Pick your Pro is one of those games in which you hunker down for a couple of days and try to organize yourself in picking one pro at one event. The game could start either this week, or after the Super Bowl. Some games start on the Florida swing and others start at the Masters. No matter what, we have done the work in organizing things for you in making your choice. This is very hard to do, but with some help of GOLFstats you will find this a big time saver for you.
Remember the rules, you can choice a player just once over the course of the season, so if your Pick Your Pro starts this week at the SBS Tournament of Champions, you have to pick 39 different players (Zurich is no longer counted due to new team format). The cardinal rule, if you chose a player and he doesn’t play, you get zero so make sure and do your best to make sure that you have 40 chances by picking players that will participate in events.
Last year in my pick your pro picks for the 39 events I was in the money 29 times with winnings of $5,270,547.
I picked two winners, Hideki Matsuyama at the Phoenix Open and Charley Hoffman at the Valero Texas Open.
In the 39 events I had eight top-10 finishes and of the 39 picks I had 21 in the top-25.
The biggest disappointment was my finish. After the Wells Fargo I had earnings of $3,943,055 or an average of $207,539 per event for those first 19 events. But in the next 20 events I only had earnings of $1,262,583 for an average of just $63,129 per event. The biggest problem of the last 20 events I only had two top-ten finishes.
So I will be looking to be more consistent over the course of the year, remember the big money comes with the majors and FedEx Cup playoffs so be sure not to use those good players early.
One big tip in doing your list, lot’s of you will go down the list of tournaments and put players in. That is wrong, specially in West Coast swing events that don’t give out as much money as the majors, WGC and FedEx Cup playoffs. So work your way from the bottom of the schedule up, first with majors, then FedEx Cup events and then WGC events. By doing this you will get off to a slow start but if done right, by the time the U.S. Open rolls around you will not have used your big guns and you will find yourself climbing those rankings very quickly.
Also it’s very important to look at a PGA Tour schedule with the purse of each events. This list from PGA Tour will help.
You want to pick your marquee guys in events that pay over $7 million dollars. You don’t want to waste a Jordan Speith, Jason Day, Bubba Watson or Dustin Johnson on an event like the SBS Tournament of Champions that has a $6.1 million dollar purse. The same with most of the west coast and Florida swings. Yes the Honda and Arnold Palmer events are big, but again with purses of $6.1 and $6.2 million it only hurts to waste a big player like Rory McIlroy or Dustin Johnson at the Honda Classic that has a purse of $6.4 million and only awards $1,098,000 for first place. It’s better to take a McIlroy at the major or a WGC event were 2nd place pays almost as much as the winner at the Honda gets. Another thing to think about and that is the Tiger Woods factor. We have written him off the last couple of years, but he is heathy again and you never know, he could play a factor again which means it’s best to pick him in one low money event
One last thing, make sure that you have no multiple picks, it’s really easy to do and you will feel terrible when that multiple player wins that second event and you get nothing because you used the pick for an earlier tournament.
We have organized this into two parts, first is all 40 events that you have to pick a player for. We give you some short keys for the event, then give three or four choices. Then I give my key choice for that tournament.
The second part is a list of players, off of the most recent (Monday, Dec 26th) World Rankings. We list our choice for the player and then give out a number of different alternatives. The most important thing is we have full links to eight year glances for each tournament and player, this will save you hours of work in making and organizing your picks.
Now many will wonder, why haven’t you pick high rookies like Wesley Bryan, Grayson Murray or a Janathan Randolph who has played on the PGA Tour before? It’s hard to figure out which events they will play in and which one’s they will play well in. So we have stuck with the players previous records in which to figure all of them.
Hope this is helpful and saves you some time
I will be updating the results of my picks each week to see how they did:
SBS Tournament of Champions Hideki Matsuyama Finished 2nd, $712,000
Sony Open in Hawaii Scott Piercy Finished T-57th, $13,320
CareerBuilder Challenge Luke List Finished T-41st, $19,230
Farmers Insurance Brandt Snedeker Finished T-9th, $167,500
WM Phoenix Open John Rahm Finshed T-16th, $90,953
AT&T Pebble Beach Patrick Reed Finished T-23rd, $56,520
Genesis Open Tiger Woods Finished WD, $0
Honda Classic Graham McDowell Finished T-14th, $102,400
WGC-Mexico Bubba Watson Finished T-38th, $64,000
Valspar Ryan Moore Finished T-18th, $85,050
Arnold Palmer Henrik Stenson Missed Cut, $0
WGC-Dell Match Play Jason Day Withdrew, $0
Puerto Rico Scott Brown Finished T-17th, $39,257
Shell Houston Open J.B. Holmes Missed Cut
Masters Rory McIlroy Finished T-7th, $354,750
RBC Heritage Russell Knox Finished T-11th, $114,045
Valero Texas Open Billy Horschel Missed Cut
Wells Fargo Championshp Brendan Steele Did Not Play
Players Championship Adam Scott Finished T-6th, $339,937
AT&T Byron Nelson Charley Hoffman Finished T-40th, $26,605
Dean & Deluca Invitational Chris Kirk Finished T-67th, $14,145
Memorial Bill Haas Finished T-25th, $66,410
FedEx St. Jude Brooks Koepka Finished T-37th, $26,912
U.S. Open Jordan Spieth Finished T-35th, $58,637
Travelers Paul Casey Finished T-5th, $248,200
Quicken Loans Justin Thomas Missed Cut
Greenbrier Classic David Lingmerth Finished T-64th, $14,981
John Deere Classic Steve Stricker Finished T-5th, $189,840
British Open Sergio Garcia Finished T-37th, $45,286
Barbasol Championship Ricky Barnes Finished T-15th, $63,000
RBC Canadian Open Matt Kuchar Finished T-32nd, $30,480
WGC-Bridgestone Rickie Fowler Finished 9th, $186,000
Barracuda Championship Gary Woodland Did Not Play
PGA Championship Phil Mickelson Missed Cut
Wyndham Championship Webb Simpson 3rd, $394,400
Northern Trust Justin Rose T-10th, $187,500
Dell Technologies Jimmy Walker Did not qualify
BMW Championship Charl Schwartzel T-27th, $60,813
Tour Championship Dustin Johnson T-17th, $176,750
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Look at each tournament on the PGA Tour in 2017
(each tournament heading has a link to events 8 year glance, each player name has link to 8 year glance)
Event has been played on the Plantation Course at the Kapalua Resort since 1999. Hard to pick a guy because it’s not an event that someone plays year in, year out. You have to win a tournament in the last year to get in so some like Steve Stricker or a Jonathan Byrd, who plays well in this event but isn’t playing. But here are three that are playing this year.
Look for players that putt very well, with some of the biggest greens on the PGA Tour, good putters are the ones that does very well in this event.
Jordan Spieth – Was runner-up in only start in 2014 and won it last year. He is the best putter in the field and should be the favorite
Brandt Snedeker – Course sets up for him, did finish 3rd in 2013 and 2016
Hideki Matsuyama – Was T-3rd in his only start, he will be the hottest player at Kapalua this year
Patrick Reed – Won in 2015 and was runner-up last year
Jimmy Walker – Has played well last two years including runner-up in 2015. Another good putter look for him to play well
My Choice – Hideki Matsuyama
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Sony Open in Hawaii
Event has been played since 1965 on the same course. Accuracy means a lot this week, ball striking also is key on this old style course. Drastic changes were made to course after 1998 making it harder for the pro’s. They turned two short and very easy par 5s (1 & 13) into very tough par 4s which help make the course very challenging.
Jimmy Walker – Has won twice and was T-13th last year, yes his game has changed making this course perfect for him. Look for him to be in contention in 2017.
Jerry Kelly – This will be his 20th time playing in this tournament. He has finished in the top-10, nine times including a T-9th last year, T-6th in 2015 and 3rd in 2014.
Zach Johnson – Likes and plays well at Waialae.
Zac Blair – 3rd last year, T-6th in 2015. As of today ranks 87th in Strokes Gained Tee to Green.
Scott Piercy – As of today ranks 11th in Strokes Gained tee to Green, finished T-13th last year but was runner-up in 2015.
Charles Howell III – Has eight top-tens and been under par 42 of 54 rounds. Only problem, he has never been considered a winner despite finishing runner-up twice
My Choice – Scott Piercy
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Event went through a lot of change last year with a new home course along with another new course for the first three rounds. Again the key to playing well is making a lot of birdies and eagles, so look for players that tend to do well in Par Breakers. Also look for guys that have a good track record in playing desert golf courses. One disadvantage this event has it’s played the same week at Abu Dhabi on the European Tour and Singapore on the Asian Tour so some will play overseas:
Bill Haas – Always seems to play well in the Coachella Valley, in 54 rounds in this event been under par 49 of them.
Luke List – TPC Stadium Course was right up his alley shooting, shot 68-66 on it. Also is 19th in Par Breakers as of when this was written.
Ryan Palmer – Was runner-up in 2014, 4th in 2011 and T-6th in 2013.
Matt Kuchar – Another guy that does well in the Coachella Valley, seem to struggle with the change to TPC Stadium Course.
My Choice – Luke List
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Event has lost some of it’s luster over the years with some marquee players playing in Abu Dhabi, but for this year it’s up against Qatar which is the weaker of the three desert swing events on the European Tour. Three rounds are played on the tough South Course with one on the easy North Course, a course that you have to go low to win. But with major changes to the North Course which has had a serious facelift will make that course a lot harder than any other year. Luck plays a factor in tee times, since Torrey Pines is above the Pacific weather can be different any time in the day, some could have calm conditions in the morning and then in the afternoon winds will make the course tougher. One thing, don’t put much credence to last year’s event which was marred with terrible, windy weather over the weekend:
Brandt Snedeker – Winner last year but had an impressive run between 2010 and 2013 were he won once and was runner-up twice so he does play well on these courses.
Jason Day – Won the event in 2015, he was runner-up in 2014 and T-9th in 2013. Now he missed the cut last year but don’t let that have any effect on your choice.
Jimmy Walker – Has been in the top-8 in four of his last five starts.
Pat Perez – Was runner-up in 2014, but he grew up on this course and after finding his game in the fall, you have to think he could be one of the favorites.
Tiger Woods – Just remember he has won this event seven times and you just don’t know if this will help his confidence.
My Choice – Brandt Snedeker
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Waste Management Phoenix Open
Just like all the other desert courses, making lot’s of birdies is important. But making this course a bit special, it’s not a course for bombers, you need to show some shotmaking to play well. Putting is so important on this course, with perfect greens means making lot’s of putts inside of ten feet, so looking for good putters to do well:
Hideki Matsuyama – Has proven to be the best in this event, in three starts is 42 under par as he has broken par 11 of 12 rounds.
Bubba Watson – Has played in this event 10 times and in the 38 rounds he has played only been at par or over six times Has been in the top-25 the last five years with two runner-up finishes and always finding a way to content.
Rickie Fowler – Loves playing in this event was runner-0up last year and in 2010.
Zach Johnson – Always finds a way to content in this event.
Jon Rahm – Was T-5th in his only start as an amateur in 2015.
My Choice – Jon Rahm
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The AT&T Pebble Beach brings on some special problems; it takes a lot of patience to endure this week with amateur partners. Another problem is the luck of the draw, someone could be playing at Spyglass that is tree lined on the back nine and may not get the brute of a heavy wind that some player’s encounter at Pebble Beach and Monterey Peninsula. For some that play in the late afternoon the conditions of the greens get dicey, especially since Poa Annua greens get bumpy and hard to predict. So it takes a special breed of player to endure this:
Dustin Johnson – The guy seems to own this place, in eight starts has been in the top-ten six times including two wins.
Brandt Snedeker – Another player that has won twice at Pebble, only problem he has missed three cuts in last 8 years
Patrick Reed – He is ready to break out in this event, been 42 under par in just 16 rounds played.
Phil Mickelson – Came close last year, past champion that has found a way of playing well in this event year in, year out.
My Choice – Patrick Reed
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Genesis Open
In thinking about Riviera the myth is that it’s this classic course for great ball-striking and precision driving. That’s not true, of the last 20 winners at Riviera only six have finished in the top-25 in driving accuracy (Last year’s winner Bubba Watson was T-50th). In greens hit in the last 20 years only five winners have been in the top-five for the week while eight have been out of the top-ten (Watson was T-7th last year). The key to winning at Riviera is not ball-striking but making lot’s of putts. Since 2003, Riviera is always in the top-ten in most putts made from ten feet and in (led it in 2016). In that period, all of those that have played at Riviera made 85.95% of those putts while the last 14 winners average making 88.46% of their putts from ten feet in.
Bubba Watson – Seems to own this play with two wins in last three years.
J.B. Holmes – Had a stretch between 2008 and 2012 in which he finished four times in the top-8 and once T-12th. Was T-11th last year
Dustin Johnson – Another course that Johnson seems to own with five top-fours in last seven starts.
Paul Casey – Look for him to do well on this course that he was runner-up on in 2015.
Tiger Woods – Has struggled at this course as he has played the most events on any course without a win.
My Choice – Tiger Woods
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At the Honda and PGA National, historically all of the winners have some connection to playing well on Bermuda by either being born in Florida, South Africa or Australia or having moved to the Southeast. Hitting greens is very important, since moving to PGA National in 2007 seven of the ten winners and ten of the fifteen runner-ups at Champions were ranked in the top-ten in greens hit.
Justin Thomas – Was T-3rd last year
Graeme McDowell – Loves playing near body of water and with wind, has four top-10s in 8 starts including 5th place finish last year.
Rickie Fowler – This is the type of course he can win on was T-6th last year.
Adam Scott – Makes sense his win, he does hit a lot of greens.
My Choice – Graeme McDowell
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In a big change this event moves from Doral, which favored long hiters to Club de Golf Chapultepec which is tree line and will favor accuracy. We can’t really make a call on who the course favors most, some that have played it say putting is a key on the rolling greens. The course opened in 1928 and has held the Mexican Open 18 times since World War II. For the members the course is a par 72 that stretches to 7,245 yards. The course is just outside of Mexico City and has lot’s of great views of the city.
No matter what, history from Doral won’t help pick a winner for this week.
Jordan Spieth – Best putter on tour, he can handle any kind of course
Rory McIlory – If he is putting well he is impossible to beat.
Dustin Johnson – Has played well in this event, great from tee to green and that could be good enough
Adam Scott – Yes he is the defending champion but his poor putting could hold him back.
Bubba Watson – Course has similar aspects that Riviera and Augusta National has
My Choice – Bubba Watson
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This event is one of the hidden gems on the PGA Tour. Accuracy is more of a premium at Copperhead than length, course can’t be overpowered. Course average of all drives in 2015 was 4th lowest on PGA Tour, since 2005 been in bottom six every year until last year when he finished 19th. Look at all Valspar champions, only long drivers were Gary Woodland in 2011 and Vijay Singh in 2004. Others were in the middle to bottom of the pack in average driving distance, so this is the one course that short hitters can do well on. The last seven winners have gone on to have great seasons as they have finished the year of their win inside the top-30 in FedEx Cup standings, a perfect example was 2015 winner Jordan Spieth went on to win two majors, win the FedEx Cup playoffs and ended the year the number one player of the year.
Jordan Spieth – A total of 15 under in his 16 rounds, he knows how to play the course.
Luke Donald – Four top-six’s in last six starts, his game seems well suited for the Copperhead course.
Ryan Moore – Has taken this event seriously now with a 5th place finish in 2015 and 3rd last year
Patrick Reed – Another that has found this event to his liking
My Choice – Ryan Moore
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Making Bay Hill really tough is the high Bermuda rough. In the stat “Rough Proximity”, over the last seven years Bay Hill ranked 1st last year, T6th in 2015, 3rd in 2014, 1st in 2013, 6th in 2012, 3rd in 2011 and 2nd in 2010. So what does this mean? That there is a penalty for hitting drives into the rough because it’s hard to get your ball close to the hole. So in looking for a player that does well at Bay Hill you want to find one that not only hits lot’s of greens and close to the hole, but players that can handle rough by getting the ball closer to the holes than others. There is no real rhyme or reason on who wins, since 1979, 12 of the winners either became first-time winners or had only won once before, just like Matt Every winning for the first time at Bay Hill in 2014 and then winning again in 2015.
Henrik Stenson – Guy gets better each year he plays this course, in 2015 he was runner-up and finished 3rd last year. He is destined to win here
Kevin Chappell – He is great in rough proximity, one of the reasons for being runner-up last year
Justin Rose – Makes sense that a U.S. Open champion would do well in this event
Kiradech Aphibarnrat – Been T-6th in his last two starts
My Choice – Henrik Stenson
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World Golf Championship Dell Match Play
Event has drastically changed, last year it moved to Austin Country Club which seems to be a perfect course for Match Play. No matter what, Match Play is a different format which eliminates a good portion of those that play on the PGA Tour, so look for those that have a good record in this event plus plays well in the Ryder and Presidents Cup:
Paul Casey – This guy knows how to do well in match play and has to be our favorite.
Jason Day – Has a great match play record and has played on the weekend three of the last four years
Rory McIlory – Can’t go wrong with this past champion, but he has gone down early in four of his eight starts.
Louis Oosthuizen – Has been great the last three years, has been beaten by Jason Day twice in Day’s two wins.
My Choice – Jason Day
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Played opposite of the Match Play, it’s important that you chose a player that won’t be in the top-64 of the world rankings. There is no rhyme or reason to winning this event. Since it’s a second tier event it’s a combination of a PGA Tour and a Web.Com tour stop. So there are no real favorites because there are no true marquee players that you know of. One thing of the past winners, none of them achieved great success on the PGA Tour so this is for many just a stepping stone to get full time access to the PGA Tour. Still it’s important to find the players with the best record in this event.
Scott Brown – Four top-tens including winning this in 2013, seems to always play well here with 15 of his 20 rounds being played under par
Boo Weekley – Seems to love this event, was T-6th in 2015, also T-3rd in 2013. He is a very good choice because he always makes cuts.
Will MacKenzie – T-8th last year and T-6th in 2015
My Choice – Scott Brown
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Interesting to note that since the Golf Club of Houston was first used in 2006, results show that the course is in the top 25% in length of drives while in driving accuracy it’s in the middle of all the other courses used on the PGA Tour. What this means is that longer hitters that don’t hit fairways have a slight advantage over straight, short hitters. That is why the list of champions at Golf Club of Houston included long hitters as Adam Scott, Paul Casey, Anthony Kim, Phil Mickelson and last year with J.B. Holmes.
Cameron Tringale – Three top-tens in last four starts, in five starts is 43 under par. Has shot under par in 11 of his last 12 rounds.
J.B. Holmes – This course is perfect for his game, maybe that is why he has a win and a runner-up finish.
Russell Henley – Been 37 under in his 16 rounds, has come close to winning this event in his last three starts.
Dustin Johnson – Has played well in two of this three starts but you don’t want to waste him this week.
My Choice – J.B. Holmes
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There are a few things that all winners at the Masters have in common. First it’s precise ball striking, like a Ben Hogan, length and power like Tiger Woods, deft touch with a putter on the steeply contoured greens like a Ben Crenshaw and the mind and wisdom of a Jack Nicklaus. All of these are what it takes to win the Masters. The key stat of all the Champions of the Masters since 1995 is hitting greens. Of those 21 Champions since, only four were not in the top-ten in hitting greens, while six of them have led that stat.
Jordan Spieth – Can’t go wrong since in three starts has won and finished runner-up twice.
Phil Mickelson – He is one of five players that have dominated this event, been in the top-10 15 times. Yes his game has slipped, but he knows how to play well at Augusta National.
Rory McIlroy – Has the game to win at the Masters, but can he endure the pressure of this being the one major he hasn’t won?
Tiger Woods – If there is a major for him to win it’s probably this one
My Choice – Rory McIlroy
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Harbour Town is one of the best courses in America, it’s a totally different experience in which ball placement is upmost over power. Hitting it hard and far doesn’t work at this venue so look for a precision player to win.
Luke Donald – Has played the most consistent in this event over any other PGA Tour event. Can’t go wrong with a guy that finishes 2nd four times and third twice, was T-2nd last year.
Russell Knox – He was runner-up last year, game is very suited for Harbor Town.
Branden Grace – Defending champion, he is 21 under in just 8 rounds at Harbor Town
Jim Furyk – Didn’t get to defend his title from 2014 because of his wrist injury, but does play well on this course.
Bryson DeChambeau – Was very impressive in his T-4th finish last year.
My Choice – Russell Knox
Since TPC San Antonio joined the PGA Tour in 2010, it has never been out of the top-20 of toughest courses on tour and been in the top-eight four of the last six years. Last year it was the 17th hardest course on the PGA Tour playing to a 72.206 average. The reason that TPC San Antonio is so hard is getting it on the greens, in 2015 the course had the 2nd hardest greens to hit on the PGA Tour as only 51.73% of them were hit. That has been the norm of the course, in it’s seven years on the PGA Tour it’s never been above 15th ranked in greens hit (last year, highest rank ever).
Billy Horschel – Has a pair of third place finished in the last four years and a T-4th last year.
Charley Hoffman – In 11 starts has only one finish higher than T-13th. Won last year and was runnerup in 2011. Finished T-3rd in 2014. He has played in every event played at TPC San Antonio and in 28 rounds is 43 under, the best of anyone that has played on this course.
Daniel Summerhays – Finished T-4th in 2015, T-2nd in 2014 and T-7th in 2013.
Chris Kirk – Watch him was T-13th last year and T-8th in 2015.
My Choice – Billy Horschel
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Since the format is going to a team event this won’t be counted in pick your pro
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Wells Fargo Championship
(Being played at a new course for this year, so no past history)
For this year only, the Wells Fargo is being played at the Eagle Point Golf Club in Wilmington, North Carolina while Quail Hollow hosts the PGA Championship. Unfortunately that will probably mean that the event won’t get the same great field it’s had in past years so look for the unsuspected winner this year. This will be very hard to pick a player, because some of those that have played many years in this event, may take the week off.
Eagle Point Golf Club offers 18 holes of par-72 golf over 7,258 yards of Bermuda grass on its Eagle Point golf course, designed by Tom Fazio for a 2000 opening, with a course rating of 75.5 and a 141 slope rating.
Roberto Castro – Was runner-up last year, looking for another great finish
Chris Kirk – Type of guy that could do well on a new course
Brendan Steele – Will play good at this event, I think
My Choice – Brendan Steele
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The most important stat for players who what to win, hitting greens. Going back to 2000, every winner but six has been in the top-10 of greens hit as five have led (Sergio Garcia-2008, Stephen Ames-2006, Fred Funk-2005, Adam Scott-2004, Hal Sutton-2000). In 2012 Matt Kuchar was T3rd, hitting 53 of the 72 greens, in 2013 Tiger Woods was also T3rd hitting 55 of 72 greens. In 2014 Martin Kaymer also finished 3rd, hitting 54 of 72 greens, in 2015 Rickie Fowler ruined the momentum as he hit only 45 of 72 greens which ranked T-51st, the worst performance in greens hit for champions since 1997. Last year Jason Day also didn’t get into the top-ten as he only hit 52 of 72 greens, which ranked T-15th.
Sergio Garcia – The guy always hits lots of greens and that’s probably why he has won this event and was runner-up last year.
Henrik Stenson – Does hit lot’s of greens, showed it with his win in 2009. Yes he missed the cut last year but don’t let that bother you.
Matt Kuchar – Lot’s of good finishes in this event including a win in 2012
Adam Scott – Past champion, he plays well on this course and in Florida
My Choice – Adam Scott
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AT&T Byron Nelson Championship
Eight of the past 12 champions didn’t have a top 20 in the month before the Nelson and six of them won for the first time at TPC Four Seasons. Statistically four of the last six winners were in the top-10 in hitting fairways so keep an eye for players who hit it straight and are looking for their first PGA Tour win. This will be the 36th and last Nelson played at TPC Four Seasons as next year the event moves to a new home, Trinity Forest Golf Club. One last thing, this is a very transient event, of the 15 players in the top-15 in 2015, only six had played the previous year and four of them played in their first Nelson in 2015. But last year all 17 of the top-17 players had played in a previous Nelson. So look for the unexpected.
Charley Hoffman – Very loyal to this event he has four top-tens including a runner-up in 2015.
Dustin Johnson – Always seems to get a top-ten when he plays in this event, only thing he never really has been in contention at the end.
Scott Pinckney – Was runner-up in 2015 and has the game to win the Nelson
Tony Finau – His overpowering style of golf is perfect for TPC Four Seasons.
My Choice – Charley Hoffman
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Colonial Country Club is a relic to a bygone era. Accuracy off the tee, precision iron play and scrambling prowess are keys to success. The most important stat, total driving since the course has doglegs on 12 of the 14 driving holes, ones in which drivers just don’t work. So you can see this is also a course that short hitters do well on.
Jordan Spieth – Not surprising that he won last year, his putting really plays a big part in this event. He could win two, three who knows four more titles at Colonial.
Kevin Chappell – As of right now leads Strokes Gained Tee-to-Green, he could do well.
Zach Johnson – Always plays well at Colonial
Chris Kirk – Always finds a way to find himself in contention every year.
My Choice – Chris Kirk
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Muirfield Village has the same characteristics seen on most U.S. Open courses. Many feel Muirfield Village could hold a U.S. Open any time of the year. It has the length, tight, tree line fairways with three-inch plus rough and fast undulating greens. So it’s not surprising that of it’s 31 different champions, 16 have won 66 major championships
Hideki Matsuyama – A perfect place for him, yes he missed the cut last year but don’t let that be a problem because he will contend in most years at the Memorial.
Justin Rose – Has a very inconsistent record in this event, but the bottom line is he should content every time he plays in it, he has been in the top-10 in 8 of his 11 starts
Bill Haas – This a guy that count do well anytime on this course, was T-4th in 2013.
My Choice – Bill Haas
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TPC Southwind is a course that can be overpowered but this doesn’t mean the course is a rollover, since it ranked 7th on the PGA Tour in 2016 in accuracy. There is thick rough to contend with, but again those that hit it accurately will score low this week. But the course is really hard in hitting greens as last year it was the 6th hardest greens to hit on tour, while in 2015 it was 7th hardest, in 2014 it was 6th and in 2013 it was the 2nd hardest. Since 1989, only five champions (Dicky Pride in 1994, Notah Begay III in 2000, Dustin Johnson in 2012, Harris English in 2013 and Daniel Berger last year) were younger than 30. Six of them were over 40, the oldest being Woody Austin in 2007 at 43 years, 4 months, Greg Norman in 1997 at 42 years, 4 months and 2006 winner Maggert who was 42 years, 3 months. Last year’s winner Daniel Berger was the second youngest winner of the FedEx St. Jude at 23 years, 2 months and 5 days old.
Billy Horschel – Has shown a liking to this course finishing in the top-ten the last three years he played there.
Brooks Koepka – Has shown that he likes the course with his T-3rd in 2015 and T-2nd last year
Daniel Berger – Showed us a lot the way he played last year.
Dustin Johnson – Another place he does well at but we are saving him for a event with a big purse.
My Choice – Brooks Koepka
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U.S. Open
The Open goes to another course that has never held the U.S. Open before, Erin Hills just outside of Milwaukee. The lore of the course is that you play through mounds that have been carved through the countryside giving it an irish and scottish feel. Sound like Chambers Bay, yes and no. The difference, Erin Hills was craved up in the last glacier age and was built on land that was sculpted from mother nature, not a bulldozer like Chamber Bays. Another major difference between Chamber Bay and Erin Hills, the later lies on 652 acres and with it’s mounds and high elevation above the fairways will be able to accommodate up to 70,000 people. Yes I have been there, hopefully the USGA won’t be that greedy but the course will have lot’s of room and will go down as the perfect spectator course, even better than TPC Sawgrass. The course is also very challenging, again tees can stretch the course to over 8,200 yards but the USGA will play it at 7,799 and to a par 72, something that we haven’t seen since Pebble Beach in 1992 was the last par 72 course for a U.S. Open. So this begs the question, is the USGA trying to make up for the skills of players with a very long, demanding course? With three of the four par 5s running over 600 yards, with and three of the par 3s over 200 yards will the course be too long? One thing to remember, two of the par 4s will be under 400 yards and there are only three par 4s over 475 yards so maybe the USGA will get it right this time. But the question still lingers, who is best suited for this course? The bombers, the putters, the precision ball handers or the best putters in the world? Frankly it will probably be a combination of the three and all I can think is that the smartest of the 156 players will win this U.S. Open. Now we heard the same thing at Chambers Bay, that it’s going to take a lot of local knowledge to win. But I really think of Erin Hills as being very different and a lot of it will remind one of Shinnecock Hills a course that everyone loves. So look for those shot-makers and those good putters and those with a high degree of mental toughness to do the best.
Jason Day – This course could be tailor made for Jason, it plays perfectly for all of his strong suits including putting.
Jordan Spieth – He proved that he can win at Chambers Bay, Erin Hills has a lot of the same characteristics and with his great putting can’t think of anyone better
Dustin Johnson – His game should be perfect for Erin Hills, if he can putt halfway decent their is nobody better to win this event than Johnson
Rory McIlroy – A modern day Tiger Woods in being able to think his way around a course
Phil Mickelson – Now it’s going to take a person with a lot of imagination to win at Erin Hills and is there anyone better suited than Mickelson?
My Choice – Jordan Spieth
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Travelers Championship
Course changes from it’s post U.S. Open spot to being played after the PGA Championship. This date will have problems because it’s the week before the Olympics and many marquee names could decided to go get ready in South America instead of playing here. Tournament is notorious for having close finishes, since 1983, 24 of the 31 tournaments have been decided by either a shot or a playoff, including last year when Bubba Watson beat Paul Casey in a playoff.
Bubba Watson – Guy always does well in this event, is 96 under making him the lowest active player that still plays in this event.
Paul Casey – Showed how well he can play the course with his runner-up finish, this is a course he can win on.
Ryan Moore – Course is perfect for him as he has five top-tens in ten starts. Best was T-2nd in his first start in 2006 and 2011.
My Choice – Paul Casey
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Event goes TPC Potomac at Avenel Farm, site of the Booz Allen Classic between 1987 and 2004, along with 2006. The course is totally different than it was back then re-shaping and enhancements to all 18 holes, featuring a complete re-design of holes 10, 11 and 13; lengthening of the course to 7,139 yards, with a new par-70 design; a new state-of-the-art irrigation system. All 18 greens have been completely redone, along with Scottish style bunkering detail and addition 200 trees added. In the last five years it’s hosted the 2010 Constellation Senior Players and two Web.Com Tour events, each getting rave reviews on the course. So we now have a course that again needs to be learned and for fantasy players it’s hard to forecast six months in advance. One thing I can say, in the case of a new course, specially one of the TPC family of courses, look for a player than hasn’t won on the PGA Tour to break out and do well.
Billy Hurley III – Local boy that had done well at Congressional, look for him to play well this week.
Harold Varner III – This is the type of player that could win this week, has the game and is gaining experience
Justin Thomas – Two top-12 finishes in two starts, game should be perfect for Avenel
Bryson DeChambeau – Another surprise choice that could do well
My Choice – Justin Thomas
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The Greenbrier Classic
Event has only been played six times, but the tournament still hasn’t seen a winner who led after either the first round, the second round or the third round. It’s been a come-from-behind haven for this event, with no 54-hole leader yet able to close the deal on the final day. Three of the five winners have come from at least four shots back – Jonas Blixt (2013), Ted Potter Jr. (2012) and Stuart Appleby (2010) while 2011 winner Scott Stallings was one back of Anthony Kim, Cabrera was two shots back in 2014 and Danny Lee was a shot back last year. One thing to watch for this year, because it was canceled last year due to weather may get more marquee players.
Brendon Todd – In 12 rounds has only been over par once as he is 24 under. Best finish was T-4th in 2014.
Kevin Kisner – Showed a lot in 2015 that he can win on this course by finishing 2nd, losing to Danny Lee in the playoff.
David Lingmerth – 26 under in 12 rounds, only been over par once.
My Choice – David Lingmerth
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John Deere Classic
Talk about a course for those that like to go low, TPC Deere Run is the place to score low on the PGA Tour. In 2015 the course played to a 69.65 average making it the ninth easiest course on the PGA Tour. So what makes it so easy? Last year 32 eagles and 1,803 birdies were produced, both being some of the lowest numbers of any course on the PGA Tour in 2015. 13 of the 18 holes played under par, with the par 4, 14th hole being the easiest par 4 with a 3.791 average meaning that 43% of those that played it made either eagle or birdie. The only problem, the event is being played a month later and will be opposite the Olympics so it probably won’t have many marquee players including it’s defending champion Jordan Spieth.
Zach Johnson – This guy seems to own this event and probably won’t care if he doesn’t get to play in the Olympics. He has a total of six top-tens, but in the last five years he has a win, a pair of seconds and a pair of thirds.
Johnson Wagner – Is 34 under par in his last eight rounds, was T-5th last year and T-7th in 2014.
Steve Stricker – Can’t go wrong with this guy since he has seven top-tens including three straight wins in 2009, ’10 & ’11
Ricky Barnes – Was T-5th last year.
Zach Johnson – Loves playing the course, has had some great finishes.
Jerry Kelly – With three top-10s including a T-3rd in 2014 this is his personal major.
My Choice – Steve Stricker
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British Open
The ability to adjust to the elements, especially wind and rain, is often crucial at The Open. Birkdale is a striking visual course with some of the largest dunes on the British Open rota. But the dunes are just a backdrop, with the holes winding between them on relatively flat terrain, meaning that there aren’t many crazy bounces. Through the years, Birkdale has produced an impressive list of champions: Peter Thomson, Arnold Palmer, Thomson again, Lee Trevino, Johnny Miller, Tom Watson, Ian Baker-Finch, Mark O’Meara and Padraig Harrington. Again the elements is what will dictate who wins, the last two Opens at Birkdale in 1998 and 2008 saw nasty weather which drove the scores up. On the other end of the spectrum, we saw very hot conditions and low scoring when Johnny Miller won in 1976. Again the rule of thumb is the wind and it’s hard to forecast that.
Sergio Garcia – Is it time for him to finally win a major? This course is right up his alley, if the weather doesn’t get too bad I can see him in contention going into the last day.
Adam Scott – Yes he may not be the greatest of putters, but he makes up for the weakness with great ball striking. He has finished in the top-ten in four of his last five years as he is 22 under in those 20 rounds.
Rory McIlroy – Birkdale is a course that he should be able to handle
Henrik Stenson – Defending champion played very well when the Open was last at Birkdale, finishing T-3rd and was at 7 under. So he could repeat what he did last year.
Dustin Johnson – Another major that he has shown he can play well in.
My Choice – Sergio Garcia
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An alternative event for the British Open, the tournament is played on the Grand National course of the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail in Opelika, Alabama. In looking at the stats from the first two events played shows that hitting lot’s of greens is important along with hitting the ball far.
Ricky Barnes – A player that we can see winning, he finished T-3rd in 2015 and T-35th last year.
Boo Weekley – A player that does it a lots of greens, finished T-6th in 2015 and T-11th last year.
Aaron Baddeley – Has taken a liking to this event winning it last year and finishing T-10th in 2015.
My Choice – Ricky Barnes
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RBC Canadian Open
Event returns to Glen Abbey for the third straight year, this will be the 28th time Canadian Open has been played at the course. Greens are contoured and well bunkered which means that those that scramble will do very well. Over the years Glen Abbey got a reputation as a long hitters kind of course, but if you look at all of the champions since 1990 all but Greg Norman, Tiger Woods and Vijay Singh were short hitters. Another thing, most of the winners at Glen Abbey fade the ball, that makes sense since five of the six holes that bend go to the right, a Jack Nicklaus design trait. This event will probably suffer again being wedged in the schedule between the British Open and the PGA Championship, so don’t be surprised if many stars skip this week.
Jon Rahm – Was runner-up last year so he likes the place
Jim Furyk – A two time winner of this event, but those wins weren’t at Glen Abbey. In his 14 starts only finished twice in the top-ten at Glen Abbey, 2015 (T-4th) and in 2013 (T-9th).
Matt Kuchar – Has played well at Glen Abbey, was T-9th last year, T-7th in 2015, T-4th in 2014 and T-2nd in 2013.
My Choice – Matt Kuchar
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WGC Bridgestone Invitational
The good news is that this year the event returns on the European Tour schedule, so you have a lot of choices. Firestone is one of the most respected courses on the PGA Tour. The par-70 layout plays to over 7,400 yards and if there is a key to the course its the long par 3s and par 4s. Three of the par 3s play over 200 yards while eight par 4s play over 440 yards. You have to be accurate with your drives (Course was 1st in driving accuracy in 2016 & ’15), as the fairways are very well bunkered and bordered with high rough. Shots into the greeens, usually with long irons, have to be precise (course ranked 1st on PGA Tour in 2016) and if the players do get a break its in the greens, they are pretty flat with very little undulations (Course ranked T-42nd out of 53 courses in overall putting average in 2016).
Bubba Watson – Never played well in this event until he finished 2nd in 2015 and was T-14th last year, this could mean he has figured out this course
Adam Scott – Always does well on this course, he won it in 2011 and was T-10th last year
Rickie Fowler – A course he does well on, he was runner-up in 2011 and was 10th last year.
Patrick Reed – Was T-4th in 2014, but slipped to 52nd last year
My Choice – Rickie Fowler
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Aggressive play, that’s the name of the game this week at the Barracuda Championship. This will be the 6th year that the Barracuda has gone over to this scoring system making it one of the most distinctive events on the PGA Tour. Along with the Dell Match play, the two are the only tournaments on tour that aren’t stroke play events. The modified version of the Stableford method is one that makes for a lot of excitement as points are awarded for low scoring and points taken away for poor scoring. Nothing is given for par, with 2 points given for a birde, 5 points given for a eagle and for the rare double-eagle, 8 points. For those that make a bogey they have to subtract 1 point and for a double bogey or worst 3 points are deducted. So instead of the lowest number of strokes winning the tournament like the rest of the tour stops, the player making the most points wins. One last thing, you want to make sure on your choice because it’s opposite the Bridgestone, so don’t pick anyone in the top-75 of the World Rankings.
Brendan Steele – He is long and makes lot’s of birdies, finished T-5th last year, he has four top-tens in his last five starts.
Gary Woodland – Guy hits it very long making him a favorite, was runner-up last year
Martin Laird – Was T-7th last year and T-6th in 2014.
My Choice – Gary Woodland
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PGA Championship
Stats from the Wells Fargo, played at Quail Hollow
The PGA goes to Quail Hollow, which has been a part of the PGA Tour since 2003. Now the course isn’t going to be any different than it was last year, yes the PGA will have more rough and the greens are now bermuda. So what to look for, pretty much the same as the Wells Fargo as the fairways at Quail Hollow are hard to hit (6th hardest on tour last year, 3rd the year before and no higher than 8th last 13 years) but it’s been hard getting it close to the hole on shots into the green. Last year the proximity to the hole was 43 feet, 9 inches making it the hardest course on tour in getting it close. This stat is the norm for Quail Hollow, it was 6th in 2015, 2nd in 2014 & 2013, 3rd in 2012 and 1st in 2011 & ’10. So looking for a good choice look for those that lead the strokes gained from tee to green category.
Phil Mickelson – Of all the courses on the PGA Tour he has been the most consistent on Quail Hollow, in 13 starts has only finished outside the top-12 twice. He was runner-up in 2010, 3rd in 2007, 2013 and T-4th last year and in 2015 so this is a course you can bet on him playing well on.
Rory McIlroy – Always a good bet on this course, in 7 starts has won it twice and been runner-up once.
Webb Simpson – Lives just down the road, was T-2nd in 2015 and 4th in 2012. The stat that is most important is that in 2015 he was 7th in strokes gained tee-to-green which makes him a player to think about. Yes he missed the cut last year but I think he will be looking forward to this.
My Choice – Phil Mickelson
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Sedgefield is a very versatile course. Length is not critical because the course plays at about 7,127 yards, just a notch below average for a PGA Tour event. With length not being a factor, players are afforded the opportunity to use either driver or long iron off the tee. The most-critical thing for the field is to manage the slope of the course. To do that, ball control and accuracy are key. Look for the winner to be someone who doesn’t like to muscle up with the driver, and just settle for using a long iron for control. Past winners of the event are some of the best iron players on tour. The likes of Sergio Garcia, Webb Simpson, Mark O’Meara, Davis Love III, and Steve Elkington have hoisted the trophy. Look for the winner to be able to manage the surroundings, as the undulations are the most difficult part of the golf course.
Bill Haas – While we are talking about under par figures at Sedgefield, Haas is 85 under in his rounds played at Sedgefield since 2008, the best of any player since the tournament moved to the course in 2008. His best finish was T-2nd in 2014.
Webb Simpson – Past champion who seems to play his best at Sedgefield, is he is 78 under for his 30 rounds played..
Brandt Snedeker – Has four top-tens at Sedgefield, most of anyone along with Bill Haas and Carl Petterson. Was T-3rd last year.
My Choice – Webb Simpson
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Event has a new sponsor in Northern Trust and will be played for the first time at Glen Oaks Club in Old Westbury, New York. The course is on the former estate of William K. Vanderbilt on Lake Succcess on Long Island and just a couple of miles from Bethpage which held the tournament last year. 27 holes was designed by Joe Finger and opened in 1971. The event will use a composite of Glen Oaks’ 27 holes-Nos. 1-3 and 6-9 on the White Course, Nos. 4 and 5 on the Red and the complete Blue-for a par 70 at 7,300 yards. The course is tree lined and lot’s of bunkers. Many say the key to playing well is putting well, the courses greens have a lot of undulation in them. Normally you would take a good player for this week, but since this is a new course with no history it’s best to not take a really big marquee player
Justin Thomas – Seems to have a good feel in this event
Dustin Johnson – Past champion of this event always seems to play well
Justin Rose – Guy plays U.S. Open type courses well and Glen Oaks will have a lot of U.S. Open in it.
My Choice – Justin Rose
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Dell Technologies Championship
TPC Boston is a course that long players have dominated. The fairways are easy to hit, each year it ranks high in fairways hit, last year 65.66 of the fairways were hit. So players can rear back and overpower the course as some of the longest hitters in golf have won the Deutsche Bank. Another secret to playing well is dominating the par 4s, the scoring average was 3.97 on par 4s. Looking at the stats from its 14-year history, look for those with sharp iron games to produce the best score. Look for a smart player that doesn’t attack the holes but plays placement golf to win. Of the 14 winners, three led the greens hit category (winner Henrik Stenson led in 2013) while the first eight of ten winners were in the top-ten. Last year’s champion Rory McIl McIlory was T-16th in greens hit.
Jason Day – Plays well on this course, in last seven starts only finished outside the top-15 once.
Adam Scott – Has six top-10s, most of anyone including a win in 2003. Was 4th last year
Rickie Fowler – Came out of nowhere to win in 2015, seems to have learned how to play this course.
Henrik Stenson – Was runner-up in 2015, T-26th in 2014 and won in 2013.
Jimmy Walker – He is a long player that is good on courses for bombers
Tiger Woods – Use to be automatic in this event, he may be a good longshot
My Choice – Jimmy Walker
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Event moves back to Conway Farms, outside of Chicago, where it was played in 2013 and 2015. Those events were won by Zach Johnson and Jason Day, along with Jim Furyk shooting 59 in 2015. The keys from that event was making lot’s of birdies, dominating the par 5s and good putting.
Dustin Johnson – Have to like this two time winner of this event, was T-7th when it was played at Conway in 2015 and didn’t play in 2013.
Charl Schwartzel – Has two top-10s, was T-8th at Conway in 2013
Daniel Berger – Was runner-up at Conway in 2015 and T-10th last year
Rory McIlroy – Can’t go wrong with this guy, winner in 2012 and T-4th last year.
My Choice – Charl Schwartzel
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As was proven in past tour Championships played at East Lake, it favors those that hit lot’s of greens. In the 12 played since 2004, seven of the champions including the last two winners Henrik Stenson (2013) and Billy Horschel (2014) led the greens in regulation stat with only one champion not being in the top-ten. Last year Jordan Spieth was T-9th, hitting 47 of 72 greens.
Justin Rose – Seems to get better each year he plays here, been in the top-ten the last four years including runner-up finishes in 2012 and last year.
Jordan Spieth – Win last year and T-2nd in 2013, game is perfect for East Lake.
Paul Casey – Only played twice, T-4th in 2010 and T-5th last year.
Dustin Johnson – Always does well at East Lake and I like that the biggest favorite of the year ends my pick you pro season.
My Choice – Dustin Johnson
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Here is part Two of this, the players. The order is off the World Rankings as of Monday, January 4th. The first column is their rank, player name. The next column is my Key choice for a player in a certain event and the Other key events is for those that I like in a tournament. Again, you can only pick one player.
(Clicking the players name links to his 8 year glance).
#1 – Jason Day
Key Choice: Dell Match Play, Other key picks: Farmers, U.S. Open, Dell Technologies,
#2 – Rory McIlroy
Key Choice: Masters, Other key picks: WGC-Mexico, Dell Match Play, U.S. Open, The Open, PGA Champ.,
#3 – Dustin Johnson
Key Choice: Tour Championship, Other key picks: AT&T Pebble, Genesis, WGC-Mexico, Shell Houston, AT&T Byron, FedEx St. Jude, The Open, Northern Trust,
#4 – Henrik Stenson
Key Choice: Arnold Palmer, Other key picks: The Players, The Open, Dell Technologies,
#5 – Jordan Spieth
Key Choice: U.S. Open, Other key picks: SBS T of Champ., WGC-Mexico, Valspar, Masters, Dean Deluca, Tour Championship,
#6 – Hideki Matsuyama
Key Choice: SBS T of Champ. Other key picks: SBS T of Champ., WM Phoenix, Memorial,
#7 – Adam Scott
Key Choice: The Players, Other key picks: Honda, WGC-Mexico, The Open, Bridgestone, Dell Technologies,
#8 – Patrick Reed
Key Choice: AT&T Pebble, Other key picks: SBS T of Champ., Valspar, Bridgestone,
#9 – Alex Noren
Key Choice: No Key Choice: Other key picks: No other key pick
#10 – Bubba Watson
Key Choice: WGC-Mexico, Other key picks: WM Phoenix, Genesis, Travelers, Bridgestone,
#11 – Danny Willett
Key Choice: No Key Choice: Other key picks: No other key pick
#12 – Rickie Fowler
Key Choice: Bridgestone, Other key picks: WM Phoenix, Honda, Dell Technologies,
#13 – Sergio Garcia
Key Choice: The Open, Other key picks: The Players,
#14 – Paul Casey
Key Choice: Travelers, Other key picks: Genesis, Dell Match Play, Tour Championship,
#15 – Justin Rose
Key Choice: Northern Trust, Other key picks: Arnold Palmer, Memorial, Tour Championship,
#16 – Brooks Koepka
Key Choice: FedEx St. Jude, Other key picks: No other key pick
#17 – Branden Grace
Key Choice: No Key Choice: Other key picks: RBC Heritage,
#18 – Russell Knox
Key Choice: RBC Heritage, Other key picks: No other key pick
#19 – Phil Mickelson
Key Choice: PGA Champ., Other key picks: AT&T Pebble, Masters, U.S. Open,
#20 – Matt Kuchar
Key Choice: RBC Canadian, Other key picks: CareerBuilder, The Players,
#21 – Jimmy Walker
Key Choice: Dell Technologies, Other key picks: SBS T of Champ., Sony Hawaii, Farmers,
#22 – Justin Thomas
Key Choice: Honda, Other key picks: Northern Trust,
#23 – Charl Schwartzel
Key Choice: BMW Championship, Other key picks: No other key pick
#24 – Tyrrell Hatton
Key Choice: No Key Choice: Other key picks: No other key pick
#25 – Emiliano Grillo
Key Choice: No Key Choice: Other key picks: No other key pick
#26 – Louis Oosthuizen
Key Choice: No Key Choice: Other key picks: Dell Match Play,
#27 – Rafael Cabrera-Bello
Key Choice: No Key Choice: Other key picks: No other key pick
#28 – Brandt Snedeker
Key Choice: Farmers, Other key picks: SBS T of Champ., AT&T Pebble, CareerBuilder, Wyndham,
#29 – J.B. Holmes
Key Choice: Shell Houston, Other key picks: Genesis,
#30 – Matthew Fitzpatrick
Key Choice: No Key Choice: Other key picks: No other key pick
#31 – Francesco Molinari
Key Choice: No Key Choice: Other key picks: No other key pick
#32 – Kevin Chappell
Key Choice: No Key Choice: Other key picks: Arnold Palmer, Dean Deluca,
#33 – Yuta Ikeda
Key Choice: No Key Choice: Other key picks: No other key pick
#34 – Daniel Berger
Key Choice: No Key Choice: Other key picks: FedEx St. Jude, BMW Champion.,
#35 – Ryan Moore
Key Choice: Valspar, Other key picks: Travelers,
#36 – Scott Piercy
Key Choice: Sony Hawaii, Other key picks: No other key pick
#37 – Jim Furyk
Key Choice: No Key Choice: Other key picks: RBC Heritage, RBC Canadian,
#38 – Zach Johnson
Key Choice: No Key Choice: Other key picks: Sony Hawaii, WM Phoenix, John Deere,
#39 – Chris Wood
Key Choice: No Key Choice: Other key picks: No other key pick
#40 – Bernd Wiesberger
Key Choice: No Key Choice: Other key picks: No other key pick
#41 – Bill Haas
Key Choice: Memorial, Other key picks: CareerBuilder, Wyndham,
#42 – Lee Westwood
Key Choice: No Key Choice: Other key picks: No other key pick
#43 – Shane Lowry
Key Choice: No Key Choice: Other key picks: No other key pick
#44 – Andy Sullivan
Key Choice: No Key Choice: Other key picks: No other key pick
#45 – Kevin Na
Key Choice: No Key Choice: Other key picks: No other key pick
#46 – Byeong Hun An
Key Choice: No Key Choice: Other key picks: No other key pick
#47 – Thomas Pieters
Key Choice: No Key Choice: Other key picks: No other key pick
#48 – Soren Kjeldsen
Key Choice: No Key Choice: Other key picks: No other key pick
#49 – Gary Woodland
Key Choice: Barracuda, Other key picks: No other key pick
#50 – William McGirt
Key Choice: No Key Choice: Other key picks: No other key pick
#51 – Kevin Kisner
Key Choice: No Key Choice: Other key picks: Greenbrier,
#60 – Brendan Steele
Key Choice: Wells Fargo, Other key picks: Barracuda,
#66 – Charley Hoffman
Key Choice: AT&T Byron, Other key picks: Texas,
#68 – David Lingmerth
Key Choice: No Key Choice: Other key picks: Greenbrier,
#69 – Roberto Castro
Key Choice: No Key Choice: Other key picks: Wells Fargo,
#70 – Billy Horschel
Key Choice: Texas, Other key picks: FedEx St. Jude,
#73 – Daniel Summerhays
Key Choice: No Key Choice: Other key picks: Texas,
#74 – Chris Kirk
Key Choice: Dean Deluca, Other key picks: Texas, Wells Fargo,
#75 – Ryan Palmer
Key Choice: No Key Choice: Other key picks: CareerBuilder,
#80 – Kiradech Aphibarnrat
Key Choice: No Key Choice: Other key picks: Arnold Palmer,
#81 – Luke Donald
Key Choice: No Key Choice: Other key picks: Valspar, RBC Heritage,
#82 – Graeme McDowell
Key Choice: Honda: Other key picks, No Other Key Pick:
#84 – Webb Simpson
Key Choice: CareerBuilder, Wyndham, Other key picks: PGA Champ.,
#88 – Tony Finau
Key Choice: No Key Choice: Other key picks: AT&T Byron,
#94 – Steve Stricker
Key Choice: John Deere, Other key picks: No other key pick
#103 – Charles Howell III
Key Choice: No Key Choice: Other key picks: Sony Hawaii,
#110 – Harold Varner III
Key Choice: No Key Choice: Other key picks: Quicken Loans,
#114 – Cameron Smith
Key Choice: No Key Choice: Other key picks: Shell Houston,
#115 – Padraig Harrington
Key Choice: Quicken Loans, Other key picks: No other key pick
#118 – Pat Perez
Key Choice: No Key Choice: Other key picks: Farmers,
#119 – Jerry Kelly
Key Choice: No Key Choice: Other key picks: Sony Hawaii, John Deere,
#120 – Bryson DeChambeau
Key Choice: No Key Choice: Other key picks: RBC Heritage, Quicken Loans,
#128 – Russell Henley
Key Choice: No Key Choice: Other key picks: Shell Houston,
#130 – Aaron Baddeley
Key Choice: No Key Choice: Other key picks: Barbasol,
#131 – Billy Hurley III
Key Choice: No Key Choice: Other key picks: Quicken Loans,
#137 – Jon Rahm
Key Choice: WM Phoenix, Other key picks: RBC Canadian,
#151 – Martin Laird
Key Choice: No Key Choice: Other key picks: Barracuda,
#216 – Ricky Barnes
Key Choice: Barbasol, Other key picks: John Deere,
#272 – Boo Weekley
Key Choice: No Key Choice: Other key picks: Puerto Rico, Barbasol,
#284 – Zac Blair
Key Choice: No Key Choice: Other key picks: Sony Hawaii,
#467 – Will Mackenzie
Key Choice: No Key Choice: Other key picks: Puerto Rico,
#505 – Brendon Todd
Key Choice: No Key Choice: Other key picks: Greenbrier,
#540 – Scott Pinckney
Key Choice: No Key Choice: Other key picks: AT&T Byron,
#652 – Tiger Woods
Key Choice: Genesis, Other key picks: Farmers, Masters, Dell Technologies,
Key choice Lingmerth Greenbriar
Donald, are you disagreeing with me on Lingmerth?
Sal, Does GolfStats have a Pick Your Pro contest? If not, why not? And if no, do you know of other websites that host a Pick Your Pro contest for the year?
Sam, very good question. First of all in running these contests they are very time consuming (some tell me with a good excel spreadsheet it’s a breeze) and all of the ones I play in, I am very thankful to those that spend the two or three hours a week in running and updating them. There is also the legality of running a pick your pro contest, first of all very few folks would do it if there was no prize and we can’t do a game that gives away prizes for fear of getting arrested for being a gambling site.
In running a pick your pro site I would also change a lot of rules and let folks trade in picks and give more second chances. Give you an example of this, let’s say that you can trade your weekley choice on Friday of the tournament, but to do that you only get 30 to 50% of his winnings? That would make the game more fun, but again harder to maintain.
Another pick your pro game is weekly but you can’t pick someone that you have already chosen, again that game is hard.
Now to answer your question, I am in a lot of games via friends and companies, so look for that.
I know in past years all of the big websites like PGA Tour.com, Golfweek and Golfdigest ran some form of pool with prizes of equipment. But in talking with those in charge of these they talked about the expense being high in maintaining them and their survey’s showed that having the contest didn’t relate to selling subscriptions to magazine and more page views. My answer to them was always that they did a piss-poor job in having a section on nothing but fantasy golf, but now with DraftKings basically becoming legal that could change in 2017, I see that Golfweek and PGA Tour.Com did a much better job in 2016 in addressing this. I was for years with Golf Magazine and Sports Illustrator and tried to get them to do more and they could not justify the cost, which frankly is really dumb. But the magazine industry is, specially in golf dying fast, I along with others was let go from Golf Magazine and S.I. last month after working for both since 2000.
So Sam to answer your question, at this time we at GOLFstats (it’s just myself and Ed Pattermann) can’t find the time to run the kind of game we want to do so for at least 2017 GOLFstats won’t have a game. But there is DraftKings and I can only hope that they are listening and will give us more type of games like Pick your Pro games and those that are stretch over weeks and months, not just one week.