Fantasy Golf Sleeper Report – WGC-Fedex St. Jude Invitational

2020 WGC-Fedex St. Jude Invitational Fantasy Sleeper Report

Some players win their maiden PGA TOUR title and it sets them off on an epic journey of silverware and riches in the years to come.

As for others, well, that solitary victory can hang like something of a millstone around the neck.

Michael Thompson certainly fell into the latter camp as a talented youngster who took down the 2013 Honda Classic. Since then, it’s been a drought of silverware as he has struggled to clung on to this Tour card.

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An excellent putter, the 35-year-old has struggled from tee-to-green but something has clicked lately, and specifically at the 3M Open last week. Rather than just gaining stacks of shots on the greens – not always sustainable across 72 holes, Thompson’s approach play was in fine order too as he held off a charging leaderboard led by Adam Long.

He was in tears as he called his wife and young family on Zoom afterwards to celebrate – tears of joy, of course, but relief too no doubt as he called the win ‘validation’ as his PGA TOUR career continues.

A side bonus for Thompson is that he now qualifies for the U.S. Open and this week’s WGC event – the St Jude Invitational at TPC Southwind.

He’ll take his place among good company too, with Jon Rahm – the newly-crowned world number one – leading a field that also includes Rory McIlroy, Justin Thomas, Bryson DeChambeau and the defending champion, Brooks Koepka.

There’s Southwind royalty too, with both Dustin Johnson and Daniel Berger winning twice at this course in the past – the latter in consecutive years.

And it’s a fantastic course. A meaty 7,237 years for its Par 70, TPC Southwind features a number of doglegs in both directions and some tough sightlines off the tee – toughened by the possibility of long rough, with no watching patrons to stamp it down.

The Bermuda greens will run quickly if the rain stays away, and even if it doesn’t we still expect the GIR count to be lower than in the standard week. And then we can factor in the weather – thunderstorms and winds are in the early predictions – and we’re expecting a winning score to just about creep into the teens under par (famous last words!).

Since the St Jude became a WGC event, a better quality field has assembled and that makes picking out a sleeper winner more difficult – that said, Fabian Gomez did win here as a 400/1 shot back in 2015!

So who are we taking into battle this week? Here’s our WGC FedEx St Jude Invitational sleeper report.

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WGC-Fedex St. Jude Invitational Fantasy Sleeper Report

Jordan Spieth – 50/1 – If Jordan Spieth is going to get back into the winners’ circle any time soon, you suspect it will come in adverse conditions that aid his grinding game – rather than in perfect atmospherics that give other, arguably better players an edge.

The weather forecast is certainly shaping up to be tricky, and if the organizers can somehow keep the greens running pure and fast then there will be plenty of approach shots missed too.

It’s not beyond comprehension that Spieth, who has remained a decent chipper and scramble throughout his woes, can find some of his classic putting the he could thrive at a golf course where missing the odd fairway isn’t the end of the world.

The Texan will enjoy being back down south, and some intriguing improvements made since golf’s resumption will keep him interested on home soil.

Abraham Ancer – 55/1 – Another player who will relish the geography of TPC Southwind is Abraham Ancer, who as born in Texas and schooled in Oklahoma.

The Mexican is a sort of ‘point and shoot’ golfer, with his stylish iron play often matched by a fluent putting stroke. Decent off the tee too, it’s a surprise that Ancer hasn’t opened his PGA TOUR account yet.

If the rain really does lash down and soften the greens, Ancer has a real chance at TPC Southwind and he would love nothing more than to hoist this trophy on home(ish) soil.

Sergio Garcia – 70/1 – There are some similarities between TPC Southwind and Augusta National, be it visual and in character, and that will perhaps help to focus the mind of Sergio Garcia back to his best day in golf.

The former Masters champion has been playing some decent stuff of late, with a T5 at the RBC Heritage backed by T32 returns at the Travelers Championship and the Memorial.

The sense is that Sergio is just bubbling up right now, and his excellent tee-to-green game will stand him in good stead at this course come rain or shine. If the putter sings then the Spaniard can contend.

Ian Poulter – 80/1 – Even though he’s no spring chicken these days at 44, Ian Poulter is still able to compete with the best – as he showed at the Workday Charity Open (T5) and the RBC Heritage (T14) in the past few weeks.

His is a game that can work in any conditions, but you sense Poulter is most at home when it’s quick and firm – he will fire aggressively at pins and if he misses greens he has the quality short game to make amends.

Top-10 here a year ago, TPC Southwind is a layout that suits the Englishman to a tee.

Danny Willett – 100/1 – It is something of a leap of faith, but there are certain similarities between Augusta and TPC Southwind, and so Danny Willett is on the radar.

The Brit should roll plenty of putts in this week given that’s on something of a roll – T4 at the Rocket Mortgage Classic followed by a T32 at the Memorial, which was spoiled by a closing round of 82.

The thing that bettors like about Willett is that he is a proven champion, and aside from his Green Jacket he has won some of the European Tour’s biggest events too. If he can get into the mix this week, Willett won’t lack for a closing mentality.

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Want more of this week’s fantasy predictions? Check out our full fantasy preview for the WGC-Fedex St. Jude Invitational here.

Sleeper Report Predictions This Season (2019-2020)

[skill_bar heading=”Total Top 3s” percent=2.96%” bar_text=”4 out of 135 picks” style=”background-color: #5fb341″][skill_bar heading=”Total Top 10s” percent= “6.67%” bar_text=”9 out of 135 picks” style=”background-color: #5fb341″][skill_bar heading=”Total Top 25s” percent=”30.37%” bar_text=”41 out of 135 picks” style=”background-color: #5fb341″][skill_bar heading=”Total Winners Picked” percent=7.40%” bar_text=”2 out of 27 events” style=”background-color: #5fb341″][skill_bar heading=”Total Runners-Up Picked” percent=”0%” bar_text=”0 out of 27 events” style=”background-color: #5fb341″][skill_bar heading=”Total Made Cuts (Includes Sleepers)” percent=”65.18%” bar_text=”88 out of 135 picks” style=”background-color: #5fb341″]

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Cover photo via Instagram