Last Week

After struggling for much of the season, Sean O’Hair finally broke through with a victory, the fourth of his career. He edged Kris Blanks in a playoff, who now owns his second top-12 finish in three starts. Andres Romero missed a long putt on the 18th that would have punched his ticket into the playoff.

Although my Must Start, Matt Kuchar, just missed the cut the remaining picks were pretty solid, all finishing inside the top-30. Bo Van Pelt entered Sunday with a lead but settled to finish T6. Charl Schwartzel continues his solid play with a T9. Luke Donald got off to a rough start but finished T17 thanks to a 3-under on Sunday. Rickie Fowler was 2-under entering the weekend but gave a bunch of strokes back to drop to T22. Ryan Moore ruined a strong result with a 5-over on Sunday to finish T29.

This Week’s Fantasy Golf Picks

Phil Mickelson

In 13 stroke play events this season, Mickelson has a win from the Shell Houston Open, two runner-up performances and two other top-10s. While Lefty skipped this event a year ago, he hasn’t missed a cut this year and is typically a very safe bet. Mickelson currently ranks 11th or better in birdies, scoring and All-Around Ranking.

Sergio Garcia – Must Start

A year ago, Garcia finished T60 in the inaugural Greenbrier Classic on the Old White TPC course, which has received a slight makeover to produce a bigger challenge. Thankfully, he looks like a much different player this season with seven finishes of 20th or better in 10 Tour starts. He’s coming off a T7 at the U.S. Open Championship and a T9 in The Open Championship.

Jeff Overton

Last year, Overton appeared to have this tournament won until Stuart Appleby’s historic 59 left him as the runner-up. In that tournament, he ranked 18th or better in fairways, greens and putting. Overton got off to a mixed start this season but has picked up a pair of top-10 finishes over his last five starts.

Chris Kirk

In his last three starts, Kirk has finished 22nd or better highlighted by a top-10 at the AT&T National and a win at the Viking Classic. The rookie currently ranks a surprising 12th in All-Around and is starting to find consistent results. A bottom-tier golfer in most formats, Kirk is among the top bargains this week.

Spencer Levin

Last year at the Greenbrier, Levin finished T21 after challenging for a top-10 until the final round. Over his last five starts, he’s picked up a trio of top-15s while making all his cuts. In 22 events this season, Levin has a dozen top-20s and sits eighth in scoring.

Charles Howell III

At the Greenbrier a year ago, Howell ranks first in greens hit and finished T9. Over his last four starts, he’s notched three top-fives while finishing better than 28th in six straight. Currently 10th in scoring average, Howell also ranks inside the top-30 in both strokes gained – putting and All-Around.

Want my fantasy golf picks for both Yahoo! Sports Fantasy Golf and Kerplookee? Need an expert to answer your fantasy golf question? Follow me on Twitter!

Last Week

Already in the middle of a blistering season, Nick Watney added some fireworks to his Independence Day weekend by winning the AT&T National. With his second victory of the season now in hand, Watney now leads the FedExCup standings. Meanwhile, Rickie Fowler entered Sunday with the lead but was already 3-over for the day after the fourth hole and finished outside of the top-10.

I turned in another fine week of picks. Watney was my Must Start and delivered with the aforementioned victory. Bo Van Pelt (T11) continues to churn out solid finishes and John Merrick (T15) also kept things rolling. J.B. Holmes (T47) was a combined 4-under in Rounds 2 and 3, but a disappointing 6-over during the bookend rounds. Ryan Moore finished T68 while Lucas Glover withdrew due to illness after nine holes.

This Week’s Fantasy Golf Picks

Steve Stricker – Must Start

There may not be a more obvious Must Start for any tournament than Stricker at the John Deere Classic. He’s won this event each of the last two years with a combined score of 46-under. In those eight rounds, Stricker has never exceeded par while going under 65 on four occasions. Over his last seven starts, Stricker has finished inside the top-20 with five top-15s and a victory at the Memorial Tournament. Stricker ranks first in birdies, third in strokes gained – putting, fourth in scoring and sixth in All-Around Ranking this season.

Jason Day

After finishing T15 in each of the last two years, Day has all the ability to set a new career-best finish at TPC Deere Run. Since missing the cut at the Shell Houston Open, he owns five top-10s and a pair of runner-up results in six starts. Day sits 11th in scoring, 13th in birdies and eighth in All-Around.

Louis Oosthuizen

After finishing T9 in the U.S. Open Championship, his best finish since winning the Africa Open in January, Oosthuizen has taken some time off. The South African is essentially using this event to warm up for his title defense next week at The Open Championship, which is just fine for fantasy owners. In eight events stateside, Oosthuizen has three finishes inside the top-20 over the last five. On the European Tour, Oosthuizen ranks 31st in greens in regulation and 34th in scoring.

Charles Howell III

Thanks to a pair of T3 finishes at the FedEx St. Jude Classic and the AT&T National, Howell is looking like a safe start despite failing to crack the top-20 at TPC Deere Run in the last two years. A year ago, he finished T9 in putting which is a big key to success here. Howell currently ranks 11th in scoring, 29th in strokes gained – putting and 35th in All-Around.

Bryce Molder

Players that catch fire with the putter can excel at TPC Deere Run. That makes Molder’s ranking of seventh in strokes gained – putting very appealing. In addition, he’s finished T6 at the Travelers Championship and T8 AT&T National in his last two starts. Molder did not start at this event last year but finished T30 in 2009.

Vaughn Taylor

Since 2004, Taylor has three top-15s and missed two cuts in five starts at TPC Deere Run. Last year, he finished a career-best sixth while ranking 12th or better in greens and fairways hit. Over his last eight starts, Taylor has missed four cuts without finishing better than 33rd. He carries some risks but Taylor ranks 27th in strokes gained – putting and has some decent history at this course.

Want my fantasy golf picks for both Yahoo! Sports Fantasy Golf and Kerplookee? Need an expert to answer your fantasy golf question? Follow me on Twitter!

Fantasy Golf Picks

If you haven’t signed up for the Rotoff.com Challenge yet, read the information below on how to play for over $350.00 in cash and prizes!

For my entire Yahoo! Sports Fantasy Golf lineup, follow me on Twitter @ericmcclung

The Rotoff.com Challenge is our group in the popular Yahoo! Sports Fantasy Golf game. Not only can you see how you stack up against Erik Planer, fellow Rotoff readers and myself, the winner of each segment (Winter, Spring and Summer) will score $50.00 per segment! The leader after the Full Season concludes will receive $100.00 and a lifetime fantasy golf league on Rotoff.com ($125.00 value). All payouts will be paid at the end of the PGA Tour season by Nov. 11, 2011.

Group ID# 7246

Password “rotoff”

Join now!