Anyone Up for a Round of Fantasy Golf?

I am a card carrying nerd. I'm an engineer who actually enjoys math. I can quote more lines from Star Wars than is healthy. I spend too much time interacting with computers. But that being said, I don't get "fantasy" sports. I can follow stats - I can even use them for my job - but I don't see the need to make a "game" out of them.

I've been following baseball all my life but have never delved into Fantasy Baseball. I'd just rather listen to it on the radio, watch it on TV, or go see a game live.

Judging by the sheer volume of fantasy leagues (and sports) out there I must be missing something. Heck, I didn't get Twitter until a month ago and now I'm addicted. So I'm going to give Fantasy Golf the benefit of the doubt - especially now that Michael Thompson is a Fantasy Golf commodity!

So if I were to start a Fantasy Golf team should I put Michael Thompson on my team? I think it's a "no brainer" but I'm his cousin. Here's what they're saying over at PGAtour.com:

Fantasy Insider: Handicapping the 2010 q-school grads

Dec. 14, 2010
By Rob Bolton, PGATOUR.COM Fantasy columnist

Q-school is about dreams fulfilled and new beginnings, so I'm going be the bad guy for many even before the first peg of the 2011 PGA TOUR season pierces the turf on a tee box.
Fact is, if 10 of the 25 graduates crack the top 125 on the money list, it'll be a bumper crop. A whopping 11 emerged from the 2010 class. That was up from eight in 2009 and seven in 2008. And there's really no such thing as a can't-miss star in waiting. A male golfer's career bell curve generally peaks in his early 30s, so it's always wise to refrain from making comparisons of potential in this sport with its counterpart in another.
You already know that one of the more exciting elements of participating in fantasy sports is early adoption, but it will backfire more often than not in fantasy golf. Resist from investing in too many highly-touted rookies as all honeymoons end. It's simply not worth the short-term exhilaration at the start of the year. Rickie Fowler, for one, is the anomaly, not the rule.
Below are fantasy projections on all 29 in the 2010 q-school class. For projections on the 25 Nationwide Tour graduates, click here. All of the grads will be included in my full-membership fantasy rankings later this month.

Michael Thompson

* * * ROOKIE * * *
Age as of January 1, 2011: 25
World Ranking (as of Dec. 13, 2010): 1,320
2011 fantasy projection: Top 125
Rob's Riff: Every now and then, even I get giddy about possibilities. Then, virtually instantaneously, disappointment settles in that I have to share my insight if I'm worth my salt. It goes with the territory. Well, this fella has my attention. The former first-team All-American at Alabama and 2007 U.S. Amateur runner-up was the Hooters Tour Player of the Year in 2010. Love his body frame and realistic approach to his career. Alas, with limited experience on the PGA TOUR (six starts, including three as an amateur), his rookie year will be but a grind, but one worth the investment. Unless you are the only ringer in your fantasy league, then there's no chance that Thompson slides into steal range.

Last year the top 125 golfers on the PGA Tour earned at least $800K. Hopefully this year, fantasy turns into reality for Michael!


The whole article can be found over at PGATour.com here: Fantasy Insider: Handicapping the 2010 q-school grads