Fantasy Golf Sleeper Report – Shriner’s Hospitals for Children Open

2018 Shriner’s Hospitals for Children Open Fantasy Sleeper Report

After the Asian sojourn, it’s back to the nitty gritty of the Fall Season on the PGA TOUR.

A few players will look back fondly on the trip East; particularly Xander Schauffele, who claimed the third PGA TOUR title of his young career at the WGC-HSBC Champions in Shanghai, China at the weekend.

He outfoxed another fine young talent, Tony Finau, in a playoff that helped to showcase why some players have got ‘it’, whatever ‘it’ is, and others don’t. Schauffele has been on the PGA TOUR for barely two years, and already he has shown a knack for getting over the line.

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Others, like Finau, continue to struggle with the jump from being consistently excellent to prolific winner. He is such a likable young man that most are desperate for him to get the monkey off his back and win a title a touch more meaningful than the Puerto Rico Open.

Meanwhile, down in Mississippi something equally as exciting was unfolding. Cameron Champ, who hits the ball further than any human being really has the right to, followed up his exceptional driving with a putting masterclass to win his maiden title at the Sanderson Farms Championship in only his second start as a PGA TOUR pro.

The hype is real, it seems, for a guy who won on the Web.com Tour last season and whom no less a judge than Gary Player has said could revolutionize the way golf is played in the future.

Well, he’s made a pretty good start to back up those grandiose claims.

Champ and Finau will now head to Nevada for the Shriners Hospitals for Children, which for once has attracted a fairly star-studded field for what is usually a rather overlooked Fall event.

But the likes of Jordan Spieth, Rickie Fowler, Bryson DeChambeau and Gary Woodland are in town, and the chance to earn some early season cents as well as a handy haul of FedExCup points clearly appeals.

Conditions are fairly agreeable at TPC Summerlin too, which has surely also played a part in attracting some big names. Last year’s edition was something of an anomaly due to huge winds that buffeted the players, but typically its warm in this part of the world and the track itself holds no real fear; hence why seven of the last ten hostings have been won at -20 or better.

It’s a welcome return to US soil for top flight golf, and so who makes our sleeper shortlist for the eagerly anticipated Shriners Hospitals for Children?

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The Shriner’s Hospitals for Children OpenFantasy Sleeper Report

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The Shriner’s Hospitals for Children Open Fantasy Sleeper Report

Beau Hossler – Vegas Odds 50/1 – When he thinks back to the Shriners of 2017, Beau Hossler will be thinking that he really ought to have claimed his maiden PGA TOUR win there.

Co-leader with JJ Spaun, the pair were three shots clear of the field and surely set to duke it out for the trophy.

But both men struggled with the pressure – Hossler didn’t make a single birdie on the Sunday – and his chances were gone.

But here’s the thing: he rid himself of the ‘choker’ tag at the Houston Open, where he shot a final round of -5 as leader but was undone by the brilliance on the day of Ian Poulter. But Hossler did everything right, and he will now surely be ready to win when the chance comes along.

Perhaps that’s this week; rounds of 65, 66 and 66 at the CIMB Classic and CJ Cup suggest the form is there.

Kevin Na – Vegas Odds 50/1 – Na’s love-hate relationship with TPC Summerlin is downright bizarre: within his last six visits he’s won, finished second, missed two cuts and withdrew.

As many of you will already know, Na resides in Nevada and so there is an obvious link to his former successes here, and with his form in the past few months being as good as it has been in years it’s worth giving him a try once more on home soil.

A winner of the Greenbrier Classic in the summer, Na also banked top-20s at the PGA Championship, the Northern Trust and the BMW Championship, and the return to the US suits a golfer who has never really fired on the Asian Swing.

Andrew Putnam – Vegas Odds 50/1 – Putnam produced a superb performance at the WGC-HSBC Champions event last week, with a third round of 67 – equaling the day’s best – propelling him up the leaderboard.

He finally finished T4 among some of the world’s finest players; not bad work at all!

Perhaps he is ready to take his career to the next level. A winner in Nevada at the Barracuda Championship in the summer, Putnam also finished second at the St Jude Classic; where he did not disgrace himself when partnered in the final group with Dustin Johnson.

We can file Putnam in the category of ‘player likely to win soon’, and perhaps that could happen for him this week.

Scott Piercy – Vegas Odds 66/1 – Another Nevada native, Scott Piercy’s record at TPC Summerlin isn’t quite as impressive as Na’s, but at least he is consistent.

There’s three top-10s and six top-25s in total from nine visits, and the difference this time around is that there should be ample confidence coursing through his veins.

Piercy fired two rounds of 65 and a 67 at the CIMB Classic and the CJ Cup, which suggests to us he is on the verge of a triumphant performance. Why wouldn’t that come at a course he clearly loves?

Bronson Burgoon – Vegas Odds 70/1 – The Texan played some outstanding golf at the CIMB Classic in his T2 finish, and he will be looking to carry on in the same vein back in the US.

We quite like his chances in birdie shootouts – no big surprise for a guy who ranked 37th in Birdie or Better Percentage last season, and the manner in which he hung with the big guns at -19 in the St Jude Classic, finishing T2, will excite his followers.

Prior to his Asian adventure, Burgoon fired three rounds of 68 or better at the Northern Trust, so if this event does descend into a shootout we can rely upon his low scoring powers.

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Want more of this week’s fantasy predictions? Check out our full fantasy preview for The Shriner’s Hospitals for Children Open here.

Sleeper Report Predictions This Season (2018-2019)

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