The Mulligan: To Sawgrass

I think everyone looks forward to the Players' Championship at TPC Sawgrass in Ponte Vedra, except possibly some of the players themselves. The 17th hole has been criticized for being too "gimmicky" or "luck-driven." Quit your belly-aching! Anyone who makes over 6 figures in a year playing golf loses the right to whine about things like this. Especially since the players know that how much we fans love to watch them hit their ball into the lake. It makes us feel better to see the best players in the world take a drop and it is very exciting to watch that hole. This tournament is great because of number 17, and the great field that shows up every year to play it.

A great side story this week is Phil Mickelson's bid to become the number one ranked player in the world. With a win from Lefty, and a finish outside the Top-5 from Tiger, we have a new king of golf. Look for Phil to play well this week at Sawgrass.

First, I look for Henrik Stenson to play well here again. He won here last year and he has always played well at Sawgrass. He has been playing well overseas this season, so his success has been a little under the radar. Don't sleep on the Swede.

Ian Poulter might turn some heads this week as well. He finished 2nd here last year and we all know what he is capable of. Look for a ridiculous outfit and low scores from one of the Tour's more colorful players. A lot of people are concerned about a knee injury that he is recovering from, but Poulter says he is fine, and that is good enough for me.

This week I am torn on Paul Casey, one of my favorite players. Sometimes he plays this

course masterfully, while other times he looks like Van de Velde trying to close a British Open. I think he will play well, but I qualify this pick by explaining that Casey has missed three cuts here.

Sleeper: Jason Dufner has been putting together a banner year, but he has done so quietly. If he plays well on this big stage, he will become the talk of the Tour.

The Mulligan: Fantasy Golf Picks for The Players Championship

Its that time of year again, The Players Championship is upon us. The best week of the year for those of us who love to watch the Pros fall victim to the infamous "bullseye." I feel better about my golf game every year after watching the best players in the world take a drop after plunking in the water. If there is even a mud puddle on a golf course, my ball will find a way to land in it. I don't know about you, but the fact that the Pros also put their Titleists in the drink gives me a boost of much needed confidence on the course. For an entertaining example of the craziness that occurs on the 17th at Sawgrass, click here.

The field this week is loaded, as this is one of the biggest tournaments of the year. There are so many big names and hot players to pick from, but I have some good fantasy golf picks for you this week. If you followed my advice last week, you found yourself with 3 players in the top 10, in Ian Poulter, Tiger Woods, and Phil Mickelson. Lets see if we can have a repeat performance this week.

I am so excited about my sleeper pick this week, that I am starting off with him. Jeff Klauk. I have been watching this guy all year, waiting to put him in my fantasy golf lineup. This is the week to do it. Klauk is one of the hottest rookies on tour this year, and he will feel very comfortable at Sawgrass. His father, Fred Clauk, was the superintendent of TPC at Sawgrass for 23 years before retiring after last years tournament. The Klauk's live about a mile down the road from the course, so you can imagine the following this guy will have. This is Klauk's first time playing in the Players, but don't let that hold you back. Put Jeff Klauk in your fantasy golf lineup so you can tell your buddies you picked the sleeper this week.

Another good pick is Sergio Garcia. He won here last year and finished 2nd in 2007. Despite a somewhat lackluster 2009, I think Sergio should play well this week. There is just something about this course that brings out the best in him.

Henrik Stenson should be in your lineup this week. He has two top-10 finishes at Sawgrass and a lot of casual golf fans underestimate his talent. This is Stenson's week. Put him in your lineup.

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