Fantasy Golf Sleeper Report – 2020 Sentry Tournament of Champions

The Sentry Tournament of Champions Fantasy Sleeper Report

Here we go then – a chance for a new year of betting profitability courtesy of the PGA TOUR.

There were stacks of sleeper-style winners and long odds champions in 2020, and until patrons are allowed back in full force on the course we expect that trend to continue. This is a fantastic time for bettors who seek more unlikely winners week-to-week.

Whether that’s the case this week at the Tournament of Champions remains to be seen, with a stellar field of entries at the top of the show. Dustin Johnson and Justin Thomas have both won this event twice, Xander Schauffele is another former winner in the field and it will be very interesting to see how Bryson DeChambeau fares on super-wide fairways that will be more receptive to his bombs than the trees of Augusta.

Embed from Getty Images

And that’s before we even consider the claims of Rahm, Reed, Simpson, Cantlay, Morikawa and more….this TOC is going to take some winning.

What is really interesting is that there is so little to shortlist the field with. The fairways are expansive and rolling, but this is far from a bomber’s paradise because evil does lurk off the short stuff – that’s why this Kapalua Resort course is one of the most prominent ‘less than driver’ layouts on Tour, with both Thomas and Reed, who duked out a three hole playoff 12 months ago, averaging less than 280 yards off the peg.

The Bermuda greens are huge too, and running at a slowish 10.5 on the stimpmeter there will be fewer knee-knocking six footers for those less than confident with the flat stick in hand.

Indeed, the only narrative we can hang our hat on is that very, very good golfers get the job done at Kapalua – Thomas, Johnson, Schauffele and Spieth the most recent champions here.

Of course, that doesn’t help our quest to find a sleeper winner, but we have sifted through the field and found five who might have a shot at clinching glory in the first tournament of 2021.

[membership level=”0″]

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″]

The Sentry Tournament of Champions Fantasy Sleeper Report

Abraham Ancer – 50/1 – Within his last five starts, Abraham Ancer has finished solo fourth at the Shriners, T13 after hanging around nicely at the Masters and T12 at his home Mayakoba Classic, and that’s a pleasing formline even accounting for the Christmas break.

This will be Ancer’s debut at Kapalua, and yet you sense the conditions and course layout will suit. The Mexican tends to thrive at shorter layouts where his weaknesses are less exposed, he’s comfortable in the breeze and is happy enough when the bridies are flying in.

Ancer fits the bill of a player likely to break his PGA TOUR trophy duck in 2021, and what better time to start than now?

Kevin Kisner – 66/1 – As discussed, length off the tee is not an absolute necessity at Kapalua, with Steve Stricker and Zach Johnson amongst the rollcall of winners here.

So there’s no need to strike a line through Kevin Kisner yet, and even less so when we recognize his favorability in the wind and on Bermuda.

A former RSM Classic winner, RBC Heritage runner-up and a T4 entrant of the Sony Open, Kisner has the perfect profile for this kind of assignment and has been playing well of late – he was solo second at his beloved RSM Classic last time out.

Billy Horschel – 66/1 – Billy Horschel blitzed his way through the field at the Mayakoba Classic last time out with a round of 64 to clinch a T5 finish, and following a T38 turn at the Masters that was pleasing indeed.

We’re not quite sure why Horschel has bagged an invite to the Tournament of Champions, but we can expect him to make the trip to Hawaii worth his while.

Any player that has banked top-fives at the RSM Classic and RBC Heritage has the profile to succeed on the Hawaiian double header, and so Horschel fits the bill – that, coupled with his fondness for Bermuda and a preference for ‘less than driver’ golf ensures he is added to our shortlist.

Jason Kokrak – 80/1 – A player of outstanding ability, it’s a surprise that it took Jason Kokrak so long to clinch his first PGA TOUR title.

But that he did at the relocated CJ Cup, where of course there were no patrons present – perhaps the absence of such pressure was the catalyst for Kokrak’s triumph.

There will be plenty of quiet on the greens at Kapalua too, where the world number 25 will find himself on his beloved Bermuda, and Kokrak – like many in the field – will appreciate a bit more real estate off the tee to help keep his ball in play.

Kevin Na – 125/1 – Perennially underestimated by the sportsbooks, Kevin Na heads to Hawaii on the back of an excellent T13 at the Masters.

He’s a four-time winner on the PGA TOUR these days, and given his lack of length that is testament to his ability to make it work for him at layouts that do suit his game – Kapalua can be added to that list.

A proven champion in the wind, Na is an outstanding tee-to-green performer at his best with an ability to make close range putts that other PGA TOUR pros find surprisingly difficult.

[/membership]

Want more of this week’s fantasy predictions? Check out our full fantasy preview for Sentry Tournament of Champions here.

Sleeper Report Predictions This Season (2020-2021)

[skill_bar heading=”Total Top 3s” percent=”1.67%” bar_text=”1 out of 60 picks” style=”background-color: #5fb341″][skill_bar heading=”Total Top 10s” percent= “11.67%” bar_text=”7 out of 60 picks” style=”background-color: #5fb341″][skill_bar heading=”Total Top 25s” percent=”26.67%” bar_text=”16 out of 60 picks” style=”background-color: #5fb341″][skill_bar heading=”Total Winners Picked” percent=0%” bar_text=”0 out of 12 events” style=”background-color: #5fb341″][skill_bar heading=”Total Runners-Up Picked” percent=”9.09%” bar_text=”1 out of 12 events” style=”background-color: #5fb341″][skill_bar heading=”Total Made Cuts (Includes Sleepers)” percent=”78.33%” bar_text=”47 out of 60 picks” style=”background-color: #5fb341″]

---

Cover photo via Instagram