Fantasy Golf Sleeper Report – CJ Cup @ Nine Bridges

2019 CJ Cup @ Nine Bridges Fantasy Sleeper Report

After the intrigue of the fall season, the PGA TOUR packs up its metaphorical bags for a three-week jaunt in Asia, which takes in trips to South Korea, Japan and China.

Our first glimpse of golf in this part of the world comes courtesy of the CJ Cup, at which a 78-strong field will convene for a no cut shootout at the picturesque Nine Bridges layout on the volcanic Jeju Island belonging to South Korea.

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The invitational format, which leans heavily on last season’s FedExCup standings, means that many of the players that have made good going in the early part of the campaign – many of whom are Korn Ferry Tour graduates – now have to sit on their hands for a few weeks until an alternate event in Bermuda.

Three of the stars of the KFT from last season – Lanto Griffin, Scott Harrington and Mark Hubbard – joined forces to serve up a thrilling conclusion to last week’s tournament, the Houston Open.

Harrington took the clubhouse lead at -13 on a tough day for scoring in Humble, and he might just have been fancying his chances as both his nearest rivals made errors ahead of the tough closing stretch of holes.

But Griffin holed a monster 33-footer to pull clear at -14, and on the tough eighteenth he deliberately swatted his drive as far right as he could to avoid the water, before making a clutch two-putt from 60ft to land his maiden PGA TOUR title and cap a fantastic rags to riches story which is well worth reading.

The wind was a key player in Texas, and it usually is on Jeju Island too where a fierce old breeze can blow.

It certainly did in 2017, when Justin Thomas won this title with a score of -9. However, fast forward 12 months and in more benign conditions it was Brooks Koepka who tore Nine Bridges apart, posting a total of -21 to win by four from the chasing pack.

The weather is of huge significance to bettors this week, because ultimately the coastal winds are this course’s chief defense. Yes, there are doglegging fairways, deep bunkers and small greens to contend with, but as you can see from Koepka’s winning effort there are scores to be made here.

The landscape of Jeju Island is also noteworthy: this volcanic land mass sits at an altitude of roughly 600ft above sea level, and as we know that makes club selection more difficult – while ensuring shorter hitters get a welcome boost from their tee shots.

So, we’re looking for players comfortable in wind and at altitude, who also possess a strong short game to take care of business at a track which can – weather permitting – yield to low scores.

With that in mind, who takes their place in our sleeper shortlist at the CJ Cup?

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CJ Cup @ Nine Bridges Fantasy Sleeper Report

Andrew Putnam – 50/1 – The set-up at Nine Bridges should suit Putnam, who was T29 here on debut 12 months ago and who will be looking to improve significantly on that this time around.

His profile looks ideal: a player who has excelled in similarly coastal conditions at the Sony Open (solo second) and Tournament of Champions (T14), but who can compete in tighter, tree-lined fare as well (T3 at the Charles Schwab Challenge).

Putnam was prominent in the British Open at the halfway stage and finished T4 at the Scottish Open – this is not a player who fears the wind, and a decent turn in the Shriners (T18) last time out sets up a confident trip to Asia.

Byeong Hun An – 50/1 – There is an obvious motivation factor for the Koreans in the field this week, and despite two missed cuts we’re not going to be too quick to give up on Byeong Hun An.

A solo third at the Sanderson Farms Championship was another case of the one that got away for the 28-year-old, who remains winless on the PGA TOUR despite triumphing in other events worldwide.

At his best, An boasts a tremendous short game, and his ability to make hay on the regulation holes – he ranks 31st for Par 4 Birdie or Better Leaders – gives him a chance whenever he tees it up.

Lucas Glover – 55/1 – It’s been an indifferent start to the new season for Lucas Glover, but an excellent showing at Shriners has renewed confidence in this premium ball-striker.

He opened up 67-63-66 at TPC Summerlin, and only a closing 70 prevented him from improving on his finishing T9.

It was a reminder of Glover’s form towards the end of last season, in which he banked four top-20 finishes in seven starts.

If the weather really does turn on Jeju Island, don’t forget that Glover is a former US Open champion who grinded out his win at Bethpage Black.

Pat Perez – 60/1 – When a player with two consecutive top-10s at the host venue suddenly finds form, you can do nothing else but sit up and take notice.

It has been a lean year for Pat Perez, but he burst back to prominence with a solo third return at Shriners, where he sandwiched middle rounds of 64 and 62.

A winner in Asia at the CIMB Classic, Perez has also performed well at the windy Pebble Beach and in Florida, and having finished 7-5 in his two trips to Nine Bridges we know that the conditions will suit the fun-loving world number 123.

Dylan Frittelli – 66/1 – One of the theoretical advantages of European Tour graduates is that they have plenty of experience playing in Asia thanks to their past endeavors.

Solo second in the China Open, Dylan Frittelli also has another top-five in China as well as a T5 in Malaysia into the bargain.

The South African seems to thrive when playing in the wind, and coastal resort-style golf also isn’t a problem: he won the Mauritius Open back in 2017.

And his PGA TOUR breakout moment came in winning on the Bentgrass of TPC Deere Run a few months ago, when he proved he can compete in birdie-fests too – which the CJ Cup may become if the wind dies.

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Want more of this week’s fantasy predictions? Check out our full fantasy preview for the CJ Cup @ Nine Bridges Open here.

Sleeper Report Predictions This Season (2019-2020)

[skill_bar heading=”Total Top 3s” percent=”0%” bar_text=”0 out of 25 picks” style=”background-color: #5fb341″][skill_bar heading=”Total Top 10s” percent=”0%” bar_text=”0 out of 25 picks” style=”background-color: #5fb341″][skill_bar heading=”Total Top 25s” percent=”28.00%” bar_text=”7 out of 25 picks” style=”background-color: #5fb341″][skill_bar heading=”Total Winners Picked” percent=”0%” bar_text=”0 out of 5 events” style=”background-color: #5fb341″][skill_bar heading=”Total Runners-Up Picked” percent=”0%” bar_text=”0 out of 5 events” style=”background-color: #5fb341″][skill_bar heading=”Total Made Cuts (Includes Sleepers)” percent=”32.00%” bar_text=”8 out of 25 picks” style=”background-color: #5fb341″]

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Cover photo via Instagram