Fantasy Golf Picks: 2014 PGA Championship

The fourth and final Major of the season is already upon us as the golf world heads to Valhalla–the one in Kentucky, not the one of Norse mythology. For a very cool course tour, you can click here to get ready for the exciting week to come. The winner of the PGA Championship gets to hoist the Wanamaker Trophy at the end of the week, and with a truly elite field in play the competition should be a great one on this Jack Nicklaus designed, par-71 track. In the past years, players coming in with momentum typically do well, so I’m stocking my fantasy golf roster with players who have been playing well at the Open Championship and last week’s WGC-Bridgestone.

Both the Bridgestone and the British were won in dominant fashion by Rory McIlory, and this week he’ll be looking to go for three wins in three starts which is extremely rare. More on him in a minute, but first I need to congratulate “Diced Carrots” who took home their second win of the Summer segment and moved to the top of our competitive Fansided and Friends Yahoo! Group. The Harbour Dogs continue to lead the full season scoring after another solid week last week in Akron. My entry did ok thanks to a nice finishes from Charl Schwartzel and Justin Rose, but I was forced to use a Rory start late to get the win leaving me just one more McIlroy play this season.

Since it’s the final Major of the year, it’s also our last chance to play ESPN’s Best Ball salary game until next year’s Masters, so make sure to set your lineup in that game as well. Here is how I’m setting my lineups for this week on Yahoo! and on ESPN’s Best Ball Majors:

A-List

Aug 2, 2014; Akron, OH, USA; Rickie Fowler bunker shot on the ninth hole during the third round of the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational golf tournament at Firestone Country Club – South Course. Mandatory Credit: Joe Maiorana-USA TODAY Sports /

Rickie Fowler: Fowler has rebuilt his game for the Majors and has been in contention in all three this season with runner-ups in the US and British Opens and a t5 at the Masters. He has top 15’s in his last four straight starts and closed to a t8 last week at Firestone. Fowler is definitely one of the young guns on tour who could get his first Major this week.

Adam Scott: Scott has been exceptional this season and has five straight top ten’s since winning the Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial. He faded a bit in the final round last week, but I think he’ll be back in contention this week as he tries to regain his world number one ranking which he lost to Rory last week.

B-List

Jim Furyk: It’s been a winless season of near misses for the veteran Furyk who has 11 top-20 finishes in his last 12 starts. In the last three weeks, he’s recorded nine straight rounds in the 60’s including all four last week and all four on his way to a runner-up finish (his third of the year) at the RBC Canadian Open. Furyk’s form makes him way overdue, and this Major champion (2003 U.S. Open) will be looking to finally get his first win of the season this week at Valhalla.

Aug 3, 2014; Akron, OH, USA; Keegan Bradley (center) drives on the second hole during the final round of the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational golf tournament at Firestone Country Club – South Course. Mandatory Credit: Joe Maiorana-USA TODAY Sports /

Keegan Bradley: Bradley won the PGA Championship in 2011 on his way to winning the PGA’s Rookie of the Year Award. He struggled early this season but has rounded back into form lately with a trio of top five’s in his last six events including a solid t4 last week at Firestone with four rounds in the 60’s.

Justin Rose: Rose is also coming off a t4 last week and looking for his second major championship after winning last year’s U.S. Open. Before his top five last week, Rose finished in the top 25 at the Open Championship and got his first PGA win of the year at the Quicken Loans National at the end of June. Rose’s short game will be key this week, but if he’s on he can definitely contend.

Rory McIlroy: Rory has been absolutely amazing in his last two starts picking up wins at the Open and the WGC-Bridgestone against elite fields. He won this event two years ago and when he’s on his game no one can touch him. He’s been great all season and I’ve just about used up my McIlroy starts (I have just one left). I think Rory wins at least one more PGA event this season, so I’m starting him on my bench to see how he starts the week and if he can pull of the three straight wins.

C-List

Jul 18, 2014; Wirral, GBR; Graeme McDowell salutes the crowd on the 18th green during the second round at the 143rd Open Championship at The Royal Liverpool Golf Club. Mandatory Credit: Steve Flynn-USA TODAY Sports /

Graeme McDowell: Last week, G-Mac closed with a 66-66 to close to a t8 giving him his fifth straight top ten finish. He has plenty of experience in contention at majors, and I think he’ll be the one to end his Northern Ireland countryman’s run of dominance. He’s my one pick to hoist the Wanamaker and my starter on the C-list, although I do like my bench option’s chance of winning as well.

Sergio Garcia: I normally don’t pick Sergio, but he has three runner-up finishes in his last four starts and looked good last week despite a rough final round. Garcia in contention for his first Major will be a great story to watch this weekend, and I think he’s got a great shot to be on the leaderboard. This is a pick that everyone will have, but his current form is too good to ignore.

Best Ball Majors

Round 1: Rickie Fowler, Graeme McDowell, Matteo Manassero, Nick Watney

Round 2: TBD

Round 3: TBD

Round 4: TBD

I’ll do my best to update this post each night with my best ball lineup for the following round.

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