06-21-17

I had my dumpster three weeks ago at Memorial.

Most of you had yours last week at Erin Hills.

I could tell by how many places I jumped (hint: A LOT)

This fella checks all the boxes in EVERY format this week:

@MikeGlasscott

 

U.S. Open: 174

 

Spring Points: 1,631

Spring Rank: 1,911

 

Winter Points: 1,768

Winter Rank: 2,587

 

Season Points: 3,339

Season Rank: 949

 

Last Time:

At the 11th hour I moved out Charl Schwartzel (PM tee time) for Brooks Koepka (AM) to pair with Sergio Garcia.

It worked out.

Boy, did it.

Rickie Fowler gave me a flying start and decent finish as he went all four rounds in Group A.

Once again a perfect game wasn’t in my grasp but I had all of the pieces with Thomas, Matsuyama and Spieth in Group B. Greedy me missed Matsuyama’s 65 and 66 which would have added 40 more points to my total.

Sigh.

I also lost points in Group C as I didn’t roll Koepka all four rounds losing a 70 and 68.

So close but yet so far.

I moved from 8,406 to 1,911 in the Spring segment.

I moved from 3,065 to 949 on the season.

 

This Week:

 

Remember, Yahoo! is a SCORING GAME ONLY.

Nothing else matters.

Jim Furyk shot 58 here last year. Justin Thomas and Daniel Berger shot 62.

The former course record was 60 set by an amateur, Patrick Cantlay, in 2011.

Par four scoring will take center stage with only two par fives.

Greens running at 10.5-ish on the Stimp encourage birdies from all kinds of putters.

6,841 yards will expand the field as everyone can handle this distance.

I’ll lean on those who will hit the most GIR and aren’t afraid to get low.

 

Group A

Starts remaining in parentheses

Brendan Steele (5): He’s played too well here and he’s playing too well on Tour. He’s posted 18 of 22 rounds at par or better here and closed with 64 last year.

Marc Leishman (9): 19 of his last 20 rounds here are in the red and he’s posted a win and two top 10’s in those five events.

 

SUPER SUBS

Rory McIlroy: With seven starts remaining, that covers two majors, WGC-BI and four FEC Playoff events. Not sure he’ll play all of those so I might have to sacrifice one of the above…Stay tuned.

Jason Day: With NOYNE starts remaining, I’m regretting not pulling the trigger on him at TPC Four Seasons. The last time he was here was 2014 and fired his lowest round on Sunday (65) to finish T-18.

Form is temporary, class is permanent. I might change both. I might change neither. Having the Koepka move pay off last week has me double-clutching here…

 

Group B

Justin Thomas (4): If going low is a necessity, I’ll lean on the guy who shot 59 earlier in the ear, 62 here last year and just set the lowest score in relation to par at a major last week.

Paul Casey (3): His scoring average in two events at the Travelers is 67.00. He’s 24-under over the stretch.

Brandt Snedeker (7): Huge bounce back for gamers last week after a struggle in Dallas/Fort Worth. He’s 31-under the last three here with 63, 64 and 63 each year.

Bubba Watson (10): This is my first start on him this year tells you how deep Group B and how indifferent his play has been this season. I’m not surprised he MC at Erin Hills but his top 10 at Memorial was a pleasant surprise. He has two rounds over par after winning in 2010 and he hasn’t MC in nine straight here. #Defense.

 

SUPER SUBS

Jim Furyk, Charley Hoffman, Russell Knox

 

Group C

Brian Harman (5): Last week’s T-2 wasn’t a fluke as he’s been cruising along since March. Giddy up.

Daniel Berger (7): He sat 15-under with a three-shot lead after 54 holes here last year. He won two weeks ago in Memphis and will be rested after a quick stop at Erin Hills.

 

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.

Graham DeLaet has gone close here before.

Kyle Stanley has the form that stands out.

Tony Finau sits T-15 in par four scoring along with Webb Simpson and Brian Harman.

 

 

“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

 

U.S. Open: 82

 

Spring Points: 1,625

Spring Rank: 3,611

 

Winter Points: 1,871

Winter Rank: 140

 

Season Points: 3,496

Season Rank: 146

 

“Ned says…

Of course, most everyone’s fantasy team sucked last week because the big names went down in flames. I didn’t have any Group A players in the weekend, but I had a lot of company there.Which brings up the interesting question, will the US Open return to Erin Hills?

The traditionalists were going nuts on Twitter and elsewhere when they watched these scores in relation to par. Meanwhile, the players loved the course and the USGA seems very pleased at how successful the event was.

The only complaint from a fan point of view I’ve heard is about the parking, but even that isn’t much considering the task the USGA was faced with given the infrastructure of the area around Erin Hills.

Personally, I think the scoring was so low was for a couple of reasons. First, they closed the course down for eight months before the Open, so the course would be in perfect shape.

I can’t think of anyone that has done that.

Second the weather conditions were perfect to score. We have had a rainy and cool spring, plus we had rain just about every night of the Open, which took the sting out of the course.

Third, the course is defended by the wind and there was no wind for the first three days. The wind came up on Sunday morning, but calmed down a bit when the leaders were playing their final round.

So will Erin Hills get another US Open?

You have to realize they can make the course longer if technology lets these guys hit the ball even farther than they do now. Also, the site has room for more corporate tents if they want to expand. I can’t think of a current site that is easier to access for the Milwaukee/ Chicago population. Illinois doesn’t look like an option at this point given the economic instability of the state government at this time.

Does Erin Hills get another US Open?

I think it’s an easy yes. They probably will make some adjustments like narrowing the fairways for the Open. Of course, the wind will probably blow that week and no one will break par.

 

 Group A

Rory McIlroy (7) — Coming back off an injury last week showed his rust by opening with a 6-over 78 and then rebounded with a 1-under-par 71. It’s tempting to fade him this week with Brendan Steele after his missed cut at the US Open. The problem is if McIlroy does well and wins here, you will be buried in the game. So as a pure defensive move McIlroy gets the nod.

 Marc Leishman (9) — It’s really a coin flip for this spot between Marc Leishman and Brendan Steele. Leishman has a slightly better course history so I using him in this spot. As I mentioned the more aggressive play would be to use both Steele and Leishman this week.

 

SUPER SUBS

Brendan Steele, Jason Day, Patrick Reed

 

 

Group B

Justin Thomas (3) — Saturday’s round of 9-under-par 63 at the US Open shows why he is such a useful player in Yahoo!. He accounted in that round for 20 of my 82 points on the week. Unfortunately, he got off to bad start on Sunday and didn’t contend, which I needed him to do. I probably should fade him off his final round, but overall he is playing well now and he tied for third place here last year.

Paul Casey (9) — The Englishman came into the US Open playing pretty well with five top 22s in-a-row including three top 10s. He played well at the Open going into the weekend but final rounds of 75 and 74 saw him slide into 26th place. He has a good record at the Travelers that includes a second place in ’15.

Brandt Snedeker (7)– Snedeker came into the US Open not really in good form but he played well and finished in a tie for ninth place. His recent record here is solid with a T-11 in ’14 and a T-10 in ’15.

Bubba Watson (10) — A safer play then Bubba Watson would be Charley Hoffman, but I feel like taking a shot with Bubba. Watson missed the cut at the open, but he looked good at the Memorial where he tied for sixth place. Also, Bubba has a strong course history here with five top 10s in 10 career starts including championships in ’10 and ’15.

 

SUPER SUBS

Charley Hoffman, Jordan Spieth, Webb Simpson, Harris English

 

 

Group C

Brian Harman (9)– Played great last week at the Open and hung in there until Koepka finally pulled away. Of course he was playing well before that with a championship at the Wells Fargo and a T-7 at Colonial. He missed the cut here last year but the year before that he came in third place.

Daniel Berger (9) — Again in Group C this year it seems you have a choice of hundreds of players. Daniel Berger missed the cut at the US Open, but the week before he looked very good in his win at the St. Jude. His only start at the Travelers came last year when he tied for fifth place.

 

SUPER SUBS

Tony Finau, Kyle Stanley, Zach Johnson, Emilio Grillo

 

FORE!

Shoot any questions and follow along at @MikeGlasscott and mikeglasscott.com to stay in tune.