Stegmaier and aviophobia

I’ll open this week’s introduction with another. The band is back together again! If you missed it throughout the week of the Shriners Hospitals for Children Open, the fantasy section has a new contributor: Mike Glasscott. If you were familiar with my eight-year run at Rotoworld through 2015, you already know Glass. He was the lead columnist during the second half of my tenure. We had a great time arguing, er, generating thoughtful and helpful commentary, so we hope to bring some of that experience to you here, like it or not. Glass has assumed the reins of The Confidence Factor and he’s the main man for the brand-new Emergency 9, which is a nightly recap of fantasy-relevant nuggets after every day of a tournament. I’ll sit in from time to time as we bring to you wall-to-wall fantasy coverage throughout every week. Shifting our attention to the OHL Classic at Mayakoba, it leads off the final fortnight of the fall during which ShotLink is not utilized. This means that bonus points for PGA TOUR Fantasy Golf presented by SERVPRO are equal to one-half what your starters in the final round earn. Since rationing starts isn’t a concern in Segment 1, there’s no need to toy with saving anyone who you even remotely consider to be a threat to win. Elsewhere, there’s a misconception that to read my public tweets, you have to register for Twitter. In fact, the microblogging platform acts as any regular website. So, non-users can see when I tweet field changes, links to all of my work and anything else of relevance to games. To engage, view at-replies and perform other functions, registration is required. This means that you can also read Glass’ Twitter page, at your own risk, of course. Look for him as @MikeGlasscott. PGA TOUR Fantasy Golf presented by SERVPRO My roster for the OHL Classic at Mayakoba (in alphabetical order): Kevin Chappell Rickie Fowler Chesson Hadley Zach Johnson Pat Perez Gary Woodland You’ll find my starters in Expert Picks. Others to consider for each category (in alphabetical order): Scoring: Charley Hoffman; Sung Kang; Luke List; Graeme McDowell Driving: n/a Approach: n/a Short: n/a Power Rankings Wild Card Charley Hoffman … It’s either a blessing or a curse that he’s the Wild Card in consecutive weeks, but after a T18 in his backyard in Vegas where his motivation was entirely selfless, he makes the most sense in this position again. He has only one top-30 finish in five straight trips to El Camaleón, but the outlier was a victory in 2014. And anyone paying attention in the last several months knows that he’s flirted with winning time and again, only to fall short. He makes sense in any format this week. DFSers have limited options among the top tier, while he sets up as a defensive tactic for PGA TOUR Fantasy Golf presented by SERVPRO gamers. Draws Ryan Moore … If there was anything to glean from last week’s T51 in Vegas, it was that he’s OK. He eschewed the entire three-week stint in Asia, including the CIMB Classic where he’s a two-time champ. Now slated to make his second appearance at El Camaleón (T23, 2013) with enough recent form to warrant a complementary role in DFS. Sung Kang … Perfect DFS plug-in. Since a 3-for-3 open to the season that included a T3 at the CIMB Classic, he added a co-runner-up finish at the K.J. Choi Invitational two weeks ago. Already his fifth start at Mayakoba where he’s cashed three times. Johnson Wagner … Cheap DFS option given his affinity for and success at El Camaleón. Overall, he’s 4-for-6 with a win (2011) and a pair of top 20s. Jordan Niebrugge … Still unproven at this level, but the upstart made noise on the Mackenzie Tour-PGA TOUR Canada this year. With that experience in tow and everything to gain this week, he projects to reward the risky in the DFS crowd. Scott Brown (DFS) Patton Kizzire (DFS) Nick Taylor (DFS) Jhonattan Vegas (all) Fades Russell Knox … He’ll snap out of his funk at some point and El Camaleón might rank first on the most likely of sites for that to happen – he chased a playoff loss here in 2015 with a solo third last year – but he has trap written all over him this week. Zero top 25s in his last eight starts and only one stretching back to late April. Patrick Reed … As one who has unintentionally drifted into an apologist, an accidental role in the world of only the most skeptical, I’m with you this week. El Camaleón will spotlight his short game, but gamers aren’t keen to rely on that for value. It’s definitely not rewarded in PGA TOUR Fantasy Golf presented by SERVPRO. And because he’s not among the proficient tee-to-green performers, he’s an easy no-play. Alex Cejka … He treated his season-long investors to a close call at TPC Summerlin on Sunday, but it was made possible by a devil-may-care 63 in the finale. That’s one way to approach closing out a tournament, but it’s not a sustainable formula. What’s more, he’s never carved out a reliable groove in which to trust. It might be a slightest different story if he was a horse for a course in Mexico, but he’s gone five consecutive rounds at El Camaleón without signing for a red number. John Huh … The 2012 champ has added three top 30s since but he’s been in a slump virtually all year. He’ll appreciate this week’s opportunity, but DFSers need to give him some time. Cameron Champ … The exceptionally long hitter is making his pro debut on a course that benefits shorter knockers. That serves as the analytical explanation that walks in lockstep with the respect for all that is new to his life. Aaron Baddeley Harris English Emiliano Grillo J.J. Spaun                                                                                                                                          Returning to Competition Mac Hughes … Alert your commissioners about the contraction of his first name. He’s back in action after a month off to become a father for the first time. If the Nappy Factor kicks in, it might be tough to tell as he’s been a relatively reliable source of value since breaking through as a rookie last fall. Give him a week to normalize (and sleep), but also beware that he’ll be defending his only PGA TOUR title at next week’s RSM Classic as that will be unlike anything he’s ever experienced. J.J. Henry … With a 7-for-7 record at El Camaleón that includes four top 25s and a scoring average of 69.14, some DFSers will take the plunge. However, if there’s a time to step away from the allure of that course history, this is it. In his last start, he withdrew during his third round of the Sanderson Farms Championship with a sore back. Bronson Burgoon … He’ll try again this week. He walked off the Country Club of Jackson during his second round two weeks ago with discomfort in his back, and then withdrew early from the Shriners. The 30-year-old entered the season with considerable promise after an impressive flourish to conclude the 2017 Web.com Tour season. He then hung up a T17 at the Safeway. Consider as a flier in DFS at Mayakoba where he placed T25 in his only prior appearance in 2015. Notables WDs Webb Simpson … Was poised to seek redemption after closing with 74 last year to finish T24. He sat fifth and just four strokes off the lead entering the final round. Overall form has been terrific all year and especially consistent of late. Billy Horschel … Withdrew prior to his second round of last week’s Shriners with a sore left shoulder. Plans to get back after it in a month at the QBE Shootout. Scott Piercy … Most likely would have generated considerable interest in every format what with a T16 (2014) and T4 (2016) in his last two appearances. He’s also popped the top on 2017-18 with three straight paydays, although a T32 in his hometown of Las Vegas was disappointing. Ollie Schniederjans … To the dismay of DFSers everywhere, but we’ll be turning to the 24-year-old again and often. He opened the season with a set of three top 25s. Henrik Stenson … A rib injury forces him to miss this week’s Nedbank Challenge. While originally expected to sit out until the Hero World Challenge in three weeks, he hasn’t ruled out lacing up for the next week’s DP World Tour Championship. Power Rankings Recap – Shriners Hospitals for Children Open Power Ranking  Golfer  Result 1  Webb Simpson  T20 2  Tony Finau  T16 3  Patrick Cantlay  Win 4  Luke List  T20 5  Ryan Moore  T51 6  Smylie Kaufman  MC 7  Jamie Lovemark  MC 8  Kevin Streelman  67th 9  Nick Taylor  T32 10  Scott Piercy  T32 11  Chesson Hadley  T4 12  William McGirt  T10 13  Shawn Stefani  T68 14  Austin Cook  T20 15  Anirban Lahiri  T51 Wild Card  Charley Hoffman  T18 Sleepers Recap – Shriners Hospitals for Children Open Golfer  Result Martin Laird  MC Tom Lovelady  MC Cameron Tringale  MC Tyrone Van Aswegen  MC Aaron Wise  T32 Birthdays among active golfers on the PGA TOUR November 7 … none November 8 … Troy Matteson (38); Francesco Molinari (35) November 9 … David Duval (46); Ted Potter, Jr. (34); Nicholas Lindheim (33) November 10 … Ethan Tracy (28); Jon Rahm (23) November 11 … Robert Garrigus (40); Joel Dahmen (30) November 12 … Lucas Glover (38); Chez Reavie (36); Jason Day (30); C.T. Pan (26) November 13 … none

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Following his improbable PGA Championship triumph, Phil Mickelson is right back in the thick of the action. Twice a champion at Colonial Country Club, Mickelson returns for the Charles Schwab Challenge. The 50-year-old’s current setup has certainly changed from the artillery he chose early in his career. Indeed, the equipment landscape itself is entirely different than it was when Mickelson won his first of now 45 PGA TOUR events (as an amateur) in 1991! Titanium drivers were only beginning to show up on TOUR in Lefty’s early years, and Mickelson’s longtime sponsor, Callaway, didn’t release the Great Big Bertha until 1995. The history of modern golf equipment has literally played out in Mickelson’s bag as a professional. The differences in Mickelson’s current setup compared to 2000, when he won the first of his two Charles Schwab Challenges, are immediately apparent. His Yonex Super A.D.X. driver was a fraction of the size of his 450 cc Callaway Epic Speed Triple Diamond. Mickelson has been leaning on a TaylorMade Original One Mini Driver as his second fairway wood this season – the total amount of technology in his two Yonex fairway woods of 2000, or even his Callaway FT-5 driver and FT Tour 3-wood of 2008, is the difference between the Ford Model T and the Ford GT. Interestingly, Mickelson played Ping Eye 2 wedges throughout his early years and had a 60-degree Eye 2 in the bag for his 2000 win at Colonial. One look at his current PM Grind wedges, and it’s clear the Eye 2 shaping was the original inspiration for the design Mickelson and Callaway engineers continue to refine. Also notable on the similarities front: the 8802-style heel-shafted blade putter Mickelson has preferred throughout most of his career was present in the bag for both victories and will be in Phil’s hands this week as well. In 2000, Mickelson gamed a custom Bettinardi blade. In 2008, it was the same Odyssey “Phil Mickelson” blade shape that he won with at last week’s PGA Championship. Check out Mickelson’s WITBs for his 2000 and 2008 wins at Colonial and what he has in the bag this week. 2000 Driver: Yonex Super A.D.X. (8 degrees) Shaft: Yonex PM Proto 3-wood: Yonex Super A.D.X. (13 degrees) Shaft: Yonex PM Proto Irons: Yonex Super A.D.X. Tour Forged (2-PW) Shafts: Precision Rifle 7.0 Wedges: Yonex PM Forged (56), Ping Eye 2 (60) Shafts: PM 7.0, Eye2 X100 Putter: Bettinardi PM Blade Ball: Titleist Professional 100 2008 Driver: Callaway FT-5 Tour (8.5 degrees) Shaft: Mitsubishi Diamana White Board Proto 73 X 3-wood: Callaway FT Tour (13 degrees) Shaft: Mitsubishi Diamana White Board 73 X Irons: Callaway X Forged (2-4), Callaway X Proto MB (5-PW) Shafts: Project X Rifle 7.0 Satin Wedges: Callaway X Forged (52, 56, 60) Shafts: Project X Rifle 7.0 Satin Putter: Callaway White Hot XG PM Blade Ball: Callaway TOURix 2021 Driver: Callaway Epic Speed Triple Diamond (6 degrees @5.5 , green dot cog) Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Black 6 X (47.9 inches) 2-wood: TaylorMade Original One Mini Driver (11.5 degrees) Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Black 7 X Irons: Callaway X Forged UT (16), Callaway X21 UT Proto (19 degrees @20.5, 25), Callaway Apex MB ‘21 (small groove) (6-PW) Shafts: (16) MCA MMT 105 TX, KBS Tour V 125 S+ Wedges: Callaway PM Grind ’19 “Raw” (52-12@50, 55-12, 60-10) Shafts: KBS Tour V 125 S+ Putter: Odyssey Milled Blade “Phil Mickelson” Grip: SuperStroke Pistol GT Tour Ball: Callaway Chrome Soft X (Triple Track) Grips: Golf Pride MCC

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LIBERTY CORNER, N.J. – In partnership with the state of New York, the USGA announced today that due to ongoing health and safety concerns from the COVID-19 pandemic, the 120th U.S. Open Championship, scheduled Sept. 14-20 at Winged Foot Golf Club in Mamaroneck, N.Y., will be conducted without spectators on-site. “Following months of consultation and scenario planning with local and state health officials, we have jointly decided that hosting the U.S. Open without spectators will provide the best opportunity to conduct the championship safely for all involved,” said Mike Davis, CEO of the USGA. “We will miss the excitement of the fans and what their presence brings to the championship. We look forward to welcoming them again to future U.S. Opens.” “We have come a long way in the fight against COVID-19, and I am so proud of New Yorkers, who rose to the occasion and bent the curve,” Governor Andrew Cuomo said. “I am pleased to welcome the USGA for the U.S. Open Championship at Winged Foot Golf Club this September, and while the tournament will look different this year with no fans and enhanced safety protocols, this event is a welcome sight for sports fans across the country and will help restore a sense of normalcy as we build back better than before.” “We are thankful to all of the local and state officials as well as the members and staff at Winged Foot Golf Club who worked so hard to try to help us accomplish our goal of hosting fans this year,” said Davis. “We appreciate all of their efforts and while we are disappointed, we know it was the right decision to make for the community and for the players.” The USGA announced on April 6 that the 120th U.S. Open, which was scheduled to be held June 18-21 on Winged Foot’s West Course, had been postponed to Sept. 17-20, and it announced in June that the championship would be conducted without traditional qualifying. “This will not be a typical U.S. Open in several respects,” said John Bodenhamer, the USGA’s senior managing director of Championships. “Would it have been easier to simply cancel or even move the 2020 championship rather than play it in what has been the epicenter of the virus in our country? Possibly. But all of us at the USGA know how much the U.S. Open matters, and we weren’t willing to give up on playing it at Winged Foot Golf Club so easily. We are very proud to give our competitors and champions a platform to chase their dreams. Their perseverance motivates us, in a year when such tenacity means so much.” “While we know we can’t replicate the on-site experience, we will be working diligently to bring the championship to life for fans through our partnership with NBCUniversal and on our digital platforms,” said Craig Annis, chief brand officer of the USGA. “We hope that crowning a U.S. Open champion in September can serve as an inspiration and a small respite from world events to the millions of people who will watch at home and follow on their mobile devices.”

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