TFI addresses the PGA TOUR nation

Feb. 28, 2006

By Brett Avery
The Fantasy Insider
PGATOUR.COM Contributor

TO: PGA TOUR players

FROM: The Fantasy Insider

RE: Welcome to Eastern Standard Time

Nice to have you back on the Atlantic Ocean side. No doubt you were too busy to send postcards from three time zones away, although occasional mentions of the column from a few of you during the West Coast Swing did warm TFI's heart.

Understand that you're arriving in Florida at a crucial time for those whose fortunes rise and fall with the capabilities of their League Championship Fantasy teams. The canniest team owners have spent the past week scoping out your past performance in the tournaments leading to the Masters.

Sure, you had a good week or two out in California or Hawaii, and maybe made a big check in Arizona. And we¹re happy for you. Truly.

But things are getting interesting in LCF's head-to-head and rotisserie leagues. Some of us are falling behind in H2H. We need to zoom above .500 and solidly into the top two slots in our divisions because the playoffs loom beyond the horizon.

Smart rotisserie owners also used this past week to identify the weaknesses in their team's composition -- too few fairways, say, or a lack of one-putt greens. They're making roster moves because everyone wants to win her or his league and have a shot at the grand-prize trip to THE PLAYERS Championship in 2007.

In that regard, guys, everyone in LCF is just like you.

So as long as we're keeping this between friends, let's admit to one of your deepest secrets.

Some of you have that nervous rumbling in your gut that this isn't going to be a year worth remembering. The swing is off or the putter feels like a lead pipe or that old injury is flaring up. Right now that knowledge is yours and yours alone.

In years past playing Salary Cap Cup (the old TOUR Fantasy game) we would have loved you once or twice a season, even in the worst years, at those courses where you play like gangbusters. We might even have been fooled into taking you somewhere else when you were tanking.

We could throw away a pick here and pick there because there were 12 or 14 weeks in a segment and three segments in the season. If we bombed for a week or a segment another was just around the corner.

This year is different. This year in LCF we own you lock, stock and tapered steel shaft. There is only one season and we don't want it spoiled. We'll forgive the occasional gaffe. We¹ll put you on reserve once or twice.

Screw up too much, though, and you'll go back into the free agent pool like chum to the sharks. Without hesitation.

You know how a few bad weeks can alienate your wife, kids, caddie, agent, swing guru, accountant and barber? Stink it up with us and you'll see those roster percentages drop like a rock. Before your barber stops taking your calls.

Have fun in Florida, guys. Don't forget the sunscreen. And remember: We'll be watching.

Now on to This Week's Brilliant Question:

Why no (Salary Cap Cup) points posted (during the week) for the players in the World Golf Championships-Accenture Match Play Championship ? I picked some players for both that and (the Chrysler Classic at) Tucson. Those that didn¹t win the WGC event still were designated money. So why no posted points? I couldn¹t find any contact info for the site administrators, so if you can help in any way it would be greatly appreciated. Rich

TFI loves this type of question because if offers a chance to provide two answers.

For most tournaments, Salary Cap Cup provides earnings that reflect real-time scoring. That way we can celebrate a string of birdies that move one of our players up the leader board (and bemoan the lost cash of a blown four-footer late Sunday).

The Match Play is one of a handful of tournaments where the earnings function isn't available. Players carry a zero until being credited with their part of the final purse.

TFI called HQ and got the detailed explainer for why real-time earnings aren't possible for selected events. It comes down to this: there's no easy translation between the scoring software used by PGATOUR.com and some outside sources (like the World Golf Championships and the four majors) the game scoring software at CBSSportsLine.com.

TFI gladly accepts any and all comments and questions, from fundamentals like what a chart header means to esoteric examinations of software. He loves hearing from readers, even when they slap him for bad picks or bone-headed roster moves. (Just so you know, TFI typically dives into the mailbag twice a week, most notably Monday as the juices begin flowing for that night's column-writing session.)

About one-quarter of TFI's email involves a site conundrum, a function that went awry or a question about why guys in the Match Play aren't earning anything when they're guaranteed a quarterfinalist's check. Unfortunately, TFI is powerless to rectify such problems and cannot provide much of an answer until he checks with the HQ staff.

Those same experts are available to you, though, via the "Ask A Question" function in the site's Help Center. They're the folks TFI contacts to answer questions that land in his inbox. And they love questions about these games because they help HQ staff gauge everything from general understanding of the rules and procedures to technical problems that help debug the software.

Keep those cards and letters coming, girls and boys! Good luck in Segment 2 of Salary Cap Cup and welcome back to the action in League Championship Fantasy.

Three players TFI might pick up/trade for to get onto his roster this week:

Angel Cabrera. TFI picked him up for his head-to-head roster, dumping Mark Hensby. His last four starts in the Ford Championship at Doral: tied 10th, tied 17th, missed cut, tied fifth. Expect him to play four of the next six weeks through the Masters so you'll have the chance to start him -- and see him pop a few good finishes.

Billy Mayfair. Stop laughing: He's dropped off about one-sixth the rosters in the past week but his short game numbers probably rival the No. 3 guy on your H2H depth chart. Combine that with his record as a decent (if not always spectacular) performer in Florida and he could also help a rotisserie roster that could use some fairways and greens.

David Branshaw. The reigning Nationwide Tour Championship winner cruised through the West Coast Swing almost unnoticed with two top 20s in four starts (including solo sixth in the Chrysler Classic of Tucson). Traditionally his Florida numbers haven't been great but take into account 1) living in Tampa he's acquired a taste for the elements and 2) he's a far more accomplished than when he missed two cuts in 2004. Ranks second in total driving, seventh in scrambling, 16th in bounce back.

Three players TFI might waive/drop/trade away to get off his roster this week:

Mark Hensby. TFI's given up waiting for him and dumped him from the H2H roster, which probably means he'll play like gangbusters. If a guy doesn't play much he's dead weight. If he's around in a few weeks TFI might take another look at him.

Craig Barlow. Looked terrific during the West Coast Swing, especially those back-to-back top fives on the Monterey Peninsula and at Riviera Country Club. Welcome to Florida, where he's struggled mightily: five missed cuts in 10 starts during the past three seasons, only one finish in the top 50 (tied for 24th at the 2004 Bay Hill Invitational).

David Howell . TFI's eyebrows went up during the Monday writing session when he saw this guy went from practically no roster slots to taken in almost 1-in-3 leagues after his Accenture Match Play Championship quarterfinal finish. Yes, he¹s nearly top 10 in the world but the bulk of those ranking points are in European Tour events. His record in full-field U.S. events is pretty dismal. Let's see how he does on Bermuda grass.

Rotisserie lineup for Expert League at Ford Championship at Doral: Sergio Garcia, Joe Ogilvie, Ryan Palmer, Kenny Perry, Bo Van Pelt, Camilo Villegas. Competing but on TFI's reserve roster: Daniel Chopra, Troy Matteson. Not competing: Brandt Jobe, Geoff Ogilvy. First, a tip of the cap to Match Play winner Mr. Ogilvy -- well done! OK, boys, time to get back to work.

H2H lineup for Pacific Tour League at Ford Championship at Doral: TFI (3-3) vs. Geo'sgolf (3-3). Drivers, Angel Cabrera and Kenny Perry. Short game, Chris DiMarco and Jesper Parnevik. Putters: Chad Campbell and Daniel Chopra. Competing but on TFI's reserve roster: Arjun Atwal, Justin Leonard, Troy Matteson, Pat Perez. Roster change: Dropped Mark Hensby, added Trevor Immelman, then dropped Immelman when he spotted Angel Cabrera. Go figure. Difficult time getting from seven to six on the active list. TFI's not feeling good about leaving Leonard out of the mix.

Salary Cap Cup results for WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship and Chrysler Classic of Tucson: Main lineup of Chris DiMarco ($125,000, lost in third round), Luke Donald ($125,000, lost third round), Nick O'Hern ($85,000, lost second round), Ian Poulter ($35,000, lost first round) and Steve Stricker. ($16,363, tied 30th) totaled $386,363 . It finished Segment One with $4,972,158 and placed 5,339th. Two truly horrid weeks to end the segment soured this team in the standings.

The "Hey, buddy" lineup of Tiger Woods ($125,000, lost third round), Davis Love III ($750,000, lost final!), Justin Leonard ($35,000, lost first round), Geoff Ogilvy ($1,300,000, won!) and Charles Howell III ($35,000, lost first round) totaled $2,245,000. It finished Segment One with $5,935,376 and placed 2,372nd. How about that! TFI felt truly wonderful last Sunday with both guys in the final. Talk about no pressure!

Salary Cap Cup lineups for Ford Championship at Doral: Main lineup, Tiger Woods $300,000, Retief Goosen $293,500, Ryan Palmer $183,000, Heath Slocum $137,500, Nick Price $75,000. Total: $989,000. "Hey, buddy" lineup, Phil Mickelson $287,000, Chris DiMarco $274,000, Craig Parry $205,750, Carlos Franco $144,000, Dean Wilson $75,000. Total: $985,750.

Segment 1 winner: BillsBashers, $1,163,361 (by more than $1 million over second place!).

Have a question or comment for TFI? Send it to him at brettavery@aol.com. Please remember to include your team and league names and whether you’re playing a rotisserie or H2H league.