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Fantasy Four: 2010 Open Championship

July 13, 2010 By 28 Comments



This will be a light Fantasy Four Edition, as most of my analysis went into my Open Championship Preview, so check that out for some more thoughts. After doing my Open preview and going through results from this year on the European and PGA Tours, along with past St. Andrews events (Dunhill Cup + Dunhill Links Championship), I fully believe that one of these golfers will win The Open this year; Tiger Woods, Ernie Els, Lee Westwood, Retief Goosen, Rory McIlroy, Martin Kaymer, Ian Poulter, Ross Fisher, Paul Casey, Sergio Garcia, Padraig Harrington, Miguel Angel Jiminez, Francesco Molinari, Luke Donald or John Daly. Sure, some are obvious, but even Goosen, Kaymer, Fisher, Sergio, Jiminez and Donald area all sleepers. Sure, I just named 15 golfers, but one of them will win. However, I fully expect Tiger to win with his new Nike Method putter.

All right, the first order of business is that this is not the only event that PGA tour players are in, so you need to submit TWO FANTASY FOURS this week! For the Fantasy Four: Reno-Tahoe Open, just hit the link.

This is Event 12 (Reno-Tahoe is Event 11) of the season tournament and the 3rd week of Month 3 of the NG Nation Fantasy Four and it’s never too late to join. For a refresher on the rules, hit the link — Contest Guidelines and leave your Fantasy Four below.

NIKE GOLF: Four to Watch

Tiger Woods
It’s his to lose. T4′s in the first two majors is great. St. Andrews is like his second home and I expect Nike and the Method to take home it’s second Claret Jug in as many years.

Simon Dyson
A winner last year at the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship (whose final round takes place at St. Andrews) could be a big sleeper here since he’s familiar and comfortable on the course.

Paul Casey
Casey is due and always plays well in Europe. It’s about time he came around during the Majors. He also has 4 straight made cuts at The Open with good finishes at St. Andrews on the European Tour.

Stewart Cink
Cinker looks for a good performance this week and also hopes of consistently contending at Majors. The “Inspire Cink” contest was a great one and Stewart loves his followers and wouldn’t want to disappoint them.

Other Nike golfers in the field: David Duval, Lucas Glover, Trevor Immelman, Justin Leonard, Francesco Molinari and Charl Schwartzel

THE FIELD: Four Who are Hot

Graeme McDowell
Recent starts – T21 at Scottish Open, 1st at US Open, 1st at Celtic Manor Wales Open, 4th at Madrid Masters
I think a lot of people will shy away from McDo here, but he’s the hottest golfer on the planet now. Honestly, those are his last 4 starts. He also had a T11 at St. Andrews in 2005, so don’t let him surprise you again this week.

Justin Rose
Recent starts -1st at Memorial, T9 at Travelers, 1st at AT&T National
Rose and McDowell each have 2 wins in their last two starts, but I give way more credit to McDowell. However, in 2 of his last 3 open, he’s had T12 and T13 finishes, but no real history at St. Andrews.

Lee Westwood
Recent starts – T18 at French Open, T16 at US Open, 1st at St. Jude, 10th at BMW PGA, T4 at The Players
Westwood is just always hot. The only question is his knee. He has the most Top 10′s of anyone, anywhere this year and is always in contention. He’s had Top 25′s in the past 5 majors including 3 Top 3′s. He’s a machine and has won the Dunhill Links Championship.

Luke Donald
Recent starts – T11 at French Open, T47 at US Open, T3 at Celtic Manor, 1st at Madrid Masters, 2nd at BMW PGA
I love Luke Donald, but he just hasn’t performed well at the Majors. Then again, he’s never been this hot. He should be full of confidence after a T5 last year.

THE FIELD: Four Who Have History

Padraig Harrington
Best finishes – 1st in ‘08, 1st in ‘07, T20 in ’00
Paddy loves St. Andrews. In addition to his Top 20 in 2000 at St. Andrews he’s also won the Dunhill links in 2006 and 2002. Coming off of a T22 at The US Open, I would expect big things.

Sergio Garcia
Best finishes – 2nd in ’07, T5 in ’06, T5 in ’05
Sergio has great records at the Open and played here also in the Dunhill Cup. I believe that The Open is where he’ll win his first major.

Vijay Singh
Best finishes – T5 in ‘05, T11 in ’00, T6 in ’95, T12 in ’90
Vijay’s record at St. Andrews is second only to Tiger’s. Just look at those numbers. He’s definitely worth a shot this week.

Ernie Els
Best finishes – T9 in ‘09, T4 in ‘05, T16 in ‘03
Ernie has been money this year and at the Open. He has 18 straight cuts at Open Championships and he’s won the Dunhill Cup twice. Ernie is money.

FINAL FOUR: Ernie Els, Martin Kaymer, Ian Poulter and Tiger Woods.

History is everywhere and this is the hardest Fantasy Four yet. It kills me to leave off Donald, Harrington, Sergio, Westwood and Fisher. I really someone takes a chance on John Daly too. He won here in 1995 and played very well last week in Scotland. If I had to submit a non-Woods and seperate fantasy four it would be: Fisher, Harrington, Garcia and Casey. It’s ridiculous. Make sure to check out my Open Championship Preview for more thoughts and analysis!

Check out the full field here >> The 2010 Open Championship Full Field

Leave your Fantasy Four in a comment below. Remember, you have to pick at least ONE Nike Golfer and have your picks in by Wednesday at Midnight (PST).

Don’t forget to also submit your Fantasy Four for the 2010 Reno-Tahoe Open for this week >>

Pick with your heart,

D.

Filed Under: 2010 Regular Season Fantasy Four, 2010 RS Picks, Athletes, Contests, European Tour, PGA Tour

Fantasy Four: Reno-Tahoe Open

July 13, 2010 By 26 Comments

Sure, this is the little brother (or even third cousin) to the Open Championship this week, but we’re showing this event some love this week by providing a Fantasy Four. That’s right! You need to submit TWO FANTASY FOURS this week! For the Fantasy Four: Open Championship, just hit the link.

This is Event 11 (Open is Event 12) of the season tournament and the 3rd week of Month 3 of the NG Nation Fantasy Four and it’s never too late to join. For a refresher on the rules, hit the link — Contest Guidelines and leave your Fantasy Four below.

One change this week is that you don’t need to have a Nike golfer in your Fantasy Four, but feel free to take a chance on the Canadian kid.

NIKE GOLF: One to Watch

Matt Hill
Matt is the only Nike golfer in the field this week and this could be his week to shine. Matt recently played on the Nationwide Tour and made the cut, which should give him some confidence in a tournament with a smaller purse and weaker field.

THE FIELD: Four Who are Hot

Vaughn Taylor
Recent starts – 6 at John Deere, T11 at AT&T, T9 at Travelers
Taylor will probably win. He’s hot and he won this event back to back in ’04 and ’05.

Alex Cejka
Recent starts -T3 at BMW International Open, T8 at US Open, T28 at Memorial, T16 at Byron Nelson
He’s also got a good record here. Sure, he missed the cut at AT&T National, but I think he’ll rebound. T5 here last year.

John Mallinger
Recent starts – T16 at AT&T National, T22 at US Open, T13 at Crowne Plaza
Mallinger has been injured most of the year but he seems to be good now. Mallinger is streaky, but I like him.


Chad Campbell
Recent starts – T34 at John Deere, T5 at Travelers
I’m glad to see his game is coming back a bit. Hopefully he can keep it going.

THE FIELD: Four Who Have History

John Rollins
Best finishes – 1st in ’09, T3 in ’08
 When Rollins makes the cut, he’s been great. His last 4 made cuts have all been Top 25′s, but there have been 8 missed cuts between them. It’s a gamble.

John Merrick
Best finishes – T9 in ’08, T4 in ’07
He has a couple Top 25′s this year, but usually picks up some good Top 10′s. I like him and his history here, so my money is on him to win.

Ryan Palmer
Best finishes – T5 in ’09, T5 in ’08
9 Missed cuts in his past 10 events isn’t doing it for me, but you never know!

JJ Henry
Best finishes – T9 in ’09, T4 in ’05, T16 in ’03
You need to go low to win here and he hasn’t shown signs of doing it all year, so I’m not liking his chances.

FINAL FOUR: Vaughn Taylor, Alex Cejka, John Merrick and Kevin Stadler

Well, I’m not forcing you to pick a Nike golfer this week, since there’s only one. There’s a lot of other golfers to consider. I thought about Spencer Levin, Graham DeLaet, Daniel Chopra, Mark Wilson, Jeev Milka Singh and a bunch of others, but I’ll let you explore the field for yourselves.

Check out the full field here >> Reno-Tahoe Open Full Field

Leave your Fantasy Four in a comment below. Remember, you can pick ANY GOLFER IN THE FIELD  and have your picks in by Wednesday at Midnight (PST).

Don’t forget to also submit your Fantasy Four for the 2010 Open Championship here.

Pick with your heart,

D.

Filed Under: 2010 Regular Season Fantasy Four, 2010 RS Picks, Athletes, Contests, ngnation.com, PGA Tour

Fantasy Four: John Deere Classic

July 6, 2010 By 23 Comments

This event has one of the smallest purses on Tour. The winner doesn’t even crack 800k, but the field is decent and making picks will be tougher than most. In this historical event that has always been held at the same venue, I see a lot of guys who are still struggling to find their form this year. Most notably, Steve Stricker and Kenny Perry. These guys were huge names last year. There was no one more clutch than Steve “I’m in love with a” Stricker last year, but he’s still recovering from a serious shoulder injury. This would be a good and comfortable place for these two guys to find their form, especially heading into the Open.

This is Event 10 of the season tournament and the 2nd week of Month 3 of the NG Nation Fantasy Four and it’s never too late to join. For a refresher on the rules, hit the link — Contest Guidelines and leave your Fantasy Four below.

NIKE GOLF: Two to Watch

Carl Pettersson
CP is probably the second hottest golfer heading into this event. He’s been very consistent all week and finally cracked the Top 10 last week. He had a 5th place finish here in ’07 and should be looking to keep his good play going. Also a T15 here in ’03.

David Duval
I think Duval is really just trying to put together some consistent play this year. Making the cut at the US Open was great, and he’s hoping to put together 2 straight paychecks for the second time this year. He’s never played well here, but should be familiar with the course.

THE FIELD: Four Who are Hot

Jeff Overton- WD as of Tuesday Night

Charlie Wi (Overton’s Replacement)
Recent starts – 4th at AT&T, T21 at Travelers
Hard to replace Overton, but Wi is playing okay and had a T4 here in ’08.

Bubba Watson
Recent starts – 1st at Travelers
Anytime you win, you’re hot. However, that win was a few weeks ago and Bubba hasn’t been that consistent this year. Bubba had a T2 and a T3 finish earlier this year and failed to make the cut at the following events. Hopefully he can turn that around this week.

KJ Choi
Recent starts – 14 straight made cuts
I’m actually struggling to find two more players who are “hot”. While KJ’s finishes havent been stellar since The Masters, he hasn’t missed a cut all year, and that’s gotta count for something. He’s never played here, but you can’t discount him for that.

Vaughn Taylor
Recent starts – T11 at AT&T, T9 at Travelers
He’s been under the radar, but not anymore.  Somehow I think he’s a favourite to win this week. He had a T12 here in ’08, which should give him some added confidence.

THE FIELD: Four Who Have History

Kenny Perry
Best finishes at this event – 1st in ’08, T11 in ’07
Kenny “Katy” Perry (he kissed a girl…and he liked it) has also made 8 straight cuts,but only has 1 Top 10 all year, and that was his first event. Maybe he’s getting tired, but I think it would be a big gamble to bet on him.

Steve Stricker
Best finishes at this event – 1st in ’09, T4 in ’04
I’m really hoping Stricker can rebound here. He’ll find his form eventually and this could be the week.

Tim Clark
Best finishes at this event – T18 in ’08, 2nd in ’07
Clark is playing well and could cash in a cheque here. When Perry and Stricker won it, it was their second win of the season, Clark could keep this tradition going.

Jonathan Byrd
Best finishes at this event – 1st in ’07, T13 in ’05, T2 in’03
Byrd was an unlikely winner in ’07. He was coming off of 5 straight missed cuts and didn’t play in the event in ’06, but had a good record in ’05 and ’03.  That might teach us something about the winner this week.

FINAL FOUR: Marc Leishman, Steve Stricker, Charlie Wi and David Duval

This is probably the most obscure Final Four I’ve had so far. I almost had Byrd in over Stricker, but I think this could be a good win for Stricker. There are clearly a lot of underdogs, but I think the favourites are Perry, Stricker, , Zach Johnson, Clark and Choi. I think most people will be on Pettersson for their Nike golfer, but I think Duval can make something happen. Don’t forget about Fowler, Boooooo Weekley, Jason Day, Jacobsen and others.

Check out the full field here >> John Deere Classic Full Field

Leave your Fantasy Four in a comment below. Remember, you must have ONE Nike Golfer and have your picks in by Wednesday at Midnight (PST).

Pick with your heart,

D.

Filed Under: 2010 Regular Season Fantasy Four, 2010 RS Picks, Athletes, Contests

Fantasy Four: AT&T National

June 29, 2010 By 26 Comments

While a lot of the big names are missing this year, this is still Tiger’s tournament and there’s a lot to keep an eye on. While, Furyk and Woods are the main guys from the World Golf Rankings, Crane, Allenby and DJ are all here to dethrone this Nike Golf dominated event.

Interesting fact; ONLY NIKE GOLFERS HAVE WON THIS EVENT. KJ Choi won in ’07 (he was with Nike), AK in ’08 and Tiger in ’09. So, maybe it will happen again. However, there is one big change this year; this is no longer played at Congressional. We move to a new course, so maybe don’t put as much value on the history section, but that will focus on the tournament over the past three years.

This is Week 9 of the season tournament and the first week of Month 3 of the NG Nation Fantasy Four and it’s never too late to join. For a refresher on the rules, hit the link — Contest Guidelines and leave your Fantasy Four below.

NIKE GOLF: Four to Watch

Tiger Woods
This is the time for Tiger to win. It’s his event, the course only has two par fives and I really think he wants to play consistently. It’s his to lose and it’s time for him to prove something.

Lucas Glover
Glover has played well at this event, but we’ve been waiting for him to break through all year. He’s only had 2 Top 10′s all year, but I think the length of this course and it’s reliance on good long iron shots should help out G’Lover.

Carl Pettersson
Pettersson has been slowly quietly making cuts for the past 11 tournaments and he’s had a bunch of Top 30′s. He’s been proving he can pick up 2 points where other Nike golfers have missed the cut.

Matt Hill
This is Hill’s second official PGA start as a member and I know he’s excited to do well at Tiger’s event, similarly to AK (who is still injured). Hill and Woods are tied for most wins in a college season and with a less intimidating field than at Memorial, he should pick up a cheque this week.

THE FIELD: Four Who are Hot

Justin Rose
Recent starts –  T9 at Travelers, 1st at Memorial
His collapse was tough on him, but I think he’s strong enough to rebound this week and keep it together. T16 last year and T30 in ’07.

Ricky Barnes
Recent starts – T5 at Travelers, T27 at US Open, T3 at Memorial, T7 at Crowne Plaza
Well, he is hot so I’d give him a chance. I still don’t see him winning an event soon though. He’s inconsistent in his round and I think he stays in tournament by playing one good round.

Scott Verplank
Recent starts – T2 at Travelers, T47 at US Open, T5 at Crowne Plaza, T5 at Byron Nelson, T13 at The Players.
He’s hot and due for a win, I’d say. His game is all around tight and should be picking up a big cheque this week.

Alex Cejka
Recent starts – T3 at BMW International Open, T8 at US Open
I think it’s time for people to start considering him as a legitimate threat. His overseas travels in the past few weeks concerns me, but he’s finished so well in the past two weeks. Definitely worth a chance this week if you don’t think he’s tired.

THE FIELD: Four Who Have History

Jim Furyk
Recent finishes at this event – T7 in ’09, T3 in ’08, T3 in ’07
I think the only question about Furyk is can he win three events this year? I think so, but not this week. I see a Top 5, though.

Robert Allenby
Recent finishes at this event – MC in ’09, T3 in ’08, T6 in ’07
My concern with Allenby is his health. T29 at the US Open was encouraging, but I just hope he’s healthy, because he’s been great this year.

Hunter Mahan
Recent finishes at this event – 2 in ’09, T12 in ’08, T8 in ’07
I think everyone is just praying that Mahan shows up this week. I think a lot of people are discounting him, but Mahan is always money in the 2nd half of the season.

Ryan Moore
Recent finishes at this event – T11 in ’09, MC in ’08, T25 in ’07
Moore could have made the hot list, also. I know his history isn’t great, but I thought he deserved to be mentioned. He’s playing great golf right now with a T13 at Travelers and T5 at Memorial, along with a T33 at the US Open.

FINAL FOUR: Jim Furyk, Sean O’Hair, Hunter Mahan and Tiger Woods.

I’m taking a chance on Mahan again after 4 straight missed cuts. He’s playing decent in the CVS event with Petterssen, so that’s a glimmer of hope. I didn’t have room for Rickie Fowler on the hot list, but he’s up there, too. Other big names this week are Dustin Johnson, Vijay, YE Yang, Jacobsen, JB Holmes, Bo Van Pelt, Charles Howell, Toms, Gay and Big Ben Crane, who is a fantasy favourite.

Check out the full field here >> AT&T National Full Field

Leave your Fantasy Four in a comment below. Remember, you must have ONE Nike Golfer and have your picks in by Wednesday at Midnight (PST).

Pick with your heart,

D.

Filed Under: 2010 Regular Season Fantasy Four, 2010 RS Picks, Contests, ngnation.com

Fantasy Four: Travelers Championship

June 22, 2010 By 24 Comments

People are saying this is a weak field, but that’s ridiculous. Cink, Kuchar, Mahan, Van Pelt, Harrington, Fowler, Rose, Goosen and Scott are all looking to pick up at win at a great venue. I’m sure the players couldn’t be more excited to go low after a grueling week at Pebble Beach. This week we head to the TPC at River Highlands where we should have a shootout with some familiar faces in the hunt.

This is Week 8 during Month 2 of the NG Nation Fantasy Four and it’s never too late to join. For a refresher on the rules, hit the link — Contest Guidelines and leave your Fantasy Four below.

NIKE GOLF: Two to Watch

Stewart Cink
Cink is a two-time winner here (1997, 2008) and has played well as of late. Other than his T40 at the US Open, his last start have been T8 and a couple of other Top 25′s. I think Cink will finish very high this week and is among the favourites to win it.

Carl Pettersson
Three of his last four starts have been Top 30′s. At this event he’s had a T37 in ’08, T15 in ’07 and T31 in ’06. Nothing too special, so I wouldn’t expect much, but he could be a good sleeper since he’s familiar with the course and playing decent.

THE FIELD: Four Who Are Hot

Justin Rose
Recent starts –  1st at Memorial
He’s only played two tournaments in the past month and I think he’s enjoyed his time off since his win at Memorial. Rose had a T19 here in ’08, T9 in ’07 and a T5 in ’05, so he should be full of confidence heading into this week.

Matt Kuchar — WD as of Wednesday morning

Ricky Barnes
Recent starts – T27 at US Open, T3 at Memorial, T7 at Crowne Plaza
I don’t give Barnes a lot of credit, but he is playing well. T58 last year is his only start, but he can contend again.

Bo Van Pelt
Recent starts – T40 at US Open, T3 at Memorial, T10 at Crowne Plaza, T4 at The Players, 5th at Quail Hollow, T3 at Verizon
I’m still not sold on Bo Van Pelt. He is playing very well, but he’s only 13th on the Money List. This would be a good week for him to win. I just think he’ll be exhausted and is due for a missed cut, but he did have a T9 at this event last year and a T6 in ’07.

Scott Verplank
Recent starts - T47 at US Open, T5 at Crowne Plaza, T5 at Byron Nelson, T13 at The Players.
He’s been under the radar with his recent finishes, but he’s right up there with the best of them. He had a T9 here last year, T17 in ’08 and a T5 in ’07. He’s been very good here and I think he can keep it up.

THE FIELD: Four Who Have History

Hunter Mahan
Best finishes here – T4 in ’09, T2 in ’08, 1st in ’07, T2 in ’06, T21 in ’04
Coming off of 3 straight MC’s, I’m really looking for Mahan to rebound. He’s a great player with a win this year. His record here is impeccable and I fully expect him to win this week as an underdog.

Ben Curtis
Best finishes here – T4 in ’09, T13 in’08, T21 in ’06, T4 in ’05
Ben is coming off of a T14 at the US Open in addition to his great history at River Highlands. Curtis is a big sleeper this week at can definitely make a splash.

David Toms
Best finishes here – T2 in ’09, T27 in ’08, T6 in ’07
I just think Toms is another guy due for a win. He hasn’t played amazingly, but he’s had a T33 at the US Open, along with a pair of Top 30′s before that. Maybe history can help him out a bit this week.

Kenny Perry
Best finishes here - 1st in 09, T6 in ’08, T15 in ’07, 7th in ’05
Perry should be the favourite given his record here. Coming off a T33 at the US Open, he posted a quiet string of 4 straight Top 30′s. Perry is coming back into form and should feel very comfortable heading into this week.

FINAL FOUR: Hunter Mahan, Ryan Moore, Brandt Snedeker and Stewart Cink

Smaller field this week, but still very hard to make picks. Kuchar withdrew so I took Snedeker. Ryan Moore is my sleeper of this week, he actually has a very good history here, so maybe he can help me out. Tough not to take Verplank, Van Pelt and Perry, too. Also, Rickie Fowler and Padraig Harrington are playing, along with Vijay.  Also, Adam Scott and Retief are looking to rebound this week, so it’s actually a very good field.

Check out the full field here >> The Travelers Championship Full Field

Leave your Fantasy Four in a comment below. Remember, you must have ONE Nike Golfer and have your picks in by Wednesday at Midnight (PST).

Pick with your heart,

D.

Filed Under: 2010 Regular Season Fantasy Four, 2010 RS Picks, Athletes, Contests, ngnation.com

Fantasy Four: 2010 US Open

June 15, 2010 By 20 Comments

For being the US Open, it is sure going to have some international flare. No, not due to the World Cup, but it sure is a fitting time for a European to have the trophy at the end of the tournament. We head back to Pebble Beach for the USGA’s major and it should be a doozy.

There’s one thing I’m going to note; You can’t discount the annual Pebble Beach Pro-Am. Sure, the course has narrower fairways, but the players are familiar with this course. Also, this Fantasy Four will be supplemented by my US Open Preview for a bit more of my thoughts and analysis. So this will be a short and sweet post.

This is Week 7 during Month 2 of the NG Nation Fantasy Four and it’s never too late to join. For a refresher on the rules, hit the link — Contest Guidelines and leave your Fantasy Four below.

NIKE GOLF: Four to Watch

Tiger Woods
Most eyes will be on Woods as he looks to rebound. He’s won 3 US Opens and had his blowout win at Pebble a decade ago. That won’t happen now. I think we’ll see a similar performance to the Masters this year. A shaky Eldrick, hitting inconsistent shots with enough magic to get him into the Top 10 but not win. 

Paul Casey
Casey is blazing on the comeback trail after being lights out in February in March. Since his injury he’s had a T22 at Verizon, T13 at the Crowne Plaza and T17 at the BMW PGA. He’s a big underdog this week and most of the English pressure will be on Westwood, so I look for him to just focus on his game and he’ll get far into the weekend. 

David Duval
A super underdog here and people may think last year was a fluke. I might have also if it wasn’t for a 2nd place finish at the Pebble Beach Pro-Am this year. I’m fully expecting another magical major for Duval as he had a T8 here in 2000. History is actually on his side as opposed to Bethpage where he missed the cut in 2002. 

Stewart Cink
Another underdog who just plays well at US Opens and has been playing well as of late with three straight top 25′s. Cink thrives on venues where the winning score is closer to par and he’ll be in contention again. He finished T8 here in 2000 and can deliver this week.

See my Pebble Beach Preview for the full list of Nike Golfers.

THE FIELD: Four Who Are Hot

Ben Crane
He’s been on this list 3 straight weeks. His past 4 starts have been T12, T3, T4 and T7. However, history isn’t on his side as at Majors, but the way he’s playing is worth a shot. He had no history at Augusta but pulled out a T25 there and he’s playing much better now.

Lee Westwood
I fully think he will get a Top 5 this week, if not a win. Aside from his win last week and 5 Top 10′s in his last 6 events including the BMW PGA, he finished T5. In his last 3 majors he’s finished T3, T3 and 2nd. How do you not pick him this week?

Luke Donald
If Westwood doesn’t win, I believe Luke Donald will. His last three events were all played in Europe and he finished 3rd, 1st and T2. His straight and precision game should serve him will at Pebble Beach.

Graeme McDowell
There could be other players to put here, but I wanted to look at some of the European players for this. McDowell is coming off a win on on the European Tour, and before that he finished 4th at the Madrid Masters. He’s played well lately with a bunch of Top 30′s and finished in the Top 15 in 3 of the Majors last year and a T6 at the WGC CA Championship this year. He can play with the big boys, so watch out.

THE FIELD: Four Who Have History

Phil Mickelson
Big Philly should have himself composed and ready to make a serious run. He’s had 5 runner up finishes at the US Open and a T16 here in 2000. At Bethpage in ’02 and ’09 he finished second so he’ll finish at least T16. He also had a T8 here at the Pro-Am last year and won it in ’07, so he’s right up there with Tiger and Westwood and poised to take a run at his first US Open.

Dustin Johnson
When I say DJ, I’m talking about the kid, Dustin Johnson, not Trahan. Sure, he’s a long-baller who has been the King of Pebble Beach lately. He said the course is tighter, but he’s still a favourite in my mind. I believe that he is out to prove something with all the big names here. This is his big chance and I think he’ll do well.

Ernie Els
A runner-up to Woods in 2000, Ernie has won two US Opens of his own. Ernie has been great this year and is looking to make a big splash. His last three major he’s finished T8, T6 and T18 and he loves US Opens.

Tom Watson
I can’t say enough about Tom Watson. He won this event at Pebble Beach in ’82 and has always done well at US Opens and big stages. In 2000 and 2003 he got off to strong starts and still came away with Top 25′s. But he dominated US Opens and you can just check my US Open preview. I’m expecting at least a Top 10 from Watson and he’ll bring the magic once again.

FINAL FOUR: Luke Donald, Lee Westwood, Dustin Johnson and David Duval

I had a toss-up between Dustin Johnson and Tom Watson and for the Nike spot. I’m taking a chance on Duval, but there are so many swooshers that it’s tough to pick. I would say my top 3 Nike boys would be Duval, Cink and Woods, but Glover has been playing very well as of late.

The field is ridiculous. The only person missing is Anthony Kim. The Top 10 ranked players are here, 9 of the 10 Money Leaders, but it’s just a dream to try and pick 4 golfers out of this ridiculous field. Check out the full field here >> 2010 US Open Full Field

Leave your Fantasy Four below. Remember, you must have ONE Nike Golfer and have your picks in by Wednesday at Midnight (PST).

Pick with your heart,

D.

Filed Under: 2010 Regular Season Fantasy Four, 2010 RS Picks, Athletes, Contests, ngnation.com

NG Nation Fantasy Four: St. Jude Classic

June 8, 2010 By 25 Comments

Hey Jude. I like this event a lot and one thing that stands out to me is Brian Gay’s win last year. It was impressive and not that many players can go low and blast the field away. I’m really looking for guys that have gone low this year and can get a similar victory. Other people have said the field is weak, but I couldn’t disagree more. Anytime you’ve got Poulter, Westwood, McIlroy, Harrington, Villegas, Goosen and others in the mix, you can’t have a bad event.

It’s Week 6 and the 2nd week Month 2 of our Nike Golf contest and it’s never too late to join. For a refresher on the rules, hit the link — Contest Guidelines >> and leave your Fantasy Four below.

NIKE GOLF : Three to Watch

Justin Leonard
You have to figure it’s now or never for Leonard. History has been on his side the past few events but he hasn’t been able to put anything together. He’s a two-time winner at this event (’05 and ’08) and he needs to show up this week.

Stephen Ames
Ames has looked a bit shaky in his recent outings. He was very consistent up until The Players. His best finish at TPC Southwind was a T13 in ’08.

Charl Schwartzel (World Cup pick of the week)
While Charl hasn’t played here before he’s played well at the big events this year. T30 at The Masters, T9 at Match Play, 2nd at the CA and 3rd at the Houston Open. Coming off a T17 at the BMW PGA, he’s looking good. Also, he’s South African (where my parents are from) and there’s no way he will play poorly when South Africa plays Mexico friday morning.

THE FIELD : Four Who Are Hot

Ben Crane
He’s the hottest player on the planet right now (maybe other than Luke Donald). He’s definitely been on this list more than anyone else and has the highest FedEx points tally of any player in this event. His last 3 starts have been T4, T7 and T3. T14 at this event last year.

Rory McIlroy
Rors had a very quiet T10 last week at Memorial. Pair that with his win at Quail Hollow and that’s good. I wouldn’t worry about his MC at The Players. But he’ll be looking to go low and test his game before the US Open.

Lee Westwood
Westy will either win this week, or quite possibly at Pebble Beach. He had a T4 at the Players and a T10 at the BMW PGA and he’s always on his game. I think Westwood does better on very difficult courses though, as he’s never done that well when the winner’s scores are very low.

Camilo Villegas
This pick is a stretch. I had Bo Van Pelt here, but he withdrew this morning. Villegas is hot after his opening round 77 at Muirfield. He rallied and finished 28th. This will also be the first time he’s played in a Tour event with his brother. The Columbian has also never missed a cut here in 4 outings.

THE FIELD : Four Who Have History

David Toms
Toms is a two-time winner here (’03 and ’04) and has put together a T2 in ’09, T37 in ’08, 3rd in ’07, T10 in ’06, 2nd in ’05. That’s actually incredible. Coming off a T13 at Colonial, more eyes should be on Toms. He hasn’t won in awhile and he could be due.

Heath Slocum
With a string of 7 straight made cuts and a good history in Memphis (T10 in ’09, T24 in ’08, T12 in ’07, T4 in ’05) I think Slocum has a great chance to pick up his first win of the year.

Brian Gay
The defending champ has some odds to overcome. Despite a stellar record here (1st in ’09, 4th in 07, T16 in ’06, T5 in ’04) I still don’t think he can consistently put it together, but his last two starts were Top 25′s. Take a chance, this could be good for him. 

Robert Allenby
I believe he’s the popular pick to win this week. T4 here last year, T2 in ’08, T12 in ’07 and some other made cuts here is good. Playing well, averaging 15th place in the 9 tournaments he’s started.

FINAL FOUR : Rory McIlroy, Robert Allenby, Heath Slocum and Charl Schwartzel

It hurts me not to take Poulter, Crane, Westwood, Villegas or Toms in my Final Four. I can honestly see Westwood winning this week and at the US Open. No room for Poulter, ZJ, Goosen, Jacobsen, Paddy, Howell or Holmes on the list, but there’s still choices to be made. Someone may take a flier on Jordan “Fluke?” Spieth and I wouldn’t blame them.

Leave your Fantasy Four below and tell your friends!
hit the jump for the full list of players >> St. Jude Classic Tournament Full Field

Pick with your heart,

D

Filed Under: 2010 Regular Season Fantasy Four, 2010 RS Picks, Contests, ngnation.com

NG Nation Fantasy Four: the Memorial Tournament

June 2, 2010 By 14 Comments

It’s Month 2 in the NG Nation Fantasy Four. The points are reset for this month, but the overall tally is used for the season winner.

The Memorial Tournament is huge. 9 of the 10 FedEx Cup point leaders are here along with the return of Tiger Woods (again). There are plenty of choices for your Fantasy Four.

It’s Week 5 and Month 2 of our Nike Golf contest and it’s never too late to join. For a refresher on the rules, hit the link — Contest Guidelines >> and leave your Fantasy Four below.

NIKE GOLF : Four to Watch

Tiger Woods
This tournament means a lot to Tiger and he’s won it four times. Tiger needs to get it going and this is a good place to start for him.

Stewart Cink
Cinker is coming off back to back Top 25′s and is settling into a good groove at Memorial . T8 here last year, T30 in ’08 and T5 in’07 gives him a good record and I think he’ll do great.

Matt Hill
The newest member of the Nike Golf pool is playing this week. I’ve known him as an incredible Canadian amateur and I’m glad I’ve got to witness him play. He won in college 8 times last year (tied Tiger’s record) and is the future of Canadian Golf. His game is solid and I’ll be keeping my eye on him all week.

Carl Pettersson
Pettersson looked great last week after a good two opening rounds, but couldn’t keep up on the weekend. At Jack’s tourney, he’s had a T10 in ’08, T31 in ’07 and won it in ’06. Definitely look for consistent play from him. He’s been putting it together for the past month or so and it’s time to deliver.

THE FIELD : Four Who Are Hot

Nick Watney
He’s been quiet, consistent and he’s heating up. 12 starts, 1 MC and 11 Top 30 finishes. You’re kidding me. Nick Hotney will light it up this week after having a few Top 30′s here. Expect big things.

KJ Choi
He’s been the most consistent golfer on Tour this year. He hasn’t missed a cut all year and has won this tournament in ’07 with a handful and great finishes here. He should do well again here and could be the place he picks up his first win of the year.

Fredrik Jacobsen
He’s been great over the last 8 weeks and a T38 last week isn’t a bad thing. Especially when he had a T5 in ’07, he should be comfortable here. But he could be getting tired.

Adam Scott
Coming off his win at the Texas Open, he had multiple Top 30 finishes. He’s playing well again and had a T5 here in ’07. Big sleeper this week.

THE FIELD : Four Who Have History

Matt Kuchar
The Kuch-man has cleaned up here. In the past three years he’s finished T13 or better. I think he’s due.

Phil Mickelson
Bunch of Top 20′s here and you know he’s going to rebound after last week. Maybe it will help that Tiger is actually in the field.

Kenny Perry
Three time winner here, most recently in ’08. He’s been playing well this week too, even if it’s been quietly (3 straight Top 25′s). Look for him near the top of the leaderboard this week.

Jim Furyk
Won in 2002. He was also the runner-up last year and has so many Top 25′s here it’s ridiculous. I just don’t think he’ll win for this third time this year. At least, this week.

FINAL FOUR : Matt Kuchar, Tiger Woods, Nick Watney and Stewart Cink.

Big names are still unmentioned such as Els, McIlroy, Stricker, Holmes, Mahan, Villegas, Allenby, Glover, Weir and Dustin Johnson, so you can always include them. I based my Fantasy Four on people who haven’t won yet this year and I think are due. I think Ogilvy will do very well also and it was a toss-up between him and Cink. I could definitely see KJ Choi getting a win here. I think he’s close, but who knows. Maybe it’s too predictable and that’s why I didn’t pick him.

Leave your Fantasy Four below and tell your friends!
hit the jump for the full list of players >> The Memorial Tournament Full Field

Remember to submit your picks by MIDNIGHT (PST) the night before the tournament starts, and to include at least ONE Nike athlete in your picks. Sorry for the late posting.

Pick with your heart,

D

Filed Under: 2010 Regular Season Fantasy Four, 2010 RS Picks, Athletes, Contests, PGA Tour

NG Nation Fantasy Four: Crowne Plaza Invitational

May 25, 2010 By 8 Comments

The stars have come out for the third leg of the Texas swing. We’ve got 5 of the Top 10 World Golf Ranked players and 6 of the Top 10 Money Leaders on Tour this year. That doesn’t even include Henrik Stenson, YE Yang, Geoff Ogilvy, Nick Watney, Sean O’Hair and other top notch studs. It should be a doozy and there couldn’t be a tournament better to finish the first month of the NG Nation Fantasy Four Contest.

This is Week 4 of the NG Nation Fantasy Four Contest and it’s never too late to join. For a refresher on the rules, hit the link — Contest Guidelines >>

NIKE GOLF : Four to Watch

Stephen Ames
Last two starts have been shaky, but he was very consistent before that. Not a bad record at Colonial; T27 in ’09, 4th in ’08, T4 in ’06, 3rd in ’04. It seems like he does well on even numbered years. That might entice some people.

Paul Casey
Coming off a T17 at the BMW PGA Championship, I think Casey proved he is healthy. He was the hottest golfer on the planet before he was injured and I think he’s at full health. He also had a solo 5th at Colonial last year in his only outing.

Lucas Glover
G’Lover’s last two starts have been encouraging, T22 at Quail Hollow and 3rd at The Players. T15 here in ’08,  T29 in ’07 is as good at it gets at Colonial, and he’s playing well so I think he can do very well here.

Stewart Cink
Even though he was the only Nike golfer to get a Top 25 last week, he still wants to be playing better. T22 here in ’09, T18 in ’07, T4 in ’06, T14 in ’04, T13 in ’03, T33 in ’02, T26 in ’01 and 2nd in ’00… should all give him confidence heading into this week. Keep your eyes open.

THE FIELD : Four Who Are Hot

Phil Mickelson
Phil has a lot of pressure on him this week and I think he’ll come through. A two-time winner at Colonial (2000 and 2008) and coming off a 1st, 2nd and 17th, some think he may choke under the pressure, but he has a great record here.

Jason Day
Coming off a win, Day has been quite consistent so far this year. 4 of his last 6 starts have been Top 25′s, but I wanted to include him because he just missed out on a playoff here last year with a solo 4th. Big sleeper this week.

Ben Crane
In his last 6 starts, he has 2 Top 10′s and 5 Top 25′s. That’s pretty hot. Solo 5th at Colonial in ’08, T4 in ’06, T17 ’05. He’s hot and has history.

Fredrik Jacobsen
Also in his last 6 starts, he has 3 Top 10′s and 5 Top 25′s. Even hotter than Crane, if you ask the ladies. T17 in ’06, 16th in ’05  are his best finishes here, but he could be a shocker.

THE FIELD : Four Who Have History

Steve Stricker
The questions with Stricker’s health will prevail but he is the defending champion and has a few MC’s here, but also has 2 Top 10′s and 3 Top 25′s. The buzz is all about Phil, but Stricker was No.2 in the world not so long ago.

Tim Clark
Coming off a win at the Players, Clarky had a T2 in ’09, T2 in ’08 and T12 in ’07, T21 in ’05. I think he’s drooling at the chance to pick up back-to-back wins with a stellar record at Colonial.

Kenny Perry
Another two-time winner at Colonial (2003 and 2005). He hasn’t had a Top 25 here since his last win, though his last two starts were  a T22 at The Players and T16 at The Byron Nelson.

Jim Furyk
Furyk has been a fantasy work horse this year. The only question is his last start was a T47 at The Players, but he still has two wins and a bunch of top 10′s this year. His record here is incredible with 6 Top 10′s and most recently having a T9 here last year.

FINAL FOUR : Ian Poulter, Ben Crane, Phil Mickelson and Paul Casey

I know, Poulter didn’t fit into one of the categories, but I have a feeling. The only clear choice to me was Phil. I could have taken all 4 Nike Golfers and be happy. It hurts to leave Clark and Marino off this list, too. I would pick about 10 players who I think can actually win, but we’re limited for a foursome.

I couldn’t fit Poulter, Mahan, O’Hair, Stenson, DJ, Kuchar, Verplank, Na, Perez, Gay and other golfers into the actual categories, but don’t forget about them. I still have questions about Stricker, but I’m taking Crane  instead of big names like Furyk or Mahan. I didn’t even include Justin Leonard and he has a bunch of Top 15′s here in the recent years with a 2nd in ’03. It’s a tough week for picks, but it’s a great way to finish the first month of the contest.

Leave your Fantasy Four below and tell your friends!
hit the jump for the full list of players >> Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial Full Field

Remember to submit your picks by MIDNIGHT (PST) the night before the tournament starts, and to include at least ONE Nike athlete in your picks

Pick with your heart,

D

Filed Under: 2010 Regular Season Fantasy Four, 2010 RS Picks, Athletes, Contests, ngnation.com

NG Nation Fantasy Four: Valero Texas Open

May 11, 2010 By 10 Comments

This week is like a fresh start and could be very unpredictable. With the Fantasy Four Contest underway and a new course this week, history may not play a big factor. However, plenty of golfers just love the Texas swing on the PGA, even though the field isn’t filled with the big guns.  Let’s get Week 2 of the NG Nation Fantasy Four Contest underway.

If you’re new to the contest, read the details here >>

NIKE GOLF: Three to Watch

Justin Leonard
I’ll just get it out of the way; I think he’s going to win. He’s been very quiet this year and he’s a Texas boy through and through. He’s won this tournament three times and has had a lot of good finishes here, so I’m hoping for the best. Hopefully his new SQ Machspeed will help him dominate off the tee.

David Duval
Double D (not me) has had a decent year. The more he plays, the better he’s going to get, so he is a very big sleeper here.

Carl Petterson
Another quiet Nike golfer who has made six straight cuts. While he has no history at this event, it wouldn’t be surprising to see him near the top of the leaderboard.

THE FIELD: Four Who Are Hot

Frederik Jacobsen
Aside from a MC at Quail Hollow, his last four starts have ben T10 at the Players, T22, T22 and a T6. He’s playing well and had a T5 at this event last year while on a similar streak.

Ernie Els
He’s the big gun in the field this week and is looking to rebound from his first MC of the year. He’s still the money and points leader and is the favourite to win this week.

Adam Scott
I never thought I’d see Adam Scott on this list, but I have to give him some credit. He impressed me at the Players and (aside from a MC at Quail Hollow) had 6 straight made cuts with three Top 20′s in that stretch. I think he’ll keep it rolling this week.

Bo Van Pelt
Did anyone even know he finished T4 at the Players? Look at his last three starts: T3, 5th and T4. He’s playing as well as anyone right now and in a very quiet way. I think he’ll do great this week.

THE FIELD: Four Who Have History

Dean Wilson
While this will only be his fourth event this year, he has some history here. T6 in ’07, T2 in ’06, 7th in ’05, so you know he likes this tournament. He hasn’t been terrible this year, but maybe he’s injured. He’ll probably make the cut.

Zach Johnson
He’s played in it twice and he’s won it twice. He’s batting 1000 folks so he can adapt do a new course and we know he’s got the talent.

Paul Goydos
The old veteran has cleaned up at this event. He’s the Tim Clark of the Texas Open. T3 in ’09, T19 in ’08, T8 in ’06 and a bunch more. He’s just had some bad rounds this year that has kept him from high finishes.

Brian Gay  - WD

Chad Campbell is his replacement. Another Texas guy who has a T15 and T17 in his last few starts here. He’s looking to get back into form and he’d love to do it in Texas.

Final Four: Justin Leonard, Freddy Jacobsen, Paul Goydos and ZJ.

I think it’s a bit more of a toss-up this week. I wanted to take a chance on Adam Scott and Brian Gay here but I feel like I’m taking a chance on Goydos and Jacobsen. Everyone will be on Els, and he could bounce back strong, but I just don’t think he’ll win. Regardless, there are still plenty of choices to be made.

Leave us your fantasy four for this week below! Remember, you need 1 Nike Golfer and then you can pick anyone else. I didn’t mention Sergio, JB Holmes, Vijay and a bunch of other guys this week, but there’s plenty to pick from.

Pick with your heart and tell your friends,

D.

Filed Under: 2010 Regular Season Fantasy Four, 2010 RS Picks, Athletes, Contests, ngnation.com, Nike Golf, PGA Tour
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