Well, almost a full 2 years have passed since I last took pen to paper on this once great but now defunct sports blog. Since that time I’ve won a fantasy football league, (this has nothing to do with Bandon, but worth mentioning I think) and captained the U.S. to perhaps the greatest Ryder cup victory since the Battle at Brookline in 99. But we can’t live in the past, and this year I’m just another cog in what I hope turns out to be a well oiled birdie making machine. It’s a bunched field this year, with every golfer’s handicaps currently in a 10 stroke window between 7 and 17, so we are forgoing the “A” / “B” flights. It will be a snake draft with JB picking 1st, 4th, and 5th and Brennan selecting 2nd, 3rd, and 6th. So that nobody’s feelings get hurt, JB is the 8th pick and Brennan will be considered the 7th.
Captains Previews
(Team Europe) Justin Blackmore: 9.4 Index, (Ryder cup team record 0 – 1 )
JB is coming off a personal record 77 which earned him the top Captain’s spot and the number 1 overall pick. In a brief review of his GHIN account we see only 8 posted rounds in 2025, and just 1 since July, which might concern your average observer, but this sports writer knows better. JB is an absolute gamer, a guy who strikes it better when down 2 holes after 6 than when warming up on the range. The number of times I’ve seen Justin walk directly from the parking lot to the first tee and stripe it down the center makes me confident that he’ll be ready to go. If he can pull off draft night and cobble together a gritty bunch of Euro’s just like Luke Donald did than I like his chances.
(Team USA) Brennan Lowes: 14.8 Index, (Ryder cup team record 0 – 1)
Blowes is the only contestant in the field who doesn’t pay the $40 dollars a year to participate in the universally accepted system which allows golfers to trust and verify handicaps and to truly know that the sacred game’s honor is intact. So if you have the misfortune to be drafted by the U.S. just know you are being drafted by the Cincinnati Bengals: there will be no per diem, range balls are not included, and the training table is probably just 2 jars of peanut butter and some stale bread. Back to the golf, Brennan is as capable as anyone of going low, and a few more strokes could make the difference for this sassy southpaw. I look forward to seeing the squad he assembles.
Draftable Players
Chris Gram: 7.5 Index, (Ryder cup team record 1 – 0)
If I weren’t writing about myself I’d have some serious sandy hdcp inquiries to proceed with here. Handicap is the highest its been in 4 years, and every time this summer I’ve had a chance to go super low I’ve found a way to muck up 17 and 18… In all seriousness, the game was absolutely terrible for most of the Spring and Summer, and I shot my worst round in several years on the first day of a Member Guest in June. A visit home by my little brother in August awoke something however (shooting 75 and taking a few hundred off Andy Gram will usually do that for you) and the golf has been pretty good for the last two months. Sheep Ranch is also maybe my favorite course in the world, so Captains keep that in mind if you are looking to come out hot.
Soroush Amali: 10.1 Index, (Ryder cup team record 1 – 0)
Now this is man who has been putting in the time on the course. I show 19 rounds in 2025 with 5 coming in September alone! A newly minted member of Columbia Edgewater, Soroush is fully embracing the dentist life, with a regularly scheduled weekday morning round in which he routinely robs unwitting retired folks of their pensions and Social Security checks. One has to wonder though, is it smart for Soroush to be playing so much golf on a traditional “Parksland” style course, and will his game travel to the linksland in southwest Oregon. I’m thinking whoever takes the good Dr. is getting the real deal.
Alex Hortsch: 10.6 Index, (Ryder cup team record 0-1)
Left, Left, Left, Right Left… Those are the first hand reports of the Sweaty Hands Stick’s current driving accuracy. I’ve always believed that Al was a golfer who could recover from just about anywhere on the course, but he might not be able to recover from the pot bunker between his ears. It all stem’s back to a lesson he took this summer, which sounds like it did more harm than help. Hortsch, you’ve always been your own golfer, with a arm heavy and handsy swing and a dependable fade, don’t play someone else’s game, play your own, play your own.
Jeremy Wearn: 15.3 Index, (Ryder cup team record 1 – 0, reigning individual champion)
2 years ago Jeremy was an absolute flash in pan for the U.S. team, storming in and running away with the individual Net title. In that preparation, he took an astoundingly smart approach, focusing entirely on his short game and posting absolutely zero scores. He then proceeded to pace off all his putts and pick up something like +100 Strokes Gained over expected on the greens for the weekend. This time around Jeremy is coming in with a lower index and he lacks the element of surprise. I have been unable to verify the unsubstantiated rumors that he’s picked up AimPoint, which if true god help us all.
Connor Cunningham: 15.6 Index, (Ryder cup team record 0-1, 2023 losing captain )
CC is coming off the IR list with a back injury, but word on the street is that he’s taking his Physical Therapy and treatment very seriously, as he and Dame Lillard cost share a personal trainer. I have not played a round of golf with Connor since I dragged him all over Pacific Dunes Championship Sunday of 2023, but I’m sure he doesn’t think about that as much as I do. Connor has always played a bit of an old man’s game, so the fact that he is becoming one bodes well for his results. If I have the honor of teaming up with this true gentlemen I take back every mean thing I’ve written in the past decade.
Max Schlesinger: 16.6 Index (Ryder cup Rookie)
Welcome to the Bandon Boys Max! Despite having the same home course, I don’t believe Max and I have ever had the pleasure of playing 18 holes together. I thought about going outside for some guest commentary, but having a Dark Horse is kind of fun, so my analysis will be limited to a review of his 2025 posted scores. Put simply… if you want a guy who is going to perform to his index, this is your man. Max’s score variability is practically zero. The man has 5 92’s posted to his last 20 scores… 3 of them are counting towards his index 2 of them are not, and 4 of them are at the same course! Look for the new guy to be a net par making machine, a solid piece upon which to build a strong pairing.
A quick note of sincerity: I look forward to this trip as much as anything I get the privilege to participate in, and I think we have such an awesome group of guys to get to do it with. I hope everyone knows that I love each and every one of you, and that any barbing is done purely in good fun, I would be honored to team up with each and every one of you.
P.P.S – for Max specifically – I started a fake feud with Connor 5-ish years ago for no other reason than I decided we needed one in fantasy football. It has become a joke which simply can’t die, I don’t actually hate him, I promise.
Go Ducks Go Power Rankings 
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