Here’s my advice for OAD games:

IT’S JUST THAT EASY, FOLKS!

This Year:

I hit the winner’s circle three times and the two late victories pushed me into the top 10 of Spotter’s game.

All four majors selections hit the top 10.

Seven MC were dire but the most punishing one was Francesco Molinari at THE PLAYERS. We know what happened after that.

My Life

I have been given a fantastic opportunity at PGATOUR.COM to join their experts game so I better make the most of it.

Check PGATOUR.COM/Fantasy later this afternoon for details.

Coming Soon

Did you enjoy the off-season? I had just enough time to acquaint myself with the 49 newbies (barely) from the Web.com plus evaluate all the 150 on the FedExCup points list.

As usual, I’ll have my rankings* out between Thanksgiving and New Year so you can see what I think entering the meat of the 2019 season.

*I don’t do rankings. I evaluate every player and you can put them in a certain order. I’ll point out strengths and weaknesses plus hints on when to jump on board.

 

Last Week: CJ CUP @ NINE BRIDGES

Rally in the alley, folks!

My Choice: Gary Woodland

Similar to Leishman last week he’s a pro’s pro who has won enough that an event like this shouldn’t bother him. He saw the course last year and has had success in this part of the world before. His last four starts are trending in the proper direction as well. I’m hedging a bit here but I have spots down the road for Koepka, Day, Thomas, etc. that make more sense.

Solo Second: $1.26 million, the same for winning a “regular” TOUR event. The misery of Steele/Moore to open the season is gone. I’m close to the top 10 again and I’ve burned Steele, Moore and Woodland so I have zero complaints early doors!

Safety Dance: Louis Oosthuizen – T29, Paul Casey – T18, Marc Leishman – T18, Charles Howell III – T61.

Spicy: Emiliano Grillo – T55, Byeong-Hun An – T41, Sungjae Im – T41.

Picks for Dreamers: Joaquin Niemann – T36, Kyle Stanley – 66th, Adam Scott – T10.

Picks for Noses: Alex Noren – T18, Tyrrell Hatton – T14, Hideki Matsuyama, T-18: I believe this trio will have more value down the road on courses where they’ve had better success.

Six Beers In: Ian Poulter – T10 after playing in the final group, Jamie Lovemark – T23

 

This Week

Read about all the details in The Confidence Factor.

Quick turnaround this week but I wanted to get something on paper for next week and next year. I wrote that last week and it holds true again this week.

OAD aren’t won this time of year but the money/points ALL COUNT.

This week is the most difficult of the three weeks of the Asian Swing for gamers as the field is clearly the best. The same tenets ring true again this week: What is your long-term plan?

If you’re out to build a lead and are playing in a vacuum, fire away. The winners of these events are rarely guys that make you scratch your head Monday morning. Remember that solo second and even third is fantastic cash in the grand scheme of things! In a perfect world, I’m looking for a non-superstar (no offense to my man Woodland) to hit the top five or so and “steal” me some bucks while not burning a guy I’d rather play down the road.

And you’re right.

I can’t talk you out of Rose, DJ or Koepka this week.

Only you can do that.

A podium finish this week is not any different than a podium finish at WGC-Mexico Championships or FedEx St. Jude Invitational.

But remember this: DJ DESTROYS Memphis and not many big names have played there before. DJ also destroys the U.S. Open annually where the win pool is almost double.

Nobody has any “real” history after one event at altitude in Mexico either.

Match Play is the most volatile of the three so I’m not “saving” anyone for that event either.

Nobody said this would be easy!

 

My Choice: Ian Poulter

This isn’t the greatest pick I’ve ever made but since it is a no-cut event and a course that can get prickly, the Postman is the man for the job. His T10 last week playing from the final group should piss him off just enough to turn it up to 11 this week.

Safety Dance: Francesco Molinari, Tommy Fleetwood, Tyrrell Hatton

Spicy: Rafa Cabrera-Bello, Eddie Pepperell, Matthew Fitzpatrick

Picks for Dreamers: Lucas Bjerregaard, Haotong Li, Andrea Pavan

Picks for Noses: Rory McIlroy, Jon Rahm

Six Beers In: Cameron Smith, Adam Scott, Pat Perez

 

Sanderson Farms Championship

We discussed two schools of thought on our TWITTAH SHOW this afternoon.

Go young, go early, as this event in points and cash isn’t going to make or break your season.

It’s WIN-OR-BUST here as a top 10 will be nice but in a wide-open field it’s hardly mandatory.

Remember, three of the last four winners have never played in the event. With Bermuda everywhere, that should pose a clue but when in doubt, I’m riding form.

Here’s a hatful of dudes for your undertaking:

My Choice: Cameron Davis

Why Not? Adam Schenk (T14 or better in his last four including three Web.com playoff events).

Perhaps: Denny McCarthy (Web.com champ), Peter Malnati (form and previous winner), Curtis Luck (three top 10’s in his last six).

Dawgs: Lucas Glover, Aaron Baddeley, Ryan Armour, Vaughn Taylor.

 

History Channeled:

2017-18 Thermometer: FINAL

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
Ft. Worth Invitational	Adam Scott	T52	16,472
AT&T Byron Nelson	Jimmy Walker	T6	257,950
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 Invite	Rickie Fowler	T17	104,250
PGA Championship	Brooks Koepka	WIN	1,980,000
Wyndham	Brandt Snedeker	WIN	1,080,000
THE NORTHERN TRUST	Jason Day	T20	101,160
Dell Technologies	Marc Leishman	T21	100,800
BMW Championship	Gary Woodland	T12	189,000
TOUR Championship	Justin Thomas	T7	279,900
Total Events: 47	Top 10s: 15	MC: 7	$10,967,909

 

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!