Last Week

Nick Watney shot a five-under 67 on Sunday to pass Dustin Johnson on the leaderboard to take the WGC-Cadillac Championship. The win is Watney’s third on Tour and gives him four finishes of sixth or better in each of his stroke play events this season. Meanwhile, Tiger Woods recorded his first top-10 since finishing T4 last June in the U.S. Open Championship.

My picks for Doral included Watney and Matt Kuchar, who finished fifth. The rest did not fare so well. Martin Kaymer, my Must Start, and Charl Schwartzel finished T24. Bill Haas T31, Alvaro Quiros T64.

Some of the players that didn’t qualify for the WGC event competed in the Puerto Rico Open. Michael Bradley won the event for the second time in three years. Here’s how my picks finished: Fredrik Jacobson T14, Stewart Cink T29 and Jerry Kelly withdrew during the second round.

This Week

The Transitions Championship will be once again played on the Copperhead Course at West Innisbrook Resort and Golf Club as the Tour remains in Florida for the third straight week. Also going on this week is the Tavistock Cup, a two-day event of international teams. Since that tournament is also held in the Sunshine state several players will be doing double duty.

Nick Watney – Must Start

Why jump off the bandwagon now? Watney is coming off the victory at Dorel against a deeper field than he’ll see at Copperhead. Sizzling play has him ranked high in several statistics, including first in All-Around Ranking. Last year, Watney finished fourth at Copperhead and second in putting. In 2009, Watney finished T12 and second in driving. There’s plenty of tools in Watney’s toolbox, and perhaps more hardware for the mantle on the way.

Bubba Watson

A bout of the flu caused Watson to withdraw from last week’s WGC-Cadillac Championship, so keep an eye on his availability. Assuming he’s able to go, Watson is a fine selection. After missing the cut in three of the previous four cuts at Copperhead, he broke through with a third-place finish a year ago. Watson currently ranks first in both driving distance and greens, but just 81st in putting. However, he was 11th in putting last year and can catch fire at any time.

Retief Goosen

In his last two Copperhead starts, Goosen has a fifth-place finish and a win from 2009. In those eight rounds, he’s 16-under without a single round over par. Goosen also owns a victory in this event from 2003. The South African finished T31st last week and T12th a month ago in the Northern Trust Open, his only other Tour stroke play start this season.

K.J. Choi

The only player with a pair of wins at Copperhead besides Goosen is Choi (2006, 2002). He came close to another a year ago, finishing as the runner-up to Jim Furyk by one stroke. In nine career starts, Choi owns four top-10s, tops among the field.

Jonathan Byrd

After starting the season off with a victory in the Hyundai Tournament of Champions, Byrd’s performance has been forgettable until finishing T10th at Dorel. Since 2006 Byrd owns four finishes of 12th or better in five Copperhead starts. There aren’t many other courses where Byrd is so dependable, which makes him a nice start saver in allocation formations.

Gary Woodland

Over his last five starts this season Woodland has a runner-up performance and two other finishes of sixth or better. He’s never participated at Copperhead but is playing well enough to contend. Woodland ranks ninth in birdies, 11th in driving distance, 13th in scoring average, 16th in greens and 19th in putting.

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

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:  25 Points

2010 Fantasy Golf Picks Weekly Average:  2.50 Points

Think you can pick better?  Leave a comment with your 3 picks for the 2010 Transitions Championship.  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.

Congrats to Charlie Garner for being the only one with any points last week.  You got 1 point for Paul Casey’s Top 10 finish and a weekly win.  Not bad for your first week.  Please contact me to get access to your free Rotoff Golf Draft Kit.  Keep those picks coming.

Beat the Expert Leaderboard

Last Week:

The only consolation in having such a crappy week is that almost everyone else did too.  Steve Stricker got off to a slow start and couldn’t crack the Top 10.  Both Stewart Cink (-7) and Ian Poulter (-8) waited until the final round to do anything and both ending T37.  Not good fellas.  On a positive note I am 5 points better then my pace from last year.  And it’s hard not to be positive with Spring (and the year’s first major) almost upon us.

This week:

The Florida Swing continues this week at the Innisbrook Resort Copperhead Course.  Similar to the Honda, this is a very difficult course with the average winning score over the last years at -7.33.  This makes it one of the more difficult non-major courses that players will see all year.  If anyone can go super low early it could be enough to stay in contention on Sunday. 

1. Geoff Ogilvy

Every time it looks like Geoff Ogilvy is ready to take his game to the next level he just never really does.  Already a winner this year at the season opener in Hawaii, Geoff has finished T62 and T45 his last two starts with just two of eight rounds in the 60s.  But he has a good track record here with two Top 10s and just one missed cut in four starts.  Mix his track record with the fact that one of his rounds in the 60s (69) came in the final round last Sunday and this should be a great spot to play Ogilvy.  A win would make him the first dual winner in 2010, and a Top 10 is more then likely.

 2. Vijay Singh

Vijay Singh almost had his second straight Top 10 finish this year, coming in T11 last week.  It should be easy for him to keep his good play going at Copperhead where he won back in 2004.  Outside of a missed cut in 2005, Vijay has never finished worse then T19 in this event including a win and a runner up.  If VJ can find his putting stroke we may just see a return to his dominant form ala 2004.  I still don’t know if he is completely “back” but he’s worth a look this week.

3.  Charles Howell III

This may be the last time I mention Charles Howell III the rest of the year.  He is notorius for fast starts before pulling a disappearing act into the Spring and Summer.  With bonus points in three of the first four Segments, he has zero (count ‘em zero) bonus points over the last three years in Segments 5-7.  That said he’s a safe pick this week with an average finish of 24.3 since 2007 including a T2 last year.  Charlie already with three Top 10s in 2010 is playing solid golf, a testament to his 5th place Putts per Round ranking.  Don’t be suprised if Howell Three gets back in the winner’s circle this week.

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.

Winner = 10 points

2nd Place = 5 points

3rd Place = 3 points

Top 10 = 1 point

2009 Fantasy Golf Picks Total:  20 Points

2009 Fantasy Golf Preview Weekly Average:  2.00 Points

Last week: 

I’m back!  After a seven week draught I finally get some points.  Furyk came on strong on Sunday to finish solo 3rd (3 points) while Tiger crept into a Top 10 finish (1 point).   Adam Scott was no where to be found.

It’s great to see Phil playing so well and just in time for April.  Will we finally get to see a Tiger/Phil showdown on Masters Sunday?  Fingers crossed.

This week:

A bit of a let down from the elite field at the CA Championship but there are still some big names playing at Innisbrook.  Sean O’Hair defends this week at the Transitions Championship (formerly the PODS Championship) in a field that only includes one golfer ranked in the World Top 10.

1. Rod Pampling

Pampling got off to a great start last week shooting 66 and 69 in the first two rounds before shooting back to back 71s to finish.  Still it was a Top 10 finish and a good sign for this week as Pampling has three Top 10 finishes in this event going back to 2002.  Good recent play + event history = no brainer.  Pampling should contend all week and may even win.

2. Jim Furyk

If it ain’t broke………..  Furyk was a monster on the “Blue Monster.”  Jimmy shot an incredible 30 on the back nine on Sunday to finish solo 3rd and outside of Kenny Perry is the best golfer in the field.  He has only played this event once, missing the cut in 2004, but the stars are aligned perfectly for Furyk to not only get another Top 3 but an outright win.  If he retains the same putting stroke we saw last Sunday expect big things.

3. Mark Calcavecchia

Calc is at home on the Florida swing.  The Gator alum won this event in 2007 and has finished in the Top 20 here the last three years.  Calc has been under the radar this season but after missing the cut in his first two events he put together back to back Top 10s at Pebble Beach and Riviera.  A win is probably not in the cards but a Top 10 is more than likely.

PODS Championship
Innisbrook Resort and Golf Club – Palm Harbor, Florida

Preview

This week is the PODS Championship (formerly the Chrysler Championship). Last season K.J. Choi beat Paul Goydos and Brett Wetterich by four strokes for his second career win in this event (Choi also won here in 2002).

I’m going to start a new trend in my previews and post the top Vegas odds for each tournament and then comment on those golfers I think have a shot to win.

Props to golfodds.com for posting the weekly odds. Remeber, odds are for entertainment purposes only.

PODS Championship

Westin Innisbrook Resort – Palm Harbor, Florida

Vijay won here in 2004 and could very well win here again this week. Last year he finished T19, with only one round in the 60’s (69 on Sat.). The narrow, hilly, tree lined fairways and scattered water hazards could pose a problem if VJ’s not driving well. He ranks 88th in Driving Accuracy, which isn’t bad. But his is not a course you want to miss the fairway on. Iron play will be key.

VJ is currently 3rd in FedEx cup points, mostly on his Mercedes win. But besides the season opener in Hawaii, Singh has only one top 10 (FBR Open). Vijay is not the dominant Vijay of old, but this week is prob one of his best shots to get another win, with no other Top 10 World Ranked golfers in the field.

Defending champ K.J. Choi has a very good chance to repeat. Like Vijay, Choi is a very good ball striker (24th in GIR) and on this course a good short game will go a long way. K.J. has two top 10’s on the young season and should at the very least add another top 10 here, if not an outright win.

Sergio Garcia will also benefit this week from the weaker field. Sergio has only played two events on the PGA thus far but has finished no worse then T17. I like Sergio this week for no other reason then a hunch. Sergio is definately due for a win (hasn’t won since mid 05) and something tells me he will make a charge on Sunday.

Other players to watch this week are Boo Weekley and Camilo Villegas, both of whom lost in a four way playoff last weekend. It will be interesting to see how each bounce back after that disappointing finish. They’ve definately got the skills to breakthrough for their first wins on tour, which I suspect will happen for them both sometime this year. Could this be one of those weeks?

Anybody know a good bookie?

Wait, don’t answer that.