Fantasy Golf Predictions
Fantasy Golf Picks, Odds, and Predictions – Workday Charity Open
Fantasy Golf Picks, Odds, and Predictions for the Workday Charity Open
Workday Charity Open Fantasy Preview
Have we just witnessed the new normal of golf?
There’s long been talk of golf courses designed decades ago becoming overpowered by the ball-striking abilities of modern pros and equipment, and you would have to suggest that Detroit GC – home of last week’s Rocket Mortgage Classic – is the latest layout to add to the list.
Bryson DeChambeau made mincemeat out of it, averaging 350 yards off the tee as he bludgeoned his ball in the general direction of the green, before chipping, scrambling and duffing his way somewhere close to the pin. Ranking second for Strokes Gained: Putting….well, you can probably guess the rest.
Much has been made of Bryson’s bulking up and his (un)healthy appetite for breakfast, but the truth is he had won six times worldwide before increasing his body mass – he is an outstanding golfer, aided by being able to hit the ball further than pretty much anyone else on the planet right now.
And, to play devil’s advocate, if golf was simply just about long driving then the PGA TOUR would look a hell of a lot different in terms of the players involved. Besides, Ryan Armour – who can hit the ball 290 yards when swinging from his heels – finished T4, so it was just one of those weeks.
Yes, Bryson’s new-found power could change golf – he broke the ShotLink tech in Michigan, with his long drives on the Par 4s being recorded as approach shots because they fell within 30 yards of the green, but let’s not forget you still need a strong short game to succeed as a ‘bomb and gouge’ merchant.
The Scientist isn’t playing in the Workday Charity Open this week, and so social media will have to find themselves a new anti-hero for this temporary replacement of the John Deere Classic.
Last Week’s Fantasy Results
Well, we had Bryson the week before … but unfortunately, not last week.
Bryson ended up proving that his off-season/quarantine has helped him leap ahead of the competition with longer drives and more confidence. In the end, we ended up with two Top 12 picks and another T21 as we wrap up yet another week on the PGA TOUR.
With the 5 made cuts, we currently sit with roughly a 70% made-cut percentage as we head into a lighter field week at Muirfield.
2020 Workday Charity Open Field
There may be no Bryson but there’s still a high-quality field heading for what is the first of a double-header of tournaments at Muirfield Village.
Three of the top five players in the world according to the OWGR – Jon Rahm, Brooks Koepka and Justin Thomas – will be teeing it up, as will defending champion Patrick Cantlay.
There’s a strong supporting cast too, with Patrick Reed and Justin Rose joined by Xander Schauffele, Gary Woodland and Jordan Spieth, who will be looking to build on green shoots of improvement of late.
There’s a handful of former winners at Muirfield Village in the field too, including Hideki Matsuyama, Matt Kuchar, Jason Dufner and Steve Stricker.
This Week’s Course Preview
With two events in consecutive weeks at Muirfield Village, you do wonder how the layout will vary for this Workday Charity Open to the Memorial next time out.
Of course, there’s not a lot that officials can do – they’re not going to start chainsawing trees to the ground, but you do wonder if they will have trimmed the rough to enable it to grow back in time for the Memorial.
Either way, this is a golf course that is held in such high esteem by those in the sport that it has previously hosted the Ryder Cup and the Presidents Cup, and with Jack Nicklaus’ DNA all over it you just know this is going to be a classic ball-strikers’ test.
The fairways are fairly wide but do stay out of the rough, because that can be very penal indeed – assuming it isn’t trimmed.
There are obstacles throughout the property, with 73 bunkers and 11 water hazards winding their way across the layout. We are expecting a winning score in the late teens under par, but it is worth noting that eleven of the eighteen holes averaged over par in 2019 – it’s the four easy Par 5s where the best of the scoring will be found.
It can be tough to get up-and-down when missing the green, so really we’re looking for iron game merchants who get hot with the putter to really thrive at Muirfield. These Bentgrass/Poa greens tend to run fast on the stimp, but with some rain in the weather forecast they may actually play slower this time around.
Measuring 7,392 yards for its Par 72, Muirfield is a challenging layout where the players really need to make hay on the Par 5s.
Weather Forecast for Dublin, OH
When you see the words ‘scattered thunderstorms’ in the forecast, you never quite know what to expect.
But that’s the theme on Tuesday and Wednesday, and if significant rainfall does come then the surfaces could be nice and soft for Thursday’s first tee.
The thunderstorm theme returns from Friday onwards, and as we know that may mean a deluge of rain for Dublin, Ohio, a light sprinkling or nothing at all.
At least the temperatures will be settled around the 89°F mark, while wind speeds will bounce around the 7-10 mph mark.
Last Year’s Results for Workday Charity Open
This is, of course, the first and possibly last edition of the Workday Charity Open, which has been hastily arranged after the John Deere Classic was scrapped over fears about coronavirus in Illinois.
At least we have previous at Muirfield Village, the annual host of the Memorial Tournament. In 2019, it was Patrick Cantlay who took the spoils in the Memorial when he leapfrogged the field on Sunday with a sublime round of 64.
It was a heavyweight leaderboard heading into that final round, with Adam Scott, Hideki Matsuyama, Jordan Spieth and Martin Kaymer all sensing an opportunity to get their hands on the trophy.
Matsuyama’s double-bogey on six essentially ended his hopes, while Kaymer bogeyed four of the closing ten holes as the pressure of contending told.
As Scott meandered to -1 on the day through his first ten, it was left to Cantlay to grab the tournament by the scruff of the neck, and his perfect round of eight birdies and no bogeys was enough to see him defeat the Aussie by two strokes.
Where to Play Fantasy Golf for Workday Charity Open this Week
This is one of those gameweeks we can really sink our teeth into with a quality golf course revealing a very specific profile of player who *should* go well. There are chances galore to cash at Muirfield Village!
- PGA $2.5 Millionaire: It’s hard to resist the lure of the milly maker, and especially at a golf course where we feel we have a good handle on which players might thrive. For $20, there’s no more enjoyable way to try and become a millionaire.
- PGA $100k Albatross: In last year’s preview of the Memorial Tournament, we wrote about the $50k Albatross contest that DK was running. Well, the prize pool has since doubled (!), meaning you can win a cool $10k from your $12 entry. The top-30 players land a minimum of $300.
This Week’s Fantasy Notes for Workday Charity Open
Some of the best players to ever pick up a club have triumphed at Muirfield Village, and with Jack Nicklaus on design duty it’s no surprise that the cream of the crop tends to thrive here.
This is, in some ways, the kind of course that DFS gamers and bettors dream of. We are looking for metronomic tee-to-green merchants – those players who relentlessly pepper the flag with their approaches and, ideally, then find a bit of a spark with the flat stick in hand.
Cantlay, Scott, Kaymer, Streelman, Leishman – the top-five from the Memorial in 2019 speaks volumes about the advantage that tee-to-green players have this week.
The champion made more birdies than anyone else last year, and while there’s nothing surprising about that it should be noted that a decent slice of Cantlay’s -19 total came from the Par 5 holes, so that’s a statistical area to focus on.
We’re still on Bentgrass/Poa greens too, so be sure to make a note of the putting stats from the Rocket Mortgage Classic to add another layer of credence to your research.
[membership level=”0″]
Our Top 5 (and Top 2 Sleeper) Fantasy Picks and Odds to Win Workday Charity Open
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″]
Top 5 Picks/Odds to Win Workday Charity Open
Top Tier Pick:
Hideki Matsuyama (Odds: 16/1, FPPG: 78.8, GPFP: 94.52 Salary: $10,000)
Our hunt for a top-tier pick this week was essentially a dead heat between Hideki Matsuyama and Patrick Cantlay, but rumor has it that Muirfield Village will play much harder next week for the Memorial, and that is perhaps when Cantlay will come into his own.
Matsuyama showed some rust as he ups his return from the season’s break, but there was plenty to admire in his 68-65 middle round at Detroit GC.
The Japanese ace ranked third for Strokes Gained: Tee-to-Green in the end, and while he leaked some shots with the flat stick there were still plenty of positives to take away.
He is a former champion at Muirfield, and has racked up two top-10s and a T15 within his last five trips too, so this is a golf course that Matsuyama loves and knows like the back of his hand.
Key Stats:
- SG: Tee-to-Green – 2nd
- SG: Approach – 6th
- Par 5 Birdie or Better Leaders – 7th
Top-Tier Pick #2:
Viktor Hovland (Odds: 25/1, FPPG: 69.2, GPFP: 55.34 Salary: $9,500)
Regular readers will know that we drafted Viktor Hovland, and we see no reason not to go in with the Norwegian once more this week too.
For the second week in a row, Hovland ranked first for tee-to-green and yet again he left shots out on the greens. But, if he can find some touch with the flat stick – as he did in the third round last week (+0.56) then he will surely contend again.
Tremendously gifted with irons in hand, Hovland will surely enjoy a long and fruitful career record at Muirfield Village.
Key Stats:
- SG: Approach – 8th
- SG: Tee-to-Green – 17th
- Scoring Average – 18th
Mid-Tier Pick #1:
Kevin Streelman (Odds: 70/1, FPPG: 54.2, GPFP: 68.88 Salary: $7,800)
Filed under the category of ‘why hasn’t he won more stuff?’, at least Kevin Streelman is playing well enough to get into contention.
Shooting no worse than 67, Streelman finished solo second at the Rocket Mortgage Classic – the second time in recent months he’s taken the silver medal having finished runner-up at the AT&T Pebble Beach.
With a formline of 4-44-13-8-18 at Muirfield Village, the 41-year-old couldn’t be in a better place to make his recent improvement in form count.
Key Stats:
- Par 5 Birdie or Better Leaders – 13th
- Greens in Regulation – 48th
- SG: Tee-to-Green – 55th
Mid-Tier Pick #2:
Ryan Armour (Odds: 125/1, FPPG: 54.9, GPFP: 43.95 Salary: $7,400)
With top-10 finishes in his last two starts, Ryan Armour can still mix it with the young guns.
The prolific fairway finder will always thrive at courses like Muirfield when in form, and he is hitting the ball as well as he has done in years right now.
And how about this for some intriguing form heading in to the Workday Charity Open: at the Travelers Championship, Armour ranked third for SG: Putting on the Bentgrass/Poa of TPC River Highlands. He ranked fifth for SG: Tee-to-Green last week, so if he can put the two together he will take some stopping this time out.
Key Stats:
- Driving Accuracy – 2nd
- Birdie Average – 42nd
- Greens in Regulation – 73rd
Low-Tier Pick:
Luke List (Odds: 150/1, FPPG: 55.1, GPFP: 44.05 Salary: $7,000)
You wonder, in the fullness of time, what impact winning the Korn Ferry Challenge will have on the long-term career of Luke List.
Triumphing on the second-rung tour might not seem that much, but the confidence it can bring is worth its weight in gold – and there was evidence of that in his T21 finish at Detroit GC last week.
List has long been a tee-to-green flusher who struggles to make the most of the chances he creates for himself – perhaps his KFT win will be the spur of motivation and confidence he needs.
Key Stats:
- Par 5 Birdie or Better Leaders – 23rd
- SG: Tee-to-Green – 36th
- SG: Approach – 59th
Sleeper Pick for Workday Charity Open
Harold Varner III (Odds: 90/1, FPPG: 64.0, GPFP: 51.20 Salary: $7,500)
A player who perennially goes under the radar, Harold Varner III looks excellent value this week at $7,500.
He ranked inside the top-10 for Strokes Gained: Approach at the Travelers Championship and finished fourth for GIR last week, so his tee-to-green game is in fine order.
Reliable of the tee, Varner also gained +0.96 strokes putting in the final round at Detroit GC, so maybe all departments of his game are ready to shine at Muirfield?
Key Stats:
- SG: Tee-to-Green – 14th
- SG: Approach – 24th
- Scoring Average – 35th
Alternative Sleeper Pick for Workday Charity Open
Sepp Straka (Odds: 150/1, FPPG: 45.8, GPFP: 36.61 Salary: $7,000)
If you’re looking for a risky leap into the unknown with a ton of upside, Sepp Straka at $7,000 fits the bill.
The Austrian can occasionally put on a ball-striking clinic, as he did in round four at the Rocket Mortgage Classic where he gained a ridiculous +4.56 strokes on the field from tee-to-green.
Connecting four solid rounds is proving elusive but he has the ball-striking merits to do well at Muirfield, and he actually gained strokes with the flat stick on the Bentgrass/Poa of Detroit GC last week – a rarity indeed.
Could Straka add to his collection of three top-10 finishes this season?
Key Stats:
- Total Driving – 51st
- Par 5 Birdie or Better Leaders – 55th
- SG: Tee-to-Green – 73rd
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.
[/membership]
Fantasy Golf Predictions This Season (2019-2020)
Remember to visit our private Facebook group to discuss this week’s picks for Workday Charity Open with other Premium Members.
Cover Photo via Instagram
What’s Really Going on with LIV Golf?
Blind Ranking The Most Iconic Masters Moments
FIRST LOOK: Titleist Unveils New Vokey WedgeWorks Grind Lineup
New Shot Scope LM1: The Best Budget Launch Monitor Under $200?
Did LIV Golf Finally Get its Big Breakthrough?
FIRST LOOK: Titleist’s New GTS Driver Lineup Spotted on Tour
New Shot Scope LM1: The Best Budget Launch Monitor Under $200?
FIRST LOOK: Titleist Unveils New Vokey WedgeWorks Grind Lineup
Did LIV Golf Finally Get its Big Breakthrough?
Blind Ranking The Most Iconic Masters Moments
We Played This Old Golf Course Where Thomas Edison Was A Member
Are You MEASURING Your Golf Swing Correctly? (This Can Help)
Zach Johnson Explains Why He Didn’t Pick Bryson DeChambeau for the Ryder Cup
Justin Thomas FIRES Coach before Ryder Cup…Who’s Next?
Varner’s an Ohioan! Armour too!