Fantasy Golf Picks, Odds, and Predictions – The Memorial Tournament

Fantasy Golf Picks, Odds, and Predictions for the Memorial Tournament

2019 Memorial Tournament Fantasy Preview

We’re just a couple of weeks shy of what will surely be an epic edition of the US Open at Pebble Beach’s legendary Links.

Many different players will be fancied, but perhaps a surprise sleeper has thrown his name into the ring with victory at the Charles Schwab Challenge last week.

Kevin Na of the United States poses for a photo with the trophy after…

Kevin Na of the United States poses for a photo with the trophy after winning the Charles Schwab Challenge at Colonial Country Club on May 26, 2019 in Fort Worth, Texas. Get premium, high resolution news photos at Getty Images

That was Kevin Na’s second win on the PGA TOUR in less than a year, and for an ‘unfashionable’ player who doesn’t often appear on the radar that is interesting indeed. He will be looking forward to the rest of the season in earnest.

There’s usually a strong field that emerges for this week’s event, the Memorial Tournament, at Muirfield Village in Ohio, and that’s partly due to its proximity in the schedule to the US Open.

But this is also a fantastic golf course as well, and while it lacks many characteristics in common with Pebble Beach, it will still act as useful high end ‘match practice’ for all involved.

After all, Brooks Koepka’s run-out in the Byron Nelson proved to be the perfect platform for his subsequent PGA Championship triumph!

Last Week’s Fantasy Results 

Another week, another winner picked!  This time, it was Kevin Na off of our Tuesday Sleeper report.

Despite losing Rahm as our horse pick to the cut line, both Na and Sabbatini (T6) provided some much needed fire power to bring some cash in the door. This marks our second consecutive week picking the winner, and now our second correctly picked winner from our low-odds sleeper picks!

In case you missed it, here is what we had to say about Na heading into Colonial:

You only have to go back 12 months to recall when Kevin Na absolutely slayed Colonial CC.

He bookended his tournament with rounds of 62 and 61, and while we can largely ignore the filling of that sandwich it’s proof positive that this layout is right up Na’s street.

That was his third top-10 at the layout, and for a player with bits and pieces of form in the bank that is intriguing to say the least.

A run to the last eight of the WGC-Dell Matchplay was franked by a decent effort at Augusta and a top-10 at the RBC Heritage, and we’re willing to forgive a missed cut at Bethpage given that that came on the line.

Can Na take Colonial to task once more? At these odds, it will be fun watching him try.

The 2019 Memorial Tournament Field

Tiger Woods will dust off the cobwebs ahead of the US Open as he seeks a sixth victory at Jack Nicklaus’ signature Muirfield layout.

Rory McIlroy, Matt Kuchar and Xander Schauffele will be looking to maintain their decent recent form – consolidating their position at the top of the FedExCup standings is a happy side effect, while Jordan Spieth will be hoping to improve upon his recent upturn in fortunes.

Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland plays a shot from the eighth tee…

Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland plays a shot from the eighth tee during the second round of the 2019 PGA Championship at the Bethpage Black course on May 18, 2019 in Farmingdale, New York. Get premium, high resolution news photos at Getty Images

Justin Rose is still looking for a meaningful return to form since joining the Honma stable, while Justin Thomas makes his return to action after missing six weeks with a wrist injury.

A catalogue of former Muirfield champions, including Hideki Matsuyama, local favorite Jason Dufner and defending champ Bryson DeChambeau will all be looking to double up in this stretch of Ohio.

This Week’s Course Preview

Muirfield Village has hosted this event for more 40 years, and so this is a golf course that remains true to the original blueprints put together by Jack Nicklaus.

They haven’t needed to add length or anything like that, because the test is already stern enough for players no matter how far they can bludgeon the ball.

This tends to be a ball-striker’s paradise, where those who are straight off the tee and precise on approach tend to enjoy proceedings the most. The fairways are of an average width but the rough tends to be penal, so keeping your ball in play is vital.

Tiger Woods hits his second shot on the 14th hole during the final…

Tiger Woods hits his second shot on the 14th hole during the final round of The Memorial Tournament Presented by Nationwide at Muirfield Village Golf Club on June 3, 2018 in Dublin, Ohio. Get premium, high resolution news photos at Getty Images

There are some 73 bunkers across the real estate, with water in play on eleven holes, so there is danger lurking at every turn.

A standard 7,392 yards for its Par 72, Muirfield is a typical parklands track that is undulating and lined with Bentgrass. The greens will run pretty sharply on the stimp, but beware there is some rain in the forecast and that will help to slow the surfaces down.

Muirfield Village has previously hosted the Ryder Cup and the Presidents Cup, so this is a well-respected layout that has the classic Jack Nicklaus stamp of quality.

Weather Forecast for Dublin, OH

The theme of the week appears to be rain, rain and more rain.

The forecast from Tuesday through to Friday is for thundery showers, with high humidity and temperatures ranging from 73°f to 80°. The most interesting day could be Thursday, where the wind is set to reach 15 mph.

Happily, the wet stuff should clear away for the weekend, with sunny spells the key theme on Saturday and Sunday, with warm temperatures and gentle enough winds.

Last Year’s Results from the Memorial Tournament

Although he was already a Tour winner, Bryson DeChambeau really showed his chops for the first time under pressure at Muirfield 12 months ago.

He led by one heading into the final round, but was being chased hard by a pack which included Patrick Cantlay, Kyle Stanley and Joaquin Niemann, who were all just one shot adrift.

An up-and-down Sunday left Bryson in the mire, and he three-putted 18 to cost himself a shot and force a play-off against Stanley and Byeong-Hun An.

He rallied, scrambling for par on the first play-off hole alongside An. Stanley – who had earlier birdied four holes in a row to get himself into the conversation – was eliminated with bogey.

They played eighteen again, and this time Bryson stiffed his approach to just 12ft, and a nerveless putt for birdie saw him enter the winner’s enclosure on the PGA TOUR for the second time. It was the first of his four wins in 2018!

Highlights | Round 4 | the Memorial

SUBSCRIBE to PGA TOUR now: http://pgat.us/vBxcZSh In the final round of the Memorial Tournament presented by Nationwide 2018, Bryson DeChambeau comes out on top after a two-playoff hole face-off against Kyle Stanley and Byeong Hun An on Sunday. The Memorial Tournament presented by Nationwide returns to Muirfield Village Golf Club in Dublin, Ohio.

Where to Play Fantasy Golf for the Memorial Tournament this Week

Now is an excellent time to start getting your house in order for the US Open, where a mighty slate of contests is sure to await. So let’s take a look at two ways in which we can add to our bankroll in time for the third major of the campaign.

• PGA $50k Albatross: The first 25% of teams earn a prize in this $12 contest, so this acts as a fine way to add some cash to your bankroll to splash on the US Open in a couple of weeks’ time.
• PGA $25k Sand Save: Time for something a bit different now, with this $75 entry contest where the top 20% of finishers will win a minimum of $150 – that’s a handy way to lead into Pebble Beach! The top prize is $5k.

This Week’s Fantasy Notes for the Memorial Tournament

Tom Watson, Greg Norman, Vijay Singh, Fred Couples, Tiger Woods, Justin Rose, Jim Furyk….there are some classy names on this Memorial Tournament, and that reflects both the quality of the field and the test of pure ball-striking that Muirfield presents.

There are also some unusual names too: David Lingmerth, William McGirt, Bart Bryant….these are not players that give too much away either.

But we’re happy enough to believe in the trend that it’s the iron game specialists who really thrive at Muirfield: that’s confirmed by last year’s final three of Bryson, Stanley and An.

Ideally, we’re looking for those who are straight off the tee – length may be an advantage depending on how much rain falls these next few days, but the key is approach play; flushing those irons and making some 10-15ft putts.

There is another high-profile PGA TOUR event played in Ohio, the WGC-Bridgestone at Firestone, so there could be some mileage in following that local link, and fans of such things my want to note that there is some crossover in form to another of Jack Nicklaus’ tracks, Glen Abbey, which plays host to the RBC Canadian Open.

So we’re looking for premium tee-to-green merchants this week, how many can we fit into our draft line-up?

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Our Top 5 (and Top 2 Sleeper) Fantasy Picks and Odds to Win the Memorial Tournament

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Top 5 Picks/Odds to Win the Memorial Tournament

Top Tier Pick #1:  

Tony Finau (Odds: 25/1, FPPG: 78.1, GPFP: 85.94 Salary: $9,600)

Finau spoke at length last week about changes he has made to his putting. He’s switched to the claw grip and changed the set-up of his putter, and it paid instant dividends at the Charles Schwab Challenge in his run to solo second.

He gained 1.80 strokes on the field on the greens, and that is a rare occurrence indeed for a player more known or his premium ball-striking abilities.

We always like to back players who are confident with their putting. That has a habit of bleeding into other aspects of play, and to reiterate the tee-to-green side of things is not an area where Finau is lacking.

The 29-year-old has played well at Muirfield before, and has done the business at Firestone and Glen Abbey too. Could he finally add a second PGA TOUR title to his collection this week?

Key Stats:

• Scoring Average – 17th
• SG: Off-the-Tee – 26th
• SG: Approach – 34th

Top-Tier Pick #2:  

Matt Kuchar (Odds: 22/1, FPPG: 88.5, GPFP: 110.63 Salary: $9,400)

Prior to this season Matt Kuchar was known as the guy who could play unbelievable golf without winning. Well, two wins in quick succession confirm that Kooch deserves his seat at golf’s top table.

Even at the age of 40 he’ll be hungry to win more after a fallow period, and it’s at traditional courses like Muirfield Village where he is most likely to do just that.

Kuchar has a phenomenal record here, with four top-20s in the last five years including a pair of T4s in 2016 and ’17. It’s a layout that suits him down to a tee.

And what about that current formline? In his last 14 starts worldwide, he’s won twice, finished solo second twice and delivered a further trio of top-10 finishes. His last outing was another top-10 at a wholly unsuitable layout at Bethpage Black….that just shows how well Kooch is going.

Key Stats:

• Greens in Regulation – 1st
• SG: Approach – 6th
• Total Driving – 16th

Mid-Tier Pick #1:  

Kyle Stanley (Odds: 70/1, FPPG: 49.3, GPFP: 39.42 Salary: $7,800)

After a derisory first half of 2019 to date, Kyle Stanley found some at the unlikeliest of places: the WGC-Dell Match Play.

But he made his way through the bracket phase of that tournament, and that led to improvements to the extent that he recorded a T8 at the Wells Fargo and T21 in the Masters.

All of which is of interest because Stanley has a fine record at Muirfield Village. He lost out in that play-off 12 months ago, while in 2017 he ended up finishing T6 after a sublime final round of 68 in tough scoring conditions.

Key Stats:

• Approaches from 150-175 Yards – 11th
• Approaches from 125-150 Yards – 22nd
• Total Driving – 65th

Mid-Tier Pick #2: 

Byeong Hun An (Odds: 70/1, FPPG: 62.4, GPFP: 49.94 Salary: $7,400)

The Korean is a player we have supported quite liberally in the past year or so, but he is certainly somebody capable of winning PGA TOUR events – even if his resumé doesn’t prove as such.

Benny is a flusher; a genuinely excellent tee-to-green merchant for whom putting remains something of a dark art.

But at tracks like Muirfield where his iron game is suitably rewarded we simply have to give him a chance, especially given his fourth round effort at Colonial. While solo 68th at the Charles Schwab Challenge doesn’t sound that impressive, he showed real class on Sunday in touch conditions, firing a 69 and gaining +2.85 strokes on the field from tee-to-green.

The World Number 59 loves it at Muirfield Village with a formline of 2-25-11, and he also has a second-place finish to his name at another Jack Nicklaus design: Glen Abbey, home of the Canadian Open.

Key Stats:

• Greens in Regulation – 12th
• SG: Tee-to-Green – 44th
• SG: Around-the-Green – 45th

Low-Tier Pick: 

Jhonattan Vegas (Odds: 125/1, FPPG: 65.5, GPFP: 80.57 Salary: $7,200)

After going on a run of strong form, Jhonattan Vegas was quietly fancied to go well at the PGA Championship thanks to his mechanical tee-to-green game and high ball flight.

The subsequent missed cut came as something of a surprise then, and that’s why the Venezuelan has been so readily dismissed here.

You can construe his 74-67-73-67 at Colonial in two ways, but we’re going to take the positives and reflect on another excellent tee-to-green effort.

Vegas was a back-to-back winner at Glen Abbey, so Jack Nicklaus designs do suit his eye and we’re expecting a strong performance from him this week.

Key Stats:

• SG: Tee-to-Green – 28th
• Greens in Regulation – 36th
• Scoring Average – 40th

Sleeper Pick for the Memorial Tournament

Luke List (Odds: 66/1, FPPG: 63.2, GPFP: 50.54 Salary: $7,600)

It’s easy to disregard List for events like this: his bombs off the tee, which can land pretty much anywhere from cart path to pond, are not the mark of a tee-to-green specialist.

And yet it’s at tracks like Muirfield, where the big stick stays sheathed for much of the week, where he excels best. How else can you explain his solo sixth at Bethpage Black or a top-10 a Bay Hill?

When the driver is locked away, List excels from tee-to-green – he ranks 19th for that stat for the season, and clearly he is at his best on Par 5s where two meaty long irons often create opportunities for the 34-year-old.

Still awaiting his maiden PGA TOUR win, List is surely a champion-elect somewhere down the line.

Key Stats:

• SG: Off-the-Tee – 11th
• Scoring Average – 46th
• SG: Approach – 57th

Alternative Sleeper Pick for the Memorial Tournament

Charley Hoffman (Odds: 100/1, FPPG: 54.1, GPFP: 69.24 Salary: $7,400)

You suspect that the Hoff will get very close to winning a PGA TOUR event soon if he finds a way to connect four good rounds.

He almost did that at the Texas Open, where if he hadn’t opened with a 71 he might just have improved upon his solo second finish.

There followed a decent T21 finish at Augusta, and a T45 at the RBC Heritage that was sabotaged by a final round of 77. Hoffman opened 73-69 at the PGA Championship, and his third round of 63 could have fired him to glory at last week’s Charles Schwab Challenge.

Hoff could be fractions away from contending once more, and with a pair of top-20s here in the past five years and a solo second at Glen Abbey, perhaps that elusive victory could come at Memorial.

Key Stats:

• SG: Approach – 28th
• SG: Off-the-Tee – 55th
• SG: Putting – 69th

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)

[skill_bar heading=”Total Top 3s” percent=”3.68%” bar_text=”7 out of 196 picks” style=”background-color: #5fb341″][skill_bar heading=”Total Top 10s” percent=”20.91%” bar_text=”41 out of 196 picks” style=”background-color: #5fb341″][skill_bar heading=”Total Top 25s” percent=”35.71%” bar_text=”70 out of 196 picks” style=”background-color: #5fb341″][skill_bar heading=”Total Winners Picked” percent=”14.28%” bar_text=”4 out of 28 events” style=”background-color: #5fb341″][skill_bar heading=”Total Runners-Up Picked” percent=”7.14%” bar_text=”2 out of 28 events” style=”background-color: #5fb341″][skill_bar heading=”Total Made Cuts (Includes Sleepers)” percent=”76.02%” bar_text=”149 out of 196 picks” style=”background-color: #5fb341″]

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Cover Photo via Instagram