Congratulations to Yoda Man for a convincing 36-point victory in the Spring Segment of Yahoo's fantasy golf game. That leaves one Nike VR_S driver up for grabs for the winner of the Summer Segment.
Fourteen tournaments remain in Yahoo!'s game. This includes three majors, one World Golf Championship and four FedExCup Playoff events. Beginning with this week's U.S. Open, seven are going to be contested on courses not used in 2011. In addition, Sedgefield Country Club, which hosts the Wyndham Championship, is undergoing a change from bent-grass greens to Champion Bermuda, which should inflate scoring.
As always, continue to monitor my features for detailed analysis in any given week.
PGA TOUR Matchups on Facebook has had my number for the last five weeks. With yet another 2-3-0 slate in Memphis, I'm now 46-42-2 on the year with 98 points. Chris Stolle (2-3-0) maintained his advantage over Frank (3-2-0), 124-122, for the overall lead. Six share third place with 118 points.
My picks for the U.S. Open:
-- Tiger Woods over Phil Mickelson -- Matt Kuchar over Bubba Watson -- Lee Westwood over Rory McIlroy -- Luke Donald over Jason Dufner -- Dustin Johnson over Rickie Fowler
Power Rankings Distribution for Yahoo! (rank) Group A ... Luke Donald (1); Jim Furyk (6); Phil Mickelson (7); Matt Kuchar (8); Sergio Garcia (13) Group B ... Tiger Woods (2); Lee Westwood (3); Dustin Johnson (4); Justin Rose (5); Ian Poulter (10); Rory McIlroy (11); Rickie Fowler (12) Group C ... Jason Dufner (9); Peter Hanson (14); Jonathan Byrd (15)
Sleepers Distribution for Yahoo! (rank) Group A ... none Group B ... none Group C ... Michael Allen; Alex Cejka; Colt Knost; David Mathis; Charlie Wi
On a Roll (Yahoo! Group) Zach Johnson (A) ... Coming off a seriously disappointing missed cut in Memphis in the wake of his victory at Colonial. He hit only half of his 36 greens in regulation last week. And while he hasn't posted a top 25 in a U.S. Open in eight tries, he's showcased some of the best form on TOUR in recent weeks. He ranks 15th in fairways hit, sixth in Strokes Gained-Putting and 13th in bogey avoidance.
Davis Love III (C) ... Gotta love his unapologetic determination to qualify for his own Ryder Cup team. He's in top-top form, too. After surviving the sectional qualifier in Columbus, Ohio, he went on to post four rounds in the 60s at TPC Southwind to share third place. And while the U.S. Open migrates, he's posted a T6 and T11 in the tournament the last two years.
Martin Laird (C) ... The co-runner-up at THE PLAYERS shared 24th place last week in Memphis where he ranked inside the top 15 in both fairways and greens hit. He's 0-for-3 at the U.S. Open but he ranks 28th on the PGA TOUR in total driving and ninth in greens in regulation.
Nicolas Colsaerts (B) ... A monster year on the European Tour climaxed with a victory at the Volvo World Match Play Championship. After missing the cut at Wentworth, he tied for 25th in his debut at the Memorial. He has all the makings of a fantasy beast, a profile that he projected years ago, so ride the wave in any format you can. He ranks second on his circuit in distance, 10th in greens and 41st in putting.
Branden Grace (C) ... Sparked by his third win of the year in China, he's strung together four straight top 25s in stroke-play events, his most recent a T25 at the Memorial. Ranks 25th on the European Tour in distance off the tee, 75th in fairways hit, 33rd in greens in regulation and 28th in putting.
Martin Kaymer (C) ... Don't forget about this guy. He's posted six top 20s in his last seven stroke-play starts worldwide, so while the former No. 1 in the world ranking has slipped outside the top 10 (he's currently 12th), it's not like he's freefalling.
Horses for Courses (Yahoo! Group) Hunter Mahan (B) ... Arguably the most glaring omission from my Power Rankings, his game since a T12 at the Masters has been inconsistent, and our expectations are higher. Still a stud tee to green, that strength just hasn't led to a week in which he's put four rounds together since his win in Houston. However, he possesses enough cachet to crack a few Yahoo! lineups this week. My advice is to ensure that Lee Westwood is also in that same lineup.
Bubba Watson (B) ... As if Olympic Club doesn't require enough attention to the task at hand, playing alongside Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson for (at least) the first two rounds might offer a separate challenge in focus. However, Watson could have his way with the track. He's first on the PGA TOUR in distance off the tee and second in greens in regulation. He's also first in both GIR from lies off the fairway and par-4 performance (11-under on the season). What's more, his unparalleled talent of shaping shots could be the ace up his sleeve.
Keegan Bradley (A) ... Leads the PGA TOUR in the all-around ranking. Also seventh in total driving and T26 in bogey avoidance. Despite his victory at last year's HP Byron Nelson Championship, he arrived at the PGA Championship under the radar. While no longer a relative unknown, he's been quiet since a T4 in Houston, making just three of six cuts with no top 20s.
Louis Oosthuizen (C) ... Owns the kind of power and precision tee-to-green to make yet another run at a major title. He's stumbled of late, surviving just one cut in his last four starts, but he's a handsome option in Yahoo!'s Group C.
Francesco Molinari (C) ... A winner recently in Spain, he's always made his hay on ball-striking. The concern is whether he's long enough to contend. Currently 197th on the European Tour in distance off the tee, his long irons are going to get a workout. Nevertheless, with solid recent form and his precision, he deserves our attention.
Leaking Oil (Yahoo! Group) Kyle Stanley (A) ... He's been a mainstay in this category for weeks. In his last 10 starts, he's survived just four cuts and has done no better than a T49 in Memphis last week.
Kevin Chappell (B) ... Not so much enduring a sophomore slump inasmuch as the hot week has disappeared. All three of his top 25s last year were top-three finishes, including a T3 at the U.S. Open at Congressional to exempt him this week. This season he's 11-for-17 but hasn't logged a top 20.
Angel Cabrera (C) ... Bothered by injury and inconsistent play, the 2007 U.S. Open champion is far from 100 percent, but he retains a thread of fantasy value since he's eligible for all of the majors. Long-terms gamers only need invest.
Chez Reavie (A) ... He's missed his last five cuts and has just one top 30 all year (T20, Transitions). His precision off the tee and average iron game could help him get off the schneid, but allow him to go it alone..
Matt Bettencourt (C) ... After surviving the sectional qualifier in California, he withdrew after one round (80) of last week's stop in Memphis. (No explanation was released.) That extended his skid to 0-for-6 with just one sub-73 in his last 10 rounds.
Danger (Yahoo! Group) Adam Scott (A) ... The obvious disclaimer is that a long putter has never won the U.S. Open. Certainly, Scott sits on the short list of the best to have ever played the game while wielding a broomstick, but he's been in a rut of late. After a surprising missed cut at the HP Byron Nelson Championship, he placed T46 at the Memorial. He's never finished inside the top 20 in 10 starts in this major, and has missed the cut six times.
Bill Haas (B) ... His missed cut at the Memorial extended his relative tailspin. Since winning the Northern Trust Open in a playoff, his only top 25 among five cuts made in eight stroke-play starts is a T25 at THE PLAYERS.
Webb Simpson (A) ... When he shared 10th place at the Transitions Championship, it extended his string to 31 consecutive events in which he didn't go two straight starts in stroke-play events without a top 25. However, in his six tournaments since, he's posted only two top 40s and enters having missed his last two cuts. Ranks 125th on TOUR in fairways hit.
Nick Watney (A) ... His only top 30 in his last eight starts is a solo eighth at Quail Hollow; six of those starts resulted in a finish outside the top 50. He's also riding a streak of eight straight rounds over par. His putting remains poor and he's 2-for-5 in the U.S. Open with no top-55 finishes.
K.J. Choi (A) ... May finally have snapped out of his funk with a closing 68 at Muirfield Village to share 18th place. However, his game has never translated into success in this championship, no matter his form upon arrival. In 11 starts, he's missed six cuts and has recorded just one top 25 (T15, Pinehurst, 2005).
Medic! (Yahoo! Group) Sang-moon Bae (C) ... Withdrew after opening the Memorial with a 79. No explanation was provided. His only top 35 worldwide in eight starts since losing in a playoff at the Transitions Championship is a T20 at the Ballantine's Championship in his native South Korea.
Simon Dyson (C) ... Last competed at THE PLAYERS where he called it quits after one round due to a back injury. He later shared on Twitter that he was suffering from a strained pelvis, but announced the all clear on Saturday, June 9, tweeting, "Really excited to be getting ready for the U.S. Open..pelvis has healed great..just want to start playing again now..san fran here i come!!" Even if the Englishman weren't 0-for-3 in this tournament, gamers have to leave him alone to let him shed some rust.
Notable WDs (Yahoo! Group) Brandt Snedeker (B) ... The strained rib that bumped him from the Memorial after two rounds has forced him to withdraw early from last week's stop in Memphis and this week's U.S. Open.
Paul Casey (C) ... Aggravated his shoulder injury at THE PLAYERS. Withdrew early from the Volvo World Match Play Championship, missed the cut at the BMW PGA Championship, and then withdrew from the U.S. Open on Monday.
Rob's Yahoo! lineup (in alphabetical order) Group A ... Luke Donald; Jim Furyk Group B ... Dustin Johnson; Justin Rose; Lee Westwood; Tiger Woods Group C ... Jason Dufner; Peter Hanson
Yahoo! stats: 3,284 points; 20,036th place ... SPRING: 1,477 points (18,929th)
ONE-AND-DONE: Matt Kuchar ... 2012 earnings: $3,827,170.00 DUFFER: Edward Loar ... 2012 earnings: $280,003.50
