Category: PGA Championship
2016 PGA Championship — Glory’s Last Shot?
Last major before the FedEx Cup Playoffs finish up the tour seaso- Wait, they’re telling me that there’s another tournament, the “Olympics”, that is supposedly something that people want to win between the PGA Championship and the FEC Playoffs? We’ll talk about whatever the Olympics are when the time comes, but right now it’s time for the last major of the year, the PGA Championship!
Glory’s Last Shot?
You’ll hear that tagline all week, the PGA being “Glory’s last shot”. However, the problem now is that after the PGA we have the Olympics as well as the FedEx Cup, providing numerous additional opportunities at personal glory. And really, let’s be honest here, having two majors in three weeks really makes the second seem less important. Remember the pastrami sandwich from last week’s preview? The PGA Championship is that bottom piece of bread here in that metaphor.
Though it takes away from the glory of this tournament, I must give credit to the PGA Tour for what it has done with the FedEx Cup. In its short 9 year existence, the FedEx Cup has been elevated by the PGA Tour from somewhat of a gimmick into a legit 4 event series that players and fans actually care about. Damn right I’m gonna tune in every week and see who’s playing well at the end of the year.
Also, why the hell is glory’s last shot in July?! It’s the 7th month of the year. There are 12 months in the year if you didn’t know. Why can’t the tournament be, you know, closer to the end of the summer which would make sense? Oh yeah, the Olympics.
Baltusrol
First off, that’s an impressive grouping of vowels in that word. According to Wikipedia, “Baltusrol Golf Club was named after Baltus Roll (1769–1831), who farmed the land on which the club resides today.” Wikipedia doesn’t say who came up with that brilliant naming scheme. If I ever farmed some land, and then later had a championship golf course built on top of my land, I hope they name it Schuljoh Golf Club in my honor.
Anyway, Baltusrol is kind of a weird course in the PGA Championship rotation. A USGA course for much of it’s existence, it apparently switched allegiance to the PGA somewhere between 2000 when it last hosted the US Am, and 2005 when it hosted it’s first PGA Championship. And despite hosting a bunch of top events, the course is relatively unknown in terms of design. I couldn’t think of what any hole specifically looked like until I googled it (see below). Players seems to like the design, and it’s hard to find controversy in hosting the PGA at a course with as much history as Baltusrol.
Also a fan of how the club’s logo is pretty much the golden snitch!
Or really, the Red-Golden Snitch
The 4th Hole
I didn’t even remember this part of the course, but apparently the 4th hole is famous!
#4 at Baltusrol
Back earlier this year, I wrote an article about the most famous hole by number. And when apparently Baltusrol has one of the most famous 4th holes in golf. It does look pretty out there.
Also, looking at Rickie Fowler’s snapchat story, he had a pic of the 4th hole with grandstands surrounding it. Naturally, that means I screenshotted it and posted it here.
Definitely a cool look, Rickie
PGA Championship — How Many Club Pros are Gonna Make the Cut?
Time for the PGA Championship, golf’s final major of the year! We’re moving up to the best state in the union, Wisconsin, to watch the best players in the world play at Whistling Straits. Is Jordan Spieth going to win again? Is Tiger going to make the cut? How will Rory do in his first tournament post leg injury? We don’t have the answers to those questions, but we do have some words to get you excited about championship golf! Keep reading.
Herb says: “Waddupp?”
About the Tournament
Back at the turn of the century, golf in America was really just starting to pick up. Now the PGA Pros back then, and for pretty much the next few decades weren’t pros in the way people think about professional golfers are today. There was no Tour, there weren’t even close to as many tournaments, and the pros were pros in the sense that their day job was to run and manage golf courses (usually private clubs since public courses weren’t really a thing yet). But those guys still liked to compete, and in 1916, the same year that the PGA of America was founded, they held the first PGA Championship.
PGA Championship — DraftKings Fantasy Picks
Time for the final major of the year, which means another million up for grabs on DK. Whether you’re a DFS golf pro, or you’ve just playing this for the first time, we got winning lineups here.
Twitter since we tweet things sometimes.
Jack’s Picks
Majors mean that you’ll find players you’re used to having high salaries and deflated ones, which means opportunity if you can figure out who’s going to step up to the plate on the big stage for the first time. So much value, so I can’t justify going with Spieth when there are a ton of other great players below. Pumped for such a stacked lineup.
Justin Rose ($10,000) — Faltered a little on Sunday of last tournament, but he’s still gotta be a favorite, especially with the motivation after playing poorly.
Louis Oosthuizen ($9,100) — Dude’s finished T2 in the last two majors. Clearly he steps up for the big tournaments. Great deal at 9.1k.
Robert Streb ($6,800) — Going low here for a guy who’s primed and ready to play well. Hasn’t missed a cut in a while, and a 5th place finish at WGC Bridgestone last week was really a great finish considering the quality of the field. And yet, he really never got much airtime there. He’ll be highly owned because salaries for this came out before last tournament, and people have already been all over him.
Hideki Matsuyama ($8,000) — Speaking of making cuts, Hideki has missed one all year. Big time player, we’re still waiting for him to break out with a win, but no better week than right now.
Pat Perez ($6,000) — Here’s the steal of all time. What in the world is a guy who hasn’t missed a cut all summer (since March) doing at 6k?
Bubba Watson ($9,900) — Was in the playoff here last time in 2010, and he’s finished 2nd in his last two events. Pretty sure he wants to win. Only problem is I have to root for him now.
Mike’s Picks
Yay, major pricing! It makes you feel like everyone you pick is a great deal, and since all the top players are going this week at Whistling Straits we might as well load up on some big names and consistent cut-makers. After looking more closely, my six selections have missed only eight cuts all season.
Bubba Watson ($9,900) — He was my first pick in the draft and he’s my top-salaried guy here. Playing well and was solo second last time around at this venue. Doesn’t mean I have to like it.
Henrik Stenson ($9,700) — Now Stenson I like. Seems to be rounding into form at just the right time for the playoffs once again. Going to ignore the 2010 results because that was a dark time.
Matt Kuchar ($8,300) — Extremely consistent, if unspectacular year so far and was t10 five years ago here.
Jim Furyk ($8,100) — Coming in with back to back top-5’s and a solid t24 despite a disastrous final round previously at this venue.
Hideki Matsuyama ($8,000) — First timer at this course, but has the game to do well at Whistling. Once again I like his consistent play. It gives me reassurance.
Pat Perez ($6,000) — Like Jack, I feel like this must be a missed pricing. Either that or DK knows something we don’t. Perez has been a beacon of consistency in the last four months and only has three MC’s all season (none since March).
Golf On The Mind 