Because the CareerBuilder Challenge is contested on multiple courses, only one of which (the Stadium Course at PGA WEST) will be using ShotLink, PGA TOUR Fantasy Golf presented by SERVPRO measures only actual scoring before awarding bonus points for leaderboard finish. This eases the strategy to rely on the chalk to perform. It’s the approach that we’ll take again at next week’s Farmers Insurance Open, the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am in three weeks and the Puerco Rico Open in late March. All three events are lined up in Segment 2. However, if you compete in a daily game for which fantasy scoring is entirely reliant upon actual scores, understanding how to build a lineup with three courses in play is key. All three tracks are par 72s with four par 3s and four par 5s, and each was included in the rotation in last year’s edition of the CareerBuilder Challenge. Getting right to it, let’s review two perspectives on how they scored. Scoring by Round (ranked easiest from left to right) 1st – Tournament (69.423); La Quinta (69.596); Stadium (71.827) 2nd – Tournament (68.885); La Quinta (69.058); Stadium (70.216) 3rd – Tournament (68.500); La Quinta (68.784); Stadium (70.673) Scoring by Round (ranked easiest from top to bottom) 68.500 – Tournament (3rd) 68.784 – La Quinta (3rd) 68.885 – Tournament (2nd) 69.058 – La Quinta (2nd) 69.423 – Tournament (1st) 69.596 – La Quinta (1st) 70.216 – Stadium (2nd) 70.673 – Stadium (3rd) 71.827 – Stadium (1st) NOTE: Only the Stadium Course is played in the final round. While a repeat of history isn’t guaranteed and inclement weather is forecast, there’s no mistaking where you want to push your chips. In a perfect world, you’ll balance your lineup with enough golfers on each course so that you avoid the Stadium Course. Again, no strategy is foolproof, but you increase your chances of contending by loading up on starters on the other two tracks. My roster for the CareerBuilder Challenge (in alphabetical order): Emiliano Grillo Bill Haas Charles Howell III Jamie Lovemark Patrick Reed Webb Simpson You’ll find my starters in Expert Picks. Others to consider for each category (in alphabetical order): Scoring: Adam Hadwin; Martin Laird; Luke List; Francesco Molinari; Henrik Norlander; Sean O’Hair; Jon Rahm; Cameron Smith; Kevin Streelman; Michael Thompson Driving: n/a Approach: n/a Short: n/a Draws Jason Dufner … Willing to concede a cautious nod in his title defense. At this time last year, he was reemerging on the global stage. This time around, it’s business as usual even though he went 21st-MC in Hawaii. As alluded to above, confidence is always high in tee-to-green specialists, but Bill Haas is the only champion of the last nine here to connect a title with another top 10 in consecutive starts. Jhonattan Vegas … As a whole, if you already haven’t, gamers pretty much need to chalk up the birth of his first child (in early March of last year) as a line of demarcation in his career. As chronicled time and again in this space, he’s emerged as a consistent value ever since. The Venezuelan now has the chance to seize what he first achieved in La Quinta in 2011. Since that breakthrough title, his record has been downright awful in the desert. Invest in the now. Cameron Smith … Added a T27 at the Sony Open in Hawaii to go 5-for-5 on the season. Ranked T12 in greens hit and third in proximity to the hole in the process. Suffice it to say that we’re watching a special talent at just 23 years of age. He’s virtually a must-own in DFS as long as his value continues to tap on a temporary glass ceiling. Cameron Tringale … Perfect in six trips, no one else in the field can claim a spotless slate in that many appearances. As a result, he’s an automatic in DFS. Even better, last year’s T14 is a personal best in La Quinta, so the newest grouping of courses agrees with him even more. The 29-year-old concluded the fall with four consecutive cuts made as well. Brian Harman … Love the lefty in any kind of mix in which he can putts the lights out. His career is peppered with example after example, including at the Shriners last fall and last week’s Sony. He finished a respective T15 and T20 on the leaderboard but seventh and third in strokes gained: putting. Shared 11th at last year’s CareerBuilder. Perhaps most compelling is that he turns 30 years old on the day of the opening round. Just like Tadd Fujikawa blowing out 26 candles last Sunday, there are certain talents who have felt like they’ve been around longer or age slower than the rest of us. That’s what can happen when you made a cut on the PGA TOUR at the age of 17, as Harman did at the 2004 Travelers Championship. Graham DeLaet … Can’t argue about a 4-for-4 record in this tournament. Like others included on this page, he’s a ball-striker who has found a groove with his putter often enough to even rely on its recurrence. As he approaches his 35th birthday (on Jan. 22) sans a PGA TOUR title, the ticking clock may sound louder, but he’s still very much in his prime. Gamers want and need him to reconnect with the swagger on display at Copperhead last year. The Canadian has the support of an entire country, but there are even more of us who are attempting to shove him into the end zone. Bud Cauley … A late cut from Sleepers, the 26-year-old nonetheless emerges as an interesting option in DFS. He’ll likely be cheap due to his current slump – just 1-for-5 with a T50 this season – but he arrived here last year in similar throes, and then end-loaded a T14. Historically more electric than consistent, it’s the kind of model that can cater to a shootout. Henrik Norlander … Maximizing his opportunities on the PGA TOUR. As my tweet below illustrates, the Swede is off to the races as a non-member. Hasn’t signed for worse than a 68 in eight rounds this season. For all intents and purposes, it’s a dream start with the safety net of status on the Web.com Tour. Fades Kevin Kisner … Now that he’s proven to be a horse at Waialae, thus rebuking the projection shared in this section last week, let’s see him do it again in La Quinta where he’s yet to hang a top 45 in four tries. I get that he’s finding his way in what is 2.0 version of his career, but his game has translated much more often on par-70 tests. Paul Casey … Attempting to rebound from missing the cut at Waialae where apologists might cite rust, but that would defy the ownership he’s maintained in his scheduling in recent years. However, even if he connected on a strong week, he’d still regress to the mean at the CareerBuilder Challenge due to the mania that transpires on the scoreboard. It doesn’t help that he’s 0-for-2 here (2002, 2015), but his cachet still supersedes contrarian usage. Kevin Na … A third-round 62 on the Tournament Course last year set the stage for a share of third place in the tournament. That round featured a season-high seven consecutive par breakers on the PGA TOUR. And he walked it off with the run (that included an eagle) on the front nine. However, while eminently reliable, the T3 was just his first top 25 here in five years. He’s also scuffled this season, at least relatively. So, he fits best for gamers whose simply want to make the cut with the potential punch he can land. It’ll likely cost you in DFS, though. Scott Piercy … Leaning on the dearth of success in this tournament where he’s been a sometimer, albeit in part due to injury. Only top 25 was eight years ago. He’s 1-for-4 since. Expectations were higher last week on Oahu, too, and he placed T57. David Lingmerth … I firmly believe in the power of redemption and the chance to avenge defeat, but there’s too much depth in this field to warrant an endorsement in the two-time playoff loser in La Quinta. He cashed in his other two appearances as well but wasn’t a factor in either, and his recent form has been middling at best, a departure from the percolation with which he extended into his experience here last year. Chris Kirk … It was a fun ride while it lasted, but he’s now connected missed cuts dating back to the fall. That’s hardly alarming, but there isn’t anything obvious to instruct gamers to hop aboard for his fourth attempt to add another top 40 at the CareerBuilder since he placed T7 in his debut in 2011. Charley Hoffman … When he’s made the cut here, he’s thrived. Five of his six paydays are top 10s, including his breakthrough title on the PGA TOUR, an accomplishment for which he’s celebrating the 10-year anniversary this week (His other cut made is a T19). However, he’s also whiffed in four of his last seven attempts. That’s golf, but it also means he’s not a sure thing. More concerning is the silence of form dating back to the Playoffs. We know that he’ll get hot, but it’ll likely be later than sooner. Nick Watney … Once a sturdy complement in this tournament, he’s struggled regaining traction on a medical extension. The promise of 54 holes will help, but there’s been no evidence that the 35-year-old will light fire again soon. That said, remain patient if you’re on board in the long-term. Geoff Ogilvy … An intriguing matchup due to the timing. The Aussie chased a T4 at the Shriners in what was his final PGA TOUR last fall with a T4 at his national open. He capped 2015 with a similarly strong surge before opening 2016 without a top 45 on the PGA TOUR until June. That included a missed cut at the CareerBuilder, an event at which he’s just 1-for-3 (T27, 2013) since tossing it back into his rotation. Aaron Wise … You can throw all caution to the wind in DFS and give him a go, but this is nothing more than a reminder that he’s in the field. The Mackenzie Tour-PGA TOUR Canada grad will ply his craft on the Web.com Tour this year, but he’s only a couple of months removed from a T10 at the Shriners. Returning to Competition Phil Mickelson … The tournament’s ambassador underwent a pair of surgeries for a sports hernia late in 2016, so that he’s committed to compete this week says something about his recovery. At the same time, he’s 46½ years of age, so there’s reason to wonder if he’s pushing himself too far. Remember that the World Golf Hall of Famer is guaranteed 54 holes before the cut, too. Simply treat this as a wonderful opportunity to observe, much like you did with Tiger Woods at the Hero World Challenge during the holiday break. Steven Bowditch … He’ll try again to log his first start as a father. The Aussie’s hopeful restart was stunted by a sore back last week. He’s missed his last 10 cuts worldwide. Andrew Loupe … With a T3 in this event last year, course history buffs who play DFS might be salivating at the possibilities, especially as it relates to his length off the tee. However, this is his first competition anywhere since he opened and ended his Playoffs run with a missed cut in late August. Shortly thereafter, he had surgery to reattach a ligament in his left thumb. The 28-year-old has been hitting drivers for a couple of months now, and there’s value in the rest that his recovery time forced, but gamers must expect rust upon return. Grayson Murray … Sat out the last two stops of the fall with a sore back. While unceremonious, it officially ended a whirlwind of a year for the 24-year-old. As a blank slate, full-season gamers can hedge to the security of his status north of the reshuffle, but he’s still a rookie, so all other gamers should tiptoe into him when compelled. Charlie Beljan … Back inside the ropes on the PGA TOUR for the first time in over nine months. He disappeared after an 0-for-12 skid. An explanation hasn’t been released, but the 32-year-old is equipped with a Major Medical Extension affording 12 starts. He’s been a dynamic talent over the years, but barely creeps onto the radar in full-season formats and that’s when he has the assurance of a full schedule. Notable WDs Andrew Johnston … The CareerBuilder Challenge was slated to be his first career start in a PGA TOUR event that wasn’t a major or World Golf Championship. Alas, the Englishman came down with an illness. The good news is that it shouldn’t impact his swing upon return. The better news is that he’s committed to the TOUR through mid-May. Davis Love III … He made just two starts in this tournament in the last 10 years, but the potential for another was precluded two weeks ago. His inclusion here is a holdover omission from last week’s Sony Open in Hawaii where the 52-year-old had planned on competing. However, he suffered a broken collarbone while snowboarding. It could be three months before we see him again, not that he’ll resonate loudly as a fantasy option. Power Rankings Recap – Sony Open in Hawaii Birthdays among active golfers on the PGA TOUR January 17 … none January 18 … none January 19 … Brian Harman (30) January 20 … Derek Fathauer (31) January 21 … none January 22 … Graham DeLaet (35) January 23 … Jamie Lovemark (29)
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