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: Zurich Classic at New Orleans

This week the Tour heads down to N'awlins to play the crazy TPC Louisiana. This is a crazy course because nobody really knows what it takes to win here. Many people will tell you a strong putting performance is the key, while others say accuracy from the tee box is the most important factor. Still yet others will adamantly claim that hitting greens with your irons is the most important part of the game on this course.

Success here has come in many forms in the past and it appears that many different styles of play can succeed here. So who is going to play well this week? I have a few reasoned picks that are based on a formula of momentum, past success and gut-feeling.

First, I think Brian Davis has a lot of confidence coming in this week after his great weekend (despite the ugly ending to his tournament) at Hilton Head. I think Davis folded under the pressure last week and that tells us a lot about where he stands as far as being ready to win on this Tour. I still think he will have a good week, simply because the timing of his swing is perfect, but don't look for him to close on Sunday anytime soon.

I also think Charles Howell III is going to have a good week. He almost won here last year where he finished tied for second so we know he can play well here. Also, he has six Top-25 finishes in 2010 so we know his game is on. Look for Trip to have a good week.

I am not quite ready to give up on Jerry Kelly even though he might as well have putted with an upside-down left-handed driver with the headcover still on last week (he finished last in putting during last week's tournament). Nobody seemed to notice that he actually played quite well other than his putting. I am willing to bet the poor putting was a fluke and that JK will be back to form this week to contend for the trophy. . . And he won here last year! This is my pick to win IF he decides to use a putter rather than an elongated lint-brush on the greens.

My sleeper pick is Bryce Molder this week. He has actually been quite consistent this season which makes me think he may be good for a Top-10 this week.

The Mulligan: The Verizon

Congrats to Phil Mickelson on winning his third green jacket last weekend. It was a great Masters to watch for golf fans everywhere watching a battle to the very end. Anthony Kim and K.J. Choi really came alive and applied pressure while Lee Westwood played very well all weekend. Now the Tour heads to Harbour Town for the Verizon Heritage. Harbour Town is a very short course with small greens, so precision players should play well here this week.

K.J. Choi played extremely well at Augusta and I think he will carry that momentum into this week's tournament. He hasn't played here since 2001, so we don't know how he feels about the course, but it seems to set up nicely for his game. He hasn't missed a cut in 2010 and he is 5th on Tour in GIR.

Jerry Kelly played well at Augusta but flew somewhat under the radar. He shot a 67 on Saturday and finished the tournament tied for 12th. That makes three top-15 finishes in his last 5 starts. I think he will have a good week again at Harbour Town now that he has found his swagger again.

Matt Kuchar is 12th in Putting and 27th in GIR on Tour. Those statistics are very important this week, and Kuchar has been playing well recently. To top it off, he finished tied for 7th here in 2008 and tied for 10th here in 2005. He was a popular expert pick for the Masters, but I think this course sets up better for his game. He is my pick to win this week.

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: Accenture Match Play Championship - Can Ogilvy Repeat?

Hello again all you PGA Tour fans. The 2010 season is picking up and The Mulligan is back to provide your weekly previews. If you play fantasy golf, if you are an avid PGA Tour nut wanting in depth analysis, or if you are just a casual golf fan looking for a preview of each week’s big tournament, The Mulligan has you covered.

If you read any of my articles last year, you’ll know that I usually give about 3-4 picks for each tournament along with a sleeper pick. I like to go out on a limb sometimes on my sleeper picks and I had some success doing so last year. So if you are looking for an unusual pick that not many experts are picking, you will enjoy my sleeper picks.

Most of the time I base my picks on several factors that I think are good predictors for success each week. First, I like to pick players with a history of success on a particular course. Some players are extremely effective on some courses and this can be a big advantage when the Tour visits a player’s favorite venue. Second, I look for players on hot streaks. Last year I picked many players during their big runs including Steve Stricker, Hunter Mahan and Brian Gay. Third, some courses shape up nicely for a certain type of game (accurate driving, long high driving, precise iron play, etc.). Fourth, if a course is near a player’s home town, I might give that player a little edge based on the added support from fans and possible familiarity with the course. Finally, sometimes a gut feeling is the tie breaker for close calls (especially with the sleepers).

So lets get 2010's predictions started. This week’s tournament is golf’s version of the NCAA Tournament; The Accenture Match Play Championship in Marana, Arizona. We all know that match play is a different animal than stroke play and some players excel at this format. I will break down the top four seeds and give you my pick for each bracket along with a couple of sleeper picks.

Sam Snead Bracket – (1) Jim Furyk, (2) Paul Casey, (3) Kenny Perry, (4) Sean O’Hair
My Pick – (2) Paul Casey. He had a great run in this tournament last year making it to the finals. I think this could be the start of a good year for Casey.

Gary Player Bracket – (1) Lee Westwood, (2) Henrik Stenson, (3) Geoff Ogilvy, (4) Ernie Els
My Pick – (3) Geoff Ogilvy and his 17-2 match play record are my pick to win the whole thing. He just seems to excel at match play, and if you followed The Mulligan last year you know how much I like his game.

Ben Hogan Bracket – (1) Martin Kaymer, (2) Rory McIlroy, (3) Robert Allenby, (4) Sergio Garcia
My Pick – (5) Lucas Glover. His US Open Championship last year is carrying over into this season and his confidence is very high right now. He had a top-10 at Torrey Pines last month and he is my pick in the Hogan Bracket despite his 0-2 match play record.

Bobby Jones Bracket – (1) Steve Stricker, (2) Padraig Harrington, (3) Ian Poulter, (4) Robert Karlsson
My Pick – (9) Mike Sim. This is the best young player in the game in my opinion. He was the Nationwide Tour money winner last year and he has a 2nd place finish on the PGA circuit already this year. Watch out for him this week and the rest of the season. He is legit.

Sleepers –
Zach Johnson. The always dangerous Johnson drew the 6 seed in the Sam Snead Bracket. He was put out by a hot Phil Mickelson in last years event and he has had a nice break to prepare for the course and the match play format. He could make some noise in this tournament.

Dustin Johnson. He drew the 11 seed but he should be much higher. Johnson is very hot right now coming off the Pro Am. I think he can take the 6 seed Villegas in the Gary Player Bracket and make a tournament run.

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 Tour Championship

We are down to the Final 30 as the Tour Championship is upon us. This week the Tour’s Top 30 players (based on FedEx Cup points) head to Atlanta, Georgia and East Lake Golf Club. The Par 70, 7,154 yard course was the home course of legendary Bobby Jones before recently being named the permanent home course of the Tour Championship. Let’s take a look at the 30 players who made the final cut and now seek the Championship. Next to each players name you will find the total amount of FedEx Cup points each player has.

Tiger Woods 2500
Steve Stricker 2250
Jim Furyk 2000
Zach Johnson 1800
Heath Slocum 1600
Padraig Harrington 1400
Sean O’Hair 1200
Scott Verplank 1000
Kenny Perry 800
Jason Dufner 00
Dustin Johnson 480
Nick Watney 460
Geoff Ogilvy 440
Phil Mickelson 420
Retief Goosen 400
Marc Leishman 380
Brian Gay 360
Kevin Na 340
David Toms 320
Lucas Glover 310
Y.E. Yang 300
Ernie Els 290
Hunter Mahan 280
Angel Cabrera 270
Steve Marino 260
Stewart Cink 250
Mike Weir 240
Luke Donald 230
Jerry Kelly 220
John Senden 210


All of the numbers involved in this scoring system bring up a common question. How does the scoring work for The Tour Championship? It is actually pretty straightforward. You simply take the point total of the players to this point in the season after the reset and add this total to the number of points earned this week at the championship. In other words, you take the number listed next to the player’s name above, and add that number to the amount of points earned this week, as listed below.

If you finish... Then you get...

1st 2,500 points

2nd 1,500 points

3rd 950 points

4th 675 points

5th 550 points

6th 500 points

7th 450 points

8th 425 points

9th 400 points
10th 375 points

11th 350 points

12th 325 points

13th 300 points

14th 285 points

15th 280 points

16th 275 points

17th 270 points

18th 265 points

19th 260 points

20th 255 points

21st 250 points

22nd 245 points

23rd 240 points

24th 235 points

25th 230 points

26th 225 points

27th 220 points

28th 215 points

29th 210 points

30th 205 points

This point structure results in some players controlling their own destiny while others need help. Basically, if Tiger Woods, Steve Stricker, Jim Furyk, Zach Johnson or Heath Slocum win this week, that player will be the Champion. These 5 players are the only players controlling their own destiny this week. Anyone else must have help in the form of Tiger Woods and the rest of the top seeds playing poorly. Obviously, the odds of winning decrease as you move down the rankings. If you want to check out the exact scenario’s of what must happen for your favorite player to win, click here.

Obviously the Top 5 players have a distinct advantage in terms of winning it all this week. Others are looking to challenge and move up the rankings even if it is highly unlikely for them to take home the main prize. Here are a few players that I expect to play well this week at East Lake.

Jim Furyk finished 2nd place two weeks ago at the BMW after a 5 under final round. He looked very sharp coming down the stretch with a 67 in round 3 and a 66 in round 4. and I think he is firing on all cylinders right now. He finished T-15 at the Barclays and T8 at the Deutsche Bank so his past three showings are impressive. Furyk ranks 3rd on Tour in scoring average, 17th in driving accuracy percentage and 20th in putting average. A well-rounded game and momentum make him a favorite this week.

Dustin Johnson has put on a good showing for his last four starts. Going way back to Early August at the WGC Bridgestone, Johnson finished T-22. He followed that up with a T-10 at the PGA, a T-15 at the Barclays a T-4 at the Deutsche Bank, and a T30 at the BMW. Johnson is a long hitter, ranking 3rd in driving distance on tour. He is also ranked 12th is putting average and 9th in eagles per hole. I like his chances this week to continue his hot streak.

Steve Stricker shot a 77 on Sunday at the BMW to finish T-53, but I still expect him to play well this week. Prior to this performance, he was the hottest player on Tour, finishing T-2 at the Barclays and winning the Deutsche Bank. I think the BMW was the result of an off day rather than anything that should raise a red flag. Stricker is still feeling it and he should play well again this week.

Padraig Harrington’s new swing looks better every day. Don’t take my word for it, look at his tournament performance. In his first 14 starts, Harrington failed to finish in the Top-10. In his last 5 starts, Harrington has finished in the Top-10 every time including two second place finishes. I expect his recent success to continue this week in Atlanta.

I hope you all have the opportunity to watch this weekend as the playoff season comes to an end. It should be an exciting week in golf.

The Mulligan: Stricker On Fire Heading Down The Stretch

The playoffs continue to heat up this week at the BMW Championship on revamped Cog Hill No. 4 in Lemont Illinois (just outside Chicago). With only one event left before the championship, many players are fighting to stay alive, while others have already punched their ticket to Atlanta. This is a long course with a few very tight fairways so players who have a well rounded game off the tee should play well this week.

I picked Steve Stricker last week. I am picking Steve Stricker this week. I will continue to pick him until he gives me a reason not to. Anyone who watched the Deutsche Bank Championship last week saw a man who is in control of his golf swing. He is taking dead aim at the pin on almost every shot and sticking the majority of them. I have never seen Stricker so confident and I think he will continue to roll. Look for him to build on last week's win.

Tiger Woods plays well everywhere, but he plays especially well in the Chicago area. He has won 33% of his starts in the area and finished in the Top 8 in 66% of his starts in the area. Even for Tiger that is pretty good. He is coming off of a superb 63 on Sunday and, again, its Tiger Woods. How can you bet against him?

I am going to go with Dustin Johnson this week as well. He has enjoyed a breakout year in 2009 and he continues to improve. Johnson finished 4th last week at the Deutsche Bank Championship and should bring solid momentum to this week's event. Johnson is making his first start at this event, so its hard to say how the course fits his game. That being said, he led the field in driving distance last week and that distance off the tee will prove very helpful this week.

Sleeper Pick: Mark Wilson is currently ranked 41st in Fex Ex Cup points and needs to jump 11 spots up into the Top-30 to make it to the Championship. I think he will do it with a solid performance this week. Wilson already has a win this season at The Mayakoba, and he finished 3rd at The Memorial. He has flown under the radar this year and has quietly put together a nice resume. Wilson is accurate (38th in Driving Accuracy) but not all that long (128th in Driving Distance). I still think Wilson is going to make some noise and make it into the Top 30 this week.

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

The Mulligan: Deutsche Bank Championship

We are now heading into the 2nd week of the PGA Tour FedEx Cup Playoffs and this week brings us the Deutsche Bank Championship which is played on TPC Boston in Norton, Massachusetts. TPC Boston is a par 71, 7207 yard course with an interesting finishing hole. Number 18 is a 528 yard par 5 that is easily reachable in 2 shots for the long hitters. This means that even 2 shot leads can be made up in one hole if 18 is eagled. I have a feeling number 18 will provide a good deal of drama on Sunday evening as the leaders come down the stretch.

This week the field has been narrowed from 125 down to only 100 players. The field will be cut down to 70 players by the end of the week, so it is do or die for those players on the bubble.

Ernie Els should have a good week again at TPC Boston. Last year he finished T-3 here so we know he can manage this course. Also, The Big Easy has been playing very well recently, including a T-2 finish last week and four Top-10 finishes in his last six starts.

Steve Stricker has become a no-brainer pick at this point in the season. He is playing very consistent, very good golf and there is no reason to expect that to change this week. Stricker is coming off of a T-2 finish last week and he now has five Top-10 finishes in the Playoffs. Stricker also knows how to handle TPC Boston, having finished in the Top-15 here in his last three starts on the course.

Don't be surprised if you see Steve Marino hoisting a trophy sometime in the near future. It may be this event, it may be three weeks from now, but I think he is due for a win. Marino is coming off of a T-15 finish last week at The Barclays and his game looked up to snuff. Also, Marino finished T-10 at TPC Boston last year. Since he is playing well and he likes the course, this might just be his week.

Tiger Woods is a no-brainer as usual. He won this event in 2006 to go along with two 2nd place finishes.

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!