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The Loop

Fantasy Fix: Matt Kuchar looks to bounce back from his Houston heartbreak

April 01, 2015

Fantasy golf participants everywhere should thank Jimmy Walker for being the most dependable player on the PGA Tour the past couple years. This week, though, it's his fellow tour pros that should be thanking him. Following his fifth win in 37 starts, Walker withdrew from this week's Shell Houston Open, which means everyone else has a much better chance of winning now. Who are we tabbing to step up in the FedEx Cup leader's absence? Here's a look at our Yahoo! weekly lineup:

Starters -- (A-List): Sergio Garcia. The Spaniard stumbled a bit over the weekend here last year, but finished solo third. He's coming off a pair of T-31s in his two Florida starts, but at No. 8 in the Official World Golf Ranking, he's still the second-best player in the field this week.

(B-List): Jordan Spieth. Speaking of the OWGR, the 21-year-old Texan is No. 4 and rising fast. Spieth backed up his Valspar win with a runner up at the Valero.

(B-List): Matt Kuchar. The victim of a sudden-death pitch-in by Matt Jones last year continued his run of good play in Texas. He finished T-8 in each of his prior two trips and he's coming off a T-15 in San Antonio.

(C-List): Louis Oosthuizen. Nearly a Masters champ three years ago, his game also sets up well at the Golf Club of Houston, which will once again have an Augusta-like setup. Oosthuizen has a third, a T-10 and a T-16 in his last four starts here.

Bench/Backups: Bill Haas, Rickie Fowler, Danny Willett, and Patrick Reed.

Knockout/One-and-done pick: Louis Oosthuizen. Aside from his strong play in this event, the South African has a solo sixth, a T-9 and a T-14 in his four PGA Tour starts this season.

Previously used: Keegan Bradley (Bay Hill), Paul Casey (Honda), Jason Day (Famers -- WINNER!), Luke Donald (Valspar), Jamie Donaldson (Doral), Jim Furyk (Valero), Bill Haas (Riviera), Charles Howell III (Sony), Dustin Johnson (Pebble), Geoff Ogilvy (Hyundai), Ryan Palmer (Humana), Brendan Steele (Phoenix).