Fantasy Golf Picks for The Barclays

The FedEx Cup playoffs are finally here, and the fun starts with views of the NYC skyline as Liberty National Golf Club hosts the world's best players at The Barclays.

Picks are going to be tough this week, since it's the first time many of the players have seen Liberty National. But there are a few players who know the course quite well.

A-Players
Phil Mickelson: There will be a little extra incentive for Mickelson to play well this week. He's sponsored by Barclays, and Mickelson is a member at Liberty National.

Camilo Villegas: He could have possibly won the FedEx Cup last year had he not missed the cut at The Barclays. It's been a few months since he's recorded a top 10, but Villegas has been playing good, consistent golf.

B-Players
Lucas Glover: Driving will be crucial this week, and Glover has said he's been driving it great all year. His record shows it. After winning the U.S. Open, Glover has finished in the top 25 five times.

Zach Johnson: With two wins and seven top 10s, Johnson has a great chance to win the FedEx Cup.

Hunter Mahan: He's yet to win this year, but Mahan has four top 10s in his last six events.

Nick Watney: After a strong start to the year, Watney has struggled a bit in the second half of the season. He's probably not consistent enough to win the Cup, but he's a good pick for one or two weeks.

C-Players
Ian Poulter: The flashy Brit has come up big in the big events this year. Poulter finished in the top 20 in all three WGC events, the Players, the Masters, U.S. Open and PGA.

Retief Goosen: The steady Goose has missed only one cut this year, and he has recorded seven top-25 finishes.

Fantasy Golf Picks for the Quail Hollow Championship

With the Tour in Charlotte this week for the Quail Hollow Championship and then the Players Championship next week, the A-list players are out of their post-Masters hibernation. With an abundance of big names, it's time to start making some tough decisions about which players to start this week.

A-Players
Phil Mickelson: One could argue Phil is playing better than Tiger right now, plus Phil also has an excellent track record in this event: three top 10s in five starts.

Tiger Woods: I almost sat the World No. 1 this week, but it's hard to pick against Tiger. Even though he didn't play well at the Masters, he still finished T6.

B-Players
Nick Watney: After a great start to the season, Watney missed his first cut of the year last week in New Orleans. I'm not ready to give up on him yet. He's never missed the cut at Quail Hollow, and I think with some extra time off last week he'll be ready to contend.

Rory Sabbatini: Some poor putting on the back nine cost Sabbatini a win last week. However it was his second straight top 10 and third consecutive top-20 finish.

Adam Scott: Not a sexy pick, since Scott has missed three straight cuts, but he's too good of a player to stay down for long. In four trips to Charlotte, Scott hasn't finished out of the top 25.

Sean O'Hair: Quail Hollow hasn't been kind to O'Hair, but he's been very consistent this year. In nine events he has finished out of the top 25 only once -- a missed cut at the Transitions.

C-Players
Robert Karlsson: The big-hitting Swede isn't a household name, but he's 11th in the World Golf Rankings and one of the best choices from the C-players.

Retief Goosen: Charles Howell III is a better choice this week, but I've used him a lot this season, so the Goose gets the second spot this week. Besides, Howell is coming off another tough loss, while Goosen is playing for the first time since the Masters.

Fantasy Golf Picks for the Masters

Hello, friends. It's time for the first major of the year, and it can't come soon enough. We've got Tiger and Phil peaking at the right time, Padraig Harrington going for a third consecutive major, Greg Norman returning to Augusta and a crop of youngsters ready to crash the champions dinner.

So what does this mean for your fantasy roster this week? Not much, besides remembering the names Woods, Mickelson and Harrington.

A-Players
Tiger, Phil and/or Harrington are obvious picks this week, but here's a few others to keep in mind. (For the record I am starting Tiger, with Phil coming off the bench if needed.)

Geoff Ogilvy: His driver looked a little shaky last week in Houston, but a lot of guys looked terrible on a tough course in 50 mph wind. Still, he finished T6. I don't think he'll win this week, but he's due for a good showing at Augusta.

Stewart Cink: The Georgia Tech grad is often overlooked as a favorite for the Masters, but he's finished in the top 20 every year since 2004, including a T3 last year.

B-Players
Zach Johnson: Until the Lords of Augusta change the course again, it's hard to not pick against a guy who's won a green jacket since 2006. Plus, Johnson already won this year and finished third at Bay Hill.

Lee Westwood: He finished T11 last year at the Masters, then nearly won the U.S. Open, plus he has two top 10s on the European Tour this season.

Fred Couples: Hopefully the momentum of a great week in Houston carries over for the 1992 champion. Couples missed his first cut at Augusta last year, and I am sure he is motivated for one last run.

Tim Clark: He has two top 10s this season, and since 2003 Clark has finished second and T13 twice at the Masters.

C-Players
Retief Goosen: The Goose is back after winning at the Transitions, and oh by the way, he hasn't finished out of the top 20 at Augusta since 2001.

Henrik Stenson: As long as he can avoid the numerous water hazards at Augusta (sorry, couldn't resist), Stenson has a great shot. He comes in with consecutive top-20 finishes at the Masters, and his caddie used to loop for Nick Faldo, owner of three green jackets.

Fantasy Golf Picks for the Shell Houston Open

The good news is I've picked the winner for two straight weeks. The bad news is after 12 weeks of fantasy play, my team ranked 24,002. Ouch! (Don't tell my boss there are 24,001 people better at this than me.)

I'll try to do better as we start the spring session of fantasy golf. This week, the Shell Houston Open welcomes an E.B.T. field -- Everybody But Tiger. There are plenty of great storylines as many top players need a good week heading into the Masters, and anyone who wins this week who is not otherwise exempt into the Masters, gets a tee time at Augusta.

A-Players
Phil Mickelson: Coming off an impressive win at Doral, many experts say Mickelson's overall game is better than Tiger's right now. While I'll never believe that for a second, I think Phil will make a strong run this weekend.

Geoff Ogilvy: After Phil and Tiger, Ogilvy has to be a favorite heading into the Masters. He has two wins this year, no missed cuts, and he tied for second last year in Houston.

B-Players
Hunter Mahan: Mahan should have been in the mix at Bay Hill, but several stupid mistakes, including a five-putt, ruined his chances for a big paycheck. I think he'll recover and have a nice week.

Stuart Appleby: A two-time winner in Houston, Appleby hasn't finished out of the top 25 since the tournament was moved to the Redstone Golf Club's Member and Tournament courses in 2003.

David Toms: With three top 10s this season, and no tee time at Augusta thanks to a No. 64 world ranking, Toms has a lot to play for this week.

Rory McIlroy: His first tour through America as a pro has been a huge success ... lets hope it continues this week.

C-Players
Luke Donald: He hasn't finished out of the top 25 in six starts this season. Luke, buddy, it's time to win again.

Charlie Wi: Wi is on a roll with consecutive top 10s at the Honda Classic and Transitions Championship.

Fantasy golf picks for the Northern Trust Open

Last week I wrote about the sorry state of the A-players -- Phil Mickelson, Padraig Harrington, Kenny Perry, Vijay Singh, etc. -- and how it was making a normally easy choice in my fantasy lineup a tough one. Not so much this week. While those players mentioned above are still available -- really, is anyone taking Phil this week? -- there are plenty of solid options across the board.

A-Players
K.J. Choi: With four straight top-30 finishes at Riviera, Choi is my guy this week. He didn't play too well last week, but he's already notched two top 15s this season.

Mike Weir: I should have taken my own advice last week. I chose Weir as my second A-player, but didn't start him over Furyk. Ouch. Sandwiched between a missed cut at the FBR, Weir has a T-3 and a second-place finish. Weir missed the cut last year, but he is a two-time winner at the Northern Trust.

B-Players
Aaron Baddeley: Badds has never missed the cut at the Riv, he's got Pete Bender back on the bag and he's hungry for another win.

Zach Johnson: Johnson's been on fire out of the gate in 2009. He has a win, a T-6 and a T-12. He's also never missed a cut in five appearances at Riviera.

Chad Campbell: He's got a solid record at the Northern Trust, plus Campbell is fresh, having only played two events this season. 

Lucas Glover: Glover has made the cut in both his appearances at Riviera, and he's coming off a T-3 at the Buick.

C-Players
Luke Donald: In three of his last four starts at the Northern Trust, Donald has finished in the top 15. He also hasn't finished out of the top 25 in three starts this season.

George McNeill: There is nothing flashy about McNeill or his record, he's just a solid player who's had solid finishes for the last two years.

Fantasy golf picks for the Buick Invitational

For the second straight week, fantasy players are stuck with the same dilemma: To start Phil, or not to start Phil?

Despite his stellar record at the FBR Open, Mickelson found ways to hit behind what few trees there are at TPC Scottsdale on his way to missing the cut in his season debut.

Now Mickelson is back at Torrey Pines, where his resume at the Buick Invitational is second only to Tiger's. Since 2000, Mickelson has two wins and four top 10s. But will he fool us again as he tries to shake off the winter rust?

A-Players
Padraig Harrington: Sorry, Phil. The buzz this week is the return of the reigning British Open and PGA champ. He ran out of steam at the end of '08, but came back in form at Abu Dhabi, finishing T5 in a very strong field. With Mickelson's struggles last week, Harrington looks to be the favorite.

Kevin Sutherland: Coming off a great 2008 season, Sutherland returns to Torrey Pines, where he has four career top 10s. In his last two trips to the Buick, Sutherland has finished in the top 15 both times.

B-Players
Charley Hoffman: He's a Southern California guy who lost in a playoff to Kenny Perry at the FBR. Hoffman's record at Torrey Pines isn't stellar, but he hasn't missed a cut since last July.

Rory Sabbatini: Remember this guy? In his first two events, he's finished in the top 12 both times, plus he tied for third last year at the Buick.

Rod Pampling: Pampling's good for about five top 10s a year, and he's coming off a stellar 65 at the FBR.

Aaron Baddeley: Badds has been playing solid golf for most of the past year without any W's. Call it a hunch that a guy who's consistently good, and one of the best putters on Tour, is due for a win soon.

C-Players
Charles Howell III: Despite a missed cut last week, Howell stands out from the "C-players" with three top 10s in six appearances at the Buick.

Luke Donald: The Donald continues to play good, consistent golf while coming back from a wrist injury. He's making his first visit to the Buick since 2006, but Donald has never finished out of the top 25 in five starts.

Fantasy golf picks for the FBR Open

When the FBR Open begins Thursday, the players will have to deal with the Tour's wildest crowds, especially those at the 16th hole. Some guys elevate their games when the gallery is rowdy, while others shrink inside their golf bags or don't even bother to show up. Keep that in mind this week when filling out your roster. I tended to lean toward guys who did well in another intense event held last September in Louisville.

A-Players

Phil Mickelson: With the exception of a missed cut in 2007, Mickelson has recorded five top 10s in his last six trips, including a win in 2005 and a playoff loss to J.B. Holmes in 2008.

Anthony Kim: Coming off a shoulder injury, Kim doesn't seem like a good pick this week. But with the FBR Open being such a rowdy place, I have a feeling Kim will feed off the crowd and have a great finish.

B-Players

Brian Gay: Gay is emerging as a solid player after winning last season and notching three top-20 finishes to start '09. He also has top-20 finishes in his last two trips to Scottsdale.

D.J. Trahan: Another guy off to a good start after picking up his first win in '08 is Trahan. He's a steady driver, and he currently leads the Tour in birdies.

J.B. Holmes: With two wins at the FBR Open, this is as good a time as any to pick Holmes. The defending champion proved in 2008 that he's more than just a bomber. After knocking off Mickelson in a playoff at the FBR, Holmes went on to solid performances at the Wachovia, Players, Memorial and the Ryder Cup.

Hunter Mahan: Along with Mickelson, Mahan is making his debut this week. He was another impressive performer at the Ryder Cup, and he carried that momentum to a T17 at the Tour Championship, a T24 at the Timberlake and a T3 at Tiger's event in December.

C-Players

Charles Howell III: Howell still has trouble closing the deal (see 2009 Sony Open), but he's added some muscle to his frame and posted good finishes in his last two trips to Scottsdale.

Webb Simpson: Who needs experience? Simpson, a rookie, has made a quick first impression on Tour after top 10s in his first two events. I hope he's the next star on Tour -- I've got enough Simpsons references to last an entire season.

Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial

Ben Hogan's old playground welcomes five of the top 10 players this week, including No. 2 Phil Mickelson. But don't be lured by all the sexy names. There are several players with low profiles who have done well at Colonial.

Colonial Picks
Phil Mickelson: The 2000 champion at Colonial hasn't been out of the top 25 since missing the cut in February at Pebble Beach. He's clearly the best player in the field, and he'll play like it this week.

Kenny Perry: Perry is a streaky player, and despite some bad breaks last week, he's definitely on a streak of good play right now. Since 2002, Perry has two wins and a second at Colonial.

Anthony Kim: Kim tasted victory at Wachovia, followed it up with two solid rounds at the Players, then crashed on the weekend to finish T42. After a week of rest, look for him to be in the mix this weekend.

David Toms: Winless since the 2006 Sony Open, Toms's game seems to be coming back. He's had several good, but not great, tournaments this year. He has a good track record at Colonial, notching four top 10s in the past eight starts.

Justin Leonard: Leonard has never missed the cut in 14 trips to Colonial, and in 13 events this season he has seven top-25 finishes.

Sleeper
Nathan Green: How's this for a track record? In two starts at Colonial, Green has yet to finish outside the top five.

Players to Avoid
Rory Sabbatini: There's only one player who defended his title at Colonial: Ben Hogan.

Steve Stricker: The Comeback Player of the Year the past two seasons needs another comeback after missing cuts at the Masters, Wachovia and the Players.

Geoff Ogilvy: He missed the cut at the Players, and he's making his first appearance at Colonial since 2005. Ogilvy's best finish in five starts is 34th.

Wachovia Championship

We'll be going through some Tiger withdrawal this week, as the defending champion is recovering from knee surgery. But even without Tiger, it's the first of two great weeks in golf. Big events usually bring out the big names, and that's what we're banking on this week for our fantasy lineup.

Wachovia Picks
(Last 5 events are listed oldest to newest, with the most recent result at right.)

Phil Mickelson
Best Finish at Wachovia: T3 (2007)
Last 5 events: T17, T21, T20, T23, T5
With the exception of his missed cut at Pebble Beach, Mickelson hasn't finished worse than 23rd in nine events this year. His putting may keep him from winning this week, but look for Mickelson to be in the hunt.

Vijay Singh
Best Finish at Wachovia: Win (2005)
Last 5 events: T36, T5, T3, T2, T14
Singh has four top 10s in five  appearances at the Wachovia. He's been close all  season and seems due for a win.

Adam Scott
Best Finish at Wachovia: 3 (2006)
Last 5 events: T17, T9, WD, T25, Win
Scott came through with a big win last week after he nearly threw it away. The way Scott won, with a 9-footer on the final hole to force a playoff and a 48-footer to win on the third playoff hole, shows what kind of a competitor he is. He knows he can make an ever bigger statement this week with another strong finish.

Geoff Ogilvy
Best Finish at Wachovia: T10 (2006, 2004)
Last 5 events: T10, T14, 1, T2, T39
After missing three straight cuts to start the season, Ogilvy is looking like the same guy who won the U.S. Open in 2006. After another WGC win at the CA Championship in March, he almost won again in his next start, finishing second in Houston. Plus, Ogilvy has never finished outside the top 25 in four starts at Wachovia.

Jim Furyk
Best Finish at Wachovia: Win (2006)
Last 5 events: T31, T2, CUT, T33, 4
Furyk has had an up-and-down season so far with three top-5 finishes and two missed cuts. Our Tour insider said Furyk is back to putting well, so look out for him this week and next week at Sawgrass.

Sleeper

Kevin Sutherland
Best Finish at Wachovia: T10 (2004)
Last 5 events: T38, T14, T42, T8, T7
Sutherland has two-straight top 10s, and he has never missed the cut in five starts at Quail Hollow.

Players to Avoid

Luke Donald
Best Finish at Wachovia: T15 (2004)
Last 5 events: 2, CUT, T20, CUT, T19
Donald has been solid one week, then off the next. Judging by his record at Quail Hollow, Donald won't find his game this week. He has made only one cut in four starts at the Wachovia.

Stuart Appleby
Best Finish at Wachovia: T15 (2004)
Last 5 events: T10, CUT, T34, T23, T14
It's easy to pick Appleby since he is tied with Tiger Woods and Stewart Cink for the most top 10s this season. But he hasn't scored a top 10 in nearly two months, and he's only made one cut at Quail Hollow.

Zach Johnson
Best Finish at Wachovia: 84 (2007)
Last 5 events: T54, T9, T57, T20, CUT
Johnson hasn't played that well this season, and he's never played well at the Wachovia, missing three cuts in four starts.

Shell Houston Open

Only one more week until Jim Nantz's silky-smooth voice is cooing through our TV sets. The Shell Houston Open is not the Masters, but it should be a nice warm-up for the year's first major.

The world-class field includes Phil Mickelson and the defending champion, Adam Scott, and the course will be set up with Augusta-like conditions.

Speaking of world class, keep the Australian players in mind this week. In the past 10 years, Adam Scott ('07), Stuart Appleby ('99, '06) and Robert Allenby ('00) have won in Houston. (Vijay Singh won in '02, '04 and '05, but he's not in the field this week).

Houston Picks

Stuart Appleby: He has one of the best records in this event, with two wins and two runner-up finishes. He also has five top-10 finishes in seven events this season.

Phil Mickelson: Mickelson is playing this event for the first time since 2003 because of the course conditions. An Augusta-like setup should favor the two-time Masters champ.

Padraig Harrington: We liked Harrington last week because of his stellar play across the globe this year, and he didn't let us down, finishing T4. He's played this event twice, making the cut both times.

Adam Scott: The defending champion defends well. Scott has five PGA Tour wins, and he has followed three of those victories with top-10 finishes in the same event the next year. Will he make it four of five this week? Scott even defends his unofficial wins well. He won the rain-shortened '05 Nissan Open, and finished second in '06.

K.J. Choi: It's a hometown event for Choi, and he hasn't finished out of the top 20 since missing the cut at the Buick Invitational.

Sleeper

Bob Estes: It's been a rough year for Estes. He has made only three cuts in eight events. But he made the cut last week, and he has two straight top-10 finishes in this event.

Players to Avoid

Steve Elkington: Elkington is off to a nice start this year, but he's never fared well in Houston. In his last six trips to Houston, Elk has made the cut only once.

Andres Romero: Romero had a great win last week, but this will be his first start in Houston, and he may be looking ahead to his debut at Augusta.

Steve Stricker: Despite his good play this year, and in this event, we're going to side with our anonymous Tour pro and say that Augusta-like course conditions may not favor Stricker.