The last major of the season!

Where does the time go???

2018 Thermometer:

Event	Golfer	Place	$$
Safeway Open	Tony Finau	2nd	669,600
CIMB Classic	Paul Casey	T7	218,166
CJ CUP @ 9 BRIDGES	Keegan Bradley	T47	23,759
WGC-HSBC Champions	Hideki Matsuyama	T50	51,875
Sanderson Farms	Chesson Hadley	T2	464,400
Shriners	Patrick Cantlay	WIN	1,224,000
OHL Classic	Kevin Chappell	MC	0
The RSM Classic	Charles Howell III	MC	0
Sentry TOC	Kevin Kisner	T17	99,333
Sony Open	Brian Harman	T4	256,266
CareerBuilder Challenge	Jason Dufner	T36	27,189
Farmers Insurance	Jon Rahm	T29	43,872
WMPO	Alex Noren	T21	80,040
-AT&T Pebble Beach	Phil Mickelson	T2	488,400
Genesis Open	Dustin Johnson	T16	111,600
Honda Classic	Graeme McDowell	MC	0
WGC-Mexico	Tommy Fleetwood	T14	126,500
Valspar Championship	Ryan Moore	MC	0
Arnold Palmer	Tyrell Hatton	T69	18,067
WGC-Match Play	Patrick Reed	T9	163,000
Corales Puntacana	Patrick Rodgers	T22	27,850
Houston Open	Luke List	T24	54,162
Masters	Jordan Spieth	3rd	748,000
RBC Heritage	Cameron Smith	T32	35,510
Valero Texas Open	Billy Horschel	T11	136,400
Zurich Classic	Bud Cauley	MC	0
Wells Fargo Championship	Bryson DeChambeau	4th	369,600
THE PLAYERS	Francesco Molinari	MC	0
AT&T Byron Nelson	Jimmy Walker	T6	257,950
Fort Worth Invitational	Adam Scott	T52	16,472
Memorial	Tiger Woods	T23	76,985
FESJC	Henrik Stenson	T26	50,820
US Open	Justin Rose	T10	270,151
FESJC	Xander Schauffele	MC	0
Quicken Loans National	Kyle Stanley	T32	36,841
A Military Tribute	Bubba Watson	T13	121,632
John Deere Classic	Zach Johnson	T16	81,366
British Open	Rory McIlroy	T2	694,250
RBC Canadian Open	Charley Hoffman	T29	37,743
Barracuda	Martin Laird	T15	51,000
WGC-Bridgestone Invitational	Rickie Fowler	T17	104,250
Total Events: 39	Top 10s: 12	MC: 7	$7,237,049

Last week:

Don’t even get me started.

My dude OPENED with 63 and added a 65 and didn’t hit the top 10.

FML.

It’s even worse that my other three choices were Thomas (WIN), Koepka (5th) and Day (T10). The good news is that Bellerive resembles Firestone. More on that in The Confidence Factor linked here.

It was a tough pill to swallow for those of you saving Woods for one final crack at the South Course and even tougher for the McIlroy fans that never saw the charge on Sunday. Matsuyama opened with 67 and disappeared in defense of his title from last year. That’s bad news for his investors that were looking for any late-season signs of life. Anybody who’s used Dustin Johnson anywhere but Carnoustie the last two months has been happy while some of us can’t catch a break!

My Choice: Rickie Fowler – T17

Picks for Leaders: Rory McIlroy – T6, Tiger Woods – T31

Picks for Chasers: Dustin Johnson – T3, Hideki Matsuyama – T39, Brooks Koepka – 5th

Picks for Dreamers: Matt Kuchar – T14, Xander Schauffele – 3rd DFL, Kevin Chappell – T39

Picks for Noses: Sergio Garcia – T39, Phil Mickelson – T24, Henrik Stenson – T39

Six Beers In: Luke List – T24, Russell Knox – T48, Thorbjorn Olesen – T3

 

This week:

The final time for the PGA Championship in August takes the 100th edition to Bellerive Country Club in the western suburbs of St. Louis. Rain, burned out greens, Robert Trent Jones, gnarly rough, tiered greens and hot and humid temperatures will be all the talk this week.

Notice I didn’t mention the term “grand slam”.

Well, Jordan Spieth can win that with a victory this week.

Justin Thomas defends his title won last year at Quail Hollow Club that was in less-than-perfect shape so he won’t be bothered.

With $10.5 million on the line ($1.89 winner) and 98 of the top 100 OWGR in the field there will be plenty of action happening. This course hasn’t been used on TOUR since the 2008 BMW Championship so course history isn’t of much use. Unlike last week there’s a cut with the 156-man field to the top 70 and ties after Round 2.

There’s no mystery again to who is going to win/contend this week. The reason you save them this long is to use them now or in the Playoffs in two weeks. When there’s no course history it’s time to put the big boys to bat and let them do their thing.

 

My Choice: Brooks Koepka

Picks for Leaders: Dustin Johnson, Rory McIlroy, Justin Rose

Picks for Chasers: Justin Thomas, Tommy Fleetwood, Tony Finau

Picks for Dreamers: Jordan Spieth, Kyle Stanley, Patrick Cantlay

Picks for Noses: Sergio Garcia, Hideki Matsuyama, Henrik Stenson

Six Beers In: Branden Grace, Keegan Bradley, Gary Woodland

 

My Life

For the second Sunday in a row I had my guy in position to get paid with a decent final round. Charley Hoffman went from T13 to T29 in Canada and Rickie Fowler after 63-74-65 to get to T7 threw up 73 to cash T17. Gotta #PlayAll72.

As Al Czervik once said: I should have stayed home and played with myself!

Five to go:

Wyndham Championship (Donald Ross course): Kevin Na, Ollie Schniederjans, OTHERS.

NORTHERN TRUST OPEN: Matt Kuchar will be the only winner in the field at Ridgewood Country Club (2010). He was also T5 in 2014.

Dell Technologies TPC Boston: Past winners include Thomas, McIlroy (2x), Stenson, Fowler, Simpson and Hoffman. Gil Hanse began renovations in 2006 so no point going beyond.

BMW Championship (Donald Ross course): Aronimink is the host and Rose (2010) and Nick Watney (2011) are the only two winners on TOUR here.

The TOUR Championship (Donald Ross course): There has never been a repeat champion or anyone who has won multiple FedExCup titles so whoever is left! A rookie won for the first time last year (Schauffele) so it’s not impossible!

Good luck!

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).

 

Thanks for reading!