European Tour Fantasy Golf Predictions – BMW Championship

2018 BMW Championship Preview

After a few dalliances with sub-par golf with the ‘Sixes’ event and last week’s Belgium Knockout, it’s back to the frontline for the European Tour with the first of their Rolex Series tournaments.

This is the equivalent of the PGA TOUR’s FedExCup, and while it is far from being as prestigious the purse of $7 million, plus the seven million points that are on offer, helps to concentrate the minds of the players.

It’s little wonder then that a decent field will assemble at the Wentworth club in Surrey, England this week for the BMW PGA Championship.

The headliner is Rory McIlroy, who makes a rare foray onto UK soil, and he will be joined by a stellar cast – as far as European Tour events go – that includes defending champion Alex Noren, the Valspar Championship winner Paul Casey, Houston Open victor Ian Poulter and defending Rolex Series champion, Tommy Fleetwood.

Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland and Danny Willett of England in…

Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland and Danny Willett of England in conversation during previews for the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth on May 22, 2018 in Virginia Water, England. Get premium, high resolution news photos at Getty Images

It’s a strong UK presence and why not: 12 of the last 20 winners of this event have been from the United Kingdom.

Wentworth will play at around 7,284 yards for its Par 72 this week, and it is a tricky assignment given the thickness of the trees that line the fairways. They may help to keep the wind at bay somewhat, but they don’t help those who are a little errant off the tee.

The Harry Colt design is tight and flat – a typical British heathland layout, that features Bentgrass greens supported by a sub-air system which helps to keep them running at a decent lick.

The track features a fantastic risk and reward closing hole: it’s a Par 5 where, if you can clear the lake that protects the front of the green in two, an eagle opportunity awaits; the route Noren took to glory 12 months ago.

So who makes our draft for the BMW PGA Championship?

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This Week’s BMW Championship Fantasy Picks & Predictions

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This Week’s BMW Championship Fantasy Picks

Branden Grace – $9,900 – The South African was solo second, one shot off the lead, here 12 months ago before settling for a T9 finish, and having finished T11 back in 2015 it’s fair to say that Wentworth is a layout that suits his eye.

He heads to England on the back of a fine showing at the AT&T Byron Nelson in Texas, and that included a final round of 62 which will surely have Grace buzzing at the prospect of getting back out on the course.

The 29-year-old may only have one PGA TOUR title to his name but he is a 12-time winner worldwide, a haul which includes eight wins in European Tour or co-sanctioned events. Grace is live and dangerous this week.

Ian Poulter – $9,300 – What an opportunity this is for Ian Poulter to put his name firmly in the conversation for Ryder Cup selection by taking down one of the European Tour’s flagship events.

Poults is a man that understands timing and the sense of occasion; his performances to regain his Tour card and to qualify for The Masters are testament to that.

The Englishman was back in the winner’s circle at the Houston Open in April, and he has followed up with some decent turns at the RBC Heritage (T7) and Players Championship (T11) last time out.

Poulter is a member at Woburn, and so understands heathland golf in England as well as anybody.

Andrew Johnstone – $8,200 – After an ill-fated spell on the PGA TOUR last season, ‘Beef’ is back in Europe and back on track.

An amiable kind of chap, Johnstone became something of a cult favorite Stateside, and the media requests and personal appearances clearly had a distracting impact upon his golf.

But the Englishman has found his feet again back on the European Tour, and in seven starts this term he has delivered four finishes of T12 or better; including a play-off defeat to Matt Wallace at the Indian Open in March.

He enjoys playing at Wentworth, too. A final round of 67 propelled him into the top-ten here in 2016, while last year he posted a Friday best of 68 in another strong showing.

Beef’s last win came at the tree-lined Valderrama, and he should relish a return to UK soil this week.

Kiradech Aphibarnrat – $7,900 – There is something undeniably cool about Kiradech Aphibarnrat: the fast cars, the cigars and the general view that life should be enjoyed to the max has earned the big man a cult following across the globe.

Lest we forget how good he is at golf though! He’s won eleven times worldwide and five of those have come since the start of 2017, so this is a guy who knows how to get the job done.

The Barn Rat finished T5 at the tree-lined WGC Mexico earlier this season, and was second at Golf Club Milano in the Italian Open last season; a layout which draws obvious comparisons to Wentworth.

The Thai ace was fifth at the WGC Matchplay, finished inside the top-50 at The Masters despite posting an opening round of 79, and finished a more-than-respectable T30 in THE PLAYERS Championship last time out.

Chris Paisley – $7,200 – It seems as if the salary-makers have forgotten about Paisley’s exploits earlier in the season.

The 32-year-old claimed a long overdue European Tour victory at the BMW SA Open in January, and he did it in fine style too. After 54 holes he led by one from Branden Grace; would he buckle under the pressure from the local favorite? Not a bit of it, carding a final round of 66 to blitz clear.

Paisley followed up with a pair of top-fives in the Middle East, and those performances earned him a few invites onto the PGA TOUR. He struggled there, but understandably so given his lack of experience at elite level: this is a ‘green’ player who headed to the US wide-eyed and full of wonder.

Back home and he should be back to his best, soon enough, and having won at a tree-lined track already this term he is surely worth chancing at such a lowly price point.

Scott Jamieson – $7,100 – There is something about a tree-lined fairway that seems to bring the best out of Scott Jamieson.

He was the co-leader here at the halfway stage 12 months ago, and it was only a disappointing third round of 76 that prevented him from improving on a T14 return.

The Scot followed up later in 2017 with a T6 return at the Valderrama Masters, another tight and testing tree-lined set-up, and this year he was solo seventh at the Tshwane Open; played at the suitably tree-heavy Pretoria GC.

A return to helpful conditions should suit a player who has plenty of upside when the going is good.

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