Fantasy Golf Sleeper Report – The Masters 2017

The Sleeper Report: Fantasy Golf Sleepers, Long Shots, and Undervalued Picks for the 2017 Masters from Augusta, Georgia

The 2017 Masters Sleeper Preview

Of all the incredible moments that have taken place at Augusta National, few will live as long in the memory as Jordan Spieth’s demise around Amen Corner just 12 months ago.  It was the scene of ludicrously talented young man falling apart at the seams, his hopes and dreams shattered by that opponent that many of us so often struggle to overcome: our own minds.

Spieth’s run of +6 through three holes on the back nine that fateful Sunday is the perfect microcosm of why the golf majors – and The Masters in particular – will forever provide the backdrop to the sport’s most iconic moments; for better or, in Spieth’s case, for worse.  His demise offered an opportunity to another player, and this time it was Danny Willett who took full advantage.

The Englishman, a prolific winner on the European Tour but not somebody who has showcased his best golf on American soil, was majestic on that Sunday, carding a bogey-free 67 to leapfrog Spieth into the winner’s circle.  There was almost a look of surprise on his face as he slipped into the Green Jacket; the look on Spieth’s face was rather more sullen.

So what will transpire in the 2017 edition of The Masters?  Who knows, but one thing is for sure: there will be plenty of ups and downs as part of this exhilarating thrill-ride in a small town in Texas.

The numerous sub-plots are in place.  Has any golfer in history been in better form heading into a Masters renewal than Dustin Johnson?  This is a guy who has won the last three tournaments he has entered, and is helping to take the sport into a whole new stratosphere.  A first try on of the Green Jacket would be a fitting epitaph to a wonderful year for DJ.

As for Rory McIlroy, it’s now nearly a year since he won anywhere and two-and-a-half years since he triumphed in a major.  You sense that the Ulsterman is desperate to get back in the saddle.

Questions remain around the psychological wellbeing of Spieth as he returns to Augusta for the first time, as well as the mental and physical health of Jason Day too.

So could this be the year that an outsider wins The Masters?  That was certainly the case last year when Danny Willett romped home at a sportsbook price of 125/1, and while he is the longest-priced winner for a number of years Augusta still throws up some surprises.

Matt Fitzpatrick, the English rookie, marked his second trip to Augusta – and his first as a pro – with a T7 finish after an error-free Sunday round of 67.  In 2014, young upstart Spieth had a chance of glory in his first trip to the course, as did wily old veterans Miguel Angel-Jimenez, Jonas Blixt, and Thomas Bjorn.  Bubba Watson would eventually seal his second Masters triumph with a steady final round of 69.

So, those at longer odds with the Vegas books must not be ignored; they often have a part to play in the destination of the Green Jacket.  But who will be in contention this year?  Let’s take a look in this week’s edition of the Tuesday Fantasy Sleeper Report.

[membership level=”0″]

2017 Masters Fantasy Sleeper Report

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″]

The Masters Fantasy Sleeper Report

Mix and match these players with your usual rosters (or play them separately) to get the most out of your picks this week.

Louis Oosthuizen – Vegas Odds 66/1 – The South African has enjoyed himself at Augusta over the years, and it really is a course that suits his game.  Not the most accurate off the tee, Oosthuizen comes alive in the final third of a hole and as long as his putter is hot, there is no obvious reason why he can’t go close again.  A run of 15-19-25-MC-2 speaks for itself.

For 66/1 we are getting a major winner (2010’s Open) who has also finished runner-up in three other ‘biggies’ – and how crucial could that experience prove down the back nine on Sunday? – with form this season including a third at the Phoenix Open, T21 at the Honda Classic and T28 at the Arnold Palmer Invitational.

One thing is for sure, in a nerve-racking finale Oosthuizen is a man to have onside.

Charl Schwartzel – Vegas Odds 80/1 – Our second sleeper to watch out for is Oost’s South African countryman: Charl Schwartzel.

Here’s a guy who has already tried the Green Jacket on for size in 2011, and whose record at Augusta – while not the most consistent – has delivered five cuts made in seven starts.

Schwartzel has won plenty of tournaments worldwide, so there are no questions regarding his moral fibre, and the actual golf side of his game is in reasonable shape too, with a sixth-place finish at the Valspar in March a hint at what could be to come.

Kevin Kisner – Vegas Odds 100/1 – Given the fragility he showed with victory at his mercy at the Arnold Palmer Invitational just a couple of weeks ago, we have to be cautious when talking up the chances of Kevin Kisner.  But then, to even get into a position of such authority, you have to be playing great golf, right?

Kisner led by four strokes at one point during the back nine of his title assault, and his subsequent collapse was something of a concern.  But that decent showing came on the back of almost top-10s at the WGC Mexico (T11), AT&T Pebble Beach (T10), and the Sony Open (T4), so we know that the University of Georgia graduate is playing great golf right now.

He made his one-and-only Augusta appearance last year, finishing T37.  Where did Danny Willett finish in his sole start here prior to winning the championship? T38.

Charley Hoffman – Vegas Odds 150/1 – Another player in a rich vein of form is Charley Hoffman, who rounded up a T4 at the Genesis Open (an event with strong Masters correlation) and T2 at the Arnold Palmer with a solid enough T24 at the Houston Open last time out.

Three visits to Augusta have yielded 27-9-29 returns, and in the 2015 renewal he was well in the mix after an opening trio of 67-68-71.  If he could have maintained that form into Sunday (he shot 74) then who knows what might have been.

Hoffman doesn’t offer the best record in majors, so the fact that he has rather taken to Augusta is encouraging.

Hudson Swafford – Vegas Odds 200/1 – The Shell Houston Open is deliberately placed in the PGA TOUR calendar to fall a week prior to The Masters, and the reason for that is that the Golf Club of Houston offers plenty of similarities to Augusta.

It’s eye-catching then that Swafford fired three rounds in the 60s on his way to a T6 finish, and that extends his fine run of form to three top-10s in his last seven starts; including that maiden victory at the CareerBuilder Challenge.

Two Georgians have won the Masters – Larry Mize and Bubba Watson – and Swafford, an honorary Georgian after studying there and setting up home in St. Simon’s, will be looking to join the distinguished club.

[/membership]

Want more of this week’s fantasy predictions? Check out our full fantasy preview for The Masters here.

Cover photo via Instagram