Fantasy Golf Sleeper Report – 2022 Arnold Palmer Invitational

2022 Arnold Palmer Invitational Fantasy Sleeper Report

Winning ain’t easy.

Joaquin Niemann could have told you that a week ago, and now both Daniel Berger and Shane Lowry can concur.

They both tossed aside winning positions on Sunday at the Honda Classic – Berger conspiring to lose a five-shot cushion in the blink of an eye over the course of a tawdry front nine.

Many expected Lowry, a major champion no less, to take advantage, but the Irishman also lost his birdie power on the back nine – setting the scene for an unlikely winner to emerge.

Sepp Straka has been around for a while now without really threatening the winner’s circle, but the Austrian found a way on Sunday with three birdies in the final five holes – playing the dreaded Bear Trap in -1 to complete a maiden victory of the highest order.

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He’s not the only maiden champion to emerge in recent weeks, so will we have another at the Arnold Palmer Invitational?

The signs would suggest not. This is a high-quality field – Rahm, McIlroy, Hovland, Matsuyama, Scheffler etc – playing a super tough course in Bay Hill, designed and beloved of the man who lends his name to the tournament.

Arnie P may well have had Augusta on his mind when he designed Bay Hill. There’s thick tree-lined fairways, and a healthy percentage of these shape from right to left – the Masters way. The rough, while not pine straw, is thick, there’s more than 80 bunkers, water in play on nine holes and the Bermuda greens are cut as fast as you like….this is a major-level test and no mistake.

Overseas players had their way here for a while, with no American champion for five years up until 2021, when Bryson – in his inimitable style – ran riot over general consensus.

He bashed and bombed his way to glory, averaging 321 yards off the peg and then scrambling for his life to win by one shot from Lee Westwood – ending the European-Oceanic reign at Bay Hill.

DeChambeau has withdrawn from this year’s event due to injury, and his absence has seen the betting market contract somewhat. Even so, there’s still some juicy prices available in the 50/1+ range….could we back ourselves a long odds winner?

Let’s take a look in our 2022 Arnold Palmer Invitational sleeper report.

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2022 Arnold Palmer Invitational Open Fantasy Sleeper Report

Jason Kokrak – 50/1 – With form under his belt at Bay Hill and Innisbrook, Jason Kokrak ticks the boxes straight off the bat.

A three-time PGA TOUR winner since the start of 2020, Kokrak is maturing into a considerable presence on the circuit these days, and while he wouldn’t be considered elite by any means, he can still take care of business at layouts that suit.

With four top-10s to his name at Bay Hill, plus a runner’s up finish at Innisbrook, Kokrak is ideally suited to the test thanks to his long-range iron game, and a fondness for Bermuda greens only serves to increase the feeling that he can contend.

Max Homa – 50/1 – With three top-20s in his last four starts – including T10 in his last start in the Genesis – Max Homa is rounding up to the form that has won him three PGA TOUR titles in his young career.

He’s taken nicely to Bay Hill with a formline of 10-24 in his two visits, and if you want any further meat for your sandwich he’s also banked a T6 return from the Valspar too.

Another with an edge when it comes to long-range approach play, Homa looks ready to build on an impressive enough resumé at Arnie Palmer’s pet project.

Keith Mitchell – 50/1 – While his sportsbook odds have been snipped to the very edge of value following a period of good form, Keith Mitchell is nonetheless worthy of a second look this week.

In his last six starts, Mitchell has posted five finishes of T12 or better – an outstanding stretch of form for a player formerly considered nothing more than a bomb-and-gouge merchant.

But his iron game has enjoyed a remarkable improvement, and his power hitting – and ability to stay out of trouble on the long Par 3s – shows up very nicely this week.

Gary Woodland – 66/1 – There has been a notable uptick from Gary Woodland of late, and his all-round game looked in decent shape at PGA National.

He had putted well at Torrey Pines, but his tee-to-green game was in good order on his return to Florida, where he has now set up home, and he will be looking forward to a long-awaited return to Bay Hill.

Woodland compiled a solid enough record at the layout in his previous efforts, and he might just fancy a better turn this time around.

Cameron Young – 80/1 – The good form of Cameron Young has to end at some point, but he looks well primed for another excellent turn this week.

Tracks like Bay Hill can be an eye-opening experience for newcomers to the TOUR, but Young handled the complexities of PGA National nicely last week and was T2 at Riviera just prior – another doglegging layout with some tight sightlines.

Super long, Young has the benefit of being able to take clubs with more loft on them from further away, and that will prove very beneficial as he approaches Bay Hill’s speedy greens.

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Want more of this week’s fantasy predictions? Check out our full fantasy preview for the Arnold Palmer Invitational here.

Sleeper Report Predictions This Season (2021-2022)

[skill_bar heading=”Total Top 3s” percent=”3.33%” bar_text=”3 out of 90 picks” style=”background-color: #5fb341″][skill_bar heading=”Total Top 10s” percent= “17.78%” bar_text=”18 out of 90 picks” style=”background-color: #5fb341″][skill_bar heading=”Total Top 25s” percent=”20.00%” bar_text=”20 out of 90 picks” style=”background-color: #5fb341″][skill_bar heading=”Total Winners Picked” percent=”5.56%” bar_text=”1 out of 18 events” style=”background-color: #5fb341″][skill_bar heading=”Total Runners-Up Picked” percent=”5.56%” bar_text=”1 out of 18 events” style=”background-color: #5fb341″][skill_bar heading=”Total Made Cuts (Includes Sleepers)” percent=”58.88%” bar_text=”53 out of 90 picks” style=”background-color: #5fb341″]

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