Welcome to the 2018 season even though it’s only 2017.

Week two of OAD should have us all filled with HOPE, I TOLD YOU SO’S and GIN.

Hey, at least we haven’t been knocked out of the World Cup yet!

BOOM!

Time for a quick, three-week jaunt across the planet for three weeks of action in Asia starting with TPC Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia where Justin Thomas defends again.

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.

History Channeled:

2015-16 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 total: $6,533,509 45 events

• Wins: 1
• Seconds: 1
• Thirds: 1
• Top 10s: 12
• Top 25s: 20
• 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).

 

2016-17 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
RBC Canadian	Bubba Watson	T-42	$42,200
WGC-BI	Branden Grace	T-28	$73,562
PGA Championship	Tommy Fleetwood	T-61	$21,300
Wyndham	Webb Simpson	3rd	$394,400
THE NORTHERN TRUST	Justin Thomas	T-6	$283,281
DTC	Louis Oosthuizen	T-30	$54,337
BMW	Marc Leishman	WIN	$1,575,000
Tour Championship	Jason Day	T-17	$176,750
Total			$6,533,509.00

 

Thermometer:

Hot.

One event, one solo second.

Thanks, Chadders!

GOML.

 

Last week:

The time and space continuum was clearly working against me as my calendar was packed so no column posted, sorry.

Luckily, for my Twitter followers, my pick of Tony Finau got us off to a good start, especially if you play in leagues that don’t allow defending champions.

The nay-sayers will point out that I’ve missed out on the Finau win that will be coming later this season. I’ll enjoy solo second and ANY OTHER TOP 10 FINISHES in this format.

Contrary to popular belief, this isn’t as easy as last week made it look, especially once 2018 rolls around.

Safeway Recap:

My Choice: Tony Finau — 2nd

Close Second:

Outliers:

Gut Shot(s):

Rank Outsider(s):

Those columns will be filled this week!

 

Keys this Week:

Discipline.

Yep, that’s it.

The question is whether or not you choose Justin Thomas to three-peat at TPC-KL.

The thoughts on this are VERY INTERESTING.

The field is only 78 players so he only has to be 77 people to win.

The field is also top and bottom heavy so he really has to beat more like 60 players.

He’s circled 59 birdies, shot 61 and set the tournament record in his two wins so it’s obvious it’s a course he enjoys.

He’s also just won $10 million and won the Presidents Cup so it will be interesting to see where his motivation comes from this week.

Look up the last guys to win an event three times in a row. I’ll help you here: Steve Stricker, JDC from 2009-2011. #Rare.

One thing we all will remember: There are NO guarantees in fantasy golf, let alone real golf. There’s a reason they have to putt every single one out!

Whatever.

If Thomas wins, nice call, but it’s not like the rest of us will be handcuffed for the other 47938 events he plays. He did win five times last season.

You do you.

I’ll do me.

We can learn from each other.

Learn more or have the WHY answered by reading my preview here.

 

My Weekly Finalists:

My Choice: Paul Casey

Close Second: Kevin Na, Xander Schauffele

Outliers: Jamie Lovemark, Keegan Bradley

Gut Shot(s): Scott Hend

Rank Outsider(s): James Hahn, Luke List, Russell Knox

 

QUESTION(S) OF THE WEEK:

 The winner this week will be…

Mega-under par to say the least…

Better go low, dominate par fives and rake tee-to-green as well as this course is usually soft and wet. The course will allow itself to low scoring because it’s also in perfect shape, especially on the sweet Paspalum greens.

What about…

Did you check my preview? Plenty of dudes in there with stats and facts that will encourage or discourage.

No Cut = No problem!

Right, everyone is a winner this week pending that they play all 72 holes and don’t die from a python attack or dehydration.

Some will suggest playing guys from off-the-radar because they will cash checks and you won’t have to “waste” a guy. With only 40-something events to play, I’m trying not to WASTE anything on any event.

Reach out mikeglasscott@gmail.com @MikeGlasscott. I won’t be mad if you share this around the interwebs either but I understand not giving folks an advantage!

Thanks for reading, as always and good luck in the new season!