Wednesday, May 29, 2019

Fantasy Golf: The Memorial Preview

Ah the dreaded short week with the 2:30 p.m. Tuesday meeting followed by a 5:30 p.m. tennis match. It's a set of circumstances that has plagued fantasy golf writers for decades. Especially those of us who sit around all day on Monday lamenting the fact that we really should get a jump on writing but instead watch a lacrosse game and about fifteen minutes of seven different movies. (Oooh The Martian). 

Don't fret, however, as you will find all of the necessary information below to make an educated decision. Thank God for that big dumb chart I came up with because it's instant content when the well is otherwise dry. It's times like this when I would like to channel a younger more churlish FGR sitting in a Chili's during the 16th round of a fantasy football draft when my friend Matt asked if he could take a look at my list of kickers and I responded "do your own fucking research." Alas I have slightly matured and now feel obliged to offer my keen insight. But first, this. 

GOLFBABES TWEET OF THE WEEK


THIS WEEK'S ANALYSIS

The Memorial used to be one of the more reliable events on tour back in the days when a top tier player like Tiger Woods, Tom Lehman, Greg Norman or Tom Watson would win it every year. Kenny Perry would pop-in for a title every now and then but we came to accept that as part of the deal for this tournament being the best non-major on tour (yeah that's right). But then in 2005, journeyman Bart Bryant won it and the cherubic Swede Carl Pettersson followed that by taking the title in 2006. 

Things got back on track from 2007 through 2014 as Tiger won it twice with solid players like Justin Rose, Matt Kuchar and Hideki Matsuyama also getting it done but then it happened again in 2015 and 2016 with back to back wins by David Lingmerth and William McGirt. And that's about the time when Jack Nicklaus started leveraging his brand by selling freakin' ice cream. My goddamn head was spinning. We've righted the ship a bit since then with Jason Dufner and Bryson DeChambeau but clearly still have a ways to go before this event returns to its previous glory. I'm going to be optimistic and bet that we continue on that upward trend. I mean what in the hell else am I supposed to do? Pick Adam Fucking Hadwin? He's Canadian for Chrissakes! 

I've been waiting for the right moment to pick Rickie Fowler and suddenly here we are. He's got a great track record at Muirfield but, more importantly, this is one of those tournaments that can feel like a major without actually being a major so it's right in his wheelhouse. If he wins here, I look forward to more discussion of the new BIG ELEVEN to include him, Brooks Koepka, Rory McIlroy and as many other guys as you need to throw into the mix to include Rickie in a BIG something. (For the record, I really like Rickie . . . just not as much as those who REALLY like Rickie).

The rest of the picks kind of make themselves because they have to as I have a noon shotgun start and need to begin my meticulous and grueling three hour pre-tournament routine. There is gaping hole in my trophy case where the Baltimore County Bar Association Golf Tournament trophy should be and I intend to fill it. 

I had to start putting pictures of golf courses here
because people on Reddit mistook this for a soft
core porn/golf site. Maybe they're onto something.
One and Done Pick: Rickie Fowler

Other Guy I'd Pick: Matt Kuchar

Sleeper Pick: Bill Haas

DraftKings Top Ten Values

Rickie Fowler
$10,600
Patrick Cantlay
$10,200
Matt Kuchar
$9,400
Hideki Matsuyama
$9,100
Adam Scott
$8,700
Marc Leishman
$8,000
Emiliano Grillo
$7,900
Byeon Hun An
$7,400
Bill Haas
$6,700
David Lingmerth
$6,300

A couple things worth noting on the historical performance chart. First, Jason Day hasn't done squat which is surprising considering the course would seem to suit his game. You could make the case that he's due but that record would indicate a disconnect between golfer and layout. Second, over the last four years, Marc Leishman, Kevin Streelman and David Lingmerth have combined for eight top 20's and a win proving that the key is to keep it in play for four days and just hang around. See also Matt Kuchar, Kevin Kisner and Bill Haas. (I'm so fucking lazy this week that I lifted this whole paragraph straight-out of last year's preview . . . at least I'm honest). 

              THE JACK NICKLAUS CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIE DOUGH
                      ICE CREAM HISTORICAL PERFORMANCE CHART


DK Price
2018
2017
2016
2015
2014
Rory McIlroy
$11,500
T8
DNP
T4
DNP
T15
Tiger Woods
$11,200
T23
DNP
DNP
71st
DNP
Justin Rose
$10,800
T6
DNP
DNP
2nd
MC
Rickie Fowler
$10,600
T8
T2
MC
MC
MC
Patrick Cantlay
$10,200
4th
T35
DNP
DNP
DNP
Jordan Spieth
$9,900
MC
T13
T57
T3
T19
Tony Finau
$9,600
T13
T40
T11
T8
DNP
Matt Kuchar
$9,400
T13
T4
T4
T26
T15
Justin Thomas
$9,300
T8
T4
MC
MC
T37
Jason Day
$9,200
T44
T15
T27
MC
T37
Hideki Matsuyama
$9,100
T13
T45
MC
T5
1st
Xander Schauffele
$9,000
MC
DNP
DNP
DNP
DNP
Bryson DeChambeau
$8,900
1st
DNP
T38
DNP
DNP
Gary Woodland
$8,800
T23
T49
T4
MC
T57
Adam Scott
$8,700
T35
T31
DNP
DNP
DNP
Louis Oosthuizen
$8,600
T13
DNP
DNP
DNP
DNP
Henrik Stenson
$8,500
T13
DNP
DNP
DNP
DNP
Rory Sabbatini
$8,300
T44
DNP
DNP
T24
MC
Phil Mickelson
$8,100
T13
T22
T20
T65
T49
Marc Leishman
$8,000
T62
T15
T11
T5
T37
Emiliano Grillo
$7,900
T23
T40
T11
DNP
DNP
Kevin Kisner
$7,900
T74
T6
MC
T8
T46
Kyle Stanley
$7,800
T2
T6
DNP
DNP
74
Lucas Glover
$7,800
T52
T45
T33
T68
T69
Billy Horschel
$7,700
MC
MC
DNP
T11
T15
Sung Kang
$7,700
T57
75th
DNP
DNP
DNP
Tyrrell Hatton
$7,700
DNP
DNP
DNP
DNP
DNP
Keegan Bradley
$7,600
T23
MC
T8
T8
T37
Luke List
$7,600
T37
MC
DNP
DNP
DNP
Matthew Fitzpatrick
$7,600
DNP
DNP
DNP
DNP
DNP
Hao-Tong Li
$7,500
DNP
DNP
DNP
DNP
DNP
Jim Furyk
$7,500
MC
MC
T52
T5
T19
Byeon Hun An
$7,400
T2
T25
T11
DNP
DNP
Charley Hoffman
$7,400
MC
T45
DNP
DNP
T19
Jason Dufner
$7,400
MC
1st
T33
T24
T19
Kevin Streelman
$7,400
T44
T13
T8
T18
MC
Charles Howell, III
$7,300
T65
DNP
T48
T31
T57
Joaquin Niemann
$7,300
T6
DNP
DNP
DNP
DNP
Ryan Moore
$7,300
T13
MC
T48
T18
T19
Peter Uihlein
$7,200
5th
T25
DNP
DNP
DNP
Adam Hadwin
$7,100
T74
MC
T11
T57
DNP
Keith Mitchell
$7,100
MC
DNP
DNP
DNP
DNP
Russell Knox
$7,100
T44
T65
64th
T18
MC
Cameron Smith
$7,000
MC
T65
DNP
MC
DNP
Joel Dahmen
$7,000
DNP
DNP
DNP
DNP
DNP
Danny Lee
$6,900
MC
T49
T52
MC
DNP
J.B. Holmes
$6,900
T13
MC
T4
DNP
T75
Bill Haas
$6,700
T57
T25
MC
T18
T8
Anirban Lahiri
$6,600
T37
T2
T61
DNP
DNP
David Lingmerth
$6,300
T29
T15
T27
1st
T49

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