In honor of “Glory’s Last Shot” I am putting up my private SPA Golf RC collection for auction.  If you are a fan of golf cards and/or graded cards please check out my eBay Store.

AimPoint PGA Tour Picks

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:  92 Points

2009 Fantasy Golf Picks Weekly Average:  2.97 Points

Last week: 

Sometimes my job as a self proclaimed golf prognosticator is easy, so has it been the last few weeks where Tiger has continued to play well in events and courses where he has a dominant history of winning.  I get 10 more points for Tiger’s win last week plus a point for Westwood’s Top 10.  Goosen failed to contend all week, finishing T29.  Don’t look now but my goal of picking 3rd place or better each week is a distinct possibility.

I know I throw around the “must see golf TV” phrase a lot but Sunday really was a joy to watch.  Seems sometime on Wednesday of last week Paddy pulled his head out of his ass, only to put it back in on the 16th hole on Sunday.  Up until then though it was quite a battle of major winners.  That Paddy had a meltdown is probably more a testament to the pressure of being paired with Tiger then a commentary on Paddy’s ever changing golf game.  It’s good to see Paddy playing well and I wish him well in defense of his PGA Championship title this week.

This week: 

It’s starting to feel a bit like cheating in picking Tiger for a third straight week.  So I won’t.  There are reasons to think Tiger can cruise to a third straight win at Hazeltine but there are also signs that he won’t.  Should Tiger fail to win in Minnesota it will be the first time he hasn’t won at least one major since 2004.  While Tiger is scolding hot coming into the final major of the year it is interesting to note he has also entered each of the previous three majors this season coming off an impressive win.  So just for kicks I’m not picking Tiger this week, even though I expect him to contend.

1.  Phil Mickelson  

Is anyone a bigger sleeper this week then Mickelson?  Well probably not a sleeper, but coming off an abysmal performance last weekend (75 and 73 his last two rounds) don’t be suprised if Phil gets it right this week.  You better believe that Phil will be up for this major.  In two majors this season Lefty finished 5th and T2.  He has eight Top 10s at the PGA Championship in sixteen starts including a win in 2005.  In 2002 at Hazeltine Phil finished T34 that included a 68 on Sunday after a 78 on Saturday.  Rumor has it that the Mickelson family will be in attendance in Minnesota.  I can’t think of anything better then Phil winning another major with his family in tow, well maybe that he beat Tiger head-to-head on Sunday to do it.  It would be a great story after the year the Mickelson family has had. 

2.  Robert Allenby

Allenby was T10 here in 2002 and is coming off his third Top 10 of the season (T2 at WGC-Bridgestone).  He hasn’t impressed in the majors this year (T38 Masters, MC U.S. Open and T52 British) but that he is familiar with this course and playing well coming in is enough to think he’ll be in the mix.  Allenby had arguably his best season on tour last year with nine Top 10s but adding a major trophy to his trophy case would easily make 2009 his best.  Top 10 or bust. 

3.  Justin Leonard

I picked Leonard for the Masters and got burned with a missed cut so proceed with caution.  Since also missing the cut at the U.S. Open Justin had a major Top 10 at the British and a T14 at the Buick Open.  Leonard was in contention through most of the weekend the last time the PGA was at Hazeltine before a final round 77 derailed his title hopes.  Still a T4 was not bad considering he was +5 on Sunday.  In fourteen career starts in the PGA, he has six Top 10s and six missed cuts.  I’m giving him a chance to redeem his Masters missed cut this week. 

Sleepers:  Alvaro Quiros, Boo Weekley

Happy PGA Championship Sunday to all!

In honor of “Glory’s Last Shot” I am putting up my private SPA Golf RC collection for auction. If you are a fan of golf cards and/or graded cards please check out my eBay Store.

AimPoint PGA Tour Picks

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:  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.

AimPoint PGA Tour Picks

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:  31 Points

2009 Fantasy Golf Preview Weekly Average:  2.21 Points

Last week: 

Glover almost made me look like a genius by flirting with the win late on Sunday but a double bogey, triple bogey, double bogey stretch on his back nine brought us both back to reality.  Els played well on Sunday and almost cracked the Top 10. I did manage to get 1 point for Ogilvy’s Top 10 finish.  Early on it looked like Ogilvy would cruise to a win but I think the weather delays (When was the last time a tournament was postponed for wind?) were a drain on everyone, not that Ogilvy needs excuses.  His final round 75 was dissapointing but in the end I was happy to see Paul Casey get his first PGA Tour victory.

This week: 

Is it just me or does it feel like the stars are aligning for something special this weekend?  It may seem like a cop out on my part in picking World #1 and #2 as my top two picks this week but I think we may just have the much anticipated Tiger/Phil major duel on Sunday.  Sure, it’s a little bit of wishful thinking, (and if you’re a regular reader of my previews you know that I talk about this every April) but with Tiger’s recent win at Bayhill and Phil’s two wins already this season we may just be heading for that epic major clash.

1. Tiger Woods

Not much explanation needed here.  He’s back.  Since his first win at Augusta in 1997, Tiger has finished outside the Top 10 only twice in eleven starts.  And in that same span he has never finished outside the Top 25.  With a win under his belt already in 2009 it’s hard to pick against Tiger this week.  He’s been thinking about his “next major” since his summer surgery.  That said he won’t roll like he did in 97, he’ll definately have to earn it.  But that should make for great Masters Sunday viewing. 

 2. Phil Mickelson

Yeah, Phil missed the cut last week at the Shell Houston Open, but that bodes well for him.  It was obvious Mickelson’s mind was somewhere else last week.  The early exit left more practice time.  Yes, we are talking practice.  Phil’s record at Augusta is Tigeresque, only one missed cut and eleven Top 10s in thirteen starts since 1995.  If Phil can find his putting stroke (and why shouldn’t he on familiar greens) we just may have our dream final pairing.

3. Justin Leonard

Somewhat off the rader, Justin Leonard is putting together a solid season.  He’s got three Top 10s in eight events and was headed for another last week before a final round 76 in tough weather.  Leonard has only missed the cut here once since 1996 but has not finished in the Top 10 since 1998.  This year he has played his best golf in early rounds and if this holds up he has the game and experience to contend into Sunday, probably won’t win but a Top 10 would not suprise. 

Happy Masters Sunday to all!