Tuesday, October 23, 2018

Fantasy Golf: The WGC-HSBC Champions Preview

The WGC-HSBC might well be the most underrated golf tournament in the world from the standpoint that no one appreciates its recent ability to identify/reward the best golfer in the world. There are a couple of reasons for this: (1) It's played in October and no one really cares who the best golfer in the world is in October because it's like caring about the best speed skater in a non-Olympic year; and (2) It's played in China so they'll be playing while most of us middle-aged dudes on the east coast are sleeping on the couch wishing we could muster the energy to get-up and turn the lights off, grab a blanket, get a bottle of water, turn down the TV . . . goddammit why does everything have to be so complicated?!?!

And we're back. Check-out the recent winners of this thing. When Justin Rose won last year, he was coming-off three T10's and a T2 in the FedEx Cup Playoffs and he would go on to win two of his next five tournaments after the HSBC. At this time in 2016, Hideki Matsuyama was on fire after finishing T4 at the PGA Championship, 5th at the Tour Championship, 1st at the Japan Open and then 2nd at the CIMB Classic. Ignore 2015 because that was an anomaly but in 2014 Bubba Watson made HSBC his third win including that year's Masters.    


By that logic (and that's the logic we're applying this week), Brooks Koepka has to be the guy after winning last week and ascending to #1 in the world. Not to mention, he finished tied for 2nd here last year. And if not Koepka, then it's got to be defending champion Justin Rose. Beyond that you gotta figure that at least one half of Moliwood is going to shine (if not both of them) in their first joint marquee event against top flight American competition since they steamrolled them at the Ryder Cup. And I like Paul Casey and Thor Oleson for the same reason.

Which sort of brings us to young Eddie Pepperell who almost stole this year's British Open with a hungover closing round 67. He's climbed to 34th in the world thanks to a recent four tournament run that included a win, T2nd and T6th. The kid is definitely for real. At least I hope he is.

Crikey that sixth Jameson may
have been a mistake.
One and Done Pick: Brooks Koepka

Other Guy I'd Pick: Francesco Molinari

Sleeper Pick: Eddie Pepperell


DraftKings Top Ten Values


Justin Rose
$11,200
Brooks Koepka
$11,000
Francesco Molinari
$9,800
Tommy Fleetwood
$9,500
Paul Casey
$9,200
Thor Oleson
$7,900
Emiliano Grillo
$7,500
Eddie Pepperell
$7,300
K. Aphibarnrat
$6,900
Chris Wood
$6,800

Thirty Guys Who Could Win and How They've Done Lately


DK Price
2017
2016
2015
2014
2013
Dustin Johnson
$11,500
T2
T35
T5
DNP
1st
Justin Rose
$11,200
1st
DNP
DNP
T48
5th
Brooks Koepka
$11,000
T2
T40
DNP
DNP
DNP
Rory McIlroy
$10,700
DNP
T4
T11
DNP
T6
Jason Day
$10,300
T11
DNP
DNP
DNP
DNP
Hideki Matsuyama
$10,100
T50
1st
W/D
T41
W/D
Tony Finau
$9,900
T11
DNP
DNP
DNP
DNP
Francesco Molinari
$9,800
T46
T6
DNP
DNP
T21
Tommy Fleetwood
$9,500
T20
DNP
T30
T24
T18
Jon Rahm
$9,300
T36
DNP
DNP
DNP
DNP
Paul Casey
$9,200
T11
T12
T23
DNP
20th
Tyrrell Hatton
$9,100
T11
T23
T54
DNP
DNP
Alex Noren
$9,000
DNP
T12
T54
DNP
DNP
Rafa Cabrera-Bello
$8,900
T5
T19
DNP
DNP
DNP
Patrick Cantlay
$8,800
T15
DNP
DNP
DNP
DNP
Matthew Fitzpatrick
$8,700
T9
T16
T7
DNP
DNP
Ian Poulter
$8,600
DNP
DNP
T30
T6
2nd
Adam Scott
$8,400
T50
T14
70th
T12
DNP
Ben An
$8,300
DNP
DNP
T19
DNP
DNP
Cameron Smith
$8,200
DNP
DNP
T64
DNP
DNP
Xander Schauffele
$8,100
T46
DNP
DNP
DNP
DNP
Thor Oleson
$7,900
T31
DNP
T19
T6
DNP
Hao-Tong Li
$7,700
T50
T63
T7
T35
T39
Brandt Snedeker
$7,600
DNP
DNP
DNP
T10
T55
Kyle Stanley
$7,600
T5
DNP
DNP
DNP
DNP
Emiliano Grillo
$7,500
DNP
11th
T35
DNP
DNP
Keegan Bradley
$7,500
DNP
DNP
DNP
T64
T11
Kevin Na
$7,400
DNP
T54
57th
T20
DNP
Eddie Pepperell
$7,300
DNP
DNP
DNP
DNP
DNP
Russell Knox
$7,300
DNP
T9
1st
DNP
DNP
Branden Grace
$7,200
DNP
T30
T5
DNP
T39
Chez Reavie
$7,100
T24
DNP
DNP
DNP
DNP
Thomas Pieters
$7,100
T71
T14
T23
DNP
DNP
K. Aphibarnrat
$6,900
T24
DNP
T30
DNP
T55
Chris Wood
$6,800
DNP
T23
T51
DNP
T39

Email the Fantasy Golf Report at fgr@fantasygolfreport.com

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