Tuesday, April 25, 2017

Fantasy Golf: The Zurich Classic Preview

You have to hand it to the folks at the Zurich Classic for coming-up with a way to make one of the Tour's most ignorable events interesting by turning it into a two-man affair. It went from an event with a couple of headliners that I might watch twenty minutes of on Sunday to one with twelve of the best players in the world that will now grab my attention for parts of four days. Well played gentlemen. Treat yourself to an extra beignet this weekend. 

So who's gonna win? Well the obvious pick would be the team of Justin Rose and Henrik Stenson especially considering that Rose is one of the "A" list players who actually has a strong track record at TPC Louisiana with a win in 2015, a tie for 8th in 2014 along with two other top 20's. Right behind them would be the team of Jason Day and Rickie Fowler with Day finishing 5th last year and 4th in 2014. 

Her name is Tori Slater and
you should google that.
I am, however, reluctant to use a top tier player in a somewhat gimmicky format on a gimmicky course so instead, I'm hedging a bit and going with Daniel Berger for three reasons: (1) He likes the course having finished T20th last year and T6th in 2014; (2) he's partnered with Ryder Cup stud Thomas Pieters and (3) so I have an excuse to post a picture of his girlfriend (didn't see that coming). 

If you're looking for a team that might excel sheerly by getting under everyone else's skin, then look no further than the combo of Bryson DeChambeau and Rory Sabbatini (think Marmalard and Niedermeyer). And if you're looking for a darkhorse pick, check-out Jason Dufner and Patton Kizzire. Dufner won the damn thing in 2012 and Kizzire finished T8th last year.

But that's not the real reason I brought-up Dufner. It was really just a cheap segue into a brief commentary on what he did at the RBC Heritage the week before last.  During the final round, he missed about a four foot putt by a mile, made the next one and then proceeded to drop his putter in disgust on the spot and leave it there for his caddie to retrieve. If you haven't seen the video, here you go:
Somehow a debate ensued on-line (of course it did) over whether this was a dick move or not. Those who said it was not pointed-out that Dufner's caddie had to put the flagstick back anyway so he was going to be right there and that's what he gets paid for. Others speculated that maybe he gave Dufner a bad read on the first putt. 

Allow me to offer the perspective of someone who has had the occasional issue with caddies and has spent many a back nine looking over his shoulder to make sure he's not about to get a freshly cleaned sand wedge buried in the back of his skull. What Dufner did was a serious dick move and, if you don't think it was a dick move, then there's a good chance that you're a dick.

You can give a caddie the stink eye, openly question his read or even take your club over and slam it down on your bag but don't embarrass him by just nonchalantly dropping it in the middle of the green and walking away. That would be like sitting in a meeting full of people, throwing an apple core at the trash can, missing and then telling your assistant to go pick it up. That's some degrading fraternity pledge level shit right there. Next thing you know Dufner's going to tell his caddie he's got to guzzle a bottle of Mad Dog 20/20 and then fuck a goat which really isn't as bad as . . . hmmm nevermind.     

Email the Fantasy Golf Report at fgr@fantasygolfreport.com.   

Saturday, April 22, 2017

The Time We Had a Baby in the Bathtub

Sixteen years ago today my first son was born and three days after that I sat down to write the requisite email announcement to friends and family (this was the pre-Facebook era). The circumstances surrounding the birth had been unique and, by the time I finished explaining them, I had composed a four page timeline that would ultimately be published in the November 2001 issue of Baltimore Magazine. With a few minor exceptions, I didn't do any writing for the next ten years until I decided to turn the weekly updates I did for my fantasy golf league into whatever this website has become. It's kind of a Roy Hobbs tale minus the gunshot wound (not that I haven't begged the world to "shoot me now" a few times since then).

"People don't start writing at
your age mister. They retire."
I revise and re-post this periodically because (a) it makes me happy, (b) every time I re-read it I cringe at something that I have to fix and (c) it's a lot easier than coming-up with something new to write about. Also, my self-aggrandizing writing style demands that I reference it repeatedly so I want to keep it fresh. Without further ado, here are the events that led-up to and occurred on the most bizarre and surreal day of my life.

Friday, April 20th

4:00 p.m. - The Fantasy Golf Wife (the "FGW") calls me at work and tells me, "I think my water just broke." She apparently is not sure, however, and tells me she'll call back in an hour to give me an update. This message is delivered in a tone similar to one she might use if she were calling to tell me that we may need a new faucet for the kitchen sink. I spend the next hour feigning composure by reading and re-reading the same sentence 73 times.

5:00 p.m. - Still no verdict on whether the water has officially broken.

5:45 p.m. - I arrive home and begin frantically preparing for the trip to the hospital. It is officially 13 days before the due date and the sudden urgency of the situation has made me think of a few things that need to be done, like maybe buying at least one diaper.

6:20 - The FGW saunters in having evidently decided that the gravity of the situation should in no way prevent her from doing some last minute shopping.

6:45 p.m. - We spend the next few hours preparing for the hospital: packing food for the extended labor, picking-out CD's (14 of them) for the stereo in the labor room, choosing the coming home outfit for the baby . . . I won't give away the ending but I this was all a colossal waste of time.

Saturday, April 21st


10:30 a.m. - We pay a visit to the midwife, Kelly. (Yes we used a midwife. We're country club crunchy). Kelly tells us that the water is not fully broken but there is a "high leak" which I know was not covered in the birthing class. Apparently under these circumstances, labor could start today or it could be two weeks. I comment that it's just like waiting for the cable company. No one laughs. We are told that one way to kick-start labor would be to take some castor oil. Sounds like witchcraft to me but as long as I don't have to do it, why not?

"We're teeing off
at noon bro."
1:00 p.m. - I take the car to have the baby seat installed by a fireman (these are the odd things you do when you're having your first baby). If nothing else, I figure that by driving 30 minutes from home, I will definitely induce labor.

4:00 p.m. - The FGW starts feeling mild irregular contractions but nothing worth noting. I start to wonder whether she even knows what a contraction feels like. I joke that "we're going to wake up with the baby in bed with us."* (These are the first of a series of famous last words which will be denoted with an *).

11:00 p.m. - We go to bed still in limbo.

Sunday, April 22nd

11:00 - 1:00 - More witchcraft as we spend two hours walking around the harbor in the hopes of inducing labor. I should have taken more time to appreciate this day because it was the last time I didn't have to do anything before 11:00 a.m.

1:30 p.m. - Another dose of caster oil.

3:30 p.m. - The FGW decides to go shopping for a couple of hours. I have a scary premonition and tell her to be back in 45 minutes. It was one of the few smart moves we made that day.

4:45 p.m. - The water officially breaks but at this point we think little of it. I for one am not going to be duped into a panic by the old "my water just broke" trick. Besides, I've settled into watching a fairly compelling Lakers-Blazers playoff game.

5:00 p.m. - The FGW takes a dose of primrose oil, another natural elixir to induce labor. I voice my skepticism over these natural methods.*

6:00 p.m. - The FGW starts to feel regular contractions.

6:46 p.m. - We start timing the transactions but the FGW is "not sure I'm in labor."*


7:45 p.m. - An hour of contractions four minutes apart and we call the midwife. She tells us we've got several hours* and she'll call back in thirty minutes to check in on us.

8:00 p.m. - I start loading up the car. The FGW attempts to blow dry her hair and put on make-up between contractions which are getting closer together and more intense making this an increasingly difficult task as she periodically has to turn off the hairdryer and double over in pain. Neither one of us take this as a sign that we should probably be in the car. This is not the blind leading the blind. This is the stubborn leading the stupid.

"Turn off the damn TV
and get that woman
to a hospital!"
8:15 p.m. - The FGW gets into the bathtub to ease the pain of the contractions which are getting even more intense. I am told in no uncertain terms to stop asking, "are you having one now?"

8:32 p.m. - I start timing contractions again which are now anywhere from one and half and two minutes apart. At this point I am wondering why no one has told me that it is time to go to the hospital. Instead of doing something proactive, I put on my bathing suit because I assume at some point I'm going to have to help the FGW out of the tub when we finally decide it's time to go.

8:40 p.m. - The FGW informs me that I am wearing the "loudest" bathing suit she has ever heard. I change into shorts.

8:52 p.m. - The intensity of the labor pains increases and I'm thinking that no one could endure several more hours of this.*

9:00 p.m. - Suddenly, the moans that accompany the labor pains turn into an otherworldly howl followed by these words, "I can feel him coming. Call Kelly and tell her I can't make it to the hospital and that I'm having him here." I am in denial because this is not happening.

9:04 p.m. - I call Kelly who advises me to tell the FGW that she can make it to the hospital and that I need to get her in the car.

9:05 p.m. - The howls continue. The FGW tells me that she can't stop pushing. The gravity of the situation is beginning to dawn on me. The FGW tells me to call Kelly back and tell her she needs to come to our house and that I need to be "forthright" with her. I find myself impressed by her mastery of the vocabulary at this point. I call Kelly and she tells me her location. My brain is working fast enough to compute that she is at least 30 minutes away . . . and the baby isn't.


9:08 p.m. - I run to the house of the labor-delivery nurse who lives next door. She had told us earlier in the day, "if you need anything I'll be home all night."* I pound on the door but of course there is no answer.

9:09 p.m. - I run back into the bathroom and the FGW says she can feel the head coming out. She then tells me that everything is going to be okay and that we can do this. I marvel at her calmness at this point. Unfortunately, I share none of it.

9:11 p.m.. - Kelly calls back and asks me if "the perineum is bulging." I actually know what this means and I also know that we are way past that point. In the most "forthright" way I know how, I tell her we can't make it to the hospital and the baby is on his way. (I think I actually said "No hospital . . . baby . . . head. . . bathtub.")

9:13 p.m. - The FGW tells me she can feel the head coming. Kelly tells me to grab some "old towels." I grab every towel we own and throw them indiscriminately on the bathroom floor.

9:14 p.m. - Kelly tells me to get the FGW out of the tub which is still full of water. (
Apparently 1 second old babies can't swim). Not in possession of her normal agility at the moment, my wife cannot get out of the tub. Kelly tells me to pull the plug and drain out the water. I curse myself for not thinking of that.

9:15 p.m. - The FGW stands-up, and between screams, announces that the head is out and tells me that I should be ready to catch the rest of him. At this point, I am well aware that the head is out because it is resting in the palm of my hand. Kelly asks me if the cord is wrapped around his neck. It is, of course, and Kelly tells me to flip it over his head, which I do. The word "DISASTER" begins flashing in my head.

"This is a goddamn waste of
time.There's no way he can
deliver that baby."
9:17 p.m. - As the FGW is struggling to stand-up out of the water, the rest of the baby is delivered. I catch him above the water that is still in the tub. The FGW actually utters the words "what a relief" and steps out of the tub. The baby is quiet and blue (not exactly the combination I was hoping for) and for several of the longest seconds of my life I experience a level of fright that I had never approached as I stand in my bathroom holding my motionless and silent son.

9:18 p.m. - Finally the baby (the "FGB") lets out a cry and some color starts to appear. I am experiencing a very mild sense of relief. Kelly tells me to get the baby to my wife's chest and wrap them in towels. In what is the first moment of the experience during which I can remember being mildly amused, I realize that I am standing behind the FGW and that she and the baby are still attached to each other. I do a reverse football snap and hand the baby to her through her legs. At this point my wife is calm but a little unstable and she drops him so that I get to catch him for the second time. (Note my line for the night: 2 catches, 1 yard, no touchdowns). I pass him back to the FGW who hangs on this time and pulls him up to her chest. Aside from the fact that it was taking place in our bathroom, the scene of mother and baby together looks completely natural.

9:19 p.m. - At this point the FGW appears eerily calm to me but is in fact glowing with joy and has the presence of mind to tell me to put towels down in the hallway so we won't stain the carpet on the way to the bedroom. I am in no condition to argue. For the first time, however, I notice that the bathroom looks like a crime scene and the amount of blood on the floor instantly takes me right out of my comfort zone.

9:20 p.m. - Mother and baby slowly make their way down the hall to the bedroom as I race to put towels down in front of them. The amazing thing is that, after what we have just been through, the vision of my wife and 3 minute old child coming down the hall has almost no shock value whatsoever. At this point I am infinitely more concerned with getting someone, anyone, to my house who is qualified to look at this situation and tell me everything is okay.

9:23 p.m. - The FGW and the FGB climb into bed and I cover them with beach towels because my wife doesn't want to ruin the new sheets and blankets we had just bought for our well orchestrated return from the hospital.

"Oh the stork was here
alright. . . and he left a
very messy note." 
9:24 p.m.- I hang-up with Kelly who says she will be there soon. I then run across the street to get our friend Jen who is a nurse. When her husband answers the door I say, "Andy is Jen here, because we just had this baby in our bathtub." Jen comes out of nowhere and sprints past me through the door.

9:25 p.m. - Jen checks out the baby while repeating the phrase "you guys are freaks" (like we did this on purpose). Andy calls another neighbor who is more of an infant specialist. Apparently we live in a good spot for our current predicament but I had run to the wrong house. I make a mental note to collect beeper numbers before we do this again.

9:27 p.m. - Jen informs us that it's a boy, a fact that had gotten completely lost in the shuffle.

9:30 p.m. - The FGW calls her mother (the "FGMIL?") who has an understandably difficult wrapping her mind around the circumstances of the birth.

9:35 p.m. - The infant specialist arrives and she and Jen call the hospital for some guidance. They tie off the cord with some dental floss (nice to finally find a use for that).

9:50 p.m. - Kelly finally arrives and tends to the FGW. For the first time all night I feel a mild sense of relief.

10:05 p.m. - I ceremonially cut the cord and climb into bed with my new family.

10:10 p.m. - Still wired from the evening's events, I jump back out of the bed and start cleaning the house. (On the video I look like I just shot-gunned seven Red Bulls).

10:20 p.m. - Family members arrive and set-up in the living/waiting room.

Monday, April 23rd

1:00 a.m. - Everyone goes home and the three of us go to bed.

5:00 a.m. - I stop shaking.

Email the Fantasy Golf Report at fgr@fantasygolfreport.com.

Tuesday, April 18, 2017

Fantasy Golf: The Valero Texas Open Preview

Wesley Bryan was the third semi-random winner we've had in our top ten over the past few weeks (along with Russell Henley and Adam Hadwin) meaning that all you needed to turn a profit with the FGR advice was to link them up with some schlubs who made the cut. Unfortunately, that's about all I've been able to do as the big DraftKings whale continues to elude me. Well you know what they say. If you want to fish for whale, head on down to Texas. (Ignoring the fact that whales are not fish, that was a stupid non-sequitur. Get your shit together).  

This week is almost as predictable as last week when our top ten included Bryan (1st), Luke Donald (2nd), William McGirt (3rd), Matt Kuchar (11th), Branden Grace (11th), Russell Knox (11th) and Kevin Kisner (11th). Based on past performance in San Antonio, Charley Hoffman, Brendan Steele, Ryan Palmer and Daniel Summerhays are no brainers. You could throw Matt Kuchar into that mix as well but he feels like this week's Lincoln MKZ, way overpriced when you can buy the same quality or better at a 20% discount. 


The obvious one and done pick is Hoffman who is the defending champ and a virtual lock to finish top ten or better. However, I've decided to go off the beaten path this week as I need to make-up some ground on the field so for me it came down to Brendan Steele or Branden Grace. Hmmm Brendan or Branden? I feel like a Palm Beach orthodontist and his wife trying to pick a name for their second son. Screw it, I'm going with Brendan. Also feel free to pick that fuck face Patrick Reed. He came in 2nd here last year and he's lurking which is not something anyone wants to hear about Patrick Reed. Especially if it's followed by "outside in you bushes." 

She could lurk in my bushes anytime.
(Oh no, dad's being creepy again).
The One and Done Pick: Brendan Steele

The DraftKings Ten

Charley Hoffman
$10,700
Branden Grace
$10,000
Brendan Steele
$9,900
Patrick Reed
$9,700
Ryan Palmer
$8,600
J.J. Spaun
$7,800
Sung Kang
$7,400
Danny Lee
$7,100
D. Summerhays
$7,000
Billy Hurley, III
$6,800

Email the Fantasy Golf Report at fgr@fantasygolfreport.com.

Tuesday, April 11, 2017

Fantasy Golf: The RBC Heritage Preview

The preview is going to be a tad thin this week as we're still emotionally hungover from Masters Sunday and we expended 92% of our creative energy writing about The Most Idiotic Golf Article I've Read this Week (see below). Besides, the RBC Heritage is typically one of the more predictable events on tour so just stick with Matt Kuchar, Luke Donald, William McGirt and the other straight knockers who finish top ten every year and you'll be fine.  

Speaking of the Masters, I don't have much to add to an awesome event that basically spoke for itself. I'm sure other writers are droning-on about Sergio's journey, Rose's sportsmanship and the new best player without a major. Yada yada yada. Here is my only comment. Starting with his fourth shot on the 13th hole that led to him saving that crucial par, Sergio may have put-on the greatest twelve shot ball striking display in the history of golf. Think about it.

14th Hole: Perfect drive . . . approach to six feet . . . birdie.

15th Hole: Huge drive . . . 7-iron to twelve feet . . . eagle.

16th Hole: Tee shot to six feet . . . gack . . . par.

17th Hole: Perfect drive . . . second shot under the hole . . . two putt par.

18th Hole: Perfect drive . . . second shot to three feet . . . OH NO!!! . . . par.

Playoff: ANOTHER perfect drive . . . approach to twelve feet . . . birdie . . . ballgame.

That's a fucking clinic and all of those swings had a little "I got your choking dog right HERE!!!" in them. Good for him.
I think they could've found
a more subtle way to get
that guy out of his seat.

On to the RBC Heritage picks.

The One and Done Pick: Matt Kuchar

The DraftKings Ten

Matt Kuchar
$11,500
Branden Grace
$10,000
Kevin Kisner
$9,700
Russell Knox
$8,000
William McGirt
$7,900
Jim Furyk
$7,900
Luke Donald
$7,800
Wesley Bryan
$7,700
Aaron Baddeley
$7,100
Brian Stuard
$6,800

Email the Fantasy Golf Report at fgr@fantasygolfreport.com and follow us on Twitter @FantasyGolfRep.

Monday, April 10, 2017

The Most Idiotic Golf Article I've Read This Week

Nate Scott at FoxSports.com just reminded me why the world needs the Fantasy Golf Report now more than ever thanks to his post Masters list of the "the 9 golfers we most want to see win a major." Now in Nate's defense, he's not really a golf writer (which will become painfully obvious in a minute). A look at Nate's writing credits shows that he likes to dabble in everything from the NFL to the NBA to the MLS (the MLS?). I don't know if he's more qualified to write about any of those and I never will because, after perusing this piece of crap, I will now avoid him like I try to avoid the crazy cashier at my dry cleaner who always mumbles about wanting to kill the asshole son of a bitch customer she had before me.

Here's Nate's list of golfers "we" most "want" to see win a major with selected quotes and FGR commentary (remember . . . THIS IS NOT MY STUPID FUCKING LIST!):

9. Branden Grace 

Most golf fans wouldn't even
recognize this as Branden Grace.
Primarily because it's Andy Sullivan.
We're off to a rocky start. While I'd give Grace a slightly better than 50/50 chance of one day winning a major, I have no burning desire to see him do so. And unless I'm missing some very subtle and subdued underground movement in support of a South African player that most American golf fans couldn't pick out of a lineup that included Alex Noren, Tyrrell Hatton, Bernd Wiesberger and their kid's orthodontist, then I don't think anyone really gives a shit if Branden Grace wins a major. 

8. Brooks Koepka

Apparently the thinking is that, based on his storied three plus year career, Koepka has won over the hearts of fans who now long to see him take his place in golf history alongside other players like Darren Clarke, Jim Furyk and Henrik Stenson, who performed at the highest level for years before finally earning golf's top honor. After seeing Koepka on the list, I assumed the next guy was going to be Jon Rahm or possibly a guy I'd never heard of before. And how about this line on Koepka's inevitable major win . . . "it's coming, and when it does, Koepka may become a lot more well known beyond die hard golf fans." No shit Grantland Rice. That's why they call them "majors."

7. Ian Poulter

According to Nate, "even the craziest USA fan would admit it would be pretty cool for the 41 year-old to finally find his first major." I guess as an American who chooses to passionately root for my home country to win the Ryder Cup, I would fall into that class of "craziest USA fan" so I will speak for the rest of the "crazies" when I say fuck Ian Poulter.

6. Hunter Mahan

There was always really only one
reason to root for Hunter Mahan.
This is the one that inspired me to start spewing venom. Hunter Mahan? Hunter Fucking Mahan?!? Are you shitting me?!? Here's Nate's unique take. "If he could re-find that focus and make a late charge at a major, it would be one of the better stories in golf." Ummm no it wouldn't. If Hunter Mahan won a major, it would immediately plummet into the dark realm of wins by the likes of Stewart Cink, Ben Curtis and Graeme McDowell that we wish had never happened. If Mahan was leading the PGA Championship by two strokes on Sunday, the ratings would be lower than ten minutes of QVC selling glow in the dark frisbees. 

5. Luke Donald

When I saw this one I reacted like Bluto at the sight of Kent Dorman on the screen. Nate apparently thinks that Donald would be a popular winner because in 2011 a/k/a the year that golf forgot, he won the Match Play and the Children's Miracle Network Hospitals Classic which propelled him to #1 in the world despite the fact that everyone knew Rory McIlroy could've beaten him by ten shots using Harry Vardon's clubs. If Donald won the U.S. Open, the lead story on the Golf Channel the next day would be the CVS Health Charity Classic preview.         

4. Steve Stricker

I can't argue with Nate here. I'd love to see Steve Stricker win a major. You know who else I'd like to see win a major? Boris Becker. Why not? He's year younger than Stricker and probably has about the same chance. Nate sites Stricker's tie for 16th at this year's Masters as evidence that this could happen. Sure he only lost by nine shots and finished behind fifteen other players and he had to pull a final round 68 out of his ass to do that but if he had just made one or two more putts . . .          

3. Lee Westwood

Relatively minor beef with Nate on this one considering the overall stupidity of his list but the fact is that Westwood should be #1. He is by all accounts a great guy and clearly has the most worthy resume of any non-major winner considering he's finished top five in eleven of them. So who did Nate the Great place ahead of Westwood?

2. Rickie Fowler

Of course he did. Ooohhh look, shiny. At this point Nate decides to show-off his golf chops by describing Rickie as "the best golfer alive to not have a major" which would be pretty accurate if it wasn't completely wrong. Hideki Matsuyama is ranked higher and kicked Fowler's ass straight-up in a playoff at the 2016 Waste Management Phoenix Open. Or maybe Nate was using the old reliable eye test. Fine. I'll take Jon Rahm and you can have Rickie. First one to win a major. How much you wanna bet? 

1. Matt Kuchar

Can't argue with Nate on putting Kuch #1 but he describes him as "so underrated that he's ceased to be underrated." What in the fuck does that mean? Kuch has won The Players and the Match Play. He's been on four Ryder Cup teams and has eight top ten finishes in majors. If he's not currently considered the best active player never to have won a major, then he's in the top five. Nothing has been more accurately rated since someone described the Honda Accord as the best midsize family sedan for the money.

So here's my advice to Nate. Do some actual research. Write words that make sense. Dump 5-9 on your list and replace them with Matsuyama, Brandt Snedeker, Jon Rahm, Bill Haas and Andrew Johnston (Beef). And leave golf writing to the experts.

Email the Fantasy Golf Report at fgr@fantasygolfreport.com and follow us on Twitter at fgr@fantasygolfrep.

Sunday, April 9, 2017

The Masters Round Four Look Ahead

In the words of Keith Jackson "OH NELLY!" Five of the top six players on the leaderboard played in the last Ryder Cup and three of them are gunning for their first major. The two other players with an outside shot are the green jacket sporting Adam Scott and Charl Schwartzel. Lurking six shots back and probably needing to shoot at least a 64 is the one guy who could actually do it in Rory. Damn D.J. is missing a great freakin' party.

Before round three, I predicted the following finish today:


That's green right?
1. Rickie Fowler
2. Jon Rahm
3. Jordan Spieth
4. Justin Rose
5. Sergio Garcia
6. William McGirt
7. Brandt Snedeker
8. Soren Kjeldsen
9. Rory McIlroy
10. Matt Kuchar

That is still completely viable with two exceptions: (1) Jon Rahm isn't going to make it up to 2nd so drop him to 6th and move everyone else up a spot and (2) replace William McGirt with Charley Hoffman. I backed the wrong journeyman horse. Other that that, I'm going with Jerkstore, Jerkstore is the line . . . JERKSTORE!!! 


If you want some rationale, here you go. Rickie didn't strike it that great yesterday and still shot 71 thanks to his sweet putting stroke. If he's just a hair sharper with the irons today, I see a 68 and either a playoff with Spieth and/or Rose or a one shot win. Sergio is going to make two stupid mistakes on the front and find himself three or four shots back at the turn which will make him start pressing. It's a shame really because I've come to like and appreciate Sergio as the tortured empathy seeking soul who makes millions of dollars playing golf. He's actually kind of pulling it off.    

Saturday, April 8, 2017

The Masters Round Two Recap

Over half the bets I have in play this week are linked to Jordan Spieth in some way, shape or form so that back nine 33 to put him in contention was a welcome sight. However, I can't help but think that his Thursday quad on fifteen is going to haunt him on Sunday when he's still playing catch-up to the guys in front of him who go low today (namely Fowler and Rahm). On the other hand, there are only nine players in front of him and you've got to figure that at least half of those are going to go backwards (sorry Freddie) so who knows? 

A few other thoughts (that was a "thought"?).
  • The British are leaving. So much for that round one theory I pitched yesterday as the Limeys were practically stepping over each other trying to fade from contention. Justin Rose held it together with a 72 but from there you've got Rory (73), Casey (75), Westwood (77), Fitzpatrick (78) and Sullivan (78). Not to mention defending champ and burgeoning historical footnote Danny Willett who missed the cut and dark horse Tyrrell Hatton who shot 80-78. Blimey!  
  • Someone forgot to give Fred Couples the memo that golf on a windy day is supposed to be a grueling and soul crushing death march. Seriously, I'll have what he's having.  
For those in attendance, Daniel 
Berger made the cut so Tori 
Slater may be on the property.
  • If I had to re-pick going into the third round, I'd probably take Rickie Fowler. When the greens get firmer and faster this weekend, chipping and putting are going to be key and Rickie is doing both exceptionally well at this point. 
  • There's always one guy who comes out of nowhere on the weekend to crash the top ten. I like Brandt Snedeker. Again, chipping and putting.  
  • If I had to project the final top ten right now because if I didn't, you'd make me watch Scott Van Pelt and Curtis Strange sit in a little cabin in front of a bunch of stupid looking plants and state obvious things about golf, I'd go with: 1. Fowler, 2. Rahm, 3. Spieth, 4. Rose, 5. Garcia, 6. McGirt, 7. Snedeker, 8. Kjeldesen, 9. McIlroy, 10. Kuchar. How freakin' awesome would that be?

Email the Fantasy Golf Report at fgr@fantasygolfreport.com and follow us on Twitter at fgr@fantasygolfrep