Fantasy Golf Predictions
Fantasy Golf Picks, Odds, & Predictions – CIMB Classic
Fantasy Golf Picks, Odds, and Predictions for the CIMB Classic
2018 CIMB Classic Fantasy Preview
The 2018/19 PGA TOUR campaign could not have kicked off in more dramatic fashion.
Brandt Snedeker held a three-shot lead heading into Sunday’s back nine at the Safeway Open, and for a noted wind player – it was howling a gale in Napa – and a prolific winner on Californian soil victory seemed a formality.
But three consecutive bogeys from 10-12 changed the complexion of the leaderboard, and all Sneds could muster was a place in a three-man play-off featuring Kevin Tway and Ryan Moore.
Snedeker bogeyed the replayed 18th to exit stage left, with Tway making a ridiculous up-and-down after an errant tee shot.
He and Moore both made par at the second extra hole, and as the action moved back to the 10th it was Tway who would land his maiden PGA TOUR title, making birdie to see off the challenge of Moore, who had posted a fantastic 67 in horrendous conditions in regulation play.
The Tour leaves the wind behind and heads east to Asia for a three-week jaunt. First up is the CIMB Classic, a small-field event played in Malaysia. Just 78 men will duke it out for honors in the often sweaty, wet and wild monsoon season in Kuala Lumpur.
Jordan Spieth of the United States plays his shot from the 14th tee…
Jordan Spieth of the United States plays his shot from the 14th tee during singles matches of the 2018 Ryder Cup at Le Golf National on September 30, 2018 in Paris, France. Get premium, high resolution news photos at Getty Images
Last Event’s Fantasy Results
Last week Tway proved to be the best pick with a Ryan Moore/Brandt Snedeker winning trifecta.
Over all we missed two cuts of our seven main picks with our best finish being our top sleeper pick Danny Lee who came in with a solid T10.
Although you can’t expect much out of the questionable ‘fall-series,’ it’s still good practice for the bigger stakes DFS that will be here before you know it.
Kevin Tway poses with the trophy after putting in to win on a third…
Kevin Tway poses with the trophy after putting in to win on a third hole sudden death playoff against Ryan Moore during the final round of the Safeway Open at the North Course of the Silverado Resort… Get premium, high resolution news photos at Getty Images
The 2018 CIMB Classic Field
You do tend to get the same kind of player turning it up year in, year out at these Fall Season events in Asia.
Hence why Justin Thomas, Ryan Moore and Pat Perez, who have won this title for the past five years between them, are all in Kuala Lumpur looking to add to their collection.
Keegan Bradley, the BMW Championship winner, will look to capitalize on his recent upturn in form alongside Ryder Cupper Paul Casey. Billy Horschel and Xander Schauffele were disappointed to miss out on Ryder Cup selection themselves – they have a chance to make a point to Jim Furyk and co here.
There’s a strong Antipodean theme with Marc Leishman, Cameron Smith and Danny Lee heading east, while the Asian contingent will be represented by Kiradech Aphibarnrat, Si-Woo Kim, Byeong Hun-An and C.T. Pan.
Pat Perez of the United States plays his shot from the 13th tee…
Pat Perez of the United States plays his shot from the 13th tee during the first round of the BMW Championship at Aronimink Golf Club on September 6, 2018 in Newtown Square, Pennsylvania. Get premium, high resolution news photos at Getty Images
This Week’s Course Preview
The action will unfold on the West Course at TPC Kuala Lumpur, a short (7,006 yard) Par 72 that has undergone some key renovations since the 2017 edition.
The fairways and greens have been seeded with Bermuda grass, which will eventually replace the Seashore Paspalum that has been in place for decades. Able to cope well with the heat and heavy downpours that this part of the world experiences, the putting surfaces will have a more ‘American’ feel to them than the grainy greens that the players have become accustomed to.
Designed by Haworth & Nelson, who were also responsible for Sheshan International – host of the WGC HSBC Champions event. In 2008 the layout was given an overhaul by the Parslow & Winter team.
There are four Par 5s, including the 634-yard eighteenth which is an eagle opportunity only for the longest of hitters. There are few demons here, apart from perhaps the fifteenth; a 200-yard Par 3 played over water and into a green protected by sand. It was one of just five holes to average over par in 2017.
Derek Fathauer of the United States plays a shot on the 14th hole…
Derek Fathauer of the United States plays a shot on the 14th hole during day one of the 2016 CIMB Classic atthe TPC, Kuala Lumpur on October 20, 2016 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Get premium, high resolution news photos at Getty Images
Weather Forecast for Kuala Lumpur, MAS
Anyone that has watched any of the recent editions of the CIMB Classic might just have a clue what we’re about to report.
It’s rainy season in Kuala Lumpur, and that means a couple of things. Supremely humid conditions, almost oppressively so, will be joined by heavy storms that have the potential to force the players back into the clubhouse for hours at a time.
It looks set to be the same format this year, with rain, thunder and lightning predicted both in the build-up and during the four days of golf too.
Look at the temperatures – an average of 88 degrees – and then the wind speeds, which look set to be around 5 mph max. It’s going to be hot, sticky and a real test of physical prowess in Malaysia.
Last Year’s Results from the CIMB Classic
Pat Perez asserted his authority on the field early 12 months ago, and he refused to relinquish his grip on the trophy.
At the halfway stage he sat in first place on -13, with Schauffele just behind at -12 and the rest of the field no better than -9.
He extended that lead to -21 after 54 holes, with Schauffele four back and Sung Kang five.
Any fears of finishing line nerves were extinguished by three birdies in his first four holes on Sunday, and in the end Perez was a comfortable four-shot winner from Keegan Bradley, with Schauffele and Kang seven back on -17 and Cameron Smith and Hideki Matsuyama rounding out the top five on -16.
Pat Perez extended highlights | Round 3 | CIMB
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Where to Play Fantasy Golf for the CIMB Classic this Week
It’s a low-key week on the PGA TOUR, with the European Tour offering an arguably more intriguing event for DFS Gamers. Consequently, this is one of the least appealing weeks as far as the slate of contests is concerned, but as we know these weak field events offer well-informed players plenty of opportunities for cashing early in the campaign.
- PGA $200k Tee-to-Green: With just 78 men in the field, there’s less variance this week and thus a greater chance of winning awaits. So why not take a bash at the $50k top prize available here?
- PGA $5k Caddie: So, if there’s a smaller field, the big-time gamers with massive budgets can play more rosters and really swamp the major contests. Take on a single entry contest like this one then, and let your class shine through!
This Week’s Fantasy Notes for the CIMB Classic
What makes a CIMB Classic champion?
Many of the players in the field have travelled thousands of miles to Malaysia, and so clearly the motivation is there.
There’s FedExCup points to be won, a decent enough pot of prize money and the chance to get your hands on a trophy in what is a weak, 78-man field.
It’s no secret that some players return to TPC Kuala Lumpur year after year and do the business. The great course form debate reared its head on social media again last week, and while nobody has definitive proof that it is or isn’t the most important ‘handicapping’ tool, it’s clear that repeated strong showings at this layout are significant.
On a similar note, there are some correlating courses that simply can’t be ignored. Just take a look at some of these performances, and the link is clear:
- Pat Perez – winner of the CIMB Classic and OHL Classic
- Justin Thomas – winner of the CIMB Classic and Sony Open
- Patton Kizzire – winner of the OHL Classic and Sony Open
- Gary Woodland – second at the CIMB Classic, OHL Classic and Honda Classic
- Rickie Fowler – winner of the Honda Classic and second at the OHL Classic
- Adam Scott – winner of the Honda Classic, second at the CIMB Classic and Sony Open
- Russell Knox – second at the OHL Classic and Honda Classic
- Russell Henley – winner of the Sony Open and Honda Classic
- Sergio Garcia – second at the CIMB and Honda Classic
And so on.
As for what works at TPC Kuala Lumpur, this is your standard golf event with no surprises. What you do off the tee isn’t too significant, but you certainly need to make plenty of greens in regulation – Perez ranked first with 86% GIR 12 months ago – and make some putts.
How will the greens play? The Bermuda may take some time to settle, and so it’s likely they will be of the grainy, slightly slow nature that we have come to expect. With lots of rain around the greenkeepers don’t have much choice!
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Our Top 5 (and Top 2 Sleeper) Fantasy Picks and Odds to Win the CIMB Classic
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Top 5 Picks/Odds to Win the CIMB Classic
*This early in the season some players do not qualify enough stats to register a FPGP and GPFP.
Top Tier Pick #1:
Justin Thomas (Odds: 5/1, FPPG: 72.5, GPFP: 63.80 Salary: $11,700)
You’re damned if you do, damned if you don’t.
There’s always a dilemma when there’s a red-hot favorite to win the trophy, and while we know that being ‘contrary’ is key to low ownership and thus DFS success, there’s also the very real feeling that Justin Thomas could stroll to victory this week.
He’s the best player in the field – that always helps, and the form is strong enough with a T7 in the TOUR Championship and some decent showings in the Ryder Cup, too.
JT has twice won at TPC Kuala Lumpur, and has also triumphed in two of our correlating courses at the Honda Classic and the Sony Open.
He seems to love playing golf in hot and humid conditions with victories in Malaysia and Hawaii, and like we say: as the most likely winner this week, can we afford to leave him out of our rosters?
Key Stats:
- SG: Tee-to-Green – 2nd
- SG: Approach – 3rd
- Birdie Average – 4th
Top-Tier Pick #2:
Keegan Bradley (Odds: 25/1, FPPG: NA , GPFP: NA Salary: $9,900)
Bradley’s win at the BMW Championship was a long time in the making; six years in fact, when he last tasted glory at the WGC Bridgestone.
Now the onus is on showing that wasn’t a flash in the pan, and a birdie-fest in Malaysia this week might be just what the doctor ordered.
He was runner-up here 12 months ago and with good reason – he loves the layout (three top-10s in all), and a course where he can free his arms without getting into much trouble is a great help.
Bradley is his own worst enemy at times, but the stats confirm he’s also one of the best ball strikers in the business. Putting is a problem, but he was red hot at Aronimink and clearly has the measure of these surfaces at TPC Kuala Lumpur; even with the re-seeding.
Brandt Snedeker, who had experienced his own title drought, won the Greenbrier Classic a couple of months ago and should have followed up on Sunday, so there’s a template for recent but long-overdue winners getting back into the mix in good time.
Key Stats:
- SG: Approach – 2nd
- Total Driving – 2nd
- Total Birdies – 31st
Mid-Tier Pick #1:
Chez Reavie (Odds: 50/1, FPPG: 71.25, GPFP: 85.80 Salary: $7,600)
A pair of 69s at the Safeway Open got Chez Reavie’s Fall Season off to a positive start, and while he couldn’t capitalise from there it was still a positive effort from the pint-sized player.
There was a strong end to last season as well with top 20s at the PGA Championship and Northern Trust, so Reavie is trending in the right direction at the moment.
T17 here last year, the 36-year-old has shown form in the OHL Classic and Sony Open too, and his strong approach play and short game should help him to conjure plenty of birdie opportunities at an agreeable TPC Kuala Lumpur track.
Key Stats:
- SG: Approach – 20th
- Scrambling – 28th
- Par 4 Birdie or Better Leaders – 29th
Mid-Tier Pick #2:
Si-Woo Kim (Odds: 80/1, FPPG: 51.5, GPFP: 41.20 Salary: $7,400)
We’re just waiting for the Korean ace to strong four good rounds together.
A couple of 66s at the Dell Technologies and BMW Championship confirm he’s had his scoring boots on lately, and if he can cut out the error then Si-Woo can add another PGA TOUR title to his collection soon.
A top-10 finish here 12 months ago, allied to strong showings at the OHL Classic and RBC Heritage, suggests that he will be force to be reckoned with when it comes to resort golf in the years to come.
Key Stats:
- Total Birdies – 14th
- SG: Around-the-Green – 21st
- Par 5 Birdie or Better Leaders – 68th
Low-Tier Pick:
Keith Mitchell (Odds: 125/1, FPPG: NA, GPFP: NA Salary: $6,900)
A huge hitter that makes lots of GIR and birdies, Keith Mitchell could thrive this week if he can get to grips with the humid conditions in Malaysia.
He nearly made it to the TOUR Championship in his first full season on the PGA TOUR, which is impressive in itself, with a formline reading a second, a third and two other top-10 finishes.
Could his maiden title follow soon enough? He certainly has the game, and a laidback birdie fest might just be the right time for the 26-year-old.
Key Stats:
- Driving Distance – 10th
- Birdie Average – 13th
- Greens in Regulation – 35th
Sleeper Pick for the CIMB Classic
Abraham Ancer (Odds: 80/1, FPPG: NA, GPFP: NA, Salary: $7,100)
Ancer was on our shortlist for the Safeway Open last week, so it was a bit disappointing when he withdrew with injury.
Happily for us and him, it wasn’t anything serious – a mere accident in which he cut himself with a knife, and he has tweeted that he is 100% and looking forward to the trip to Malaysia.
The reason we’re sweet on Ancer is his recent form. In his last five starts, he has recorded a pair of top-10s with 12 rounds in the 60s from 18 played.
Key Stats:
- Scrambling – 27th
- SG: Off-the-Tee – 41st
- Scoring Average – 70th
Alternative Sleeper Pick for the CIMB Classic
Brice Garnett (Odds: 125/1, FPPG: NA, GPFP: NA Salary: $7,000)
Five of the last six rounds that Brice Garnett has played have been in the 60s, ad if we stretch that record back to the PGA Championship we see 11/18 rounds in the 60s plus four at 70.
And so the 35-year-old is shooting low numbers right now; crucial to staying in contention at TPC Kuala Lumpur.
A winner on the Paspalum of Corales Golf Club in 2018, Garnett has won three times on the PGA and Web.com Tour since the start of 2017; a handy knack for lifting trophies.
Key Stats:
- Total Birdies – 39th
- Total Driving – 42nd
- Approaches from 50-125 yards – 57th
This Week’s Sample DraftKings 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 (2018-2019)
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