Fantasy Golf Picks, Odds, and Predictions – 2023 Sentry Tournament of Champions

Fantasy Golf Picks, Odds, and Predictions for the 2023 Sentry Tournament of Champions  

Sentry Tournament of Champions Fantasy Preview

Happy New Year!

With the final strains of Auld Lang Syne still hanging in the air, golf returns with a bang at the Sentry Tournament of Champions.

Embed from Getty Images

It’s all go from here, with the PGA TOUR now barely pausing for breath right up until the conclusion of the 2022-23 season in August. So there’s ample opportunities for daily fantasy lovers to score some big wins this year. That, as ever, is the goal with our weekly drafts and picks.

Ironically, the Tournament of Champions is perhaps not ideal for DFS golf given that the field only contains 39 players, but we can ease our way back into the action without the Friday cut sweats….and in the beautiful surroundings of Hawaii, no less!

Last Event’s Fantasy Results

Sentry Tournament of Champions Field

Embed from Getty Images

Maybe this event should be renamed the Tournament of Mostly Champions.

We have stacks of players heading to Maui that did get their hands on silverware during 2022, from Scottie Scheffler and Jon Rahm to Xander Schauffele and Justin Thomas. Indeed, Rory McIlroy is the only member of the OWGR top-10 (that plays on the PGA TOUR) not to be heading to Hawaii.

But the field is supplemented by the top 30 from last season’s FedEx Cup race that didn’t win a tournament, so the likes of Viktor Hovland, Collin Morikawa and Cameron Young have scored invites too.

Throw into the mix the likes of Patrick Cantlay, Tony Finau and U.S. Open champion Matt Fitzpatrick, plus the returning from injury of Will Zalatoris, and you have the recipe for a fantastic way to start the new golfing year.

This Week’s Course Preview

Resort golf serves up connotations of fun in the sun, and that’s exactly what the players can expect this week at the Kapalua Resort in Maui.

Embed from Getty Images

That’s because the Plantation Course features some of the widest fairways on the PGA TOUR, huge green complexes and the most bizarre routing – with just three Par 3s but four Par 5s and eleven Par 4s, this is one of the few Par 73 tracks used at the top-level of golf.

Even though the Plantation Course measures the best part of 7,500 yards, it should be noted that the sizable elevation changes mean that many of the holes play much shorter – you may recall a tee shot from Dustin Johnson at the 12th hole here back in 2018 that ended up a tap-in from the hole some 430 yards away.

The Bermuda greens run at a sluggish 10.5 on the stimp, and while these feature some contours and plateaus they are still as pure as you like – Cameron Smith won with a score of -34 here last year, so it’s fair to say there are few gremlins on these greens.

The wind is the only obstacle the players have to overcome this week, and if that is benign then the Plantation Course will yield birdies at a rate unlike any other PGA TOUR layout.

Weather Forecast for Maui, HI

Largely rain-free at this time of year, the Plantation Course will play fast and dry – although not to a level that the best players in the world aren’t comfortable with.

It’s going to be nice and warm – temperatures of around 77˚F are expected across all four days of the tournament, and so the only factor to consider is the breeze.

At local level, that might feel stiffer than the 10-13mph range that the forecast is predicting, but at the same time it’s far from a gale either.

KAPALUA WEATHER

Last Year’s Results from the Sentry Tournament of Champions

The new year got off to a record-breaking start at the Tournament of Champions in 2022.

Embed from Getty Images

Cameron Smith broke the record for the lowest winning total in PGA TOUR history at -34, and Jon Rahm in second tied that previous mark at -33. Between them, they made a staggering 63 birdies and four eagles across the week.

There were other extraordinary performances too. Matt Jones opened up his tournament with a round of 70, and yet by the end of Sunday he was in solo third with a score of -32 – his weekend went rather swimmingly at 62-61.

For context, Jason Kokrak – who finished dead last – still made 16 birdies and an eagle to finish on -7….it’s fair to say that the Plantation Course yielded.

Where to Play Fantasy Golf for the Sentry Tournament of Champions this Week

Let’s get 2023 off to a solid start, shall we, by playing a mix of high risk-high reward contests and those that we might expect a profitable return from more often than not.

• PGA $600k Season Tee Off: In for a penny, in for a pound with this unique contest that will pay a handsome $200k to the winner. It’s $20 per entry (150 max), with just over 35,000 teams duking it out for the jackpot.

• PGA $10k Mulligan: If the Season Tee Off is the DFS equivalent of a lottery ticket, this Mulligan contest should be a more reliable source of ROI. You can play three lineups at $8 apiece, with $10,000 in total prizes to play for including a jackpot of $1,000.

This Week’s Fantasy Notes

Players that can keep their ball under control despite the wind have carte blanche to seemingly break par at will at the Plantation Course.

So quality in the breeze really is the main criteria for success in the Tournament of Champions, because there is little in the way of hazards to overcome from tee to green.

We would prefer those with quality on approach – hitting your ball close regularly is kind of a good idea in this sport, but in truth this is resort golf at a friendly layout and so putting will likely be the difference-maker.

In last year’s edition, Smith, Rahm and Jones ranked first, fifth and second respectively for SG: Putting, and clearly you aren’t going to convert the avalanche of birdies and eagles needed to win this event unless you have a good week on the greens.

And that’s about it. You’ll need to be on the right side of the putting variance to enjoy success with your lineups this week, but at least by drafting the right calibre of player you will give yourself the best possible chance of the most pleasing results. 

Our Top 5 (and Top 2 Sleeper) Fantasy Picks and Odds to Win the Sentry Tournament of Champions   

You must be a Premium Member to view our exclusive fantasy golf picks.

Already a member? Sign in Here.

Fantasy Golf Predictions Last Season (2021-2022)

Remember to visit our private Facebook group to discuss this week’s picks for the Sentry Tournament of Champions with other Premium Members.

Cover Photo via Instagram