In an effort to stick to our #yearoftheprocess, we have decided to enhance our weekly gambling content to include a written feature.  NLU is proud to introduce Mark & Jeff from the Walk It In Podcast.  Mark & Jeff are good friends, hack golfers, and fans of the game that love gambling and talking sports.  We could not be more excited to have them onboard and see what type of "experts" they actually are.  Cheers - 

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It was a monumental week at Riviera as friend of the program and all-world guy Max Homa won the Genesis Invitational in exciting fashion over Tony Finau and the rest of a loaded field. Homa (70/1) overcame a missed birdie putt on the 72nd hole to beat Finau on the second playoff hole and cash big money for his supporters (of which there were many).

, is the new Draft King this week after betting on Homa to win outright at a massive 70/1. He missed all his other bets last week, but it doesn’t matter as he’ll be playing with house money (nuggets) for a while. 

 has escaped the Pouch of Misery after going 1-4, his first win in five weeks - progress! Homa’s three foot birdie miss at the end of regulation single handedly passed the Pouch to 

 as Randy had a prop that the winner birdie the 72nd hole. He finished the week 0-5 with his other misses on Morikawa and Scott top 10’s, Bubba Watson to win and a winning margin of two strokes. 

hit a Max Homa top 20 (+200), but missed on Cantlay to win, Niemann top 10, Norlander top 20 and a matchup parlay. 

 had a good week at the book, also supporting Homa with a top 20. If only he and DJ were as confident in their friend as Tron was, amirite?! Soly also hit on a Tony Finau top 10 and a matchup parlay with Rory and Morikawa. His two losses were Jordan Spieth top 10 and Cam Tringale top 20.

The Walk It In guys had mixed results last week as Mark was up almost four units and Jeff was down almost six. Viktor Hovland (top 10 and top Oklahoma State player) came up huge for Mark as well as Tony Finau (top 10). Swings and misses included a Carlos Ortiz top 20 and a matchup with Tringale as well as Joaquin Niemann top 10 and win bets. Add Jeff to the Homa supporters section as he had him in a matchup over Jason Kokrak. He also won Morikawa over Matsuyama, but his finishing position bets didn’t fare as well. He lost on Cantlay to win and finish top 10, Ortiz to win and finish top 20, HVIII to finish top 40 and Justin Thomas to win.

The TOUR puts a new course in play this week at the WGC-Workday Championship and we each also have a bonus play on the Puerto Rico Open…

How do the pros put themselves in the best position to score? A great approach! Here’s how the Walk It In guys are looking at this week’s tournament, followed by our best bets. Our safer picks are dubbed “Inside the Leather”, like a short putt that your friend might give you at the country club. Longshot plays are “Double Breaker” bets; difficult, but makeable putts that require great reads and execution. Mark leads it off this week after a better showing at Riviera.

 The Concession Golf Club looks awesome, but that doesn’t help bettors handicap a tournament much, does it? Without course history, I’m putting my chips mostly into approach and putting (specifically on Bermuda) considering how long this course is and how small the greens are. Of course I’m also looking at recent form. There may be some value in players down the board for me, but I typically favor better players in WGC’s as the cream often rises to the top.

 The approach was errant last week. Very errant. You could say that I had some trouble even finding the green with the direction some of my picks went. Need a big rebound week (looking at you too, Justin Thomas) down in Florida where a longer course at 7,400 yards should put a premium on approach. The par 3s are long (180+ yards) and a couple Par 4s have some teeth at 470+ yards. With little to no course history this week (except for NCAAs in 2015) I’m looking for guys who play Florida well, flush irons, and have fantastic form.

Back to the well with Hovland after he came through huge for me at Riviera. He is currently doing everything well, led last week’s field in SG: Off The Tee, is 9th this season in SG: T2G and 11th in GIR percentage. I love this kid!

Hatton (+106) over Justin Thomas - 1 unit

I hope people keep sleeping on Hatton because I’ll try and take advantage of the prices every time. Hasn’t played in America in a few months so he’s flying under the radar, but he’s 5th in the world, won in Abu Dhabi last month and won last year at the Arnold Palmer Invitational  in Orlando. Fantastic iron player and fantastic putter, especially on Bermuda. Neil is on Hatton this week too and he’s kinda sorta turning a corner with his picks so let’s go!

Xander Schauffele Top 10 (+138) - 2 units

Doing EVERYTHING well right now and has the results to prove it. Over his last 16 rounds, Xander ranks 6th in the field in SG: T2G, 6th in Approach and 5th in putting. He has 16 straight top 25’s and he’s going to win again very soon.

Jeff’s weekly system play tries to identify a golfer who missed the cut the previous week but showed positive indicators in strokes gained approach and off the tee. To date we’re 3-2 in the system with wins on Sam Burns, Abraham Ancer, and Jason Day but loses on Cameron Champ and last week with Harold Varner. Sergio Garcia showed well last week despite the MC at Riviera and that can be chalked up to a bad putter. This guy crushes in Florida and before the missed cut had three top 15s out of the previous 4 events he played. Vamos!

Soly and I are all aboard the Scottie train this weekend. He’s rounding into form with his irons (20th in approach in the last month amongst the field) and has booked a T7 and T20 in his last two (amongst strong fields) after back to back missed cuts. Remember he had new clubs to start the season so I think he’s finding the right groove.

Xander Schauffele Top 10 (+138) - 1.5 units

Xander has 5 straight T17 or better and three of those were top 5s. He’s got a complete game and is gaining strokes in every category in the last 30 days. He’s an elite player that should contend this weekend. These greens won’t give anyone a break and he’s bringing a hot putter to compliment an approach game that ranks 8th in the field. Xander Finau final group on Sunday?! One can hope.

Patrick Cantlay Top 10 (+138) - 1.5 units

Patrick just missed the top 10 last week with a really lackluster performance on Sunday. He had to wake up and finish on Sunday and with a guy with that kind of injury history and the effort he has to put in to get ready I think it was just too much for him on Sunday. I like the bounce back here for another guy who is so good in every category just like Xander, and especially with the irons placing 5th in the field in the last 30 days.

Xander Schauffele to Win (+1200) - 1 unit

Jeff and I told you all the reasons why we love Xander for a top 10 this week and he’s my pick to win the tournament as well. He’s crushing just about every metric out there right now and is real close to collecting another trophy.

Writing this on the one year anniversary of his win in Puerto Rico, it’s fitting that that tournament is also being played this week. Hovland is stepping up in class to the WGC-Workday this year and has what it takes to win this one as well.

It may not seem like it sometimes, but I swear I’m rooting for Tony Finau. “Always a bridesmaid, never a bride”, he’s also always gracious in defeat and always bounces back with another top performance. Maybe he wins this week and maybe he doesn’t, but he’s playing great golf and hopefully keeps charging ahead. Top 5 Tony, let’s dance.

Can someone explain to me how the 32nd ranked player in the world is 125/1 to win a golf tournament? In his last five events, he’s gone T8-T24-T4-T18-T32 and he always tends to creep up the leaderboard in big tournaments. 4th in the field over his last 16 rounds in SG: Approach and 16th T2G. He’s also a much better putter on Bermuda greens. I mentioned Hatton’s win last year at the API - Leishman was the runner up in that tournament.

Christian Bezeuidenhout Top 20 (+300) - 1 unit

Shout out to my co-host for allowing me to properly pronounce the South African’s last name. Not a lot of folks probably pay close attention to a guy that only comes over to the PGA Tour a few times a year. He’s been showing up on leaderboards over in Europe this season and has 4 T22s or better in his last 5 and won a European Tour event in December. His putting is a bitttt volatile, but he brings the 11th ranked iron game on strokes gained approach. Let’s hit 'em close, Christian!

Soly and DJ are all over this and I’m along for the roller coaster ride that this could be. I’ll protect the downside of a duel on Sunday with the Top 5, but I was sold on this pick watching him react to losing the playoff on Sunday. Gracious, positive, and calm describe his comments even after shooting a 64 on Sunday and still losing. He’s a complete player (2nd in approach amongst the field in the last 30 days) and will break his own Puerto Rico curse the same weekend as the Puerto Rico Open is played. It’s just too perfect.

Much like Bez, Tyrell is back over in the states and resides in Florida during these swings. He won the Arnold Palmer Invitational last year and showed some amazing golf after the restart. He’s legit and has 5 straight top 25s including a win at HSBC in December in a very solid field. He also gains in all categories amongst this field and packs a sweet set of irons on contact.

This is a boom or bust play. With Finau why not protect the downside of a close finish, but with Sungjae he brings an all or nothing attack every week. Surprisingly (and good for my bet) he took a week off last week to rest up because this guy has played a lot. His putter has been a little shaky and his irons haven’t been what we expect, but I bet he figured it out in the off week in his new home in Atlanta. If he has a silky set of irons this week I think he’s right there, and he’s been comfortable during the Florida swing.

I picked Berger at Phoenix he goes missed cut and then victory at Pebble. I take Molinari at Pebble and he cold tops to open the weekend and fades outside the top 45. Then comes back to finish T8 at Genesis. Now last week, where I take Justin Thomas and he folds for one of the worst performances in recent memory. The form and iron numbers do not back this up, but my ability to be a week early sure does. Let’s do it.

With a bottle of bourbon on the line, we have a special H2H matchup between co-hosts to make the Puerto Rico Open more interesting! In one corner, Jeff and Branden Grace (20/1). In the other corner, Mark and Cameron Percy (45/1). Who you got?!

Making Picks: WGC Workday at The Concession

We have glossed this “The Year of the Process” for No Laying Up, so let’s begin. Those that listened to the “2021 Goals” episode of the TrapDraw podcast heard me talk about an itch to build on last year’s movie goal. The idea I settled on was to take some time each month and write about a film for this increasingly-golf-adjacent website. For better or worse, here is installment, No. 1.

“They’ll never catch me, man… Because I’m fuckin’ innocent.” – Dignan, mid-robbery

If you have any questions about Dignan’s dedication to The Process, please look no further than his bulletproof 75-year plan.


Yes, the finer points of his proposal get a little off the rails throughout “Bottle Rocket,” the first film by Wes Anderson. But you can’t tell me it’s due to a lack of planning and process.


I have a tough time thinking of a character that can make me mood-swing harder between joy and immense heartbreak than Dignan can. It’s a character so good that it has never even bothered me that Owen Wilson (or Owen C. Wilson as he was known in his debut role) has seemed to dust it off for just about every role he’s played since. 

Borrowing from Scott Tobias (A.V. Club) here

, but Wilson’s role in “Armageddon” feels a lot like “Dignan in Space.” Eli Cash in “The Royal Tenenbaums” and Hansel in “Zoolander” both have shades of what it would look like if the world placed a little more value on Dignan’s specific set of skills. If your old pal Dignan finally got a little recognition for his painstaking work.

And to be clear, I love all these roles. I love watching Owen Wilson in anything. All of those characters – but none more than Dignan – are earnest, sweet, loyal, delusional and cripplingly insecure. Each of the three main characters in “Bottle Rocket” possess all of these traits as well and I think seeing them in contrast with each other is what I’ve grown to love so much about the movie.

They might all have different names for it, and different plans of action, but all three main characters in the film seem to be trying their best to stave off some level of depression and aimlessness. “Bottle Rocket” is framed through the journey of Anthony (Luke Wilson), who begins the film by “escaping” from a high-end mental rehabilitation facility. He spends the rest of the movie pondering the meaning of his existence and finding it in – among other things – a motel housekeeper from Paraguay, his “program” of daily routine and coaching youth soccer. This is Anthony’s Process.

It all stems from a “what is the point of talking about watersports?” feeling that young, bookish, handsome stars have been dealing with for ages.  In fact, we get a nod to the godfather of the Aimless Boys with a swimming pool shot straight out of “The Graduate” when Anthony first arrives at the motel.


And like Benjamin Braddock before him, Anthony goes straight from the swimming pool into a very... 

 relationship. There’s no shortage of heartwarming or peculiar thoughts or interpretations to have about the Anthony-Inez relationship – a relationship where the participants barely speak each other’s language. But what is more interesting to me is the fact that no matter how many times Anthony tries to re-wire his life – to try to force some semblance of connection or place or meaning – the one thing he can’t stop doing is trying to make Dignan feel just a little less alone.

“Did it ever occur to you that your old pal Dignan might enjoy a great stay at some mental hospital out in the middle of nowhere?” – Dignan

While Bob, Dignan and Anthony all seem to be going through somewhat similar internal crises, I think what’s most interesting is that they’re all doing it from drastically different circumstances.

Bob’s emotional journey is thrown in almost for comedic effect (“I’ve been through some pretty heavy shit myself.”) As is made obvious and key to the plot, Bob comes from a ton of money – of course, a shout out to Future Man’s Pine Valley shirt in the country club scene.

And judging by Anthony’s rehab location, his stories of hanging at lake houses with beautiful girls, his sister’s private school (“What has she ever accomplished with her life that’s so great?”), it’s clear that his family has some means as well. And while money certainly isn’t a fix for what either Anthony or Bob is going through, it does at least allow for the “luxury” of sitting around and ruminating about it.


Again, like in “The Graduate,” it’s so easy to acutely identify with both the feeling of existential aimlessness, while, at the same time, screaming at the TV that it might help if both characters would get out of the god damn pool for a little while. “

One thing that makes Dignan unique to this trio is that he seems to have none of these resources (“You know there’s nothing to steal from my mom and Craig!”). He has no car. He has no role models that weren’t lifted straight from heist or kung-fu movies. This is why he naively and loyally chases the caricature of Mr. Henry (Fact: Mr. Henry has a Jaguar).

Mr. Henry reminds me of the John Mulaney line about Donald Trump – that he’s like a hobo’s idea of what a rich guy is. And in this instance, our hobo is Dignan, picturing what it would be like to have it all figured out. Ice cream cones by day and elaborate heists by night. All the while wearing what no one else is 

 to wear. Try not to laugh out loud when picturing Mr. Henry having a Very Serious Conversation while wearing a ponytail, socks-and-sandals and his karate robe.

But it’s actually kind of easy to see why Dignan buys in. At a bare minimum, Anthony and Bob have some financial insulation to help keep their misery at a bit of a distance – as an inconvenience to be worked on and treated as part of a slow rebuild. They can take up hobbies like jogging or coaching or being a construction worker or a valet while they think about what it all means.

The only lifeboat with room for Dignan is captained by the owner of the Lawn Wranglers who is doing karate in his underwear.

Of course, no matter how hard Dignan is willing to pull himself up by his bootstraps, one simply does not become Abe Henry overnight. It takes time and planning. So, as life continues to kick him between the legs of his yellow jumpsuit, Dignan's only real option is to dedicate himself to his own Process. His only defense from the onslaught of the world is to go on offense. To make a plan. “I don’t think we get anywhere by complaining, guys.”

One of those nut shots comes in the most gut-wrenching scene in the movie, when, just for fun, Future Man gives Dignan an emotional de-pantsing (“Keep up the mowing, kemosabe.”).  This is where Wes Anderson flexes the magic trick that seems to level me in all of his movies. When he takes a character as patently ridiculous as Dignan and, with a flash of crushing humanity, he makes the absurd facade fall away. In that moment, you’re left recognizing at least a shred of yourself in what’s still standing. Dignan puts it best in one of the greatest lines in the film. Sometimes we’re not always as confident as we look.

Since he doesn’t have time to coach youth soccer, Dignan’s Process is rooted in something a little more conventional. To establish some shred of control over his life, he tries to obsessively plan out every detail. To control a completely uncontrollable situation. Looked at in that way, doesn’t ridiculous Dignan sort of become the most relatable character in the film? Who hasn’t tried to do the same? And who hasn’t failed just as spectacularly as he does? But who didn’t feel better for at least trying?

Dignan’s plan for the next 75 years might be based around wrangling lawns and doing crimes, but I’m not sure that makes his process of planning any less noble. The alternative is to simply let his life wash over him. To continue trimming the hedges for Future Man.

Of course his plans don’t come to fruition. Ours usually don’t either. People change. They have horribly-timed heart attacks. But this doesn’t mean you stop making plans. Even in the shittiest of circumstances – with nothing at your disposal – you can always make a plan. There’s always a chance to take Step 1.

Dignan fails at almost every possible thing in this movie. But he never fails at making a plan.

“Everybody wants to know what’s next. May I enjoy this moment?”

Dignan and The Process

Madelene Sagström is the newest No Laying Up Young Hitter!

https://twitter.com/NoLayingUp/status/1352039902641324034

(Cover photo courtesy of Madelene Sagstrom Instagram)

Madelene is poised for a breakout on the LPGA tour this season. She is the defending champion at the Gainbridge LPGA, the next stop on tour, albeit at a different course this year, Lake Nona (shoutout Nona Blue and G-Mac’s sliders). That event in Orlando is Feb 25-28, with the tour slowly ramping up play for the rest of the 2021 season.

Madelene becomes the first Young Hitter to have won on a Big Tour, and takes over the highly watched spot as Best Young Hitter Never to Have Won a Major.

Madelene’s track record on those big stages is pretty strong:

T-11 at the 2017 KPMG Women’s PGA Championship (Olympia Fields North Course)

T-17 at the 2018 U.S. Women’s Open (Shoal Creek Club)

T-20 at the 2018 Women’s British Open (Royal Lytham & St. Annes Golf Club)

T-23 at the 2020 KPMG Women’s PGA Championship (Aronimink Golf Club)

 were impressive, to say the least.  Highlights included wins at the 2009 Swedish Junior Stroke-play Championship and the 2011 French Junior Championship, and a spot on the winning Swedish team at the European Ladies' Team Championship at Golf Club Murhof in Austria.  In total, Madelene’s junior career saw 11 wins, 10 second place finishes, and 21 top 10’s.

 for the LSU Lady Tigers team at Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge, Louisiana from 2011-2015.  She was the 2015 SEC Player of the Year, 2015 First Team All-American, and a finalist for the ANNIKA Award which is presented annually to the top female U.S. collegiate golfer.  During Madelene’s senior year she set a season record for stroke average at 71.48, the first LSU women’s play to average under 72 for a single season.  She carded 23 of 33 rounds of par or better with 2 wins (3 total at LSU).  Over the summers Madelene returned to Sweden and represented her home country in the European Women’s Team Amatear competition.

Madelene earned her LPGA card after killing it on the Symetra Tour in 2016 – three victories to earn Rookie and Player of the Year awards, respectively. Madelene also represented Europe on the 2017 Solheim Cup team as a captain’s pick of Annika Sörenstam.

Sagström had a solid end to 2020, making cuts in 8 of her last 9 starts, a solo 10th and T-13 among them. Madelene competed in the 2021 season-opening Diamond Resorts Tournament of Champions, a no-cut cash grab, so business is boomin for 2021.

As usual, the bag is niiiiice. NLU livin that C-Suite life alongside the Four Seasons Orlando, which also happens to be the home course of one Julio Bell, aka “La Maquina.” 

No Laying Up could not be more excited to support Madelene in all of her endeavors.  If you want to get #involved, check out:

https://www.instagram.com/madelenesagstrom/?igshid=pb4d4vqeh80j

https://www.lpga.com/players/madelene-sagstrom/98642/overview 6

And to see more of Madelene’s game, check out the Wild World of Golf episode with her, Annie Park, Soly and “Stuck in Traffic” Lefty Tron at the Winter Park Nine: 

https://nolayingup.com/videos/wwog/wild-word-of-golf/wild-world-of-golf-winter-park-9-madelene-sagstroem-and-annie-park

Young Hitters:  Welcoming Madelene Sagström

O Canada! By correctly predicting a 5-way Canadian bet at the Northern Trust, Tron is back in the mix and looking to catch a struggling group of DJ, Neil and Randy at the BMW this week. All picks are highlighted below:

 As the lead has slimmed and the gap between first and fifth (sorry, Soly) has narrowed significantly, DJ is no longer shooting from the hip. Instead, his research indicates that Collin Morikawa might back up his second career MC with another win. Collin's T13 at the collegiate Illini Invitational will certainly give him the sturdiest of legs to stand on this week.

I must thank the Pieman for keeping it easy on me by bundling his matchups into a parlay rather than a TC Canadian/Heinz cluster of complication. It'll be all or nothing for DJ as he is backing a group of classy ball-strikers that can struggle with the putter on occasion. The prevailing thought is that unfamiliar greens, which will be the case for most at Olympia Fields this week, tend to neutralize poor putters. If so, the ball-striking prowess of Hideki, Morikawa, McRib, Billy Ho and G-dub should allow them to rise up the board in comparison to the stronger bosses of the moss.

 The X-Man has been kicking the tires on contending again since his close call at Colonial. Three of his four wins on Tour have come in no cut events. Has no weaknesses and should translate well to a venue that’s new to almost everyone. The McRib has uncharacteristically struggled for a period of a couple months now, without even a backdoor Top 10 to boast about. Despite recent performance, Rors has the ability to flip the switch at a moment's notice, so investing in him at inflated odds compared to his norm is hard to knock. The same could be said for Patrick Cantlay, just to a lesser degree. Cantlay will need a much better performance than he's turned in of late if he intends to play in Atlanta next week (#37 in FEC standings). 

Joel "good morning" Dahmen got into a twitter debate with the crew earlier this week about how many rounds it would take him to reach Dustin's total of -30 playing TPC Boston. Joel humbly answered 100...but given his form this year we think it would take him decidedly less than a triple digit total. Neil expects Joel to bounce back from his disappointing MC in Boston and make a run at qualifying for the Tour Championship via a top 5 finish this week. Notably absent from Neil's picks is Chez, who failed to qualify for this week's BMW.

 Just like Jason Kokrak, Randy went all in 2020 last week by making one selection, backing Phil simply to top the alleged manipulator Alex Noren. Turns out the big guy did not have pocket aces...or kings...or queens.

Randy's reset this week led he and Neil to some similar conclusions. As Randy is hoping for a bounce back week, so too are Rory, Cantlay and Fitzy, all of whom make Randy's selections in some form or fashion. You've gotta appreciate the "if you fall, get back up" spirit the big guy is showcasing in those selections.

Finally, Randy expects the world's eldest 24 year-old in Scottie Scheffler to show some signs of fatigue this week, allowing Hideki to race past him up the leaderboard. Despite failing to reach the winner's circle in his rookie campaign to date, Scottie has all but clinched his spot in Atlanta next week via consistently strong form throughout the year. 

: Weeks of disappointing results were all washed away with a long-awaited Canadian cash last week. If you thought Tron would ditch the strategy after one week of going 5/5, then you don't know the TC way. Tough scene alert: the Canadian includes a fade of Tron's boy Scottie this week.

With some spending $ in his pocket this week, TC is donating 5 nuggets to the cause by picking the cursed Tony Finau to actually win this week. Not to mention the 5 nugget donation on a parlay of Woodland, Finau, Day and Adam Scott to all win their DK Sportsbook betting groups. The payout of +36350 is juicy...but I am confirming it'll never happen.

Max had a disappointing bogey on his 36th hole last week to miss the cut on the number, forcing him to sweat out his spot in the FEC standings all weekend. Now in the field, TC expects Max to play free from any expectations which could allow him to contend this week.

Wednesday's 7-club tune-up for Bryson could give him some competitive mojo before the tournament begins. A win on the venue where DeChambeau of course won his U.S. Am title would be less than shocking.

: Webb and Jon Rahm contributed to a rare positive week for Soly at the Northern Trust. Still very much in the basement, Soly is turning towards a young star in Viktor Hovland to help him climb out. Hovland has now likely lost his strangehold on the Arnold Palmer award as ROY on Tour, yet still has a chance to reclaim the title from Scheffler if he can have a couple impressive weeks to finish out his rookie campaign.

A couple "hot tips" led Soly to take Hideki and Nick Taylor this week despite their struggles of late. Hot tips always work out well, so these picks are surefire. Like TC, Bryson makes Soly's list of selections this week. A MC last week is not enough to deter the C-Suite from backing the biggest of golfers and debatably the new needle.

: My Kiz pick last week paid dividends, so why not go back to the well? He's a guy that is motivated by the sums of money at stake throughout the playoffs and thrives under the stakes. Surprised to see no love for Rahm this week from the crew, so I'll happily take him even though his odds are short. Agree with Neil's thought than Xander has been knocking on the door of late and is poised for a breakthrough. Also taking the coat-rack as it's put-up or shut-up time for his all-in claim. Will Jason hold 'em, or fold 'em like a cheap suit? 

The standings below are as of completion of play last week. I know they are not at all the same as the graphics that appeared in the video...but trust my accounting methods have been thorough and above board. If you like my perspective and want more content related to the crew's picks and year-to-date status, I can be found on twitter and instagram 

NLU Picks and Preview - BMW

It was another lackluster week for the crew in most cases, but a solid return for Big Randy now brings him ever closer to eclipsing DJ and strapped brother Neil in the standings. Picks for the playoff opener are highlighted below:

 Had there not been an impossible run by Jim Herman over the weekend, DJ's loyal former troop of the Bob Parsons army would have given back DJ the lead he once had after Webb Simpson win at RBC Heritage. Still, Billy Horschel was able to cash the Top 10 bet to keep DJ from having a total loss at Wyndham.

The rib still hasn't shown signs of life at major championships...or really since the Tour resumed at Colonial. But, as DJ so rightly pointed out, he is Mr. PGA Tour. Also the only 2x winner of the FedEx cup title, as he will be defending that second title. WIth a win this week, he would be well on his way to a third. Just not sure where DJ sees the good form coming from.

DJ's last two picks have been familiar plays by the crew and both will need big weeks to move on to Chicago and the BMW. Harold Varner played well last week at Wyndham, finishing T7 after leading thru the first 18 holes. Still in search of his first Tour win. So too is Sam Burns, happy to be in the playoffs again after some solid results post-COVID break. The depth of this week's field leads to some solid potential payouts for guys like Harold and Sam who aren't necessarily the most consistent players in the field.

 The Waka Flocka Flame puns may have given Sepp some bad vibes last week, as both he and Neil's staple Chez Reavie pick didn't even live long enough to keep Neil's interest over the weekend. A better would actually have been a little MC parlay.

This week Icarito's self-proclaimed strategy is to pick "short guys that just hit it good." Again, field depth is making those Top 10's look pretty juicy to Neil, actually making up four of his five picks. Xander, honest Abe, Lawddddd Tyrrell and Mrs. Longsocks make up Icarito's lineup of 5'8" flushers he expects to make the front page this week. The Chez top 20 isn't even worth wasting breath on at this point.

 Thankfully still (somewhat) vertical, Randy was able to spill his only pick of the week next to his associate DJ Pie. Randy's consitently conservative picks has allowed him to continually make a slow indent into the lead that DJ and Neil had built. The strategy is certainly no different this week.

A full 100 piece nugget count relies on the only Champions Tour eligible player in the field this week: Phil Mickelson. He will need to beat possibly the most famous OWGR manipulator of our time in Alex Noren to give Randy a positive return this week. Alex has played well of late, though he can't boast the course history Phil can at TPC Boston. Of course, one of Phil's most famous flop shots of his career came from the right side below the 18th green here. Oh, you thought I meant Phil always plays well here? Psh. As Soly and the datagolf guys dicussed on this week's pod, Phil is only truly above average at that place down in Georgia. A poor performance from Phil this week will leave Randy feeling about as well as he did the morning after the recording of this week's video.

: The curmudgeon has struck again, going against the grain by picking a Canadian 5-way instead of the Heinz 57 that garenered so much attention in previous weeks. Five separate matchups will be included in the Canadian play, which is honestly too cumbersome to break down given most would rather just see how the results pan out.

A couple young (maybe not super young) hitters make up a couple TC Top 10 locks of this week, with Max Homa at 20:1 to do so and Marc Leishman at 11:1. Leish has struggled uncharacteristically recently, likely baking in a lot of value in backing him on a course that typically plays closer to the firm & fast end of the spectrum. Leish is ever-capable of breaking his slump in an instant and jumping right into the thick of a chase for a title. Similarly, Tommy Fleetwood has been unable to shake off the rust stemming from the long break. You'd have to figure it is only a matter of time before something clicks for the distinguished Englishman as well. The Keith Mitchell play very well could be a result of a classic little game of eenie-meenie-miney-moe. Who knows where that came from...but I guess we are coming off a week where the 600-1 Jim Herman emerged victorious. 

: Soly's extensive research has not resulted in any level of success. What's even more irritating is that the undeniably "free-wheeling" approaches of the Strapped Boys have netted exponentially greater returns. The C-Suite may need to look into further budget cuts on the upcoming seasons as the Strapped Boys may not be so strapped any longer.

In order of their odds, Webber, yung Hov and Hungjae start Soly's search for improvement as the playoffs begin this week. Each of the three are known for their iron-play and Strokes Gained: Approach prowess. With Paul Casey and Phil and Chez as the only real threats, Soly is riding with Jon Rahm to finish as low Arizona St. Sun Devil this week, which is a play I love especially given it is still somehow + odds.

Finau is for sure not going to close it out this week, but respect to Soly for sticking to his guns. He is clearly displaying a desire to be there if the curse of Puerrrrrrto RRRRRRico shall ever be broken. The Boston (or really Norton/Providence/not Boston at all as TC pointed out in this week's TrapDraw) forecast is for more Finau disappointment this week.

: Kiz has been absolutely rolling his rock of late and loves them dolla signs. He will come prepared this week on a venue where driving distance is not at a premium, again. P-Reed has won the Northern Trust in two of the last four years and I think he will be right there again this week. Webb almost won with about his B- game last week. Scary. At 30:1, I love his chances  if he brings the A game with him this week. Jason Kokrak will need a Top 20/25 finish or so if he would like to move on to Chicago next week. If his injury isn't an issue, I think he's poised to do so after a solid Top 15 at Sedgefield last week. Back to the parlay board this week as well, as last week's parlay hit at +800, keeping my head above water. 

NLU Picks and Preview - Northern Trust

While Neil and DJ have been jockeying back and forth in the standings like Rahm and JT in the OWGR in recent weeks, Randy has pieced together some solid weeks to sneak up on their heels. Can the big guy catch them this week? Or will his performance resemble one of his many  money round failures? Picks and standings for the Wyndham are highlighted below:

 By virtue of backing Xander as low Callaway staffer, DJ was able to squeeze by Neil just one week after Neil passed DJ's total via the WGC-Memphis results. That beautiful bloke Tommy Fleetwood cost DJ last week in his search of a mega parlay, but DJ has a short memory. He's chosen tummyfleets again this week, expecting he's had sufficient time to knock all the COVID rust off by now.

DJ made mention that he would be enlisting a certain PXG troop this week in Billy Horschel. Sadly, Billy has actually been discharged from his service and is operating free from the bind of any (equipment) service obligations. Nonetheless, DJ believes the noted iron-play specialist will thrive on a second-shot venue in Sedgefield CC. Maybe Neil can pay Billy Ho a visit to get some additional "What's in the Bag?" footage.

Patrick Rodgers has become a bit of a forgotten man on a week-to-week basis despite his expected success following a wonderful career at Stanford. DJ's expectations are that Rodgers has "No Tree Putts" on his way to a solid Top 10 this week. His last pick is that the winning margin will be exactly three strokes on Sunday. Is there any logic at all in picking something like that? Well who could say...actually I could say: No.

 A fruitless week made Neil's reign at #1 shorter than a Greg Popovich interview. In his defense, Neil only claims to be good at 

 things: slingin' merch and doing some "googley" research. S/O Sir Nick.

Neil's back to his roots this week and keeping it simple as can be. Chez battled his way to earn himself a weekend tee time by shooting a back nine 32 on Friday evening. Unfortunately he was unable to make his way up the leaderboard over the weekend on a course that didn't necessarily favor his style of play. Now back on a shorter track that is much more manageable for Reavie, Neil's placing 50 of his nugs on him to contend and finish in the Top 10.

Here are a few horrible puns for Icarito's second and final pick: Sepp "Straka Flocka Flame":

When rolling it well, Sepp showcases his nerve, making solid strokes with "No Hands"

When asked where his first Tour win may come, Straka pointed to the Valspar specifically because of his history of going "Hard in da Paint"

Even if Sepp plays well this week, the lack of fans will keep him from getting the "Round of Applause" he'd deserve.

After Straka was told he had received a ringing endorsement from Neil, who expects him to crack the Top 10 in Greensboro this week, he replied, "O, Let's do it"

 Phil and Morikawa headlined a successful two-leg parlay last week that brings Randy ever closer in the standings. Randy's more conservative approach has allowed him to net positive points in three of his last four weeks. We like that.

Randy is employing DJ's strategy of taking one wild ass guess this week, namely that there will be an ace in round 3. My guess is that Randy's eyes lit up when he saw the jump in the odds from Friday to Saturday and probably forgot that there will be less than half the field playing that day. He's also sticking to his guns with the winner making anything other than par at the 72nd, which I happen to love at Sedgefield's typically difficult finishing hole. He also believes Brooks may be a little checked out following a letdown last week. Between the cross-country flight, knee and back question marks and mental fatigue, there's some value in picking Brooks to miss the cut.

Randy's biggest bets of the week also follow his heart just as Neil's did. Harris has been absolutely flushing it this year, especially as of late. No one is more aware of that than the big guy. HV3 is returning to familiar territory in NC this week. He seems a good bet @ +335 to Top 20 after showing some good signs in NOCAL last week. 

: With limited success in the first two attempts, TC has benched the Heinz approach for the Wyndham. Truthfully, it was likely only benched because the matchup board is a little less extensive this week. After winning a 10 point "budget bet" against Soly by virute of Scottie Scheffler outpacing Lanto over the course of last weekend's pay, TC has a 110 point budget to spend. As you'll see below, Soly has either forgotten or chosen to ignore the consequences of his loss. Tron turned those 10 points into a chance to return 160 if Patty BD earns his second career win at Sedgefield. 

TC's approach has been to make numerous bets and dip his toes into many different waters. Look where it's gotten him. A change of pace is a welcome change this week, as Tron has chosen to put all of his eggs in one basket. There just happens to be numerous holes in that particular basket. Tron is backing Jordan Spieth to Top 10 this week with a full 100 point endorsement. Spieth may have the largest amount of space between his floor and ceiling of anyone on Tour. Consequently, I won't hazard a guess as to how the struggling phenom will perform this week. 

: On a second shot golf course, Soly has turned to three terrific iron players to help him potentially escape his spot at the bottom of the standings. Despite losing 10 points from his budget (discussed above), Soly has fully sent a 100 point lineup. I'll let the guys police themselves on that matter.

Webb Simpson is a staple at Sedgefield and has cashed Top 25's in 7 of 11 starts on the Donald Ross design. Now playing arguably the best golf of his life, it seems impossible he would fall short of a Top 20 this week as the Vegas favorite. Brendon Todd has proven his game travels throughout this year. I wouldn't be surprised if he fills it up again this week where distance will not be as imperative as last week.

Kyle Stanley has struggled mightily on the greens throughout the year, placing him outside the Top 125 required to qualify for next week's postseason opener. He's been in this position before and stood tall to the pressure of what is normally a more do or die moment. As he still ranks near the top of a majority of the important ball-striking categories, Soly is taking a chance that the putter may get just warm enough to pay off some of the chances he consistently gives himself.

: Sitting at 130 in the FEC standings, Stanley likely needs a finish of 36th or better to earn enough points to move up the 5 spots needed to get into the playoffs. I think he'll rise to the occasion. Paul Casey is good. He's playing well. But I never believe in him enough to feel comfortable picking him to win. He just doesn't have "it." Brice Garnett held the 54 hole lead here last year and can fill it up when on the positive end of his typically streaky play. Love his odds on the unusual "Top 5 American" play in a wide open field. Speaking of streaky players, give me a little "Si Woo shakin' that ass" all the way to a Group "C" triumph this week paired with Webb > Reed. Webb's just better. Fabian Gomez has won twice on Tour, which was news to me as I researched this week. At 123 in the FEC, I'll look for him to have a good week to maintain his position.

NLU Picks and Preview - Wyndham

I'm excited to pass along the crew's picks for what will hopefully be the most difficult test of the year in professional golf. The potential for 

 swings in the standings is here, and is all highlighted below:

 If it ain't broke, don't fix it. Riding with Chez paid off for Neil last year and has already granted Neil an early lead in the standings (if you exclude my expertise). While the oddsmakers continue to disrespect the veteran grinder, Neil will continue to bank his nugs. A top 20 from Reavie this week would put a smile on St. Rappeo's face up above.

Top 10 plays ruled Neil's remaining plays. Opting for accuracy over distance, Neil has chosen Matt Fitzpatrick, Jaco Niemann and Brendon Todd to overcome the length disadvantage they may have at Winged Foot and finish in the Top 10. The firmer the course gets, the more I like the chances for those three.

Tommy lad has gone under the radar for the most part since the Tour's restart. While most were snoozing on the professional golf scene last week in favor of NFL week 1, Tommy turned in a Sunday 64 in Portugal to give eventual champion George Coetzee a scare. After a bit of a flight across the pond, Neil will hope the form Fleetwood flashed last Sunday will translate to the big apple.

 As simple formula will remain this week for Randy. Typically though, Randy doesn't take the big swings as he is this week with his decision to choose Patrick Cantlay to win. Cantlay hasn't had his best stuff of late, but profiles well to capture his first major at a difficult U.S. Open venue.

Phil had a mediocre week at Safeway, but Randy is hoping for a quick bounceback in Westchester, where Phil is likely feeling some mixed emotions this week. To finish as the low lefty, he will need to best Brian Harman, Bubba and Big Bob Macintyre. J-Day's form was much improved around the time of the "Jack Nicklaus swing", falling off lately during the oh-so-prestigous FEC playoffs. Hopefully the hellish Winged Foot back won't cause the 'ole backside too much harm.

 After cashing a Canadian last week myself, I love to see TC chasing the dream yet again. The theme of the picks? No theme, really. In fact, he admitted to hating a couple of his picks, notably Harris English over Hatton. He has been flushing it, however.

Feels silly not to endorse DJ's chances, even if its odds are pretty short. To boil Soly's blood, I'm going to point of DJ is the "odds on" favorite. A couple of Aussies round out Tron's picks, as he's taking a flier on J-Day as Randy did as well as Adam Scott.

Worth noting that in the very same video where TC clowned Randy for not using all 100 of his points in a week last season, TC has only alotted 90 of his points to this week's picks. The you hate to see it of the week before the week has even begun.

: Much like Jason Kokrak, DJ is going all-in with pocket everything this week, putting almost all his eggs in the JT basket. A JT win could be a killshot to the rest of the crew as it could net up to about 1,900 potential points for DJ if all falls into place. If not, he could cement his spot at the bottom of the standings in the earlygoing.

The cocaine train will have at least one passenger this week, as DJ is throwing a trivial 10 nuggets on Spieth to Top 20. His thinking is that if the course plays as difficult is advertised, Jordan may be able to grind it around as well as anyone. My thinking is the exact opposite. A wild Spieth does not sound like a healthy mix for a brutal test at Winged Foot.

: Soly's approach in the new season seems to be much different than last season. Unfortunately, last week yielded similarly disappointing results. Smaller plays and some round 1 bets are the bones of Soly's off-speed approach for this week's U.S. Open.

Rahm and DJ are the favorites and also the plays for Soly. Anticipating Olympia Fields was a good indicator for what Winged Foot will play like, Soly is expecting DJ and Rahm to have similar results. Also profiling as a grinder who won't be intimidated by U.S. Open conditions is dbstraitvibin', coming off an extremely sound rebound season. One might say Berger may have been a prime candidate for Comeback Player of the Year...

: X-man seems to be ready to break through and finally grasp his first major this week. At least that's what Poppa Schauffele and I think. Speaking of Pops', watch out for the baby bump from Rory this week. And I don't mean fat Rors is coming back. Fitzy always seems to play well on these firm, fast and difficult tests as he did at Bay Hill, Memorial, Olympia and even Brookline at the U.S Am. I expect more of the same from him here. If all else fails, I expect Ben An and Chez to be sleepers this week and cash that little parlay.

The standings below are as of completion of play last week. If you like my perspective and want more content related to the crew's picks and year-to-date status, I can be found on twitter and instagram 

2020 US Open @ Winged Foot Picks & Preview 

Glory's first shot! This week's PGA brings a long awaited (now 54 weeks) return of 

 predictions for what may happen in California this week. As a bonus, each of us has been generously given an opportunity to win a free 50 points by picking this week's top-finishing Callaway staffer, regardless of odds. The potential for 

 swings in the standings is highlighted below:

 A new leader! Sticking with Chez has proven fruitful as Neil has been able to feed the haters a healthy helping of humble pie in recent weeks. DJ has now been dethroned and Icarito will keep a similar approach this week in trying to maintain his lead.

Chez again headlines Neil's picks this week. If TPC Harding Park skews toward the longer hitters, rule Chez out, right? Not so fast. Chez finished in the Top 15 at both Bellerive and Bethpage…two courses that certainly didn’t favor his profile. Also finished T3 at Pebble in last year’s U.S. Open, so he’s not afraid of or new to major championship pressure. He's also backing Cali natives Max Homa and Xander Schauffele to contend on familiar land.

The Rib has struggled to find the form that made him a weekly contender in 2019 & 2020 prior to the COVID halt. He even tried multiple different putters in Memphis last week. Moreover, his proximity statistic has fallen off recently which has given him less realistic looks at birdie. Still, at 15:1, Neil thinks his potential is too great to pass on at those unusually high odds. If he does win, he may just do so in style according to Neil. His final pick won't finalize until late Sunday evening at the earliest, as he will be waiting to see if the eventual champion can manage to birdie the difficult 72nd. Rory indeed was the last to birdie the last en route to a PGA victory when he did so in 2012 at Kiawah.

 Whether he would admit it or not, who knows, but DJ probably got a little comfy given the lead he had built himself. He couldn't have imagined Neil would be the one to catch him. DJ is part of what you will notice is a bit of a trend in picking Xander this week, both to Top 10 and finish as low Callaway ambassador. Also following Neil's example by believing in Max Homa this week in the hope that he can translate his recent form to a major for the first time.

Shortly following the Rocket Mortgage PMI Classic, DJ emphatically claimed Bryson would lap the field at the PGA considering how well the venue would fit his length. Despite a couple lackluster weeks from Beefy Bryson, DJ is sticking to his guns by picking him to win. The climate in California likely isn't favorable for fire ant colonies to emerge, so consider that one less element Bryson will have to allow for this week. The exact finish bets are back this week and just as unlikely as ever! Still, the payout is too enticing for DJ to pass on, as he will be hoping for a DeChambeau/JT 1,2 punch.

 Back in the killhouse, Randy was able to successfully count to 5 bets and stop this week. Seeing the form Lefty had last week, Randy has absolutely loaded up his chamber with Phil bullets this week. Randy is predicting the "former" California resident Mickelson will beat Joaquin Niemann en route to beating all Callaway staffers. However, there might be a seed of doubt in Randy's mind as he was only comfortable enough to endorse Phil through the first 18 holes.

Evidently the consistency of Matt Fitzpatrick is in for a rude interruption this week. Fitzy is coming in off a solo third at the Memorial and a T6 last week in Memphis and confidence is riding high. Dangerously high, Randy believes, as he's picking the young Brit to MC at +225.

Randy would be very happy to join his strapped brother Neil to root for the winner to birdie the 72nd, though a bogey or worse would suffice his anything but par bet as well. You may think this seems like a smart play at +130, but the winner has parred the last every year since Jason Dufner bogeyed the 18th at Oak Hill in 2013 to seal his victory. One of those victors who parred the last was Jason Day at Whistling in 2015, who coincidentally rounds out the big guy's picks this week. Surprisingly, despite a global pandemic, constant back stiffness and ditching his long-time swing coach (and former caddie) Colin Swatton, J-Day has found something in his game the past month or so. Interesting to see the former world #1 and PGA Champion all the way down at 45:1 this week.

: The controversy continues. The pushback the crew and the fans gave TC for his Heinz 57 play last week didn't bother him in the slightest...and he's back at it again with the white Vans this week. Although none of the crew was able to follow Tron's results last week, I was able to calculate his nugget total and can confirm everything is above board here.

Seemingly shoving to Randy's picks to surely not win the Wanamaker this week, TC is sprinkling the Rib, former world number one Jon Rahm (good run), Chokey Finau and Adam Scott who is still alive. All four plays would potentially serve to keep Tron afloat should his Heinz prove as fruitless as last week.

The Heinz 57 has made everyone irritable and confused so I'll try to break it down as quickly and simply as possible. Each play will be paired with another in a round robin format and judged as a two-way parlay (1&2, 1&3, 1&4, etc.) (15 plays at 1.4 units risked per play=21 units risked.) Next, each play will be paired with two others in a round robin format and judged as a three-way parlay (1,2&3, 1,2&4, 1,2&5, etc.) (20 plays at 1.4 units risked per play=28 units risked.) Third, there will be four-way parlays matched in the same round robin format (15 plays at 1.4 units risked per play=21 units risked.) Then, there will be five-way parlays matched in the six different combinations available (6 plays at 1.4 units risked per play=8.4 units risked.) Finally comes the 6-way mega parlay, which should be familiar to everyone (1 play at 1.4 units risked=1.4 units risked.) The sum total? 79.8 units! So, unless TC hits two of his six Heinz plays at minimum, it is impossible for him to win any portion of the Heinz bet back. Even going three of six last week led to a loss of 58 of his 79.8 units. As confusing as it may seem, I hope this helps. If not, just ignore our resident curmudgeon. 

: Although he's still in the cellar of the standings, Soly is coming off two straight (marginally) positive weeks. You might liken Soly's consistent "big swings" at a large point shift to the swings his largest play will be taking this week. Many forget that the reason Bryson claimed to chase distance was to improve upon the poor results he's had in major championships to this point in his career. Even if he is a sociopath, Bry-guy will have a chance to prove his efforts weren't in vain by winning this week, which would bring Soly back from the depths and into the positive figs. Soly is also wasting, I mean placing, ten of his points on an exact finish box containing the combo of the Mark McGwire version of Bill Nye, and the world's hottest caddie Bones Mackay.

Continuing the love for maybe the most well-rounded player on Tour, Soly is trusting another significant portion of his nuggets toward the hopes of Xander Schauffele this week. X-man, as everyone calls him, has Top 20's in every start but one beginning with his shaky finish at Colonial. He's just a grinder who won't be bothered by difficult conditions or setup this week.

While Brooks will be looking for a couple swing keys from Claude Harmon to get him through the week, Soly's final pick just wants to talk about life, man. The soon-to-be renowned author Bubba Watson has been hit or miss lately and really his entire career. However, a self-proclaimed improved mental game and outlook on the game of golf as it relates to life may give him some new life this week in his chase for his third career major. Remember when he said he was gonna retire if he won 10 times on Tour? What a wildcard. Almost as blasphemous as Daniel Summerhays' retirement proclamation. 

: Really love seeing I'm the only guy on Brooks. He found enough last week to go on. He's just mentally tougher than 99% of the field (s/o the Cat) and physically able to do more than most. If Brooks falters unexpectedly, I expect his buddy DJ to be right there in the mix at a course that may resemble a long U.S. Open venue he has thrived on in the past. I also agree with the crew's near consensus that Xander will make a strong run at his first major win in his native California. Shane Lowry is still often forgotten despite his win last summer at The Open. An excellent pair of hands allows him to excel in the wind and around the greens, so why shouldn't he stand out this week? Abe Ancer and Chez Reavie may not profile well at a course that emphasizes the need for distance. I just can't pass on either given their current form. They both seem primed to take advantage of the best golf of their respective careers.

The standings below are as of completion of play last week. I know they are not at all the same as the graphics that appeared in the video...but trust that DJ (or whoever is editing the gambling videos, don't want to throw Dennis under the bus) has made numerous accounting errors in his standings. For example, Randy was credited a win last week for his Rickie over J-Day pick even though Day did in fact top Fowler in Memphis. Enjoy the PGA! Glory's first shot!! If you like my perspective and want more content related to the crew's picks and year-to-date status, I can be found on twitter and instagram 

NLU picks for the 2020 PGA Championship

All are looking for a rebound from a fairly standard week of fruitless picks at the Travelers. Here's a breakdown of each prayer the crew hopes is answered in Detroit. My take on the picks can be found beneath each summary in a section titled 

 With an already commanding lead, DJ is embracing his luxury by putting his eggs into the basket of this week’s favorite, Bryson. Chances are the 50 “eggs” DJ is depositing into Bryson’s basket wouldn’t be sufficient to get the beefy boy through the week. I agree with the NLU consensus that Bryson has yet to put it all together, despite finishing top 10 in three consecutive weeks since the return of golf (and 6 straight overall!!). However, I wonder if fatigue or sluggishness starts to become a factor in what is now his fourth straight week of competition. He’s assuredly still adjusting to his new frame and likely struggling to maintain his mass of ass.

Dennis is also fading guys who finished Top 20 in last year’s RMC in ALL 3 legs of his matchup parlay. Seems DJ's comfy lead has propelled him into the mindset of a gambling aficianado, as he submerges himself fully into the contrarian waters. Will he be able to swim with the sharps?

 Randy has graciously returned from his moral duty to assist the supers at both Colonial and Harbour Town. The big guy couldn't bring himself to make picks given the disgusting act that took place on the first tee at Colonial prior to the playoff. He then spent many hours meticulously raking and smoothing the bunker behind the 18th green at Harbour Town which Carlos Ortiz's caddy shamelessly left unkempt.

After investing hours of sweat equity back into the game, Randy is ready to make his picks debut this week. Simply sitting on the sidelines has vaulted Big Randy into 2nd place amongst a group of sad saps in the overall standings. A U.S. open has broken out on the NLU leaderboard. If not for DJ, many would argue DK Sportsbook has lost the course.

Randy's first pick was certainly inauspicious, as he joined his Strapped brother Neil in picking a player who tested positive for COVID-19 and then withdrew before our video was even released. The big guy's intel is telling him Will Gordon is wayyyyy too comfy following his promotion to Special Temporary Membership. His remaining picks showcased his true color: orange. While the faux mortician Randall has declared both Rory and DJ lifeless, his picks indicate his belief that Rickie is decidedly still kicking. Rickie is competing this week in a tournament title-sponsored by one of his endorsers. In other news, Faldo is suggesting tour players chip exclusively with an 8 iron, Bill Belichick is making winning moves, and the sky remains blue.

 TC’s loyalty to the NLU hitters last week was certainly representative of his character and class. It was also reminiscent of an uncle who plays a little too fast and loose at the casual family poker game.

At the end of the day, Freddy’s gotta go to college…which means Tron is abandoning his morals this week and backing a familiar foe in Jason Day....disgusting. After witnessing Day’s ability to manipulate his tee time and pairing last Saturday, TC clearly believes J-Day has a leg-up on the field. Sad to see the potential for a few “nuggets” can cause even the man himself to stray far from the TC way.

As always TC keeps us plugged in to the Korn Ferry Tour this week with his mega matchup parlay. It's always cooler to see a life-changing win on that Tour in comparison to DJ upping his net worth by about 0.1%.

: A slow start for Soly has him swinging for the fences in an attempt to cut into DJ’s commanding lead. Admitted to making his picks under the assumption that Detroit GC was a bomber’s track but, at 7,100 yards and Par 72, that’s not necessarily the case. Many moderate length guys lined the top of last year’s leaderboard. Luckily for Soly, only one player in the “nukey-boy-naish” lineup he supposedly attempted even ranks within the top 60 in driving distance (Finau). I guess two contradictions could net a positive outlook for Soly this week.

I think the golf world is unanimously excited to see how Chris Kirk responds this week in his first start since ending his four-year win drought two weeks ago on the Korn Ferry Tour. The drought paralleled an ongoing struggle with depression and alcoholism that led to Kirk taking an extended leave from professional golf. Kirk is the featured guest on today's NLU pod. Both Kirk and Soly’s penultimate pick, Brendon Todd, have provided uniquely inspirational stories of mental toughness in the last year…and Soly now has a stake in both continuing their success in Detroit this week.

 Taking a much needed siesta from the grind of handicapping golf this week. Some, not me, are calling it a Chez-induced rehabilitation stint. Can’t really call his performance thus far an “Icarito” as Neil has yet to come close to winning a single pick so far. On the other hand, you can’t choke if you never get out in front. Would you rather be a Greg Norman or a Bobby Clampett? (Don't answer)

: Like Soly, I am a believer in the chances of Patty Reed and Hovland this week. Hoping to avoid a cheating scandal and an excess of chipping opportunities, respectively. Doc and Stuard are a couple guys who played well here last year and aren't afraid to make a ton of birdies...which will certainly be a requirement to contend this Sunday. Looking for somewhere to throw those quarters lingering in your cupholders? Look no further than Wes Roach (150:1). Led last year's field in Strokes Gained: Tee to Green and finished T5 two weeks ago in the Korn Ferry Challenge @TPC Sawgrass. Anticipating he comes in free and easy.

The standings below are as of completion of last week's Travelers Championship. If you like my perspective and want more content related to the crew's picks and year-to-date status, I can be found on twitter and instagram 

. If your picks are making ours look even more atrocious than they already do, let us know!

NLU Odds Preview - Rocket Mortgage Classic

Tournament Picks – Travelers Championship

For the third consecutive week, the NLU crew is celebrating the return of golf by making gambling picks via the DraftKings Sportsbook app. To compliment the release of each video (if you missed this week's, 

), the guys have graciously invited me to provide an unbiased 

 breakdown of the crew's predictions. I will also tabulate each week's results and accumulate totals to keep everything as fair as Al Czervik would advise.  

Here are this week's picks, one by one. My take can be found beneath each of the NLU crew's picks in the section labeled 

Articles

Making Picks: WGC Workday at The Concession

Dignan and The Process

Young Hitters: Welcoming Madelene Sagström

NLU Picks and Preview - BMW

NLU Picks and Preview - Northern Trust

NLU Picks and Preview - Wyndham

2020 US Open @ Winged Foot Picks & Preview

NLU picks for the 2020 PGA Championship

NLU Odds Preview - Rocket Mortgage Classic

NLU Odds Preview - Travelers Championship

Selection #18: December 2019

Selection #17: October 2019

Selection #16: September 2019

NLU Summit Photos

NLU Invitational: Scotland / SOLD OUT

Selection #15: August 2019

Selection #14: July 2019

The NLU Summit