We are just one week away from Augusta National and the season’s first major! First though, we make a quick pit stop in San Antonio for the Valero Texas Open.
Here’s a look at how we’re doing overall this season.
| (2019 – 10 Events) | Correct | Incorrect |
| Shamburger | 2 | 8 |
| Hauser | 1 | 9 |
| Two Inches Short | 1* | 7 |
| Bridget Whelan | 0 | 1 |
* Two Inches Short won our braket challenge even though he didn’t pick the WGC-Match Play winner.
Let’s take a look at who we are picking this week to win:
Dan Hauser (@DanHauserGolf)
I am so psyched for next week that I almost forget we had a tournament this week. After looking through the field list, I settled on Rickie Fowler for my pick.
Rickie has very quietly put together a solid start to his season. Three top 10s, four top 25s, and a win in Phoenix headline his first eight events. While it was a little surprising to see his name on the field list this week given the Masters is next week and most of the big names took the week off, it seems that the Ricktator likes playing the week before a major. Not only that, but his results in those events are pretty good as well.
Dating back to 2016, here are Rickie’s results when he played an event the week before a major:
T10
MC
T10
T3
MC
9
T43
T8
T17
While it would be cool to see someone who isn’t already qualified for the Masters to win this week and punch his last minute ticket to Augusta, I think Rickie continues his good play the week before a major and gets a win.
Two Inches Short (@twoinchesshort)
Fresh off our first win* last week, we’re riding high into the Texas Valero Open where we’re rolling with the Big Samoan – Tony Finau – to be holding the trophy come Sunday.
Well rested after not advancing out of group play at the WGC Dell Matchplay (smart), Finau returns to TPC San Antonio where he finished T3 back in 2017.
While he hasn’t caught fire yet this year, Finau’s been incredibly consistent missing only one cut and posting 3 straight top 25s in stroke play.
This season Finau ranks 12th in strokes gained off the tee and 12th in scoring average (69.8 .. nice.)
Plus, his special interests on the PGA Tour website includes “fire knife dancing.” Not sure how that applies here, but you probably didn’t know that and it’s got to count for something.
This is the week Tony Finau lights it up, unless we just jinxed him. Sorry Tony!
(*OK so we didn’t pick the winner, but we did win The Stiff Shaft bracket challenge. KABOOM BABY!)
Players to watch:
Jordan Spieth – as long as you can stomach watching him trying to putt the ball. WTF dude. Get your shit together!
Ollie Schniederjans – if the hatless wonder is still rocking that sweet mustache, he’ll be a force to be reckoned with
Michael Shamburger (@mshamburger1)
There’s a tournament this week?
I honestly don’t think that anyone cares about the Valero Texas Open, which is kind of unfortunate, but with the Masters next week that’s just how it goes.
The field isn’t great as most of the big names are taking the week off to rest and prep for Augusta, but we’re giving it a shot this week anyways.
I’ll take Billy Horschel.
Horschel seems to play well at TPC San Antonio. He’s finished 3rd, tied for fourth, and T11 in his last four years. He’s also yet to miss a cut this season in 12 events.
That’s all I’ve got for you this week.
