The time is nigh! The world’s biggest tournament is set to kick-off on Saturday. No we are not talking about LIV Golf and Phil Mickelson, but the 2022 Otty Lake Invitational. As everyone knows, the tournament truly begins Friday night around the fire, where it is a fine balance of gamesmanship and intoxication. The tournament can be won or lost with decisions on Friday night.

This year’s format has changed slightly due to a scheduling conflict at Mapleview (you’ll be hearing from our lawyers). Instead of the traditional 36 on Saturday, and the final 18 on Sunday at Perth, the days are reversed which will leave teams scrambling to strategize.

The weather looks less than ideal for some of the DGA members, where the slightest breeze and a drop of rain leaves them sulking in the carts the entire day. Matt MacIntyre and Casey Floyd are already a bit 🥨🧠  looking at this weekend’s forecast.

As always, it will be survival of the fittest and whoever has the mental fortitude will come out on top.

Beer, trophies, but most importantly, bragging rights are on the line

A Division

As always, the A Division will be tight down to the last hole, where inevitably Ryan Raven will implode, leading to a 2^nd place finish. Since 2017, the largest margin of victory is 2 shots in the A division, and it will come down to who makes the makeables.

After a monstrous shuffle in the Power Rankings, 3 of the 4 teams have never played together in an official DGA Scramble event. Dillon James and Kyle Craig are the only team with some history, and what a history it is. James and Craig won the 2018 Otty together, after a wild string of lucky shots and literal bounces off turtles. Can lightning strike twice? We shall see.

Casey Floyd and Chad Keohane come in as new partners with a lot of recent success, and recent failures. Keohane won the 2017* Otty but has since finished 3^rd, 2^nd, 3^rd, 4^th in the four years since. Floyd, after some abysmal showings early on has finished 1^st and 2^nd the last 2 years.

Evan Hammond and Ben Milinkovich also come into Otty as the #1 and #8 pairing. Milinkovich’s free fall from the top of the Power Rankings has finally hit rock bottom, but may play to his advantage as he now gets to pair up with Hammond, who is coming in on a 5 tournament win streak, the longest in DGA history.  This team does have a long history playing together in the Brockville Ryder Cup events throughout the years, which bodes well for their success this week.

Ryan Raven and Matt MacIntyre round out the field this week and man, who the hell knows what will happen with this team. If history tells us anything, the will finish 2^nd with Raven picking up his historic 8^th straight 2^nd place finish. The only thing holding them back from a 2^nd place finish, is finishing itself. This team could meld well together, or get in a fist fight on #1 and both walk off. Opponents just need to mention politics, the market, or Lebron James to watch this team fold like a cheap table.

Predictions

Evan Hammond and Ben Milinkovich

All things are pointing to another Hammond win, as he is far and away the #1 golfer on tour. It is so in the heads of the other DGA members, that a few have mentioned not even coming this year. If Milinkovich can keep his army miss in between the lines, and provide a few clutch shots, this team should be hoisting the plaque come Sunday

Ryan Raven and Matt MacIntyre

If this team can hold it together then a 2^nd place finish and a push for the win is certainly in their grasp. MacIntyre’s average putting will have to be lifted up by Raven, but MacIntyres safe 200 yard shot in the fairway should keep this team viable. After running out of golf balls in his 3^rd round of the year, we have it on good authority Raven is stocked up well for the tournament and if he keeps them in play, this team should be scoring low. He may be down a club from a club snap, but both members are peaking at the right time coming into Otty.

Chad Keohane and Casey Floyd

This is the team no one knows what the hell to think of. Will it be Robot Casey, or Eeyore Casey that shows up on the weekend? Will it be 2018 Keohane or 2021 Keohane that shows up the weekend? For this team to make a push they will need Robot Casey, 2018 Keohane, and perfect weather. Both players can score well and will feed off eachother. The main decision will be who shoots first, but even the smallest of calls could send this team spiralling.  If they can avoid the blow up hole, expect them to be around late Sunday.

Dillon James and Kyle Craig

Fool me once, shame on you, fool me twice, shame on me. It seems every time James and Craig are partnered up they are under estimated, and time and time again they show up when it counts. This duo has won 2 tournaments together over the year, the 2018 Otty and the 2019 May Manderley Mayhem (RIP).  James has taken this year seriously, practicing for hours on end and ordering himself a launch monitor. It has never been the on course part that gives him troubles, but too many shotgunned Twisted Teas have caused issues in the past. Thankfully Craig is the Ying to James’ Yang and will balance the team off by have 1 sip of beer for the weekend. If Craig and Dillon play up to how they have this year, it will be no surprise to see them near the top of the leaderboard and if they get the bounces they did in 2018, they could easily be at the top.

Hammond/Milinkovich: -5
Raven/MacIntyre: -3
Floyd/Keohane: -2
Craig/James: -2

B Division

This has the makings of being the closest B Division Otty in history. Historical teams have been scrapped, and the teams are the fairest they’ve ever been. The 2 time defending champion Theriault brothers have been split up, evening the field in both play and slow pace of play.

All four pairings will be playing Otty together for the first time, which will lead to some high stress situations. Whoever can manage to avoid the blow up holes, will be hoisting the trophy high above their heads on Sunday evening.

Justin Hanes and Richard Theriault are going from the landlord/tenant to golf team relationship. Hopefully for their sake, this works out better. Theriault is coming off back to back Otty championships, with Hanes winning in 2019. This team has what it takes on paper, but Theriault has only played one round all year, worrying his teammate immensely. His mini putt game is on point though and like his pace, Theriault does not seem worried at all.

Cody Willcott and Berry Van Donselaar team up at Otty for the first time, but this is not their first rodeo. The duo won the final Greyhawk Invitational together in 2020 and are hoping to find magic in a bottle once again. Willcott’s driver is hot but Van Donselaar has joined the New Fathers Who Don’t Golf Anymore club and will be coming in with a bit of rust to shake off. Hopefully sleeping outside in his tent gives him the peace of mind heading into the big tourney.

Pat Theriault and Scott Quinn are a lot like the Hanes and young Theriault squad, with a combined 3 Otty wins in the last 3 years. A lot of the public money in Vegas came in early on this team, but with both players landing on the IL in the past few weeks, the money has moved elsewhere. Both players are coming in with a lot of new clubs in the bag, including a brand new 60 degree for Scott…… If the team can hone in the new sticks, and get a few physio appointments in, they could be a big factor this weekend.

Ryan Dillon and Jason Oviedo round out the field, with Oviedo making his DGA debut. A proud member of the New Fathers Who Don’t Golf Anymore club, Oviedo will be missing the Friday night festivities to rest up the ol’ back to get ready for 54 holes in just over 24hrs. Dillon is still chasing that elusive first major, but this may be the year he squeaks one out. Oviedo and Dillon will both be consistently in play and will be hoping the old tortoise vs the Hare ideology holds true. They may not make a lot of birdies, but this team will be parring teams to death all weekend long. If they can avoid the bad holes, they will be challenging for the win

Predictions

Pat Theriault and Scott Quinn

The early favourites still hold a slight advantage heading into the weekend, but the gap has narrowed. Theriault being on the IL, and Quinn’s fear of joining tee times means they will both have some rust to shake off early in the tournament. If they keep their heads above water, and their balls in play, they should be picking up another major win. With all the trash talk and the self imposed “Scotty Slam”, anything less than a win will be much worse than getting swept by the Avalanche.

Cody Willcott and Berry Van Donselaar

Having won a major together already, this squad knows what it takes. However, this isn’t Spray N’ Pray ™ Greyhawk, this is some of the tightest holes in Ontario, nay the world. If this team takes 0 drops this weekend, they will be riding into the sunset with major #2. 2 of the longest hitters on tour, if the duo can take advantage off the tee, they will be in a great spot come Sunday. However, the true key to the win may be the solid forged gold putter of Willcott. If that gets hot, watch out B division.

Richard Theriault and Justin Hanes

This team will have to dig deep and keep the internal fighting aside to have a chance at the win. Mind games are already afoot with Hanes ranking Hellen Keller above Scott Quinn in the putting Power Ranking. This team will have to confuse opponents and get them off their game, while staying true to their own in order to win. Hanes has certainly found something off the tee, hitting the 2007 Nike Driver with some power. Theriault is really banking on rest in the Rest vs Rust debate, and hoping he will be fresh for the long weekend of golf.

Ryan Dillon and Jason Oviedo

Captain Dillon will have to take young rookie Oviedo under his wing this weekend and show him how to handle the grind of Otty. Oviedo and Dillon are both master minds of the head games, and will need to be in full game mode not only on the course, but around the fire as well. Dillon will be planting seeds from the get go to get any advantage he can. Steady as she goes will be the mantra for this squad and if they can just stay composed and drain some putts, they will likely be at the top come Sunday. A few Voltarins, and a lot of booze will be the remedy this squad needs to be champs.

P. Theriault/Quinn: +22
Willcott/Van Donselaar: +24
R. Theriault/Hanes: +25
Dillon/Oviedo: +28