Fantasy Golf: AT&T National Primer

June 29, 2009 10:50am CDT

The 2009 AT&T National
Congressional Country Club at Bethesda, Maryland
- Dates: Thursday, July 2 - Sunday, July 5
- FedEx Cup Points: 500 (Winner's Share)
- 2009 Purse: $6,000,000 ($1,080,000/Buick Automobile Winning Share)

TV Schedule
First Round - Thursday, July 2 - Golf Channel 3-6pm EST
Second Round - Friday, July 3 - Golf Channel 3-6pm EST
Third Round - Saturday, July 4 - CBS, 3-6pm EST
Final Round - Sunday, July 5 - CBS, 3-6:30pm EST

The Course
Congressional Country Club - Blue Course
Course Par Value: 70
Course Yardage: 7,255

Built in 1922, the Congressional Country Club's famous Blue Course was built on land originally dedicated as hunting grounds, an area where local members would go fox hunting over the hills and into the woods. The Club commissioned Devereux Emmett to design the course, and his vision would become the host course for some of the more illustrious and exciting golf tournaments the Tour has ever seen.

Since that time, the Blue Course has laid witness to renovation. Most recently, the Congressional Country Club has hired famous golf architect Rees Jones to improve the track and insure is meets today's demands for top PGA challenges, and he remains on retainer for continued renovations today.

Length and obstacles have been added over time, but the network of native features remains as the identifying trademarks of a course consistently rated as one of the best in the country. This track has served as host for the US Open three times, the PGA Championship once, and numerous events of tall standing have been played here in the past as well, and now the PGA is adding this course as one of the Tour's regular stops as the host of the AT&T National.

Much like the majors, Congressional offers challenging-yet-fair greens where putting prowess will be important, but the work out of the fairway will determine the winner. Getting away from the hole on the approach will be a major detriment for golfers that struggle with long irons. In each of the last two seasons the winner has used the long iron to approach the win. The rough is not too damaging and the course can open more than a few opportunities for birdie even when shooting from the thick stuff, but iron work is crucial while the putting will separate the men from the boys.

Hole 6 (Par 4, 518 yds): This tough hole plays as a par 5 for the members but will play as a par 4 for PGA Tour combatants. The tee shot needs to avoid a grove of trees along the left as bunkers, a stream and out-of-bounds lay in wait on the right. On the long, demanding second shot, players should avoid the pond guarding the right side of the green. The green is fairly forgiving and will reward those that survive the treacherous journey up the fairway.

Hole 9 (Par 5, 502 yds): On one of the most demanding holes on the course and renown for the challenges it has created in U.S. Open history, bunkers guard both sides of the fairway off the tee. Players must lay up on their second shot to avoid the deep ravine in front of the green. Because of that ravine, it is unwise to attempt reaching this green in two, thus putting is at a premium on a tight landing surface. If you carry a strong short game and sink it in one, you should be proud.

Hole 14 (Par 4, 454 yds): Players must drive the ball into the fairway if they hope to make par, for the native rough is kept long and will all but swallow errant tee shots. The right side of the fairway falls off quickly and a wayward drive to the left may find an out-of-bounds fence. Most players face long second shots from a slightly downhill lie, a daunting challenge that can create difficulty for those stressing their abilities with short irons.

Hole 18 (Par 4, 466 yds): Congressional's signature hole sets up perfectly for a long, right-to-left tee shot. Anything too far right could find trouble as well with a thick grove of cedars. Bunkers right of the green combined with water on three sides make the second shot a test of courage but one several will find tempting with hopes of closing on a positive note. It is a true test of golf acumen sure to provide an exciting conclusion if the tourney is close on Sunday.

2008 Leaderboard

PLACE / PLAYER / FINAL
1 Anthony Kim -12 (268)
2 Fredrik Jacobson -10 (270)
T3 Rod Pampling -9 (271)
T3 Jim Furyk -9 (271)
T3 Robert Allenby -9 (271)
T3 Dean Wilson -9 (271)
T3 Nick O'Hern -9 (271)
T3 Tommy Armour III -9 (271)
T9 Alex Cejka -8 (272)
T9 Jeff Overton -8 (272)
T9 Tom Pernice, Jr. -8 (272)
T12 Peter Lonard -7 (273)
T12 Bo Van Pelt -7 (273)
T12 Pat Perez -7 (273)
T12 Patrick Sheehan -7 (273)
T12 Hunter Mahan -7 (273)
T12 Tim Herron -7 (273)

2007 Leaderboard

PLACE / PLAYER / FINAL
1 K.J. Choi -9 (271)
2 Steve Stricker -6 (274)
T3 Pat Perez -3 (277)
T3 Jim Furyk -3 (277)
T3 Stuart Appleby -3 (277)
T6 Robert Allenby -2 (278)
T6 Tiger Woods -2 (278)
T8 Hunter Mahan -1 (279)
T8 Rocco Mediate -1 (279)
T8 Brandt Snedeker -1 (279)
T8 Mike Weir -1 (279)
T12 Geoff Ogilvy E (280)
T12 Jeff Quinney E (280)
T12 Vijay Singh E (280)
T12 Craig Kanada E (280)
T12 Mathew Goggin E (280)
T12 Boo Weekley E (280)
T12 Lucas Glover E (280)

The Field

Our proximity to the third major of the season, the Open Championship (more commonly referred to as the British Open Championship here in the States), puts the AT&T National in a prime location for some of the top golfers in the world. Looking to prepare for the trip overseas with a desire to get there early marks this tourney, two weeks away from the major, as one of the alluring stops on the schedule. Held at a historic venue, hosting a strong number of the world's elite, this event has become a regular stop for names like Jim Furyk, Robert Allenby, Hunter Mahan, Vijay Singh, Englishman-turned-Arizona resident Paul Casey, K.J. Choi, Stuart Appleby, Fred Couples, Justin Rose, Sean O'Hair, Mike Weir, US Open champ Lucas Glover, defending champ Anthony Kim and, of course, Tiger Woods.

Other names of note for fantasy owners to ponder include Mathew Goggin, Kevin Na, Davis Love III, Mark Wilson, Jason Day, Alex Cejka, Rocco Mediate, Boo Weekley, John Rollins, Johnson Wagner, Steve Flesch, John Mallinger, Nick Watney, John Merrick, Bubba Watson, Ryan Moore, John Senden, Steve Elkington, Steve Marino, Tim Herron, Ricky Barnes, Pat Perez, Danny Lee, Ryuji Imada, Charley Hoffman, Bart Bryant, Tim Petrovic, Rod Pampling, Bo Van Pelt, and John Merrick.

Enjoy.

Click here to view the entire field.