http://bleacherreport.com/ Bleacher Report - The open source sports network en-us 30 JJ Gallant There is one thing this week that I can concretely guarantee... Camilo Villegas will NOT repeat as the PGA's Tour Champion this year. I guess my confidence is largely held by the fact that he did not make it into the field of the prestigious top 30 golfers. Tiger is entering this week with more confidence than ever, and it's hard to dispute him as the far and away favorite this week. This week marks the first time I have seen him as an even odds favorite to win. This is mainly due to the limited field size. Tiger being such a huge favorite has its advantages as we have seen all year long. When Woods is the far and away favorite, everyone else's betting value is increased. This week is no exception. The top five seeds this week have the ability to win the FedEx cup outright, with a victory this week. They are Tiger Woods, Steve Stricker, Jim Furyk, Zach Johnson, and the surprising Heath Slocum. One of those characters has made his way into my six pack., see if you can guess who it is. Before we enter the six pack zone, let's take a peek at the final week of Yahoo fantasy, which has been a tremendous success this year. In GROUP A I am starting one of my favorites Jim Furyk, since I have no more starts available for Tiger. He will bebacked up with the upward trending Kevin Na. GROUP B will have Steve Stricker and Sean O'Hair starting. The surprisingly hot Marc Leishman and top five seed Zach Johnson will back them up. GROUP C will see the standard flip flop combo of Retief Goosen and Luke Donald, the clear standouts of group C all year long. Without further ado, I present to you the final six pack of a unit filled 2009.<p><a href="http://bleacherreport.com/articles/259986-the-2009-tour-championship-six-pack">Begin Slideshow</a></p> Wed, 23 Sep 2009 08:50:35 -0400 http://bleacherreport.com/articles/259986-the-2009-tour-championship-six-pack http://bleacherreport.com/articles/259986-the-2009-tour-championship-six-pack http://bleacherreport.com/articles/259986-the-2009-tour-championship-six-pack Golf Preview/Prediction JJ Gallant Another great week on the links is in the bag. Steve Stricker comes through big for us last week with a 20:1 victory as well as a T5 finish with Dustin Johnson paying out an additional 12:1 odds. This week is an excellent set up for a few guys to really excel this week. Camilo Villegas, unfortunately, is not one of them. In Yahoo fantasy I really like Tiger Woods in group A and I like David Toms in Group B, yet I have no more starts left for either of them so it's back to the drawing board for Bottom Line Jay. Here's what I came up with: GROUP A is going to see Jim Furyk start while Justin Leonard backs him up. GROUP B will have Jason Day and Lucas Glover at the helm, while impressive stand outs Hunter Mahan, and Dustin Johnson back them up. GROUP C shall see Scotty Verplank drive the bus, while Jason Dufner enjoys the ride. Now let's make some money...<p><a href="http://bleacherreport.com/articles/250913-the-2009-bmw-championship-six-pack">Begin Slideshow</a></p> Tue, 08 Sep 2009 23:43:23 -0400 http://bleacherreport.com/articles/250913-the-2009-bmw-championship-six-pack http://bleacherreport.com/articles/250913-the-2009-bmw-championship-six-pack http://bleacherreport.com/articles/250913-the-2009-bmw-championship-six-pack Golf Preview/Prediction JJ Gallant There's none other than Vijay Singh himself hoisting the cup after his victory at last years Deutsche Bank Championship. Truth be told, I really think Singh has a solid shot this weekend, except I never pick people to repeat. So he won't be in the six pack this week. Congrats goes out to Heath Slocum for last weeks impressive, yet sneaky, victory last week. He held off some of the best guys on tour! One of which was none other than six pack candidate Steve Stricker. I can't believe he missed that putt... TPC Norton is the site of this weeks venue and right in my back yard. I wish I was attending, but alas, I must go out and play to get ready for my club championship next weekend. There are lots of interesting linksmen to pick from this week. I urge you to heed caution when making your selections this week. There are lots of really GREAT golfers playing this week, that have not been living up to their potential lately. I am still kicking tail in Yahoo Fantasy. I had a decent week last week and used my final Tiger Woods start of the season. I am 5th in my group, The Fans of Hunter Mahan, and am also 796th overall in the entire pool of candidates on the entire site. Perhaps Yahoo's experts, may want to take note of this weeks selections: GROUP A is going to have the reliable Robert Allenby starting, while red hot veteran Ernie Els rides the bench. GROUP B sees stupendous super stud, Steve Stricker swinging strong with Steve Marino, while my favorite Hunter Mahan and the always consistent Zach Johnson play the back up roles. GROUP C is going to see the surging Ian Poulter starting, while downward trending Retief Goosen plays second fiddle. Last weeks T5 with Stricker paid us a little bit, but we can do better than 6:1 this week can't we (even though he came in 2nd)? Without further ado, I present this weeks frothy and refreshing six pack...<p><a href="http://bleacherreport.com/articles/246670-the-2009-deutsche-bank-championship-six-pack">Begin Slideshow</a></p> Tue, 01 Sep 2009 23:34:34 -0400 http://bleacherreport.com/articles/246670-the-2009-deutsche-bank-championship-six-pack http://bleacherreport.com/articles/246670-the-2009-deutsche-bank-championship-six-pack http://bleacherreport.com/articles/246670-the-2009-deutsche-bank-championship-six-pack Golf Preview/Prediction JJ Gallant Well, well, well... I sure hope you guys heeded my advice last week. If you did, you would have netted an impressive 80+units with the Ryan Moore win at 66/1. Pair that up with Ryan Moore also placing T5 yielding 13/1, and the sleeper of the week, Jason Bohn, cashing in 16/1 for his T5 appearance. I must apologize, as my Yahoo fantasy picks were snoozers. Even worse, I spent the time figuring out who I wanted, only to neglect pushing the SUBMIT button upon completion! Bottom line, I only had Lucas Glover on my team all last week. Luckily he played pretty well. Vijay Singh is pictured with The Barclays trophy last year. He also won in 2007. Under normal circumstances, I would have had Vijay in the six pack this week, but I just don't see him bagging the "threepeat." I have a good feeling about my six pack again this week, so get your picks in early. Here is who I like for Yahoo fantasy (and yes, I DID click SUBMIT this week): GROUP A will have the king Tiger Woods starting, while (I can't believe I'm typing this) the master putter Sergio Garcia backs him up. GROUP B sees Hunter Mahan and Steve Stricker getting the nod, while Matthew Goggin and Fred Couples ride the bench. GROUP C is going to have Ian Poulter starting, while his fellow Englishman Luke Donald backs him up. And once again, I humbly present to you, Bottom Line Jay's weekly six pack...<p><a href="http://bleacherreport.com/articles/242803-the-2009-barclays-six-pack">Begin Slideshow</a></p> Wed, 26 Aug 2009 00:45:35 -0400 http://bleacherreport.com/articles/242803-the-2009-barclays-six-pack http://bleacherreport.com/articles/242803-the-2009-barclays-six-pack http://bleacherreport.com/articles/242803-the-2009-barclays-six-pack Golf Preview/Prediction JJ Gallant Welcome back to the high octane version of the six pack. Sorry about the last two weeks (or should I say weaks...), my schedule has not allowed me much free time. How about the last major of the year? Y.E. Yang battled and hung on to catch Tiger on a Sunday. Now there's something you don't see very often. What a great statement for Asian golf. It's remarkable how Yang becomes only the second Korean to win an event on the PGA, while in the LPGA the Korean influence is tremendous. That being said, my six pack will feature one of three Koreans this week, so see if you can guess who it will be. The field this week is spotty, but there is some value just waiting to be picked. This year marks the first year that Sedgefield Country Club has hosted a PGA event in many years. The course places a premium on accuracy and is among the easier third of the courses on tour this year. In case you were wondering, pictured above is Carl Petterson, the winner of last years Wyndham Championship. I do not expect to see another picture like this at this event in 2009. Poor Carl Petterson is simply having a debacle of a season. He usually earns between $1.5 - $2.5 million in a season. So far this year he has only earned (yeah ONLY) $365,000 with no more events left before the playoffs. Petterson currently sits at 151, and needs to jump up to 125th to make this years playoffs for the FedEx cup. Good luck with that one Hot Carl. I am still killing it in Yahoo, so why don't we start with my lineup? GROUP A is going to have the well playing Michael Letzig(10) starting, while K.J. Choi(7) backs him up. GROUP B sees the accurate Tim Clark(7) and sneaky Jonathan Byrd(10) starting. US Open winner Lucas Glover(8) and cagey veteran David Love III(3) back them up. GROUP C will see Jason Dufner(7) drive the bus, while sleeper pick Rocco Mediate(10) goes along for the ride. Let's get down with the six pack shall we? <p><a href="http://bleacherreport.com/articles/238796-the-2009-wyndham-championship-six-pack">Begin Slideshow</a></p> Tue, 18 Aug 2009 23:49:03 -0400 http://bleacherreport.com/articles/238796-the-2009-wyndham-championship-six-pack http://bleacherreport.com/articles/238796-the-2009-wyndham-championship-six-pack http://bleacherreport.com/articles/238796-the-2009-wyndham-championship-six-pack Golf Preview/Prediction JJ Gallant I apologize, another brief report this week. Mahan snagged us a T5 last week, to salvage any losses. Woods looks good to get it done, but if he doesn't I got some good ones for ya on the next few pages. As for Yahoo fantasy, here's who I like: GROUP A will see Tiger starting this week, and I will take Geoff Ogilvy to back him up. GROUP B will have Jerry Kelly starting with Steve Stricker, while Lucas Glover and Hunter Mahan wait in the wings to back them up. GROUP C gives the nod to Henrik Stenson, whiles Luke Donald plays from the bench. Here's the six pack:<p><a href="http://bleacherreport.com/articles/235332-the-2009-tour-championship-six-pack">Begin Slideshow</a></p> Wed, 12 Aug 2009 23:49:29 -0400 http://bleacherreport.com/articles/235332-the-2009-tour-championship-six-pack http://bleacherreport.com/articles/235332-the-2009-tour-championship-six-pack http://bleacherreport.com/articles/235332-the-2009-tour-championship-six-pack Golf PGA Preview/Prediction JJ Gallant Welcome to another edition of the six pack. How'd you like Y.E. Yang paying out at 25:1 for a T5 last week and Michael Letzig paying out 8:1 for his T5? I gotta tell you, my eyes were on Yang again this week, as he is simply playing top notch golf right now. My long shot will actually be someone else, so grab a seat and get comfy. There's Vijay with his trophy from this event last year. Vijay is a decent pick this year, but since he won this event last year, I ain't takin' him. There are lots of interesting candidates to choose from this week, including a nice handful of Euros, that may represent nicely this weekend. Or, maybe they won't. Tiger dominates this event with such a voraciousness, that I find it difficult to say he won't win this week. The good thing if Tiger doesn't take the cake, is that our values are inflated with all the "other guys" which translates into more dollars for us, "the good guys." My domination of Yahoo fantasy continues, even without using Tiger last week. I did drop a few notches, but nothing significant. Right now I have 4538 points on the season. I really am confident with all of my fantasy AND my six pack picks this week, so if you haven't been paying attention, now is the time to start. In Yahoo this week it looks like this: GROUP A will have Jim Furyk(4) starting with the one and only Tiger Woods(3) backing him up. GROUP B is going to see the always venerable Steve Stricker(5) and the red hot Lee Westwood(9) starting, whilst Davis Love III(3) and Hunter Mahan(5) back them up. GROUP C will be represented by Retief Goosen(3) and he will be backed up by the wily Swede, Henrik Stenson(7). Howza 'bout we throw down a six pack?<p><a href="http://bleacherreport.com/articles/230693-the-2009-wgc-bridgestone-invitational-six-pack">Begin Slideshow</a></p> Wed, 05 Aug 2009 00:23:26 -0400 http://bleacherreport.com/articles/230693-the-2009-wgc-bridgestone-invitational-six-pack http://bleacherreport.com/articles/230693-the-2009-wgc-bridgestone-invitational-six-pack http://bleacherreport.com/articles/230693-the-2009-wgc-bridgestone-invitational-six-pack Golf Preview/Prediction JJ Gallant Rain, rain go away. We'd like to get the Buick Open done in less than five days! Congrats to Nathan Green for his playoff victory over Retief Goosen, who lets another one slip through his hands at last weeks Canadian Open. Again my Yahoo fantasy pace continues to be torrid, yet my six packs are cooling off a little bit. With that being said, a lot of my picks have been close, but simply disappeared come Sunday. This weeks edition is going to be short and sweet. I promise to have a better article next week. In Yahoo fantasy, here's my lineup: GROUP A will see Jim Furyk(5) starting while Kevin Na(9) backs him up. GROUP B will have Brian Gay(5) and Nick Watney (4) starting. Rory Sabbatini (9) and Brandt Snedeker(10) will be the reserves. GROUP C has the warm and ready Scott Verplank(7) starting and the upward trending YE Yang(10) in the backup role. Here's the six pack:<p><a href="http://bleacherreport.com/articles/226185-the-2009-buick-open-six-pack">Begin Slideshow</a></p> Tue, 28 Jul 2009 23:59:50 -0400 http://bleacherreport.com/articles/226185-the-2009-buick-open-six-pack http://bleacherreport.com/articles/226185-the-2009-buick-open-six-pack http://bleacherreport.com/articles/226185-the-2009-buick-open-six-pack Golf Preview/Prediction JJ Gallant You gotta love Stewart Cink. Some of the headlines were less than flattering. I mean who pegs one of the nicest guys on tour as a "villain" and "a bad guy" after he just won his first major EVER? If it was Rory Sabbatini, then maybe you've got some validity. But we're talking one of the coolest cats around here. I guess it simply has to be the fact that Tom Watson missed a putt that would have iced the British Open on the 18th hole, that has propelled Mr. Cink into his new found notoriety. Don't get me wrong, it would have been neat-o and quite groovy to see a 59 year old senior tour player win the Open, but the guy has already won the thing THREE times for crying out loud! Give someone else a chance. I say good for Cink. I also say good for anyone who bet on him last week, as you would have yielded a rare 125/1 payout, with an additional 25/1 on a T5 bet as well. As for my six pack last week, I almost broke even with Retief Goosen's fifth place tie. I was extremely disappointed in Hunter Mahan's performance. Him missing the cut was actually more shocking to me than Tiger's woes. Oh and by the way, if you are looking for some apocalyptic Tiger banter, you are reading the wrong article. Try ESPN, or some other place that thrives on negative energy and the demise of others. He will be fine, trust me. I rocked the house in Yahoo fantasy again. I now am seated in 439th place out of 75,000+ entrants and in my group The Fans of Hunter Mahan I am now the sole holder of 4th place out of 734 other golf freaks. The closest Yahoo expert to my 4273 points is still Matt Romig with 4036 points, but Greg Vara is only a few points behind Matt, so things are tightening up for the supposed fantasy experts. Here is my Yahoo Fantasy line up this week: GROUP A has Camilo Villegas starting with the resurging Anthony Kim backing him up. GROUP B will have the skilled Sean O'Hair and my favorite young Aussie Jason Day tee it up first, while my mainstay Steve Marino and the grizzled vet Bob Estes back them up. GROUP C is the biggest no-brainer in the history of earth. Retief Goosen will get the nod, while the consistent coolness of Luke Donald will be held in reserve, just in case. By the way, the handsome fellow in the turquoise shirt holding the trophy there, is none other than last years Canadian Open winner, Chez Reavie. As my regulars know, since Reavie won last year he won't be listed in my six pack this year. I must say that it won't simply be because I don't pick repeats, this guy is flat out having a "let down" season and is struggling to make cuts. I'm still a little perturbed with Davis Love III going and semi-redesigning and repositioning some of this golf course back in 2006, and just never showing up again to play it. It's kind of like preparing a fine meal for some friends, feeding it to them, and then saying, "I'm not eating that crap, I'm going to Morton's. See ya!" Not cool Davis, not cool. Glen Abbey is a fair course, and does not necessarily favor the bombers, even though it is on the shorter side of the PGA tracks. I think guys who are well rounded are most suited to give this thing a run this year. I'll be honest, there were no real huge stand outs in this field that are 20/1 odds or higher, yet I feel confident that someone in my sixer, will step up and take home the trophy this week. <p><a href="http://bleacherreport.com/articles/221854-the-2009-rbc-canadian-open">Begin Slideshow</a></p> Tue, 21 Jul 2009 23:55:21 -0400 http://bleacherreport.com/articles/221854-the-2009-rbc-canadian-open http://bleacherreport.com/articles/221854-the-2009-rbc-canadian-open http://bleacherreport.com/articles/221854-the-2009-rbc-canadian-open Golf Men's Golf PGA Preview/Prediction JJ Gallant Notice how the Claret Jug is gleaming, yet last years Open champ looks a little fuzzy? Pure irony at it's finest. If Paddy Harrington somehow rises from the ashes of his 2009 season to win this thing, I will run through Government Center in Downtown Boston naked as the day I was born. I promise. Unless you are brain dead, you probably have inferred that I certainly will not be picking Padraig Harrington to win the jug this year. I was truly amazed to see this guy routinely placed at 20/1 odds with the dismal performances he has carded this year. Hell, on one book I even saw PADDY at 10/1!!! Before we go on probing and digging for this weeks winner, let me first congratulate myself on yet another insightful pick with Brandt Snedeker taking in a T5 paying out at 10/1 odds, allowing us to almost break even last week. Did you know I have picked seven winners thus far in 2009? Are you aware that I have picked 25 T5 or better players? Can you believe that out of those 25 T5's, that SIX of them actually placed 2nd? Guys, basically what I am telling you, is that I am on a roll this year. Our next order of business is our good buddy Tiger Woods. There is no doubt that my entire six pack will be hedged by a single "break-even" bet on Tiger to win it all. I truly believe Tiger will win this week. What I love about Tiger being in the field, is the elevated value that goes into the odds of the rest of the field. On one sports book Tiger is listed as a 2:1 favorite. The next golfer in line was Sergio Garcia (giggle giggle) at 20:1! We are witnessing truly amazing stuff here people, so pay attention. In Yahoo's fantasy league I currently have 4102 points on the season and am outlasting all of their experts. Their closest expert is still Matt Romig at 3933 points. I have moved up in my group, The Fans of Hunter Mahan to 5th place in a field of 721 members. I really like my Yahoo team this week, so without further ado, here ya go: GROUP A is actually going to see the red hot Jim Furyk(6) start over this weeks projected winner Tiger Woods(4) for round one. That I am sure will change as the weekend goes along. GROUP B will start two Europeans. Graeme McDowell(9) and Lee Westwood(10) will get the nod to start, while the more than capable Hunter Mahan(6) and the surprisingly resurgent Brandt Snedeker(10) will back them up GROUP C is going to see the Open Proven Retief Goosen(5) take aim, while impressive Englishman Ross Fisher(10) backs him up. It took me quite sometime to whittle my top 15 down to six quality guys and it certainly was NOT easy. So just in case Tiger doesn't win, let's take a look at six guys that have a great chance to contend on the Ailsa Course at beautiful Turnberry Resort in Ayrshire, Scotland.<p><a href="http://bleacherreport.com/articles/218080-the-2009-british-open-championship-six-pack">Begin Slideshow</a></p> Tue, 14 Jul 2009 23:22:42 -0400 http://bleacherreport.com/articles/218080-the-2009-british-open-championship-six-pack http://bleacherreport.com/articles/218080-the-2009-british-open-championship-six-pack http://bleacherreport.com/articles/218080-the-2009-british-open-championship-six-pack Golf Preview/Predictio JJ Gallant Tiger vs. AK Tiger comes out on top, yet Hunter Mahan sneaks in in Sunday tying the record 62 set by Kim on Thursday to come in second place. Quite a feat accomplished by Mahan, considering the Sunday pins are typically the toughest of the week. I wish I could have found him at 20:1 or higher because he is killing it right now. Congrats to Tiger! Another victory two weeks prior to a major, another trip straight to the Twilight Zone. Unfortunately all of my favorite players in the John Deere Classic this week, are lower than 20:1 odds. So if you can find ANY if these five guys at 20:1 or higher, please do yourself a favor and TAKE THEM! They are: 1. Kenny Perry 2. David Toms 3. Steve Stricker 4. Zach Johnson 5. Lucas Glover It's kind of crazy that those five supermen are playing in this event, as the field here is typically a little bit on the weaker side, due to the lower purse it carries. Since my six pack is value rich this week, we may get really lucky and cash a big one. Hopefully we can at least score a T5 with one of the higher odds guys making the week worthwhile. Before we go there let's run through the traditional Yahoo fantasy selections that I like: GROUP A will have Kenny Perry (5) starting and the underrated John Senden (10) backing him up GROUP B will have The always solid Steve Stricker (6) and one of my favs Steve Marino (4) starting while Zach Johnson(5) and the red hot Lucas Glover(9) will back them up. *** Had I not used all of my starts for David Toms already he would be replacing Marino*** GROUP C is going to be led to battle this week by Scott Verplank(8), he will get some backup from my sneaky special of the week, Matt Kuchar(7) Let's get this show on the road...<p><a href="http://bleacherreport.com/articles/213880-the-2009-john-deere-classic-six-pack">Begin Slideshow</a></p> Tue, 07 Jul 2009 23:56:20 -0400 http://bleacherreport.com/articles/213880-the-2009-john-deere-classic-six-pack http://bleacherreport.com/articles/213880-the-2009-john-deere-classic-six-pack http://bleacherreport.com/articles/213880-the-2009-john-deere-classic-six-pack Golf Preview/Predictio JJ Gallant How’d that six pack treat you last week? You should be drunk with cash if you paid attention. I know it wasn’t a booming 60:1 winner, but it’s always nice to cash three tickets from one six pack, no matter what. David Toms T5 4/1 Kenny Perry WINNER 20/1 Kenny Perry T5 4/1 At first, I was nervous, as four of my six golfers either were cut or withdrew, the main lingering concern being Dustin Johnson’s wrist injury. Hopefully it is nothing severe, as Dustin is having a great year so far in 2009. Kenny Perry continues to impress, as do his aging counterparts David Toms and Paul Goydos, who tied for second place at the Travelers Championship last weekend. Can you believe Kenny will be eligible for the Champions Tour in August next year? That means he can double dip if he so chooses. He would be crazy to do so, as the purses are much larger on the PGA Tour, than to those on the Champions Tour. This week we head to Congressional in Bethesda, MD, where a premium is placed on scoring, and a bit more towards accuracy, rather than sheer brute distance. The ultra exclusive Congressional Country Club has hosted a few U.S. Opens, and has long been the retreat for many a high browed Washingtonian. Can you say, "lobbyist?" I knew you could. Tiger has brought pro golf back to Congressional by hosting this invitational, started back in 2007. This makes handicapping the event a little tougher when it comes to past results, but I have some great guys for both your Yahoo fantasy teams, as well as your gambling enjoyment. At this point in Yahoo, I am still in the 99th percentile placed at 907th out of at least 75,000 with 3778 points. I am also 7th out of 693 in my group, Fans of Hunter Mahan. The closest of the four Yahoo experts to me is Matt Romig with 3644 points. Also, some of you have requested that I start posting how many starts I have left for players I select in my Yahoo fantasy preview selection, so starting this week, that data will be in parentheses beside the golfers name. GROUP A will have the red hot Jim Furyk (7) starting and the event host Tiger Woods (5) backing him up. GROUP B has Sean O’ Hair (6) and Jason Day (8) starting, while the well rested Charley Hoffman (6), and the dialed in Hunter Mahan (7) back them up. Please realize this is the time of year that Hunter Mahan has traditionally elevated his game to the top level. That would explain why some books have him as low as 12:1 odds of winning, and also why he is NOT in the six pack. You will notice that Anthony Kim is pictured above holding up his trophy from this event last year. I have never come so close to picking someone to repeat an event as I have this week! I really, REALLY think that A.K. is very well positioned to repeat this event this year, but I have my rules, so he is OUT of my six pack, even though he is a value packed 22:1 this week. Consider those guys “honorable mention”. Let’s crack open the six pack… <p><a href="http://bleacherreport.com/articles/209670-the-2009-at-t-national-six-pack">Begin Slideshow</a></p> Tue, 30 Jun 2009 23:12:13 -0400 http://bleacherreport.com/articles/209670-the-2009-at-t-national-six-pack http://bleacherreport.com/articles/209670-the-2009-at-t-national-six-pack http://bleacherreport.com/articles/209670-the-2009-at-t-national-six-pack Golf Mike Weir Sports Betting PGA Sports Gambling Preview/Predictio JJ Gallant Another U.S. Open is in the books. Congrats to Lucas Glover, for finally winning an event. I always knew he was capable of doing it, but certainly would NEVER have selected him to win the U.S. Open. Good for him. Also, and more importantly, good for his confidence. Pictured above is Stewart Cink, last years Travelers Champion. I will not be selecting him this year, even though he is a tempting 20:1 You know the rule, I never pick guys to repeat. Plus it's not a Ryder Cup year. What the hell does the Ryder Cup have to do with anything? For some reason, if it is a Ryder Cup year, Stew Cink plays the PGA tour like a wizard. That does not mean, Stew is not having a good year, it just means that you should wait to see what he does next year. I really like Stewart Cink, he's a great guy, I'm just not taking him this week. The Travelers Championship, kind of catapulted Hunter Mahan into the spotlight in 2007, so he is clearly the favorite here this week at 12:1 on most books this week. His impressive T6 (even though he ironically got screwed by hitting the flag stick on the 16th hole helping send him just out of the top 5) at the US Open, has also limited his value this week. This is the time of year that Mahan excels on tour, so I will be keeping a close eye on him over the next five weeks. Okay, here's who I like in Yahoo fantasy this week: GROUP A I will be starting one of my favorite guys Kenny Perry, and backing him up with a great young talent, Kevin Na. GROUP B The snorkler Woody Austin and Mr. Focus, Steve Marino get the nod this week. The skilled Hunter Mahan and one of my favorite young guns, Dustin Johnson will back them up. GROUP C In group C I had a tough time, but I am convinced Scott Verplank is the cream of the crop, and I will take a shot with the risky Nick O'Hern as his backup. I am still killing it in Yahoo, BTW. I'll throw my stats at you next week. It's safe to say, I am far ahead of all the "experts." Now let's try and make some money with the six pack. Whaddaya say?<p><a href="http://bleacherreport.com/articles/205483-the-2009-travelers-championship-six-pack">Begin Slideshow</a></p> Wed, 24 Jun 2009 02:27:17 -0400 http://bleacherreport.com/articles/205483-the-2009-travelers-championship-six-pack http://bleacherreport.com/articles/205483-the-2009-travelers-championship-six-pack http://bleacherreport.com/articles/205483-the-2009-travelers-championship-six-pack Golf Preview/Predictio JJ Gallant There he is in all of his glory, the chosen one, Tiger Woods! All hail Tiger, for he is, and will probably be the greatest golfer to EVER walk the planet! Let’s just say that all of my six pack selections will be hedged with one big bet on Tiger this week. More on that in a minute, please read on. Before we get into all of the glory and grandeur that is The U.S. Open, let’s reflect back to last weeks victory at The Stanford St. Jude Classic by a one, Brian Gay. You may recall he was one of my selections in the six pack and was a true steal at 40:1 odds. Come Wednesday, you would have been lucky to see him at 30:1 or higher. They must be on to me. Gay marked the sixth winner I have pegged in my six pack this year. Coincidentally, the last winner I picked was… That’s right, Brian Gay! I nailed him down to win The Verizon Heritage Open, another tourney in which he dominated the field and won wire-to-wire. Even more coincidental, is the fact that LAST YEAR I picked Justin Leonard to win the St. Jude Classic at 30/1, and guess what? He also won! Just so you are aware, there are sports books that offer up odds that are about 1/5 the odds to win, if your golfer comes in T5 or better. Why do I mention this? Because I also bet the T5 option, EVERY week. I have hit 22 T5 or better guys this year so far, and remarkably, FIVE of those guys have come in 2nd!!! That’s right I have just missed having 11 winners in golf this year, which is truly an amazing feat. Please do no infer my confidence portrayed in this article as bragging. I am simply passing on information that is designed to help YOU, the fantasy player, and sports gambler. Enjoy it while it’s free. The U.S. Open sees it’s return to the Black Course of Bethpage in Farmingdale, NY on Long Island. This course is LONG and STRONG. The premium here is not placed as much on accuracy, as it is on pure unadulterated LENGTH off the tee. This fact has weighed heavily in my selections this week. Bethpage has been improving it’s course since the Open was last played there in 2002. It will entice the big boys even more. “Drive for show, putt for dough,” has never been a more appropriate cliché. If last years U.S. Open is even 10% as great as last year, it will be more than ample entertainment. Last year U.S. Open was probably one of the most incredible tourneys I can remember seeing, EVER. I think this year shapes up nicely for a good ‘ol showdown with Tiger and Phil. No matter what, I just don’t see Tiger losing the U.S. Open this year. Even though Phil will be the sentimental crowd favorite. Hardcore Sports Radio co-host Cam Stewart was heard stating earlier today on the show Morency, “He (Tiger) uses regular tournaments to work things out and tweak his game to win majors. Much like the rest of the field uses the driving range to work things out for competing in regular tournaments.” I couldn’t have said it better myself. Tiger is truly a different breed. Before we get into the six pack, I’d like to let you in on who I am playing this week in the Yahoo fantasy pool. I still am ahead of all four of their “experts” with 3472 points on the year. The closest expert is Matt Romig with 3340. I am in 629th place out of over 75,000+ others. Not too shabby. GROUP A will have the Teflon-like Tiger Woods starting, while the skilled Geoff Ogilvy backs him up. GROUP B will see the smooth Steve Stricker and the stealthy Graeme McDowell starting, while The rock solid, 6’4” young studs Nick Watney and Dustin Johnson back them up. GROUP C is going to give Henrik Stenson a chance to redeem himself after last weeks dismal showing, while possible sleeper, Matt Kuchar, backs him up. I have spent many, many hours researching this event and when I started to make my cuts, I still had 18 guys to trim down to six. It was NOT easy. I placed a premium on driving distance, par breaking ability, and putting average. There were other factors, but I like my six selections a lot. That being said, I mentioned I am hedging all of my bets with a bigger bet on Tiger. You regulars must be thinking, “Hey Bottom Line Jay, you never pick a guy to repeat a tournament, and you never pick a guy that is lower than 20:1 odds. What gives?” You guys are right, but we are talking about Tiger Woods, who I think is going to win. We are also talking about a major here. I don’t think he will steamroll anyone, because this course is simply too difficult, but he will do what he does best, win. Basically here’s how the “hedge” works. If I lay $10 on each golfer in my six pack, that totals a risk of $60. Tiger is currently 1.75:1 odds to win. So I will lay an additional seventh bet down, of $35, on Tiger Woods. That way, I break even when Tiger wins, otherwise, I get fat and cash in when one of my six pack takes it instead. So without further ado, I present the illustrious six pack of Bottom Line Jay… <p><a href="http://bleacherreport.com/articles/200736-the-2009-us-open-six-pack">Begin Slideshow</a></p> Tue, 16 Jun 2009 23:04:59 -0400 http://bleacherreport.com/articles/200736-the-2009-us-open-six-pack http://bleacherreport.com/articles/200736-the-2009-us-open-six-pack http://bleacherreport.com/articles/200736-the-2009-us-open-six-pack Golf Preview/Prediction 2009 US Open (Golf JJ Gallant How about that Tiger Woods fella? That's great and all that he came back miraculously to win, I just wish it wasn't by one stroke over the guy I had in my six pack, Jim Furyk. Furyk marks the fifth player I have picked this year to come in SECOND. Thankfully I do have five actual winners under my belt as well. But as they say in France, "C'est la vie." In case you didn't know, pictured above is last years St. Jude winner, Justin Leonard. He actually sets up well for this event and is a definite favorite to win it all. Then there's Phil, who also looks to show up with a win this week, but his odds are too low for me to pick him. Another guy I automatically thought of for this track was David Toms, yet alas, he is only 15:1 to win it all, so that disqualifies him from the six pack. Another worthy competitor is Boo Weekley. I am shying away from him as after his withdrawal from the Players Championship, the Pensacola News Journal issued a release stating that Boo has suffered a torn labrum in his shoulder. It may need surgery, something that Boo is hoping to hold off on until the winter. Sounds too risky for my six pack. Fear not, after careful and insightful analysis I was able to string together six worthy contenders for this weeks tournament. I actually had a crappy week in Yahoo last week. I still managed to gather 92 points on the week, yet made a bench blunder by starting Ian Poulter over Luke Donald in Round 1. Donald shot -8 on day one and Ian was a dismal +3 Overall I am still in the 99th percentile ranked 932nd for the year with 3288 points. I outrank all of the Yahoo Experts. The closest one to me is Matt Romig at 3178 points. This field was a tough one to dissect. There is not a solid group of guys that regularly contend at the St. Jude. There are also many "unknowns" that tend to show up and do well here. Here's my Yahoo Lineup for this week: GROUP A has Justin Leonard starting and Phil Mickelson backing him up on the bench. GROUP B will see youngster Jason Day and Verizon Heritage winner Brian Gay starting. Backing them up will be grizzled veteran David Toms (my last allowable start for him for the season) and I will also have Tim Clark on the bench. GROUP C has the crafty Henrik Stenson starting and he will be alternating rounds with the surprising Jason Dufner. Let's get to the six pack, shall we?<p><a href="http://bleacherreport.com/articles/196463-the-2009-stanford-st-jude-classic">Begin Slideshow</a></p> Wed, 10 Jun 2009 12:35:47 -0400 http://bleacherreport.com/articles/196463-the-2009-stanford-st-jude-classic http://bleacherreport.com/articles/196463-the-2009-stanford-st-jude-classic http://bleacherreport.com/articles/196463-the-2009-stanford-st-jude-classic Golf Preview/Predictio JJ Gallant Before we get into the Memorial, we need to talk. We need to talk about last weeks unreal outcome at The Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial Country Club in Irving, TX. How could Steve Marino survive the 1st hole of the playoff, only to play it extra safe on the second hole, by teeing off with a hybrid, resulting in his second shot coming from the trees? How did Tim Clark miss that putt? How in the world did Steve Stricker miraculously chip in on 17 to make it into the playoff? Then how did he make such a perfect shot on the second playoff hole? How did Tim Clark's second shot hit the flagstick and end up 19 feet away? Pure craziness. If you are a regular reader of my articles, you know that I was routing for Steve Marino. Obviously my wager was on him, but to be honest with you, if I did a 10 pack, Tim Clark would have been there. I won't lie, Stricker was not on my radar. The crazy factor last week was that you had two guys going for their first PGA win ever and then you had Stricker, a four time winner, who legitimately has the ability to be a ten time winner. I really wanted to see Marino or Clark take the prize to get their first feather in their cap, but at the same time, I just couldn't route against a guy like Steve Stricker. The next time you look up "class act" in the dictionary, you will see Steve Stricker's picture right beside the entry. I never want to see those three guys in a playoff again. I like and respect all three of them way too much. Anyway, Steve I know you are reading, so congratulations big guy, way to go. As you probably noticed, theres my man, the man of steel, Kenny Perry, pictured with the trophy at last years Memorial. He is a three time winner here at Muirfield Village in Dublin, OH, yet alas, he is NOT in my six pack...EVEN THOUGH, he is listed at 20:1 to win it all. Remember, I rarely pick guys to repeat. This was NOT easy for me to do. You should see my notebook. Perry's name has been written and erased so many times, there is no paper left on that area of the page! If you think this "six pack" idea is pretty cool, then you should check out Stracka.com's new weekly "pick 6". You can actually play against others for real $$$$. You can go as low as $10 or as high as $1000! My Yahoo! Fantasy year continues to impress, as I continue to hold my ground in the 99th percentile. Here is who I like for the Yahoo league this week: GROUP A I am starting the red hot Jim Furyk, and taking the surging Vijay Singh as my back up. GROUP B I will be starting the impressive Sean O'Hair and young stand out Nick Watney. They will be backed up by my main man Steve Marino, and another one of my favs, Dustin Johnson. GROUP C Sadly, my favorite two "C" guys ten starts are getting used up very quickly. I can't avoid starting Ian Poulter this week, and of course I will back him up with the talented Englishman, Luke Donald. Let's get on with the six pack, I've got some stone cold killers for you this week! <p><a href="http://bleacherreport.com/articles/191221-the-2009-memorial-six-pack">Begin Slideshow</a></p> Tue, 02 Jun 2009 23:44:25 -0400 http://bleacherreport.com/articles/191221-the-2009-memorial-six-pack http://bleacherreport.com/articles/191221-the-2009-memorial-six-pack http://bleacherreport.com/articles/191221-the-2009-memorial-six-pack Golf Preview/Predictio JJ Gallant It is a shame that Phil won't be able to defend his title this week due to the unfortunate circumstances surrounding his wife Amy. I wish the Mickelson family the very best during their ordeal. Having parents who have both survived cancer, I know how harrowing the experience can be. Although it is a different type of cancer, I have a friend who will be running a triathalon to help cure blood cancer. If your feeling generous, you can donate to his cause by visiting the following link: http://pages.teamintraining.org/ma/HyannisT9/aarnoldqih The tournament at The Colonial is known for bringing out a quality field each year. I know Tiger and Phil won't be there, but Furyk, Singh, Perry, and Ogilvy are all going to be there with many other skilled masters. Rumor has it that Paul Casey is the favorite this week, but I have my eyes set on another Englishman to get it done. This course rewards accuracy, so picks like JB Holmes, may be a little risky this week. Since I was out of the range of the internet over the holiday weekend (like that's possible in today's day and age), my Yahoo fantasy ranks slipped slightly, but I am still in the 99th percentile in both my group, and in the overall pool. This week in GROUP A I am starting Kenny Perry and backing him up with the accurate Jim Furyk In GROUP B I am starting the red hot Charley Hoffman and Brian Gay. They will be backed up by the solid Zach Johnson, and Tim Clark. In GROUP C I am shying away from Ian Poulter this week. I think his run is over. I am instead starting Ben Crane, and backing him up with the extremely impressive Luke Donald. There are some great players, with some great value in this weeks field. Some notables that almost made the cut for the six pack include Stephen Ames, Vijay Singh (I think he is poised for a nice comeback soon), DL3, Rod Pampling, and Geoff Ogilvy. Let's get this show on the road... <p><a href="http://bleacherreport.com/articles/185135-the-2009-crowne-plaza-at-the-colonial-six-pack">Begin Slideshow</a></p> Wed, 27 May 2009 11:31:59 -0400 http://bleacherreport.com/articles/185135-the-2009-crowne-plaza-at-the-colonial-six-pack http://bleacherreport.com/articles/185135-the-2009-crowne-plaza-at-the-colonial-six-pack http://bleacherreport.com/articles/185135-the-2009-crowne-plaza-at-the-colonial-six-pack Golf Preview/Predictio JJ Gallant They say every lock has a key. I have a rock solid lock that Adam Scott will NOT win this weeks HP Byron Nelson Classic in Irving, Texas this week. Too bad I can't find that prop anywhere. These Texas events are tough to cap due to the fact that there are so many "one hit wonders" that climb up the leader boards. There are very few guys with solid track records at TPC Four season at Las Colinas. There were lots of guys that had me posing the question, "What if..." One of them being Vijay Singh. He has been nothing short of awful in 2009 (by Vijay standards that is). Then out of the blue, he bounces back from being cut at Quail Hollow a few weeks ago to placing T9 at The Players Championship! Vijay has played well at this event over the years and has even won it before. What if he shows up this week? What if Luke Donald was in the field? Better yet, why the hell isn't he in this field?!?! Donald has been playing solid golf this year, and has finally overcome his wrist issues. He has played phenomenally here over the years. He is always in the top 20 and was runner up in 2007. It baffles me why he has opted out this week. What if Carl Petterrsson could get going? This guy has some MAJOR troubles, and is always a solid performer on tour. This is typically the time of year he is warmed up and ready to contend. I don't think he's ready yet. He may want to step out of the freezer this week and absorb some good 'ol Texas heat. What if Tim Herron and John Daly had a wing eating contest? Would the domestic wing market notice a sharp decline in supply for a few weeks? Now I'm getting off track, sorry. In Yahoo Fantasy golf, I am currently in 3rd place out of 657 in my group, The Fans Of Hunter Mahan. I currently rank 285th out of over 60,000 in the entire pool. Some of you may be wondering why all of my six pack selections are not always in my Yahoo selections. I will share one small hint with you as to why this is. When I am picking my six pack I am trying to select guys at 20/1 or higher to WIN the tournament. Yahoo's fantasy scoring does not work that way. In Yahoo, I am trying to pick the golfer who is going to perform the best ROUND by ROUND. So let's say Zach Johnson goes out and shoots -4 in round one and +1 in round two. Charley Hoffman shoots +2 in round one but -6 on round two. Ideally you would want to know that Hoffman maybe is typically a better second round player than ZJ, so in this case hopefully you started Zach on day one, then switched him out and started Charley on day 2. The above example is strictly hypothetical, Hoffman is not necessarily a better second round player than ZJ. The bottom line is that you must do your homework as to which players play well in which rounds, and to construct a solid team that sets you up for success each week. No more hints. Before we slide a six pack your way, let's go over my selections and starters for the Yahoo Fantasy League. GROUP A Robert Allenby (ST), Phil Mickelson GROUP B Charley Hoffman (ST), David Toms (ST), Steve Marino, Rod Pampling GROUP C Ian Poulter (ST), Scott Verplank Let's get busy cracking open this six pack...<p><a href="http://bleacherreport.com/articles/179409-the-2009-hp-byron-nelson-classic-six-pack">Begin Slideshow</a></p> Wed, 20 May 2009 01:12:19 -0400 http://bleacherreport.com/articles/179409-the-2009-hp-byron-nelson-classic-six-pack http://bleacherreport.com/articles/179409-the-2009-hp-byron-nelson-classic-six-pack http://bleacherreport.com/articles/179409-the-2009-hp-byron-nelson-classic-six-pack Golf Preview/Predictio JJ Gallant Don't mess with Texas. Zach Johnson showed up for the first time at the Texas Open in 2008, and lookey there, he's got a nice 'ol shiny trophy on his shoulder. Looks like it weighs a ton. It must be filled with crude. Unfortunately I can't pick ZJ this week, or Justin Leonard, or Anthony Kim, OR Tim Clark. They are all under 20/1 odds this week. One thing about this event, is that people from Texas, or people who went to school in Texas, seem to fare well here. My six pack and Yahoo selections are filled with Texans this week. I don't have a ton of stats to lambaste you with this week, as this field is pretty weak. But each guy has at least one or two good reasons to be selected. Let's get going with the Yahoo fantasy picks. Oh yeah, I am still doing great in Yahoo at 99th percentile still... Thanks for asking. GROUP A Justin Leonard (ST), John Mallinger GROUP B Charley Hoffman (ST), JJ Henry (ST), Zach Johnson, Bob Estes GROUP C Charlie Wi (ST), Harrison Frazar Now let's try and make some cash with our six pack this weak, er, uh, 'scuse me, I meant week. <p><a href="http://bleacherreport.com/articles/174232-the-2009-valero-texas-open-six-pack">Begin Slideshow</a></p> Wed, 13 May 2009 12:42:20 -0400 http://bleacherreport.com/articles/174232-the-2009-valero-texas-open-six-pack http://bleacherreport.com/articles/174232-the-2009-valero-texas-open-six-pack http://bleacherreport.com/articles/174232-the-2009-valero-texas-open-six-pack Golf Preview/Predictio JJ Gallant They call it, "The Fifth Major." Whatever you call it, it is a talent packed field stacked with the best the PGA has to offer. This years field is so filled with valuable picks, it was very hard to narrow down my six pack, and also fairly difficult to pick my fantasy lineup this week. One thing I noticed about the expert picks on Yahoo, is that virtually everyone picked Sean O'Hair. Sean O' Hair is a great player, and a worthy pick, yet I always tend to shy away from picking a guy who won the previous week. Odds are extremely slim that they will win the following week. Heck, most guys usually take the following week off. A lot of people are picking Sergio. I am not one of them. The odds of him repeating a victory at this event are ZERO. I am guaranteeing that Garcia does not win this event. First off, his game is not super sharp yet this year, and secondly I still think he may be feeling the brunt of his comments about Augusta, even though he gave a heart felt apology. Was the sarcasm received there okay? I hope so. The other interesting thing about The Players Championship, is that it always takes place at Sawgrass in Ponte Vedra Beach, FL. Many of you probably know that Ponte Vedra is home to many golfers on the PGA Tour. What many of you may NOT know is that this event has not been won by the same person in the past 17 years. Davis Love III is the last two or more time winner at TPC Sawgrass. His last victory here was in 2003, before that it was back in 1992. Not even Tiger the Great has had a repeat win here. His only victory at The Players Championship came in 2001. I weighed this factor heavily in making my picks this week in both fantasy and in the netherworld of the sportsbooks. I slipped a few notches in Yahoo fantasy last week, but am still in the 99th percentile overall and in my group, The Fans of Hunter Mahan. Here are my Yahoo fantasy selections for this week: GROUP A Jim Furyk (ST), Ernie Els GROUP B Briny Baird (ST), Davis Love III (ST), Zach Johnson, Steve Stricker GROUP C Retief Goosen (ST), Luke Donald Some of my picks may come as surprises to many of you, but I am confident in them. Before we get to the six pack, I have two guys you should avoid like the Swine Flu. Stay away from Vijay Singh (60/1) and Adam Scott (80/1). Vijay is damaged goods right now, and who knows when he will be back to normal form. Adam Scott is nothing but a pure mystery as to what has happened to him. For the first time in his career he has missed three consecutive cuts. I cannot believe that the odds of winning this tournament for these guys are 60:1 and 80:1. That Kate Hudson must be one fine piece of tail. Let's check out my six pack for this week, for any of you that may be interested in doing some wagering. <p><a href="http://bleacherreport.com/articles/168534-the-2009-players-championship-six-pack">Begin Slideshow</a></p> Tue, 05 May 2009 22:34:58 -0400 http://bleacherreport.com/articles/168534-the-2009-players-championship-six-pack http://bleacherreport.com/articles/168534-the-2009-players-championship-six-pack http://bleacherreport.com/articles/168534-the-2009-players-championship-six-pack Golf Jim Furyk Ernie Els Geoff Ogilvy Retief Goosen Robert Allenby Preview/Predictio JJ Gallant It looks like the Wachovia... er... uh.. make that the Quail Hollow Championship is upon us once again, or is it the first time? Apparantly Wells Fargo, who purchased Wachovia this year, has dropped the name Wachovia from the tournament in an effort to curb poor publicity for a bailout receiving bank sponsoring a golf tournament. Way to have faith in your product guys. Instead of finding a way to put some sort of positive spin, making your name shine, you drop it as if it were some shameful dirty little secret. All I can say is, I'm glad none of my money is in a Wells Fargo, OR Wachovia bank, because they seem like they are hiding even more than first appears. How about we talk some golf instead? let's look beyond our failing economy and beyond the Swine Flu, and escape for a little while into a place I like to call, "Happy Golf Land." Pictured above is Anthony Kim, who won here last year. I was very very close to putting Mr. Kim in my six pack as he was 20:1 odds this week, but I opted against it. As most of you regulars know, I rarely pick people without the last name of Woods to repeat an event. Regardless, Anthony will play well this weekend, he loves this course. Quail Hollow is a long course, and one of the more difficult stops on tour. There is a stretch of three holes on the back nine, that make the pros shudder to think about. I think this plays into the favor of the guys with nerves of steel. Hence, the quality packed field this weekend. Tiger will contend, Phil will hang around, and could win, but there are two other well known guys I have my eye on. Sergio Garcia, again, is not one of them. Let's get into the Yahoo fantasy picks, then move into my six pack. I am doing very, very well in Yahoo now. I am currently in the 99th percentile in the overall pool as well as my group, The Fans of Hunter Mahan. In group A this week I will start Tiger Woods and Jim Furyk will be my back up. In Group B I will start D.J. Trahan and David Toms. My back up players will be Steve Marino and Matthew Goggin. In group C I will be starting Jason Dufner for the first time, and Ian Poulter will back him up. And now the moment you have all been waiting for... Bottom Line Jay's Six Pack of the week!<p><a href="http://bleacherreport.com/articles/164394-the-2009-quail-hollow-championship-six-pack">Begin Slideshow</a></p> Wed, 29 Apr 2009 10:13:26 -0400 http://bleacherreport.com/articles/164394-the-2009-quail-hollow-championship-six-pack http://bleacherreport.com/articles/164394-the-2009-quail-hollow-championship-six-pack http://bleacherreport.com/articles/164394-the-2009-quail-hollow-championship-six-pack Golf Preview/Predictio JJ Gallant It's that time of year again. The PGA Tour is off to New Orleans for the Zurich Classic. This tourney has produced no repeat winners in the past ten years and it typically is a crown that goes earned by a player that at the time may not be considered a "upper echelon" player. Last years winner Andres Romero (pictured) won here last year, putting him on the map as a winner on the PGA Tour, and showing the world what he is capable of. This years field is a very interesting one. I had a tough time weeding out my six pack this week. It's so hard for me to pick against Kenny Perry this week, but since he is at 12:1 I cannot pick him. And since he pretty much had one of the biggest meltdowns in Masters history, costing me a large chunk of change, as I had him at 60:1 to win it all, I am still pissed off at him, and feel satisfied, that I can't put him in my sixer anyway! My pick of Brian Gay at 60/1 greatly helped me pad my offshore account last week, and also catapulted me even higher in the Yahoo fantasy pool. I am now in 798th place overall. That may not sound so great, but considering there are well over 50,000 people, That's very good. Also in my group, The Fans of Hunter Mahan, I am ranked 6th out of 637 people! I feel great about this weekend. Not only because we will be in the high 70's here in New England, and I will be practicing for MY first major of my golf club's year, but I really like my six pack, and my Yahoo selections. If you ever want to check out how I am as a golfer in real life, you can view all of my rounds and stats for the past few years under the individual stats section of my clubs website nshgc.com This week for my Yahoo picks I am going with the following: GROUP A Kenny Perry (st) Justin Rose GROUP B Nick Watney (st) Steve Stricker (st) David Toms Lucas Glover GROUP C Charles Howell III (st) Ian Poulter I know, I know CH3 is on my Yahoo team. You can rest assured that almost guarantees he misses the cut, withdraws, or gets disqualified. I am not ruling out a lightning strike either. Not only does it look like he went a little crazy with the 'ol Crest Whitestrips, but that guy for some reason is always the kiss of death to anything fantasy for me. Well, if you are ready, then so am I. Let's lay down the six pack for this week, and try to keep the gravy train flowing! <p><a href="http://bleacherreport.com/articles/160177-the-2009-zurich-classic-of-new-orleans-six-pack">Begin Slideshow</a></p> Tue, 21 Apr 2009 23:50:26 -0400 http://bleacherreport.com/articles/160177-the-2009-zurich-classic-of-new-orleans-six-pack http://bleacherreport.com/articles/160177-the-2009-zurich-classic-of-new-orleans-six-pack http://bleacherreport.com/articles/160177-the-2009-zurich-classic-of-new-orleans-six-pack Golf David Toms Preview/Predictio JJ Gallant It's kind of ironic that Boo Weekley is a back to back winner here at Harbor Town Golf links, in my opinion. Boo crushes the ball off the tee. Harbor Town is not known to be a long ball hitters paradise, but typically favors the accurate player. Somehow Boo has ignored the norm, and managed to overcome the typical to be a champion here twice consecutively. I don't want to route against Boo because I think he is great for the tour, but I am not picking him this week, even though he provides decent odds at 24:1. My picks this week are focused on driving accuracy, a high GIR percentage, and/or some above average scrambling ability. I am still in the 98th percentile in the Yahoo fantasy golf league, so why don't we start off there? GROUP A Paul Casey (ST) Ernie Els GROUP B Rory McIlroy (ST) Brian Gay (ST) Lucas Glover Davis Love III GROUP C Luke Donald (ST) Matt Kuchar Also keep in mind, Harbor Town has some of the smallest greens these pros will see all year. Accuracy is truly a premium in this weeks event. I have a solid six pack this week, so take some notes... (Notice how I have not mentioned anything about Kenny Perry's choke job at The Masters last week?)<p><a href="http://bleacherreport.com/articles/156572-the-2009-verizon-heritage-six-pack">Begin Slideshow</a></p> Wed, 15 Apr 2009 14:17:23 -0400 http://bleacherreport.com/articles/156572-the-2009-verizon-heritage-six-pack http://bleacherreport.com/articles/156572-the-2009-verizon-heritage-six-pack http://bleacherreport.com/articles/156572-the-2009-verizon-heritage-six-pack Golf Ernie Els Preview/Predictio JJ Gallant Child's Play That is what Tiger Woods will be making of Augusta National this weekend. I am hedging all of my bets, with one recovery bet on Tiger Woods this week, who is 2.25:1 odds to win. I wrote a fairly detailed Masters preview earlier, so check it out. Before we move to this weeks six pack, let's take a peek at my Masters lineup in Yahoo fantasy. GROUP A Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson GROUP B Nick Watney, Sean O'Hair, Hunter Mahan, Dustin Johnson GROUP C Henrik Stenson, Retief Goosen I have a pretty good feeling that Tiger Woods is going to run away with this event, starting quickly on Thursday. <p><a href="http://bleacherreport.com/articles/152704-the-2009-masters-six-pack">Begin Slideshow</a></p> Wed, 08 Apr 2009 00:21:56 -0400 http://bleacherreport.com/articles/152704-the-2009-masters-six-pack http://bleacherreport.com/articles/152704-the-2009-masters-six-pack http://bleacherreport.com/articles/152704-the-2009-masters-six-pack The Master JJ Gallant <p>Ahhhh The Masters is upon us. &nbsp;It's that first major of the year. &nbsp;It's the event that gets the average golfer cleaning out his golf bag and replacing last years spikes. &nbsp;Trips to knetgolf.com to find some cheap balls, and to clubfinders.com to replace that hybrid you wrapped around a tree last year in the peak of fall's frustrations (or for some of us winter's woes). &nbsp;</p> <p>There are many questions surrounding this years Masters golf tournament in Augusta, GA. &nbsp;I have selected ten questions that are on my mind, and will break each of them down for you.</p> <p>Is this the MOST anticipated major?</p> <p>One could argue that this may be the most anticipated major of all time. &nbsp;All eyes will be focused on whom else, Tiger Woods. I would say most people are expecting Tiger to win this event, myself included. &nbsp;</p> <p>I think what he did at Arnie's place two weeks ago was one incredible set up for what should prove to be a fantastic Masters, and an even more fantastic Tiger hunt for the rest of the field. This years field&nbsp;is stellar and as usual it is filled with the world's very best.</p> <p>Overall, I think that The Masters is definitely the most anticipated major every year. &nbsp;Let's face it, it is the premier major of the year. It's the one that occurs when many areas of the country are starting to see daffodils pop up, and warmth is starting to thaw out winters gripping chill. &nbsp;</p> <p>Not everyone lives in Southern Cali, or Florida where golf can be enjoyed all winter long. The Masters fits the mood of golf for the average Joe looking to hit the range and get the rusty hinges working again. With the stoic history and scenic backdrop of springtime in Augusta, Georgia this is most certainly the most anticipated major on the PGA Tour each year.</p> <p>How many strokes will Tiger win by?</p> <p>Notice how the question was not, "Will Tiger win?"</p> <p>I have a strong feeling that Tiger Woods is going to absolutely dominate this years Masters event. I think the entire PGA and worldwide scene is still in absolute awe of how this man has roared back to his old self. He gradually improved each week and won at Bay Hill to top it all off. &nbsp;</p> <p>This week at The Masters I expect Tigers' foot to stay on the gas pedal starting on Thursday. That foot will only be coming off, to kick the persons ass out of his way that is a notch above him on the leader board. It would not surprise me to see Tiger win this year by a margin of at least three strokes come Sunday.</p> <p>What about Sergio Garcia? Will he contend for his first major?</p> <p>Not this week he won't.</p> <p>Will a European win the Masters this year?</p> <p>In my opinion, no. We haven't seen a Masters champion from over the pond since Jose Maria Olazabal in 1999. I would watch for some strong efforts from the Euros however. &nbsp;I think that of all the European players, Paul Casey is looking the strongest to contend. &nbsp;I know he just won last week at the Shell Houston Open, but he is my Euro to watch this week.</p> <p>I also expect Rory McIlroy to make things very interesting. After all he did grace the cover of SI's Masters Preview edition this week. By the way, have you seen how far that 19-year-old crushes the ball?! Very Tigeresque circa 1997. &nbsp;</p> <p>Luke Donald could possibly make a run this weekend. He has been playing strong, and I feel he has been saving himself a bit for this tournament after tweaking his wrist in the Accenture Match Play Championship vs. Ernie Els.</p> <p>As far as some other Euro guys go...Two weeks ago I would have had Alvaro Quiros on the list, but he is looking very iffy right now. I think Henrik Stenson is a quality Euro candidate as is fellow Swede Robert Karlsson, and I really think that if Lee Westwood can hook together four consistent rounds, he should also be there.</p> <p>The pony-tailed Spaniard, Miguel Angel Jimenez, always seems to do something respectable in Augusta. Oh, did I mention that Paddy Harrington is going for his third consecutive major?</p> <p>What's wrong with Vijay Singh?</p> <p>There would hardly be a better story than that of Vijay miraculously bouncing back this week to win The Masters. I cannot envision this happening and the reasons why are unfortunate. Vijay is truly one of golfs all time greats. This year, a bad back and not fully recovered knee have greatly hindered Vijay's typical vigorous training. Few players hit more golf balls per week than Vijay Singh. &nbsp;</p> <p>Sadly, his 46-year-old body cannot run his normal regimen this year, and his lack of practice is showing right now on the course. Vijay's history at The Masters is a great one, and I will miss seeing him there on the weekend this year. My guess is that he does not make the cut.</p> <p>Is Anthony Kim the top young gun to watch this week?</p> <p>Under normal circumstances I would answer yes to this question. &nbsp;I am still not 100 percent sold that Anthony Kim's shoulder is back to full health. &nbsp;I know he has been dismissing it&nbsp; Lately, but his T58 at the WGC CA Championship tells me something is not quite right. Hopefully some time off has helped him heal, but I am a wait-and-see kind of guy. &nbsp;</p> <p>The top five young guns to watch this weekend will be Rory McIlroy, Dustin Johnson, Nick Watney, Hunter Mahan, and the promising Argentinian Andres Romero who placed T8 here last year. &nbsp;Don't misread me, I love Anthony Kim, I am just skeptical that his shoulder issue may be larger than he is letting on to.</p> <p>What's up with Retief Goosen?</p> <p>A great comeback season is what's up. &nbsp;I am not sure if he could be in a better position to win The Masters than he is right now. &nbsp;Goosen is on top of his game right now, and is one of the best golfers in the world. &nbsp;This guy always shows up at majors, especially at majors held in Augusta, GA. &nbsp;I think that if Tiger does not win in a landslide, that Goosen is the next best candidate in all of the field to win. &nbsp;Goosen could possibly make it back to back Masters victories for South Africa here in 2009. &nbsp;Goosens' record here at Augusta is phenomenal. &nbsp;He has done everything here, except win.</p> <p>So who's flying under the radar here?</p> <p>Three guys come to mind when I think of super-studs who are not really being talked about. &nbsp;First and foremost is a man who has not proven himself at Augusta. &nbsp;That being said, he may well be on pace for another career best year at age 49. &nbsp;Without a doubt Kenny Perry is being overlooked this week. &nbsp;He should not be. &nbsp;He has proven this year that he is something very special. &nbsp;Watch for him this week.</p> <p>Jim Furyk is another man who has gone relatively unmentioned, yet is more than capable of winning a major at Augusta National. &nbsp;After placing third in the CA Championship, he had a disappointing finish at the Transitions Championship and then followed that up with a missed cut at Arnie's place. &nbsp;Over the years Furyk has fared well at Augusta. &nbsp;I am sure he is more than motivated to wear that green jacket before his career is over. &nbsp;For Jim, the sooner the better.</p> <p>Another guy who is simply having a phenomenal year, and is off to his best start ever is Sean O' Hair. What better for O' Hair than to exact his revenge on Tiger after he crumbled at Bay Hill two short weeks ago. Keep in mind, O'Hair is a guy who shows up at big tournaments. They don't get any bigger than this one my friends. &nbsp;</p> <p>In the unlikely event that there is a four way playoff, who would you want to see in it?</p> <p>Obviously my dream would be Tiger Woods, Bobby Jones, Arnold Palmer, and Jack Nicklaus. &nbsp;But since we are dealing with reality here, I would absolutely love to see a four way playoff between Tiger Woods, Nick Watney, Sean O' Hair and Dustin Johnson. &nbsp;Four young guns shooting it out to decide who will don the green jacket in 2009 greatly appeals to me.</p> <p>So what's the story behind the green jacket?</p> <p>The green jacket was first presented to The Masters Champion in 1949, but that was not the birth of the oddly colored vestment. The green jacket tradition was born unto Augusta National Golf Club in 1937.</p> <p>Members in attendance of the tournament were all wearing these green jackets to make them "stand out" from the crowd watching the event, in order that they may be able to answer any questions about the club to any onlookers.</p> <p>The official color of the jacket is "Masters Green" and the very first jackets were produced by the Brooks Uniform Company in New York City.</p> <p>Just in case you were wondering who won that Masters event in 1949...</p> <p>It was one of the best that ever lived, Sam Snead.</p> Tue, 07 Apr 2009 22:57:12 -0400 http://bleacherreport.com/articles/152657-breaking-down-the-masters-ten-questions-at-a-time http://bleacherreport.com/articles/152657-breaking-down-the-masters-ten-questions-at-a-time http://bleacherreport.com/articles/152657-breaking-down-the-masters-ten-questions-at-a-time Golf Tiger Woods Jim Furyk Phil Mickelson Preview/Predictio JJ Gallant Pictured is last years winner of the Shell Houston Open, Johnson Wagner. I wouldn't bank on a repeat. Nothing again Mr. Wagner, I just never pick guys to repeat as defending champs in golf. Unless they are named after a predatory jungle beast who last name happens to be the surroundings in which that predator lays. I'll let you figure that one out on your own. How about last week, huh? Was I the only one in the world that KNEW that putt was going in, even before he set foot on the green. Finally a man who can make predictability exciting. Gotta love it. Okay, I can't sleep, but need to get some shut eye, so let's make this short and sweet this week. Here are my fantasy picks for the Yahoo league: GROUP A Geoff Ogilvy Ernie Els GROUP B Steve Stricker Rory McIlroy Charley Hoffman Hunter Mahan GROUP C Luke Donald CH3 Let's get on to the six pack shall we? <p><a href="http://bleacherreport.com/articles/148598-the-2009-shell-houston-open-six-pack">Begin Slideshow</a></p> Wed, 01 Apr 2009 05:05:50 -0400 http://bleacherreport.com/articles/148598-the-2009-shell-houston-open-six-pack http://bleacherreport.com/articles/148598-the-2009-shell-houston-open-six-pack http://bleacherreport.com/articles/148598-the-2009-shell-houston-open-six-pack Golf Men's Golf PGA Preview/Predictio JJ Gallant There's the man of steel, Kenny Perry, back in 2005 after winning The Arnold Palmer Invitational. Behold my foreshadowing. This event is for the long ball hitter. It's what Arnie loves. Wide sweeping fairways to let you bomb away. Palmer must have loved some of Donald Ross' courses. Speaking of Don Ross, I just shot my opening round of the year (88) at one of his courses on Cape Cod in Dennis, MA. Bass River opened in 1900 as a nine hole private course. Don Ross was called in in 1914 and brought his wide fairways, and postage stamp greens to town. This course is a great track to hit in the off season. My North Shore Hackers and I really enjoy playing there. Sometimes, when 'Ol Man Winter cooperates we can play there all year round. This was not one of those years. Sorry for the awful segway, back to Bay Hill... Don't get me wrong. You can't just step up to the tee at Bay Hill and think you will win the event with only your driver. It is the club that will provide you with the greatest ADVANTAGE, yet the approach shots will be key this weekend. The greens at Bay Hill are well protected by sand bunkers and water. Fortunately, the guys in my six pack this week have that, "second shot" in their repertoire. This week, I really think we will see a surge in Tiger's play. He may not be atop the leaderboard on Thursday or Friday, but watch out Saturday, and when he dons the Sunday Red, everyone may be dead. He has been improving dramatically with each round. It was probably wise for him to skip the Transitions Championship, oh wait a minute, he's NEVER played there on tour. Hmmmmm. Me thinks Mr. Tiger owes it to the PGA and their fans to play Innisbrook at some point in his esteemed career. That course is one of the most demanding on tour. Maybe he doesn't want to jeopardize his streak of cuts made. I have greatly enjoyed watching NBC covering the last few events. They are doing a much better job that CBS, who simply left something to be desired. Okay, I know my sixer took a beating last week. But show me who had Brett Quigley, Retief Goosen, and Charlie Wi on board to contend for the win. Trust me, there weren't many. Kudos to my good buddy Cam Stewart who did select Quigley last week. Before we get to the six packs, let's run down my Yahoo fantasy picks this week. The player listed first is the starter for Groups A and C, and the first two in group B are the starters GROUP A Kenny Perry Tiger Woods GROUP B Sean O'Hair Davis Love III (DL3) David Toms Rod Pampling GROUP C Retief Goosen Charles Howell III (CH3) One last thing. This week I am hedging all of my six pack candidates with a single wager on Tiger Woods. So, If I place $5 on each golfer, that totals $30. For me to "recoup" those wagers, I will place a wager on Tiger of $12. Since Tiger is 2.5/1 to win, I will make all of my $30 I originally put out there back, in case one of my guys doesn't produce a nice pay day. IF Tiger wins. That IF is getting smaller each week. Now, let's go and try to make some money.<p><a href="http://bleacherreport.com/articles/144655-the-2009-arnold-palmer-invitational-at-bay-hill-six-pack">Begin Slideshow</a></p> Wed, 25 Mar 2009 01:23:31 -0400 http://bleacherreport.com/articles/144655-the-2009-arnold-palmer-invitational-at-bay-hill-six-pack http://bleacherreport.com/articles/144655-the-2009-arnold-palmer-invitational-at-bay-hill-six-pack http://bleacherreport.com/articles/144655-the-2009-arnold-palmer-invitational-at-bay-hill-six-pack JJ Gallant "Transitions" seems to be an appropriately named sponsor for this event. After all, they are the fourth sponsor of this event since 2000. Way back when in 2000, it was The President's Cup, and then went on to be called The Tampa Bay Classic. After a couple of years of that it was the Chrysler Championship, and most recently it was the PODS Championship. Hopefully you have an arbitrator on retainer to help decipher all of those corporate changes. No matter who is hosting, and no matter what the economic state is, you can rest assured that the 2009 bonus paid to the top executive from any single one of those companies (regardless of performance) will probably total more than the average middle class American will make in 20+years. Now that you feel better, let's talk about some golf. My Yahoo fantasy team suffered a little bit last week, but I am still up in the 95th/96th percentile overall, and in my group. I am thankful that there is only one six pack to come up with this week, as it is easier to focus on one well known main event, as opposed to one popular one, and one not so popular one. There are a lot of candidates to consider this week, but a key component to prediction success involves finding a performer that has a good history at the course being played. In this event, there are lots of guys with so-so track records here. Needless to say the six pack creation was a daunting task this week. Pictured above is Sean O' Hair, last years winner. Sean is a player to watch this week as he is 20/1 to win the whole thing. But I am not breaking my golden rule of picking a successful title defense. No offense Sean, but to make it up to you buddy, I am putting you on my Yahoo Fantasy team. I am sure you feel better now Sean. You're welcome. Hit 'em straight kid, hit 'em straight. Here is my Yahoo Fantasy Team this week (there is an (S) beside their name if they are starting round one): GROUP A: Kenny Perry, K.J. Choi (S) GROUP B: Jason Day(S), Sean O'Hair(S), Nick Watney, David Toms GROUP C: Retief Goosen(S), Alvaro Quiros Now it's time for your tasty six pack...<p><a href="http://bleacherreport.com/articles/140865-the-2009-transitions-championship-six-pack">Begin Slideshow</a></p> Tue, 17 Mar 2009 22:42:32 -0400 http://bleacherreport.com/articles/140865-the-2009-transitions-championship-six-pack http://bleacherreport.com/articles/140865-the-2009-transitions-championship-six-pack http://bleacherreport.com/articles/140865-the-2009-transitions-championship-six-pack Men's Gol JJ Gallant Pictured here is Greg Kraft. He won the Puerto Rico Open sponsored by Banco Popular in 2008. 2008 was the first year of this event, so handicapping and picking winners is much more difficult than usual. I will not be offering a tremendous amount of analysis because this event is playing second fiddle to the WGC CA Championship being held just across the water in Miami, FL. Plus there is just not very much data to work with. I would also recommend that if you do any wagering on these picks, I would use the patented "Stewart Sprinkle Technique", or SST for short. The SST utilizes betting a minimum amount, instead of "laying it down" in a heavy manner. Now off to your SST six pack of the week...<p><a href="http://bleacherreport.com/articles/137282-the-2009-puerto-rico-open">Begin Slideshow</a></p> Wed, 11 Mar 2009 00:16:01 -0400 http://bleacherreport.com/articles/137282-the-2009-puerto-rico-open http://bleacherreport.com/articles/137282-the-2009-puerto-rico-open http://bleacherreport.com/articles/137282-the-2009-puerto-rico-open Golf Men's Golf Preview/Predictio JJ Gallant Congratulations to winner of last weeks Honda Classic, Y.E. Yang. He is only the second South Korean to ever win on tour. The first, obviously being K.J. Choi. For once I actually enjoyed listening to Johnny Miller. He was actually complementing, and positive about Mr. Yang, in a manner that I had not noticed in him before. Either that, or I am just so sick of CBS and Nick Faldo that I could puke. Now that Yon-Eun has won his first tournament, let's see how he follows it up this week. I do like Y.E. Yang, and certainly hope to see him contend more often this year. Let's hope that nice looking swing of his sticks around. That brings us to this weeks event, The WGC CA World Championship. This will mark Tiger's first stroke play event since injury. It will also occur on a course he plays well, The Blue Monster at Doral in warm and sunny Miami, FL.. Before we jump into the six pack, let me give you my lineup for my Yahoo Fantasy golf team. GROUP A Geoff Ogilvy (start) Tiger Woods GROUP B DJ Trahan Davis Love III (start) Zach Johnson, Adam Scott GROUP C Ian Poulter (start) Retief Goosen Okay, before I roll into this week's six pack, please keep in mind that The player must be at 20/1 odds or higher to qualify. That is why you won't see Tiger there. Just in case you were wondering, Tiger is 3/1 odds to win. I may hedge my six other wagers with a good play on him as well this week. I will be posting a separate six pack for the Puerto Rico Open, also being held this week. Without further ado, your tasty refreshing six pack awaits...<p><a href="http://bleacherreport.com/articles/137249-the-2009-wgc-ca-championship-six-pack">Begin Slideshow</a></p> Tue, 10 Mar 2009 23:12:59 -0400 http://bleacherreport.com/articles/137249-the-2009-wgc-ca-championship-six-pack http://bleacherreport.com/articles/137249-the-2009-wgc-ca-championship-six-pack http://bleacherreport.com/articles/137249-the-2009-wgc-ca-championship-six-pack