Fantasy Golf Picks, Odds, and Predictions – 2020 RSM Classic

Fantasy Golf Picks, Odds, and Predictions for the 2020 RSM Classic

The 2020 RSM Classic Fantasy Preview

It seemed inevitable that Dustin Johnson would one day slip into the green jacket, but he still had to take care of business and, with each passing year, arguably it gets that little bit harder.

But DJ is one of the coolest cats in world golf, and if he was feeling any nerves over the weekend he didn’t show them as he became the champion of the 84th edition of The Masters.

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The harshest of critics will point to the fact that there was no gallery of spectators to ramp up the pressure, while the soft conditions at Augusta also meant that the 2020 edition was one of the ‘easiest’ yet.

But that should not detract from the incredible performance put in by Dustin, who hit a huge 78% of fairways from an average drive of 306 yards – Bryson take note! – and a mammoth 82% of greens in regulation.

It will be different next April, of course, but try taking DJ’s achievement away from him.

The 85th edition of The Masters is less than six months away, happily, but for now the PGA TOUR season begins to wind down towards Christmas and the holiday period. First up, we’re staying in Georgia for the RSM Classic.

Last Week’s Fantasy Results

GOTTA LOVE IT WHEN WE PICK A MAJOR WINNER!

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Last week we went DJ as our horse and coupled him nicely with Im (T2) on our Tuesday Sleeper Report. Here’s what we said about DJ heading into the week:

He is a fantastic driver of a golf ball, a reliable scrambler and fast greens hold no fear for him  hence why he’s served up four top-10s at Augusta National in his last quartet of visits.

The physical aspect of winning The Masters should provide no problem for DJ, who showed that his recovery from COVID-19 has been effective in his T2 effort at the Houston Open last week.

Johnson undoubtedly has as strong a chance as anyone this week, and oddly his $10,000 salary is something of a bargain as a result.

Hopefully you took our advice and ended up with a nice payday last week!

The 2020 RSM Classic 2020 Field

Normally a week after a major we’d expect a slackening of the field quality, and while there aren’t many of the big guns heading to St Simon’s Island there is still an eye-catching quality to the proceedings this week.

Webb Simpson returns to an event in which he has twice finished second, and he will be joined by Sungjae Im – so impressive at Augusta.

A trio of Englishmen – Tyrrell Hatton, Tommy Fleetwood and Matt Fitzpatrick – may have a say in the destination of this trophy, while the in-form Russell Henley will be hoping to cash in on his recent improvements.

Elsewhere, could major winners like Justin Rose, Jason Day or Louis Oosthuizen add a long-awaited ‘W’ to their resumé?

This Week’s Course Preview

It’s a split course event, of sorts, this week, with one of the two opening rounds played at the Plantation course at Sea Island Golf Club on St Simons Island.

This is a mightily short stretch at 7,058 yards for its Par of 72, and while the venue is located by the coast this track at least has some protection from the breeze courtesy of the thick tree-lined fairways.

The landing zones are fairly narrow here, but the rough isn’t all that penal and the overwhelming feeling is one of ease. The Bermuda greens are quite sluggish too, which will appeal to some players more than others.

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The main slice of the action will unfold on the Seaside layout, which hosts 54 holes. As you have probably already guessed, this is the coastal track that is Links-style in nature and almost completely exposed to the elements, and as such it tends to play a touch trickier than Plantation.

Designed by Tom Fazio, the Seaside course plays a few yards over 7,000 for its Par 70 and features narrow fairways and large Bermuda greens that run at a fair 12-13 on the stimp.

Weather Forecast for Sea Island, GA

Aside from the possibility of a rain shower on Thursday and Sunday, the overall picture is looking pretty good on St Simons Island this week.

Dry in the lead-up, Thursday is shaping up to be unsettled with cloudy spells and precipitation a 30% chance.

Friday and Saturday can be grouped together – they will be sunny with occasional clouds and temperatures of around 73°F.

It could well rain on the Sunday too, and keep an eye on the wind speeds – they could reach up to 14 mph.

SEA ISLAND WEATHER

Last Year’s Results for the 2020 RSM Classic

When Tyler Duncan and Webb Simpson were locked together in a play-off last year at the RSM Classic, you wouldn’t have many takers on the underdog.

Duncan, the 150/1 outsider, had never won on the PGA TOUR, and he was up against a player in Simpson who is a major winner who simply loves it at Sea Island.

But no matter – they shared the opening play-off hole before Duncan, who had landed a 25-footer on the 72nd hole to force extra time, slammed home a 15-footer to land his maiden PGA TOUR trophy.

Sebastian Munoz finished solo third, while Brendon Todd – the kind of short, coastal golf last season – ended up alone in fourth.

Tyler Duncan wins his first PGA TOUR title | Round 4 | The RSM Classic 2019

In the final round of the 2019 The RSM Classic, Tyler Duncan rallied from four shots behind the leader to earn his first career event after two playoff holes. SUBSCRIBE to PGA TOUR now: http://pgat.us/vBxcZSh The Fall portion of the 2019-20 PGA TOUR season comes to a close at The RSM Classic this week.

Where to Play Fantasy Golf for the 2020 RSM Classic this Week

Winnings banked at The Masters should be kept close this week as the RSM Classic has that sort of crapshoot feel to it, but by all means chuck a few darts at these high value contests.

• PGA $400k 8-Iron: This is a pretty standard contest, but with $100k on the table for the winner from just an $8 entry, why not treat yourself to a few turns. Finish inside the top 20% and you will definitely bank a profit.
• PGA $50k Birdie: There’s a similar feel to this contest too, although the top 25% of players will cash. The headline numbers? A $3 entry could net the jackpot of $5k.

This Week’s Fantasy Notes for the 2020 RSM Classic

A trophy adorned with names like Kevin Kisner, Austin Cook and Mackenzie Hughes, it is pretty clear that length is no great advantage this week.

Indeed, Duncan averaged just 280 yards off the peg here last season, making Sea Island one of the most open layouts to win at on the PGA TOUR.

The fairways are quite narrow and the greens, on the Seaside track, are large, so hitting approaches from the short grass – to ensure premium proximity to the pin where possible – is probably a good idea.

We stay in Georgia but the action switches to Bermuda – remember that in your drafts, and be aware of a possible Masters hangover for guys like Sungjae Im, who was emotionally invested throughout the four days. That can take a lot out of a player; even someone like Im, who just seems to love playing golf anywhere, anytime.

There is a bit of a crapshoot feel this week, and you certainly want to be trying to ‘pre-empt’ a hot putter – that has been the trend at Sea Island in recent years.

Our Top 5 (and Top 2 Sleeper) Fantasy Picks and Odds to Win the 2020 RSM Classic

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Fantasy Golf Predictions This Season (2020-2021)

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