Those who are leading (read: not me) have earned their position and have forced the rest of us to play catch-up.
I hope you have a chance to hit the money late!
The rest of us might have to take chances!
One and Done
Each week I’ll throw in my thoughts on the field and those to back and avoid in this wonderful format.
This Year:
Event | Golfer | Place | $$ |
Safeway Open | Brendan Steele | T53 | 14,610 |
CIMB Classic | Ryan Moore | T66 | 12,740 |
CJ CUP @ 9 BRIDGES | Gary Woodland | 2nd | 1,026,000 |
WGC-HSBC Champions | Ian Poulter | 21st | 93,500 |
Sanderson Farms | Cameron Davis | MC | 0 |
Shriners | Aaron Wise | T15 | 101,675 |
Mayakoba Golf Classic | Charles Howell III | MC | 0 |
The RSM Classic | J.J. Spaun | MC | 0 |
Sentry TOC | Jon Rahm | T8 | 191,000 |
Sony Open | Marc Leishman | T3 | 307,200 |
60th Desert Classic | Andrew Putnam | T34 | 29,975 |
Farmers Insurance | Patrick Cantlay | MC | 0 |
WMPO | Hideki Matsuyama | T15 | 113,600 |
AT&T Pebble Beach | Jason Day | T4 | 334,400 |
Genesis Open | Justin Thomas | 2nd | 799,200 |
WGC-Mexico Champ | Xander Schauffele | T14 | 128,000 |
Puerto Rico Open | Graeme McDowell | T42 | 10,500 |
The Honda Classic | Adam Scott | MC | 0 |
Arnold Palmer Invitational | Rickie Fowler | T40 | 35,490 |
THE PLAYERS Championship | Sergio Garcia | T22 | 125,000 |
Valspar Championship | Patrick Reed | MC | 0 |
Corales Punta Cana | Trey Mullinax | T61 | 6,450 |
WGC-Match Play | Paul Casey | T9 | 167,000 |
Valero Texas Open | Billy Horschel | MC | 0 |
Masters | Rory McIlroy | T21 | 107,956 |
RBC Heritage | Matt Kuchar | 2nd | 745,200 |
Zurich Classic | Ryan Palmer | WIN | 1,051,200 |
Wells Fargo Championship | Phil Mickelson | MC | 0 |
AT&T Byron Nelson | Keith Mitchell | T59 | 17,301 |
PGA Championship | Brooks Koepka | WIN | 1,980,000 |
Charles Schwab Challenge | Jordan Spieth | T8 | 197,100 |
Memorial | Tony Finau | MC | 0 |
RBC Canadian Open | Jim Furyk | T27 | 55,100 |
U.S. Open | Tiger Woods | T21 | 117,598 |
Travelers Championship | Bubba Watson | T54 | 16,560 |
Rocket Mortgage Classic | Sungjae Im | T21 | 68,528 |
3M Open | Bryson DeChambeau | T2 | 563,200 |
John Deere Classic | Collin Morikawa | T4 | 264,000 |
The Open Championship | Rafa Cabrera Bello | MC | 0 |
Total Events: 39 | Top 10s: 11 | MC: 10 | $8,680,083 |
Last Week – 148th Open Championship
Well, you can’t do THAT.
MC.
$0.
My mind was in the right place, looking for an outsider to make a big splash, but my execution was the worst possible outcome.
And you’re right, it hurts worse because Tommy Fleetwood was an option for the week.
Yet so was Justin Rose, Henrik Stenson, Francesco Molinari, etc.
Show’s over but we’ll move on.
My Choice: Rafa Cabrera Bello – MC
Frequent Flyers
Rory McIlroy – MC
I feel for those of you who saved him for a course and event that suggested a Holywood finish. More proof the game isn’t played on paper and there are no guarantees ever.
Jon Rahm – T11
Nothing wrong with missing a top 10 by a shot but not the podium most were hoping for.
Brooks Koepka – T4
More amazing than keeping it together with a guy who posted 87 was his majors record this season. Sorry to the folks that were late to the party but it could have been much worse (see: McIlroy, Rory).
Spicy:
Picks that should click but have more element of risk due to recent form, etc.
Adam Scott – MC
Savage kick in the nuts after appearing he was trending for another major finish.
Matt Kuchar – T41
Began the final round T12 and plummeted 29 spots after 79. Not the traditional back-door top 10 most expected.
Justin Rose – T20
His 79 matched Kuchar but posting that from T4 after 54 holes is devastating in this and every format.
Picks for Dreamers:
Hideki Matsuyama – MC
I can’t remember the last time he won and that’s a necessity in this category. You pay your money. You take your chance.
Xander Schauffele – MC
Another with the BIG SUNDAY the wrong direction knocked him 23 places down the ladder to T41.
Eddie Pepperell – 71
Never happened for the Englishman.
Shane Lowry – WIN
You’ve probably heard the news by now. Congrats to all who piled on in every and all formats.
Picks for Noses:
Tiger Woods – MC
Not surprising given his pre-tournament comments about form, health and preparation.
Francesco Molinari – T11
Fantastic finish from near the cut line reinforced his class.
Six Guinness In:
Mike Lorenzo Vera – MC, Thorbjorn Olesen – T57, Andy Sullivan – MC, George Best
This Week – World Golf Championships FedEx St. Jude Invitational
Plenty of coin and FedExCup points on the line should get the attention of a field of 63!
Light rough will mitigate tight landing areas but 11 water hazards will require focus for all 72 holes.
Back to Bermuda greens will bring smiles to most and tiny targets will reinforce the skill of the fantastic iron players.
Those who had to battle the Sunday conditions might need a round or two to tune it back in but with no cut, that’s entirely possible.
My Choice: Dustin Johnson
The two-time winner will have the advantage mentally and operationally with knowing his way around TPC Southwind.
The reunion with his old swing coach should pay dividends in week two as whatever he was working on last week should be imbedded even more in his second start.
Johnson has a wonderful ability to flush the recent past (MC Carnoustie, win the following week at RBC Canadian Open 2018) and raise his game to elite standards.
He stood out from the group below.
See if you can guess where I’ll be using the rest of my squad:
Dustin Johnson
Justin Rose
Francesco Molinari
Tommy Fleetwood
Webb Simpson
Henrik Stenson
Brandt Snedeker
The good news is I have options (and more not listed here but whatever) and the bad news is I have options.
Frequent Flyers
There’s not many options, three to be exact, so hammer top OWGR players so get to it.
Justin Thomas: He’s a summertime player so he won’t care where this is being played. Best form recently the last two weeks across the pond signals it’s coming.
Henrik Stenson: Having seen this joint twice won’t hurt and he was flying before Royal Portrush.
Rafa Cabrera Bello: Hard to type this after last week.
Spicy:
Picks that should click but have more element of risk due to recent form, etc.
Billy Horschel: His track record here is the hook.
Patrick Reed: He enjoys the weekly grind and won’t have any problem with a field of this size. Pocketed a pair of top-10 paydays in his last three worldwide.
Chez Reavie: Expecting a two-win season is a bit strong but his play outside one bad round in Detroit has extended for MONTHS. Nice history here as well.
Picks for Noses:
Tommy Fleetwood: Emotionally ruined after Sunday at Royal Portrush, finding another 72 holes of that level so quickly isn’t expected from me. It took Molinari a few months to get his game back in shape after a difficult Sunday at Augusta.
Phil Mickelson: One of the few he’s played a ton but has never won, there’s not much recent evidence to suggest he’ll put all the pieces together this week.
Six Double Jack and Cokes In:
Cameron Smith, Matthew Wolff, Danny Willett, Anfernee Hardaway
Barracuda Pick: Martin Laird
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!