Just this week and one more before my REAL SEASON starts but I’ve been ticking along nicely to start 2021-22.

It’s back to Memorial Park in Houston where just three players were 10-under or better last year.

Time to find a proper player to grind this one out!

2021-2022 One and Done

Gamers, we all get a break this year and will only have 48, instead of 50, events to wield our swords! I know some leagues, like mine, won’t start until the turn of the year but that won’t stop me from putting out my weekly column.

The purpose of this column is to free my mind and have some fun all while trying to find some winners. From a transparency standpoint, most of my recent years are below so you can take it or leave.

The price is the same as last year but my Venmo is @Mike-Glasscott if you would like to donate. You might even get your name on the column!

Sometimes we gotta look back before we look forward so I’ll post my thoughts from last week before breaking down the field this week.

Last Week – World Wide Technology Championship at Mayakoba

Second top 10 and fourth T18 or better has me off to a decent start.

Viktor Hovland took all the drama out of Sunday as he set the tournament scoring record on 23-under and successfully defended his title.

Joaquin Niemann picked up his first top 10 since June.

Matthew Wolff is making me notice him.

Back to back top 10 paydays for Danny Lee!?!?!?

THE CHOICE: Abraham Ancer – T7

Another year and another WRONG COUNTRYMAN for me. Ancer has never finished this event as the best from Mexico and his record here is more than fine. Carlos Ortiz owns this event and shoulder injury be damned, hit the podium again this week.

As for Ancer his 65 on Sunday moved him into the 200K range so I can’t get on his case.

Top 10s in this game are the goal.

Well, that’s at least what I keep telling myself when I can’t pick the winner.

Shut up.

I didn’t even list Hovland last week because I believe he’ll have a monster year and I’ll be saving him for a bigger payday. First multiple winner and repeat champion in 15 events here! Congrats!

Warm Blankets: The guys who should. Safe selections that will help maintain leads. Opinions on why or why not for this event or save for later.

Tony Finau: Of the big names, I’ll start here. His name will be in here for most events but he’s T16 or better three of five visits here. He posted four rounds at 70 or better and T45 was the result.  Play him on the hardest of hard, not shootouts where he can’t bomb driver all week.

Billy Horschel: Form is tight and he always brings it here. Fits the veteran winner profile. T33 after a pedestrian 70-71 weekend. El dampo farto.

Aaron Wise: Love him this week as he rolls in on back to back top 10 paydays and has cashed in the top 10 in two of his last three here. #Convergence. 63 to open but nothing better than 68 in the final three rounds for T15.

Emiliano Grillo: Should have won this last year and plays more than well in the Caribbean. Please punch me in the throat next time I think I have him “figured out”.

Russell Knox: Never MC in eight previous visits and was very solid last week. Shot 3-under and MC. Fantastic.

Spicy: This might be a week for sending out an “unknown” and saving a start. You just might get lucky. Or MC.

Talor Gooch: Only drawback to his run of form is first-time winners just don’t exist here since 2013. Signed for 63 and 64 during the week; Sunday 74 sent him back to T11.

Adam Long: Anybody who is T3-T2 in two trips over the last two years and is 36-under qualifies. Adding T22.

Alex Noren: Seven straight with six T27 or better. T42 after a balmy 72 on Sunday.

Harold Varner III: Just had a kid…MC on 3-under.

Carlos Ortiz: Shoulder injury is real but his form here has been magic, better than Ancer! No smoke and mirrors in his home country; 2nd.

3 AM at the Blackjack Table: Caution is thrown to the wind. Maybe not the best for this format but what the hell, right? Might throw these in if you’re in need of a miracle.

Anirban Lahiri – T40, Lucas Herbert (the last two previous weeks winners here have gone T2 (Ortiz-Houston) and WIN (Todd-Bermuda) – MC, Henrik Stenson – MC, Matt Kuchar – T22, Hudson Swafford – T33, JJ Spaun – T27

My game begins with the Sentry the first weekend of January.

2021-2022 Events	Golfer	Place	Total $$
Fortinet Championship	Kevin Na	MC	0
Sanderson Farms Championship	Will Zalatoris	T14	127,750
Shriners Children’s Open	Cameron Tringale	T56	15,820
CJ CUP @ SUMMIT	Viktor Hovland	T18	116,331
ZOZO CHAMPIONSHIP	Hideki Matsuyama	WIN	1,791,000
Bermuda Championship	Russell Knox	T12	129,025
Mayakoba Championship	Abraham Ancer	T7	218,700
Total Events: 7	Top 10: 2	MC: 1	$2,398,626

This Week – Hewlett Packard Enterprise Houston Open

Back to Houston and Memorial Park for the second consecutive season so at least we’ll have some point of reference.

I learned last year that this is NOT a hit and giggle as only three players posted 10-under or better. Usually when that is the case, chalk is the answer. The best players excel on the most difficult courses.

With 21 of the top 50 OWGR playing this week options will be had. I’ll remind the newer players that in THIS FORMAT you must remember that only FOUR players will be used for major championships and only three in the FedExCup Playoffs (if your league goes that far).

Good luck!

Please read Horses for Courses and Expert Picks if you need more ideas!

THE CHOICE: Scottie Scheffler

Hit it great last week and only signed for two doubles as the only two blemishes all week. Didn’t make anything on the greens but hit the most of them and I think that will translate again this week. Native Texan will have the crowd on his side if it comes to that and he’ll be able to handle any wind that shows up.

Warm Blankets: The guys who should. Safe selections that will help maintain leads. Opinions on why or why not for this event or save for later.

Sam Burns: Tournament favorite for a reason. Louisiana kid did everything but win here last year as he smoked it tee-to-green and led after 36 and 54 holes. It was one of a few he “should have won” last year.

Matthew Wolff: A streak of three consecutive very solid weeks should roll on again this week if he continues to stripe it tee to green.

Brooks Koepka: The theory using him this week would be he knows the course (player design consultant; closed 65-65 last year) and the health angle.  The opposite theory would be his record in major championships is fantastic. Nobody said this would be easy.

Cameron Smith: Jumps back into it on a track where he won’t need 14-under after 36 holes to be in it.

Spicy: This might be a week for sending out an “unknown” and saving a start. You just might get lucky. Or MC.

Talor Gooch: His streak would be even better if he wouldn’t have closed 74 last week in Mexico.

Patrick Reed: Katy resident = home game. Big greens always seem to help him.

Aaron Wise: Nothing worse than T15 lately and T11 here last year.

Tyrrell Hatton:  Loves a grind and that’s on the cards this week.

Joaquin Niemann:  T5 last week was the first top 10 since Rocket so let’s ride the heat.

3 AM at the Blackjack Table: Caution is thrown to the wind. Maybe not the best for this format but what the hell, right? Might throw these in if you’re in need of a miracle.

Ian Poulter, Seamus Power, Max Homa, Maverick McNealy, Martin Laird, Cam Davis

History Channeled:

2020-2021 Events	Golfer	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	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
Wyndham Championship	Webb Simpson	T7	201,666
THE NORTHERN TRUST	Harris English	T31	48,925
BMW Championship	Bryson DeChambeau	P2	1,026,000
Total Events: 50	Top 10: 16	MC: 6	$8,441,638

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!