Fantasy Golf Picks, Odds, and Predictions – Mayakoba Golf Classic

Fantasy Golf Picks, Odds, and Predictions for the Mayakoba Golf Classic

Mayakoba Golf Classic Fantasy Preview

After a week off following the Asian Swing, the PGA TOUR nears a return to its spiritual home in the US, but first we have a stop-off in Mexico for the Mayakoba Golf Classic.

Rory McIlroy signed off the Asian jaunt with victory in the WGC-HSBC Champions last time out, just about seeing off the threat of ‘home’ favorite Xander Schauffele, whose mother is from Taiwan.

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And in the alternate event of the same week, Brendon Todd completed an emotional return to the big time with his win at the Bermuda Championship. The Byron Nelson winner of 2014 lost his way so badly that he had missed 37 of his last 40 cuts in 2017 and ’18, largely due to the yips, but the 34-year-old found inspiration from somewhere to get himself back into the winner’s circle.

For guys like Rory this great sport comes easy. For Todd and co, the struggle is real and ongoing but, occasionally enough, worth the effort!

We’ve now got a run of events which will see us heading back to the States for the RSM Classic next week, followed by the World Cup of Golf, the Hero World Challenge and the Presidents Cup, before the players take a week earned break over Christmas and the new year period.

Last Week’s Fantasy Results

Last week we came oh so close to picking our 5th winner out of 8 events this fall season! 

Despite, our top guy Xander falling short to Rory in a playoff, we still managed top pick up two players who finished T8 or better.  

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The Mayakoba Golf Classic Field

This is one of the last few chances to tee it up in a traditional golf event in 2019, and so it’s a tad disappointing that so few of the sport’s big names will be taking the opportunity.

The betting market is led by defending champion Matt Kuchar, Jason Day and Tony Finau, which offers its own explanation, with the home charge led by Abraham Ancer.

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Day, Finau, Adam Hadwin and Joaquin Niemann will be looking to find – or maintain – some form ahead of the Presidents Cup, while Pat Perez and Graeme McDowell will be looking to double up in this event by getting their hands back on the trophy.

And how’s this for a story – Chris Kirk makes his second start since a return from battling a very public alcohol problem.

This Week’s Course Preview

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The bread and butter of the PGA TOUR are the greenbelt parkland courses we have come to know and love, but it’s always refreshing to take a trip to short, coastal tracks where a different set of skills are required.

It’s good news for DFS gamers, who have a strong profile to work with, and its good news for the Tour’s grinders and plodders who can really come to the fore at El Camaleon.

Measuring 6,987 yards for its Par of 71, you might think that this layout, found in Playa del Carmen, can be overpowered, but that’s not strictly true: the rough tends to be thick and juicy, and the fairways are tighter than the norm as well. With some tree-lined holes, driving accuracy is worth plenty this week.

Visually stunning, El Camaleon isn’t too demanding on the players either with winning scores tickling the -20 mark, and a move in the calendar to November has helped to soften the track and make it all the easier.

The layout was designed by Greg Norman, and he must have been in a good mood when he drew up the plans because other than the afore-mentioned rough, the wind is the only real defense. And as we will see in the forecast, that might not be a huge factor this week.

Another factor to consider is the small greens, which are Sea Isle Paspalum. This will be a new strain of grass for many in the field, and because of the humidity and softness these don’t run particularly quick. So, there’s a real premium on some high-quality approach play.

The fairways, which are of an average size, and the smaller-than-average greens are Sea Isle Paspalum, and the putting surfaces don’t particularly run fast given the humidity in the area.

There’s a fantastic opportunity to land a decent paycheck and some handy FedEx Cup points this week….who will take the opportunity?

Weather Forecast for Playa Del Carmen, Mexico

It looks set to be a rather a-typical week in Playa del Carmen.

Normally home to beautiful warm sunshine, there is a lot of rain in the predictions which could, mercifully, clear up in time for the weekend.

So there’s a clearer picture for Saturday and Sunday, where temperatures could reach 82°F.

Surprisingly, the wind seems set to be down too, with a breeze of 7-11 mph expected.

Last Year’s Results for the Mayakoba Golf Classic

There was a slice of history at this event last year, when Matt Kuchar ended a title drought of Brendon Todd proportions with a one-shot victory.

Starting like a train, Kooch was sitting on -14 at the halfway stage and extended his lead to four shots heading into the final round.

But getting over the line is always difficult, no matter how experienced you are, and a pair of bogeys on the back nine Sunday opened the door for others.

Most prominent was Danny Lee, who fired in a round of 65, but he couldn’t quite do enough to usurp Kuchar, who just about clung on for his win since 2014. He picked up a handsome paycheck, although of course he wasn’t all that keen to share it with his temporary local caddie for the week….

Matt Kuchar Highlights | Round 4 | Mayakoba 2018

SUBSCRIBE to PGA TOUR now: http://pgat.us/vBxcZSh In the final round of the 2018 Mayakoba Golf Classic, Matt Kuchar defended his four-stroke lead, carding a 2-under 69 to get to 22-under for the tournament, one stroke clear of the field, earning his first win in over four years.

Where to Play Fantasy Golf for Mayakoba Golf Classic this Week

There are two traditional game weeks left for DFS gamers this year, plus the possibility of a bonus at the Hero World Challenge. So let’s really make those bankrolls count!

• PGA $60k Club Twirl: If you’ve a couple of multiples of $44 in your account then why not double or treble up in this lucrative contest, with a top prize of $10k available and the top-25% of players scoring a decent return on their investment.
• PGA $175k Best Ball: One of the main draws this week will be this contest where $50k awaits the winner for just an $8 buy-in. There will be lots of weak entries this week with such a questionable head of the field, so there should be plenty of decent prizes available to discerning gamers.

This Week’s Fantasy Notes for the Mayakoba Golf Classic

Talk about shredding up the usual playbook: nine of the last twelve winners of this event have been aged 30 or older.

Okay, so it’s not the kind of stat that is going to impress your friends at the bar, but it is certainly worth baring in mind as we make our draft shortlist this week.

In short, the takeaway point is that the ‘thinkers’ and the plotters have an obvious advantage over inexperienced sorts who can’t alter their game for the test ahead.

This is a less-than-driver course, so the bombers’ advantage is negated, and finding the best angle in to these small greens is the key.

When Patton Kizzire won here in 2017 he found some 75% greens in regulation, which is a tremendous effort given their size, but does go to show the sort of ball-striking that will be required to take care of business.

We can file El Camaleon under the same category as a number of other PGA TOUR regulars. The Sony Open, the Tournament of Champions, the Honda Classic, the CIMB Classic….these are all events played at venues with plenty of similarities to the assignment this week.

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

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Fantasy Golf Predictions This Season (2019-2020)

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