Fantasy Golf Picks-Shell Houston Open 2014

The PGA Tour finishes its two-week run through Texas at the Golf Club of Houston with the Shell Houston Open.  It’s a star-studded event with most of the top players in the world getting ready for next week’s first major of the year at Augusta by visiting Houston.

Last week, many of the big names faded at the end of the round on Sunday as Steven Bowditch took home his first Tour win at the Valero Texas Open.  Bowditch’s surprise win wrapped up the Winter segment of the Yahoo! game with Reagan Rules 1 claiming the win for the week and the win for the segment.

If you’re just starting fantasy golf, it’s the perfect time to jump in since we’re starting a new segment this week.  Our 50-entry group is pretty competitive so come on in and test your skill during the Spring and Summer segments (details to join here)

The Spring segment kicks off with the Houston Open and these are the players that will be on my roster:

A-List

Henrik Stenson: Stenson is coming off a solid t5 at Bay Hill after a slower start to the season.  He has a pair of top three’s at the Shell Houston Open in the past including a t2 last season.

Matt Kuchar: Kuchar continues to stack up top ten’s and looks to be on the verge of a breakthrough after a huge Saturday charge.  He finished t4 giving him five top ten’s this season and also has a pair of t8’s in his last two trips to the Houston Open.  Kuchar is as close to a sure-thing top ten as there is on tour right now.

B-List

Jordan Spieth: Spieth got off to a horrible start at the Valero Texas Open but still finished in the top ten giving him four top-10 finishes this season. If he can avoid the rough beginning, he could take home the win in his native state heading into his first trip to Augusta.

Keegan Bradley: Bradley finished second at Bay Hill two weeks ago and has a pair of top ten’s in the last three years at the Shell Houston Open.

Hunter Mahan: Mahan is coming back after an injury caused him to cut short his trip to Bay Hill, but his history at this event is too much to ignore. He won in 2012 and has four other top-15’s in this event in the past.

Rory McIlroy: Rory has played four Stateside events and has four top-25’s to show for it.  His best finish was a c0-runner-up  at the Honda, and he looks to be getting geared up just in time for the Masters.  If he’s on his game, he’ll win this week.  The B-List is jam-packed with really great options this week.  Other options not included here that I like include Dustin Johnson, Bill Haas, Graham DeLaet, and Jason Konrak.

C-List

Jimmy Walker: Walker hasn’t won in the last couple months although he won three times earlier this season with the new wrap-around format.  He hasn’t exactly floundered since then, though, finishing in the top 25 in all four events he’s played since the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am which was his last win.  He’s made the cut in the last four Shell Houston Open’s although he hasn’t been in the top ten in those events.

Charl Schwartzel: Schwarzel has three top-20’s in his four events in the States this PGA Tours season and finished t9 at the Cadillac Championship in his last PGA event.  He tied for third in 2010 at this event, and is worth a shot as a sleeper this week.  There are some other nice options on the C-list  including Sergio Garcia, Ryan Palmer, and first-timer Matteo Manassero.