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:  52 Points

2010 Fantasy Golf Picks Weekly Average:  1.73 Points

Think you can pick better?  Leave a comment with your 3 picks for the 2010 WGC-Bridgestone 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.

Before I get to last week’s winner I want to send a very special THANK YOU to Eric McClung who came to the rescue of Shlink Lincoln Sports on very short notice, and who produced some awesome expert results.  I know it won’t be the last time we see Mr. McClung contributing on this site and our new (not quite ready) site at Rotoff.com.  Thanks again E. 

Beat the Expert Leaderboard

Last Week:

Not a bad way to return from blogcation.  The weekly win goes to yours truly with 6 points (Jeff Overton 5 points, Jim Furyk 1 point).  It’s nice to be back somewhat near the top of the BTE LB, though this year has been a dissappointing one for me with only one winner picked.  With only seven weeks left in the competition it’s time for me to prove my “expert” self.   

This week:

Don’t start thinking about College Football just yet.  We still have seven awesome weeks of golf ahead, including the final major of the year next week at Whistling Straits.  But lets not forget Firestone.  Another star studded yet small field takes the course on Thursday including our first Anthony Kim sighting in months.  The FedEx cup title has never been more wide open and the winner this week will get a good chunk of FedEx cup points. 

1.  Tiger Woods

Does anyone else notice the great big elephant in the room?  HGH or no HGH, it’s hard to argue with Tiger Woods record at this event.  With seven wins in ten career starts and finishing no worse then T4, this is a great time for Tiger to get “healthy.”  When the season began what do you think the Vegas odds were that Tiger would go winless in 2010?  Well don’t look now but there’s only seven more chances for El Tigre.  Not that I think it will happen.  If Tiger is going to win at all this year it will be this weekend. 

2.  Paul Casey

Following Paul Casey’s minor collapse at THE Open Championship was a missed cut (only his 3rd of the year) at the Canadion Open.  But don’t let that fool you, Casey is a monster in WGC events.  He has six Top 10s in his last nine WGC starts.  Currently ranked #9 in the world, watch out for Sir Paul come playoff time.  It will be tough for him to win in such a deep field but a Top 10 should be a cinch.

3.  Sergio Garcia

I don’t know what I’m doing with this pick.  Everytime I pick Sergio Garcia to win he misses the cut and heckles fans.  Well at least he heckles me.  Lingering just inside the World Top 50 (ranked behind Adam Scott I might add) there is really no rhyme or reason for this insanity, other then he is on my Rotoff Golf team and he needs to pull his head out of the ass if I’m going to grab the #2 seed and a first round SLS Cup bye.  You want stats?  How about only four of his last twelve rounds have been in the 60s.  WTF am I thinking?

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:  2.78 Points

Think you can pick better?  Leave a comment with your 3 picks for the 2010 WGC-CA 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.

Beat the Expert Leaderboard

Last Week:

I almost looked like a genius.  Until he reached the Bear Trap on Sunday, sleeper Vijay Singh looked poised for a 2nd place finish.  Final hole colapse aside it was a great week for Vijay who got back to basics with fairways and greens.  I’ll take the 1 point for his Top 10 finish and won’t mention that Robert Allenby missed the cut (so much for that) while Scott Piercy faded after the first round for a T56 finish. 

Even in my “almost” glory I lose ground to our fearless leader McClung who was the only one that had the winner in Camilo Villegas.  It’s his second weekly win of the year as his cushion at the top gets bigger with an addition of 10 more points.  Well played.

This week:

Another week, another WGC event.  This time on the famed Blue Monster of Doral.  Expect to see lots of birdies this week as the best players in the world meet once again (seems like just weeks ago) to tune up their games for Augusta, not that the $1.4 million first place prize is anything to sneeze at.  WGC tournaments always have a major feel to them and this week should be no different as Phil Mickelson returns to the course as defending champ.  Speaking of major feel, it’s worth noting that the winners here the last three years have all won majors.  But I will be bucking that trend a bit with my picks this week (or will I?). 

1. Steve Stricker

We haven’t seen Steve Stricker since his disappointing first round exit at the WGC-Accenture Match Play.  With three weeks to rest and recover I imagine Stricks will be rearing to go.  Remember that whole bit earlier about major champions winning here, blah blah blah?  This pick would seem to stray from that rule, except I really think we’re going to see him break through for his first major win this season.  That not enough to convince ya?  Well how about a T13 and a T6 in this event the last two years.  Look for Stricker to be hanging around the top of the Leaderboard all weekend.

 2. Stewart Cink

I Cink I can, I Cink I can.  Stewart Cink doesn’t typically get going until the summer stretch.  But even before spring he already has half a million in earnings and two Top 10s in four starts.  Stewy hasn’t had a lot of success at Doral since 1999 when he finished T4.  The key will be how he performs on Sunday as his +1.67 final round scoring average over the last three years here is nothing to brag about.  But he did finish T5 in Match Play a few weeks back so I’m not completley pulling this one out of my ass.

3.  Ian Poulter

Now that that pesky first PGA Tour win is behind him, watch Ian Poulter nab a few more victories over the next few years.  He has four Top 20 finishes in this event in six career starts and came in tied for second back in 2006.  There’s not a lot of golfers playing more consistent golf these days outside of Villegas and with just two starts on the PGA Tour in 2010 he’s only just 3rd on the money list.  Can Ian make it two straight WGC wins?  I’m hoping so.

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:  81 Points

2009 Fantasy Golf Picks Weekly Average:  2.70 Points

Last week: 

Was there ever any doubt?  Ok so the 71 on Thursday was suspect but 63 on Friday was just insane.  Not that he ever really went away………..but Tiger is back.  I’ll take the 10 points for the win ad just like that my goal of 111 for the season is very much in reach.  Not sure what happened to Verplank who looked so good the week before but missed just his fourth cut on the season.  Furyk was a let down on a course that he usually goes real low, finishing T25.

This week: 

Two words.  Tiger Woods.  Three more words.  Phil Mickelon returns.  Four more little words.  Must see golf T.V. 

 Keep in mind there is no cut this week which bodes well for points in both Yahoo! and Rotoff leagues.

1. Tiger Woods

It almost feels like cheating in picking Tiger, but much last last week Tiger is playing a couse that he has absolutely dominated, try six wins in nine starts.  The three years he didn’t win he finished T2, T4 and 4th.  Add in that he is coming off a win and the PGA Championship is next week and I find it hard to see a scenario in which Tiger doesn’t wi again this weekend. 

 2. Lee Westwood

Westwood finished T2 here last year and the last time we saw him finished T3 at the Open Championship.  It should be noted that in nine starts at Firestone Country Club Westwood has just two top 10s, however Westwood is playing arguably the best golf of his career and anything less then a Top 10 this week will be a dissapointment.

3. Retief Goosen

The Goose has had a resurection of late.  With only two Top 10s in 2008, Retief has already doubled that total in 2009 including his first win since 2005.  This week he comes in with two straight Top 10 finishes and an almost win at the RBC Canadian Open.  Goosen finished 4th here last year and has two Top 10s in eight starts. 

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:  16 Points

2009 Fantasy Golf Preview Weekly Average:  1.78 Points

Last week: 

Donald’s withdrawal hurt.  I ended up switching in Ben Crane in my Yahoo! league but didn’t make the change to my blog.  My haste comes back to haunt me as Crane finished T3.  Not sure what happened to Villegas.  Leonard was not impressive either.  Basically, after getting a 2nd and Win in my first two weeks I’ve gone cold.  I’m hoping to ride on Tiger’s tail this weekend.

This week:

Tiger returns, again, this time in a stroke play event.  After bouncing around venues since it’s inaugural event in 1999, the WGC-CA Championship may have found a home at Doral, where they have played since 2007.  Officials of this event were pondering renaming the tournament to WGC-Tiger Always Wins Championship but the name was already reserved by Torrey Pines.  But seriously, Tiger has won this event six out of nine years, that’s 67%! 

The field is loaded and it will be a great weekend for watching golf. 

1. Tiger Woods

Speaking of Tiger, how can you not pick him this week?  I know he’s rusty, I know he has a revamped swing and I also know he was eliminated by Tim Clark in round 2 of the last WGC event.  You just can’t argue with his history in this event and at Doral (won the Ford Championship at Doral in 2005 and 2006).  Is there anyway Tiger doesn’t finish in the Top 10 this week?  Well…only me picking him right?  Here’s to hoping we see an Ogilvy (defending champ)/Woods final Sunday pairing. 

2. Jim Furyk

Jimmy has only played three events thus far in 2009 so it’s hard to say exactly where his game is these days but was solid in Match Play.  Furyk has two Top 10s here in the last three years including a T2 finish last season.  He also finished T8 at the 2005 Ford Champinship at Doral so I’m hoping for some low scores from Mr. Furyk this weekend.

3. Adam Scott

Like Furyk, Scott has two Top 10s here in the last three years with a T2 in 2006, though on a different course.  Adam already has a T2 finish this season in just three total events (T2 at the Sony Open) and should be rested after an early exit in Match Play.  I don’t expect a win from Scott but would not be suprised to see him at the top of the Leaderboard late into the weekend.  Fairways and greens Adam, fairways and greens.

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:  16 Points

2009 Fantasy Golf Preview Weekly Average:  2.3 Points

Last week: 

Allenby flirted with the Top 10 at Riviera but that was about it.  Weir made the cut but was never in contention and Glover shot 73 & 74 to miss the cut.  The drought continues.

This week:

Match Play is a crap shoot, but one of the best non-major tournaments of the year.  My general feeling going into tomorrow is that Tiger will struggle some but still manage to win a few matches.  But because they are playing on a brand new course it is a little more difficult to bring in past performance.  The Ritz-Carlton GC in Tucson plays very long and it’s going to be the putter that will determines who moves on.  For the sake of Match Play I will pick one golfer from each bracket that I think has a shot to get to the Final Four.  View the bracket here.

1. Camilo Villegas (Bobby Jones Bracket)

Camilo is coming off a T3 finish at the Buick Invitational and is the #3 seed in the Bobby Jones Bracket.  This is also the same bracket that Tiger resides in.  Tiger should have no trouble getting past #64 Brendan Jones, but could struggle in round 2 against either Goosen or Tim Clark, both of whom are playing great golf through the West Coast swing.  Villegas plays Pampling in round 1 and has a relativley easier draw in through round 3 (excluding Ogilvy).  Tiger will struggle and Villegas will come out of the Bobby Jones bracket.

2. Luke Donald (Ben Hogan Bracket)

Donald has two Top 10s in his last two starts and has a great track record in this event, finishing no worse then T17 (winning the first two rounds) since 2005.  Donald has a great draw this year with a struggling Vijay and Ernie on his side of the bracket through the first two rounds.  Dustin Johnson could pose a threat and Phil will too but ultimately I think Donald survives to make the Final Four.

3. Adam Scott (Gary Player Bracket)

Scott hasn’t played since the Sony Open (T2 finish) and could be rusty.  Looking at the top players in this bracket Scott seems the only one that jumps out at me as the #5 seed.  It’s simply a hunch.  Take it or leave it.

4. Henrik Stenson (Sam Snead Bracket)

In the last two years Stenson has a 3rd place finish and a win and as a #2 seed this year should cruise again.  #1 Harrington has looked average at best so far this year and #3 Kim has never played in this event before.  Furyk and Love III could make some noise but with his clutch experience here, look for Stenson to continue his dominance in the desert.