The Loop
Fantasy Golf Podcast: Is Jim Furyk the man to beat in Mexico?
So Rod Pampling was the big winner in Vegas, and we all saw that coming, right? Seriously, the Aussie's stunning win -- especially considering he was only in the field due to a clerical error -- made what happened on Election Night look like just a mild upset. So what surprises are in store this week as the PGA Tour heads to Mexico for the OHL Classic at Mayakoba? Joel Beall and I discuss our picks, equipment advancements and a rash of low scores in our weekly podcast. Have a listen:
And if you're more old-school and would rather just read my normal weekly picks, here's who I'm taking on my PGA Tour Fantasy Golf team in Mexico:
Jim Furyk: Mr. 58 becomes Senior Cinquenta y Ocho this week as Furyk tees it up in this event for the first time. It's also a rare fall appearance for Furyk, but apparently, he's focused on golf instead of football with his beloved Pittsburgh Steelers having a down year.
And yes, while he seemed to enjoy his time as a Ryder Cup vice captain, it's never too early to start thinking about earning a spot as a player at the 2017 Presidents Cup.
Jon Rahm: All you need to know is that Rahm finished T-10 in this event last year while he was still a college senior. Oh, and that he's finished T-15 in each of his first two starts to begin his first season as a full-time PGA Tour member. The expectations for Rahm are incredibly high, but they're also warranted.
Scott Piercy: Piercy only finished T-24 at the Shriners, but we believe he was pressing at his hometown event. He finished first in greens in regulation, but just couldn't hole putts. That changes this week.
Keegan Bradley: Another great ball-striker, Bradley has quietly picked up consecutive top 10s on the PGA Tour for the first time since March of 2013. So far, he's only 107th on tour in Strokes Gained/Putting, but when you compare it to last season when he ranked 183rd, that's a huge improvement. We're buying some Bradley, who also finished T-8 in Mayakoba last year, while the price is still low.
Bench: Chris Kirk and Cameron Smith.
And for those of you playing other fantasy golf formats:
Yahoo! lineup: There's no Yahoo! fantasy golf until January, so if you're playing fantasy golf right now, well, you're really into it.
Knockout/One-and-done pick: Jon Rahm.
And here's the podcast link again, if you want to hear Joel and I jabber: