The Loop

Fantasy Fix: Why Steve Stricker is fired up for the John Deere Classic

July 09, 2014

How surprising have winners on the PGA Tour become? Even when a two-time major champion is victorious now, it's a shock. Angel Cabrera came out of nowhere at the Greenbrier, but hopefully, we won't be caught off guard at this week's John Deere Classic. Here's our weekly fantasy lineup:

Starters -- (A-List): Daniel Summerhays. Last year's 54-hole leader just missed out on a playoff with eventual winner Jordan Spieth, Zach Johnson and David Hearn. Summerhays' missed cut at the Greenbrier was his first in three months and he seems a likely candidate to be the tour's next first-time winner with runner-ups in each of the past two seasons.

(B-List): Zach Johnson It's been a quiet few months for ZJ, but he always seems to play well in an event that means a lot to him. Johnson has 20 straight rounds in the 60s at TPC Deere Run and has four top-three finishes in the past five years.

(B-List): Steve Stricker. Like ZJ, Stricker loves this event. Unlike ZJ, Stricker won't be playing in next week's Open Championship. He'll be going all out at a tournament he shot 68 under par (!) during three straight wins from 2009-11.

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Michael Cohen

(C-List): Scott Langley. In the Summerhays category of guys who are very close to breaking through with a win. Langley will have extra motivation and support as a former NCAA individual champion during his days at the University of Illinois.

Bench/Backups: Ryan Moore, Jordan Spieth, Brendon de Jonge and Kevin Na.

Knockout/One-and-done pick: Steve Stricker. 68 under here! In three years! Also, when else are you going to use him? The guy plays less golf than a typical weekend hacker.

Previously used: Keegan Bradley (Doral), Tim Clark (Sony), Jason Day (Congressional), Graham DeLaet (Phoenix), Luke Donald (Valspar), Rickie Fowler (Honda Classic), Jim Furyk (Heritage), Bill Haas (Farmers), Charley Hoffman (Travelers), Billy Horschel (Zurich), Charles Howell III (Humana), Freddie Jacobson (Valero), Dustin Johnson (Northern Trust), Zach Johnson (Colonial), Matt Kuchar (U.S. Open), Martin Laird (Kapalua), Graeme McDowell (Bay Hill), Ryan Palmer (Memphis), Justin Rose (Memorial), Adam Scott (Masters), Jordan Spieth (Houston), Henrik Stenson (Players), Jimmy Walker (Pebble -- winner!), Gary Woodland (Nelson).