The next stop on the PGA tour brings us Irving, Texas for the EDS Byron Nelson Championship. Byron Nelson was the tournament's first winner in 1944 and his name has been attached to the event since 1968. Last year's winner Scott Verplank might make a good pick to pull another back-to-back on back-to-back PGA Tour weekends, but he didn't make it on my list. Here are my guys to consider and guys to avoid, comment and let me know who you'll be watching or avoiding.
Players to Consider:
1. Adam Scott - Scott followed his WD at the Shell Houston Open with a T25 at The Masters. It's always a decent gamble picking Scott to do well following a pressure filled major. I have to predict that Scott will be on top of his game for this weekend's Byron Nelson -- an event he skipped last year, but finished third the year before.
2. Sergio Garcia - Sergio has only missed the cut in one event this season, but it was his last and the first major of the season. And his one MC came after his best finish of the season (T15th at the WGC-CA). As the tournament's poster boy and champion in '04, it should be a productive weekend for the Spaniard from Castellon.
3. Justin Leonard -- After starting the year with three top 10 finishes, Leonard has settled on finishing every even somewhere in the top 25 (averaging a 24th place finish). Leonard's average of 41 fantasy points per tournament ranks as the best average amongst the golfers entered in the EDS Byron Nelson Championship. I've been hesitant on picking Leonard because I have sensed a slump coming, but with fewer options for who to consider, Leonard fills a spot on my list.
4. Kevin Sutherland -- Sutherland's final round 67 at the Shell Houston Open helped propel him to capture his second top 10 of the season. With no real blow-up round or tournament on his 2008 resume, it's time to start closely considering Sutherland to be a contender every weekend. If he's able to avoid a big score in round one, it should be another top finish for this PGA veteran.
5. Cliff Kresge -- Cliff has been up and down this year so far. He's managed to finish three times top five but as been on the outside of the top 50 four times (also once he tied for 49th, another event he finished T43). After going 10 under and finishing fifth at the Verizon Heritage last weekend, I am closely watching Kresge and considering him for my fantasy line-up.
Players to Avoid:
1. Rory Sabbatini -- Not since the FBR in early February has Sabbatini finished a tournament under par. After missing the cut at The Masters which was the follow-up to a T70 finish at the WGC-CA, there is little reason to consider Sabbatini this weekend.
2. Jeff Maggert -- Coming into the Byron Nelson Championship, Maggert has missed the cut in his last two events. After not participating (not invited) at The Master's, all the downtime that Maggert has had to think about his poor play makes him easily avoidable.
3. Chad Campbell -- Seriously, avoid Chad Campbell. You might be O.K. taking Sabbatini or Maggert, but I can't say the same about Campbell. Despite the stellar second overall finish at the Shell Houston Open, he missed the cut in the event prior and then again missed the cut in the event following. If you are willing to go the route of really high risk for really high reward, so be it. But don't gamble on Campbell if you aren't ready to handle a poor showing.
4. Dustin Johnson -- This rookie was hot to start the year, finishing 12th or better in three of his first four tournaments. Since then, Johnson has looked the part of PGA rookie. Wide eyed and star struck, Johnson has missed the cut in five of his past six events.
5. Jesper Parnevik -- I'll avoid Parnevik just based on the fact that he wears those stupid brimmed hats. Although, I do realize that might just because he wears lame headgear might not be good a enough reason to avoid taking the 2000 champion. So, I'm going to say I'm not picking Parnevik because if it weren't for his T46th last weekend, he wouldn't know what it would be like to make the cut. Parny has MC'd his previous three events and has played the weekend in just half the events he's entered this season.
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