The Mulligan: The Masters

Even the casual golf fans are excited about this week's Masters. Tiger is back and for many, the Masters signals the start of the spring golf season. To win at Augusta, you need length off the tee and nerves of steel. You need to putt well and get a few lucky breaks. For a good article about what it takes to score well at Augusta these days, click here. The first major of the year will set the tone for the rest of the season and everyone wants to come out and play their best this week.

Retief Goosen is my pick to win this week. He has finished in second place at The Masters twice before and he has yet to hang a green jacket in his closet. He has two US Open victories and he likes Augusta. He has played very well in 2010, with five Top-6 finishes so far including a victory at the Tavistock Cup. He is 3rd in total putting and 24th in total driving. This might be the year for Goosen to get his Green Jacket.

Steve Stricker played very well here last year where he finished tied for sixth. With the exception of his final two rounds at Bay Hill two weeks ago, Stricker has played extremely well this season as well. Don't count him out. He is coming off of a week of rest that I think will recharge the batteries and leave him playing his best. If he is on, there might be no one who can beat him.

Justin Leonard might surprise some people this week and compete for the title. This is not far enough off base of a pick to make a sleeper, but it is close. His best finish so far this season is a tie for 17th at the Honda Classic, so it is a bit of a reach. Maybe I just have a gut feeling about him this week. Leonard has a British Open title to his name so we know he has the nerve's to close out with the pressure on. He might surprise this week.

The Mulligan: Shell Houston Open

This week the Tour makes a stop in Houston for the Shell Houston Open. This is one of those courses where certain players just play well for whatever reason. I look for players with past success to have similar results this year.

Hunter Mahan has a great track record here and he is playing well. He finished last season very well and I think he is going to play that way for the entire 2010. Hunter Mahan is the real deal on the PGA Tour and he is a no brainer when playing on a course that he loves. Look for Mahan to get his 2nd win of the season sometime soon. Will it be this week?

Unless you have been living under a rock, you should know that Ernie Els is going to play well this week. Have you been watching him recently? If not, you should check out the Big Easy's smooth swingin' game this week. He is one of my favorite players to watch when he is on. And he is ON!

Paul Casey won here last year. If you are a regular follower of The Mulligan, you know that I pick Casey quite a bit and that I am very fond of his game and think he is one of the nicest guys on Tour. He tied for fourth at the Honda, and sixth at Doral. I am pulling for him this week.

SLEEPER: Fred Couples should not be overlooked this week. He finished in the Top 5 here in each of the past two years. Also, he is playing better than the Butler Bulldog basketball team (whom I am cheering for to win it all) right now. He has won, not one, not two, but THREE STRAIGHT wins on the Champions Tour.

The Mulligan: The Arnold Palmer

This week the Tour is headed to the Arnold Palmer Invitational which is played on beautiful Bay Hill. It is back to playing at a Par 72 this year (not a Par 70 as it was last year) and, naturally, it packs some extra distance for those two strokes. I have some common names for you this week as well as an EXTRA SPECIAL sleeper pick based on nothing other than my gut feeling.

Here is what I said last week about Jim Furyk: "I didn't pick Jim Furyk for this event because I picked him last year and he let us down. This is his type of course, so I would not be surprised to see him play well this week. However, I am not making him one of my picks because he has let me down virtually every time I have picked him. So I am sort of giving you a cocktail made up of 2 parts support and 1 part skepticism with Furyk." He won last week, so I don't want to jinx anything by picking him, but I think he will play well again.

Can you tell me who is number one this season in both earnings and FedEx Cup points? Lucky for you, you don't have to. That is my job. It is the new big force on Tour, Steve Stricker. I am taking Stricker this week because he has picked up in 2010 right where he left off in 2009. I honestly don't think it matters what course he is playing right now. I am picking Stricker until he shows some sign of slowing down.

I also look for Nick Watney to have a good week at Bay Hill. He finished tied for 4th here last season and he is playing well right now. He is coming off a 4th place finish last week where is putter was on fire. Those are two reasons to pick Nick.

Since I didn't give you faithful Mulligan readers a sleeper pick last week, I am going to give you an extra special sleeper pick this week. Charles Schwartzel has two non-PGA victories this season and he finished 2nd at the WGC-CA Championship this year. I think Bay Hill shapes up nicely for the 25 year old and the confidence of early success in 2010 is the icing on the cake.

The Mulligan: The Transitions Championship

This week the Tour heads to Tampa for the Traditions Championship. The players will be on the Copperhead Course at Innisbrook, a beautiful course and a wonderful place to play this time of year (so I hear). This is a tougher course that does not offer a lot of scoring opportunities, so ball striking is going to be at a premium. I am going to pick some precision players this week for this reason.

First, Steve Stricker is poised to have a good week in Tampa. He played well here last year (Tied for 4th) and he hits greens in regulation as well as anybody. Don't be surprised if this is the week that Stricker begins to look like the player we saw toward the second half of last season. Mainly, I am picking him because he is a good "Ball Stricker!"

I expect one of the players Stricker tied with at last years event to play well this week also. Matt Goggin is a long ball hitter that seems to like this course. If he is on this week, watch him bomb it down the fairway and then hit greens all day long. If he strikes the ball as well as he can, he should improve on last years tie for 4th finish.

Finally, Retief Goosen won here last season and there is no reason to think he won't perform again. He has 3 Top-10 finishes this season in only 5 starts. So he is playing well AND he has good history at Innisbrook. No brainer.

I didn't pick Jim Furyk for this event because I picked him last year and he let us down. This is his type of course, so I would not be surprised to see him play well this week. However, I am not making him one of my picks because he has let me down virtually every time I have picked him. So I am sort of giving you a cocktail made up of 2 parts support and 1 part skepticism with Furyk.

The Mulligan: Putting a Premium at Phoenix

I want to start by patting myself on the back for my cleverly alliterative title. I wanted to work "Phil" in there somehow, but couldn't figure it out. I would pay a pretty penny to putt my Pinnacles like Phil in Phoenix. . . Anyway, the Tour heads back to Phoenix this week for the craziest stop on Tour. The fans always come out to party in Phoenix and cheer on the hometown heroes (many PGA players live in the area). TPC Scottsdale is a course of average difficulty and you can expect putting to be the difference this week (and I needed another P for my title). For this reason, I am going with players with hot putters in 2010 who have seen success here in the past.

First, Brian Gay is really emerging as one of the best players on Tour, but there are certain courses that seem to suit him better than others. He has played well so far this year. He plays well at TPC Scottsdale and he finished tied for sixth here last year. He is putting well this season (actually second on Tour) and he has the type of game that is really consistent on the courses he likes. He is a no-brainer this week. My crystal ball (actually an 8 ball that one of my college roomates stole from a bar) tells me he will hoist a trophy this week.

I also expect the best putter on Tour this season, Brandt Snedeker, to play well in Scottsdale. Snedeker has finished 21st or better in four starts in 2010, likely thanks to his solid putting thus far. He did miss the cut here last year, but he finished tied for eighth in 2008. I think he will have a good week.

Phil Mickelson has had an average 2010 to this point, but everyone loves him in Phoenix. Could this be his breakout week? Maybe, maybe not. I am speculating here, but despite his bad putting in 2010 I think Phil will have a good week like he usually does when he converses with the crowd during a tournament.

Sleeper: This week’s sleeper pick is based 100% on a gut feeling. There is no plausible reason for this pick other than the fact that I want to pick him. Boo Weekley is the type of guy who can ride the raucous Phoenix crowd to a good finish intermingled with a few Happy Gilmore style putter-as-bull dances – Ridin’ the Bull Baby.

The Mulligan: Southern Hospitality

This week the Tour heads to Annandale Golf Club in Madison, Mississippi for the Viking Classic and some southern hospitality. The Par 72 Jack Nicklaus designed course measures in at 7,299 yards. Look for some excitement on the Par 5 hole 18 that is laden with water.

Chad Campbell has put up eight rounds in a row posting scores of 70 or better so he is clearly a momentum play this week. To top it off, he won here in 2007 so he is also a good choice because we know he likes the course. Look for Campbell to have a good week.

David Toms lives just down the road from the course in Shreveport so he should have some support from the fans. Also, Toms has played well here in the past including a T-8 finish here last year. Toms has enjoyed a good 2009, and he is really just looking to add a little icing to the cake with a strong finish to the season.

I have said this a few times already this year, but it is worth repeating. Mike Sim is one of the players of the future on the PGA Tour. He is the best player on the Nationwide Tour and it is just a matter of time for him to break through. I think the fall classic is a great time for him to step up and pave the way for his success next season as well. Sim finished 2nd last week on the Nationwide Tour and I look for him to play well in this week's PGA event.

Good luck this week and let's keep moving to the top of the fantasy golf rankings.

The Mulligan: The Frys.com Open

This week the Tour heads to Scottsdale, Arizona for the Frys.com Open. As we all know, there are a lot of PGA Tour members who make their home in Scottsdale, and many live very close to this week's venue, Grayhawk Golf Club. The Tour is making its 3rd trip to Grayhawk, and a few players have played extremely well on this course. There are only two Par 5s on Grayhawk, so one would expect the long-ballers to struggle. That has not been the case here, however, as the wide fairways accomodate the bombers despite the lack of Par 5s. In fact, three of the Top-10 finishers last year averaged over 300 yards per drive. Therefore, I am looking for momentum plays and players who have played well here in the past. So, who will play well this week?

First, Mike Weir should play well at Grayhawk this week. He has a win here, and he has posted a score of 14 under par in both of his outings. He looked sharp at the Presidents Cup as well, so he has decent momentum coming in. With all those pros living nearby, I think a Canadian will take the trophy this week in the desert.

Look for Justin Leonard to have a good week as well. He finished 6th here in 2007 (he didn't play this event last year), so it appears that he can handle the course. Plus, Leonard is one of those guys who seems to love playing in the desert. He was born in Dallas and went to the University of Texas, so he should have decent crowd support too.

I also think Tim Clark will have a good week. He was the man at the Presidents Cup and he is simply due to win on the PGA Tour. He is too good of a player to be winless despite 194 starts. He might get it done this week in Arizona.

Sleeper Pick: George McNeill might turn some heads this week. He has two Top-10's this year and he looked VERY sharp last week where he finished 2nd after losing a playoff. Plus he has finished in the Top-16 in his two starts at the Frys.com Open. He is the perfect sleeper this week.

Good luck this week and let's keep moving to the top of the fantasy golf rankings!

The Mulligan: Viva Las Vegas

The Justin Timberlake Shriners Hospitals for Children Open kicks off this week with a pro am early in the week and the tournament this weekend. This should be a fun weekend filled with beautiful fall Vegas weather, celebrities, charity and great golf.

I never thought I would say this, but despite the mental scarring that N'SYNC music left in my brain, I kinda like Justin Timberlake. He supports golf. He generously supports charity. And his music has gotten much less annoying over time. To top it all off he was able to get Johnny Drama for the Pro Am. VICTORY!!!!! JT, you are okay in my book.

In all seriousness, Timberlake really is becoming a major part of the golf world. He recently purchased a golf course in Memphis, and he is a regular at Pro Ams throughout the year. He's good too, shooting an 88 at Bethpage Black and a 98 at Torrey Pines. Additionally, he hosts this week's charity tournament at TPC Summerlin in Vegas. The tournament raises a lot of money for Shriner's Hospitals, a great cause.

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Okay, enough about the host. Here are my weekly picks.

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First, I think Charlie Hoffman will have a good week in Vegas. He has the distance to compete here and he has that nice consistent tee-shot that should bode well on this course. He finished T-15th here last year, so we know he can handle the course. He has the game to win here, it is just a matter of execution for him this week.

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I am going to remain on the Hunter Mahan train. I have picked him many times this season, and this is not the time to stop. Going with Mahan has paid off for us too. He has six Top-10 finishes already this season. He is ranked 5th in Birdie Average, 19th in GIR %, and 9th in Total Driving. The only thing missing from this great year for Hunter is a victory. He might just get one this weekend.

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Finally, it is hard to pick against Anthony Kim right now. He played very well at the President's Cup last weekend and he has finished 2nd once and 3rd twice this season. He is ranked 2nd in putting average and 18th in Driving Distance on Tour, and a well rounded game like that should bode well this week. Look for Kim to play well.

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This should be a great week for golf and you should watch some this weekend if you get a chance.

The Mulligan: Bring on the Fall

Tiger Woods took a $10 Million payday for winning the FedEx Cup last weekend, and now the Tour moves on to The Turning Stone Resort Championship at The Atunyote Golf Club. The course plays at over 7,500 yards so the long hitters should play well this week.

Dustin Johnson has been one of my favorite breakout stories this season, and I would like to see him get one more win to cap off the year. Johnson won this tournament last year, and he is a long hitter (3rd on Tour in Driving Distance) so I really like his chances this week. Johnson was not as effective during the last few weeks of the playoffs as he has been most of the season, but I think he will be back to the DJ we saw during the AT&T (where he won) and the PGA (where he finished in the Top 10).

I have said it before and I will say it again. Mike Sim is the best golfer you have never heard of. It is only a matter of time before he has a breakout tournament, and a I think this could be the week. Sim is an all around good player and he is finally on Tour with an exemption from winning 3 times on the Nationwide Tour.

Matt Goggin (aka The Tazmanian Devil) has finished in the top five at Turning Stone in 2 out of 2 starts. Why? Because he is a bomber and this course fits his game perfectly. He is ranked 27th on Tour in Total Driving and he hits the ball pretty far. His driving distance numbers have been down this season, and I am really not sure why. I have a feeling he will unleash the big dog this week and the Tazmanian Devil will be out in full force because he knows that chicks dig the long ball. Look for him to have a good week driving the ball, and a good week scoring.

Good luck this week and let's keep moving to the top of the fantasy golf rankings!

The Mulligan: The Barclays

The first round of the PGA Tour playoffs kicks off this week at The Barclays. This event will be played New York on a brand new course, so it is difficult to make any predictions based on which players have a game that fits the course. For that reason, I am going to pick players that have played extremely well in 2009 and should make some noise both this week and throughout the rest of the playoffs. Those players are Tiger Woods, Steve Stricker and Hunter Mahan.

Tiger has eleven Top-10 finishes in 13 starts this season. He has won 5 events and only finished outside of the Top-1o once. He is the greatest player in the game right now. I dont need to say much else. Tiger will compete this week and for the rest of the year.

Steve Stricker ranks in the Top-30 on Tour in several key stats: greens in regulation, putts per greens in regulation, and scambling. He has won twice this year (Crowne Plaza Invitational and John Deere Classic) and he has finished in the Top-10 eight times. Stricker has a great all around game that should bode well for him on any course he faces down the stretch. It appears as though the only thing lacking from his game in the past was confidence. Now that he has it, watch out.

Hunter Mahan has had a superb year. He has 6 Top-10 finishes this season including recent finishes of T6, T4, 2, T4. He ranks 12th in total driving and 13th in greens in regulation percentage. He has really enjoyed a breakout season and he is riding a big momentum wave right now. I expect big things from him for the rest of the year.

Good luck this week and let's keep moving to the top of the fantasy golf rankings!

The Mulligan: Wyndham Championship

This week the Tour heads to Sedgefield Country Club in Greensboro, North Carolina for the Wyndham Championship.  Sedgefield is a Par 70 measuring 7130 yards.  This course normally plays easy and scores in the high teens or even low twenties under par should not be surprising.  The Wyndham Championship is also the last event before the PGA Playoffs begin, so players on the cusp of the Top 125 will have a lot to prove this week.

I think Lucas Glover will have a good week in Greensboro.  He has never really cooled down from his US Open performance and he finished 2nd place last week at the PGA.  Glover also has a history of playing well here.  He finished T20 each of the past 2 years at this event.  A South Carolina native, Glover should have the hometown crowd behind him all week too.  Glover likes this course and he has momentum coming in so this could be a good week for him.

David Toms should have a good week this week as well.  Toms has seven Top-10 finishes this season and he is ranked 2nd on Tour in driving accuracy.  He has three 2nd place finishes but no victories in 2009.  Some experts think he is due this week to finally get a win this year.  Either way, I think Toms will find himself in contention again this week.

Finally, I think Tim Clark will play well this week.  Clark finished T29 two weeks ago at Bridgestone, and T16 last week at the PGA so his game is in decent shape.  He has three straight Top 25 finishes at this event, including two 6th place finishes in the last three years.  Clark is consistent on this course and he is playing well.  I like his chances this week.

Sleeper Pick: Michael Letzig has had a pretty good season in 2009.  He finished in the Top 10 in both the Buick Open and the RBC Canadian Open, his last two starts on Tour.  He has 3 straight Top 25 finishes and 9 straight cuts made.  He has proven he can play at this event as well because he finished T-9th here last year.  Don't be surprised if you see Letzig's name on the leaderboard, or if he improves on last years good finish.

Good luck this week and let's keep moving to the top of the fantasy golf rankings!

The Mulligan: Why Phil Mickelson will win The 91st PGA Championship

The final major of the year is upon us as the best players in the world prepare to tee it up on Hazeltine National Golf Club in Chaska, Minnesota. The 91st PGA Championship boasts the longest golf course ever to host a major championship. The par 72 track measures 7674 yards long and it will play tough. In fact, three of the Par 5’s are over 600 yards long! This is not a course for the short hitters, but it isn’t necessarily a bombers paradise. It will take a complete player to win this week and probably a couple of good breaks as well. Let’s take a look at the field.

Lefty

Phil Mickelson will come into Hazeltine as he has for his past few appearances on the PGA Tour; with his mind in another place. This could actually be a good thing for Phil this week. As you probably know, both Phil’s mother and his wife were recently diagnosed with breast cancer. The good news is that both are recovering well, so Phil is obviously feeling better about that. That being said, it is hard to focus on golf when two people you care about have been going through serious health treatments.

We have all heard how mentally draining major championships can be on players. Many experts are predicting the mental drain of a major, coupled with Phil’s other concerns might hinder his game this week. I disagree. I think Phil will be able to relax and just play golf this week. He has a mindset this week that many players would love to have at a major. Phil can come out and play his best golf and, win or lose, he goes home to spend time with his family because he realizes how important that is. In other words, Phil will actually be able to handle the mental drain of a major championship BETTER, because he has more important things on his mind; the well being of his family.

In addition, I think Hazeltine is the perfect course for Phil to come out and show off his ridiculously good short game. I mentioned the length of the course at the beginning of this article. This length will help Lefty, but not in the way you might think. Par 5’s normally play to the advantage of the long ball hitters who can reach the greens in 2 shots and putt for eagle while the shorter hitters are forced to lay up and hope for birdies at best.

At Hazeltine, the Par 5’s will likely be too long for even the longest of hitters to reach in 2 shots. That means that the best scores on these holes will likely come from players with good distance coupled with a good wedge game. Phil Mickelson is that player. He can bomb a drive, hit a lay-up shot to about 100-125 yards and then fire darts at the flag-stick with his wedges. I think this will result in a great week on the long Par 5’s for Phil, and if he can play well throughout the rest of the course he will win this tournament.

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Tiger

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Tiger has won two straight tournaments and has made us all forget about his missed cut at the British Open. He already has five wins this season and he has finished in the Top-10 in ten of his last twelve starts. He is the best player in golf and the hands-down favorite to win this week. Additionally, he has gone 0-for-3 this year in majors, so he has plenty of motivation this week to get a win. We all know how good he is and we all know that he steps up in the spotlight. Overall, there are just too many factors to pick against Tiger this week (or ever), but I think Phil Mickelson is going to find a way to edge him out this week.

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Stricker
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Steve Stricker has a lot going for him this week. He is having a career year in 2009 and it is quite likely that he will contend this week as well. Stricker has two wins to go along with eight Top-10 finishes this season, landing him in 2nd place overall in the FedEx Cup point standings. He put together a good tournament last week in Akron finishing tied for 6th, so he has some momentum coming in.

Additionally, Stricker has played well in majors this year. He finished tied for 6th in The Masters, and tied for 23rd in The US Open (but tied for 52nd in the British Open). To top it all off, he is from Wisconsin and went to college at the University of Illinois, so he should find decent support from a crowd in Big Ten country.

Harrington

Padraig Harrington looks to defend his PGA Championship title this week with another Wanamaker Trophy for his overflowing trophy case. Overall, Harrington is having a disappointing 2009 coming off of a tremendous 2008 that included victories at the final two major championships of the year. Despite his 2008 success, Harrington has been tweaking his swing and this is likely why he has had a rough patch thus far in 2009.

However, last week at Firestone Harrington posted his first Top-10 finish of the season, and his game looked much better than it has all season. Has Harrington worked out the kinks in his new swing? Its hard to say, but if he has you can count on him to be near the top of the leaderboard Sunday afternoon.

Sleeper Picks

I am going out on a little bit of a limb and taking a shorter hitter this week in Luke Donald. I am going with Donald this week because he has history at Hazeltine. The lengthy beast is where Donald won individual gold (the individual championship) in the 1999 NCAA Championships. He has been playing well this season including only 2 missed cuts in 16 starts. He is ranked 2nd in putting but only 183rd in driving distance so the length could easily pose problems for him. I just have a feeling about this one.

Justin Leonard finished tied for Fourth at Hazeltine in the 2002 PGA Championship, and he is a good dark horse pick for this week as well. Like Donald, he is a shorter hitter (ranked 121st on Tour) but has the short stick working (5th in putting average).

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Mike Sim was my US Open sleeper pick and he came through with a T-18 finish. I am sure he was happy with that, but I think he might have played better if he was not paired with Tiger for the final round. That is a lot of pressure for a Nationwide Tour player who isn't used to all the attention. I think he could contend again this week because his record has only improved since the US Open. He now has seven Top-10 finishes this season on the Nationwide Tour to go with that Top-20 major finish. Plus, he now has experience competing in the final round of a major which should really help for his second time around.

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Good luck this week and let's keep moving to the top of the fantasy golf rankings!

The Mulligan: Bridgestone Invitational

This week the Tour heads to Akron, Ohio to famous Firestone Country Club for the Bridgestone Invitational. There are plenty of big names in the field this week so this should be a great tournament to watch. Tiger is coming in with momentum and he has been known to play well here, but there are many other great players eyeing victory this week.

Retief Goosen should play well this week too. He has finished in the Top-5 in his last two starts and he plays Firestone well. He finished fourth here last season and looks to possibly improve on that finish this year. He will be in my fantasy golf lineup this week.

Stewart Cink makes his first start since beating out Tom Watson at The Open Championship in a 4 hole playoff to take home the Claret Jug. Cink is riding high on that victory and his momentum should carry over onto Firestone this week. He has historically played well here including 2 Top-10 finishes and a victory in 2004. Look for the Open Champ to have another good showing this week.

Finally, I think Luke Donald will play well at Firestone. Donald has a great track record on this course and he is due for a good performance. He has 2 straight Top-25 finishes here in his last 2 starts including a T-8th finish. He already has 5 Top-10 finishes in 2009 and he is looking to add a victory to his stat sheet. To top it off, he is ranked 2nd on Tour in putting average and 1st in sand save percentage.

Good luck this week and lets keep moving to the top of the fantasy golf rankings!

The Mulligan: RBC Canadian Open

This week the Tour heads to Glen Abbey Golf Club in Ontario for the RBC Canadian Open. This is an interesting tournament because there is really not any unique skill that leads to success on Glen Abbey. Being long certainly doesn't hurt, but it doesn't appear to help much either. Chez Reavie won here last year, and he finished 2008 ranked 152nd in driving distance.

I think Brandt Snedeker has the chance to be this year's Chez Reavie. After winning last year, Reavie explained that accuracy off the tee contributed to his success: "It was like the U.S. Open out there. The rough was long and the greens were tough. I guess that's a good style of golf for me, putting a premium on hitting fairways." Snedeker's driving statistics are very similar to Reavie's. He is ranked 186th in distance but 25th in accuracy.

Despite getting cut from last week's Open, Snedeker has been playing well. He finished T7 and T5 in his previous two starts. If he hits fairways like Reavie did last year he might find himself in a good place on Sunday.

Look for Anthony Kim to play well this week. He finished in the Top 10 here last year, and could have won if it weren't for a letdown on Sunday. He shot 65, 64, 69 in his first 3 rounds, only to follow up with a disappointing 75 to drop him into 8th. Last year proved that he can play well at Glen Abbey. Kim has also played well recently, finishing 3rd, 11th and 16th in his last 3 starts. He is currently ranked 5th in Putting Average, and 2nd in Birdie Average on Tour.

Retief Goosen has already won in 2009 at the Transitions and has played well in several other tournaments as well. I think he could add his 2nd victory this week in Ontario. The Goose finished T30th here last year and I think he will finish much better in 2009. He played very well last week at Turnberry and he hopes that his momentum will carry over onto this much easier course. Additionally, he is currently ranked 8th in total putting. If Retief plays his game, he is a sure favorite this week and fantasy golfers should put him in your lineup.

Good luck this week and lets keep moving to the top of the fantasy golf rankings!

The Mulligan: John Deere Classic

This week the Tour heads to TPC Deere Run in Silvis, Illinois for the John Deere Classic. Deere Run is an easy course and birdies should be flying all over the place this week. For this reason, I recommend picking players who are riding high on momentum for fantasy golf this week. The players who are on a hot streak right now might see the streak extend onto this easy course, resulting in very low scores. Don't be surprised if the winner gets near the -20's this week.

First, I think Lucas Glover has a good chance of winning this week. We all know what he did at Bethpage a few weeks ago, beating the best of the best when the pressure was on. But not everyone has been following Glover so closely since the Open. He has finished T11th and 5th the past two weeks. Thats 3 straight weeks in the top 11 and a recent major victory. It is hard to top a streak like that.

Next, I think Steve Stricker will play well this week. Stricker has 11 Top-25 finishes in 14 starts this season, and he has really been putting well. He is third in putts per green in regulation. I think Stricker's strong putting will translate into more birdies than most this week and maybe even a win. Look for Stricker to have a great week.

Finally, Kenny Perry should have a good week at the John Deere. Perry has 2 wins this season and he has five Top-10 finishes to go along with those. To top it all off, Perry won this tournament last year. If you play fantasy golf, Kenny Perry needs to be in your lineup this week. This is as close to a no-brainer as starting Tiger Woods at the Buick.

Good luck this week and lets keep moving to the top of the fantasy golf rankings!

The Mulligan: This Week at Congressional Country Club

The Mulligan had a great week last week. Lets keep the momentum rolling. This week the Tour heads to Congressional Country Club in Bethesda, Maryland for the AT&T National. This course is a little longer than what we saw last week, so driving distance will be more of a factor. Congressional is no Bethpage though, so the accurate short hitters can still manage their way around the course.

I think Hunter Mahan will play well again this week. He has been playing great golf recently, finishing in the Top-10 both of his last two stars. Mahan has nice distance off the tee as well, so he can manage the added distance this week. He has also played well at the AT&T in the past, having finished in the Top-15 twice.

Next, I recommend Anthony Kim. He won this tournament last year and it appears that he is finally getting his game back up to speed. Kim is ranked 17th in driving distance, but the key for him this week will be controlling his irons and converting those long drives into birdies. He has two straight Top-20 finishes, and I think he can keep up the good play. Look for Kim to compete again at this tournament.

Sean O'Hair should play well this week. He has six Top-10's already this season, and his game fits Congressional. He is ranked 21st in driving distance, 2nd in greens in regulation, and 6th in birdie conversion percentage. O'Hair has been playing great this year, and he has the game to win here.

For this week's sleeper, I recommend John Senden. He has four Top-10 finishes already this season and his game fits Congressional very well. He currently ranks 15th in driving distance and 1st in both ball-striking and greens in regulation. Senden finished T-18th last year at Congressional as well, so he is worth putting in your fantasy golf lineup.

The Mulligan: Congrats to Lucas Glover

Well the 2009 US Open is in the books, and what a wild tournament it was. So many players had the chance to win up until the final round, but Lucas Glover was the only player to keep it together for the length of the tournament. I was very impressed with his play and his cool demeanor, especially during the final round. It is always fun to watch players win their first big tournaments. It says a lot about Glover's game that he did not buckle under pressure as we have seen so many do in that position. I have heard nothing but good things about Glover off the course as well. It sounds like this years US Open champion is a class act. We all look forward to watching Glover in the future, and I personally hope to see more of him in the big tournaments in coming years.

Another interesting story in this year's Open was Ricky Barnes. Where did this guy come from? He set the 36 hole US Open scoring record and had an 11 shot lead at one point. If Barnes can avoid the occassional hook off the tee, he might be a player to watch in the coming years.

Of course David Duval and Phil Mickelson got their fans excited on Monday when it seemed that one of them might take home the cup. Duval came out and started the day with a triple bogey after his ball was lodged under the lip of a bunker. He rallied back to put himself in contention, but Glover was too much for him in the end. Mickelson's tournament was like a rollercoaster ride. One second he was rolling in birdies from 50 ft, and the next second he was missing 5 ft par putts. He strung together another good Open performance, putting himself in contention to win. In the end, Glover would hoist the cup, and Phil would finish 2nd for the 5th time in a US Open.

This week the Tour heads to Cromwell, Connecticut (basically Hartford) and TPC River Highlands for the Traveler's Championship. After Bethpage, the players will be able to regain some confidence on TPC River Highlands, one of the easiest courses on the tour.

Unlike last week's US Open where long hitters were favored over the short hitters, this course is pretty neutral. Anyone can play well here. The Par 70 course is 6844 yards long, so distance is not essential. That being said, the long hitters will benefit on certain holes that the shorter hitters might not be able to reach, or will be forced to take extra clubs. My strategy this week is to pick players who are riding high on momentum, and also players who have played well here in the past. I think Kenny Perry, Hunter Mahan, and David Toms will play well this week.

Kenny Perry has seven Top-10 finishes here. As we have seen this year, Perry is playing the best golf of his life. He has six Top-10 finishes this season including a win at the FBR Open and a T2 at the Masters. He should have a good weak at Hartford.

Hunter Mahan loves this tournament. In his past 3 starts here he has won the tournament once, and finsihed T2nd twice. That is consistency. Something about Mahan's game works on this course, and there is no reason to think that wont be the case this week. This is especially true coming off of his strong performance last week at Bethpage. Mahan has 9 Top-25 finishes this year as well, making it even more likely that he will play well this week.

David Toms is back to his old self. Over the past few weeks he has been in contention consistently, and his putter is on. 6 is Toms magic number. He has 6 Top-10 finishes already this year and he finished 6th here in 2007. Despite falling off at Bethpage, Toms played very well last week at the Open. His score didnt reflect how well he played. Also, remember how well he played the week before at the St. Jude where he tied for 2nd.

Toms is also one of the good guys on tour. Despite the fact that he played his college golf at LSU and avidly cheers for LSU sports, he is a great guy. Toms will be cheering for his LSU Tiger baseball team this week in the College World Series. He has done a lot for the area surrounding LSU as well. After Hurricane Katrina, Toms started a charity that raised over a million dollars in relief funds for the region. Even though I am a Big 10 guy, I think this makes Toms a good guy, even if he did go to LSU.

Good luck this week and lets keep moving to the top of the fantasy golf rankings!

The Mulligan: Back to Bethpage

Back in 2002 The US Open was played on a course that many players called the toughest course they have ever played. The course was long, the greens were fast, and the smallest of errors resulted in terrible consequences. That course was Bethpage Black. Bethpage is a public course in Southampton, New York, the first public course to ever host the US Open. Before teeing off on the Black Course, players are greeted by a warning sign, explaining that the course is recommended only for "highly skilled golfers."

The US Open is once again set to be played at Bethpage, but tournament officials have attempted to make the course a little more manageable for the players. The fairways will be a little wider, and some bunkers have been leveled off. Also, there are some new teeing grounds that may or may not help the players out. The forecast shows rain all weekend, so the greens may play softer and slower than usual. Even so, this course will likely be one of the toughest the Tour sees all year and the course is actually 200 yards longer this year than it was in 2002 when Tiger Woods was the only player to shoot under par for the Tournament. He shot 3 under, good enough for a 3 shot win over Phil Mickelson. and the field .

Tiger Woods looks to become the first player to win back to back US Opens since Curtis Strange did it back in 1988 at Brookline and 1989 at Oak Hill. We all remember Tiger's one legged defeat of Rocco Mediate in a Monday playoff last year at Torrey Pines. I watched it all day at work, making for a productive day.

Tiger will have some stiff competition. The field at the US Open is always loaded. Good players who know how to handle adversity should play well this week. Also, players who can hit the ball a long way should fare better than the short, accurate hitters. You can't play well at any US Open without a short game either, and mastery of the greens is a necessity this week. Players who have the combination of distance off the tee and a strong short game will play well at this years US Open.

First of all, I want to mention that I think Tiger Woods will win this week. He is playing great right now, and he is the greatest player to ever live. I will assume that you will all put him in your fantasy golf lineups without me saying anything else about it.

Next, Paul Casey is the perfect pick for this week. He his ranked in the Top-25 on Tour in driving distance, and 19th in greens in regulation. This is the perfect combination for Bethpage. Casey will be able to handle the slick putting surfaces, while still managing the 7,426 yard distance. Casey is also playing great golf this year. He is currently ranked 3rd in the world and has consistently competed in tournaments this year. In fact, Casey has finished in the Top-20 in six of his eight PGA Tour starts this season.

I like Geoff Ogilvy's chances this week as well. He played well 2 weeks ago at The Memorial (with the exception of hole number 14 on Sunday) and he already has 2 wins on Tour this year. Geoff has proven that he can win the big one under pressure against a tough field. He fended off Mickelson at the US Open at Winged Foot in 2006 to win his first major. His game fits this course perfectly as well, and he should play well this week.

Dustin Johnson has the game to compete this week. He is 3rd in driving distance and 26th in putting. He has a win this year and has found himself on many leaderboards in 2009. He has no strong finishes in majors, and really doesnt have a lot of big game experience. Some may find it suprising to pick him here, but he has the game for Bethpage and momentum is on his side.

SLEEPER PICK: There are so many big names in the field for the US Open that I really shouldn't pick a sleeper this week. But it is just too much fun. Besides, the US Open always has at least one no name at the top of the leaderboard at some point. I think the no name might come from the Nationwide Tour this year. Mike Sim has been tearing up the Nationwide Tour with two wins and six Top-10 finishes in nine starts. He is also first in putting average and total driving on the Nationwide Tour. He could turn some heads at Bethpage.

Good luck this week and lets keep moving to the top of the fantasy golf rankings!

The Mulligan: Looking Ahead to Bethpage

Coming off an amazing finish at last week's Memorial, the Tour heads to beautiful TPC Southwind in Memphis for the St. Jude Classic. Phil is returning this week to compete in his US Open tune up. I'm sure that I'm not the only one looking ahead to the US Open next week at Bethpage. In fact, about 14 hours after winning the Memorial and hoisting his trophy, Tiger hit Bethpage Black at about 9:30 A.M. on Monday to get geared up. I want to know when this guy sleeps. Anyway, I loved watching Tiger's run on Sunday and I can't wait to see what he has in store for Bethpage.

We have a great Tournament on our hands this week to hold us over until the Open. The St. Jude Classic boasts a pretty impressive field this week. When making your fantasy golf picks for this week, look for players who have played well at Southwind in the past. The Par 70 Course plays very tough every year. It is a unique course, and those players that have had success in the past are especially likely to repeat that success at Southwind. Here are my picks for this week.

David Toms: Toms won this tournament back to back in 2003 and 2004, and has finished in the top-10 six times in seven years. This season Toms is ranked 1st on Tour in driving accuracy and 4th in scoring average. He is currently ranked 22nd in the FedEx Cup and is looking to move up the leaderboard. David Toms should be in your fantasy golf lineup this week.

Justin Leonard: Leonard is ranked 8th in putting average this season and he has enjoyed success in Memphis in the past. He is the defending champion and has two wins here to go along with 3 straight top-5 finishes at Southwind. Look for him to play well again this week.

Tim Clark: Clark is ranked 7th in putting this season and has finished in the Top-25 eight of twelve starts here. He has had a good season in 2009 and I think he is due to breakout with some low scores this week.

SLEEPER: Robert Allenby: Allenby tied for 2nd here last year, and he has four Top-25's in six starts. He is currently hitting the ball really well too, and is ranked 9th in ball striking this season. He is ranked 35 in the World, and is currently 65th in the FedEx Cup, but I have a feeling that he might make some noise this week. I am going to put him in my fantasy golf lineup, and you should too.

Good luck this week and lets keep moving to the top of the fantasy golf rankings!

The Mulligan: Jack's Tournament

This week the Tour makes a stop in my backyard in Dublin, Ohio for the Memorial Tournament. The beautiful Muirfield Village is always a great venue, and the biggest names come out to play here. The course ranked 5th toughest last year on tour, and we can expect a tough layout again this year. Jack Nicklaus is the host of the tournament, and I cant wait to get it underway.

This is a tough field this week, so expect some big names on the leaderboard. I have some good fantasy golf picks for you this week.

Kenny Perry is the obvious pick here. He is the defending champion, and has 3 victories at Muirfield. There is just something about this tournament that seems to bring out the best in Perry. He has been playing well all year in 2009, and he is a no-brainer for this week.

Paul Casey has played in 7 PGA events this year, and has 6 top-25 finishes. He has 3 victories this year (non PGA) and he is an easy guy to cheer for. I remember the first time I discovered Paul Casey was at The Memorial, probably 3 or 4 years ago. He was walking between the 11th Green to the 12th Tee, when a kid asked him for a golf ball. Casey fumbled around, and eventually got a ball out of his golf bag and tossed it to the kid. I thought it was great that he took a few seconds out of his round to make that kids day. That gesture really touched me, and I have been a Paul Casey fan ever since.

Sean O'Hair has finished in the Top-15 twice in 4 appearances at Muirfield. He has 3 Top-5 finishes, and 6 Top-10 finishes this season including a victory at Quail Hollow. He should play well this week.

SLEEPER ALERT: Ryan Moore has finished in the top-10 here the past two years, and he could make some noise this year. If you want to go out on a limb, put him in your fantasy golf lineup. He could suprise this week.

Good luck this week and lets keep moving to the top of the fantasy golf rankings!