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, based on the point scale below:

Winner = 10 points

2nd Place = 5 points

3rd Place = 3 points

Top 10 = 1 point

2010 Fantasy Golf Picks Total:  37 Points

2010 Fantasy Golf Picks Weekly Average:  1.61 Points

Think you can pick better?  Leave a comment with your 5 picks for the 2010 U.S. Open.  If you Beat The Expert in any week you will win a FREE 2010 Rotoff Golf Draft Kit (a $9.99 value) with one possible Grand Prize winner at the end of the FedEx Cup season.  See here for official BTE rules.

Joey Books gets back on the board with his 3rd weekly win.  Not only did he pick the winner in Lee Westwood but also gets a point for Camilo Villegas’ Top 10.  His 11 total points move him up the board into a tie for 4th and within striking distance of the overall top spot.  Funny to note all other teams in the Top 3 also picked Westwood. 

Beat the Expert Leaderboard

Last Week:

My intentions were good in picking a Brit to win last week, I just picked the wrong Brit.  Rory McIlroy was on his way before a weekend of 72-71, and a disappointing T29 finish.  Also finishing T29 was David Toms who didn’t play bad, there were just twenty-nine golfers better then him for the week.  Had he cracked a round better then 70 in the first three rounds who knows (a final round 65 was too little too late).  And last but not least my best pick falls just shy of points, as Zach Johnson ended just outside the Top 10 at T12.  My (lack of) skills for picking winners has all but left me, as I haven’t picked a winner since Dustin Johnson at Pebble Beach back in February.  I’m hoping that will be a good omen of things to come.

This week:

The time has arrived my friends.  Not only is summer knocking on the door but we might be on the cusp of a whole new golf world.  All the buzz this week surrounds Phil Mickelson and for good reason.  A win this weekend and we’ll be talking Phil Slam.  A friggin Phil Slam!  With all the hoopla surrounding World #1 this year it’s amazing how the stage is being set.  A Lefty Masters win, dominant Europeans and no Tiger, oh my! 

But it’s Tiger Woods that makes this week so intriguing.  At the site of the most dominant major win in the history of golf, Tiger returns to a 2nd U.S. Open at Pebble Beach where he won last time by fifteen strokes.  Ten years later we are on the brink of a changing of the guard.  For the first time in that same ten year span Tiger is not the outright favorite in Vegas to win (he and Phil are tied at 7/1).  A new number one?  Long live the king?  The king is………………all but dead.

I don’t have the balls to pick him but don’t be suprised to see Tiger’s best this week.  Afterall he is still chasing Jack’s record of eighteen majors.  When you’ve lost your image the only thing left is immortality.  And I know I beat this dead horse just about every April and June but If we’re lucky we’ll see a Tiger/Phil final pairing on Sunday.  And maybe if we’re luckier, Lee Westwood and Padraig Harrington just infront.  If Phil gets to career major number five…….it’s gonna be one hell of a summer for golf fans (or maybe just for Phil fans?).  If Tiger should win number fifteen will we forget the last eight months?  Or will a relative unknown step up and steal immortality for themselves? 

The ifs will all be answered come Sunday. 

1.  Phil Mickelson

Bet you didn’t see this coming.  This is by far the consensus pick by all the golf world but for good reason.  Already a major win in 2010, Phil has a great track record at Pebble Beach over the years including three career wins and six Top 10s in fifteen career starts.  Phil was in contention (kinda) in 2000 if not for a 76 on Sunday (well and the fact that Tiger ran away and hid from the rest of the field), but still finished T16.  You no doubt know Phil’s near misses in U.S. Opens.  I’ll say no more then that for fear of jinxing him.

2.  Lee Westwood

You no doubt know Lee’s near misses in U.S. Opens.  Now that he’s won for the first time since 1998 it would not suprise me in the least to see anther British slump end at Pebble Beach.  He finished T5 here in 2000 and has only one missed cut in the U.S. Open since that same year.  That’s seven starts.  In eight starts in 2010 he has yet to miss a cut along with five Top 10s.  There’s a reason why he’s number three in the world.  And there’s a reason why you should pick him in your fantasy golf lineup this week. 

3.  Stewart Cink

Under the radar for most, except for you as a dedicated reader of this blog, Stewart Cink is a threat to win this week.  He has not had a round over 71 in his last twelve rounds.  How’s that for research!  Stewart is no stranger to majors and (as you know) plays his best golf in the summer months.  He finsihed T8 here in 2000 and has three career Top 10s in fourteen career U.S. Opens.   If Stewie can get out to a good start he will be in contention come Sunday.  And know that he knows how to win majors he just might do it again.

Sleepers (outside World Top 50):  Heath Slocum, Mike Weir

(all that and not a mention of the triple bogey gift from last Sunday, it must be U.S. Open week)

Happy (early) U.S. Open Sunday and to all a good night!

______________________________________

Poll:  Please vote on the newest poll at the upper right hand side.  Do you think it will be Tiger, Phil or McClung victorius?

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, based on the point scale below:

Winner = 10 points

2nd Place = 5 points

3rd Place = 3 points

Top 10 = 1 point

2010 Fantasy Golf Picks Total:  36 Points

2010 Fantasy Golf Picks Weekly Average:  1.71 Points

Think you can pick better?  Leave a comment with your 3 picks for the 2010 Memorial.  If you Beat The Expert in any week you will win a FREE 2010 Rotoff Golf Draft Kit (a $9.99 value) with one possible Grand Prize winner at the end of the FedEx Cup season.  See here for official BTE rules.

Two newbies share the weekly win as Bryan and Shane both picked the winner Zach Johnson and each get off to a great start with 10 points.  With that kind of prognostication you’ll both be at the top of the LB in little time.  Nice work.

Beat the Expert Leaderboard

Last Week:

I have to admit last week was the first time all year that I did not watch a single shot of golf as I went out of town for the long weekend.  Much to my suprise not only did I get shutout for points but quite miserably at that.  Phil Mickelson was no where near the #1 ranked golfer in the world (as I sadly predicted) missing the cut by a mile.  Tim Clark wasn’t much better with just two rounds in the 60s and a lousy T56 finish.  My only bright spot was Stewart Cink who had four straight rounds in the 60s even though he finished (T22) well outside of the Top 10.  Back to the drawing board.

This week:

It’s Jack’s tournament time which can only mean one thing….well maybe a few things.  The U.S. Open is just around the corner and as such one Tiger Woods (defending champ) is in the field at Muirfield.  And he’s not the only one.  There’s an awesome field this week including #10 world ranked Rory McIlroy who is only a month removed from his first PGA Tour win.  The last two years the scoring here has been low with winning scores of -12 and -8.  If the sun beats down you can expect the same trend this weekend.

Disclaimer:  I really have no idea who to pick this week.  The last few weeks have been ackward for picking winners (or even Top 10s for that matter).  Until I get back on track you may want to use my picks only if they conform to your own research.

1.  Stewart Cink

I have to keep the Stew train rollin’.  As mentioned earlier, four straight rounds in the 60s is not only a good sign for Cink, but yet another indicator that he’s finding his game just in time for summer.  Stewie has two Top 10s in his last three starts here including a T8 finish last year.  He also has just one missed cut in thirteen career starts with five Top 10s. 

2.  Jeff Overton

Jeff Overton is coming alive.  With two 2nds and a 3rd in his last five starts this is looking like a career year for Overton.  While those finishes have come in weaker fields this week will be a good test of his game.  Another Top 10 finish among the greats in Ohio and we could be talking about JO as not only the hottest golfer in the states but as a U.S. Open contender.  He’s still got his work cut out for him but don’t say I didn’t warn you.

3.  Nick Watney

Speaking of heating up, take a look at Watney’s last four finishes.  7th, T22, T17 and T27.  Not great but consistent.  Watney only has three career starts at Muirfield but has never missed the cut.  He finished T14 last year here including a final round 68.  If he’s in contention this Sunday and can repeat that performance he should easily have his fifth Top 10 of the season.  This is a definite hunch pick but I like his chances.

(It’s hard leaving off so many great golfers from my picks this week but all the big names have been burning me of late.  We’ll see if my darkhorse strategy bolts me to the top or leaves me in the dust.)

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, based on the point scale below:

Winner = 10 points

2nd Place = 5 points

3rd Place = 3 points

Top 10 = 1 point

2010 Fantasy Golf Picks Total:  36 Points

2010 Fantasy Golf Picks Weekly Average:  1.80 Points

Think you can pick better?  Leave a comment with your 3 picks for the 2010 Crowne Plaza Invitational.  If you Beat The Expert in any week you will win a FREE 2010 Rotoff Golf Draft Kit (a $9.99 value) with one possible Grand Prize winner at the end of the FedEx Cup season.  See here for official BTE rules.

No weekly winner last week as four (Brad, Joe, John and Ed) tie with 1 point for each picking Dustin Johnson (T7).

Beat the Expert Leaderboard

Last Week:

After a 65 on Friday, Sean O’Hair looked to be on his way to an easy Top 10 or better.  But a one over round of 73 on Sunday saw him finish right on the cusp (T12).  Combined with poor showings by then defending champ Rory Sabatini (T43) and Brett Wetterich (T32) it’s another shut out week for Planer.  Which means I’m not f’n around this week.

This week:

The last stop of the Texas tour sets the scene for a possible new #1.  But it won’t be easy for current world #2.  This week marks one of the deeper non-major fields of the year including the return of Steve Stricker from his recent shoulder injury.  Five of the world Top 10 are teeing it up at Colonial, the second oldest tournament (behind the Masters) on the PGA Tour.

1.  Phil Mickelson

So one of the great things about this BTE contest is there are no pick limits.  Now that I’ve fallen behind my pace from last season it’s time to bring it.  I don’t feel guilty at all that this is the fifth time I’ve chosen Phil Mickelson this year, it only hurts that I don’t have more points to show for it.  I don’t need to tell you that Lefty won here in his last start (2008) or that he hasn’t missed the cut here since 1998.  There’s no suprise to hear that Phil has nine Top 25 finishes (with two wins) at Colonial in thirteen career starts.  I mean it’s mutha f’n Philly Mick, soon to be world #1.

2.  Tim Clark

Two words, two seconds.  Tim Clark has finished runner up in this event the last two years.  Since missing the cut in his first try way back in 2004, he has finished no worse then T21 in five starts.  Now that Timmy has that pesky win out of the way we just might see him get two in the same season.  It’s hard not to pick Clark in this spot, infact even Vegas likes him as a 20-1 shot, third best odds of the entire field.  Timmae!

3.  Stewart Cink

It was around this time last season that Stewart Cink started heating up, in the run up to his first major victory at last year’s Open Championship.  Stew’s never missed the cut here in twelve starts.  That’s right.  NEVER.  He has come in T22, T18 and T4 in his last three starts.  I know Cink has been struggling thus far in 2010 but I’m telling you, the summer is his time to shine.  This is where it all begins.  Look for a Top 10 from Stewie this weekend.