Golf Channel Fantasy Challenge Week 5 saw another two-event schedule and the themes this past week were desert golf and extremely low scoring. The PGA Tour was at the Waste Management Phoenix Open (Event 1) and the European Tour at the Omega Dubai Desert Classic (Event 2). With scoring low on both of these venues your teams had to be on top of their game to get into contention. Phil Mickelson (Group 1) went wire-to-wire at the TPC Scottsdale to win by four shots over Brandt Snedeker (also Group 1) and Stephen Gallacher (Group 2) holed a dramatic eagle from 115 yards on the back nine Sunday en route to a three shot victory over Richard Sterne (Group 3) at the Emirates Golf Club.
Mickelson (60-65-64-67) finished at 28-under par and made it look easy on the way to his 41st career PGA Tour victory. This win comes just one week ahead of the site of his 40th PGA Tour victory; last year’s AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am. For Snedeker (five shots back of Mickelson on Friday) he shot back-to-back 65’s over the weekend but as exceptional as Phil was playing, he could only close the gap to four shots in the end. Now the question is can Phil the Thrill go back-to-back in defense of last year’s title and back-to-back in consecutive weeks? This will definitely be one of the lead storylines heading into the tournament. Phil pocketed USD $1,116,000 for fantasy owners.
For the Scotsman Stephen Gallacher, this was his second victory on the European Tour and ended an eight-year winless drought for him that had spanned 205 events, with his last victory coming at the 2004 Dunhill Links Championship. Gallacher (63-70-62-71) finished on 22-under par three shots clear of runner-up and 36-hole leader Richard Sterne. Gallacher pocketed USD $422,474 for fantasy owners.
Eight Golf Channel Fantasy events to date (5 PGA Tour; 3 European Tour) with winners coming from the following groups: Group 1: two wins; Group 2: four wins; Group 3: one win; Group 4: one win.
Single-event week for Week 6 Golf Channel Fantasy Challenge: AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am (Mickelson defending champion; Charlie Wi runner-up).
Week Five Recap (2 Events):
Event One: Waste Management Phoenix Open
• Perfect Fantasy – Max (USD): $1,993,300
o Group 1: Phil Mickelson
o Group 2: Scott Piercy
o Group 3: Ryan Palmer
o Group 4: Brendan Steele
Event Two: Omega Dubai Desert Classic
• Perfect Fantasy – Max (USD): $887,249
o Group 1: Thorbjorn Olesen
o Group 2: Stephen Gallacher
o Group 3: Richard Sterne
o Group 4: Gareth Maybin or Andy Sullivan