Fantasy Golf Picks, Odds, & Predictions – Shriner’s Hospitals for Children Open

Fantasy Golf Picks, Odds, and Predictions for the Shriner’s Hospitals for Children Open

2018 Shriner’s Hospitals for Children Open Fantasy Preview

It was a fantastic weekend for the present and future of world golf, with two young guns going at it over in China and another potential star in the making tearing it up a little closer to home.

Xander Schauffele confirmed – as if he needed to do so – his class by picking up his third PGA TOUR title, and first WGC win, of his career in a playoff over Tony Finau in the WGC-HSBC Champions.

The Ryder Cup ace had held a three-shot lead heading into the final round, but Schauffele, unfazed by the tough conditions in Shanghai, fired a closing 68 to force his way into extra time.

The 25-year-old found the fairway with his tee shot on the first playoff hole, while Finau could only hit into a bunker. And that was a nice metaphor for why Schauffele already has a hat-trick of trophies in his cabinet, and why Finau has a rather dusty alternate event win as the only piece of silverware in his collection.

Back on US soil, Cameron Champ swiftly showed that all of the hype surrounding his game is backed by no little skill too.

He won the Sanderson Farms Championship by four shots and from wire to wire too; not bad for a maiden victory at senior level. Accompanied by some mind-boggling stats both off the tee and on the greens, you suspect this won’t be the last time Champ gets his hands on a trophy this season.

It’s back to normal for the next three weeks on the PGA TOUR, with the Mayakoba Golf Classic and the RSM Classic following this week’s event, the Shriners Hospitals for Children Open from TPC Summerlin in Nevada.

Patrick Cantlay of the United States plays his shot from the fourth…

Patrick Cantlay of the United States plays his shot from the fourth tee during the second round of the WGC – HSBC Champions at Sheshan International Golf Club on October 26, 2018 in Shanghai, China. Get premium, high resolution news photos at Getty Images

Last Week’s Fantasy Results 

Last week our Sleeper Report identified Xander as a must pick for your lineups. Turns out, he was the right pick for the right price.  In case you missed it, here’s what our team had to say about the young gun.

Sometimes in sports betting, you have to go where the value lies.

For instance, Schauffele – a two-time PGA TOUR winner and a 66/1 chance here – more than triple the price of Tony Finau (one alternate event win), twice the price of Patrick Cantlay (one win) and longer odds than the likes of Rafa Cabrera-Bello (one win worldwide in six years), Cameron Smith (no strokeplay wins on the PGA TOUR).

Of course, there’s more than simply trophies that goes into handicapping golfers, but we really do have to question the logic here.

It’s not as if Schauffele is a dud, either. He closed out with a round of 65 at the CJ Cup, and also fired a 65 at the CIMB Classic, so the takeaway point is that the form is there or thereabouts.

Two of is rounds were under par at Sheshan last year, and if he can improve upon that foundation there is no reason why Schauffele can’t make a mockery of his 66/1 price this week.

Xander Schauffele of the United States celebrates with the winner’s…

Xander Schauffele of the United States celebrates with the winner’s trophy after the final round of the WGC – HSBC Champions at Sheshan International Golf Club on October 28, 2018 in Shanghai, China. Get premium, high resolution news photos at Getty Images

As for the main picks, we notched three top 11s including Keegan Bradley (6th) and Tommy Fleetwood (T7). All in all, a good week despite DJ’s disappointing T30 finish.

The 2018 Shriner’s Hospitals for Children Open Field

A return to American soil has gotten some of the big guns out of hibernation, with Jordan Spieth, Rickie Fowler and Bryson DeChambeau headlining the action near Las Vegas.

They will be joined by defending Shriners champion Patrick Cantlay, vanquished WGC-HSBC Champions playoff protagonist Tony Finau and Sanderson Farms winner Cameron Champ.

The in-form Gary Woodland and former Shriners winners Webb Simpson, Kevin Na and Ryan Moore are also in attendance for what should be an excellent Fall Season outing.

Rickie Fowler of the United States and Jordan Spieth of the United…

Rickie Fowler of the United States and Jordan Spieth of the United States walk during the first round of the BMW Championship at Aronimink Golf Club on September 6, 2018 in Newtown Square,… Get premium, high resolution news photos at Getty Images

This Week’s Course Preview

TPC Summerlin is, by all accounts, an easy golf course – assuming the wind doesn’t get up, that is.

Playing at 7,233 yards for its Par 71, it’s worth noting that the course is situated some 2000 ft above sea level, and so even the shortest of hitters will be feeling Champ-esque in the desert.

The history books tell us how easy TPC Summerlin has played, with every winner between 2010 and 2015 posting a mark of -20 or lower. Indeed, there have been a handful of rounds of 60 recorded as well.

Last year’s -9 from Cantlay was the ‘worst’ score in the tournament’s history, but it should be said there was a freakish, howling gale that made life for the players all the more difficult.

The Bobby Wood and Fuzzy Zoeller design features wide Bermuda fairways and receptive, smooth Bentgrass greens, and really there is very little to trouble the field if the weather is set fair.

The fun part comes from the final four holes as the layout winds and undulates its way around canyons and other natural features. Fifteen is a driveable Par 4 while sixteen is a risk and reward Par 5 – are you going to take on the green in two with danger lurking?

Seventeen has water hazards all around the green, and eighteen is arguably the best hole on the course. Again, it’s a case of boom or bust for those brave enough to take it on.

Patrick Cantlay hits his tee shot on the third hole during the third…

Patrick Cantlay hits his tee shot on the third hole during the third round of the Shriners Hospitals For Children Open at the TPC Summerlin on November 4, 2017 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Get premium, high resolution news photos at Getty Images

Weather Forecast for Las Vegas, NV

There’s a dry and largely wind-free week in store for the players in Summerlin.

A dry couple of days leading into Thursday bring with them some decent temperatures at around 79 degrees, and the theme of dryness and sunny spells continues into the weekend.

Anyone in the field who played this event 12 months ago will be delighted to hear that there shouldn’t be too much of a breeze – according to the forecast at least – with top speeds of 11 mph on Thursday and down to 7 mph from then on. The phrase ‘Moving Day’ took on a whole new significance a year ago….

Last Year’s Results from the Shriner’s Hospitals for Children Open

The Fall Season events throw up a variety of winners, from class acts getting back into the habit to grizzled old veterans enjoying one final swansong.

But last year’s Shriners champion Patrick Cantlay, can be filed under the heading ‘future major winner in waiting’, as he enjoyed an emotional maiden victory.

Mind you, after 54 holes he may have given up hope on winning give that he was four shots back from the overnight leaders, JJ Spaun and Beau Hossler.

But tough conditions put paid to their hopes of a first win on the PGA TOUR, and instead Cantlay stepped into the winner’s circle with a brilliant round of 67 which featured bogeys at seventeen and eighteen.

That landed him in a playoff with Whee Kim and Alex Cejka, in which he triumphed after his pair of opponents both failed to make par on the second extra hole.

Highlights | Round 4 | Shriners

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Where to Play Fantasy Golf for the Shriner’s Hospitals for Children Open this Week

It’s back to proper golf this week where we don’t have to stay up all night to watch the action, and we can celebrate by getting stuck into a decent little slate that DraftKings and the like have put together.

• PGA $150k Drive the Green: It’s fair to say that ‘no cut’ golf is annoying to the DFS enthusiast with its minimal variance, so let’s enjoy a proper tournament by trying our luck at winning the $30k top prize here!
• PGA $8k Birdie: For just $3 entry you can battle it out for a top prize of $500 here, and in a small field of just 3170 teams there is plenty of scope for cashing rather nicely.

This Week’s Fantasy Notes for the Shriner’s Hospitals for Children Open

We can, to some extent, ignore last year’s edition as far as a fact-finding mission goes as the prevailing conditions were not what we can typically expect at TPC Summerlin.

But once again, Cantlay proved the importance of a strong tee-to-green game at this unique stretch.

He was in outstanding form off the tee, ranking fifth for Driving Accuracy (64% of fairways found) from an average distance of 324 yards; Cantlay was hitting absolute bombs 12 months ago.

That naturally led to a high GIR count (72.22%, ranking 17th), and with a decent week with a putter also in the bank it was always likely that Cantlay would be there or thereabouts come Sunday.

His numbers back up those of the 2016 champion, Rod Pampling, who ranked first or Strokes Gained: Tee-to-Green and second for SG: Approach.

So, the emphasis this week is on efficiency from tee to green, with the altitude helping the ball to fly further. The players can cut loose somewhat, but there are difficult holes to negotiate, particularly seventeen an eighteen.

Ideally, we’re looking for bombers who have a habit of taking apart easy courses. After all, the wind does not look set to be a factor this week.

Our Top 5 (and Top 2 Sleeper) Fantasy Picks and Odds to Win the Shriner’s Hospitals for Children Open

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Fantasy Golf Predictions This Season (2018-2019)

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