The Loop
Fantasy Fix: Our "upset special" pick for the Valero Texas Open
By Alex Myers
Think your NCAA bracket is ugly? You should have seen our fantasy golf picks last week. We picked Tiger Woods. Then he pulled out. We turned to Bubba Watson. Then he shot an 83 and withdrew. But like in basketball, where good shooters keep on shooting, we will not be deterred with our predictions -- especially since we had the winner, Matt Every, as one of our four starters. Yeah, baby! Who makes our Final Four this week for the Valero Texas Open? Here's the lineup:
Starters -- (A-List): Matt Kuchar. Outside of Kuchar and Phil Mickelson, it's pretty slim pickings in this group. Kuchar seems the safest bet.
(B-List): Freddie Jacobson. This guy either misses cuts (five times in 2013-14) or finishes in the top 20 (five times this season). We're banking on the latter happening at a course where he's finished in the top 20 in all four tries, including a solo second in 2010.
(B-List): Jim Furyk. Is Furyk the slowest player on the PGA Tour? Debatable. Not debatable? He finished T-3 last year in his only time teeing it up at TPC San Antonio.
(C-List): Jimmy Walker. Remember this guy? Yeah, it's been a few weeks since he won so it's probably time to plug him back into the lineup.
Bench/Backups: Phil Mickelson, Jordan Spieth, Billy Horschel, and Ryan Palmer.
Knockout/One-and-done pick: Freddie Jacobson. In the spirit of March Madness, we'll go with a bit of an underdog. How do you say "Final Four" in Swedish?
Previously used: Keegan Bradley (Doral), Tim Clark (Sony), Graham DeLaet (Phoenix), Luke Donald (Valspar), Rickie Fowler (Honda Classic), Bill Haas (Farmers), Charles Howell III (Humana), Dustin Johnson (Northern Trust), Martin Laird (Kapalua), Graeme McDowell (Bay Hill), Jimmy Walker (Pebble -- winner!).