05-10-17

Big money.

Big field.

Big course.

Time to bring the heat!

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: $2,278,585; 26 events

• Wins:
• Seconds: 1
• Thirds:
• Top 10s: 5
• Top 25s: 7
• MCs (9): Grayson Murray (Safeway Open); Patton Kizzire (SFC); Jamie Lovemark (CB Challenge); Jimmy Walker (FIO); Charl Schwartzel (Genesis); Russell Knox (Honda); Henrik Stenson (API); Thomas Pieters (Zurich); Kevin Kisner (WFC).

 

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
Genesis Open	Charl Schwartzel	MC	$0
Honda Classic	Russell Knox	MC	$0
WGC-MC	Justin Rose	T-38	$64,000
Valspar	Bill Haas	T-41	$21,451
Arnold Palmer	Henrik Stenson	MC	$0
Puerto Rico Open	Luke List	T-37	$12,900
WGC-Match Play	Rory McIlroy	T-30	$74,000
Shell Houston Open	Jon Rahm	T-10	$182,000
Masters	Jordan Spieth	T-11	$223,200
RBC Heritage	Matt Kuchar	T-11	$114,045
Valero Texas Open	Charley Hoffman	T-40	$21,727
Zurich Classic	Thomas Pieters	MC	$0
Wells Fargo	Kevin Kisner	MC	$0

 

Thermometer:

Getting close to taking two weeks off and then quitting!

The only consolation that I will take this week, and sadly too many, is that one of the guys from my list of picks won the f%cking tournament.

 

Last week:

My Choice: Kevin Kisner; MC. Dire result after going close at RBC Heritage and Zurich.

Close Second: Paul Casey; T-12 with a 70-68 weekend made gamers smile.

Outlier: Kevin Tway; T-5. I’m really not very good at this.

Gut Shot: Webb Simpson; MC.

Rank Outsiders: J.T. Poston; T-24, Brian Harman; WIN; Patrick Rodgers; MC.

 

Keys this Week:

The winner will be solid throughout the bag and will be able to handle four days of Pete Dye and the closing holes on Sunday.

With the weather looking “normal” I’m leaning on the class of the field this week for two reasons. The normalcy should favor the best, not the best tee times/flights. Also, with the prize pool approaching $11 million and almost $2 million to the winner, it’s time to burn baby burn!

 

My Weekly Finalists:

I explain in more details in my preview what I’m looking for on the course.

 

My Favorites:

Dustin Johnson: His course form here is dire but I can argue he’s never had a stretch of golf any better in his life. He’s won on multiple courses recently that are very different in style and not many can control the ball as well as he does. Remember, second place pays over $1 million and third is over $700k so a podium will be a tasty prize.

Rickie Fowler: The total package. He possesses form and the course form that gamers relish. He succumbed to the defending champion “curse” last year but he’s been on point for two months.

Sergio Garcia: If fantasy golf was played in a vacuum, he would be No. 1 for me this week hands down. He led the field in birdies last year even though he finished T-50- something. Oh, and he’s made 13 cuts in a row with three of his last four in the top 10 and won the Masters his last time out.

Hideki Matsuyama: With the new greens leveling that playing field to a degree Matsuyama makes even more sense this week. His tee-to-green and game and domination of par fours makes too much sense. I’d be surprised if many had him in reserves but bully to those who do.

Rory McIlroy: I hope you catch him on the right week. I sure didn’t at WGC-Match Play.

Jordan Spieth: He’s second on Tour in GIR and for my money the best putter. I’d point out that Erin Hills is fine fescue, just like Chambers Bay, if you’re looking down the road. He’ll also defend at Colonial.

Francesco Molinari: He’s found his groove on Tour this year and he’s hit the top 10 the last two years at TPC Sawgrass. He would join Craig Perks and Tim Clark as the only players to win for the first time on Tour at this event.

 

My Choice: Sergio Garcia

Close Second: Rickie Fowler, Francesco Molinari

Outlier: Russell Henley, Pat Perez

Gut Shot: Kevin Chappell

Rank Outsiders: Daniel Summerhays, Billy Hurley, III, Patrick Cantlay, Russell Knox

 

QUESTION(S) OF THE WEEK:

 

Jason Day is the defending champ, bro!

He sure is and those folks haven’t done much in over a decade so I’ll let that trend play out without me. Day’s recent results have been limited because of his mom’s cancer treatment and he was dicking around with his swing at the Masters.

 

Should I burn…

Throw a dart.

Drop a pen.

Have your dog pick.

48 weeks. 48 guys. Plenty to choose from!

Why do I keep leaving Ryan Palmer down here? He keeps on playing well so he’s in here again!

Looking at the last five winners, Matt Kuchar is the WORST of that bunch.

Think about that for a minute.

I‘m bringing the lumber this week and suggest you do the same. If Jamie Lovemark pulls a Craig Perks, tip your cap and move on!

 

Good Luck!