Wednesday, March 31, 2021

Fantasy Golf: The Valero Texas Open Preview

This week is a perfect example of the "Tringale Rule" which is of course named after professional golfer Cameron Tringale who has been on the PGA Tour since 2010 with no wins. He has played in eleven majors and missed the cut four times, been DQ'd twice (an interesting accomplishment) and never finished better than T38. He has a respectable but unspectacular $13,127,013 in career earnings which puts him 151st all-time right between Jhonattan Vegas and Alex Cejka . . . the golfing equivalent of a two-bedroom townhouse in a neighborhood with good schools but no steakhouse (Outback doesn't count).  

So what is the "Tringale Rule" you may ask if you're actually still reading? Well the "Tringale Rule" (which I invented five minutes ago) is the perfect way to measure the strength of a PGA tournament field. To apply it, you will need two things: (a) Cameron Tringale in the field, and (b) DraftKings salaries. Then you just look-up Tringale's salary for the week and use the following chart to determine the strength of the field. 


This week Tringale's salary is $9,300 so the field by definition sucks and that was before Dustin Johnson bailed to go spelunking with Jeff Probst and Bobby Flay. But I'm going to write about it anyway because I find it soothing. Speaking of which . . . 

TWEET OF THE WEEK

I read tweets like this and feel like I should take comfort in the fact that I'm not alone but no one who feels like this really takes comfort in anything. 


GOLF ANALYSIS THAT HANDLES LIKE A MIATA

Scottie Scheffler seems like the obvious pick coming-off his second place finish last week and his T20 here last year. Not to mention, he was born in Texas, went to the University of Texas and just oozes Texas like Bum Phillips ranting about secession while riding a mechanical bull. The only thing the golf world loves to love more than Texas is bragging about donating 1/10th the cost of a corporate tent to local charities. Anyway, I'm picking Scheffler.

I have to admit that there was a temptation to pick Jordan Spieth this week but, if you actually think he's back, then grow a pair and save him for the Masters or the British Open. At least that's what I literally told myself. 

Corey Connors, Ryan Palmer, Matt Kuchar and Zach Johnson all bring that savory combination of current form and past success. You might be surprised to know that Zach Johnson has made 14 straight cuts since the PGA Championship and just finished T8 at the Honda Classic. I know I was. 

The rest of the picks are kind of sleeper/chalky for lack of a better word (that's two words). I am, however, very intrigued by the Kevin Chappell comeback story. He won this event and finished T7 at the Masters in 2017 and climbed to 23rd in the world. Then in 2018 he went out with an injury before coming back in 2019 and shooting a 59 at the Greenbrier on his way to a tie for 47th with your typical run of 71-59-73-72. He's since been on a bit of a rollercoaster ride of down weeks combined with glimpses of his old form. In other words, exactly my kind of guy.   

One and Done Pick: Scottie Scheffler 
Chappell was rocking the flat brim
and crafting artisanal cocktails before
they were considered insufferable

Other Guy I'd Pick: Ryan Palmer 

Sleeper Pick: Kevin Chappell 

DraftKings Top Ten Values


Scottie Scheffler

$10,400

Corey Connors

$9,500

Ryan Palmer

$9,400

Matt Kuchar

$9,000

Zach Johnson

$8,500

Harold Varner, III

$7,900

Ryan Moore

$7,900

Ben An

$7,500

Martin Laird

$7,100

Kevin Chappell

$6,900


Not a lot to see in this week's Historical Performance Chart unless you have a weird fascination with the letters "DNP." 

                                 THE MATT GAETZ COMPANION PASS
                                 HISTORICAL PERFORMANCE CHART 

 

DK Price

2019

2018

2017

2016

2015

Dustin Johnson (O)

$11,800

DNP

DNP

DNP

DNP

T6

Tony Finau

$11,000

T61

DNP

T3

DNP

T68

Jordan Spieth

$10,700

T30

DNP

DNP

DNP

2nd

Scottie Scheffler

$10,400

T20

DNP

DNP

DNP

DNP

Hideki Matsuyama

$10,100

DNP

MC

DNP

DNP

DNP

Abraham Ancer

$9,700

T42

T58

DNP

T42

DNP

Corey Connors

$9,500

1st

T26

DNP

DNP

DNP

Ryan Palmer

$9,400

MC

MC

T6

T4

T6

Cameron Tringale

$9,300

T17

MC

MC

T60

T40

Charley Hoffman

$9,200

2nd

T64

T40

1st

T11

Brendon Steele

$9,100

T42

T30

T62

T13

T8

Matt Kuchar

$9,000

T7

T51

T40

T42

T15

Cameron Davis

$8,800

MC

DNP

DNP

DNP

DNP

Lanto Griffin

$8,700

DNP

DNP

DNP

DNP

DNP

Zach Johnson

$8,500

DNP

5th

MC

T29

T20

Keegan Bradley

$8,400

DNP

T45

MC

T37

DNP

Adam Hadwin

$8,300

DNP

DNP

T72

DNP

MC

Joel Dahmen

$8,200

T69

T75

MC

DNP

DNP

Rickie Fowler

$8,100

T17

DNP

DNP

DNP

DNP

Aaron Wise

$8,000

DNP

MC

T72

DNP

MC

Sam Burns

$8,000

T23

DNP

DNP

DNP

MC

Harold Varner, III

$7,900

T23

MC

T40

T9

DNP

Ryan Moore

$7,900

3rd

7th

T18

DNP

DNP

Branden Grace

$7,800

DNP

DNP

T10

T9

T30

Charles Howell, III

$7,800

DNP

DNP

DNP

DNP

MC

Danny Willet

$7,700

DNP

DNP

DNP

DNP

DNP

Matt Wallace

$7,700

DNP

DNP

DNP

DNP

DNP

Andrew Putnam

$7,600

T36

T8

DNP

DNP

T72

Gary Woodland

$7,600

DNP

DNP

DNP

DNP

DNP

Sebastian Munoz

$7,600

MC

DNP

T27

DNP

DNP

Byeong-Hun An

$7,500

T7

DNP

T40

DNP

DNP

Erik Van Rooyen

$7,500

DNP

DNP

DNP

DNP

DNP

Phil Mickelson

$7,500

DNP

DNP

DNP

MC

T30

Jhonny Vegas

$7,400

T30

MC

T34

MC

T68

John Huh

$7,400

DNP

MC

T22

MC

T35

Sam Ryder

$7,400

DNP

T36

DNP

DNP

DNP

Denny McCarthy

$7,300

MC

T20

DNP

DNP

DNP

Doug Ghim

$7,300

DNP

DNP

DNP

DNP

DNP

Lucas Glover

$7,300

T14

DNP

DNP

DNP

MC

Sepp Straka

$7,300

MC

DNP

DNP

DNP

DNP

Adam Long

$7,200

MC

DNP

DNP

DNP

DNP

K.H. Lee

$7,200

T14

DNP

DNP

DNP

DNP

Harry Higgs

$7,100

DNP

DNP

DNP

DNP

DNP

Martin Laird

$7,100

T36

T11

T18

DNP

T50

Matthew NeSmith

$7,100

DNP

DNP

DNP

DNP

DNP

Cameron Champ

$7,000

DNP

T73

DNP

DNP

DNP

Russell Knox

$7,000

DNP

MC

DNP

DNP

DNP

Tom Hoge

$7,000

MC

MC

DNP

T9

MC

Kevin Chappell

$6,900

DNP

T30

1st

T4

T66

Nate Lashley

$6,900

DNP

MC

DNP

DNP

DNP

Rory Sabbatini

$6,900

T36

DNP

DNP

MC

T26

Jim Furyk

$6,800

T23

T26

DNP

DNP

DNP

Andrew Landry

$6,700

MC

1st

DNP

T51

DNP

Brian Stuard

$6,700

T4

T36

MC

T55

T64

Doc Redman

$6,600

DNP

DNP

DNP

DNP

DNP

Peter Malnati

$6,500

T23

T64

MC

T13

DNP


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