Fantasy Golf Sleeper Report – The Masters

The Masters 2018 Fantasy Sleeper Report

So here we are then: the first major of the calendar year, The Masters. As ever the great and the good will battle it out for the famous Green Jacket, and once again it looks set to be a highly competitive affair at Augusta National.

Each of the last ten champions have come from within the world’s top 30 in in the OWGR, but that’s not to say that sleepers and outsiders can’t get their have time to shine here: Danny Willett, Charl Schwartzel and Trevor Immelman have all tried the green on for size, and none of the trio can hardly be described as a ‘likely’ winner. Fans of long-priced jollies should not give up hope just yet!

Of course, whoever does win in Georgia this week will have earned it. This is a collection of the best golfers on the planet, who will take to the difficult Augusta layout with dreams of glory. Alas, only one can prevail.

Alexander Noren of Sweden plays his shot from the third tee during a…

Alexander Noren of Sweden plays his shot from the third tee during a practice round prior to the start of the 2018 Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club on April 2, 2018 in Augusta,… Get premium, high resolution news photos at Getty Images

This is a monster track: measuring a shade under 7,500 yards for its Par 72, Augusta National actually plays longer with a number of uphill holes. Factor in the dense tree lined fairways and those Bentgrass greens, which are lightning fast and typically feature run-off areas, slopes and multiple tiers. This is the ultimate test of ball striking to ensure approaches land on the right tier, and it is a fascinating assignment as a result.

There are so many narratives this week that it is hard to know which is the main story. Can the comeback kings – Rory McIlroy, Bubba Watson, Phil Mickelson – continue their fine form? Will Justin Thomas win a second major? Can Jordan Spieth or Sergio Garcia return to the winner’s circle? Or can Dustin Johnson, bizarrely going under the radar somewhat, confirm his status as the best golfer on the planet?

It really is a fascinating week in store, and who knows: maybe we will see a surprise winner from lower down the betting market? Here are five options who could well get the job done:

Marc Leishman – Vegas Odds 66/1 – The three-time PGA TOUR winner has contended in majors before, including that play-off defeat to Zach Johnson at the British Open in 2015. That followed a T4 effort at The Masters in 2013, so we know that Leishman has the game for the big occasion.

The Australian won twice in 2017, with the first being the prestigious Arnold Palmer Invitational – you don’t win at Bay Hill unless you are the real deal – and the second a FedExCup event, the BMW Championship.

That shows that Leishman can mix it with the big boys, and his dream-like swing is one which experts conclude has very little that can go wrong with it, such is its smoothness.

That’s key, because under pressure Leishman will remain long and straight in his ball-striking. You’d fancy he will win a major one day; why not at Augusta this week?

Tyrrell Hatton – Vegas Odds 80/1 – A price of 80/1 is simply too big to ignore for this talented young Englishman.

Hatton grew up a stone’s throw from Wentworth, a classically tree-lined layout in England, and just a matter of weeks ago he was contending in Mexico on a similar track, eventually finishing T3.

That means he has four top-10 finishes to his name in majors and WGC events; a sure sign he raises his game when taking on the big boys.

His questionable temperament is a concern, especially on Augusta’s complex greens, but sometimes for punters the price dictates the bet and there is no way that Hatton is an 80/1 chance in any field.

Xander Schauffele – Vegas Odds 90/1 – What a year 2017 was for Xander Schauffele. In his first term as a PGA TOUR pro, he won twice – including the season ending TOUR Championship – and was named Rookie of the Year.

Equally as impressive was his turn in the US Open. On debut in a major, he shot a round of 66 – the first time in that tournament’s history such an occurrence had happened, and became one of only 15 men to get to -10 in a US Open. If you needed any further hint that Schauffele is the real deal, that is it.

His long, straight hitting should suit Augusta National, and there are little bits of form of late – T9 at the Genesis Open, T17 at the Phoenix Open – to hint at brighter things to come.

Adam Hadwin – Vegas Odds 150/1 – The neat and tidy style of Adam Hadwin will secure him more PGA TOUR titles in the future, and while it would be a huge surprise if he was to win this week you just never know what can happen in the rarefied air of the majors.

The Canadian proved he could grind in winning the Valspar Championship in 2017, and earlier this year at the WGC Mexico he confirmed his penchant for tree-lined layouts with a T9 finish.

Brilliant when chipping and scrambling, Hadwin has finished inside the top-15 in four of his last six strokeplay starts, and he seems to have the attributes that will one day elevate him to the upper echelons of the Tour.

Gary Woodland – Vegas Odds 150/1 – After battling injury, personal heartache and numerous swing changes, Gary Woodland’s win at the Phoenix Open earlier in the year felt like a watershed moment.

He hits long, straight and putts well, and while he hasn’t shown his best in majors thus far Woodland has never been better placed to show his class on the big stage.

The 33-year-old’s form has dipped somewhat since winning in the winter, but at a course where his extra length will give him an advantage don’t be surprised if he shows well in Georgia.