Friends in fore,
Commish has been doing this for a long time. Since 2009, to be exact.
Never have I seen a top pick in one of our pools do THIS poorly.
He was a rising star last year. Beloved for his scrappiness. Always hanging around the leaderboard.
He became the top YEYPO pick for the first time ever this week. The high point of his career, no doubt.
So how did Eric Cole respond?
By carding three double bogeys en route to a 7-over 78, and sitting DEAD LAST on his own after the first round.
Welcome to the 2024 Golf SZN, ladies and gentlemen!!
FUN PICK STATS
These are highlights - cool/fun/interesting things I see in our pick data.
Our top picks haven't exactly performed well this year, but they've all made the cut.
Eric Cole would have to shoot the course record today to make the cut, but crazier things have happened.
Last year, our top YEYPO pick missed the cut 5 times (out of 30 events). While he didn't finish last, Rory's missed cut as our top pick at The Players was the most damaging pick based on the importance of that event (massive purse).
Just 4% took Rory in YEYPO, and just 1.6% took him in 100 Tier.
Surely a bunch of us are saving him for a bigger money event, but it's also true that Rory just hasn't played much of late.
With such a low pick rate for a world top 3 golfer in a relatively weak field... Commish posits that those who DID take Rory actually got great value here.
Rory shot 4-under Thursday and sits T16.
David Skinns is in the field this week.
This is noteworthy for no reason other than David Skinns having an incredible name for a golfer.
We did not pick him in YEYPO, which means if any of you had picked him, Skinns would be not just A skin opportunity but YOUR skin opportunity.
He's T3 at 6-under after Thursday's round. Don't let Commish down like this next time, OK?
Let's look at our weekly YEYPO skin opportunities.
- Full skin opportunities: Akshay Bhatia, Billy Horschel, Davis Riley, Dylan Wu, Erik van Rooyen, Harry Hall, Jake Knapp, Justin Lower, Justin Suh, K.H. Lee, Sam Ryder, Thorbjørn Olesen.
- Half skin oppos: Brandon Wu, Garrick Higgo, Lee Hodges, Robert MacIntyre, Sami Välimäki.
Some serious value here. Knapp won last week while Valimaki finished runner-up. Van Rooyen is a recent winner. D and B Wu are always dangerous. And Bobby Mac is Bobby Mac.
COMMENT AWARDS (THEME OF THE WEEK: GOLF WALK-UP SONG)
The 1-iron Moxie Award
Boldest pick (with a comment). You can't win a SZN competition without a little Moxie!
@hockey3430 (Thorbjørn Olesen): "The Cupid Shuffle is about golf. 'To the right, to the right, to the right, to the right. To the left, to the left, to the left, to the left. Now kick, now kick, now kick, now kick. Now walk it by yourself, now walk it by yourself.'"
Commish says: I HAVE NEVER KICK... I'm not putting that on record. Better question: Has THORBJORN ever kicked the golf ball?
John Daly's Pants Award
The best weekly comment (or three), because John Daly's pants always win.
@4dwPicks (Stephan Jaeger): "It used to be 'Going Low' off the Fairwayz Ahead album by Nick Crenshaw, but these days, sadly… Welcome to the Jungle is more appropriate. For a real treat, go find Fairwayz Ahead on Apple Music. It’s a riot. Who knew explicit hip hop could come from a guy that can hit the ball over 300 yards and score?"
Commish says: OK OK Nick Crenshaw but just want to say I am VERY disappointed no one responded to this prompt with a song from John Daly's country albums. C'MON PEOPLE.
"Bryson Approves This Pick" Award
Most convincing. (There's logic, and then there's Bryson-level logic)
@Eannarelli (Robert MacIntyre): "Bobby Mac is my pick this week. Why? Bagpipes. You asked for walkup music, well I have music that you walk with the golfer for the entire round. A Scottish lad playing deep into the weekend with bagpipes following him in entirety. Speaking of the United Kingdom, where is Tommy Fleetwood? He keeps ducking me. While I'm at it, what is a Cognizant? I'm out of space. "
Commish says: T Fleets is not ducking you. T Fleets is ON THE BAGPIPES FOR BOBBY MAC.
Spieth's 89-degree Lob Wedge
Wildest take (like Spieth's wild short game)
@mahatma19 (Harry Hall): "Didn't really know who to take this tourney and then you proposed a walkup music prompt and I think it's all coming together. Perfect walkup song for me and Harry Hall is "W.A.P." by Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion. I'm pretty sure Harry Hall is mentioned a number of times in that song."
@JBone69 (Shane Lowry, Survivor): "W.A.P. - Cardi B"
Commish says: I did... not expect W.A.P. to show up twice. Y'all are some certified freaks!
MORE COMMENTS (THEME OF THE WEEK: GOLF WALK-UP SONG)
@Awuwert (Dylan Wu): "50 Cent 'Just a Lil Bit', because I always be dropping the pants just a lil' bit when I'm not driving it past the ladies tees."
Commish says: No better way to strike fear in your opposition than pre-announcing a tee shot that goes 40 yards!
@Tauschek (Eric Cole): "Hells Bells to intimidate my opponents (my golf league buddies). With my luck I’d pick that song and I’d go up and top the tee shot on number 1 and wouldn’t make it past the women’s tee. "
Commish says: I SENSE A THEME HERE
@yjcc (Cam Young and Corey Conners, Top 10s): "So I didn't get the 6 points last week, so I won't be revealing my "strategy". But I'm also not going for broke with 6 pointers this week. Also, I'm walking up every tee box, doing my setup routine during the song build up, then slicing one away right on cue AND IIIIIIIIIIIIII WILL ALWAAYS LOVE YOUUUUUU"
Commish says: Question for the masses: Do we root for @yjcc to have a 6-point lead so we can discover his strategy? Or pray on his downfall in hopes of catching him?
@Nova_nation (Sepp Straka): "X GON GIVE IT TO YA (RIP DMX)"
Commish says: Respect! But, unless you're Xander Schauffele (who probably needs to Google, "Who is DMX?"), I think you have to make Ruff Ryders your DMX walk-up song. The thought of the entire gallery going, "STOP! DROP!" as you enter the tee box is definitely gonna lead to you blasting some 350 yard drives.
@YikesVikes (Russell Henley): "Queen – 'I Want It All'. The Champions Course at PGA National, a layout measuring just 7,125 yards, is a course that rewards precision with most fairways no wider than 30 yards and water hazards featured on 14 of the 18 holes. Who is #1 in driving accuracy? None other than Russell Henley (74.20%). He hit 417 out of a possible 562 fairways last year. I want it all so I'm picking Henley. "
Commish says: These are some solid stats, Yikes, but the walk-up song cannot change with every course. Do you want it all every week. Does Russell Henley want it all every week? WHAT SONG WILL MAKE YOU WANT IT ALL EVERY WEEK, YIKES?!
@HaveYouCheckedYourButthole (Beau Hossler): "I mean could it be anything other than "Have You Checked Your Butthole"? Preferably right after someone asked if I've seen their ball."
Commish says: I would like to report that HYCYB is up to 11 MILLION views on YouTube. Will you host a massive SZN party when it hits 100M?
@golowrusto (Eric Cole): "Go Low Rusto I haven’t been worth the shit all year but I got this one!!!!"
Commish says: We now know how to explain Eric Cole's opening round. Next week is YOUR TIME, Rusto!!
@kbanaian (Hun An and Lowry, Top 10s): "You guys give me these stats on finishes on this track, I'm going to use them. "
Commish says: @kbanaian out here doing what we in the sports biz call "research"
@jrcondon (Hun An and Svensson, Top 10s): "I've read it somewhere that Rory is not good at golfing the ball, so I'm not picking him. I hope he doesn't decide to become a bum-slayer this week & smoke this field."
Commish says: MORE RESEARCH! (Source: Last week's PICKS email. Disclaimer: Pick comments are not a reliable source of factual information.)
@Ficus (Alex Noren): "Walk up music? Didn’t realize we were a LIV pool… (Kryptonite by 3 Doors Down)"
Commish says: If we had LIV money we'd be able to get Creed!!
@webb19bme (Matthieu Pavon, Survivor): "It would definitely be "The Game" by Motorhead"
Commish says: OK OK OK but instead of spitting water into the air like Triple H did with this walk-up song, you fiercely chugg some Arnold Palmer, right? RIGHT?!
@Tee_Box_Tanner (Eric Cole): "The Sweet Escape, Gwen Stefani, Akon. "
Commish says: I didn't have Gwen Stefani or Akon on my bingo board here. But this track's chorus is definitely stuck in my head.
@Chuckles_21 (Min Woo Lee): "Love B**** get out the way Ludacris "
Commish says: Is Love B**** different than Move B****??? Does Luda have a bunch of golf B-Sides?!?
@BG (Stephan Jaeger): "Fly Like an Eagle - seal version "
Commish says: STEVE MILLER DID NOT DESERVE THIS.
@Mcheavens13 (Stephan Jaeger): "Jaeger bombs will be flowing all weekend in Stephans honor. Idk if it’s always the walk up song choice, but Dre and Eminem’s I Need a Doctor will definitely be my theme come Monday. "
Commish says: This was MOST DEFINITELY John Daly's walk-up song, if he were allowed to have one.
@MintBagpipe (Cameron Young): "Whatever my friend Jerry picked for me."
Commish says: Is Jerry in the pool? Jerry sounds like an awesome friend. How did Jerry enjoy golf with you, Tiger, and Phil? GET JERRY IN THE POOL!!!
@Jevans4 (Sungjae Im): "Still not sure how I feel about this “Theme of the Week” thing this year but I’ll be judging everyone else’s response nonetheless. Oh and Rory still sucks at golfing the ball. "
Commish says: RORY LOVES THEMES OF THE WEEK
Yours in metal stick swinging,
The Commish