Tuesday, January 26, 2016

Fantasy Golf: Farmers Insurance Open Preview

Time for the first of about five unofficial starts to the 2016 season as we get a field featuring about a dozen "A List" players including major winners Jason Day, Justin Rose, Phil Mickelson and Rickie Fowler . . . (Oh you didn't hear? Rickie High-Tops won in Asia last weekend and just vaulted past the hundreds of players who've actually won a major into future golf immortality. Allow me to elaborate in footnote).* We've also got a major caliber oceanside course in California to distract many of us from the fact our worlds are now defined by eight foot snow banks that ain't going anywhere anytime soon.       

The chalk pick this week is obviously Day who won it last year and finished 2nd in 2014 but, as we learned with Jimmy Walker at the Sony, chalk only lasts so long before it starts to fade and you find yourself stuck in the middle of some stupid chalk metaphor and it forces you to wonder if four days of being snowbound with your wife and kids has turned your brain into nonfunctional mush . . . and we're back. So as I was saying, the FGR play this week is to pass on the favorite again as we did with Walker in Hawaii and Patrick Reed last week and play the odds that someone new will step-up. That someone is Brandt Snedeker who won here in 2012 and is red hot. Not to mention, you want to take advantage of Sneds early before the nagging injuries kick-in so it's either here or Pebble Beach. If you don't think it's here, then use Jimmy Walker or have some fun and roll the dice with Phil.  

And now I will return to the set of The Shining and continue working on my novel . . . and continue working on my novel . . . and continue working on my novel . . . and continue working on my novel . . . and continue working on my novel . . . and continue working on my novel . . .         

Farmers Insurance Open Odds

. . . and continue working on my novel . . .
and continue working on my novel . . . 
1. Jason Day - 7/1
2. Rickie Fowler - 10/1
3. Dustin Johnson - 14/1
4. Justin Rose - 16/1
5. Brandt Snedeker - 18/1
6. Phil Mickelson - 18/1
7. Jimmy Walker - 25/1
8. Patrick Reed - 25/1
9. Hideki Matsuyama - 28/1
10. Bill Haas - 30/1

Ten Guys We Like

Jason Day - 7/1
Jimmy Walker - 25/1
J.B. Holmes - 33/1
Charles Howell - 50/1
Harris English - 60/1
Emiliano Grillo - 66/1
Jamie Lovemark - 80/1
Nick Watney - 90/1
Scott Stallings - 90/1
Billy Horschel - 100/1

The One and Done Pick: Brandt Snedeker

The Sleeper Pick: Scott Stallings

Footnote

* After Rickie's momentous victory in Abu Dhabi last weekend, there was some clamor that we are entering the age of a "Big Four" in golf comprised of Rory McIlroy, Jordan Spieth, Jason Day and Fowler. This would apparently be the modern version of golf's original "Big Three" which was Jack Nicklaus, Gary Player and Arnold Palmer who combined to win 34 majors or 27 more than their would be successors. While stopping short of yelling at everyone to get off of my lawn, I would suggest we slow the fuck down a bit, especially with regards to Fowler who has three career PGA Tour wins which is two less than Spieth and Day each had . . . last season.   

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