05-17-17
Everyone struggled last week as the big guns at TPC Sawgrass didn’t fire.
Ned stayed in the top 50 nationally as he continues his excellent season.
THE PLAYERS: 120
Spring Points: 925
Spring Rank: 3,988
Winter Points: 1,768
Winter Rank: 2,587
Season Points: 2,693
Season Rank: 1,501
Last Time:
If there’s a way to f#ck it up, I’ll find it!
Yahoo! is my weekly frustration as I’m the KING of not being able to manage a roster (read: guess). I start early guys, late guys, leaders, trailers, you name it. My best weeks are when I have the minimum make the cut and can’t sub.
Here’s proof:
Group A with Fowler and McIlroy saw me swing and miss on Thursday and Friday. With 16 points from Rory on the weekend being the best of the bunch it’s hardly a wonder why I dropped.
If that’s not enough evidence, I had to count 79 from Justin Thomas and Jon Rahm on Saturday and 78 from Garcia on Sunday.
I think I’m going to be ill.
The only good news it looks like I wasn’t alone.
This Week:
Remember, Yahoo! is a SCORING GAME ONLY.
Nothing else matters.
There are plenty of dudes who have posted low numbers at this event but I’m still going to lean a bit on the chalk.
That’s what a terrible weekend will do: make you pick defensively.
I doubt I’ll completely follow that advice because this course hasn’t had any major changes over the last few years.
Familiarity is good for Tour pros as well as gamers!
Group A
Starts remaining in parentheses
Dustin Johnson (6): I’ll let you know when it’s time to put this horse in the barn. (Hint: You will be out of starts).
Patrick Reed (8): He’s turned the corner the last two starts and led after 54 holes at Eagle Point. He’s fixed what was bothering him. #WelcomeBackPat
SUPER SUBS
Group A is the deepest of the three this week and it’s not close. Almost all of those guys are somewhere in my preview. Split hairs by reading the preview.
Group B
Matt Kuchar (7): He’s a proven quantity on this track but his current roller coaster ride is making me ill.
Ryan Moore (8): If hitting fairways can help this week, he should be in the conversation. He’s making cuts for fun as well and was runner up here in 2008.
Sung Kang (10): He hasn’t broken a course record in a few weeks so I wonder if he’s unhealthy. He’s been nothing but rock-solid the last two months so that doesn’t hurt either.
Charley Hoffman (8): Too many good finishes on this track supersedes his quite last few weeks.
SUPER SUBS
Some will argue that Spieth’s first three rounds last year are the turning point. He’ll be too busy telling everyone about Trinity Forest to be bothered. Snedeker injured his wrist and skipped THE PLAYERS. #Wristky.
Group C
Sergio Garcia (6): Two-time champ and Masters winner sticks out like a sore thumb. What’s Spanish for thumb anyhow?
Brooks Koepka (9): Too many good ones in a row and he tied the 54-hole record here last year.
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.
Ryan Palmer, Tony Finau, Bud Cauley, Kevin Tway and Jason Dufner are this week’s embarrassment of riches.
“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
THE PLAYERS: 126
Spring Points: 969
Spring Rank: 1,439
Winter Points: 1,871
Winter Rank: 140
Season Points: 2,830
Season Rank: T-49
“Ned says…
I had no desire to use Dustin Johnson however when I heard on Thursday evening that Rory had reinjured his back, I felt that I was forced to use him. Of course Rory played better than DJ and when I switched back to Rory for the final round Dustin found his form again.
The same dance of missed out points went on between Garcia and Rahm in Group C.
The only reason I moved up is that I played my Group B players in all four rounds.”
Group A
Dustin Johnson (4) — Johnson finished T-12 last week at THE PLAYERS which is by far his best finish at the event. He enters this week as a 4 to 1 favorite according to the bookmakers in London. I don’t think I have ever seen a golfer that low. I’d love to save a start on him, but the way he is playing, plus his record here, makes him a must-start choice.
Jason Day (9) — This pick is really a toss-up between Louis Oosthuizen and Jason Day. Oosthuizen looked great last week at THE PLAYERS, but Day has a better record at TPC Four Seasons ( Win in ’10, fifth in ’11 and T-9 in ’12)
SUPER SUBS
Louis Oosthuizen, Marc Leishman, Patrick Reed
Group B
Jordan Spieth (4) — This probably is a good week to fade Spieth. He missed the cut last week at THE PLAYERS and he hasn’t really excelled on this course. I’m going to use him as a defensive move on the bench because so many players will have him this week and if he plays well I will take a big hit in the standings if I don’t have him.
Charley Hoffman (9) — Hoffman has been suffering from a hangover in his form since his run at the Masters. He has a nice recent record here with a T-8 in ’13, T-2 in ’15 and a T-12 last year. So a rebound seems reasonable in a weak Group B.
Matt Kuchar (8) — Kuchar is coming into this week off an 82nd at THE PLAYERS. What does make him attractive this week is that he usually plays well here like his T-7 in ’14 and his third place last year.
Brandt Snedeker (8) — Group B is rather thin this week. Snedeker had a T-11 last time out at the RBC Heritage and he did have a T-6 here in ’15.
SUPER SUBS
Sung Kang, Ryan Moore
Group C
Sergio Garcia (7) — He played well last week and had a shot at the title, but faded in the final round. He is the defending champion here and by far the class of Group C.
Brooks Koepka (9) — It seems like it’s a cast of thousands in Group C. Koepka has been on a little run in here with a T-11 at the Masters a second place at the VTO and a T-16 at THE PLAYERS. He did finish in second place here last year which is an angle I always like to play.
SUPER SUBS
Tony Finau, Jason Dufner, Ian Poulter, Kevin Tway
FORE!
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