Quicken Loans National - Power Rankings
After an exciting week at Oakmont, the PGA Tour is heading to another in U.S. Open venue - Congressional Country Club. Sponsored by Quicken Loans and in support of the Tiger Woods Foundation, Tiger will not be able to play this week as he continues to recover from back surgery.
Congressional has a very rich history, as PGATOUR.com writer Jeff Shain outlines in his description of the course:
Congressional Country Club (Blue), 7,569 yards, par 71. Established in 1924, the club has served as a meeting place for Washington’s movers and shakers from the very beginning. Founding members included two former U.S. presidents, sitting officeholder Warren Harding and successor Calvin Coolidge. Congressional was the site where Ken Venturi staggered through stifling heat to win the 1964 U.S. Open, the first of three Opens held there along with the 1976 PGA Championship. The club also hosted six Kemper Opens, getting back on the PGA TOUR’s regular schedule when the Quicken Loans National joined the docket in 2007.
Let’s take a look at some players to keep an eye on this week.
Jim Furyk - Shot a four under 66 on Sunday to finish tied for second in his first major of the season. Jim showed that his game is back in top form after a long injury layoff.
Gary Woodland - didn't make a lot of noise at Oakmont last week however has been playing extremely well. His athleticism provides him with incredible distance and supports an overall well-rounded game.
Rickie Fowler - Top-ranked player in the world this week, he is looking to get back on track after some disappointing finishes over the last couple months.
Bryson DeChambeau - Entered on another sponsor's exemption and coming off a fantastic week at the US Open. Bryson has played well in both majors this year, and he will look to build upon that momentum this week as he seeks to earn status on the PGA tour.
John Rahm - Also playing on a sponsor's exemption and making his professional debut. Earned medalist honors as low amateur last week at Oakmont. Many believe that he will soon establish himself as a constant threat on Tour.
Scott Piercy - Impressive play last week at the US Open. Piercy consistently executed shots keeping himself in the mix for much of Sunday afternoon. I expect to see him continue to play very well this week.
Patrick Reed - Having a terrific year on tour. Has nine top-10’s this season.
Charley Hoffman - Finished third at this event in 2013, has already claimed a title this season (Texas Open), and has only missed one cut since January.
Brendan Steele - Has finished inside the top-20 in four of his last five starts. Quietly playing some great golf.
Justin Thomas - Has not been as consistent this season as would have been expected after claiming his first PGA Tour title back in November, however, did show signs that his game is coming around during his T32 U.S. Open finish.
Sleeper Pick
Wes Bryan - Has won twice on the Web.com Tour this season. He knows how to win, and is now looking to make some noise at the next level.
And now for my DraftKings lineups for this week.
I found this week a tough draft week. With the field being less deep than it usually is, it forces you to make less calculated decisions, for there are fewer “heavy hitters” to choose from. As you can see from the teams above, my picks are based primarily off of players whom I think could have big weeks.
Starting Lineup:
Bryson DeChambeau -$8,800
Roberto Castro - $8,600
Charles Howell III - $8,200
Adam Hadwin - $7,500
John Rahm - $7,300
Wesley Bryan - $7,100
Alternate Lineup:
Jim Furyk - $11,300
Justin Thomas - $10,700
Gary Woodland - $10,300
Will Wilcox - $5,900
Zac Blair - $5,900
Aaron Baddeley -$5,800
This article was written by Jonathan Carr (@jonathanwcarr) as part of our weekly #FantasyGolf series. Each week we preview the upcoming PGA Tour event and highlight some of the players we'll be keeping an eye on. As a scratch golfer himself, Jonathan has a keen eye for what it takes to be successful on and off the golf course. His passion for golf is surpassed only by his passion for his faith and his family.
Read some of Jonathan's other articles here.
