Fantasy Fix

Through the use of statistics, trends, course-matchups and sometimes a magic eight ball, we will do our best to help you set your fantasy golf lineup

The Glove wants you to put him in your fantasy lineup this week.

Farmers Insurance Open

Where: San Diego, Calif.

Courses: Torrey Pines (South Course)
Torrey Pines (North Course)

Defending champion: Nick Watney birdied the 72nd hole to defeat John Rollins by a shot.

Purse: $5,300,000

By Alex Myers

Photos by Getty Images

January 26, 2010

Welcome to another edition of Fantasy Fix, where we help you set your fantasy golf lineup and cheering from the press box is allowed. Where to begin? Oh right, Bill Haas. Unless you live under a rock or you're not allowed to watch the Golf Channel in your office during a workday (probably the latter), you know by now that the rising star from Wake Forest finally broke through to win his first career PGA Tour title at the Bob Hope Classic. With his father Jay, another former Demon Deacon, watching, Haas birdied the 18th hole to defeat a trio of players by a shot. It was almost enough to make this fellow alum want to type in black-and-gold font.

But I digress. The real reason why I'm bringing Haas up is that I picked him as one of my sleepers. OK, so maybe that was for the Sony Open, but it was more of a general, season-long prediction (Side note: A co-worker picked Haas in our one-and-done league that week and got burned when he missed the cut. He then watched in dismay as Haas finished some 38 shots better this week. Talk about being cursed. Also, my boss wasn't too pleased to see Matt Kuchar's name near the top of the board the week after he foolishly went against my advice and picked him at the Sony. Live and learn, kid. Live and learn. Side, side note: If I'm not here next week, you can probably attribute my absence to that last sentence).

Other predictions last week included Tim Clark, Bubba Watson and Mike Weir. What gems do I have in store this week for the Farmers Insurance Open (formerly the Buick Invitational) at Torrey Pines? Read on to find out.

STUDS

The big story this week is the return of Phil Mickelson. However, I'm looking at another lefty as one of my top picks. Bubba Watson looked fantastic last week and made me look good in the process as well. The big bopper was near the top of the leader board throughout the entire event (Something John Strege says is definitely a good thing for the PGA Tour in his Monday Qualifier column) and if not for a double bogey on 18 Sunday, he might have walked away with his first career win.

Watson has always been known as someone with all the shots, but what I liked in watching him at the Hope was the fact that he seemed to be keeping things more simple. Watson's got plenty of momentum heading into this week and a T-7 at this event last year will only add to his confidence.

Speaking of guys brimming with confidence ... I think you know where I'm going here. In all seriousness, though, Haas did finish T-11 at Torrey last year.

Next up, I'll turn my attention to a couple of young Americans (not named Haas), who have surprised many by only having one PGA Tour apiece at this point in their careers. Let's begin with Ryan Moore, who has two Top 10s in his first two tournaments. In fact, in his nine rounds thus far in 2010, his worst score is a 70. Moore has actually missed the cut at this event in three of the last four years, but I just think he's playing too well right now to overlook.

Like Phil Mickelson, Hunter Mahan will be making his 2010 debut this week -- just with slightly less fanfare. If you're worried about rust, don't be. Mahan usually waits until February to kick off his season (In part because he's only earned his way to the winners-only event in Kapalua once) and he finished T-11 here last year. He's also about as solid as players come, remarkably only missing one cut all of last season.

Wondering where other big names like Anthony Kim, Camilo Villegas, who finished T-3 here last year, and Kenny Perry are? Check out Tim Rosaforte's column on how many players are going overseas to serve their own needs instead of helping out the PGA Tour during the absence of Tiger Woods.

Never fear, though, Lucas Glover is here! The 2009 U.S. Open champion put up a T-3 last year and also racked up a T-4 at Torrey Pines in 2006. The Glove has been less-than-stellar since he opened the season with rounds of 66 and 65 at the SBS Championship, but I like him more in tournaments like this where you don't get lapped by the field if you shoot even par.