I’ve only MC three times this year.

That and $1 will get you any size soft drink at McDonald’s daily.

Sigh.

Plenty of water this week but birds like water. You’ll need plenty of birdies as well.

2020-2021 OAD

50 events, the most since the mid-70s, will give us plenty of time for strategy, strength and disaster.

Remember, if you don’t like it, you get DOUBLE YOUR MONEY BACK!

2020-2021 Events	Golfers	Place	Total $$
Safeway Open	Brendan Steele	T29	41,391
120th United States Open	Jon Rahm	T23	101,797
Corales Punta Cana	Pat Perez	T21	39,000
Sanderson Farms Championship	Doc Redman	T28	46,200
Shriners Hospitals for Children	Patrick Cantlay	T8	190,750
CJ CUP @ SHADOW CREEK	Matthew Wolff	73rd	16,575
ZOZO CHAMPIONSHIP	Tyrrell Hatton	T28	50,137
Bermuda Championship	Will Zalatoris	T16	61,000
Vivint Houston Open	Tony Finau	T24	58,450
84th Masters Tournament	Justin Thomas	4th	552,000
The RSM Classic	Russell Henley	T30	39,552
Mayakoba Golf Classic	Abraham Ancer	T12	147,600
Sentry TOC	Cameron Smith	T24	63,200
Sony Open in Hawaii	Daniel Berger	T7	200,475
The American Express	Scottie Scheffler	MC	0
Farmers Insurance Open	Marc Leishman	T18	80,761
Waste Management WMPO	Hideki Matsuyama	T42	23,852
AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am	Jason Day	T7	228,930
The Genesis Invitational	Adam Scott	T38	40,455
WGC- Championship (Concession)	Xander Schauffele	T39	55,000
Puerto Rico Open	Emiliano Grillo	T11	72,750
Arnold Palmer Invitational	Rory McIlroy	T10	195,300
THE PLAYERS Championship	Tommy Fleetwood	MC	0
The Honda Classic	Joaquin Niemann	T25	54,950
WGC- Dell Technologies Match Play	Jason Kokrak	T42	47,571
Corales Puntacana	Thomas Pieters	T13	55,350
Valero Texas Open	Charley Hoffman	2nd	839,300
85th Masters Tournament	Jordan Spieth	T3	667,000
RBC Heritage	Kevin Kisner	MC	0
Valspar Championship	Patrick Reed	MC	0
Wells Fargo Championship	Corey Conners	T43	25,069
AT&T Byron Nelson	Ryan Palmer	T47	20,958
PGA Championship	Viktor Hovland	T30	59,750
Charles Schwab Challenge	Brian Harman	T8	198,875
Memorial Tournament	Collin Morikawa	P2	1,013,700
Palmetto Championship	Matt Fitzpatrick	T10	177,025
121st United States Open	Brooks Koepka	T4	498,176
Travelers Championship	Paul Casey	T36	30,743
Rocket Mortgage Classic	Sungjae Im	T8	211,875
John Deere Classic	Zach Johnson	T34	30,955
The Open Championship	Louis Oosthuizen	T3	682,500
Total Events: 40	Top 10: 13	MC: 3	$6,918,972

Last Week – The Open Championship

For the second time in his FIRST EIGHT MAJORS Collin Morikawa picked up the trophy. Yep, that’s an all-timer in the modern game so cheers to him. I’ll also point out he’s capitalized in the easiest final round in PGA Championship history and the easiest Open Championship on record. His game is way too good tee to green to have soft greens, marine layer and Mother Nature on his side. This isn’t a knock on Morikawa, far from it as he’s an absolute stud, but posting double digit scores in his first two major championship victories is a bit silly. Especially from a guy who ranks in the 170s Strokes-Gained: Putting. Greens running 10 on the Stimp doesn’t scream “challenge” to me. Hell, THREE guys posted all four rounds in the 60s last week including Mackenzie Holmes while four players were 10-under or better.

Blaming Mother Nature’s absence or lack of influence isn’t cutting it.

Make major golf harder already.

 Again, this isn’t a knock on Morikawa. He’s a stud and beat 155 people at the PGA and 155 more last week. Same amount of MC as wins on TOUR, 4 each.

THE CHOICE: Louis Oosthuizen – T3

Make it three straight majors on the podium and three straight majors where he had a chance to add to his 2010 Claret Jug and came up short. Opening with 63 and leading until the 7th hole on Sunday, the South African picked the wrong day to post 1-over 71 to close.

I’ve missed 3 cuts in 40 starts and have 13 top 10s and am NOWHERE near the money. This finish from Oosthuizen is fitting for the season I’ve had.

Funny thing is I’ll probably use him in this event next year as it returns to St Andrews where he’s won in 2010 and lost a playoff in 2015.

BRING ME ALL OF THE PAIN AND SUFFERING.

Safety Dance:

Players in here will appear obvious until I explain why they might not be. Remember “one” means ONCE, not again down the road or don’t perhaps “fit” to this event.

Jon Rahm: Imagine if he starts playing well and firing on all cylinders? Save for his first round 71, he played the final 54 holes 12-under for T3. Make it five straight majors in the top 10.

Brooks Koepka: He hates the course. Bryson is bugging him. He was snubbed in his 3-ball. Perfect. Sitting pretty until 72 on Saturday killed his chances. Sporty 65 on Sunday helped ease the pain (T6).

Jordan Spieth: Sneaky if you saved him this long but you probably didn’t. If you did save him, bravo, as he picked up his second-best finish next to winning at Valero. Looks like the Golden Child is back to his best again and that’s great for the game. Solo Second.

Rory McIlroy: I saw enough at Torrey Pines to load up on him this week. His record after MC is something. I love when the guys who finish T40-something moan that the course was too easy. I happen to agree with him. Still trying to figure out where he’s going. T46.

Sergio Garcia: Checks all the boxes of experience, nous, and doesn’t have to chase the first major win. Smooooothly rolling in under the radar on three straight T20 or better plus it’s his best major, minus the win, on paper. Nice 66 on Sunday rallied him to T19 after 73 on Sunday extinguished any chances of top 10 dreams.

Spicy:

Viktor Hovland: Let’s hope he doesn’t get any sand in his eye on a links course! Gives ZERO f#cks. T12. Where’s the first tee, what’s the course record.

Robert MacIntyre: Wasn’t much bothered at Royal Portrush on debut (T6) and has been excellent in 2021. Excellence continues as he closed 65-67 for his second straight top 10 (T8) Open payday.

Tony Finau: Ringing up Open top 10s at Royal Portrush and Carnoustie is nothing to sneeze at. T15 with two rounds of 70 or worse.

Tommy Fleetwood: Trending at this event and will have plenty of support. Starting to feel like the English Fowler…T33.

Branden Grace: Tell him it’s Birkdale! Rolls in 4th Memorial, T7 US Open and MC at Aberdeen last week. Bugs out and so is the jet lag. Added another MC for good measure. Bah.

Shane Lowry: Fantastic season and is always up for the big events. Now, going back-to-back… T12 for a proper defense. Made nothing after top five in fairways AND greens.

Ian Poulter: If this event requires a grind and excellent short game, he might Darren Clarke this… Nope, T26. 70 majors and counting for Poults.

3 AM at the Blackjack Table:

Phi Mickelson – MC by a mile, Kevin Kisner – 73rd, Andy Sullivan – T26, Erik van Rooyen – MC, Rickie Fowler – T53, Padraig Harrington – 72nd

This Week – 3M Open

Read more in Horses for Courses

TPC Twin Cities is a birdie fiesta and a fantastic come-down from those grinding last weekend at a major championship.

This event has produced two very interesting winners over the last two seasons.

Young stud Matthew Wolff outdueled two other young studs in 2019. He won in his third event as a pro.

Michael Thompson, 35, held off 30-something Adam Long, stud Tony Finau and about nine other guys to win for just the second time in 250-odd starts.

What does it tell us?

EVERYONE has a chance this week!

So, those of you who have earned the right to play the chalk and not care, please do so.

Those of you forced to make a move, let’s go pan for some gold!

THE CHOICE: Robert MacIntyre

Big lefty coming to the States will land on the softest of soft landings. Nothing like having to swing it tee to green and make birdie putts and the field isn’t going to bother him either.

Not using him anywhere plus his season in Europe has been fantastic.

Safety Dance:

Players in here will appear obvious until I explain why they might not be. Remember “one” means ONCE, not again down the road or don’t perhaps “fit” to this event.

Tony Finau: He’s very comfortable here with T3 and T23 in two visits.

Louis Oosthuizen: I know I used him last week. Half of his last 10 starts are top 10s. For those of you stubborn enough to have left him out he’s playing too well to omit.

Sergio Garcia: T20 or better in four straight including T19 last week after closing with 66.

Spicy: If you’re chasing…

Matthew Wolff: He’s a billion under here in two starts but there are also a billion questions.

Bubba Watson: Not one to show up and blow everyone out but he does return here this season after MC last year. Hmmmmmm…

Lucas Herbert: Red hot before not having his best at The Open. Tough to ignore a win and T4 on the links before Royal St George’s. I wouldn’t have thought Hebert would have beaten Hebert last week but I digress.

Patrick Rodgers: We’ve been waiting for the breakout for a while. His last six have been very solid including T5 at Barbasol.

Ryan Moore: Signs of life at JDC so it wouldn’t surprise me at another TPC outfit. Went on vacation last week instead of The Open so his mind, and game, should be right.

Emiliano Grillo: Wonderfully all-or-nothing it seems. Perfect for this format hahaha.

3 AM at the Blackjack Table:

Mito Pereira, Charles Howell III, Bo Hoag, Brice Garnett, Adam Schenk, Brian Stuard.

Check out my previous results below if you need a history lesson.

History Channeled:

2019-2020

Event	Golfer	Place	$$
The Greenbrier	Scottie Scheffler	T7	235,625
Sanderson Farms	Sungjae Im	P2	719,400
Safeway Open	Byeong-Hun An	MC	0
Shriners Hospitals for Children	Scott Piercy	MC	0
Houston Open	Henrik Stenson	MC	0
CJ CUP AT NINE BRIDGES	Marc Leishman	T43	31,785
ZOZO Championship	Hideki Matsuyama	2nd	1,053,000
WGC-HSBC Champions	Xander Schauffele	2nd	1,095,000
Bermuda Championship	Denny McCarthy	T15	51,750
OHL Mayakoba Classic	Russell Knox	T33	36,810
The RSM Classic	Harris English	MC	0
Sentry TOC	Rickie Fowler	T5	285,000
Sony Open	Charles Howell III	T12	116,500
The American Express	Phil Mickelson	MC	0
Farmers Insurance Open	Tony Finau	T6	253,125
Waste Management Phoenix	Bubba Watson	T3	386,900
AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am	Brandt Snedeker	MC	0
Genesis Invitational	Justin Thomas	MC	0
Puerto Rico Open	Viktor Hovland	WIN	540,000
WGC-Mexico Championship	Dustin Johnson	T48	45,500
The Honda Classic	Daniel Berger	T4	280,000
Arnold Palmer Invitational	Tommy Fleetwood	MC	0
THE PLAYERS Championship	Abandoned	No Result	0
Charles Schwab Challenge	Jordan Spieth	T10	181,875
RBC Heritage	Patrick Reed	MC	0
Travelers Championship	Bryson DeChambeau	T6	233,470
Rocket Mortgage Classic	Tyrrell Hatton	T4	300,000
Workday Charity Open	Justin Rose	MC	0
Memorial	Patrick Cantlay	T32	51,925
3M Open	Will Gordon	MC	0
WGC-FESJ Invitational	Brooks Koepka	T2	695,000
Barracuda	Brendan Steele	T53	8,277
PGA Championship	Jon Rahm	T13	192,207
Wyndham Championship	Webb Simpson	T3	312,400
THE NORTHERN TRUST	Jason Day	MC	0
BMW Championship	Collin Morikawa	T20	106780
Total Events: 36	Top 10: 14	MC: 11	0

2018-19

My contributions for the major championships and PLAYERS selection were worse than bad so to still break the $10 million mark with those awful results was encouraging.

Another valuable lesson learned is that the Playoffs are for the big boys. Now, WHICH big boys make this more and more difficult and that’s why it’s enjoyable and maddening all at the same time. Only McIlroy and Woods have won the FedExCup twice so start there.

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
Barbasol Championship	Denny McCarthy	T11	77,000
WGC-FESJI	Dustin Johnson	T20	113,500
Barracuda Championship	Martin Laird	T7	105,437
Wyndham Championship	Webb Simpson	2nd	669,600
THE NORTHERN TRUST	Tommy Fleetwood	T43	27,565
BMW Championship	Brandt Snedeker	T5	351,500
Total Events: 45	Top 10s: 14	MC: 10	$0

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

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).

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)

Thanks for reading!