07-26-17

With almost all of the big boys spent earlier in the season, I have an executive decision to make.

Don’t forget though a Canadian hasn’t won this tournament since 1954 when Pat Fletcher lifted the trophy.

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: $3,912,679; 37 events

• Wins:
• Seconds: 1
• Thirds:
• Top 10s: 10
• Top 25s: 17
• MCs (10): 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
THE PLAYERS	Sergio Garcia	T-30	$65,205
AT&T Byron Nelson	Brooks Koepka	T-50	$18,090
DEAN & DELUCA	Bud Cauley	T-41	$24,050
Memorial	Dustin Johnson	MC	$0
FedEx St. Jude Classic	Billy Horschel	T-4	$252,000
U.S. Open	Rickie Fowler	T-4	$420,334
Travelers	Paul Casey	T-5	$248,200
Quicken Loans	Patrick Reed	T-17	$99,400
Greenbrier	Tony Finau	T-7	$228,975
John Deere Classic	Daniel Berger	T-5	$189,840
The Open	Adam Scott	T-22	$88,000

 

Thermometer:

At this time of year making cuts is great but not having guys contend or hit the podium is deflating.

My streak is up to seven events in a row but the best check I cashed during that streak was for $400k and change at the U.S. Open.

For gamers, the rubber meets the road over the next eight weeks as the final WGC, major and four FEC Playoff events occupy six of those slots.

Last week:

Adam Scott couldn’t take advantage of the tough conditions on Friday or the benign conditions on Saturday as he finished T-22. Sure, I’m happy with the 67 on Sunday but if it doesn’t backdoor the top 10, then who really cares!

My selections for you were thin this week but don’t worry, I’ll keep charging you the same price weekly as I have all year!

My Choice: Adam Scott — T-22

Close Second: Tommy Fleetwood — T-27

Outliers: Andy Sullivan — T-70, Kevin Chappell — MC, Marc Leishman — T-6

Gut Shot(s): Webb Simpson — T-37

Rank Outsiders: Padraig Harrington — MC, Ben An — MC, Brendan Steele — MC, Soren Kjeldsen — T-37

Keys this Week:

Glen Abbey Golf Club hosts for the third year in a row and fourth time since 2013. The Bentgrass greens should roll true and four par fives playing less than 7,300 yards should encourage a week of low scores.

With only six players from the OWGR top 50 in action this week, I’d suggest leaning on a calculated flier. The prize pool is only $6 million so a podium is nice but it’s not what you’ll be paid in a WGC, major or FEC event.

The other side of the coin is the two of the last three winners have been big-time players and the field is soft. Would you rather save Dustin Johnson for 1.8 million against a big-time field next week or hope he hits the top two for the third time in a row this week? It’s an interesting question that can be answered this way: If you’re desperate, you better not look up in two months and notice you have 15 premium guys for eight events.

Pay attention.

 

My Weekly Finalists:

My Favorites: You can see the entire list at mikeglasscott.com

My Choice: Bubba Watson

Close Second: Patrick Cantlay

Outliers: Danny Lee, Ian Poulter, Scott Stallings

Gut Shot(s): Seamus Power

Rank Outsiders: Jim Furyk, Chad Campbell, Harold Varner, III

 

QUESTION(S) OF THE WEEK:

Remember, if you don’t see a guy in my choices, it’s more than likely that I have already selected them. Check the table above!

No Kuchar, DJ or Finau????

Right. All burned. Read the preview. Read the above.

The winner this week will be…

If the weather goes according to Hoyle, 16-under-par or so and will have no less than 23 birdies on the card. Find someone who can pump up their rounds on par fives and doesn’t make many bogeys.

Should I burn…

Yes.

There are only eight events left. If you have 12 premium players you better have a road map with a few interchangeable parts as guys will fluctuate over the last two months.

Leaders will be looking for a cut maker this week while the desperate will try and identify this year’s John Vegas or a Tim Clark from 2014. The more birdies, the merrier and when this course plays normal, it’s not very difficult.

Unlike picking OAD players…

 

Good Luck!