2011 Deutsche Bank Championship Preview
Tuesday, August 30th, 2011
Last Week
Hectic weather caused the final round of The Barclays to be canceled after 54 holes. Dustin Johnson, who also won the rain-shortened 2009 AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am, won by two strokes and took over the top of the FedExCup leaderboard. There are now only three events remaining in the season with the top-70 players moving onto the BMW Championship after this one.
The picks from last week would look much better had Adam Scott, my Must Start, not blown a top-10 in the final round and finished way back with a T67. Nick Watney and Webb Simpson each finished T10. Luke Donald (T18) and Steve Stricker (T24) had respectable results but not exactly what you’d want from a pair of elite players. Fredrik Jacobson, a sleeper pick, managed a T32.
This Week’s Fantasy Golf Picks
Steve Stricker
In addition to winning the Deutsche Bank Championship in 2009, Stricker has finished 13th or better in five consecutive starts at the site. Stricker leads all players by a mile with 39 consecutive cuts made. This season, he ranks second in scoring average and third in All-Around Ranking. They don’t come any more trustworthy than Stricker.
Matt Kuchar – Must Start
Coming off a runner-up performance at The Barclays, his ninth top-10 of season, Kuchar is looking for a career-best finish at TPC Boston. Kuchar has finished 15th or better in the last two and ranked first in putting on this course a year ago. On the season, Kuchar registers fourth in All-Around and is another bankable player to lean on.
Jason Day
After leading the first three rounds of this event a year ago, Day is looking for redemption. A round of par on Sunday wasn’t enough to stay ahead and left him with a share of second. This season, the Australian ranks 11th in both birdies and scoring as well as eighth in All-Around.
Charl Schwartzel
Even though he skipped The Barclays and has never played at TPC Boston, Schwartzel has been solid all year long. The winner of this year’s Masters is coming off a T12 at the PGA Championship and is currently sixth in scoring. Schwartzel still sits inside the top 30 and figures to be there for the TOUR Championship with two more good outings.
Brandt Snedeker
With a tournament record of 61 in the final round of The Barclays, Snedeker shot up the leaderboard to finish T3. Last year, he was third in putting on this course and finished with a share of fifth place. When he’s locked in like this, Snedeker is capable of more big-time performances.
Vijay Singh
Enjoying his best season since winning the 2008 FedExCup, Singh is a two-time champ at TPC Boston, winning before and after the remodel in 2007. In his last two starts, Singh finished T4 at the Wyndham Championship and T3 at The Barclays. He’s been hot and cold for much of the season but given his recent play and history on this course, Singh is certainly worth a start.
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