There’s only one for me this week.
I’ll gladly accept blame when he finishes outside of the top 10.
It’s been that kinda season, sadly.
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 |
Barbasol Championship | Charl Schwartzel | T26 | 26,075 |
3M Open | Robert MacIntyre | MC | 0 |
Barracuda Championship | Ryan Armour | MC | 0 |
WGC – FESJI | Dustin Johnson | T10 | 220,000 |
Total Events: 44 | Top 10: 14 | MC: 5 | $7,165,047 |
Last Week – WGC FESJI & Barracuda Championship
What an absolute shower on Sunday as the leaders fell apart and a three-man playoff broke out with guys who were 2048083082 shots back to begin the day.
You can’t predict golf, Suzyn!
Sadly my guy who was seven back to begin Sunday just plopped an even-par- 70 and never contended. Sound a right bit like my entire season!
It was also sad (!) that I have not used English or DeChambeau and they both beat DJ.
Oh well, both of them left for the FedExCup Playoffs! Surely they’ll bounce back!
THE CHOICE: WGC- FESJI Dustin Johnson – T10
Never outside the top 25 with a WGC field or regular TOUR field. Played this event, when healthy, annually as his tune-up for the US Open and won in 2012 on debut and again in 2018. Looks like a perfect course to break him out of his 2021 TOUR funk. Nothing better than T8 but one of those was two weeks ago at Royal St George’s, another place he’s had past success.
My other BIG NAME CHOICES in this elite field were Bryson DeChambeau, Harris English (past champion), Webb Simpson (Wyndham next week) and Billy Horschel (course horse READ THE OTHER COLUMN ALREADY).
None could knock DJ off the top spot for me but if you’re leading or chasing, you should have options. LOOKS LIKE I HAD THIS ONE NAILED DOWN A BIT. I haven’t won anything all year so this shouldn’t have been a great surprise haha.
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.
Brooks Koepka: If you saved him, this is the time to fire him off. Winner in 2019 and T2 last year combined 26-under. Knee deal kept him out of the pro-am. 76 on Sunday probably killed a few dreams this weekend.
Daniel Berger: 2016 and 2017 winner and T2 last year. Shit hot form as well. T5 as he birdied the last two holes.
Matt Fitzpatrick: There are not many places to pencil him in but if you’ve overlooked him, you’re in luck. T4 and T6 in two visits. T57. At least he was shit from the start and you know the goose was cooked by Friday dinner time.
Collin Morikawa: Nobody is better tee-to-green and that’s No. 1 on the list this week. Plus, like the golf course at The Olympics, PLENTY of putts will go in this week. T3 Fairways T11 GIR and T64 Putts Per GIR. So much for that theory. T26
Sergio Garcia: Cashing inside the top 25 for a couple of months now. Steady senor. T26 ends the streak.
Spicy: If you’re chasing…
Harris English: Provides the course horse angle but is cooler than the jazz on Beale Street. This would have stung severely. 18-under thru 54 holes and cruising. Ends up 4th.
Billy Horschel: Already has a WGC title in his bag this season after winning Match Play and a lovely track record here. It was also his last top 10 and last top 20… Final round 72 didn’t help but kept him inside the top 20 at T17. Add another one to his collection here.
Shane Lowry: Has a top 10 to his name here and some wonderful results leading into his defense at The Open. T23
Justin Rose: He’s given no reasons to play him this season due to an early back deal and inconsistency throughout. His biggest finishes are majors and this is close. If you haven’t, you just might need to. Beat Brooks by a shot on Sunday with 75 but they shared 54th.
Cam Davis: No cut, no problem. If all that lightning remains in the bottle from his win at Detroit, he could bomb and gouge this place to its knees. Lotsa water tho…Of his four rounds three were over par. 60th.
Lee Westwood: Won on debut here in 2010 and backed it up with T11 in 2011. First visit since 2014 should bring back some good memories about a course that fits his game to a T. T31
3 AM at the Blackjack Table:
Matt Jones – T51, Aaron Rai – T26, Kevin Kisner – 63rd, Ian Poulter – T10, Stewart Cink – T43
Barracuda Championship
Nothing like an opposite field event (and there are MOAR coming in 2022, folks) to throw a wrench into my monkey.
You’re on your own here. I don’t have the time or resources to tell you I’ve broken down another 132 players.
Least I ain’t bullshittin’!
Two ways to go here for my money:
Play guys who are hot.
Like hot yesterday hot.
Morikawa won here in the first edition after the move from Montreux after he lost at 3M by a shot to Wolff in 2019.
Richy Werenski won here last year after playing in the final group at 3M and finishing T3.
Just make sure you get the right guy hahaha.
THE CHOICE: Ryan Armour
Veteran rolls in off back-to-back T6-T5 paydays and was the first best player I found in my database starting alphabetically. If that doesn’t like yer lamp, nothing will. Minus-1 after Round 1. 10 pts in Round 2 sees him fall one short of the cut. I mean.
OTHERS:
Patrick Rodgers – T13
Maverick McNealy – T18
Chez Reavie – T43
Gary Woodland – T7
Pat Perez – T30
Bo Hoag – T59
Mark Hubbard – T43
Beau Hossler – MC
Roger Sloan – 6th
This Week – Wyndham Championship
Read more in Horses for Courses about the Webb Simpson Invitational.
THE CHOICE: Webb Simpson
Since Day 1 this has been my plan so no point abandoning ship now! Nice finish with 64 Sunday Memphis was exactly what gamers hoarding him for this week wanted to see. I shouldn’t have to tell you about his course history, his daughter’s name, and what this event means to him. Remember, he’s the host of the party at Wells Fargo but this week is all business.
The good news for those of you chasing is that he’s only won it once. So there’s a glimmer of hope you can pick one of the other 155 guys to nip him on Sunday. Not many have beaten Simpson over the last four years so best of luck finding that needle in the ol’ haystack!
Safety Dance:
At this stage in the season it will read more like a power ranking type deal.
Hideki Matsuyama: I think he’s pissed he didn’t medal and 64-63 last weekend suggests the jetlag is GAWN.
Jason Kokrak: Used to live up the street in CLT and should be comfy here. Smashes it tee-to-green and is a super putter.
Brian Harman: His part of the world, his excellent extended play both should make leaders sleep easy this week.
Will Zalatoris: The angle this week is he must win to get into the FedExCup Playoffs so this is a wonderful boom-bust angle. Oh, he went to Wake Forest as well.
Spicy: If you’re chasing…
Sungjae Im: Only one top 10 in the last couple of months but two top 6 finishes here.
Si Woo Kim: Only one top 10 in the last couple of months but THREE top 5 finishes here including his first TOUR win.
Brandt Snedeker: Previous champ and owns a 59 here. Only multiple champ in the field.
Kevin Kisner: Hit it all over the shop last week hopefully in a tune-up for this time around. Bigger greens and fairways (and less water) should also help.
Gary Woodland: T11 followed by T7 suggests he’s close.
3 AM at the Blackjack Table:
Hank Lebioda, Patrick Rodgers, Ryan Armour, Adam Schenk, Seamus Power
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!