07-26-17
Options this week are a bit more limited than last week at the third major of the year.
This week you’ll need to mix a bit of “sure thing” with a dash of “let’s hope” and well, get lucky!
That’s the challenge of a skinny field!
OMG GET THIS MAN AWAY FROM THE ICE
Yahoo! Fantasy Golf
The Open: 172
Summer Points: 759
Summer Rank: 11,110
Spring Points: 1,631
Spring Rank: 1,911
Winter Points: 1,768
Winter Rank: 2,587
Season Points: 4,158
Season Rank: 1,063
Last Time:
I didn’t make up as much ground as I would have liked because the blind faith Rory McIlroy Mafia in Group A. It also didn’t help that I had to play TWO rounds of four points from Scott and Fowler.
In Group B, I played Mickelson round 1 and left 65 and 66 on the bench while he shot 73. I left him in for round two and he rewarded me with 77 and 0 points. Hahaha. I had the last laugh as Spieth and Kuchar brought home 30 bonus points and I nailed the weekend with those two and Casey.
My only other regret of the week was not giving local boy Fleetwood a run out in Group C but after his 76 to open I was bit gun-shy. Scoring six points on Sunday in Group A AND C wasn’t helpful but I gained ground.
This Week:
Remember, Yahoo! is a SCORING GAME ONLY.
Nothing else matters.
It’s nice to see four par fives again! We’ll have to go back to the U.S. Open for our last track to feature four chances to really score.
Last year’s winner Jhonattan Vegas made 23 birdies to tie the most for the week and that was with weather issues (windy).
The Bentgrass greens shouldn’t be an issue as they have been the norm on Tour from the U.S. Open forward with last week’s exception at the Barbasol (Bermudagrass).
More detailed explanations can be found in my preview here.
Group A
Starts remaining in parentheses
Dustin Johnson (4): He’s played here twice and never finished worse than T-2. There’s nobody else that goes in here so I’m playing offense on defense.
Shane Lowry (10): This pick shouldn’t matter unless DJ misses the cut. I’m not burning a start on Johnson not to use him four rounds unless weather is an issue. If weather IS an issue, he might be shelved altogether.
SUPER SUBS
none
Group B
Matt Kuchar (3): The only slight question is if he’s mentally over “that” from last week. Kuchar is a pro’s pro and a gamer’s dream because he’s been so resilient over the years. He plays here annually and rakes here annually so I’m in.
Charley Hoffman (6): His excellent 2017 rolls on and he’s done just about everything but win. He’s figured out a little more each time he plays GAGC and his T-7 last year is his best of three tries.
Bubba Watson (10): Having 10 starts on Watson this time of year is self-explanatory: He frankly hasn’t been very good. I do like that he was T-6 at Memorial and hit the top 30 last week at Royal Birkdale. A nice, relaxing week at his in-laws in 2015 saw him finish T-2. Wash, rinse and repeat.
Jim Furyk (10): Having 10 starts on Furyk this time of year is self-explanatory: He frankly hasn’t been very good. His record at this event is exactly the opposite: VERY good.
SUPER SUBS
Chad Campbell, Danny Lee, Wayne Gretzky
Group C
Tony Finau (8): I’m finding less and less reasons to use him weekly in this group. As an alternate he finished T-27 at Royal Birkdale so his game is traveling as well.
Scott Stallings (10): You’re not going to find anyone going lower over the last two weeks than Stallings as he’s 34-under-par.
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.
Plenty of Canadians to choose from here so pick and choose wisely.
Patrick Cantlay is a wonderful mystery because of how infrequently he plays but he’s leading Group C.
Anirban Lahiri makes tons of birdies. Tons.
Remember, I reserve the right to change my lineup if weather, injury or whatever else pops up at the last minute.
“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 Open: 142
Summer Points: 795
Summer Rank: 4,483
Spring Points: 1,625
Spring Rank: 3,611
Winter Points: 1,871
Winter Rank: 140
Season Points: 4,291
Season Rank: 116
“Ned says…
Well, my mini-slump continues. I had Spieth, but a lot of players used Kuchar and I slipped in the rankings. I used Kuchar quite a bit earlier this season, so I like to save him for events like this week, where the fields aren’t that strong.
Of course the big question is how much of a hangover will there be after Jordan Spieth went 5-under-par on his final five holes to crush Kuchar and take home the claret jug?”
Group A
Dustin Johnson (2) — I kept DJ on the bench last week and it didn’t look too smart when he went 6-under-par on Saturday, but it felt great when he was 7-over-par on Sunday! The uneven play is a concern, but the lack of depth in the field and that he tied for second place here last year makes him worth burning one of my last two starts for him.
Shane Lowry (9) — It’s quite a drop off in Group A in the second pick. Each of the rest of the guys have something going on that makes them a risky pick. I ended up on Lowry because I thought he had the possible upside of the next group of players. He is a first-timer at the Canadian Open and he missed the cut last week at The Open Championship but I’m assuming he used the extra time to travel Canada to get set up for this week.
SUPER SUBS
Gary Woodland, James Hahn, Jhonattan Vegas
Group B
Matt Kuchar (4) — It was really looking like Kuchar was going to win his first major after Jordan Spieth sprayed his tee shot on the 13th hole on Sunday. Even after Spieth salvaged a bogey I was thinking this is going to a playoff. Then Spieth went 5-under-par in the next four holes. Kuchar has a real solid history here, but it’s anyone’s guess how he will play this week after last week’s heartbreak.
Charley Hoffman (7) — Hoffman had another solid outing in a major last week with a T-20 at the British Open. His recent history at Glen Abbey is solid with a T-7 in ’15 and a T-29 last year.
Danny Lee (7) — Lee was playing some of his best golf of the year going into the John Deere when he was forced to withdraw due to a shoulder and wrist injury. He tweeted out this week that he is over the injuries and is ready to go. I’m taking him at his word and am assuming that he is roughly in the same form. Those who want a safer pick look to the Super Subs.
Jim Furyk (10) — It was very strange to see Furyk playing in the Barbasol instead of the British Open but that’s the kind of season it’s been for him. He has been playing half-way decent in here and the Canadian Open is one of his strongest events. He posted fourth place in ’15 and a T-9 last year when Glen Abbey hosted.
SUPER SUBS
Ricky Barnes, Sung Kang, Adam Hadwin, Chad Campbell, Bubba Watson
Group C
Tony Finau (7) — Again Group C is just stacked with tons of good picks. Finau is attractive due to his length off the tee and he is playing well recently with a T-7 at the Greenbrier and a T-27 at the British open.
Ian Poulter (10) — After losing his TOUR card and then regaining it after Brian Gay’s wife figured out a math error, Poulter has played some decent golf at times. This is one of those times. He tied for ninth place at the Scottish Open and then followed it up last week with a T-14 at the British Open. He is a first-timer at the Canadian Open, so he’s all about trying to play the hot hand.
SUPER SUBS
Patrick Cantlay, J.B. Holmes, Graham DeLaet, Ollie Schniederjans
FORE!
Shoot any questions and follow along at @MikeGlasscott and mikeglasscott.com to stay in tune.
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