Wednesday, July 10, 2019

Fantasy Golf: The John Deere Classic Preview

So after effectively blowing-off last week's preview and then having a five day weekend to get a jump on this one, here I am again on Wednesday morning scrambling for something to say. And it's not like I didn't have the time. On Thursday I played one almost full round of golf before the pro threatened our membership status if we finished the 18th twenty minutes after the horn went off (supposedly). Then I tried to play another round where I started birdie-birdie before the horn went-off, waited almost an hour to hit it to five feet on the third hole before the horn went-off again and then waited another hour for "them" to close the course. When "they" came to get us, I may have muttered something along the lines of "it's fucking dirt and grass."  

The weekend wasn't a total loss, however, as I did caddie my daughter to a win in the 12-13 year old six-hole division of the junior club championship. We almost had a Van de Velde moment on the final hole when she had a three shot lead and insisted on chipping her fourth shot from the fringe instead of putting it to safety and consequently made an 8. When I told her I was right about using the putter, she came back over the top and said she was right because she won. I'm meeting Michael Greller later for drinks so we can commiserate.    

Finally, I ended the weekend by having lunch and a couple of beers while reminiscing with old high school friends from out of town which somehow managed to turn the standard FGR Sunday evening misery spiral into the emotional version of this Russian chairlift. (Note to self: no more nostalgic events on Sundays).



Things improved a bit on Monday and Tuesday when I got to yell at some people I've never met before on a conference call for being idiots, deal with the human resources side of the opioid crisis and write a letter that included the phrase "choke on it mutherfucker" in the first two drafts before my better judgment took over. Go ahead and ask me why I'm cranky. No really. Go ahead.    

And that's how we got here. Let's talk some fucking golf. But first, we need a mood swing. 

GOLFBABES TWEET OF THE WEEK

THIS WEEK'S ANALYSIS

Finally some order is restored as we return to the friendly confines of TPC Deere Run in scenic Silvis, Illinois which is just north of Coal Valley and west of Carbon Cliff (seriously). Asbestos Hollow used to sit just east but they had to change the name after, you know, "The Problems."

Steve Stricker and Zach Johnson have been dominant on this course over the years with guys like Ryan Moore, Brian Harman and Bryson DeChambeau popping-in for the occasional win. So clearly it's a course that suits dorks which is fine because we love dork courses at the FGR due to the consistent results they produce. Unfortunately, Stricker and DeChambeau aren't in the field this week so we need to find some other dorks to team-up with ZJ and Harman.

The most obvious guy is Joaquin Niemann who seems to love this part of the PGA schedule. That's a huge advantage because all of the good players are either focusing on the British Open or other summer activities that all fall into the category of not playing golf in the middle of the country. Everyone is keyed-in on the more higher profile young dudes right now so it's a good opportunity for guys like Niemann and Doc Redman to slide-in under the radar.

Speaking of the young dudes, they do not typically have a lot of success in Silvis. Maybe it's because even the salads at the local Applebee's are high in saturated fat but, whatever the reason, you'll be more likely to see Johnson Wagner or Jonathan Byrd in the top ten than Matthew Wolf or Viktor Hovland. I think the really crusty guys know this is one of the last places they can compete so they get really geared-up for it. It's basically the journeyman's Masters.  

We usually class it up with a golf course
picture here but this is a tradition and you
know what we always say about tradition.*
One and Done Pick: Zach Johnson

Other Guy I'd Pick: Joaquin Niemann


Sleeper Pick: Doc Redman


DraftKings Top Ten Values


Joaquin Niemann
$10,200
Zach Johnson
$9,600
Brian Harman
$9,400
Kyle Stanley
$8,800
Joel Dahmen
$8,400
Scott Brown
$8,300
Bronson Burgoon
$7,800
Doc Redman
$7,200
Johnson Wagner
$7,200
Scott Stallings
$7,000

There's not a lot of past consistency outside the likes of ZJ, Harman and Wagner but, if you look a little deeper, you'll note that this is one of the courses Scott Brown uses to keep his card and the same can be said of Chris Stroud. If you're looking for a super bargain flyer to complete an otherwise scintillating roster, he could be your guy.

                                  THE BEER BATTERED BUFFALO ZUCCHINI
                                      HISTORICAL PERFORMANCE CHART


DK Price
2018
2017
2016
2015
2014
Viktor Hovland
$10,900
DNP
DNP
DNP
DNP
DNP
Collin Morikawa
$10,700
DNP
DNP
DNP
DNP
DNP
Matthew Wolf
$10,500
DNP
DNP
DNP
DNP
DNP
Joaquin Niemann
$10,200
T23
DNP
DNP
DNP
DNP
Kevin Streelman
$10,000
T7
T44
DNP
MC
MC
Lucas Glover
$9,800
DNP
T25
DNP
MC
MC
Sungjae Im
$9,700
DNP
DNP
DNP
DNP
DNP
Zach Johnson
$9,600
T16
T5
T34
T3
2nd
Charles Howell, III
$9,500
DNP
T19
DNP
T60
T23
Brian Harman
$9,400
DNP
T10
MC
T24
1st
Daniel Berger
$9,300
DNP
T5
DNP
DNP
DNP
Ryan Moore
$9,200
T55
MC
1st
T24
T7
Sam Burns
$9,100
DNP
DNP
DNP
DNP
DNP
Wyndham Clark
$9,000
DNP
MC
DNP
DNP
DNP
Kevin Tway
$8,900
T50
T12
DNP
DNP
T52
Kyle Stanley
$8,800
MC
T55
T22
T18
T63
Bud Cauley
$8,700
DNP
T12
DNP
DNP
T52
Nate Lashley
$8,500
DNP
DNP
DNP
DNP
DNP
Joel Dahmen
$8,400
T2
MC
DNP
DNP
DNP
Scott Brown
$8,300
T12
T25
T16
MC
T5
Martin Laird
$8,200
DNP
DNP
DNP
DNP
DNP
Nick Watney
$8,000
T60
MC
DNP
DNP
DNP
Bronson Burgoon
$7,800
T2
DNP
T47
DNP
DNP
Cameron Tringale
$7,700
MC
T50
DNP
DNP
DNP
Vaughn Taylor
$7,700
T34
T19
MC
T44
DNP
Cameron Champ
$7,600
DNP
DNP
DNP
DNP
DNP
Danny Lee
$7,600
DQ
W/D
DNP
T3
MC
Denny McCarthy
$7,500
T34
DNP
DNP
DNP
DNP
Brian Stuard
$7,400
DNP
MC
DNP
T18
MC
Harold Varner
$7,400
6th
MC
DNP
DNP
DNP
Jhonattan Vegas
$7,400
DNP
DNP
DNP
T44
T3
Nick Taylor
$7,400
T34
MC
MC
MC
DNP
Ryan Armour
$7,300
DNP
MC
DNP
T60
DNP
Carlos Ortiz
$7,200
DNP
DNP
MC
MC
DNP
Doc Redman
$7,200
DNP
DNP
DNP
DNP
DNP
Johnson Wagner
$7,200
T16
MC
T5
T5
T7
Scott Stallings
$7,000
MC
T5
T16
DNP
MC
Seamus Power
$6,800
T16
T25
DNP
DNP
DNP
Chris Stroud
$6,600
T30
T19
MC
T5
T59
Richy Werenski
$6,400
T23
T25
DNP
DNP
DNP

Footnote

*Don't fuck with it.

Email the Fantasy Golf Report at fgr@fantasygolfreport.com