Fantasy Golf Predictions
Fantasy Golf Picks, Odds, and Predictions – 2021 Wyndham Championship
Fantasy Golf Picks, Odds, and Predictions for the 2021 Wyndham Championship
The 2021 Wyndham Championship Fantasy Preview
There was double heartache for players we had drafted for the WGC FedEx St Jude Invitational last week.
Our mid-tier pick Harris English looked set to clinch his third win of the season at TPC Southwind, leading as he did from wire-to-wire and at one point getting to -20 on Sunday (for context, the winner finished on -16).
But a calamitous back nine, in which he made two double bogeys on his way to +5, ensured that English was out of the contest.
That left the door ajar for others, and countless players tried to force home their advantage – Bryson DeChambeau equally awful back nine ending his hopes, before the three eventual playoff protagonists in sleeper report play Sam Burns, Abraham Ancer and Hideki Matsuyama each had chances to get the job done in normal time.
That trio could not be separated on -16, and after they each made par on the first extra hole it was Ancer who would emerge to clinch his long-awaited maiden PGA TOUR title with a birdie at the second time of asking.
The Mexican star has long looked likely of being a TOUR winner, but you still have to get out there and get the job done. Ancer seems to be the real deal under pressure, and you suspect this will be the first of many trophies heading his way.
He can also be pleased that he is comfortably inside the top 125 players in the FedExCup standings, because that race gets real this week at the Wyndham Championship, the last chance for the players to force their way into the season-ending money-spinner.
Last Week’s Fantasy Results
Last week we scored a couple big finishes from both the main report (this one) and our Tuesday Sleeper report.
On the sleeper side, we had Sam Burns who finished T2 while here we had three top-17 finishes including Harris English who finished solo 4th.
The 2021 Wyndham Championship Field
With the FedExCup getting underway for real next week, it’s no surprise to see quite a thin field gathering for the trip to Sedgefield Country Club.
Four major winners are the headline acts – Matsuyama, Patrick Reed, Louis Oosthuizen and Webb Simpson, the latter of whom has an astounding record at this layout.
Jason Kokrak, a two-time winner this season, is also in town alongside the likes of Sungjae Im, Brian Harman and rookie Will Zalatoris, while former Wyndham champions Si Woo Kim, Brandt Snedeker and defending champ Jim Herman are also in the mix.
Embed from Getty Images
Perhaps the most fun will be in watching those in and around the 125 bubble. Matt Kuchar (120), Adam Scott (123) and Rickie Fowler (125) will all be watching the leaderboard closely this week, while the likes of Tommy Fleetwood, Justin Rose and Olympic silver medalist Rory Sabatini have work to do to qualify for the Northern Trust next time out.
This Week’s Course Preview
We’re into the business end of the PGA TOUR campaign, and this is where Donald Ross designed golf courses come into their own.
We’ll see East Lake in a few weeks for the TOUR Championship, but first up we have this trip to Sedgefield Country Club to consider.
And this is one of the last jollies of the season for the players, because while there’s plenty at stake the golf course is one of the easiest the pro’s will come across all campaign.
The Bermuda greens may be smaller in size than the TOUR average, but that’s about as mischievous as this layout gets. There’s minimal hazards in play with water features on just five holes, light rough and scarcely any notable bunkers to write about – this is the polar opposite to East Lake, in many ways.
Measuring 7,127 yards for its Par 70, Sedgefield is an undulating parklands layout with some tree-lined fairways, but with the winning mark being -21 or -22 for each of the past five editions of the Wyndham Championship this is a track that can be shot down with ease.
Weather Forecast for Greensboro, NC
The early weather forecast suggests it could be something of a mixed bag this week in Greensboro, North Carolina.
The first point of order comes on Wednesday, when significant rainfall has been predicted. But will it be enough to soften the course? Keep your eyes peeled for more details of that later in the week.
Thursday and Friday dawn bright enough and with decent temperatures too – around the 91˚F mark is expected, with wind speeds down in single figures.
The weekend could be a tad funkier, with ‘scattered thunderstorms’ featuring in the forecast. It will stay warm and largely wind-free, but the timing of those storms could dictate any breaks in play to be mindful of.
Last Year’s Results from the 2020 Wyndham Championship
That most frustrating of golfers, Jim Herman, offered up a rare glimpse of his class when winning the Wyndham Championship last year.
He had made just four cuts all year long heading into the trip to North Carolina, but Herman once again defied expectations by delivering a stunning weekend – rounds of 61 and 63 catapulting him up the leaderboard to win by one shot from Billy Horschel.
It was a truly stunning performance that featured three eagles, and required Herman to make four birdies in a row on the Friday just to make the cut.
But his victory was a reminder of how important the Wyndham Championship is – he jumped from 192nd in the FedExCup standings to 54th, and that would frank his ticket as far as the BMW Championship in the home straight.
Jim Herman’s shoots 7-under 63 | Round 4 | Wyndham Championship
In the final of the 2020 Wyndham Championship, Jim Herman pulled off a 59-foot eagle putt along with some other clutch shots to earn his 3rd PGA TOUR victory. SUBSCRIBE to PGA TOUR now: http://pgat.us/vBxcZSh J.T. Poston returns to defend his Wyndham Championship title in the final PGA TOUR event before the FedExCup Playoffs.
Where to Play Fantasy Golf for the Wyndham Championship this Week
While the temptation might be to overlook the Wyndham Championship in favor of a run at the FedExCup playoffs, we implore you to give plenty of thought to getting involved in the action this week – there are plenty of angles and edges to exploit.
- PGA $750k Flop Shot: One of the powerplay contests this week is this $15 affair, which pays out a guaranteed $200k to the winner. With $500k left in the kitty, that means there’s plenty of consolation prizes to be won too.
- PGA $200k Up and Down: It’s a good week for analytical DFS gamers, and there’s plenty of chances to maximize your upside with contests like this – for $55 entry, you could walk away with a $50k jackpot from a relatively small 4,132 player field.
This Week’s Fantasy Notes for the 2021 Wyndham Championship
With little to worry about on the course, all of the questions we have are about who is motivated – and in form – to make birdie after birdie at Sedgefield CC?
There’s so little concern off the tee that almost no player’s chances can be written off – hence how the 500/1 Jim Herman was able to prevail last year, and with so many repetitive holes (eight are Par 4s in the 400-450 yard range) we already know that we’re looking for quality approach players from around the 150-175 yard mark.
The greens are small and undulating, but with some rain – and minimal wind – around these are receptive enough. The key is hitting approaches into the right areas, given the contours, and so again iron play is the key this week.
Given that it’s a birdie-fest, there will be no prizes for guessing that sinking putts is key – comfort on Bermuda is clearly another massive advantage maker.
Otherwise there’s not a lot to write – amongst the last five winners have been Herman, JT Poston, Henrik Stenson and Si Woo Kim, and if you can find a similarity between their games then fair play to you! This is simply one of those weeks where having a week on the greens will be the winning recipe.
[membership level=”0″]
Our Top 5 (and Top 2 Sleeper) Fantasy Picks and Odds to Win the 2021 Wyndham Championship
You must be a Premium Member to view our exclusive fantasy golf picks.
Already a member? Sign in Here.
[/membership]
[membership level=”1,2,3″]
Top 5 Picks/Odds to Win The 2021 Wyndham Championship
Top Tier Pick #1:
Hideki Matsuyama (Odds: 14/1, FPPG: 71.7, GPFP: 88.19 Salary: $11,00)
There’s a bit of swagger to Hideki’s play right now, and why wouldn’t there be in a year in which you’ve been crowned Masters champion and carried the hopes of your nation on your shoulders at the Olympics?
The Japanese ace closed out his WGC St Jude with rounds of 63 and 64, and that came a week after he so nearly clinched a bronze medal in Tokyo.
There’s the possibility that he might slump here given that workload, perhaps, but then you could argue that there’s as much chance that he will bounce on and contend once again – especially as he looked so good at TPC Southwind.
Ranking second for SG: Approach there, Hideki’s fantastic iron play is very much in the bag right now – could that sweep him to victory this week?
Key Stats:
- SG: Approach – 8th
- Total Driving – 29th
- Birdie Average – 35th
Top Tier Pick #2:
Kevin Na (Odds: 40/1, FPPG: 62.9, GPFP: 72.35 Salary: $8,800)
It’s been a few years since Kevin Na graced Sedgefield with his presence, but when he did he banked 10-4 in back-to-back years.
That indicates a fondness for the course and its greens, which will be key to Na finding his best game again on a layout he clearly enjoys.
Excellent in the 150-175 yard range, Na possesses an excellent chipping game and really all we need is for the flat stick to heat up – happily, there were definitely signs of that over the weekend at TPC Southwind.
Key Stats:
- SG: Around-the-Green – 1st
- Birdie Average – 63rd
- Approaches 150-175 yards – 32nd
Mid-Tier Pick #1:
Sebastian Munoz (Odds: 55/1, FPPG: 59.1, GPFP: 47.28 Salary: $8,200)
It’s been a case of hit-and-miss for Sebastian Munoz this season, but he seems to be heating up at just the right time.
T4 at the John Deere Classic was followed by a great run at the Olympic Games, where he was embroiled in that bronze medal playoff.
Devastated no doubt to miss out, Munoz did the right thing by taking a week off and now he can focus on the salient matter at hand – he is playing good golf heading into the business end of the season.
Ranked 63rd in the FedExCup race, Munoz will know he can almost guarantee his ticket to the BMW Championship at least with a strong showing here.
Key Stats:
- Birdie Average – 29th
- Total Driving – 51st
- SG: Approach – 70th
Mid-Tier Pick #2:
Doug Ghim (Odds: 80/1, FPPG: 61.0, GPFP: 48.82 Salary: $7,300)
A decent run of form for Doug Ghim was halted by a missed cut at the 3M Open – an event won by Cameron Champ, who is completely at the opposite end of the distance spectrum.
At a layout where driving distance is of little importance, Ghim should feel more comfortable and can let his otherwise excellent ball-striking shine.
T18 at the John Deere Classic to follow T32 at the Rocket Mortgage, the diminutive pro’s form is strong enough to warrant a pick here – this is a guy that has already served up nine top-25s this season from a similarly overlooked price point.
Key Stats:
- Greens in Regulation – 10th
- SG: Approach – 18th
- Birdie Average – 32nd
Low-Tier Pick:
Andrew Putnam (Odds: 125/1, FPPG: 52.1, GPFP: 41.64 Salary: $6,800)
A fallow period for Andrew Putnam came to an end at the Barracuda Championship, where he finished just a couple of birdies shy of event winner Erik van Rooyen.
Sitting 104 in the FedExCup rankings, he will know that he needs to play well this week to preserve his status, and we expect him to do exactly that – his weak driving will not be punished, and his brilliance in the 150-175 yard category (he’s -24 relative to par this term from that distance) will certainly help.
Reliable with the flat stick, all of the ingredients are there for Putnam to shake off this bargain basement pricing.
Key Stats:
- SG: Putting – 39th
- Par 4 Scoring Average – 67th
- Greens in Regulation – 83rd
Sleeper Pick for the 2021 Wyndham Championship
Rory Sabbatini (Odds: 100/1, FPPG: 54.1, GPFP: 47.59 Salary: $7,200)
It was a pretty historic moment when Rory Sabbatini claimed the Olympic silver medal for his adopted Slovakian homeland, but he’ll have to get his business head on pretty quickly if he is to advance in the FedExCup.
Sitting 138th in the standings, Sabbatini can still comfortably make the playoffs if he performs well this week, and Sedgefield is a course he enjoys – there’s been a pair of top-10s here in recent years.
With motivation aplenty, the Slovak makes birdies for fun and should put in a decent showing this week.
Key Stats:
- Birdie Average – 54th
- Approaches from 125-150 yards – 57th
- SG: Putting – 78th
Alternative Sleeper Pick for the 2021 Wyndham Championship
Ryan Armour (Odds: 110/1, FPPG: 48.1, GPFP: 66.41 Salary: $7,000)
He may be an older statesman on the TOUR, but Ryan Armour still makes plenty of birdies – he ranks 17th for Par 4 BOB – and so he can hang with those half his age in these low-scoring shootouts.
Par 70s are a particular forte, and so a guy who is one of the shortest hitters on TOUR – but who is successful when 150-175 yards away from the pin – can still hold appeal.
Top tens at the 3M Open and the Barbasol Championship prove that, when the layout is appropriate, Armour can still show his obvious qualities.
Key Stats:
- Par 4 Birdie or Better Leaders – 17th
- SG: Putting – 36th
- Approaches from 150-175 yards – 83rd
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.
[/membership]
Fantasy Golf Predictions This Season (2020-2021)
Remember to visit our private Facebook group to discuss this week’s picks for the 2021 Wyndham Championship with other Premium Members.
Cover Photo via Instagram
Did the PGA TOUR Just Make a Huge Mistake?
What’s Really Going on with LIV Golf?
Blind Ranking The Most Iconic Masters Moments
FIRST LOOK: Titleist Unveils New Vokey WedgeWorks Grind Lineup
New Shot Scope LM1: The Best Budget Launch Monitor Under $200?
What’s Really Going on with LIV Golf?
Blind Ranking The Most Iconic Masters Moments
Did the PGA TOUR Just Make a Huge Mistake?
We Played This Old Golf Course Where Thomas Edison Was A Member
Are You MEASURING Your Golf Swing Correctly? (This Can Help)
Zach Johnson Explains Why He Didn’t Pick Bryson DeChambeau for the Ryder Cup
Justin Thomas FIRES Coach before Ryder Cup…Who’s Next?
