The Loop

Fantasy Fix: Why Jason Dufner is excited about being at Firestone even if he doesn't look like it

July 30, 2014

We've arrived at the PGA Tour's annual stop at Firestone CC, meaning we've officially reached crunch time for golf's biggest stars. This week sets off a busy stretch that includes this WGC, the PGA Championship and four FedEx Cup Playoff events -- well, if you qualify for the FedEx Cup Playoffs. Tiger Woods, an eight-time winner of the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational, needs to get his game in gear quick if he's to even play in the tour's postseason. While we'd love to see him do it, we're not banking on it happening in Akron. Here's who we're looking to instead in our weekly Yahoo! fantasy lineup:

Starters -- (A-List): Adam Scott. The World No. 1 has played better than his one-win campaign indicates. In 11 events, Scott has finished outside the top 25 once and has seven top 10s. He also won at Firestone in 2011, although you might remember it as the WGC that caddie Steve Williams won.

(B-List): Jason Dufner. Dufner's disappointing season has gotten worse with two missed cuts and a T-51 since the start of June. But we like him to bounce back at the Bridgestone where he's finished seventh (2012) and T-4 (2013) in his only two starts.

(B-List): Jim Furyk. Another week, another runner-up for Furyk as this time Tim Clark caught him in Canada with a Sunday back-nine 30. But despite not having a win in nearly four years, the 44-year-old Furyk continues to rack up big paychecks. He's never won in Akron either, but he has nine top 10s in 14 starts.

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(C-List): Jimmy Walker. Still leading the FedEx Cup thanks in large part to three early wins, Walker will make his first start in this WGC event. He quietly has played very well in the season's biggest tournaments, and we think his length will serve him well at this 7,400-yard, par-70 layout.

Bench/Backups: Henrik Stenson, Rory McIlroy, Justin Rose, Sergio Garcia.

Knockout/One-and-done pick: Jason Dufner. It was at Firestone last year when Dufner turned around what also had been a lackluster season to that point. Dufner finished T-4 and then won the PGA Championship at Oak Hills the following week. Smile, Jason, you're back in Akron!

Previously used: Keegan Bradley (Doral), Tim Clark (Sony), Jason Day (Congressional), Graham DeLaet (Phoenix), Luke Donald (Valspar), Rickie Fowler (Honda Classic), Jim Furyk (Heritage), Sergio Garcia (British Open), 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), Hunter Mahan (Canadian), 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).