The weather may be cooling down but the race for the Degens Cup™ is heating up! With only two tournaments left on the calendar, getting top points at the Fall Classic is a must if you want a chance at the crown.
The Fall Classic is the 2nd and final major of the DGA season, so more than just points are on the line. For the players that have missed an event, or have had a slow season, winning this weekend is still just as important.
This is the 2nd installment of the Fall Classic, if you count last years handicap/sandbagging debacle. The first round will be played at Whitetail with the 2nd and final round being played at Dragonfly.
With only the Tour Championship after the Fall Classic, the Degens Cup may come down to who can take home the prize this weekend.
There are 8 teams of 2 competing for the top prize. Teams were selected randomly and all play will be handicap adjusted (Scott you can look up what a handicap is so you understand how it works)
Degens Cup Standings
| A Division | B Division | |||
| Player | Points | Player | Points | |
| CHAD KEOHANE | 1800 | JASON OVIEDO | 1875 | |
| KYLE CRAIG | 1612.5 | RYAN DILLON | 1481.25 | |
| PAT THERIAULT | 1437.5 | JUSTIN HANES | 850 | |
| EVAN HAMMOND | 1043.75 | BRENT DAVIAULT | 687.5 | |
| MATT MACINTYRE | 1000 | ALEX LAJEUNESSE | 687.5 | |
| CASEY FLOYD | 643.75 | CODY WILCOTT | 675 | |
| RYAN RAVEN | 531.25 | BERRY VAN DONSELAAR | 662.5 | |
| BEN MILINKOVICH | 325 | SCOTT QUINN | 718.75 | |
| DILLON JAMES | 206.25 | RICH THERIAULT | 531.25 | |
| CHRIS CHOJNACKI | 206.25 | |||
Teams
Ryan ‘Heavy’ Dillon and Ben Milinkovich
Evan Hammond and Jason ‘Boomer’ Oviedo
Matt MacIntyre and Casey Floyd
Kyle Craig and Rich Theriault
Justin Hanes and Ryan Raven
Berry van Donselaar and Scott Quinn
Chad Keohane and Dillon James
Cody Willcott and Brent Daviault
All things being equal, this handicapped event should not have any favourites or underdogs. However, this group of Degens is known to sandbag, cheat, reverse sandbag, dip, dive, duck, and dodge, so lets get into the breakdown
Ryan Dillon and Ben Milinkovich
Any tournament involving handicaps should have Heavy near the top of the leaderboard. Known for his janitorial back nines, Heavy will be a key to this team success. After partnering together last year, this team finished in 6th place, with a score of +3. However, Milinkovich was playing with a broken arm during the event.
Milinkovich and Dillon can both be on, but boy can they also both be off. If Dillon gets into ‘host’ mode like he did at last years event, look for this team near the bottom of the leaderboard.
This team will be a bit of a rollercoaster, with some net eagles, but also some net double bogeys possible at any given time. If they can avoid the blowup holes at the same time, look for this team to contend
Evan Hammond and Jason Oviedo
The perennial #1 seed in the DGA Power Rankings, Hammond hates this event after coming last place in 2022. He is as against handicaps as they come and will be heard muttering “just get better” at least 100 times during the week. His anger may fuel into a good tournament however, Hammond is coming in ice cold with 0 wins in his last 3 DGA events, after his record setting DGA win streak.
His partner on the other hand, is all for this format. Oviedo comes into the Fall Classic with a hefty lead in the B Division Degens Cup standings, and looking for his 2nd major of the year.
This team will have to ‘Ham’ and egg it to be near the top this weekend. Sources tell DGA News that Oviedo was draining every single putt in a practice round at Greyhawk on Wednesday. If he continues with the hot flat stick, this is a team that may be major champions.
Matt MacIntyre and Casey Floyd
Just like Dillon, any tournament that mentions handicaps automatically has Floyd near the top of the list. Unanimously voted the #1 sandbagger in the DGA, Floyd comes in with about a 4-5 shot head start over the rest of the field. When Floyd goes full robot mode, there is not much that can stop him. One good shank though will have Casey laughing for 10 minutes straight and will derail his whole game.
After a spiritual golf journey to Italy, where MacIntyre focused on relaxing and enjoying nature, he has a new mindset heading into DGA tournaments. This may help both him and his teammate, as this cancer is known for blowing up at team mates (ie: Kyle Craig, Hole 1, Perth, 2020)
Both these players can play well above their handicap and will be considered one of the favourites heading into this weekend.
Kyle Craig and Rich Theriault
The true ‘Good Guys’ team of the Fall Classic may also come in with the least rounds played combined. Craig has only 2 rounds in since Otty, and Theriault does not have many more.
A little rust shaken off wont stop these competitors from getting over the hump. Their 6 combined Major wins lead all teams this weekend. That experience will help them down the stretch if they are in the hunt.
The two will have to battle through some shakey play, slow pace, and lots of fat cloots, but if they can keep a cool head and avoid blowing up at the same time, this team should be right in the thick of things come Sunday.
Justin Hanes and Ryan Raven
Teams need not fret about the duo of Raven and Hanes this weekend. With only a combined 1 real win, and none since 2017, this team wouldn’t know winning if it hit them on the side of the head.
Raven is coming off a dreadful last place finish at the Italian Open, where him and his partners could not get anything going. Hanes, who helped Team Lefty to an upset T1 finish, will have to do the brunt of the heavy lifting this weekend.
Hanes is borderline sandbagger and has the potential to play well below his handicap. Raven, while having glimpse of greatness, has had his best days and will do well to play to his handicap.
If a few putts drop, and a some things go their way, this team may have a chance at a top 5 finish.
Berry van Donselaar and Scott Quinn
The only real underdog heading into the weekend is the tandem of van Donselaar and Quinn. While setting the record at greatest heigh difference in DGA history at 1ft8in, this team will have their work cut out for them to set the records on the course.
Van Donselaar does not have an official handicap, and will be playing off a 28, while Quinn will be playing off his 41.6. Now with handicaps that high, all it takes is a few good holes to really be in contention, and both players have shown they can do it in the past. If Quinn’s short game can lead them to good par 3 holes, and the boomstick of van Donselaar can scratch off some longer holes, this team may have a FGCU run in them
Like any team, the key will be to have their good holes and bad holes not at the same time.
Chad Keohane and Dillon James
Just give them the trophy now. We all know that these two will win, anything less will be a catastrophic meltdown.
All these two do is win. Keohane is 2 for 2 this year, and is the all time wins leader. James is no slouch either with 3 DGA wins to his name.
These two have similar games, but in a best ball format you don’t need to compliment your partner as much. But a 320 drive, a wedge to 10 feet, and strong putting isn’t a bad game to have.
The only thing that may stop this team is a drive down windy roads after a night of drinking.
Brent Daviault and Cody Willcott
2 men that are no stranger to DGA controversy team up looking for a big win. Both players still have an outside shot at the Degens Cup, but a major win is always nice.
Daviault was the “champion” last year, while playing with an unofficial handicap that was about 15 strokes to high (thanks Raven and Casey). This time around he will have to win on merit, and not rely on triple bogeys counting as birdies.
Willcott on the other hand, hasn’t played a DGA event since May due to an unlucky string of 247 birthday dinners. When Willcott is on he can blow past his handicap, but one bad hole will have the inner demons ready to explode.
The team has wildly different approaches to golf, with Willcott being extremely accurate, but not too long off the tee, whereas Daviault is one of the longest hitters, but can spray it better than Tony Gwynn
Daviault will have to play both long driver and therapist if this team wants to be in the winner’s circle on Sunday.
Scoring Predictions
James/Keohane: -10
Floyd/MacIntyre: -9
Dillon/Milinkovich: -8
Willcott/Daviault: -7
Hanes/Raven: -6
Theriault/Craig: -5
Hammond/Oviedo: -3
Van Donselaar/Quinn: +1
Degens Golf Association 