By Rob Bolton, PGATOUR.COM Fantasy columnist
FANTASY PREVIEW:
RBC Heritage
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There are countless home games out there for which I receive
emails including rules and websites constructed to keep all owners
in the loop. Every now and then, one of these gamers will ask for a
second opinion on the values of any number of golfers as it relates
to his format. I'd share one of these emails but they're so
specific that I'm afraid that the general lesson would fail to
transcend a larger audience. So, in lieu of an email this week, I'm
sharing a drop-add that occurred in my rotisserie league this week.
Boo Weekley for Chris Couch. All you need to know about my
league's format is that we include all PGA TOUR events through the
Fall Series. Therefore, long-term value is critical. Gamers, much
less casual fans, might not have noticed that Weekley is playing
2012 on Past Champion status. He's made nine starts, which serves
as a full schedule, a rarity by mid-April for someone in his
category. Consider that 10 of the 25 healthy PGA TOUR rookies have
teed it up eight or fewer times, and those guys are in the
reshuffle category some 20-50 slots higher than Weekley in the
overall pecking order. Weekley has received at least four sponsor
exemptions. He qualified for the Transitions Championship with a
top 10 in Puerto Rico the previous week. And he earned a berth in
last week's RBC Heritage as a champion in the last five years of
that event (he won in both 2007 and 2008). And while he's missed
three cuts and finished outside the top 50 three times, he's proven
that the more he can throw up against the wall, some of it just
might stick. With a T14 at the Shell Houston Open (sponsor
exemption) and a T6 at Harbour Town, Weekley is now 75th in
FedExCup points. That supports the drop-add above, but the fantasy
values of guys on his level just might be ready to explode
beginning with this week's Valero Texas Open. The VTO is the first
of 10 non-majors on the year through the Wyndham Championship that
boast fields of 156 golfers that play one course. (This is an
increase of one tournament over 2011 when the field at TPC San
Antonio was capped at 144.) Naturally, the deeper fields open the
talent pool. In fact, this week is the turning point that
full-season leagues have awaited. Toss in the True South Classic
and Reno-Tahoe Open and you have up to 12 tournaments in which you
can expect to see most if not all of the guys in the reshuffle.
Those with conditional status can also expect a relatively
predictable schedule from now through the end of the regular
season. And golfers in Weekley's Past Champions category will begin
to appear more frequently. Weekley is a unique example this season,
but it's come time for you to expand your scope for finding value
as we approach the midpoint of the FedExCup portion of the
schedule. Many a league has been won in these trenches.