Rotoff Golf » Camilo Villegas

2009 RBC Canadian Open Preview

Erik Planer — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 18:03:02 +0000

Fantasy Golf Picks

I’m giving myself points for picking winners. Hopefully my picks can help you win your fantasy golf league this season. My goal is to get to 111 points for the season, or the equivlant of picking a Top 3 finisher or better each week.

Winner = 10 points

2nd Place = 5 points

3rd Place = 3 points

Top 10 = 1 point

2009 Fantasy Golf Picks Total: 70 Points

2009 Fantasy Golf Picks Weekly Average: 2.50 Points

Last week:

There’s nothing like waking up at the wee hours of the morning to watch live golf……………………..except if you live on the west coast. Note to TNT: we on the west coast don’t like three hour tape delays. I had to watch your coverage from the discomfort of my computer chair. Ok, now that my little gripe is off my chest………………what an Open! Even with Tiger missing the cut the TV ratings were up 15% from last year thanks to an amazing run by 59 year old Tom Watson.

No doubt most will remember Watson’s bogey on 18 to eventually lose the Open, but lets not forget Cink’s birdie putt on 18 some thirty minutes earlier. Now that Cink has his first major win I will go on record and say he will have at least three by the end of his career, much like Mickelson and Paddy, who gathered three each in short spans after winning their first. Congrats Stew! BTW, Cink can be found on Twitter @stewartcink for all you Twitterers and you can follow us @RotoffGolf.

All in all it was a good tournament for picks as well. I got 3 points for Westwood’s 3rd place and 1 point for Els’ Top 10. Sergio made the cut and had a few stretches of solid play but was no where near winning. My total now sits at 70 points with nine weeks left in the FedEx Cup season. My goal is still in reach, but I’m gonna need some winners down the stretch.

This week:

A suprisingly decent field this week in Oaksville, ON for the Canadian Open. Three of the Top 20 golfers in the world are in attendance and not suprisingly I’m going with a few in my picks. There will be a lot of birdies this week as the average winning score at -15.67, though it’s been played on different courses.

There’s no need to get up early this week, without further ado, the winning picks:

1. Camilo Villegas

In four starts, Camilo has two Top 10s in this event. Villegas started off hot last weekend in Scotland, opening with a four under 66. If not for a birdieless (is that even a word?) round on Saturday he would have been in Sunday contention. Still a T13 finish is nothing to scoff at. Spidey hasn’t missed a cut since March and this is a tournament he could very well win.

2. Sean O’Hair

If you look past his WD at the Memorial, Sean also has not missed a cut since March. Already with six Top 10s this year (and over $3 million in earnings), O’Hair didn’t fair well last weekend shooting 75 and 74 to finish T65. Luckily for him (and for us) O’Hair has two 3rd place finishes at the Canadian Open in three years. He game still needs some fine tuning but I would be shocked if Sean doesn’t bring it this week. I see another Top 10 in his future.

3. Jerry Kelly

Last week, Kelly got his first Top 10 since winning his first PGA Tour tournament in April. Though it was a weaker field at the U.S. Bank Championship, a 3rd place finish is still a 3rd place finish. In looking over Kelly’s career he seems to play better in these smaller tournaments. Coming off four straight rounds in the 60s, including a 65 last Sunday, Kelly has some momentum and should be in contention again this Sunday.

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2009 St. Jude Classic Preview

Erik Planer — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 16:48:40 +0000

AimPoint PGA Tour Picks

Fantasy Golf Picks

Winner = 10 points

2nd Place = 5 points

3rd Place = 3 points

Top 10 = 1 point

2009 Fantasy Golf Picks Total: 49 Points

2009 Fantasy Golf Picks Weekly Average: 2.23 Points

Last week:

Well, as it turns out, I am a dumbass for not picking Tiger. He struggled early but put on a clinic during the weekend. But all is not lost. I managed to get my second straight week with points as Furyk was money as predicted, finishing solo 2nd place. Na and Casey both made the cut but neither were ever in contention after the first round. I’m feeling confident that I can take my points streak to three with the U.S. Open on the horizon.

This week:

It’s the last tune up before the second major of the season. And luckily for golf fans we have an intruiging field this week in Memphis. Phil, Sergio and Henrik will all be preping their games at TPC Southwind. Even John Daly will be in the mix, playing his first PGA Tour event since his six month suspension.

1. Phil Mickelson

Phil returns to the tour for the first time since the annoucement of his wife Amy’s battle with cancer in May. Lefty is making only his second career start in Memphis in preparation for next week’s Open. He has been steady this season with only two missed cuts, two wins and five Top 10s. The outpouring of support for the Mickelson’s over the last few weeks should be motivation this week (and next) and as the highest ranked golfer in the field Phil should make some headlines.

2. Camilo Villegas

We haven’t seen Spider Man in serious contention since the WGC-CA Championship where he finished T5 for his third Top 10 in four weeks. With only five rounds (out of twenty eight) in the 60’s from then to now, Villegas could be seen as slumping. Enter Memphis. Camilo has three starts here with out a missed cut and two Top 20 finishes. When he is putting well he is one of the premier golfers on tour, when his putter is off he is mediocre at best. His putter woke up last Sunday with five birdies and no bogeys on the back nine at Muirfield. Expect a Top 10 from Spidey this Sunday.

3. Justin Leonard

The defending champ is back in form. Leonard was money on the Texas Swing with one Top 10 and finishing no worse then T16. In that span he only had two rounds in the 70s. That’s a good sign for Leonard who dominates at TPC Southwind, where he has two wins (2008 and 2005) and five Top 10s in ten career starts. Better yet he has not missed the cut here going back to 1998. I’ll take that consistency.

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2009 Honda Classic Preview

Erik Planer — Wed, 04 Mar 2009 19:09:36 +0000

AimPoint PGA Tour Picks

Fantasy Golf Picks

Winner = 10 points

2nd Place = 5 points

3rd Place = 3 points

Top 10 = 1 point

2009 Fantasy Golf Picks Total: 16 Points

2009 Fantasy Golf Preview Weekly Average: 2.0 Points

Last week:

My picks came down to the Villegas/Ogilvy match. Had Villegas had won he most likely would have made it to the final as he was on fire through the first two rounds. It is great to see Ogilvy becoming the 2nd best golfer in the world, and I suspect someone who could beat Tiger in a Sunday final pairing. Lets hope we get to see that this year. Other than Villegas, only Donald made it past the first round, losing to Els on Friday. Tiger did struggle as I predicted but it was exciting to have him back. All in all it was must see Golf TV for the first two days that fizzled some on the weekend.

This week:

This event marks the start of the Florida swing. Ernie Els defend with only two Top 10 OWGR in the field (Garcia and Villegas). PGA National plays long for a par 70 at 7160 yards, with a spectacular 604 yard Par 5 18th.

1. Camilo Villegas

Camilo only needed 26 holes through the first two days of Match Play, advancing to round 3 in dominating fashion. He lost to the eventual winner Geoff Ogilvy that round, but missed several putts inside 6 feet that could have turned the Match in his favor. Assuming that Camilo has been working on his putting this week, expect to see his name at the top of the Leaderboard all weekend. He has never missed a cut here and finished T2 (lost in a playoff) in 2007. As on of the top ranked golfers in the field he is a smart and safe pick this week.

2. Luke Donald (withdrew)

Like Villegas, Donald has yet to miss the cut here. He finished 2nd last season (losing by one shot to Els) and won this event in 2006. Just going on course history here Donald is a safe play this week, especially in Yahoo! leagues where the C group is thin.

3. Justin Leonard

The 2004 Honda Classic champion, Leonard has struggled here the last few seasons with a T30 finish in 2008 and two missed cuts in 2007 and 2006. Leonard was solid in Match Play, advancing to the quarterfinals where he lost a tight match to Ross Fisher. Justin is slowing moving up the OWGR, currently sitting at 25th. It’s a great opportunity for him to shine in a somewhat weak field. Expect a Top 10 finish.

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