Some people might think that Tiger Woods curling in another winning putt on the 72nd hole at Bay Hill is exciting. And it is, to an extent. But it’s not nearly as exciting as your boy Shanks here occupying first place in a fantasy league. Woo hoo!!!! The lead is a minute $400K in earnings over second place and $1 million over third.
Being in a fantasy league for any amount is something most real fans of golf would enjoy. It definitely adds a little spice to your viewing experience when you’ve got something riding on the outcome of every shot. I was less than thrilled when the cameras showed my number one pick Hunter Mahan FIVE-putting on 16 for triple bogey to throw away over $100,000 in earnings. Later, I was alternately annoyed and enthralled when Pat Perez hit his second shot on 18 into the rocks then nearly made par. Yes, I lost serious cheese with that final hole bogey but loved the effort. Two shots back going into the last, Perez was trying to knock it stone dead for birdie just in case Woods and Sean O’Hair both bogeyed it behind him. That’s the attitude I want all my team to have.
We’re a third of the way into the season and I’ve been on top for about a month. My team has managed two PGA Tour wins so far: Perez at the Hope and Dustin Johnson at Pebble. Matt Kuchar has been very solid with a top 10 and 2 other top 15 finishes but Henrik Stenson has not done much in his 2 PGA Tour starts this year. Considering his hot start in the European Tour events in the desert, look for him to pick up the pace very soon.
But my secret weapon may well be my final round selection, rookie Jiyai Shin of the LPGA. She has a win and a second so far in 2009 and if you check the stats, you’ll find her presently atop the money list with nearly a half million dollars. That’s right, she’s ahead of Ochoa, Creamer, et al. It took HOFer Karrie Webb shooting the low round of the day in the final group on Sunday to deny her a second win in 2009. Not too bad considering she’s playing many of these courses for the very first time.
Coming up immediately after Houston this weekend is the Masters for the first of 5 side payouts. I like the way my team is playing going in.
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The Accidental Golfer:
Brandon Tucker:
Mark Nessmith:
Jason Scott Deegan:
Next week will be even more nail-biting than usual.
Wish I had asked you for a tip on The Grand National.
Fortunately for us both, I don't have real money on (y)our Fantasy League, so we'll be OK.
I go along with Kiel - let's get some Chad & Kenny landmines in there tomorrow.
Betty
http://desktopmemory.info
PS - "Betty" has more aliases than TW has wins.
Mahan made nice coin but not enough to keep the team in first place (by $435K). Needed either Perry or Campbell to win. The new first place team has Cabrera, 2/4 of Woods, 1/3 of Mickelson, Westwood and Casey. Good news is that we still lead everybody else by at least $1 million.
That's one heck of a team we are up against, but I award them nul points
for originality/risk-taking, so I shan't be jumping ship (yet).
A propos nothing whatsoever, what about Sandy Lyle's performance?
(Think we were in a minority on this one).
Didn't dare post earlier in case I jinxed it - watching Johnson, Mahan & Perez go down the chute - had to stay up waaay past my bedtime (early tee-time this am) to make sure of win.
How are we doing, Dear Leader?
In addition to Stenson making $1.71 million, Kuchar snuck up into T14th with a final round 68 to grab $147K. Mahan, Johnson & Perez netted another $55K. And Shin came from the bottom of the field with a Sunday 66 to grab $23K.
So, we are back in first place by $800K over second place and $1.7 million over third, a solid position for the season-long race.
Could only follow on-line until live coverage here at 8.00 pm. Had Kuchar at something like -3/23 at that point and knew he would make top 25. Too tired at midnight to go back on-line to full leaderboard or LPGA having done my duty re Henrik, so thrilled to regain first place. Knew I was on shaky ground to retain team membership(having committed faux pas re Casey/Cabrera) unless Stenson came up with the goods, so one glass too many perfectly justified.
Husband says he saw no good reason for me to wake him with victory, however. Could have waited 'til morning he said. Not a team player/gambler then. Just shook his head sadly having read this over my shoulder.
Go Team Shanks!
Dustin nearly made it, Mahan & Kuchar added some booty, and Kuchar qualified for The Open. I'm assuming we are still in first place of course?
I was allowed to root for Casey with a clear conscience, my lovely Robert Rock is having a good year (didn't know he had written blogs for this site) and Button won the Monaco Grand Prix.
To Do" list has grown somewhat however.
I was elated to see Casey win on the European Tour. Better he spends his bullets there than over here since he's on the 2nd place team in the fantasy league.
Another solid w/e I think.
One point I would like clarified, please. If it is not compulsory to have a pick from the LPGA, what was your logic in doing so with the earnings from that tour so far beneath the PGA?
As far as drafting an LPGA member, it's a matter of individual earnings. When it gets to the 6th round of the draft, the pickings are mighty slim. There are 23 teams which makes for 138 total picks.
Last year Shin made $1.7 million in just 9 events as a non-member. Notwithstanding the $1 million from the tour championship, she still figured to make well over $1 million just from playing a full schedule - assuming similar performance. Her current earnings of $593,000 would have her 82nd on the PGA Tour money list or 8th on the Champions Tour money list. More importantly, she has made more money so far this year than about half of the 138 picks, which is pretty good for a last round pick!
It would not surprise me if she improves her performance over the second half of the year. She's seeing many of the courses she's played so far for the first time.
I'm waiting to find out if Setanta goes into administration over the next couple of days - it's the only channel showing US (non-major) tournaments over here. May be reduced to following Henrik & Jiyai
on-line only this w/e.
Are we still hanging in there, Shanks?
They also have Westwood (done in the US), Casey (injured?), 1/3 of Mickelson (putting problems) and Cabrera (streaky). None of them will play after the FedEx Cup events are over, but some of our guys will play a couple times. And Shin has potentially 10 more LPGA events left. So I like our chances if we can stay close over the next month.
Bit of a heartbreak for me with Stewart, Luke & Padraig on a personal level, but our Fantasy League keeps me going.
Everybody on the team chasing us will finish their season next week, although Casey might play once more near his US home in the desert, if healthy by then. We'll have Shin playing about 5 or 6 more times and some of our team will play a couple of the Fall Series - especially Dustin Johnson defending his title the week following the Tour Championship. Perez and Kuchar will likely play a little to try to elevate their standing on the money list to top 30 and qualify for the majors.
My big concern is Cabrera. If he were to finish first or second on top of half of whatever large sum Tiger will make, that would be hard to overcome. Their 1/3 of Mickelson pick probably isn't much of a concern. Westwood is finished over here for 2009.
The third place team is $2.2 million behind, so it would take a miracle finish for them to catch up to us. Regardless, it will be an interesting view.
Everyone else will have "switched off" after The Tour, but we'll have everything to play for after it. What a finish it's going to be!
Trying not to think ahead for next year (Mc.....)?
PS Any thoughts/possible blog on Q-school entrants - some interesting names there; some totally unknowns to me, but perhaps not to you?
I've got my sights set on Mc for next year. Assuming he doesn't join the PGA Tour I should be able to get him. He's on the non-member list right now and those players tend to go later because of their limited starts. I believe next year will be a monster year for the lad. A couple other Euros that did well in majors have my attention for later rounds too.
Too early to think about final stage of Q-School but I suspect young Rickie Fowler will be in it. Don't know which guys will get medical extensions but a few like Aaron Oberholser and Brett Wetterich might be in as well. I will be watching!
Poor Shin - hope she'll be OK for next tourney. Still, if Ogilvy can recover from +8, fingers crossed for Mahan & Johnson tomorrow. Followed AC on ShotTracker for last two holes and ashamed to admit I misdirected him on both. That will give me at least two more bogeys in my own round come Monday morning.
Did you see anything of the Vivendi?
Mc rules, OK.
We have Johnson & Kuchar going this week at Turning Stone. Would be terrific timing for one of them to finish in top 3. Shin not entered this week in Alabama, and next LPGA event not for another month.