Fantasy Crystal Ball: FBR Open

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This week, I'm more likely to be drinking out of the crystal ball if I'm in Arizona for this week's FBR Open.  It is the greatest party of the year on Tour, and over 200,000 are expected to flood TPC Scottsdale.  With the full enclosure of the 16th hole, the electric atmosphere on the course will be hard to contain.

As Sal Johnson points out over at GolfObserver, this is a pretty strong field for the FBR.  16 of the top 50 in the world are in Arizona.  18 of the top 50 were in Doha, Qatar last week.  18 of last season's top 25 on the PGA Tour money list are also in the field.  That means that you have a lot of good options for your team this week. 

Remember, this is the final tournament of the month!  If you finish as the leader of the league at the end of this event, you'll win a TaylorMade Burner golf umbrella from 14stix.com!

Now, onto the picks.

On the A list, you have to like Phil Mickelson.  He went to Arizona State, won this event as an amateur, and lost the event in a playoff to JB Holmes last year.  The guy is a showman and loves to play in front of the huge hometown crowd.  Nevermind that it is his season debut and pick Mickelson.

You also have to like David Toms this week on your B list.  He has a great track record at the FBR despite a missed cut last season.  In his last five appearances in this event, he hasn't finished outside of the top 20.

And you would be a complete fool to avoid Mark Calcavecchia this week.  He has won this event twice and set the PGA Tour scoring record in doing so.  Be advised that he is hit and miss (per usual), but I think he is worth the gamble.

JB Holmes is defending champion and off to a mediocre start this year.  But his only two Tour wins come here.  I'm going to have him on my bench in case he decides to make it three.

As for the C list, there is not a lot of good to be found.  I'm going to ride the streaky and go with Webb Simpson and George McNeill.  Webb has never played in this event.  McNeill finished T39 two years ago.  I have absolutely no reason to pick them other than that they have both played well in limited action this season.  But, I will offer Ben Crane up as a C list pick since he finished T4 last year.

Good luck this week!