RADIO
Here at RotoBaller, we are always searching for ways to give our readers the best fantasy sports content possible. With that goal in mind, we are very proud to announce the addition of a weekly PGA “One and Done” column. In this feature, our golf staff of Joe Nicely, Spencer Aguiar and Gianni Magliocco will provide their weekly golf picks every Wednesday. The purpose of this article is to present you with alternative options to consider and hopefully make your selection a much easier process weekly. With that plan in mind, let's get started!
If you didn't already know it, the Memorial was a perfect example of just how tough this OAD contest is. Heading into Sunday at Muirfield Village, all three of our picks were tied for third of better. The final round was kind to me, as my man Patrick Cantlay fired a blistering 64 to win the Memorial and $1.6 million. Both Spencer and Gianni also had amazing weeks, with Spencer racking up nearly a million-dollar payday on the strength of Adam Scott's runner-up finish and Hideki Matsuyama coming through with a sixth-place outing for Gianni.
Spencer and I have spent the bulk of this season chasing Gianni - and while he still holds a nice lead - I do have it whittled down to less than $1 million. Not ideal, but definitely within striking distance with two majors left on the schedule. This week we head to Canada for that country's major championship, the RBC Canadian Open. Let's see if me and the guys can stay hot!
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2019 RBC Canadian Open
For an in-depth breakdown of the top DraftKings and Fanduel plays, check out Joe Nicely's weekly Horse For The Course that highlights the best fits for the week's course.
And you can also find out who the smart money is on by checking out Spencer Aguiar's PGA DFS: Vegas Report every week.
Hamilton Golf & Country Club
6,966 Yards - Par 70 - Greens Bentgrass
The RBC Canadian Open has been primarily played at Glen Abbey Golf Club over the past several years. This week Canada's national championship heads to Hamilton Golf & Country Club for the first time since 2012. Located in Ontario, Hamilton is a Canadian masterpiece that opened in 1915.
We don't often see layouts that measure less than 7,000 yards on the modern PGA Tour schedule. While it doesn't have the length that we are used to seeing, Hamilton won't be easily overpowered, as its layout and variety will present the players in this field with some interesting challenges. A premium will be placed on ball striking this week, with accuracy both off the tee and on approach shots being crucial. Scott Piercy won the last Canadian Open that was held here in 2012 and fired an opening-round 62, so players will need to stack up birdies to be in contention.
One and Done Selections
Joe Nicely - Webb Simpson
Alternate - Henrik Stenson
So this is what a hot streak feels like!?! My pick Patrick Cantlay came through for me in a huge way last week at the Memorial. Cantlay won the tournament and a little over $1.6 million, which has helped me close the gap on our RotoBaller OAD leader Gianni. It was my second win in the last three weeks and it feels good to finally gain some traction in this contest.
I've honestly had ZERO doubt when submitting my picks of Brooks Koepka, Jordan Spieth, and Patrick Cantlay over the last three weeks - and I also feel strongly about who I'm going with at next week's U.S. Open. I wish I felt that confident about this week's RBC Canadian Open, but there are factors that make this a tough spot...the Canadian Open is heading back to Hamilton Golf & CC for the first time since 2012, so this isn't a course that we see golfers play each and every year. The U.S. Open looms large on the schedule next week, which always makes things tough to predict.
After looking at this tournament from about 27 different angles, I eventually circled back around to the player that I originally started with. Webb Simpson has been flying under the radar for the most part this year, but that doesn't mean he isn't playing great golf. Simpson has made 12 of 13 cuts this season and hasn't finished outside the top 30 in his last four starts. Two of those starts were major championships that were played on massively-long golf courses that don't really suit Webb's game. This week, he gets a sub-7,000 yard Hamilton layout that requires players to be accurate off the tee and on approach...check and check. While I might not feel that Simpson's a "slam dunk" like my selections of the last three weeks, I feel like he's a rock-solid player that can keep my positive momentum rolling into next week's U.S. Open. - Joe Nicely
Yearly Earnings - $7,449,407
Yearly Cuts Made - 17/20
Spencer Aguiar - Kevin Tway
Alternate - Adam Hadwin
We have 32 events to use our 32 best players. In a vacuum situation, that should mean that we attempt to target the 32 best players in the world. That strategy is sound in theory, but unique circumstances tend to take place that sometimes won't allow ideal game-theory to happen. Joe, Gianni and I don't discuss our selections before they are made, but I do have a pretty good understanding of where everyone is based on their articles. I figure Joe is taking Webb Simpson, while Gianni can't choose Henrik Stenson, who is probably the most logical choice left on the board for me.
However, the issue I am facing is that I am trying to write this article from a broader spectrum than just our RotoBaller contest. Stenson would be extremely easy to fill in for a safe payday, but what happens when I hit him with 400 other people? Life is about strategy, and I can either widdle away and accept my 800th place finish in the big Gups contest, or I can take a stand and make a selection that will leave me with virtually no competition. I'm a gambler by nature and believe this is an optimal game-theory choice for my situation. Names can be mixed and matched, but it is crucial to recognize when you need to deviate if you want to give yourself a chance.
Kevin Tway is an intriguing option this weekend. He held a 36-hole solo lead and 54-hole co-lead at the event last season but eventually imploded on Sunday with a final round 76. While the venue has changed and his game might be better suited for a bombers test like Glen Abbey, Hamilton Country Club isn't necessarily a venue that will be impossible for him to find success. His father captured the title at Hamilton in 2003, and with everyone confused by how exactly the course will play this weekend, Tway should be able to use some family insight to his advantage. A share of 19th place during the last time he teed it up at the Charles Schwab Classic was his best result in nearly six months, and he just missed Monday qualifying for the U.S. Open after losing in a seven-man playoff. Tway's motivation is there knowing he will need to win to get into Pebble Beach next week, and his game stacks up nicely for the way the venue is set up this weekend.
*** If I had Rory McIlroy available to me, I think this is a fantastic spot to roll him out. You still get your contrarian option and a player who I have pegged as the favorite to win the title. Unfortunately, I have already used him, so I am forced to swing for the fence and try to hit an opposite field home run. - Spencer Aguiar
Yearly Earnings - $5,110,136
Yearly Cuts Made - 19/20
Gianni Magliocco - Matt Kuchar
Alternate - Sergio Garcia
For starters, I believe Rory McIlroy will win this tournament. The Ulsterman disappointed last week and I expect him to flop once again at the U.S. Open next week - but this is a perfect spot to play him in a less than stellar event. Without having the luxury of being able to play McIlroy, however, I have to look elsewhere.
Matt Kuchar is the man that gets the reluctant nod from me in Canada this week. Kuchar played poorly at the Memorial and if the 40-year-old gave one iota what others thought of him, then he'd be fully aware that in the process he also embarrassed himself looking for a free drop during the first round. But he doesn't, so in his mind, he didn't.
A T34 on his last appearance at this track doesn't do much to inspire me either, but when Kuchar is the joint-fifth favorite in the field and as short as 14/1 with one bookmaker, it tells you about all you need to know about how weak the competition is when you look past the top of the board. What that means is that Kuchar should comfortably notch a top-20 or even top-10 finish, as before his dismal week at Muirfield Village the American posted four consecutive top-12 finishes. With the mouth-watering U.S. Open at Pebble Beach to come next week, the Canadian Open is an amuse-bouche at best and playing it safe is the way to go - unless you still have McIlroy to play. - Gianni Magliocco
Yearly Earnings - $8,151,645
Yearly Cuts Made - 16/20
Running Totals
|
Joe Nicely |
Spencer Aguiar |
Gianni Magliocco |
|
|
Sony Open |
Gary Woodland $11,520 |
Justin Thomas $99,200 |
Kevin Kisner $12,864 |
|
Desert Classic |
Jon Rahm $212,400 |
Jon Rahm $212,400 |
Patrick Cantlay $159,300 |
|
Farmers Insurance |
Marc Leishman $21,158 |
Patrick Cantlay $0 |
Charles Howell III $79,804 |
|
Waste Management |
Hideki Matsuyama $113,600 |
Webb Simpson $76,917 |
Justin Thomas $482,800 |
|
Pebble Beach |
Chez Reavie $31,160 |
Phil Mickelson $1,368,000 |
Phil Mickelson $1,368,000 |
|
Genesis Open |
Xander Schauffele $100,788 |
Hideki Matsuyama $177,600 |
Dustin Johnson $177,600 |
|
WGC Mexico Championship |
Justin Thomas $201,000 |
Xander Schauffele $128,000 |
Tommy Fleetwood $103,750 |
|
Honda Classic |
Adam Scott $0 |
Gary Woodland $25,346 |
Adam Scott $0 |
|
Arnold Palmer |
Rory McIlroy $294,613 |
Justin Rose $19,474 |
Jason Day $0 |
|
Players Championship |
Sergio Garcia $125,000 |
Tiger Woods $77,625 |
Rory McIlroy $2,250,000 |
|
Valspar Championship |
Patrick Reed $0 |
Sergio Garcia $15,209 |
Henrik Stenson $54,270 |
|
WGC-Match Play |
Ian Poulter $108,429 |
Haotong Li $167,000 |
Francesco Molinari $712,000 |
|
Valero Texas Open |
Tony Finau $16,275 |
Rickie Fowler $112,500 |
Tony Finau $16,275 |
|
Masters |
Tiger Woods $2,070,000 |
Bubba Watson $225,400 |
Rickie Fowler $310,500 |
|
RBC Heritage |
Byeong Hun An $0 |
Matt Kuchar $745,200 |
Brandt Snedeker $17,342 |
|
Wells Fargo Championship |
Rickie Fowler $311,063 |
Tony Finau $17,064 |
Webb Simpson $99,540 |
|
Bryon Nelson |
Keith Mitchell $17,301 |
Brooks Koepka $379,200 |
Tony Romo $0 |
|
PGA Championship |
Brooks Koepka $1,980,000 |
Rory McIlroy $264,395 |
Brooks Koepka $1,980,000 |
|
Charles Schwab |
Jordan Spieth $197,100 |
Francesco Molinari $16,819 |
Paul Casey $0 |
|
Memorial |
Patrick Cantlay $1,638,000 |
Adam Scott $982,800 |
Hideki Matsuyama $327,600 |
