10-18-17
Week two of a three-week Asian jaunt finds the Tour at a brand-new event on a course that hasn’t been seen by many.
It also finds 78 players lining up for a shot to claim $9.25 million, one of the biggest prize pools in the history of the Tour.
Interesting angles and theories this week to say the least! Is it time to pull the trigger on this guy?
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.
But this year, we have another event to add to this list: CJ CUP AT NINE BRIDGES.
What?
Yep.
$9.25 million purse and a winner’s check that pays more than last year’s Tour Championship.
Pay attention, it’s free.
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).
| 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 | $6,533,509.00 |
Thermometer:
Hot.
Two events, a solo second and a T-7.
Safeway — Tony Finau, 2nd.
CIMB — Paul Casey, T-7.
That’s rolling in my world.
Last week:
Whew.
When the lead dawg opens with 77 and still hits a top 10 (T-7) there is NO CHANCE you’ll hear me complain.
None.
Zero.
Dodging a bullet that early in the season is huge especially with a player of his top 10 resume.
As I do every week, squash it, regardless of finish, and move on.
There’s another decision to be made this week.
I had a few cookies for you last week and a few of them were burnt beyond recognition.
CIMB Recap:
My Choice: Paul Casey — T-7
Close Second: Kevin Na — T-44 (Chadder’s Pick), Xander Schauffele — T-3
Outliers: Jamie Lovemark — T-32, Keegan Bradley — 2nd
Gut Shot(s): Scott Hend — T-72
Rank Outsider(s): James Hahn — T-28, Luke List — T-13, Russell Knox — T-63
Keys this Week:
Class.
One word should suffice for a couple of reasons. Big boys cash big checks and big boys usually dominate courses on a level playing field.
Toss in some wind and the field shrinks significantly and the cream should and will rise to the top.
I’m leaning on ball-strikers who don’t mind a bit of breeze.
You do you.
I’ll do me.
We can learn from each other.
My Weekly Finalists:
My Choice: Keegan Bradley
Close Second: Marc Leishman
Outliers: Gary Woodland, Thomas Pieters
Gut Shot(s): Kyle Stanley
Rank Outsider(s): Luke List, Ollie Schniederjans, Jenghun Wang
QUESTION(S) OF THE WEEK:
The winner this week will be…
Inside the top 30 in the OWGR as class will prevail. With a brand-new event on a track that only few have seen, I’m not going to stray too far from the elite. Plus, with big buck$ on the table, that should have everyone’s attention.
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!
Anyone who finishes four rounds will be taking home a very nice check with only 78 players in the field so “taking a chance” this week won’t be frowned upon.
But I’m not setting it and forgetting it just to “save” a start on a guy. This event is paying what a Playoff event will play and the field is considerably more shallow than any of those events.
If your strategy is to back-load for the Playoffs, I hear you. This money will spend just as well!
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!
