Last Week

For the fifth time in six weeks, a playoff decided the weekly PGA Tour event. This time around it was rookie Keegan Bradley, despite never winning on the Nationwide Tour, claiming the HP Byron Nelson Championship at TPC Four Seasons Resort over Ryan Palmer. His aunt, Pat Bradley, was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 1991 with six majors on the LPGA circuit and 31 victories total.

With only 11 golfers shooting par or better on Saturday, and just 10 on Sunday, there were also a lot of ugly scores posted in fantasy leagues. My picks had hit of the top-20 (Brian Gay T14 and Dustin Johnson, my Must Start, T20) as well as D.A. Points, T40. John Senden, Justin Leonard (in place of Spencer Levin after he withdrew) and Scott Verplank all missed the cut.

Despite this week’s bumpy road, my Yahoo! Sports Fantasy Golf lineup still managed a decent score of 130 points, moving me to the 93rd Percentile. Be sure to follow me on Twitter @ericmcclung for weekly Y! lineups, daily changes and other fantasy thoughts. I also answer any questions sent my way. I finished in the 98th Percentile last year and the 92nd in 2009. Rest assured I can help you dominate your Y! league.

This Week

Luke Donald

With his playoff victory in the BMW PGA Championship over Lee Westwood, Donald also took the World Number One ranking from his English countryman. Donald skipped this Jack Nicklaus-designed course last year but finished T14 in 2009 and T6 in 2008. Over his last six starts stateside, Donald has yet to finish outside of the top-10 with an average finish of 5.6. Padding an already impressive resume, Donald is currently first on Tour in scoring, sixth in birdies, ninth in strokes gained- putting and 14th in All-Around Ranking.

Matt Kuchar – Must Start

Since 2007, Kuchar has finished 13th or better in the Memorial in each of his four starts, including three consecutive top-10s. Last week’s T6 was his first top-10 in five events. Kuchar hasn’t exactly been struggling, though, as his 27 consecutive cuts is the second longest active streak on Tour. Kuchar sits second in scoring, 12th in greens in regulation, 17th in birdies and four in All-Around. Owners in allocation formats that have been burning Donald starts (like me) have a pleasant secondary option in Kuchar.

Justin Rose

In addition to winning this event last year, Rose finished with a share of second back in 2008. Since starting the season with six finishes of 13th or better in eight starts, he has missed a cut and finished outside of top-25 in three straight events. Currently third in greens in regulation and eighth in All-Around, Rose has the tools to turn the corner and defend his title at Muirfield Village.

J.B. Holmes

After a late withdraw from THE PLAYERS Championship (ear infection), Holmes is expected to return to play this week. In five starts in the Memorial since 2006, Holmes has missed three cuts while completing the tournament under par only once. However, Holmes has finished 11th or better in three straight events this season and has not missed a cut in 15 starts. He’s first in driving distance, 10th in birdies and 15th in scoring.

Jeff Overton

After a big 2010 season, highlighted by three runner-up performances and a pair of third-place results, Overton made the United States Ryder Cup team, the first player ever to do so without a Tour victory. However, aside from a T6 in The Honda Classic, Overton had only one finish better than 25th this season until last week. Coming off a T8, including a tournament-best round of 6-under 64, Overton appears to be on the rebound while heading to a course he finished T12 a year ago.

Stewart Cink

In addition to finishing T8 in the last two at the Memorial, Cink has finished 12th or better in four of the last five. Going back to 2001, he owns six top-10s in 10 starts. Having competed in this event since 1996, Cink has only missed the cut once. In addition, Cink has finished 19th or better in his last three events this season and over five of his last eight.

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Last Week

Yet another tournament was settled in a playoff. This time Brandt Snedeker rallied from six shots back to capture the plaid jacket in The Heritage. Always a threat with the putter, Snedeker sunk seven birdies in the first dozen holes to set the stage for his first victory since 2007 as a rookie.

It was another strong week of picks. My Must Start, Luke Donald, finished as the runner-up thanks to great saves for par down the stretch. However, Donald would rim out on the third playoff hole to fall short. In all, five of my selections finished 21st or better. Aaron Baddeley and Webb Simpson shared 14th. Jim Furyk dropped 19 positions on Sunday to end up T21 with Matt Kuchar. Rickie Fowler missed the cut.

This Week

Luke Donald – Must Start

This is Donald’s first start at the Zurich Classic, but there’s no reason to get off this train now. On Tour he ranks ninth in birdies and first in both putting and scoring. In his last four stroke play events, Donald’s finish has improved from 10th to sixth to fourth in the Masters to second last week. Does that mean a win is on the horizon this weekend? If so, Donald could rise to the top of the Official World Golf Ranking.

Nick Watney

After winning this event back in 2007, Watney finished T42 in 2008 while missing the cut in 2009. Prior to finishing 46th in the Masters, his most recent start, Watney had four top-10s, including a win, and finished 13th or better in all five stroke play events. He ranks 10th in putting and second in both birdies and scoring. In addition, Watney sits first in All-Around Ranking.

Justin Rose

In three starts at TPC of Louisiana, Rose’s best finish is T17 in 2005. Over the last two years, he’s finished T43 after missing the cut in 2009. Like the aforementioned picks, don’t sweat the recent history, or lack thereof. Rose is first in greens, 12th in eagles, 19th in scoring and third in All-Around.

David Toms

A year ago, three straight rounds of 69 had Toms in sixth place entering Sunday. However, a 3-over 75 would send him tumbling to T28. In 2009, Toms finished T5 thanks to ranking first in fairways and fourth in putting. He’s currently third in driving accuracy, fourth in greens and eighth in All-Around.

Jason Dufner

The only player in this week’s field with top-10s finishes in each of the last two Zurich Classics is Dufner. He’s coming off a T14 last week in The Heritage, Dufner’s best finish since a runner-up performance in the Waste Management Phoenix Open, and ranks 30th in All-Around. Consider Dufner a legitimate sleeper selection.

Pat Perez

Another deep pick, Perez enters with finishes of T5 and T6 in his last two starts. He withdrew from this event last year but finished T12 in 2008. Perez ranks 31st in putting and 46th in All-Around, but his strong play over the last two weeks should have him on your radar.

Have a fantasy golf question? Want my lineups for both Yahoo! Sports Fantasy Golf and Kerplookee? Follow me on Twitter @ericmcclung

Last Week

Just in time to defend his title at the Masters, Phil Mickelson won for the first time since scoring his third green jacket by capturing the Shell Houston Open. Lefty was stellar over the weekend going a combined 16-under. Chris Kirk was the only player at Redstone to fire four sub-70 rounds which resulted in a share of second with Scott Verplank.

All six of my picks made the cut, highlighted by Matt Kuchar, my Must Start, who finished T8. Lee Westwood and Charl Schwartzel each had their moments, but inconsistent rounds left them both T30. J.B. Holmes T42, Fred Couples T60, Francesco Molinari T73.

This Week

The Masters is the event all golf fans have been waiting for since the season began. Augusta National needs no introduction as this venue and event are brimming with tradition. As with any major, fantasy owners will face difficult decisions picking among the fully-loaded field.

Phil Mickelson – Must Start

Lefty is the defending Masters champion, his third green jacket, and has only finished worse than 12th at Augusta since 1998. As previously mentioned, Mickelson is coming off a victory last week giving him three top-10s in seven stroke play events this season. Phil ranks third in birdies, sixth in scoring and 14th in driving distance. With the lethal combination of momentum and event history, make sure you turn Left(y).

Tiger Woods

There is nothing about Wood’s play this season that suggests he’s a safe play at the moment. However, this is Augusta where Woods is legendary. He owns four green jackets, the last coming in 2005. Since then Woods has not finished worse than sixth, including two runner-up performances. A year ago, Wood finished T4 despite a long layover. He’s got one top-10 this season and should be a lock for another, despite the non-Tiger level of play thus far.

Nick Watney

In five stroke play events this season, Watney’s worst finish is T13 with four finishes of sixth or better. In three career starts at Augusta, Watney has yet to finish outside of the top-20 with a career-best seventh a year ago. On Tour, he ranks second in putting as well as first in birdies, scoring and All-Around Ranking. Everything about Watney’s play this season screams serious contender this week and beyond.

Hunter Mahan

With two straight top-10 finishes at Augusta, look for Mahan to look on rolling along. In addition, Mahan is coming off T8 last week, his fourth top-10 in eight stroke play events. Currently ranked sixth in both birdies and All-Around, Mahan is among the safest middle-tier players in the field.

Justin Rose

A year ago, Rose lost out on potential trip to the Masters after missing the cut at the Arnold Palmer Invitational. Consider the lesson learned. Rose would go on win two Tour events last year and is now heading back to Magnolia Drive for the sixth time in his career. Rose enters with back-to-back top-fives, including the Arnold Palmer, and is a threat when he’s riding high. He ranks third in greens and fifth in All-Around.

Anthony Kim

Since returning from thumb surgery, Kim has been very inconsistent. However, he’s showing signs of turning it around. He began the season by improving his finishes from T19 to T13 to T6. From there, Kim hit a slide until finishing T13 a week ago. On Tour, Kim currently ranks 12th in putting and 17th in birdies. He finished third at the Masters a year ago and has shot one round of 65 at Augusta in two straight years.

Have a fantasy golf question? Want my lineups for both Yahoo! Sports Fantasy Golf and Kerplookee? Follow me on Twitter @ericmcclung

Fantasy Golf Picks

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