Fantasy Golf Picks, Odds, and Predictions – 2022 US Open

Fantasy Golf Picks, Odds, and Predictions for the 2022 US Open 

US Open Fantasy Preview

After three years away, it’s no surprise that the patrons present at the St. George’s club in Canada were so passionate and vocal in their support of the players.

And they were treated to a fine spectacle as Rory McIlroy and Justin Thomas – two of the very best in the business – did battle with the not-the-best-but-still-very-good Tony Finau for the RBC Canadian Open, which is essentially the country’s national championship.

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In the end, it was McIlroy who powered away from the rest – a final round of 62, which saw him play his first 12 holes in -8, seeing the Irishman streak clear to defend his Canadian Open title, albeit one won three years ago at a different venue.

It was the 21st PGA TOUR victory of McIlroy’s career, taking him level with an eclectic bunch on the mark that includes Davis Love III and Lanny Wadkins. Only Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson and Dustin Johnson have more as far as players still active in the sport are concerned.

Perhaps a more pressing matter for the 33-year-old will be adding to his major title collection, and he’ll get a chance to do exactly that at the U.S. Open this week at The Country Club in Brookline, Massachusetts.

Last Week’s Fantasy Results

Last week we ran with Corey Connors as our horse and the Canadian ended up finishing T6. 

Impressive week for Rory holders, and if you had JT and Rory on the same roster, you certainly cashed in!

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Chris Kirk was another shining star last week as our Top Fantasy Sleeper pick from our Tuesday Sleeper Report. 

The veteran finished with all sub-70 scores and an impressive 66-66 over the weekend to notch up some crucial fantasy points.

US Open Field

It perhaps won’t have escaped your attention that there’s something of a civil war in golf right now.

The likes of Dustin Johnson, Bryson DeChambeau and Patrick Reed have pledged allegiance to the rebel LIV Golf Tour, and while they have been suspended from competing in PGA TOUR events, it’s actually the USGA that presides over the U.S. Open – all that have defected are still allowed to play in the third major of 2022.

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Aside from that morally questionable lot, the great and the good that have remained loyal to the PGA TOUR will be in town. Scottie Scheffler could become just the sixth man to win the Masters and the U.S. Open in the same season, while the in-form McIlroy, Thomas, Sam Burns and Will Zalatoris will be hoping to ride out the crest of their wave.

Jon Rahm defends the title he won at Torrey Pines 12 months ago, while other former U.S. Open winners such as Brooks Koepka, Jordan Spieth and Justin Rose – fresh from nearly breaking 60 at the Canadian Open on Sunday – will have a chance to join an exclusive club of multiple-time champions in this event.

That group includes Tiger Woods, although sadly the Big Cat misses out in 2022. He suffered an injury at the PGA Championship, and hasn’t sufficiently recovered in time.

This Week’s Course Preview

It’s that time of year when professional golfers take to social media to post their ‘look how long the rough is at ….’ videos.

There’s plenty already out there relating to The Country Club, with DP World Tour star Guido Migliozzi one of the first to reveal the depravity in store for those who miss the fairway.

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The Massachusetts venue has been given a makeover by Gil Hanse, and as we saw with his work at Southern Hills – the home of the PGA Championship a few weeks ago – he isn’t afraid to make the players work for their win. Justin Thomas battled round in -5 there, and some of Hanse’s hallmarks will find their way to The Country Club.

Those include small, postage stamp style Poa Annua greens, many of which have unique contours and some devilish false fronts and run-offs. Those, allied to the lush rough as already mentioned, confirms that this will be a U.S. Open course in both name and nature.

It is expected to play at around 7,254 yards for its Par 70, which will have just two Par 5 holes on which to make birdies or better, while water is very much in play on at least four holes on the real estate – allied to 75+ bunkers.

The tight fairways are tree-lined and, while not necessarily doglegging in nature at first glance, will still require some shot shaping to keep balls out of the rough stuff.

All in all, The Country Club should provide the archetypal U.S. Open test this week.

Weather Forecast for Brookline, MA

Even on a calm, sunny day, The Country Club is a tough nut to crack.

But look at these predicted wind speeds for Thursday through Saturday – 16mph, 14mph, 15mph, 12mph. Those are considerable enough to change the dynamics of this tournament.

It will be pretty warm too, with temperatures ranging from 75-87˚F from Thursday through Saturday, and then down to an estimated 69˚F on Sunday.

The only other noteworthy mention is for Friday, where the dreaded ‘scattered thunderstorms’ are in the forecast. As ever, it will be worth keeping an eye on the radars later in the week to predict how much rain will fall and when.

BROOKLINE WEATHER

Last Year’s Results from the US Open

It’s rare that one hole can change the destiny of a golf tournament, but it’s hard to contest the notion that the 71st hole of the 2021 U.S. Open ultimately decided the fate of the trophy.

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Louis Oosthuizen, who looked primed to win a second major, bogeyed the fateful Par 4 at Torrey Pines, while Jon Rahm – whose round of 67 would prove to be the joint-lowest on the Sunday – birdied that and the 72nd hole to leapfrog the South African and claim his maiden major crown.

Tough scoring conditions had halted the progress of the likes of McIlroy and Scheffler, while Russell Henley – who looked well placed to become something of a surprise winner – fluffed his lines with a closing effort of 76, which included three bogeys in a row on the sixth, seventh and eighth holes.

Where to Play Fantasy Golf for the US Open this Week

The U.S. Open is a tough nit to crack for the players and DFS gamers alike, with even the best in the business finding it tough to make scores in such conditions. That variance makes it difficult to draft line-ups with complete confidence, so spreading risk – while having a crack at the big one – seems to be the right way to go.

• $2.75M Fantasy Golf Millionaire: First things first, let’s take a shot at the milly maker, which for the 2022 U.S. Open will see 217,464 teams battle it out for the $1 million top prize. So yeah, it’s not easy to win it (a major understatement), but at $15 for an entry it’s a fun and relatively affordable way to back your fancied players.

• PGA $600k Drive the Green: Spreading risk, by selecting multiple line-ups and hoping your core players pop, is the name of the game this week, and this contest allows you up to 150 entries at $5 a turn. The winner banks $100k, and those that finish inside the top 20% or so cash a prize.

New DraftKings Customers – Use Code GOLFICITY at DraftKings.com and deposit $25 to get $100 in Free Bets (This Week Only!).

This Week’s Fantasy Notes for the US Open

Even though the U.S. Open moves home on an annual basis, it’s usually the same skillsets – and the same sorts of players – who thrive in this event.

You have to hit fairways at The Country Club – there’s not going to be any place for dropping bombs and then wedging in out of this rough. And with tiny greens to aim at and a considerable breeze forecast, clearly iron play, perhaps from high angles to hold these lightning-quick surfaces, will be vital.

Those are the tangibles, and of the intangibles we’re looking for players with the strength of mind and perseverance to grind out par and know that a score of (probably) single digits under par will be enough to win this event.

It won’t be a fun week for the players at the U.S. Open, but for DFS gamers it will be fascinating to try and create line-ups that do the business in such treacherous conditions.

Our Top 5 (and Top 2 Sleeper) Fantasy Picks and Odds to Win the US Open  

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Fantasy Golf Predictions This Season (2021-2022)

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