The Fantasy Insider: U.S. Open

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If you're a golf fan, this one has been circled on your calendar all season. We're looking at arguably the most demanding major, we're returning to an imposing test on a popular public course, and we've got New York as the backdrop. Sounds like four days of must-see TV -- just remember to get a present for dear old Dad before you settle in. Better yet, sit down on the couch with pops and watch the action unfold at Bethpage Black together.

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Driving accuracy is always going to be important at a U.S. Open, but the length of Bethpage Black has me feeling that a long hitter is going to win this week. Keep an eye on the putting and scrambling stats as well, they'll help point us in the right direction.

Last week: We missed grabbing the winner for a third straight week, but David Toms (second) and Robert Allenby (fourth) more than made us proud, and we logged a positive score in 14 of 16 slots. Add it all up and it was good for 176 points, keeping us settled in the 94th percentile.

Fantasy game basics: We're picking eight players every week from three separate pools: two players from the A-List, four players from the B-List, and two players from the C-List.

From round to round, you'll "start" four of those players (one of your A players, two from B, one from C), making daily changes as you see fit. If your guys play well that day or for the week, you score well.

The eight players you pick at the beginning of the week are the only ones you can use and switch up during a particular tournament; the next week, you'll re-evaluate and refresh your group of eight.

You're allowed to use any player up to 10 starts for the year, and anything from 1-4 rounds in a given event counts as a single "start." As always, choose carefully, and have a long-term plan in addition to your short-term goals.

A-List Selections

TIGER WOODS (Round 1 starter): We saw him rounding into form during the Memorial win, he won the U.S. Open during the first visit to Bethpage Black in 2002, and Jack Nicklaus says he's primed for major No. 15. If you've still got Tiger plays left -- I'm looking at five into this week -- I can't see how you pass him up here. Distance and scrambling are going to be keys on this long and demanding track -- advantage, Tiger -- and the more grueling the conditions are, the more you have to like his chances. Tiger's had plenty of success at this major over the decade, bagging three wins and a pair of seconds. GEOFF OGILVY: He's got the driver (36th in distance) and putter (second in putting average), he's a clever scrambler (36th), and he's already got a U.S. Open trophy on the mantle (2006). Ogilvy also finished T9 in the U.S. Open last year and he's collected three top-10s at the PGA Championship where the setup is generally similar to an Open. He should be a four-round factor again this week. OTHER A-LIST OPTIONS: Other A-List Options: Phil Mickelson is going to win this tournament someday -- he's finished second at the U.S. Open four times, including the last visit to Bethpage Black (not to mention the woulda-coulda-shoulda finish in 2006). The distance is never an issue with Mickelson, and you know he has the mind to handle challenging layouts and blazing-fast greens. But Mickelson showed some rust, understandably, in his return last week, and while the New York crowds figure to get behind him early and often -- as they did in 2002 -- I'm not comfortable burning a start on Lefty when I'm not convinced he's at his sharpest. I'll root for the story if it comes together, but Mickelson won't be on my roster this week. ... Paul Casey didn't make the cut at Bethpage Black in 2002, but he's a far more accomplished player these days. He's got the profile we're looking for in this spot -- power off the tee (25th) and reliability on the greens (19th) -- and he's been remarkably consistent in his U.S. starts this year, with a win, a second and the fifth. The lone concern for me with Casey is the ordinary showing he had at the Memorial, which included a 75-78 run on the weekend. ... Sergio Garcia ran fourth at the last Bethpage Black party and he's far too talented to not eventually clear the final hurdle to his career (he's got 14 top-10s to his credit in the majors, including nine top-5 finishes). Garcia's 2008 campaign has been a little hit-and-miss, however, and he's missed two cuts in three starts entering this week. ... Jim Furyk has a win and two seconds in his last six U.S. Open starts, but I'd like him more over a track that didn't look so ominous with respect to distance. Mind you Furyk has the rest of the game to contend anywhere, anytime: 13th in driving accuracy, 12th in putting average, seventh in scoring -- but let's also remember that he missed the cut at Bethpage Black and it's been a while since his last win (July 2007). ... I'd be foolish to discount Padraig Harrington in a major, but he hasn't been on his game in recent trips to the U.S. (missing three cuts in four starts), and Bethpage Black isn't the course to step on if you're not feeling confident about your craft. ... Kenny Perry has a surprisingly-tame record at the U.S. Open over the years (just one top-20), and he wasn't a factor at Bethpage back in 2002 (T45). Throw in the presence of what happened back in April at Augusta and it's enough to steer me away from the estimable veteran. ... Robert Allenby has the ball-striking needed to win any event, and he's a better scrambler than given credit for (34th). But two facts you can't ignore with Allenby, unfortunately -- he's currently 172nd with the flat stick and he hasn't won a tournament since 2001. It's impossible for me to root against the smooth-striding Aussie, but I can't pick him over some of the other heavy hitters in this pool.

B-List Selections

STEVE STRICKER (Round 1 starter): He's been in serious contention at six events this year (including the win at Colonial), he's got the putter you're looking for in a big event, and he's been around the lead in recent U.S. Opens (T6 at Winged Foot in 2006, T13 at Oakmont in 2007). We've seen Stricker make the leap from good player to star player, and I expect his mantle to have a major trophy on it at some point in the next five years. He finished T16 at Bethpage Black the last time around and the New Yorkers should find the easygoing Midwesterner easy to root for. DUSTIN JOHNSON (Round 1 starter): Not a lot of major experience to point to, but what's wrong with trusting someone who's playing well right now? Johnson's stat log fits the profile we want at Bethpage Black -- third in driving distance, ninth in GIR, 26th in putting -- and he's already got a win and 11 cashed checks in a sneaky-good 2009 season. LEE WESTWOOD: He's got three deep U.S. Open runs to his name (including a sole third last year), he's got plenty of length off the tee, and he's a better iron player than most realize. Sure, it's been a couple of years since he's won, but it hasn't been for a lack of contention -- Westwood has 10 top-3 finishes over the last two seasons. He's getting close, and I like that I can use him here and not worry about the start count. SEAN O'HAIR: You'll get distance and accuracy off the tee, plus he's wearing out the greens (second in GIR), he rolls the ball well, and he's obviously in the middle of a breakthrough year. O'Hair wasn't a pro when the Open came to Bethpage in 2002, so I'll give him 18 holes to get his feet wet, but there's a good chance he'll be part of my weekend roster. Other B-List Options: Brian Gay has a pair of runaway wins to his credit this year and obviously has to be respected any week, no matter the field and the challenge. That established, he is 185th in driving distance, he didn't make the cut at Bethpage Black in 2002, and asking for a back-to-back win might be asking for a little too much. Let's wait for a better spot to deploy him again ... Tim Clark is a good fantasy play almost any week, but I'm concerned the length could hinder him this week (though the rest of his game is superb), and he's still got to deal with the disappointing ending at the Colonial, a tournament he all but had in his back pocket. I'm expecting four rounds from Clark and he's eventually going to break through and win on the PGA TOUR, but asking it to happen at a bomber's course in a major is probably too tall an order. ... Rory Sabbatini only has three made cuts in seven U.S. Open starts and he's yet to crack the top 50; as much as I admire his drive and ability, it's hard to swim against that tide. ... Adam Scott is another name player who's struggled in majors, the U.S. Open specifically (3-for-7 on cuts), and his best finish at this event is an ordinary T21. Maybe it's unfair that we expect so much from Scott, but at this point in his career there's no way around it -- he's been somewhat of an underachiever. I'll jump back on the bandwagon the moment Scott gives us a reason to, but 2009 hasn't been one of his banner seasons (seven missed cuts over his last eight events). ... Boo Weekley's ballstriking gets your attention at any event, but given that he's coming off an injury and having some issues with the flat stick (141st in putting), I'm going to wait for a better spot. ... I know it's been a while since Tom Lehman did anything in a U.S. Open and maybe it's wrong for me to reminisce about how superbly he played this event back in the 1990s -- it's a shame he couldn't finish one off -- but we're all entitled to a deep-sleeper pick and he's mine. Guile, guts, experience, adrenaline, I'm calling for him to play into the top 30, somehow.

C-List Selections

RETIEF GOOSEN (Round 1 starter): He's capable of putting fast greens as well as anyone (his U.S. Open win at Shinnecock in 2004 was a clinic), he's got a pair of Open titles this decade and the distance will never be a problem for Goose. He's also in the midst of a nifty bounce-back year and already has a win to his credit (Transitions Championship). This seems like an automatic play to me. HENRIK STENSON: He probably made some fantasy owners a little nervous with the missed cut at the St. Jude Classic and he's had some trouble with U.S. Open setups, but I'm trusting the pedigree here -- this is a golfer who's capable of winning majors. Stenson rolled to a convincing win at THE PLAYERS Championship earlier this year, of course, and he was in deep contention at the British Open (T3) and PGA Championship (T4) last year. The length won't be a problem, either. Others C-List Options: Others C-List Options: Ian Poulter has been good to us just about every week we've dialed him up and I can just about guarantee that he'll be on the card for the British Open next month, but the U.S. Open seems like the toughest major for him to potentially contend at (meanwhile, he's done well at the Masters three years running and he's finished in the top 10 at the other majors). We'll probably use all 10 Pouter starts this year, but he's not a pure power player and I don't see him as an ideal fit for Bethpage Black. ... There's a lot to like about Luke Donald's stat profile, especially his work on the greens (tops in putting), but when I see his driving stats (161st in distance, 120th in accuracy), I can't pick him on a U.S. Open setup at a lengthy course. ... Don't look past Ross Fisher, who's been steady in two of his last three majors and had a sole second at the BMW European PGA Championship back in May. He's 33rd on the European Tour in driving distance, and 23rd in GIR. ... Charlie Wi has given us a solid run just about every time we've opted for him this season, and he wasn't intimidated in his first major last year, finishing T9 at the PGA Championship. He'd be a more attractive play on a shorter course, but how can you not be impressed by someone who stands fifth in putting and third in all-around rank? He's going to be a fantasy-relevant player for many seasons to come.