The strategy of targeting players with experience at Colonial was the right but there are always exceptions to every rule and this year we had Joaquin Niemann and Corey Conners crack the Top 10. I am still in shock that Zach Johnson missed the cut this weekend but I guess everyone is entitled to bad week. I kind of ignored Justin Rose heading into this tournament and I’ve made that mistake in the past and vowed to never do it again and I did. The dude is just such a great ball-striker and should be considered a threat anytime he tees it up. It is time to move forward to the Memorial.
It is all about the “Golden Bear” this week at Muirfield Village which plays host Jack Nicklaus’ tournament known as The Memorial. The course measures out 7,392 yards which is not really considered long or short on the PGA Tour. This place is known as a golfers’ golf course because it really does not favor any specific type of player. You can beat this course in diverse ways from a risk/reward style to a more patient approach. The greens are not big but they are fast, measuring 13 on the Stimpmeter. These golfers will only have to pick a line and give it just a push.
If you look at players that have had success in this tournament, we notice that most all of them are good total drivers of the golf ball. Players would be better served to keep the ball on the fairway but it is not the end all be all. One stat that has stood out amongst the successful players has been proximity to the hole. We want guys who can get it in nice and tight. Between 2014-2016, we had a run of three straight winners get their first PGA Tour victory starting with Hideki Matsuyama in 2014, David Lingmerth in 2015 and William McGirt in 2016. Last year Jason Dufner took the title at Muirfield Village.
We’ve got another invitational field of just 120 golfers which means in general you can take more risks in your lineups. When you look at this field, there are only 100 players who have a legitimate chance of winning this weekend and the Top 70 plus ties will make the cut. Keep that in mind when setting those lineups.
When setting those cash game lineups, you would be smart to keep a more balanced approach of 10K, 9K, and 8K players to limit the amount of 6K golfers you’ll have to roster.
One other factor that you will have account for this weekend's weather! We hate hearing about weather but it will play a big part this weekend once again. Thursday and Friday look to be awful with thunderstorms in the forecast throughout both days. Usually you’d try to target players who will get the least amount of rainfall but that may be impossible as there is rain in the forecast throughout the first two days.
On a side note, I always get really geared up for the U.S. Open because it always lands around my birthday and what makes this year even more special is that it will be on my first Father’s Day weekend since my son was born. We’re just two weeks out and my wife told me last week that she was surprising me for my birthday with a week vacation to Mexico to celebrate my birthday and my first father's day. I am so excited for the trip but it had to be U.S. Open week. So my buddies Steve Pimental and Dom Murtha will be covering for me that week. Can’t thank them enough for helping me out.
GOOD LUCK THIS WEEK
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