2009 SLS Cup Playoffs Round 1 Preview
Tuesday, September 1st, 2009
SLS Cup Playoffs Round 1:
Deutsche Bank Championship Rotoff Golf Leaderboard
League: Original Rotoff
#1 Lefty Power Squat
(285.0 Points 8 Wins 5 RUs $65 09 Earnings)
Team Captain: Phil Mickelson
vs.
BYE
It was a record setting year for rookie Lefty Power Squat. Setting the single season record for Total Points, Rotoff Points and Wins, Lefty Power Squat grabbed the #1 seed in Segment 3 and never looked back. The 2009 Masters champ should be a force in the playoffs even with Team Captain Phil Mickelson struggling down the stretch. Late Free Agent pick up Y.E. Yang was a steal, along with “supporting cast” Ernie Els and Retief Goosen who have been making lots of birdies as of late, Lefty Power Squat’s depth is definately a strength heading into the playoffs. He will need TC Mickelson to wake up to have a chance at getting his name on the SLS Cup as each playoff round elimination will be on the line. Will play the winner of the #3/#6 matchup next week.
#2 18 Hoes
(257.5 Points 3 Wins 0 RUs $16 09 Earnings)
Team Captain: Tiger Woods
vs.
BYE
In 9th place as late as July, 18 Hoes got a huge boost from Team Captain Tiger Woods vaulting him to into the #2 seed and a first round bye. Even with only $16 on the 09 Money List 18 Hoes remains the all-time active Career Earnings leader and may be the favorite to win it all. Besides Tiger, Scott Verplank, Ian Poulter and Steve Marino have all been at the top of their games in August. If Boo Weekley can catch fire in the last weeks of the FedEx Cup watch out. Coaching will be key for 18 Hoes in the coming weeks as he looks to get back to the SLS Cup Final where he lost to the now retired Dutch Roll in 2007. If he can get the right guys in his lineup each week he will be dangerous indeed. Will play the winner of the #4/#5 matchup next week.
#3 Putt Putt
(235.0 Points 4 Wins 6 RUs $23 09 Earnings)
Team Captain: Steve Stricker
vs.
#6 Torrey Pines
(222.5 Points 1 Wins 4 RUs $12 09 Earnings)
Team Captain: Stewart Cink
Two rookies collide this week, but each having very different seasons. Putt Putt was steady all season with 4 wins and sat in the #2 spot as late as Segment 6. After switching his Team Captain from Hunter Mahan to Steve Stricker for Segement 4, Putt Putt racked up 16 TC bonus points, all but securing his place in the playoffs. That he could not hold on to the #2 seed is more on the late season dominance of 18 Hoes. Torrey Pines, the 2009 Open Championship Runner Up, had a much different road to the playoffs. Sitting on the outside looking in just a week ago, he got an RU at The Barclays to jump from #7 into the 6th and final playoff spot. Torrey Pines’ verteran squad includes Mike Weir, Robert Allenby and Justin Leonard, not to mention Team Captain Stewart Cink. The #3/#6 matchup has all the makings of a classic and with Stricker heating up Torrey Pines will need to manage his team well on the weekend. Winner will face #1 seed Lefty Power Squat.
#4 Golf Cheese Hoes
(224.5 Points 6 Wins 2 RUs $30 09 Earnings)
Team Captain: Geoff Ogilvy
vs.
#5 Slaughter
(223.5 Points 0 Wins 7 RUs $13 09 Earnings)
Team Captain: Jim Furyk
This one is being dubbed the “Grudge Match” as these two same teams played last year in the first round of the SLS Cup Playoffs. Golf Cheese Hoes won the first two events of the season and cruised through the first three segments (15 weeks) with 4 wins, including the WGC Match Play. She got bonus points from 7 different golfers this year, a Rotoff Golf record, and a testament to her depth. She will need to rely on that depth this week as Team Captain Geoff Ogilvy has not shined as of late after his early season dominance. Ogilvy and Zach Johnson are keys if Golf Cheese Hoes is going to advance. Slaughter (the RU Master) went winless in 2009 but qualifies for his second straight SLS Cup Playoff appearance and will have revenge on his mind. It could all come down to Padraig Harrington who is starting to return to his major winning form. It was Harrington’s two bonus points and Slaughter’s 3rd place finish last week that moved him from the 8th seed a week ago into the 5th seed, setting up the rematch. If Paddy continues to putt well we may have a different outcome this year, unless Ogilvy finds his early form. Winner will play 18 Hoes next week.
For the few that have been following my team Shlink Lincoln in the Original Rotoff league I am sad to report I missed out on the playoffs for yet another year, on a tiebreaker none the less. I was sitting 5th coming into last weekends final regular season tournament but could only manage an 8th place finish. It’s the second straight year I’ve been bumped from the playoffs on the last day. Ouch.
