In which we catch up with one of 2023's World's best players in the DP Fantasy World Tour.
July 7th
Golf101 email to DPWT Fantasy Support
Please can you tell me how many players have entered this seasons' Fantasy World Tour competition.
Many thanks.
July 7th (a bit later...)
Support Team (DPWT Fantasy golf)
Thanks for contacting us.
38,189 players have entered the competition this year.
Let us know if you have any further questions.
I didn't have any further questions for the DPWT Fantasy Golf Support Team.
I'm not sure they'd have been able to explain the Fantasy golf phenomenon that golf101 was investigating in the BN20 9 area...
Which was this.
What are the odds that not one, but two, of just six players in our own DWPT Fantasy League ('The Swindle') have been placed in the global top 20 this year?
Two great mates that live little more than a drive and a mid-iron apart in Willingdon.
Darren (Dazzler/Daisy) Martin aka 'Par then Bar' reached 15th in the World during the Soudal Open in May this year.
Currently 129th in the rankings that still puts him squarely in the top 0.34% of all those in the competition.
And his mate Peter 'Shoey' Shoesmith (aka 'Shopergolf')?
He hit a season high of 13th in early July.
And is currently lying 21st in the world rankings.
That means he's got 38,168 players in his rear view mirror...or 99.94 % of the rest of the global field.
Surely two blokes from Willingdon both inhabiting the top 0.35% of a 38,000 global field is even more unlikely than Stuart Broad getting a six with his last ball faced and a match winning wicket with his last ball bowled in the fifth Ashes Test?
But (and I haven't done the maths), statistically it's not as unlikely as the confluence of improbables that tumbled out of one of the greatest Ashes series ever, documented by the BBC's Andy Zaltzman:
The Cricket has indeed been brilliant this summer and in many ways over shadowed The Open, even for committed golf fans.
But, recognising that something notable, and local, was going on in the DP Fantasy World Tour, golf101 caught up with Shoey midway through the tour's visit to Denmark.
Sitting in the garden of the 'third best pub in Eastbourne' we discussed his prospects for the final two days of the 'Made in Himmerland' tournament, and the season overall.
golf101: So, Peter Shoesmith, what was the inspiration for your team name?
Shoey: Super heroes.
golf101: How do you rate your chances this weekend?
Shoey: Highly.
(He was right to be so confident - by the end of the tournament he'd
climbed to 13th place in the world).
golf101: Can you let our readers know what your pre-tournament routine involves?
Shoey: I generally pick the team in 60 seconds. No research required.
golf101: What’s the strategy that’s got you to this elevated position?
Shoey: I pick top ranked players who make the cut.
You’ve got to pick players who make cuts.
golf101: At the start of this weekend you were sitting 38th in the Fantasy DPW Tour.
The player ranked 38th in the actual World Golf Rankings is Adam Scott.
Do you know him?
Shoey: Yes. We’ve got a lot in common. He’s a very handsome man.
golf101: If we’d asked Adam (which we haven’t) I’m sure he’d be keen to congratulate you
on this seasons’ strong showing.
He’d also probably want to be reassured you’re selecting a fair share of players
who use a long handled putter.
What would you say to that?
Shoey: Absolutely. I’m all about the 'anchoring'.
golf101: Before this tournament started you were only 500+ points behind first place.
How do you rate your chances of overhauling the leader over the course of the rest
of the season?
Shoey: Fair. I’ve just reeled Dazzler in who peaked at 15 in the world a few weeks ago so I
know it can be done.
golf101: golf101 has heard rumours of a potential breakaway tour.
Teams of four, selected each week, but only after the cut on Friday, in a much
reduced number of tournaments.
Have you been approached?
Shoey: No. And I think that’s a very inappropriate question to ask me at this stage of my
career.
golf101: Away from the course we understand you like a live gig.
If you could only go to one more concert in your lifetime who would it be? Little Mix
or ACDC?
Shoey: Harry Styles.
golf101: Thanks Shoey.
All at golf101 wish you the very best for the remainder of the season.
Shoey: It's been a pleasure.
Your questions make a nice change from some of the tripe asked by the lazier
tabloid journalists.
golf101: What do you mean?
Shoey: Oh, you know, all the usual banal rubbish... what's your favourite food, who's your
favourite porn star...
golf101: Peter, you can rest assured that golf101 would never ask you who your favourite
porn star is.
We're not that kind of blog.
Shoey: That's good. And anyway...
golf101: What?
Shoey: I can never remember his name.