05-03-17
After a week off with the team game in New Orleans, Yahoo! returns with its own twist as Eagle Point Golf Club makes its debut on Tour.
Tom Fazio seems to put together difficult tracks no matter where he’s designing or re-designing and that should influence your roster this week.
And so should this forecast:
VTO: 168
Spring Points: 639
Spring Rank: 1,306
Winter Points: 1,768
Winter Rank: 2,587
Season Points: 2,407
Season Rank: 820
Last Time:
Sadly I confused my Branden (Grace) with my Brendan (Steele) and was on the wrong end of that stick. Nothing like counting a 78 on Saturday for 0 points.
Speaking of Saturday, Adam Hadwin’s 82 was my crowning achievement for the week. I’d complain that I changed my roster but it didn’t save but nobody cares. I had Chappell schedule to go on Saturday and Sunday but ended up only with Sunday’s take. I’d point out I had Kang (T-6) on my subs bench as well.
Four rounds of Brooks Koepka in Group C was my only redeeming play of the week.
Thank you 30 bonus points to make it a nice week instead of an utter disaster.
Moving up 400 points on the season and 1,300 points on the segment suggests not everyone had that combo.
Bueno, yes, but I’m still 700 spots behind Ned!
This Week:
Remember, Yahoo! is a SCORING GAME ONLY.
Nothing else matters.
The Wells Fargo Championship is A BRAND NEW COURSE on Tour outside Wilmington, N.C., so any historical data from Quail Hollow Club should be thrown out the window.
With four par fives, a bit of Tom Fazio design and heavy weather Thursday and Friday, gamers should keeps their arms and legs inside the cart at all times.
We’ve learned over the years that these guys are pretty quick learners. Heck, Jim Furyk shot 59 the first year Conway Farms. Rory McIlroy was 20-something under at Crooked Stick. Dustin Johnson was 18-under at WGC-Mexico Championship last month. I don’t think we’re getting that deep with plenty of bunkers, wind and Fazio but, as the saying goes, these guys are good.
The weather points to Early-Late in the draw department as winds gust 40 mph on Thursday afternoon and there is 100% chance of morning Thunderstorms on Friday. That should push tee times back, if the storm is bad enough, and give those who finished in 40 mph gusts on Thursday some soft conditions Friday morning. Some might already be too far behind to catch up so I’m leaning early-late. When in doubt, mix-n-match waves to CYA.
Group A
Starts remaining in parentheses
Adam Scott (8): He makes too many cuts and I always lean on him when big, bad ball-striking leaps to the forefront. Nice T-9 at Augusta last time out suggests he’s turning in the proper direction.
Bill Haas (8): He’s only played well once at Harbour Town so I’m ignoring the MC from his last time out. He makes cuts for fun at Augusta and has had success on another Fazio design, Riviera.
SUPER SUBS
Dustin Johnson: I have six starts left. I’m not burning one after a month’s layoff. Everyone will be out of starts on him by Quail Hollow and the PGA Championship unless he falls down another flight of stairs.
Graeme McDowell: If you’re going to throw a putter in the mix McDowell’s form gets the nod over Patrick Reed. Every week I leave Reed out I’m sure he’s going to win.
Group B
Kevin Kisner (8): The sting of Hilton Head hasn’t worn off yet but it sure didn’t bother HIM last week at Zurich. Get him while he’s hot!
William McGirt (10): He also went close on HHI (T-3) and had a very solid two rounds in the wind at Augusta. I like steady.
Webb Simpson (10): I’m balancing the four here with some power and precision and it doesn’t hurt that Simpson is a member here either.
Paul Casey (8): He’s toasted Augusta to the tune of three top 10’s in a row the last three years and one doesn’t do that by accident.
SUPER SUBS
Well, the next four are quite simple to identify with Francesco Molinari, Phil Mickelson, Lucas Glover and Hudson Swafford making the most sense. Depending on tee times, I might shuffle this octagonal before Thursday morning.
Group C
Jon Rahm (6): Time to start watching starts for the young Spaniard and it’s only the first week in May! Yep, he’s that good and is going to be that good for some time. Every course he plays is essentially new to him so he’s used to “this”. Giddy up.
Kevin Tway (10): Nobody else here jumps off the page plus I think Rahm is good enough where I don’t have to worry about who’s in this spot. He’s posted career-best finishes the last two weeks so all aboard. Oh, and he hits it a mile.
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 handles a bit of a breeze and big boy courses by just knocking the piss out of it.
When I leave Daniel Berger out I get nervous just like I do when I omit Patrick Reed.
Patrick Rodgers makes a fantastic long-shot as he’ll overpower this place as well but he hasn’t made a cut since T-22 on Fazio’s Riviera…
“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
VTO: 170
Spring Points: 613
Spring Rank: 3,300
Winter Points: 1,871
Winter Rank: 140
Season Points: 2,484
Season Rank: 96
“Ned says…
It seemed strange to have a team event last week, but as the week went on I kind of liked it.
I’m not sure I would like it all the time, but one a year is kind of fun.
The VTO wasn’t too bad.
I had 170 points, which brought me to 613 for the Spring with a 3,300 ranking.
Overall I have 2484 points and am ranked 96th.
I was at 76th on Saturday evening, but fell back to 96th after the bonus points.”
Group A
Dustin Johnson (6) — Super-hot coming into the Masters before he injured himself at his rental home. It was a real sin because he had a great shot at the title. There is a question of rust and the injury but Group A is thin enough this week that I can’t see how you can fade him.
Adam Scott (7) — Scott has been a tough player to get a feel for this year because of his schedule but he looked very good at the Masters where he tied for ninth place. If the Wells Fargo was being played at Quail Hallow this year I might have used Bill Haas here but it is being played at Eagle Point due to the PGA Championship.
SUPER SUBS
Bill Haas
Group B
Kevin Kisner (8) — He played great last week at the Zurich Classic and lost in a four-hole Playoff. Interestingly he will receive no points in the OWGR for his week’s work. He also tied for second place at the API and most recently tied for 11th place at the RBC Heritage.
Paul Casey (10) — Casey has been playing well in here with a T-9 in the WGC Match Play and a sixth place at the Masters. The greens this week have been compared to Augusta, so looking at the Masters leaderboard might be a good guide this week.
Phil Mickelson (8) — Lefty is one of the first players I think of with Augusta comparisons. He has been playing well in here with a T-7 at the WGC Mexico, a T-5 at the WGC Match Play and a T-22 at the Masters.
Webb Simpson (10) — Reading up on this week’s course Carl Pettersson and Webb Simpson are members at Eagle Point. Simpson had been playing inconsistently but looked good last time out at the RBC Heritage where he tied for 11th place.
SUPER SUBS
Francesco Molinari, William McGirt, Lucas Glover
Group C
Jon Rahm (6) — The run of top 10’s came to an end last time out at the Masters when he tied for 27th place. I actually thought he played well, but he was having a bit of a problem with the Augusta greens. This is a new course to almost everyone this week so he is fine to use.
Daniel Berger (9) — I comment practically every week how deep Group C is and this week is no exception. Since this week’s set up is being compared to Augusta, I’m going to use Daniel Berger in this spot. He finished in fifth place at the SHO and the next week tied for 27th at the Masters.
SUPER SUBS
Kevin Tway, Wesley Bryan, Emilio Grillo, J.B. Holmes
FORE!
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