This Update is FUNK-ed Up!!

Here is the preliminary update for this week... the data have been sent to Jeff, so hopefully it will all get uploaded soon. If you want the full spreadsheet, let me know and I will email it to you.

Fred Funk had a real impact on the numbers... his 2nd place finish killed those of us who shorted him. We have a real log-jam for the first time in a while in the FPGP (with the exception of a few of us who are just plain awful). Trades are going to be critical.

Here are the numbers:

Rob Da Rodent .....273
Stevie V. ................220
Jumpin Jeff ..........206
Tiger Philp .............191
Da Bandit ..............189
Johnny V. .............184
Stan the Man ........177
Steve T. ...................60
Vic ...........................57
Fraser ....................-59

Updates and Trades

hey everyone... sorry for the lack of update this week. I had to go out of town unexpectedly, and Jeff's computer problems flared up. We'll get updates up next week, and try to get em done every week through the trade deadline, which is fast approaching.

Shell/Houston Open and the data sheet updated

I finally got off my butt, rather, I finally had time to do it. Go make your trades. There are still a few jems out there.

Here is a preview article for this weekend:

The Houston stop has a long history on the PGA Tour with tournaments held in the Houston area as early as 1922. The tournament has been contested on a number of different courses and is on its second change in four years. The event ended its 28-year stay at the Woodlands in 2002 before moving to the remote Redstone Golf Club in Humble, Texas. The Hardy-Jacobson course hosted the event during the tournament’s first three years at Redstone moving this year to Redstone’s Rees Jones layout.

The Rees Jones course, known as the Tournament Course, is a 7,481 yard par 72 design built with collaboration from Tour player David Toms. The course features MiniVerde greens and TifSport fairways. MiniVerde is a high shoot density grass that tolerates continuous close mowing and is a heat tolerant strain for the hot Houston summers. TifSport is another Bermuda hybrid that also tolerates the close mowing required for Tour courses and features rapid regeneration. The tournament tees play to a USGA rating of 75.8 and a slope rating of 138. The Tournament Course will be completely free of real estate development.

The list of winners at Houston reads like a brief history of golf as it includes historic figures like Byron Nelson, Bobby Locke, Arnold Palmer, and Gary Player. The list of multiple winners is quite lengthy and includes Vijay Singh (2002, 2004, 2005), Curtis Strange (1980, 1986, 1988), Arnold Palmer (1957, 1966), Bobby Nichols (1962, 1965), Jack Burke Jr. (1952, 1959), Mike Souchak (1955, 1964), Cary Middlecoff (1950, 1953), Joe Kirkwood Sr. (1923, 1924). FULL STORY

UPDATE 4/17

Data to the right will be updated late Monday. It's a holiday afterall. No, not Easter Sunday. Patriots Day Monday. Red Sox 1st pitch at 11:05am.

Master's Side Bet - Results

Sorry Joel, but I took you for the full hundo. I actually thought it would be a split, but the numbers don't lie, and you can check the numbers:

Your team:
1. Goosen (-4) $315,700
2. Singh (-3) $210,000
3. Ollazabel (-4) $315,700
4. Campbell (-4) $315,700
5. Furyk (+3) $67,000

Total: $1,224,100

My team:
1. Mickleson (-7) $1,260,000

The rest of my team made the cut, but it doesn't matter because Mickelson made more than your team combined. So, I win:

$50 for "which team makes more money" bet and;
$50 for "picking the winner."

We'll do it again in June w/ the US Open I assume... you can pick first.

THE DUVAL EFFECT REDUX

Only got whipped by 5 shots by Golf Icon & former Masters champ Gary Player. DD can build off that when he plays regular tour events down the road.

Post Masters Update

Jeff and I were too busy golfing, drinking, and attending the Red Sox / Rangers game to get the update together this week... we'll post one next week.

The golf was never pretty, but still somewhat fun. I managed to beat Jeff 3 and 1 in our little match, but it was nothing to brag about. Our shots ranged from wildly spectacular to absolutely attrocious. On consecutive holes, Jeff stiffed irons, but would then hit crappy drives and three putts. I either hit a duck hook or 310 yard down the middle drive. Never struck and iron well, and never made a putt. It was really ugly to look at. Even Stan the Man suffered by our mere presence on the course with him.

The best play I made was on the 10th tee. I had been 2-up on the 7th, but Jeff won the last three holes of the nine (par-par-birdie). Seeing little chance to survive the onslaught, I decided to go to the psychological weaponry. As we were approaching the tee, I asked Jeff if he would be my best man in November. He said "yes" but was apparently rattled. He hooked the shit out of his drive, lost the hole, and never recovered. He'll get his rematch in November though.