Fantasy Golf Picks for the BMW Championship

With the exception of a few picks, my fantasy lineup didn't change much from last week. It's always hard to predict how a golfer will play in any given week, but I am mostly sticking with the players who have been solid in the playoffs. If $10 million doesn't inspire you to play well ...

A-Players
Padraig Harrington: If he can stay away from the big numbers, Harrington just might win his first event since the 2008 PGA.

Tiger Woods: Woods has won almost as many titles in Chicago as his buddy Michael Jordan. A win this week would give Woods five titles at Cog Hill, while Jordan won six title with the Bulls.

B-Players
Steve Stricker: After a T2 at The Barclays and a win last week, Stricker climbed to No. 1 in FedEx Cup points. In the last two BMW Championships, Stricker finished in the top 10 both times.

Zach Johnson: Since winning his second title of the year in May, Johnson has finished out of the top 20 only four times.

Sean O'Hair: He's coming off a T8 at the Deutsche Bank, and O'Hair is starting to play like he did earlier this season when he finished out of the top 25 once in ten events.

Angel Cabrera: Cabrera has finished in the top five twice in his last four events, and he needs a good week to remain in the top 30.

C-Players
Retief Goosen: The Goose has found his game again after dropping out of the top 10 in the world rankings. In 18 events this season, Goosen has five top 10s, and he is coming off a T8 in Boston.

Scott Verplank: With two top 10s in the playoffs, Verplank has moved to fifth in the FedEx Cup standings.

Fantasy Golf Picks for the Deutsche Bank Championship

After a week on an unfamiliar golf course with an unfamiliar winner, the FedEx Cup playoffs move to more familiar territory at TPC Boston, where Vijay Singh defends his title at the Deutsche Bank Championship.

The top 70 in the FedEx Cup standings move on to next week's BMW Championship outside Chicago.

A-Players
Tiger Woods: He hasn't won a tournament in almost a month, so is that considered a dry spell for Woods? With two wins and two runner-up finishes since missing the cut at the British Open, Woods just needs to get the putter working to return to the winner's circle.

Padraig Harrington: So much for that slump. While he hasn't won this year, Harrington's game has returned lately with three straight top-10 finishes.

B-Players
Steve Stricker: He's starting to become a regular contender in the playoffs, and Stricker continued his good play last week, finishing T2 at The Barclays.

Zach Johnson: He's finished out of the top 30 only once in his last six events, and Johnson was right in the mix at The Barclays until a final-round 75.

Hunter Mahan: While he hasn't won this year, Mahan has been one of the most consistent players on Tour, with 14 top-25 finishes in 21 events.

Nick Watney: After a mid-year slump, Watney rebounded nicely at The Barclays, finishing T6 and moving into the top 10 in FedEx Cup points.

C-Players
Ian Poulter: I pointed out last week that Poulter has been solid in almost every big event this year, and he didn't disappoint at The Barclays with a T9.

Heath Slocum: Ok, so we're probably a week too late with this pick, but at least he has a lot to play for after his stunning win at Liberty National. Slocum jumped from No. 124 in FedEx Cup points to No. 3, and now he has a shot to win the points race.

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 John Deere Classic

Each week, we'll identify eight players we like -- two A-players, four B-players and two C-players. (Note: This follows the format of many other popular fantasy games.) If you haven't already, sign up for fantasy golf to compete for great prizes.

The pool of "A" players is pretty sparse this week, with Kenny Perry being the obvious choice. The tough decisions lie in the pool of "B" players, especially if you're like me and have maybe used one player too many times. Despite his good play recently, I'm benching David Toms this week, because I can only use him four more times.

Fortunately, there are still plenty of good choices.

A-Players
Kenny Perry: The defending champion has never finished out of the top 25 in eight appearances.

Ryan Moore: After missing three of four cuts, Moore has finished no worse than T11 in his last three starts.

B-Players
Bryce Molder: After a horrible start to the season, Molder has found his game, finishing in the top 25 in his last four events, including fourth at the AT&T National and a T2 at the St. Jude Classic.

Lucas Glover: The U.S. Open champion is not slowing down, and it appears to be working for him. Since his win at Bethpage Black, Glover has finished T11 at the Travelers and T5 at the AT&T National.

Steve Stricker: While he may be out of chances to win the Comeback Player of the Year for a third time, Stricker is continuing his great play this season. He's notched 11 top-25 finishes in 14 starts, including a win and five other top 10s.

Zach Johnson: With two wins and nine top-25 finishes this season, Johnson is becoming a favorite each time he tees it up.

C-Players
Scott Verplank: He's coming off a T9 at the Travelers, and Verplank has six top-25 finishes in 15 events.

Charles Howell III: It's been a rough few months for Howell, missing five of his last six cuts, but he's finished in the top 25 in three starts at the John Deere.

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 WGC-CA Championship

Good news this week for fantasy players: there is no cut at the WGC-CA Championship! (Cue the party horns.) When setting your team, don't forget the type of players who do well at Doral: major champions ... especially those named Tiger Woods.

A-Players
Tiger Woods: Ok, so this isn't a shocker. Rusty or not, it's very hard to go against a guy who's won six of nine CA-Championships and three of the last four events held at Doral. Plus, this is the first time I've used Woods all year. Nine more to go!

K.J. Choi: Feel free to take Geoff Ogilvy -- he's a very good pick -- but I just have this feeling Choi is going to win another big event soon. He has three top-15 finishes this season, plus he has consecutive top-20 finishes at Doral.

B-Players
Zach Johnson: Already a winner this year, the former Masters champion has two straight T9s at Doral.

Aaron Baddeley: Badds hasn't done anything spectacular this season, but he has a T15 and T6 at Doral, and he's always a threat with his putter.

Adam Scott: He hasn't done much on the PGA Tour since a T2 at the Sony Open, but coming off a T9 last year at Doral, look for Scott to have a pretty good week.

Rory McIlroy: Ok, so the teenager doesn't know how to putt on bermuda greens. (Thanks for telling us that over and over again, Johnny Miller.) But for someone who can't putt on bermuda, he still finished T13 at the Honda.

C-Players
Retief Goosen: He tied for second last year, and with a third-place finish at Pebble, it looks like the Goose is close to getting his game back.

Ian Poulter: With his strong performances at the British Open and the Ryder Cup, Poulter seems to have taken his game up a level. I think he could be the next Geoff Ogilvy. (Hey, it's more realistic than calling him the next Tiger Woods.)

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 Sony Open in Hawaii

It was a great start to the fantasy season for anyone who followed our picks last week. Six of our eight picks finished in the top 12. Hopefully this will make up for the dozens of picks we're bound to miss in the coming weeks. But we're staying positive as the Tour switches islands for the Sony Open. It's a full field this week, so there are more players to choose from for your fantasy roster.

A-Players
Ernie Els: There was a spirited debate last week on what to make of the future of Ernie Els. Is his brain fried from all those years of abuse in the majors? Will he regain his putting stroke from inside 10 feet? Who knows? All I know is the guy had no confidence in his putter last week and still tied for sixth. Add that to his sick record at Waialae (2, win, win, 3, 5), and he's hard to bet against.

K.J. Choi: The defending champion tied for 15th last week, and he has been his usual quiet self. Did anyone see how he finished 2008? (I didn't until I looked it up.) Choi had top 10s in the final two playoff events, won the Skins Game, and tied for ninth at Tiger's event. He's due for another win soon.

B-Players
Davis Love III: Another player who's at the career crossroads, Love tied for second last week after winning the final event of the 2008 season to join the 20-wins club. Love has had past success at the Sony, and he knows with most of the big guns out this week it's a great chance to add No. 21 to the trophy case and gain momentum for 2009.

Zach Johnson: We chose Johnson last week after reading about the boot camp he held with his team of instructors. It would have been easy for the ex-Masters champ to take the rest of '08 off after missing out on most of the playoffs. Instead he won the Texas Open in October and carried the momentum to a T6 at the Mercedes.

David Toms: What a terrible 2008 for Toms, who struggled with nagging injuries all season. Only one top 10, at the Viking Classic, from a guy who normally has about seven and at least one win a year. Toms' last win came at the 2006 Sony Open. He's back with Cleveland, and his caddie for 11 of his 12 Tour wins, Scott Gneiser, is back on the bag.

Steve Stricker: It's too bad we can only pick Stricker 10 times during the season, because he seems like a logical choice to do well every week. Stricker has tied for fourth the last two years at the Sony, and his putting at the Ryder Cup proved he can pull the trigger under intense pressure.

C-Players
George McNeill: The one thing missing from McNeill's game is consistency. Last year he would nearly win a tournament, then not be heard again for three months. But since winning Q-school in 2006, McNeill has been consistent at Waialae, finishing in the top 20 twice.

Luke Donald: The Donald's down with the C's? He won't be down here long, so it might be a good idea to buy low on Donald. A wrist injury at the U.S. Open knocked him out for 2008, but he looked solid at Tiger's event, where he tied for eighth.

Fantasy golf picks for the Mercedes-Benz Championship

The 2009 PGA Tour season kicks off this week at Kapalua, and that means it's time to get ready for another season of fantasy golf. Each week, we'll identify eight players we like -- two A-players, four B-players and two C-players. (Note: This follows the Yahoo! Sports format but should be a good guide for other fantasy games as well.)

My picks for this week's squad:

A-Players
Vijay Singh: For once the Big Fijian is not being overlooked. Singh won the FedEx Cup, took a month off to heal an injury, gave us some tips, then won Tiger's charity event. Now he starts the season at an event where he's finished in the top 10 eight of the last nine years.

Justin Leonard: Ernie Els, Anthony Kim or Camilo Villegas might be sexier picks this week, but many leagues limit the number of times you can pick a player over the course of the season. Like your 401k, you've got to think long term. That's why we went with Leonard this week. He had a very good 2008, and he's notched two top 10s in his last two trips to Kapalua.

B-Players
Zach Johnson: The 2007 Masters champ missed most of the playoffs, and he's been working hard in the off-season to retool his game. He says the Plantation course doesn't fit his eye, but he has a plan this week, which is more than most guys can say.

Daniel Chopra: Lets face it, this might be the only time I pick Chopra all year. And why not? He won here last year, and with the top four players absent this week, it's a good time for players such as Chopra to grab a nice paycheck.

D.J. Trahan: Add Trahan to your list of Players to Watch in 2009. He won the Hope last year, then followed it up with solid finishes in big events, including the U.S. Open (T4), the Bridgestone (T8), the BMW (T5) and the Tour Championship (T17).

Will MacKenzie: Except for a victory at the Viking Classic and a T4 at the John Deere, MacKenzie had a terrible 2008. But he had his coming-out party at the Mercedes two years ago, when he finished T4.

C-Players
Chez Reavie: With a small field this week, it's slim pickings in the C-field. But Reavie is a solid choice after notching his first win last year in dramatic fashion at the Canadian Open. Our guy Peter Kostis thinks Reavie is the next Jay Haas, so it's hard to argue with that.

Johnson Wagner: Loved the way he went out and won the week before the Masters last year, and with a solid finish at the Deutsche  Bank, he should be feeling good heading into 2009.

The John Deere Classic

The list of past champions at the John Deere Classic is not exactly a who's who of big names, so keep that in mind when making your picks this week. Also, watch out for a first-time winner, six of the past nine champions picked up their first W at the John Deere.

John Deere Picks

Kenny Perry: He made it known he wanted to make the Ryder Cup team, so what does he do? Wins two of his last four events, and now he comes to the John Deere Classic where he finished T11 last year.

Tommy Armour III: With top-3 finishes in his last two starts, Armour is quietly having a great run. He has five top 10s this season, and he hasn't missed a cut since April.

Jonathan Byrd: The defending champ may not win this week, only one player has successfully defended at the John Deere, but Byrd has a good history at TPC Deere Run with two top 10s in five starts.

D.J. Trahan: Since his T4 at the U.S. Open, Trahan hasn't finished outside of the top 25, and he has never missed the cut at the John Deere in three starts.

Bubba Watson: Could this be Bubba's breakthrough? With a T6 at the Travelers and a T2 at the Buick Open, Watson is knocking on the door for his first W.

Sleeper

Heath Slocum: He hasn't placed outside the top 13 in three years at the John Deere, plus he has top 10s in two of his last three events.

Players To Avoid

Sean O'Hair: Since winning in March and finishing T14 at the Masters, the 2005 John Deere champ has been M.I.A., making only three cuts since Augusta.

Zach Johnson: The 2007 Masters champ has only one top 10 this year, and he has never finished inside the top 15 in six trips to the John Deere.

Ryan Moore: He's been quiet since losing a playoff to Adam Scott in April, and Moore is coming off two straight missed cuts.