Fantasy Golf: Deutsche Bank Championship Primer

August 25, 2008 1:01pm CDT

The Deutsche Bank Championship
TPC Boston @ Norton, Massachusetts
- Dates: Friday, August 29th – Monday, September 1st
- FedEx Cup Points: 11,000
- 2008 Purse: $7,000,000 (Winning Share: $1,260,000)

Tournament Schedule
First Round – Friday, August 29 – 7am EST Start
Second Round - Saturday, August 30 – 7am EST Start
Third Round – Sunday, August 31 – 8:30am EST Start
Final Round – Monday, September 1 – 8:00am EST Start

(NOTE: The broadcast schedule has not been solidified as of print time for our article, and thus we are unable to bring it to here.)


The Course
Tournament Players Club Boston
Course Par Value: 71
Course Yardage: 7,207

If you are familiar with TPC courses, you realize the tradition this course is going to carry. It will be built for the elite, a track only the best can conquer. TPC Boston may be one of the more recent additions to the menu, but it will not disappoint if you enjoy watching premium golf played by the game’s best.

The fairways are as tight as can be and the rough is as damaging as many of the USGA’s layouts for the US Open. Putting, as always, is at a premium, but accuracy off the tee with the ability to shape those shots will determine the winner and loser of this week’s tournament, a fact proven by recent leaderboards at this event.

In terms of scenery, you’ll see more wash areas and some of the more daunting water hazards and creeks the Tour will play this year. The tall native grass in the deep rough is especially cumbersome. You’ll see as much brown as green, a traditional color as fall approaches in the great northeast. It’s a wonderful track that is sure to give us a wonderful event.

Holes to Watch
Hole 4 (Par 4, 298 yds): The yardage is rather short for a par 4, but there is risk involved in the choice to go for the green in two. A sharp dogleg left can be attacked via driver with hopes of getting up on one, but missing the spot will present a blind pitch over a troublesome bunker. Play it safe and you get a nice look into the hole, but the getting it down in two putts is no easy feat.

Hole 9 (Par 4, 472 yds): This is the longest par 4 on the front nine and one of the toughest challenges on the course. The slight dogleg left gives a view towards an open tee shot, but the landing area is out of view of the flag and the green is contoured like a sundae bowl. Experienced duffers will go with a long iron on the second shot in an attempt to roll the ball up to the floor.

Hole 14 (Par 4, 495 yds): This hole has been the source of more than a few updates and revisions, resulting in a extremely challenging hole that will produce bogey as often as par. New mounding built in places that once held bunkers will give golfers fits as drives that look good will still present tremendous challenges on the approach. Just getting on in two is worthy of applause.

Hole 17 (Par 4, 412 yds): This hole will carry great importance if the tourney is close coming down the stretch, and they are always close coming down the stretch. There are options that can help a golfer in need formulate a birdie with relative ease, though the putts from those choices can be dramatic. A safe play along the right side of the fairway leaves a long but manageable approach. Long hitters go right at it and leave a wedge to the flag. Make it right and you are rewarded.


2007 Review
PLACE PLAYER FINAL
1 Phil Mickelson -16 (268)
T2 Tiger Woods -14 (270)
T2 Brett Wetterich -14 (270)
T2 Arron Oberholser -14 (270)
5 Aaron Baddeley -11 (273)
T6 Geoff Ogilvy -10 (274)
T6 Rory Sabbatini -10 (274)
8 Robert Allenby -9 (275)
T9 Sean O’Hair -8 (276)
T9 Fredrik Jacobson -8 (276)
T9 Troy Matteson -8 (276)
T9 Steve Stricker -8 (276)
T9 Camilo Villegas -8 (276)
T14 John Mallinger -7 (277)
T14 Charlie Wi -7 (277)
T14 Lucas Glover -7 (277)


2006 Review

PLACE PLAYER FINAL
1 Tiger Woods -16 (268)
2 Vijay Singh -14 (270)
3 Brian Bateman -8 (276)
T4 Justin Rose -7 (277)
T4 Robert Allenby -7 (277)
6 J.J. Henry -6 (278)
T7 Shaun Micheel -5 (279)
T7 Steve Stricker -5 (279)
T7 Frank Lickliter II -5 (279)
T7 Aaron Baddeley -5 (279)
T7 Stephen Leaney -5 (279)
T12 Ryan Moore -4 (280)
T12 Bubba Watson -4 (280)
T12 Lucas Glover -4 (280)


The Field
The field of 144 from last week’s playoff starter at The Barclays has been trimmed to 120, but the bulk of the top Tour professionals will be on hand and battling.

Last week’s winner at The Barclays, Vijay Singh, will be looking to strengthen his grip on the FedEx Cup, but defending champ Phil Mickelson knows the course all too well and has his sights set on jumping into the fight.

Other top golfers to consider for fantasy employment this week include Anthony Kim, Steve Stricker, Boo Weekley, Sean O’Hair, Mathew Goggin, Fred Couples, Paul Casey, Justin Leonard, Ernie Els, Retief Goosen, Justin Rose, Geoff Ogilvy, Adam Scott, Stewart Cink, K.J. Choi, Aaron Baddeley, Kenny Perry, Stuart Appleby, and many more.

To view the entire field, visit this link:
http://www.pgatour.com/tournaments/r505/field.html

Enjoy.