Table of Contents
By Alex Lauzon from the “Course of Life” podcast
Ryder Cup Memories
Week two of our DP World Tour vacation from the confines of PGA Tour picking is here, and it’s a national open being contested at a former Ryder Cup host in The K Club just outside of Dublin. The same course that hosted the 2006 Ryder Cup won by Europe is back as a tournament after a six-year intermission as host of the Irish Open, and the excitement is palpable. At the media day on-site Seamus Power waxed poetic about the club, the grueling test on display and it’s the club, hotel, and resort that gives “big-time event host” vibes.
Last week’s Omega European Masters brought some extra funds to my bankroll and hopefully yours if you correctly tailed the picks. Ludvig Aberg continued his heater, won in Switzerland, and notched himself a spot on the Ryder Cup team – now that is a good week of golf right here. Now we head to week two of two for the PGA Tour break, and this time it’s contested at a course that I happen to know very well. Let’s turn knowledge into another winning week.
K Club Chaos
In a rare golf writer Big J moment, I actually had the pleasure of playing the Arnold Palmer-designed north course at Irish Open Media day in July. My day consisted mainly of me circling my cart in the thick rough looking for golf balls that often weren’t found, and alternating my beverage between Arnold Palmer’s and John Daly’s. In short, the course is tournament-ready, the rough is thick, and though it plays moderately in distance, it’s a soft and lush course that presents like a parkland-style American track.
The field is predictably loaded with world-class talent, as it’s a preeminent Rolex Series event that sits perfectly as a Ryder Cup practice event. The Irish contingent is strong and led by Rory McIlroy, Shane Lowry, and Padraig Harrington. Also sitting atop the odds sheets are Tyrrell Hatton, Billy Horschel, Adam Scott and Min-Woo Lee.
Forecasting The Horizon Irish Open
If my view of the track holds true, this course and week should be a brute of a test. The last time the Irish Open was at The K Club in 2016, Rory was the only player to get to double digits under par for the week. This year, I expect a few more names to get to that mark, but anyone who’s not driving it accurately will pay dearly – trust me. We’re picking fairway finders and hot putters this week.
1. Who’s hot and trending – Recent high finishes, top-10 streaks, and consistent play are never a bad thing.
2. Horses for courses – Players love certain courses and course familiarity and experience are invaluable in a field of the world’s best.
3. What the numbers tell you this week – While I’m far from analytical, there’s always a tournament darling or two scattered across the golf talk stratosphere that stuns on paper.
4. Intangibles – While this allows for theater of the mind, there’s a mysterious optimism surrounding a player that feels “due” or if the price looks just right for buying.
Last week’s picks delivered – again. Who knew we could hop over to picking DP World Tour winners with such ease? Ludvig Aberg held off Matty Fitz nicely and we raked it in as a result. With a couple of other pickles finishing in the top ten, it’s definitely an A- week for the picks, now let’s get the three-peat in Ireland.
THE PLAYS
(Wanna start a Pick-X pool with your friends? Learn more here! Or, if you’re looking to start your own PGA One-and-Done pool, check those out here) (Hint: the main difference between the two is how many players you’ll pick each week)
1: Adam Scott – A fairway-finding player who knows how to navigate tough tracks – it’s his week!
2: Shane Lowry – I’m leaning with Shane because the Ryder Cup pick should give him a jolt, and coming home won’t hurt his chances of contending either.
3: Adrian Meronk – The biggest Team Europe Ryder Cup snub, I’m hoping he plays angry and motivated to show he was a glaring omission.
4: Alex Fitzpatrick – I rode with the other Fitz brother last week and he delivered a top 5 – the train should continue to the next stop.
5: Tom McKibbin – Rory 2.0 knows the course well and should have a nice week in front of his Irish fans.
6: Daniel Brown – A flier in the odds books, but in good form off of a recent win on the DP World Tour.
THE DEETS
Where to watch: The Golf Channel has you covered every morning, and there will be no shortage of Irish fanfare and Celtic music to set the right vibes.
Why to watch: This Irish Open features Rory and a world-class field, and having it back at an epic track like The K Club will make for a dramatic weekend.
What to eat: In honor of the outstanding snack shack behind the 18th, grab your finest box of pastries and have them all week long.
Purse: $6 million
Winner’s Share: $1.1 million
Golf FAQs
How do PGA Golf Majors Pools work?
In PGA Golf Majors Pools, member select six golfers to compete on a roster over the course of an event. The member with the best combined score from the six golfers wins.
Can you include all four majors into one pool?
Yes, but your commissioner can also customize these setting with RunYourPool. Pools can include up to all four majors, repicking golfers each time or adding bonus points for finishing positions
How do I assemble a roster?
Golfers are broken up in to six tiers, as members select one golfer per tier to be on their Major roster.
What happens to golfers who miss the cut?
Any PGA Player who does not make the cut will be given the highest score of Round 3 and Round 4, respectively.
What are the four golf majors?
The Masters is the first major of the season, in April. The PGA Championship and the U.S. Open follow, with the British Open ending as the final major.
How do PGA One and Dones work?
Members in a pool select one golfer to win a tournament, but can't pick that golfer again for the rest of the season. The member with the best score at the end of the season wins.
What is a PGA One and Done pool?
A PGA One-and-Done Pool is a contest similar to Survivor Pools, in which members can only select a golfer one time per season for events.
Which tournaments are played for PGA One and Dones?
Pool commissioners can set up the season for as many or as few tournaments as desired. Go crazy and do all of them! Or dial it back for the major events. As commissioner of a RunYourPool contest, you decide which events to play in!
How to run a weekly golf pool?
In order to run a golf pool, you must first crown yourself as Pool Commissioner. Begin by picking a game type like One and Done or Pick-X Pools. You'll want to establish rules before inviting friends, family, and colleagues to join. As commissioner, you make the rules and also need to enforce them equally and fairly.
How do golf Pick-X Pools work?
Members select a certain number of golfers per tournament, set by the pool commissioner. The member earns the total winnings that their selected golfer won for the tournament. Whichever member earns the most winnings over the duration of the season wins.
What is a golf Pick-X Pool?
A Pick-X Golf Pool calculates tournament winnings rather than strokes gained when deciding a winner. This amplifies the big name events that feature a higher prize purse.
How to run a golf pool?
How you decide to run a golf pool varies greatly depending on the game type. In each case, however, you'll want to determine the rules and settings before you begin inviting members to join you. You'll want to clearly establish how score will be kept, how tiebreakers work, and how winners are decided before anything else.
What is a prop bet?
Prop bets are any sort of pick or wager on a game that has nothing to do with the score or the final score outcome. Props can range from game types, to team types and even player types - such as who will score the game's first and last touchdowns? Other props, such as novelty or exotic, feature bets on things such as the coin flip or the Super Bowl Halftime Show.
How do Masters Prop Bets Pools work?
Pool members simply fill out a wide range of prop questions, each question worth a different value. Commissioners decide on the point value for each question, along with the amount of questions. Whichever member earns the most points based on corret answers wins the pool.
When is the Masters?
The Masters is typically in April and the first major of the golf season. The 2023 Masters is set for Thursday, April 6 and will run until Sunday, April 9.
Where is the Masters played?
The Masters is annually held at the Augusta National Golf Club located in Augusta, Georgia, USA.
