Fantasy Golf Sleeper Report – Wells Fargo Championship

The Sleeper Report: Fantasy Golf Sleepers, Long Shots, and Undervalued Picks for the 2017 Wells Fargo Championship

The 2017 Wells Fargo Championship Sleeper Preview

A change is as good as a rest, so the old saying goes, and while the partner-based shenanigans of the Zurich Classic were greeted as a lukewarm success, it’s a welcome hello to the individual strokeplay format at the Wells Fargo Championship this week.

The surprise duo of Cameron Smith and Jonas Blixt took the honors in the inaugural hosting of the team format in New Orleans, besting Kevin Kisner and Scott Brown in a playoff.  It was Smith who sunk the deciding putt to land his team a birdie and secure the first PGA TOUR title of his fledgling but promising career.

Attention must turn to Wells Fargo though, where preparations for June’s US Open begin in earnest.  Eagle Point Golf Club will take over hosting honors in place of the traditional venue, Quail Hollow, who of course will welcome the PGA Championship later in the year.

So what do we know about Eagle Point?  Not too much, to be honest.  It measures around 7,400 yards for its Par 72, and features Bentgrass greens that are multi-tiered in nature.  That suggests that good approach play is crucial on this stretch found in Wilmington, North Carolina.

Cometh the hour, cometh the man.  Dustin Johnson will make his long-awaited return from the back injury that halted his assault on the Green Jacket at Augusta in the most bizarre fashion.  He will be desperate to return to form here.

To clinch a fourth title of 2017 he may need to see off the advances of the outstanding Jon Rahm, while an impressive support cast including Adam Scott, Paul Casey, Phil Mickelson, Kevin Kisner, and Alex Noren.

Perhaps the most pertinent information that sports bettors need prior to placing their wagers this week is that we are expecting wind in North Carolina…and lots of it.  The official forecast suggests gusts of 18 mph are likely, although history tells us that in exposed parts of the course these speeds will increase yet further.  If you’re not comfortable playing in a gale, you’re not going to be winning this Wells Fargo Championship.

So who are the five key picks to look out for this week? Let’s take a look.

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Wells Fargo Championship Fantasy Sleeper Report

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The Wells Fargo Championship Fantasy Sleeper Report

Mix and match these players with your usual rosters (or play them separately) to get the most out of your picks this week.

Patrick Reed – Vegas Odds 55/1 – The signs are, slowly but surely, that Patrick Reed is returning to form.  An opening round of 69 at the Texas Open set the scene before a disappointing Friday saw him miss the weekend, while three rounds in the 60s alongside partner Patrick Cantlay took the pair to T14 at the Zurich Classic last time out.

Reed is too good a player to be in this slump for much longer, and at this kind of price sports bettors could land themselves an absolute bargain.

Even in the midst of a complete loss of form, Reed still ranks 20th for SG: Off-the-Tee, 46th for SG: Putting and 69th for Birdie Average, so there is no reason to suggest the Texan won’t rediscover his best form soon.

Graeme McDowell – Vegas Odds 66/1 – If the windy conditions are the defining factor this week, you could do a lot worse than get the man they call GMac on board.

The Links specialist grew up in Northern Ireland, so is no stranger to golf in blustery surroundings, and as a European Tour veteran he will be happy to feel the wind through his hair in North Carolina this week.

McDowell’s form has been pretty good this term, with six out of seven cuts made in 2017 and a pair of T14s at the Honda Classic and Valspar Championships to call upon.

Byeong Hun An – Vegas Odds 70/1 – We’ve backed this Korean in this column a few times this season, and he’s someone who appears to be worth preserving with.

Huge off the tee, An also possesses a lovely touch around the green (37th for SG: Approach-the-Green), and if he could get his putter going he really would be some player.  Perhaps the switch from Bermuda to Bentgrass will kickstart that?

There’s only a certain amount of crossover, but any player that can finish T33 at The Masters deserves to be respected in this thin field.

Brian Harman – Vegas Odds 80/1 – Harman is on a list of ‘scouts’ who visited Eagle Point a few weeks ago, and for a player who is rounding up to some nice form that’s a handy angle in.

His last four starts read T13-MC-T9-T14, and while we’re happy enough to overlook the last number at the team-based Zurich Classic his T9 at the RBC Heritage – played in windy South Carolina – cannot be missed.

A brilliant putter who comes alive on and around the green, if Harman performs off the tee this week he should create plenty of chances to birdie up.

Patton Kizzire – Vegas Odds 150/1 – A bold pick given how out of touch he has been this season, but there has been bits and pieces of form recently to suggest this fine young talent is coming back up to the boil.

He returned to the money places at the Zurich Classic alongside Jason Dufner – a run which many have suggested he was a key part of, while rounds of 66 and 70 in tough conditions at the RBC Heritage a few weeks ago add further encouragement.

This is a guy with seven top-10s to his name in a PGA TOUR career that spans less than two years, so getting into the mix is no problem for Kizzire.

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

Cover photo via Instagram