Fantasy Golf: Hot Topics

July 16, 2008 9:16am CDT

- The best of the rest…
As the rest of the PGA world turns focus to the negative (questioning the validity of this week’s major due to the absence of Tiger, denying the validity of Kenny Perry’s season due to his absence from the majors, and generally questioning the state of the game), I thought it would be refreshing to focus on the positive and offer something of worth.

More to the point, in honor of this week’s Open Championship, we might be wise to take a look at a small-but-potent group of golfers that reside overseas and rarely make the trek over the pond to attend PGA events. You know Lee Westwood, Henrik Stenson, Richard Green, and others from the European contingent as they harbor no qualms in adding Tour events to their annual schedule. There are others who choose to earn checks in venues closer to home, putting weekly efforts on the host courses of the European Tour.

As a result, those players rarely enter the fantasy picture. If you don’t swing on the PGA, chances are you are asserting no consequence on the number of fans enhancing their enjoyment of the game with fantasy leagues. However, this week will change that as these players hit the links at Royal Birkdale and are thus eligible for employment on your roster. Each of these players is ranked among the best in the world, but there is a good chance you may not recognize their names or values as you review the field.

There is no reason to proceed with ignorance and avoid a potential misstep due to a lack of knowledge, so here is a small and pointed review of those top players that will be teeing it up at the Open Championship that you may not have considered as viable options for the week ahead.

Graeme McDowell
McDowell has posted a total of 18 starts this season, but only one (the WGC CA Championship) has been on American soil. With just five missed cuts versus 10 top-20 finishes, it’s easy to understand why he has vaulted up the World Golf Rankings, and his work in those European events that enjoy top international fields shows he can swing with the big boys.

He jumped into the fray in his second start of the season, finishing T20 at the Qatar Masters (a field that included Luke Donald, Sergio Garcia, Lee Westwood, Henrik Stenson, and winner Adam Scott). He finished 5th at the Dubai Desert Classic (Tiger’s stop on the Euro Tour) and found a win at the Ballantines Championship (a field that included Padraig Harrington, Anthony Kim, and KJ Choi).

Coming into the Open Championship, he’s as hot as ever, finishing T13 at the Open de France, 3rd at the European Open (one stroke behind Sergio Garcia), closing that stretch with a win at last week’s Scottish Open (topping a field that included Miguel Angel Jimenez, Ernie Els, Lee Westwood, Ian Poulter, Adam Scott, Henrik Stenson, Angel Cabrera, and the great Phil Mickelson).

He’s a hot hand playing near home with a proven record against the elite, and you would be wise to give him serious consideration as you fill your roster this week.

Martin Kaymer
Kaymer hasn’t been nearly as hot at McDowell, but he is recognized as the best up-and-coming talent out of England and is viewed as a dominating presence in the making among the European contingent. Thus far he is keeping a light schedule, posting just 15 total starts this season, and you may have caught his act at one of five PGA starts this season. That list of American travels fails to include a finish of note (his best: T53 at the US Open), but the results on the Euro Tour have included flashes of brilliance.

Kaymer found a win in his first start of the season at the Abu Dhabi Championship, then finished second two starts later at the Dubai Desert Classic (not bad considering Tiger was on the prowl). He tripped to the Asian Tour to finish T7 at the BMW Asian Open, came back and finished T10 at the Irish Open, and went the next week to finish T16 at the BMW PGA Championship.

Since the US Open, there has been one major high (winning the BMW International Open) and one major low (missing the cut at the Open de France). However, you would be wise to give Kaymer a strong look coming into Royal Birkdale. If he can keep his drives in the fairway, he’ll do well.

Soren Hansen
Hansen enters the Open Championship at #46 on the current World Golf Rankings, a fall from his start at the beginning of 2008. However, as the lone product of Denmark on the top 50, he has shown great potential to shine on the international stage.

Hansen boasts just 17 total starts on the season with six of those coming at PGA events, and while his results in those tourney have lacked (his best: T42 at THE PLAYERS), he has proven to be a force on the European side of the golf world.

This season Hansen has posted six top-10 finishes and has failed to qualify for weekend play just three times. He has not registered a win but finished T6 at the Dubai Desert Classic, 3rd at the Open de Espana, and T8 at the BA-CA Golf Open.

Heading towards the major, Hansen finished 3rd at the Open de France, 5th at the European Open, and then tainted the run with a missed cut at the Scottish Open. However, with three top-10 finishes over his last five starts, it is hard to dismiss his potential to rise at the major championship he seems most likely to excel at, and as such fantasy owners should keep him in mind as they seek an unrecognized jewel in the field.

Oliver Wilson
Oliver Wilson may fail to meet the World Golf Rankings of the others on this list, but he may possess the best shot to seek a position at the top of the final leaderboard at the Open Championship this week. In 16 total starts this season, Wilson has made the trip to America just once, yet that one finish, T36 at the US Open (held on a difficult Torrey Pines course), shows Wilson has the game to succeed just about any time he grabs the clubs. He touts just five missed cuts (three coming in his first four starts of the season), he has earned six top-10 finishes (six coming over his last 10 starts), and he has the game to make good on the links of Royal Birkdale.

Keep Wilson, and all of the men mentioned above, in mind as you ponder the choices and options at the Open Championship this week. It would not be shocking to see them battling for a top spot on the final leaderboard of the week.


~ Hot Hands ~

- Lee Westwood
We’ll stick with the European theme and give you two players from the other side of the pond, one to target and one to avoid, worthy of note as we approach the third major of the season.

Westwood sits and the consensus pick to win by those who contribute to major news sources for golf, and for good reason. The guy is recognized as one of, if not the, best talent on the Euro Tour and he comes in with a hand as hot as any (at least among those not named Kenny Perry).

Through 15 total starts on the season, including those on international venues and the PGA (seven starts on the main circuit), Westwood has missed just two cuts. To the contrary, he has with top-10 finishes, including T2 at the Abu Dhabi Championship, 5th at the Qatar Masters, T10 at the Dubai Desert Classic, 3rd at the Open de Andalucia, and T3 at the Irish Open. On the American stops, he has shined as well, including T17 at the WGC Accenture Match Play Championship and T17 at the Arnold Palmer Invitational.

More importantly, Westwood has been a stud at the majors, finishing T11 at The Masters and 3rd at the US Open. Now he gets a shot a major title on a course he has grown up playing, suited to his talents and tailored to his skills. He also carries momentum, with that US Open finish followed by T5 at the Open de France and T19 at the Scottish Open to get him working towards Royal Birkdale.

No wonder he is a popular pick to take the win.


~ Cold Feet ~

- Ian Poulter
One of the more recognizable faces in international golf, Poulter has struggled to meet expectation this season, whether they have been on the PGA or European Tours. Suggestions of minor injury have cropped up over recent weeks (starting with an early withdrawal at the US Open, though we might submit the decision was influenced more by frustration than a lack of health), but regardless of the reasoning, it is impossible to ignore Poulter’s struggles on the links.

Over 17 total starts this season, Poulter has missed just two cuts. For that he deserves praise as one of the more reliable grinders in the game, but along the way he has posted just one top-10 finish, that being the T9 at the Abu Dhabi Championship (his first start of the season). Extend to top-20 finishes and you add just two more tourneys, including T17 at the WGC Accenture Match Play Championship and T15 at the Crowne Plaza Invitational on the PGA circuit.

Heading towards the battle at Royal Birkdale, Poulter has struggled to round into form, finishing T30 at the Open de France, T48 at the European Open, and T25 at the Scottish Open. That leaves little room for optimism for fantasy owners hoping to target an international threat to employ at the Open Championship this week, and thus we must suggest you seek alternative accommodations.


- FedEx Cup Standings
RANK PLAYER POINTS
1 Tiger Woods 22,695
2 Kenny Perry 20,433
3 Phil Mickelson 15,940
4 Stewart Cink 15,039
5 Anthony Kim 13,580
6 Justin Leonard 11,959
7 Ryuji Imada 10,854
8 Geoff Ogilvy 10,660
9 Vijay Singh 10,309
10 Robert Allenby 9,436


- US Ryder Cup Point Standings
RANK PLAYER POINTS
1 Tiger Woods 11,365.627
2 Stewart Cink 4,906.065
3 Phil Mickelson 4,419.030
4 Kenny Perry 4,382.350
5 Jim Furyk 3,466.832
6 Anthony Kim 3,419.310
7 Justin Leonard 3,065.016
7 Boo Weekley 2,591.546
9 Woody Austin 2,314.199
10 Hunter Mahan 2,171.517


- PGA Money Leaders
PLAYER EVENTS EARNINGS
Tiger Woods 6 $5,775,000
Kenny Perry 19 $4,331,350
Phil Mickelson 14 $3,959,500
Stewart Cink 15 $3,718,671
Anthony Kim 14 $3,256,622
Justin Leonard 17 $2,945,007
Geoff Ogilvy 14 $2,745,454
Vijay Singh 15 $2,582,531
Ryuji Imada 16 $2,423,877
Sergio Garcia 12 $2,397,170


- Official World Golf Rankings
PLAYER EVENTS AVG PTS
Tiger Woods 40 19.92
Phil Mickelson 44 9.70
Geoff Ogilvy 46 5.49
Adam Scott 48 5.47
Ernie Els 56 5.41
Stewart Cink 50 5.41
Sergio Garcia 52 5.40
Steve Stricker 45 5.14
Justin Rose 47 5.04
Vijay Singh 59 4.85


- World Money List
PLAYER EVENTS EARNINGS
Tiger Woods 7 $6,196,717
Kenny Perry 18 $4,331,350
Phil Mickelson 14 $3,959,500
Stewart Cink 15 $3,718,671
Anthony Kim 15 $3,368,347
Sergio Garcia 15 $3,012,182
Justin Leonard 17 $2,945,007
Geoff Ogilvy 14 $2,745,454
Vijay Singh 16 $2,602,307
Ryuji Imada 16 $2,423,877