use him this week. I feel no such restriction with CH III even though I have the same five starts left. I’ve always considered Howell to be mainly a first half of the year player, even though he did play well in the Fall Series of ’16. His recent record at the SHO is very good with a T-10 in ’13, a T-5 in ’15 and a T-7 last year.
SUPER SUBS
Matt Kuchar, Lucas Glover, Charlie Hoffman, Cameron Tringale
Group C
Jon Rahm (8) — After he won the FIO and I expected him to cool down, but he really hasn’t. He tied for 16th at the WMPO then T-5 at the AT&T Pebble Beach followed with a T-3 at the WGC Mexico and a second place last week at the WGC Match Play. He will be heavily used this week and a bold fantasy manager might fade him expecting that he is worn out from the Match Play, but I’m not going to fade him in the Yahoo! game.
Henrik Stenson (8) — There are so many good players in Group C that I wish I could move into the other groups. The two players that jump out to me are Henrik Stenson and Russell Henley due to their track records here. I think Henley is a more stable blend of recent play and record here, but Stenson is a better player and he did finish in second place here last year which is an angle I do like to play.
SUPER SUBS
Russell Henley, J.B. Holmes, Raphael Cabrera Bello, Daniel Berger
FORE!
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