Fantasy Golf Predictions
Fantasy Golf Picks, Odds, and Predictions – 2021 3M Open
Fantasy Golf Picks, Odds, and Predictions for the 2021 3M Open
The 2021 3M Open Fantasy Preview
Whatever he goes on to achieve from here, Collin Morikawa has booked his place in the most exclusive of clubs.
Just two men have won the British Open and the PGA Championship prior to their 25th birthday – Tiger Woods and now Morikawa, who triumphed in fine style at Royal St Georges on Sunday.
Despite being chased by former Open champions Louis Oosthuizen and Jordan Spieth, Morikawa did not blink and, in actual fact, accelerated to the finishing line – his score of 66 on Sunday bettered only by Brooks Koepka in the top-20 finishers.
That means that in eight major starts, the 24-year-old has converted victories twice – an astonishing strike rate. Who knows how stacked his trophy cabinet will be by the time he ends his career.
Meanwhile, down in Kentucky, the Barbasol Championship was taking place under the radar, and Seamus Power got his reward for a fine run of recent form by clinching victory as J.T. Poston – who played his final five holes in +3 – blinked at the finishing line.
The pair went off to contest a lengthy playoff – the third such nail-biter in the past month on TOUR – and it was Power who prevailed on the sixth extra hole.
After all that excitement, it’s more humdrum fare this week unfortunately as the action rolls around to Minnesota for the 3M Open at TPC Twin Cities.
Last Week’s Fantasy Results
Our top dog last week was Jordan who looked good from the start of the week all the way through Sunday. Although he fell short on Sunday he still provided DFS players with some nice points with his 2nd place finish.
The 2021 3M Open Field
Whatever he goes on to achieve from here, Collin Morikawa has booked his place in the most exclusive of clubs.
Just two men have won the British Open and the PGA Championship prior to their 25th birthday – Tiger Woods and now Morikawa, who triumphed in fine style at Royal St Georges on Sunday.
Despite being chased by former Open champions Louis Oosthuizen and Jordan Spieth, Morikawa did not blink and, in actual fact, accelerated to the finishing line – his score of 66 on Sunday bettered only by Brooks Koepka in the top-20 finishers.
That means that in eight major starts, the 24-year-old has converted victories twice – an astonishing strike rate. Who knows how stacked his trophy cabinet will be by the time he ends his career.
Meanwhile, down in Kentucky, the Barbasol Championship was taking place under the radar, and Seamus Power got his reward for a fine run of recent form by clinching victory as J.T. Poston – who played his final five holes in +3 – blinked at the finishing line.
The pair went off to contest a lengthy playoff – the third such nail-biter in the past month on TOUR – and it was Power who prevailed on the sixth extra hole.
After all that excitement, it’s more humdrum fare this week unfortunately as the action rolls around to Minnesota for the 3M Open at TPC Twin Cities.
This Week’s Course Preview
There’s that ‘post major feel’ in the air at TPC Twin Cities.
This is an eye-catching layout, make no mistake, but its complexity is not what you might expect from a course on the PGA TOUR rotation.
Masterminded by Arnold Palmer, who is one of the more forgiving architects around, the average winning score from the two editions of the 3M Open thus far has been -20 – that gives the best guide as to how this track can be defeated.
This is a watery parklands track with some 27 different lakes, ponds and water features, however these are only in play for the most wayward – aesthetic appeal is their main purpose.
There’s 72 bunkers too, but these are easy enough to avoid and/or navigate a way out of, and so the only defence TPC Twin Cities has is the wind, which – according to the early predictions – will be benign to say the least.
Measuring 7,431 yards for its Par 71, the three Par 5s measure around 600 yards – bringing eagle into the equation for the biggest hitters – and there are three Par 4s weighing in at less than 400 yards, which will leave those big drivers with the shortest of wedges in.
The fairways are wide and the Bentgrass greens are large, and these typically run pretty swiftly at 12 on the stimpmeter.
Weather Forecast for Blaine, MN
As mentioned, it’s all looking pretty cosy for the field in Blaine this week.
It’s going to be warm – 91˚F warm in fact – across all four days of action, with bright sunshine and minimal crowd cover.
The only potential anomaly comes on Saturday, where the threat of ‘isolated thunderstorms’ has been mooted in the forecast.
Otherwise, it’s a fantastic week for golf with wind speeds, according to those early predictions, remaining in single figures.
Last Year’s Results from the 2020 3M Open
Michael Thompson showed that when consistently good putters have a week from tee-to-green, good things tend to follow.
He hadn’t won on the PGA TOUR for seven years, but Thompson’s much-improved ball-striking – matched by his rocksteady putting motion – was enough to hold off a late charge from Adam Long to hoist the 3M Open trophy.
Thompson ranked first for Bogey Avoidance and third for GIR, solidifying after an opening round of 64 to finish on -19 – two clear of Long, who birdied three of the opening five holes on the back nine and then sixteen and eighteen as well to heap on the pressure.
But Thompson was not for turning, and he took the spoils from Long in solo second with a nine-man tie in T3 featuring the likes of Tony Finau, Charl Schwartzel and Max Homa.
Michael Thompson’s winning highlights from the 3M Open
At the 2020 3M Open, Michael Thompson claimed his second victory on the PGA TOUR with rounds of 64-66-68-67 to finish at 19-under-par at TPC Twin Cities. SUBSCRIBE to PGA TOUR now: http://pgat.us/vBxcZSh The PGA TOUR returns to TPC Twin Cities in Minnesota for the 3M Open – just the second tournament since the Return to Golf to take place in its original spot on the calendar.
Where to Play Fantasy Golf for the 3M Open this Week
There can be a lull a week after a major – especially the last of the calendar year, but we can beat the blues by tucking into a varied slate of contests that includes this pair of standouts.
- PGA $800k Flop Shot: Casual gamers may find it difficult to put together a strong draft this week given the paucity of the field, so informed players can nip in and take advantage in this contest where the winner banks a handy $200k.
- PGA $300k Drive the Green: If prize money accumulation is more your bag, this multi-entry contest might be for you. The winner gets $50k from their $5 entry fee, but of course there’s stacks more money to be won too.
This Week’s Fantasy Notes for the 2021 3M Open
There have only been two editions of the 3M Open at TPC Twin Cities, and so far the emphasis has been on making birdies.
You’ll need at least 20 of them to stand any chance of getting into the mix, while avoiding rudimentary errors – for context, Harman made -28 in birdies and eagles 12 months ago but was rather hampered by nine bogeys and three double bogeys into the bargain.
Making hay on the longer holes is key – of Long’s -17 some -9 of that came on the Par 5s a year ago, but given their length at around the 600-yard mark distance off the, albeit controlled distance, will be vital.
As you would expect, we’re looking for prolific birdie-makers who are comfortable on slick Bentgrass greens, and really it’s up to you to decide whether you think that those who played in the British Open are a disadvantage this week – despite the fact that, man for man, they boast more quality than those who stayed behind in the United States.
Long, straight hitting will be the key this week, as will making lots of birdies on the shorter Par 4s and all three of the Par 5s….those with a cold putter need not apply.
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Our Top 5 (and Top 2 Sleeper) Fantasy Picks and Odds to Win the 2021 3M Open
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Top 5 Picks/Odds to Win The 2021 3M Open
Top Tier Pick #1:
Louis Oosthuizen (Odds: 14/1, FPPG: 76.3, GPFP: 63.36 Salary: $10,900)
In theory, Louis Oosthuizen is tailor-made for TPC Twin Cities.
He possesses that gorgeous swing that helps him to propel the ball in good order off the tee, and the South African’s improvement on the greens has been so marked that he now ranks first on the PGA TOUR for SG: Putting.
Oosthuizen’s form is impossible to ignore too, and in his last five starts worldwide he’s served up four top-10s – three of them being majors – and a T18 at the Memorial.
Happily amongst the best players on the planet at this exact moment, Oosthuizen will benefit from doubts about the other key figures in the field. Dustin Johnson posted 78 in the first round here 12 months ago before withdrawing, Patrick Reed missed the cut at the British Open and Tony Finau, well, you wonder if he can truly contend in a putting contest.
Of course, we hope that the travel from the UK has served him well, but from a purely golfing perspective Oosthuizen looks to be the man to beat this week.
Key Stats:
- SG: Putting – 1st
- Scoring Average – 3rd
- Total Driving – 28th
Top Tier Pick #2:
Bubba Watson (Odds: 40/1, FPPG: 60.4, GPFP: 60.44 Salary: $9,100)
Since the start of the Summer Swing, it’s been all good for Bubba Watson.
Three top-20s and a T6 turn last time out at the Rocket Mortgage Classic, with a closing round of 64, set the scene for a player who has been no stranger to winning over the past decade.
You know what Bubba will do – he’ll whack it miles off the tee, and we can only hope that many of those finish in the fairway. If they do, his exquisite iron play, which as improved immeasurably in the past few months, can come to the fore.
He’s not had the best season on the greens, but his recent results indicate a clear improvement in that department – that could be the missing ingredient in his pursuit of victory.
Key Stats:
- SG: Tee-to-Green – 31st
- Driving Distance – 41st
- Par 5 Scoring Average – 53rd
Mid-Tier Pick #1:
Hank Lebioda (Odds: 50/1, FPPG: 62.5, GPFP: 50.00 Salary: $7,900)
If you have the each way function at your chosen sportsbook, you would have been rolling in clover with Hank Lebioda of late.
Three consecutive top-10s set the scene for a guy in the form of his life, and what’s more those performances have come about thanks to his imperious putting on Bentgrass greens.
Lebioda has also banked a pair of top-40s at TPC Twin Cities, and while that’s not overly exciting on paper, remember that right now he is hitting the ball better than ever before.
Can he perform a Seamus Power and frank his hot form with a win?
Key Stats:
- SG: Putting – 24th
- Par 4 Scoring Average – 26th
- SG: Approach – 45th
Mid-Tier Pick #2:
Joel Dahmen (Odds: 100/1, FPPG: 56.3, GPFP: 45.04 Salary: $7,500)
Winning the Corales Puntacana Championship hasn’t exactly served as the kick-on point we were expecting for Joel Dahmen, but there’s a lot to like about him on and off the course.
He’s something of a birdie machine – that certainly helps at TPC Twin Cities – and his length off the tee will also serve him well….if he can keep his ball in play.
Dahmen played three rounds under par at the British Open to go with a closing 67 at the Rocket Mortgage Classic, and he is starting to show signs of being a contender once more.
Key Stats:
- Birdie Average – 49th
- SG: Off-the-Tee – 66th
- SG: Approach – 89th
Low-Tier Pick:
Kyle Stanley (Odds: 80/1, FPPG: 58.3, GPFP: 46.66 Salary: $7,300)
Continually putting in strong performances from tee-to-green, how long will it be before it clicks for Kyle Stanley on the greens/
He ranked third for SG: Tee-to-Green at the John Deere Classic and still only finished T41, and so you don’t need to be a genius to work out where his issues lie.
Stanley putted much better on the Bentgrass greens of Colonial a few weeks ago, and so maybe something will click when he returns to the slicker surfaces of TPC Twin Cities. There’s no doubt that he has the ball striking to add to his two PGA TOUR titles.
Key Stats:
- Greens in Regulation – 13th
- Par 4 Scoring Average – 26th
- SG: Tee-to-Green – 37th
Sleeper Pick for the 2021 3M Open
Adam Schenk (Odds: 100/1, FPPG: 56.8, GPFP: 45.43 Salary: $7,400)
Not renowned for his chipping and scrambling abilities, large greens are where Adam Schenk can aim to eliminate the main weakness in his game.
He’s a decent driver of the ball and solid enough on the greens, and what’s more he makes plenty of birdies – a pre-requisite for success at TPC Twin Cities.
We might consider TPC Deere Run to be something of a correlating course to Twin Cities given its expansive fairways, Bentgrass greens and scoreable nature, and Schenk was a very impressive T4 there – a result he followed with a solid-enough T15 at the Barbasol.
Key Stats:
- Scrambling – 40th
- Birdie Average – 45th
- Greens in Regulation – 52nd
Alternative Sleeper Pick for the 2021 3M Open
Wyndham Clark (Odds: 200/1, FPPG: 55.8, GPFP: 44.62 Salary: $6,900)
If Wyndham Clark drives the ball fairly straight this week, his odds of 200/1 could look monumental value.
Okay, so there are some big if’s in there, but we know that Clark has a preference for Bentgrass greens, and his length will give him a definite edge on the Par 5s and then also on the shorter Par 4s, where flick wedges might be his order of the day.
With half-dozen top-25s to his name this season, Clark can outperform his odds and so we’ll take a speculative chance on him here at a layout where he finished T5 in 2019.
Key Stats:
- Driving Distance – 4th
- Scrambling – 33rd
- SG: Approach – 56th
This Week’s Sample Fantasy Lineup
Note: Sample lineups provided as examples only. Be sure to mix-and-match players to best fit individual contests.
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Fantasy Golf Predictions This Season (2020-2021)
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