Fantasy Golf Predictions – The 2013 TOUR Championship

Fantasy Golf Predictions for the 2013 TOUR Championship by Coca Cola Sept 19 – Sept 22, 2013

Recap from Last Week: After the BMW Championship was rained out Sunday, the players concluded on what we all thought was going to be a “senior” moments between Steve Stricker and Jim Furyk. But it was Zach Johnson who rallied late to win the BMW Championship in style with a 2-shot victory over Nick Watney.  Jim Furyk was added to the 59 club with his solid round on Friday, which by the way, had he not bogeyed one hole a 58 could have been claimed (a feat never accomplished on TOUR).  Zach Johnson’s win moved him to 4th place on the FedExCup points list.  Keep in mind that being in the top 5 ensures a FedExCup win with a victory at East Lake.

TOUR Championship Preview:   With so many elite players in the field of 30 this week, it will be very difficult to pick our usual 7 players as the TOUR Championship could easly end up in the hands of  any one of them.  But still the question remains;  who will walk away with the FedExCup? In this case, that’s the ten million dollar question.

If any of the top 5 FedExCup points holders wins at East Lake, they automatically qualify with enough points to win the FedExCup. It’s very possible to see past winners such as Furyk, Woods, and Snedeker hold the massive trophy this week, with all three of them being in such great position.  Here is a list of the top 5 FedExCup standings heading into East Lake this Thursday:

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The Course: East Lake Golf Club measures 7,154 yards and plays as a par 70. This track once played home to the Atlanta Athletic Club which opened its doors in 1908.  Known as the childhood course of Bobby Jones, this course hosted the 1950 U.S. Women’s Amateur and 1963 Ryder Cup.  In 1967 it relocated north, and eventually The TOUR Championship came to East Lake for the first time in 1998 and eventually becoming its annual location in 2004.

The Weather at 2013 TOUR Championship in Atlanta, GA (from weather.com)

• Round 1: Thursday (Sept 19) 84 degrees,   0% chance of rain, partly cloudy.
• Round 2: Friday (Sept 20) 85 degrees, 10% chance of rain, partly cloudy.
• Round 3: Saturday (Sept 21) 71 degrees, 40% chance of rain, scattered T-Storms.
• Round 4: Sunday (Sept 22) 78 degrees, 30% chance of rain, isolated T-Storms.

2012 Results: Snedeker won both the TOUR Championship and FedExCup’s top prize with a final-round 68 and a beautiful chip in off the green that set the stage on the 2nd to last hole.  He dominated the points to overtake Woods and McIlroy, the clear favorites to win the top prize. The three of them were separated by just four strokes entering the final round, but Snedeker was the only player from the final five groups to break par.  His win capped off an amazing season for Brandt and he certainly hasn’t forgotten how to compete.  Sneds comes into this week with the best chance of anyone to repeat this title.

Notes: All players within the top five in FedExCup points can win the FedExCup by winning the finale. Everyone outside the top five will need help to win with others above them finishing lower. All points are reset after the BMW Championship and everyone is given a mathematical chance of claiming the title. For No. 30 to win, though, the points leader would have to finish in the bottom two at East Lake.

Regardless, anybody can win the biggest prize in sports on Sunday, and we’re excited to see how it ends.

Top 5 Picks/Odds to Win the 2013 TOUR Championship:

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• Brandt Snedeker (Golficity Odds 7/1):  Brandt has a legitimate chance to defend his crown and become the first player to repeat the FedExCup.   He looked great last week , holding the outright lead at Conway Farms after 18 holes but eventually falling one spot to 10th in FedExCup points.  A win in East Lake should do it for him provided the top 5 guys fall apart.
• Hunter Mahan (Golficity Odds 11/1):  Hunter is the only golfer to play in every tournament in FedExCup Playoffs history.  He knows how to navigate the playoff scene and almost won it in 2011.  Mahan begins this year’s finale at 15th in points.  He has top 25s in the first three playoff events for first time in his career and three top 10s at East Lake, including that solo second in 2011 which he lost to Bill Haas after his unforgettable shot from the greenside water.
• Tiger Woods (Golficity Odds 15/1): Tiger is now back on top of FedExCup standings with his T11 at Conway Farms on Monday. In his last five trips to East Lake, he’s won once (2007), and finished second three times. Woods posted a T8 last time around, in a year that a lot of people felt like he should have won it all.  But injuries held Tiger back as he only broke par twice in those five finales.
• Justin Rose (Golficity Odds 22/1): Rose co-led last year’s TOUR Championship after 18 and 54 holes but he settled for solo second behind Brandt.  Odds were that he may not have won the FedExCup with that victory, but he certainly has a good chance this year. His T33 last week lowered his stock just a bit, but he certainly has what it takes to win at East Lake.
• Henrik Stenson (Golficity Odds 25/1): This is Henrik’s first appearance at East Lake. He had the top spot locked up but fell to second in FedExCup points with a disappointing T33 at the BMW Championship where he carded a final 3-over 74.  However, we feel that was only a minor setback and love his chances this week.

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Sleeper Picks/Odds to Win:

• Matt Kuchar (Golficity Odds 30/1): Kuch enters East Lake ranked fifth in points and remains as one of the two guys (Tiger Woods) to remain inside the top five throughout the playoffs.  Kuch fell to a T24 at Conway Farms with a 73 in his final round.  Matt has only one Top 10 at East Lake, but we like his chances if he gets the hot hand.
• Zach Johnson (Golficity Odds 30/1):  Zach jumped 23 spots to fourth in the FedExCup standings with his amazing two-stroke win at the BMW Championship. He currently ranks T3 in GIR and second in strokes gained-putting with two top 10s (in six starts) at East Lake  and one was a T2 in 2007. He’s hot and running with plenty of confidence.

Last Event’s Fantasy Golf Predictions Results (2013 BMW Championship)

• Adam Scott (Golficity Odds 8/1): T28
• Justin Rose (Golficity Odds 12/1): T33
• Tiger Woods (Golficity Odds 15/1): T11
• Henrik Stenson (Golficity Odds 20/1): T33
• Matt Kuchar (Golficity Odds 23/1):   T24

Last Event’s Sleeper Picks/Odds to Win:

• Phil Mickelson (Golficity Odds 30/1):  T33
• Steve Stricker (Golficity Odds 45/1): T4

(Cover Photo Credit)