Fantasy Golf Sleeper Report – 2023 Wells Fargo Championship

2023 Wells Fargo Championship Fantasy Sleeper Report

There must be something about the air in Nuevo Vallarta that gets the juices of Tony Finau and Jon Rahm flowing.

Some 12 months after the heavyweights went toe-to-toe by the coast in the Mexico Open, they were at it again – this time, with the final result reversed.

Finau had asserted a two-shot lead at the 54-hole mark, but with Rahm lurking and Brandon Wu – who was also in the hunt for the trophy a year ago – also on the premises, ‘Big Tone’ was facing a nervy run to the finishing line.

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Well, that was the narrative, anyway. But Finau showed the hunger that has captured four PGA TOUR titles in the past 18 months to not only ward off Rahm and co but also extend his lead – finishing the Mexico Open at Vidanta some three shots clear of the pack.

From the coast of Mexico to a rather leafier slice of Charlotte, Finau has a chance to add a fifth trophy to his recently-endowed collection this week as the Wells Fargo Championship returns to Quail Hollow.

The popular venue was used as the host of the Presidents Cup last year, and so defending champion Max Homa – who has won at Quail Hollow as well, incidentally – instead earned his spurs at TPC Potomac.

Rory McIlroy is the defending champ at this course, if you like, after triumphing here in 2021 – the third time the Irishman has prevailed at Quail Hollow. His previous wins came by four and seven strokes respectively, but this time Rory was made to work hard for his win, eventually getting over the line by a single stroke from Abraham Ancer.

With McIlroy’s recent form not up to his usual mesmeric high and Rahm and Scottie Scheffler deciding to sit this event out, we have an ‘elevated’ tournament on the PGA TOUR that feels slightly more open than usual.

In the past decade, we’ve seen 300/1 (Homa, 2019), 500/1 (Derek Ernst, 2013) and 500/1 (James Hahn, 2016) winners at Quail Hollow, and while it would be a huge surprise if a similarly unexpected outsider prevailed in this quality of company – Cantlay, Schauffele, Finau, Spieth, Morikawa and JT are just some of the other stars joining Rory in North Carolina – there’s still scope for an outsider to challenge.

And it’s in that spirit we have compiled our sleeper shortlist of outsiders for the 2023 Wells Fargo Championship.

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Tommy Fleetwood – 50/1 – Although the stats can be misleading at times, a player that ranks 14th for SG: Tee-to-Green and 18th for Scoring Average will surely create opportunities for themselves to win on the PGA TOUR.

Will it come for Tommy Fleetwood? He’s certainly knocking on the door with a pair of top-fives on TOUR this season and a decent run at the RBC Heritage, where he tripped himself up with a final round of 71.

T14 on a foray to Quail Hollow in 2021, could this finally be Fleetwood’s week to secure a maiden win in America?

Corey Conners – 55/1 – There’s a handful of quality ball-strikers on the PGA TOUR whose short game is so poor, relative to their fellow pros, that it seems almost impossible for them to win.

But Corey Conners is somewhat different in that he can improve just enough on and around the greens to win – as he did to wrap up his second triumph at the Texas Open back in April.

The Canadian is strong off the tee and outstanding on approach, and he’ll be feeling as though it’s high time he won a PGA TOUR event outside of the Lonestar State.

Brian Harman – 80/1 – He isn’t long by any means, but Brian Harman is so good with the big stick – he ranks 17th for SG: Off-the-Tee this term – that he has to be of interest at a venue where he has played well before.

Harman is actually a former Wells Fargo champion, albeit at a different course at Eagle Point, but he has a pretty good record at Quail Hollow by all accounts: in the past decade, he’s visited eight times and delivered four top-25 finishes including a T10 and T13.

His form has been patchy in 2023, but Harman saved his best for last with a T7 turn in his last outing at the RBC Heritage.

Wyndham Clark – 80/1 – It feels as though Wyndham Clark has been there or thereabouts of late, with a T3 finish in the Zurich Classic alongside Beau Hossler followed by T24 at the Mexico Open, where he opened with a 73 before impressing on the way home with 67-69-65.

The improvements in Clark’s approach game are eye-catching and add another dimension for a player that is simply one of the longest hitters around, and he’ll be hoping that yields the ultimate dividend soon.

Ranking 17th on TOUR for Scoring Average, Clark appears ready to make the next step up in grade.

Cam Davis – 120/1 – The stats confirm that Cam Davis makes too many bogeys to truly be considered a top player just yet, but boy does he have some weapons in his arsenal.

Anyone that ranks 31st on TOUR for SG: Tee-to-Green after eight months of action is clearly some talent, and the Australian must feel like he’s on the cusp of challenging for more silverware on the PGA TOUR.

One of the most interesting aspects of Davis’ game is that he can hang in quality company – T6 at THE PLAYERS Championship was followed T7 in the ‘elevated’ RBC Heritage. This is a guy who can contend with the world’s best.

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Want more of this week’s fantasy predictions? Check out our full fantasy preview for the Wells Fargo Championship here.

Fantasy Golf Predictions This Season (2023-2023)

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