2011 fantasy cheat sheet: Ranking every TOUR pro

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No sport with a fantasy following is complete without a preseason ranking of its athletes. Golf is a little different as it has several methods of game play, but the dynamic is the same. You want rank and you want reason. You got it.

Beginning with priority ranking No. 1, which consists of U.S. Open and PGA Championship winners in the last five years, and concluding with No. 28, which is singularly populated by Matt Weibring and his Non-Exempt Medical Extension, a total of 250 golfers are listed. This also includes non-members in the top 50 of the final Official World Golf Ranking of 2010, which is used to complete some fields. (The only two active golfers omitted from the feature are reigning PGA Professional National champion, Mike Small, who gets up to six starts, and Life Member, Tom Watson.) The line is drawn above Past Champions and Veteran Members in priority ranking No. 29.

In addition to rank and name, I've provided a projected differential for salary formats and what I hope you find to be a helpful comment. The salary differential projects plus or minus 10 percent of his 2010 earnings on the PGA TOUR (which is why most q-school and Nationwide Tour graduates are tagged with a "Plus"). A "Push" indicates a margin inside the 10 percent in either direction. While the actual number of Pushes at the conclusion of the 2011 season will be low, treat that column as a reflection of my confidence. This is to say that a "Plus" or a "Minus" is a strong vote in either direction.

As we creep up on the 2011 season, my first installments of the Rookie Watch, Medical Extensions, the Reshuffle and Major Qualifiers will follow. I will be writing the Power Rankings and Fantasy Insider once again, as well as a new feature that will debut in January.

For any questions, feedback or whatever you need, email me at FantasyInsider@charter.net. You can also find me on Twitter as @RobBoltonGolf.