Fantasy Golf Picks, Odds, and Predictions – 2023 Zurich Classic

Fantasy Golf Picks, Odds, and Predictions for the 2023 Zurich Classic  

Zurich Classic Fantasy Preview

The fine margins that define golf’s most important moments were laid bare for all to see in the concluding holes of the RBC Heritage on Sunday.

Having earned a spot in a playoff against Matt Fitzpatrick, Jordan Spieth had putts at both of the first two extra holes to win the tournament – the first an excruciating lip out, the second looking in all the way until a cruel late break.

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With two chances spurned, you could almost guess what would happen on the third playoff hole – Fitzpatrick stiffed his approach into the replayed 18th green within tap-in range, Spieth couldn’t match his birdie and so the Englishman walked away with his second PGA TOUR title of an increasingly-impressive career.

Fitzpatrick slipped into the famous Tartan Jacket and later admitted he had played the Harbour Town Links countless times in his life – Hilton Head Island being a favorite stop-off for his family as the aspiring young golfer was growing up. All of those lengthy trips across the Atlantic have now paid off handsomely….

There’s a gear change on the PGA TOUR this week, with some of the best in the business buddying up for the pairs competition, the Zurich Classic of New Orleans.

Last Event’s Fantasy Results

Cantlay came up short and finished T3, and we were quite lucky with our cuts made (10/12). 

Along with Patrick, our next pick was Sungae Im who ended up T7.  Fowler and Fleetwood turned out to be decent sleeper picks as well.

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The Zurich Classic Field

Patrick Cantlay and Xander Schauffele are the headline duo this week as defending champions who both posted top fives at the RBC Heritage.

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Max Homa and Collin Morikawa will provide formidable opposition, as you suspect will the duo of Sam Burns and Billy Horschel.

The Kims, Si-Woo and Tom, will be joined in the field by Sungjae Im & Keith Mitchell, Sahith Theegala & Justin Suh and veteran double act Zach Johnson and Steve Stricker.

Fitzpatrick will be joined by his younger brother, Alex, who is making his way through the ranks of the DP World Tour.

This Week’s Course Preview

Well renowned for his devilish designs, Pete Dye was in forgiving mood when he brought to life his ideas for TPC Louisiana. 

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There’s wide fairways, gentle rough and Bermuda greens that have a stodgy feel given that this layout is built on a former wetlands site.

It plays to around 7,425 yards for its Par 72, and there’s a sprinkling of traditional Dye bunkers – not to mention water in play on eight holes – to keep the players honest.

Like most Dye layouts, TPC Louisiana tests every department of a player’s game, which perhaps explains why the best in the field have tended to thrive in this event.

Weather Forecast for Avondale, LA

The action looks set to get off to a hot and swampy start on Thursday – before the possibility of rain showers sets in later in the week.

But temperatures of 82˚F on the opening day, bolstered by sunny spells, will at least warm the cockles of the players, before ‘scattered thunderstorms’ – the early forecast’s words, not ours – could unsettle matters on Friday and Saturday.

Sunday looks set to be a more settled picture, although the rain showers are likely to bring lower temperatures (66˚F) and higher winds of up 14mph.

AVONDALE WEATHER

Last Year’s Results from the Zurich Classic

Just a week after losing to Spieth in a playoff at the RBC Heritage, Patrick Cantlay teamed up with Xander Schauffele and immediately exorcised his demons of Harbour Town. 

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They took advantage of the best ball format in the opening round to card an outstanding 59, and they never looked back: a second better ball round of 60, sandwiched in-between knocks of 68 and 72 in the alternate shot rounds, were enough to see the duo home.

Tournament specialist Billy Horschel aided Sam Burns to a second consecutive top-five finish in the Zurich, while Sam Ryder and Doc Redman finished in third place – some five shots behind Cantlay & Schauffele.

Where to Play Fantasy Golf for the Zurich Classic this Week

Okay, let’s face it, the Zurich Classic stinks as a DFS event.

But there’s contests to be played and money to be made, so let’s tread carefully but with confidence into this unpredictable but rewarding gameweek.

• PGA $50k Birdie: Perhaps the best course of action is to treat your week’s fantasy golf as a sort of fun lottery. Buy a $3 ticket to this contest and you could win the top prize of $5k, which seems more than fair.

• PGA $250k Drive the Green: And in the same spirit as the Birdie contest described above, here’s a $5 ticket with a jackpot payout of $25k – this is the most enjoyable lottery you’ll pay this week.

This Week’s Fantasy Notes

There’s a few items of housekeeping to note prior to making your draft this week.

You will build your lineups as normal, but note that you can only pick one player from each pairing, although you’ll score the duo’s full allocation of points – it doesn’t matter if your guy doesn’t knock in the closing putt.

The first and third rounds are played to the fourball format, which basically means that each pair can pick the drive they prefer to play from. On Friday and Sunday, it’s the alternate shot format – this is where the weaker or out-of-form player has nowhere to hide.

Some players and pairings seem to look forward with relish to this event, while there’s sure to be other surprises on the leaderboard. But the key is to pick players from the best pairings – rather than individuals – as that’s the most effective way to accumulate points.

All four Par 3s measure in the 200-220 yard range, while the Par 5s will reward those that are solid on approach from 200-250 yards with eagle opportunities – perhaps this could prove to be the difference-maker.

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

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Top 5 Picks/Odds to Win the Zurich Classic  

Top Tier Pick #1

Patrick Cantlay (Odds: 3/1, FPPG: 93.1, Salary: $11,100) (partnered by Xander Schauffele)

We’ve been hitching a ride on the Cantlay train for a few months now, and while his pace of play is occasionally painful to watch, the quality of his golf is anything but.

He’s ranking as one of the very best players in the world as part of our rolling ball-striking standings, and that has been reflected in top-five finishes at the RBC Heritage, Arnold Palmer and the Genesis plus T14 at The Masters.

You wouldn’t necessarily pin Cantlay as a team golf kinda guy, but his partnership with Schauffele has yielded the Zurich Classic title, two wins from two at the 2021 Ryder Cup and two victories from three rubbers at last year’s Presidents Cup. They evidently bring the best out of each other….

Key Stats:

• Birdie Average – 2nd
• SG: Off-the-Tee – 2nd
• SG: Tee-to-Green – 6th

Top Tier Pick #2

Kurt Kitayama (Odds: 28/1, FPPG: 56.2, Salary: $9,100) (partnered by Taylor Montgomery) 

What happens when you pair a bomber with an excellent short game with an iron and wedge flusher?

We’ll find out in due course, but Kurt Kitayama and Taylor Montgomery just feels like one of those pairings that should work well at an easy, birdie-heavy layout.

Montgomery will bring the bombs and the reliable putting stroke, while Kitayama – it’s not long since he won the Arnold Palmer Invitational, remember – is delivering big numbers on approach. He’s gained strokes on the field with irons and wedges in hand in five of his last six strokeplay starts.

Key Stats:

• Approaches from 200+ yards – 10th
• Scoring Average – 52nd
• SG: Tee-to-Green – 54th

Mid-Tier Pick #1

Lee Hodges (Odds: 66/1, FPPG: 52.1, Salary: $8,100) (partnered by Robby Shelton)

Three top-20 finishes within his last seven starts shows the direction in which Lee Hodges is trending right now.

The pick of those was the T18 at the Genesis Invitational, although T6 at the Texas Open a couple of weeks ago would have certainly helped his bank balance too.

Hodges will line up alongside fellow University of Alabama grad Robby Shelton here, and they make for an eye-catching combo – Shelton was T15 last time out at the Texas Open.

Key Stats:

• Scrambling – 27th
• Approaches from 200+ yards (rough) – 28th
• SG: Off-the-Tee – 49th

Mid-Tier Pick #2

Davis Thompson (Odds: 90/1, FPPG: 63.3, Salary: $7,600) (partnered by Will Gordon) 

Davis Thompson burst onto the scene with a staying-on second place at the American Express, and while he hasn’t kicked on from there, this is a big hitter with birdies by the barrowload – especially on Par 5 holes.

Ranking 40th and 46th for SG: Off-the-Tee and Approach, Will Gordon is evidently an outstanding ball-striker. His short game needs work, but a long and soft layout should allow him to make the most of his gifts.

These two youngsters may not have the short game hustle, but as far as big hitting, birdie-making and mass potential is concerned, they have it in spades.

Key Stats:

• SG: Off-the-Tee – 18th
• Par 5 Birdie or Better Leaders – 47th
• Approaches from 200+ yards – 58th

Low-Tier Pick

Mark Hubbard (Odds: 150/1, FPPG: 51.8, Salary: $7,200) (partnered by Ryan Brehm)

Here’s an intriguing duo who can cover up the weaknesses in each others’ games.

Brehm is long off the tee and a solid enough putter, and while he’s not the most consistent sort he proved in winning the Puerto Rico Open that he’s capable of triumphing from out of nowhere.

Hubbard, meanwhile, flirted with the top page of the leaderboard at the RBC Heritage last week, and his neat-and-tidy play – he ranks 55th for SG: Tee-to-Green on TOUR this season and 34th for Par 4 Scoring Average – compliments the rather wild abandon that Brehm offers.

Together, they finished T14 in this event last year.

 Key Stats:

• Par 4 Birdie or Better Leaders – 51st
• SG: Tee-to-Green – 55th
• Scrambling – 65th

Sleeper Pick for the Zurich Classic

Austin Smotherman (Odds: 150/1, FPPG: 47.9, Salary: $7,100) (partnered by Harry Higgs) 

There’s a lot of talent in this pairing, and if both Austin Smotherman and Harry Higgs can fire at the same time, they could surprise a few.

Although not striking the ball as well as he was earlier in the season, Smotherman delivered T35 and T36 finishes at TPC Sawgrass and Innisbrook recently – decent showings against high-grade opposition at classical golf courses.

Harry Higgs is a player that perhaps hasn’t delivered as much as his prowess suggests he might, but here’s a guy who opened up 68-69 in his most recent outing at the Texas Open – he heads to Memphis with confidence in his swing.

Key Stats:

• Approaches from 200+ yards – 30th
• Total Driving – 79th
• Proximity to Hole – 81st

Alternative Sleeper Pick for the Zurich Classic

Kevin Roy (Odds: 150/1, FPPG: 43.1, Salary: $6,900) (partnered by Brent Grant)

Here’s an interesting combination that could provide a sleeper-style, expectation-smashing performance this week.

In Brent Grant we have a player that ranks 22nd on TOUR for Driving Distance, while Kevin Roy ranks third on TOUR for Approaches from 200+ yards.

So for 36 holes of best ball and half their alternate shot action they could be ideally placed to set up birdie opportunities, and while neither Roy nor Grant have a putting stroke to put your house keys on, perhaps they will find the forgiving greens at TPC Louisiana more agreeable than the usual TOUR fare.

Key Stats:

• Approaches from 200+ yards – 3rd
• Par 5 Birdie or Better Leaders – 61st
• SG: Tee-to-Green – 83rd

This Week’s Sample Fantasy Lineup

Note: Sample lineups provided as examples only.  Be sure to mix-and-match players to best fit individual contests.

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Fantasy Golf Predictions This Season (2023-2023)

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