US Open / Meijer LPGA Classic Fantasy Gold Mine

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Mandatory Credit: John David Mercer-USA TODAY Sports /

Yahoo!: World No. 1 Jason Day has a superb record at the US Open.

Group A: Jason Day, Dustin Johnson (bench) – There are several viable options in this group, I’m going to ride the chalk and back the world’s top-ranked player. Day has three wins in his last seven starts and has been shut out of the top 30 just once in the last year. He’s also found the top 10 at the US Open in four his last five appearances, finishing in second place on two occasions.

Another national open stud, Johnson has been in the top 10 the last two years, notching a heartbreaking tie for second a year ago. He’s found the top five in six of his last nine starts around the world, making him one of the most dangerous players in the field. Phil Mickelson is another attractive option, but the other two are more consistent.

Group B: Rory McIlroy, Patrick Reed, Brooks Koepka (bench), Justin Rose (bench) – Given his outstanding form, McIlroy appears to be the smartest play in Group B. The Ulsterman is on a run of seven top 12s in his last eight starts, including a win at the Irish Open and a tie for fourth at the Memorial. If he can get his putter going like he did at Muirfield Village, he should be right in the thick of it.

Reed is probably the second-best of the bunch. The Augusta State product hasn’t really contended for a win in months, but he’s come back nicely from a recent slump with back-to-back top 15s. He has a balanced game that travels well–exactly what we’re looking for when it comes to an unfamiliar course like Oakmont.

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Koepka and Rose should be great plays off the bench. The former has been the runner-up in his last two starts and has a solid record at the majors. Rose, meanwhile, could be an ideal play for Oakmont, but a recent wrist injury is cause for concern. Keep him in the holster to start the week.

Group C: Matt Kuchar, Charl Schwartzel (bench) – He defied the odds to top our weekly power rankings, and sure enough, no one else in Group C comes close to matching Kuchar. The Georgia Tech product is on a run of four top six finishes in a row, making him one of the hottest players out there. He ranks inside the top 50 in every strokes gained category.

Trends are converging, however mildly, for Schwartzel this week, so he ends up on this list too. The South African has found the top 25 in each of his last two starts, and he tied for 30th at the 2007 U.S. Open. That experience earns him the nod over Danny Willett and Daniel Berger.

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