It’s a slam weekend with the U.S. Open arriving for four days of excitement on the links. The tourney is held at the Shinnecock Hills Golf Club in New York, which has upstate areas as beautiful as New York City is alive with humans.
I’m playing a $1 50/50 at FantasyDraft, a format I really like because they drop the low score from your seven-man roster ($100K cap) for the weekend, so sign up and see if you can beat me!
Shinnecock Hills registers at 7,445 yards for a par 70 with longer holes including a 252-yard three (there are four threes), and though the course has only a pair of fives, they are long at 589 (#5) and 616 (#16).
Despite the balance of 12 holes being fours, there is a good spread from 374 on the short side, but also crushers with a pair at 485 (#9 & #18), one at 491 (#6) and a pair of monsters at 500 yards (#3) and 519 (#14).
So, for the week I am indeed looking at some big hitters to try and shorten the distance between the tee and the pin, and, of course, the short game.
The weather looks to be warm with some overcast skies to complete the weekend, so the final shot before the Open looks to be a fun.
Dustin Johnson ($17,600): There is a reason Johnson is the high-priced spread for this week. As in he is 10-for-10 making the cut this season with seven top 10s, a pair of wins, and 158.6 PPFT. Add in Dustin ranks #10 overall in driving distance at 310.8 yards on average.
Jon Rahm ($16,000): Rahm ranks #19 in driving distance, and 12th in GIR to complement a perfect 11-for-11 playing all weekend this season. He has four top10s plus a win and is delivering 134.63 FPPT.
Bubba Watson ($14,500): OK, Bubba’s a personal fave, but similarly he can clobber the ball, averaging 312.7 yards per drive. Watson has survived the weekend 10 of 11 times, with four top 10s and a pair of wins.
Tony Finau ($13,500): Still looking for a win this season, Finau does have five top 10s and converted 14 of 17 tourneys into playing the weekend, averaging 315.3 yards per drive, second best overall.
Emiliano Grillo ($12,800): Grillo is actually a perfect 17-for-17 playing all weekend, averaging 119 points per week with five top 10s. The Argentinian is a little lower in the average drive category, resting in 109th place averaging 294.3
Luke List ($12,600): List can punch it from the tee box, ranking fourth overall with 314.6 yards average off the tee, also with five top 10s but no wins this season. He has 15 of 20 cuts made, delivering 112 FFPT this season, making him a good value pick.
