Fantasy Golf Sleeper Report – WGC-HSBC Champions

2018 WGC-HSBC Champions Fantasy Sleeper Report

When the PGA TOUR returns to US soil next week for the Shriners Hospitals for Children Open, it will do so with a new world number one at the helm.

Brooks Koepka takes up the mantle after his impressive victory at the CJ Cup in South Korea last week.

The three-time major winner forced his way into the lead after 54 holes, and despite a gargantuan effort from Gary Woodland to haul him in, Koepka maintained his focus and blitzed his way through the back nine in seven under to claim a fifth Tour title.

He will defend his new honor at the first time of asking at this week’s WGC-HSBC Champions event, of which Dustin Johnson has some rather dark memories.

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He threw away a handsome 54-hole lead in one of the most unbelievable shows of choking that golf has seen in the past few years. After playing the opening three rounds at Sheshan International in a combined -17, DJ would go on to shoot +5 on a catastrophic Sunday.

And so we have a different defending champion, Justin Rose, who fired his way past Johnson 12 months ago. It will be tough for him to defend his title at a layout which offers stacks of birdie opportunities, with four beatable Par 5s and the driveable Par 4 sixteenth, which will reward those who stay long and true with an eagle chance.

The Sheshan International layout features tree-lined fairways and Bentgrass greens, and while water is in play on some eleven holes it is very rarely a factor; unless the wind gets up, that is.

With 18 mph gusts in the forecast, maybe this year’s edition of the WGC-HSBC Champions will be a sterner test than the players have become accustomed to.

With all of the above in mind, who makes our sleeper shortlist for the Chinese extravaganza?

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The WGC-HSBC ChampionsFantasy Sleeper Report

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The WGC-HSBC Champions Fantasy Sleeper Report

Matt Fitzpatrick – Vegas Odds 60/1 – These WGC events give the European Tour guys a great chance to showcase their skills to a world audience; useful because, let’s face it, 99% of professional golfers want to play on the PGA TOUR full time.

Of those plying their trade in Europe, Fitzpatrick is as talented as it gets. The 24-year-old has already won five times on that Tour, with the most recent coming three starts ago at the European Masters.

Since then he missed the cut at the Alfred Dunhill Links on the back of a horrible draw, and followed up with a T16 at the British Masters.

The notable improvement in Fitzpatrick’s game this season has come on the tee, where he has added distance and accuracy on a consistent basis. Those changes make him a more complete player, and a step up in class is the next likely outcome.

Xander Schauffele – Vegas Odds 66/1 – Sometimes in sports betting, you have to go where the value lies.

For instance, Schauffele – a two-time PGA TOUR winner and a 66/1 chance here – more than triple the price of Tony Finau (one alternate event win), twice the price of Patrick Cantlay (one win) and longer odds than the likes of Rafa Cabrera-Bello (one win worldwide in six years), Cameron Smith (no strokeplay wins on the PGA TOUR).

Of course, there’s more than simply trophies that goes into handicapping golfers, but we really do have to question the logic here.

It’s not as if Schauffele is a dud, either. He closed out with a round of 65 at the CJ Cup, and also fired a 65 at the CIMB Classic, so the takeaway point is that the form is there or thereabouts.

Two of is rounds were under par at Sheshan last year, and if he can improve upon that foundation there is no reason why Schauffele can’t make a mockery of his 66/1 price this week.

Billy Horschel – Vegas Odds 66/1 – We’re not willing to give up on B-Ho just yet.

He started horribly at the CJ Cup but closed out with two under par rounds, and while he hasn’t quite enjoyed the Asian Swing as yet we remain optimistic that it could all spark this week.

Remember, his underlying form is outstanding: his FedExCup play-off form read 2-3-WD-3, and as a Floridan he won’t it if the wind gets up in Shanghai.

Lucas Bjerregaard – Vegas Odds 80/1 – With five top-10 finishes in his last six starts, it would be fair to suggest that Bjerregaard heads to China with something of a hot hand!

The anomaly in that half-dozen was a mere T20 finish at the Portugal Masters, and in among the run came a second European Tour title at the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship.

Huge off the tee, the Dane finished inside the top-10 at this season’s China Open, and he has improved in the past year to the extent where he looks ready to compete on the PGA TOUR. This would be a nice time to showcase his talents in front of a worldwide audience.

Matt Wallace – Vegas Odds 125/1 – Here’s another guy from the European Tour who might just be the real deal.

He’s won four times on the European Tour since last summer, but more importantly than that it’s the way he wins. From blitzing the field on the final day (BMW International Open) to showing great composure under pressure (two of his wins have come via play-off), Wallace appears to be made of the right stuff.

A top-20 finish at the PGA Championship was the first time that an American audience had seen the best of him, and you sense they might have seen even more had he been picked for the Ryder Cup berth he was very close to being handed.

It seems inevitable that Wallace, assuming his career trajectory continues at this rate, will one day be a PGA TOUR regular. One thing is for sure, he knows how to win – an underrated skill at the sharp-end of elite golf!

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Want more of this week’s fantasy predictions? Check out our full fantasy preview for The WGC-HSBC Champions here.

Sleeper Report Predictions This Season (2018-2019)

[skill_bar heading=”Total Top 3s” percent=”0%” bar_text=”0 out of 15 picks” style=”background-color: #5fb341″][skill_bar heading=”Total Top 10s” percent=”13.3%” bar_text=”2 out of 15 picks” style=”background-color: #5fb341″][skill_bar heading=”Total Top 25s” percent=”40.00%” bar_text=”6 out of 15 picks” style=”background-color: #5fb341″][skill_bar heading=”Total Winners Picked” percent=”0%” bar_text=”0 out of 3 events” style=”background-color: #5fb341″][skill_bar heading=”Total Runners-Up Picked” percent=”0%” bar_text=”0 out of 3 events” style=”background-color: #5fb341″][skill_bar heading=”Total Made Cuts (Includes Sleepers)” percent=”73.33″ bar_text=”11 out of 15 picks” style=”background-color: #5fb341″]

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