Josh Culp's Blog, page 11
November 20, 2018
Hong Kong Open Fantasy Preview
They say there ain’t no rest for the wicked, or for the Euro Tour members.
After wrapping up their season in Dubai last week they are kicking off a new season in Hong Kong this week.
This event has had a few different spots on the fall schedule but it’s been running since 2002. The course is Hong Kong GC, often just referred to as Fanling. It’s also often referred to as ‘fiddly.’ That would be the best way to describe this 6,700-yard, par-70 layout.
The tricky greens are often the main defense here. You can read more about the course via golfer quotes over at the Fantasy Golfanac.
This course is extremely short. Tight and tree-lined is the style here albeit slightly less tree-lined after Super Typhoon Mangkhut roared through and destroyed 1,000 trees. That was just two months ago. Given the test Mother Nature has thrown its way this fall, perhaps course history should be tossed out the window a bit more than usual. It’s not always the case but tricky weather seasons can often lead to easier-than-usual scoring conditions since they don’t have the luxury of preparing the course like normal. I’m not sure if that’s the case here but given the recent typhoon, it might be ripe for scoring.
Past contenders here are mostly of the fairways-and-greens variety but big hitters like Rory, Rose, and Scott Hend have also feasted on Fanling.
Let’s have a look at some past results to see who might like this layout…
Top Performers in Asia (since 2015)
Shubhankar Sharma
Tommy Fleetwood
Rafa Cabrera Bello
Lucas Bjerregaard
Sihwan Kim
David Lipsky
Fabrizio Zanotti
Thongchai Jaidee
James Morrison
Matthias Schwab
Top Performers on Bermuda (since 2015)
Rafa Cabrera Bello
Tommy Fleetwood
Sergio Garcia
Matthew Fitzpatrick
David Lipsky
Jeunghun Wang
Patrick Reed
Andrew Johnston
Alejandro Canizares
Shubhankar Sharma
Top Performers on Short Courses (since 2015)
Sergio Garcia
Matthew Fitzpatrick
Shubhankar Sharma
Rafa Cabrera Bello
Andrew Johnston
Tommy Fleetwood
Paul Peterson
David Horsey
Lucas Bjerregaard
Wade Ormsby
Top Performers on Par 70s(since 2015)
Matthew Fitzpatrick
Lucas Bjerregaard
Fabrizio Zanotti
Andrew Johnston
Nacho Elvira
Scott Hend
Rafa Cabrera Bello
David Horsey
Thongchai Jaidee
Thomas Aiken
Top Performers in the Fall (since 2015)
Sergio Garcia
Tommy Fleetwood
Matthew Fitzpatrick
Victor Dubuisson
Patrick Reed
Lucas Bjerregaard
Rafa Cabrera Bello
Nicolas Colsaerts
Jason Scrivener
Shubhankar Sharma
Golfers that show up on all FIVE lists: Rafa Cabrera Bello
Golfers that show up on 4-of-5 lists: Tommy Fleetwood, Matthew Fitzpatrick, Lucas Bjerregaard, Shubhankar Sharma
Golfers that show up on 3-of-5 lists: Sergio Garcia, Andrew Beef Johnston
My Top 25 for the 2019 Hong Kong Open
1. Sergio Garcia
2. Tommy Fleetwood
3. Patrick Reed
4. Rafa Cabrera Bello
5. Lucas Bjerregaard
6. Matthew Fitzpatrick
7. Miguel Angel Jimenez
8. Shubhankar Sharma
9. Sean Crocker
10. Sam Horsfield
11. Wade Ormsby
12. Matthias Schwab
13. Jason Scrivener
14. Andrew Johnston
15. Alejandro Canizares
16. Sihwan Kim
17. Thomas Aiken
18. David Lipsky
19. Nicolas Colsaerts
20. Ashley Chesters
21. Paul Peterson
22. Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano
23. Thongchai Jaidee
24. David Horsey
25. Steven Brown
November 13, 2018
DP World Tour Championship Fantasy Preview
It’s the final event of the Euro Tour season. The Tour Championship at Jumeirah Golf Estates in Dubai.
The golfers have been racing to get here all season and now it’s time to finish the job. There is one noticeable absence as Justin Rose is taking a pass this week. He is 3rd in the Race to Dubai and 2nd in the OWGR. Everyone else from the Top 30 in the Race to Dubai is here. In total, it’s a field of 60 golfers.
The course is a LONG one. A par 72 that plays over 7,650 yards. Despite all that length, it’s no match for these pros. The field has averaged 70.58 here since 2009.
Past champs include Rory, Rahm, and Quiros. At the same time, Fitzy and Stenson have won. You don’t have to eliminate the shorter hitters from your list of targets but the big hitters should have a field day here.
Henrik Stenson is also returning from his injury layoff. If you saw his performance at the Hero Challenge this week, you know he’s still a ball-striking robot.
Let’s have a look at some past results to see who might like this layout…
Top Performers in the Middle East (since 2015)
Rory Mcilroy
Henrik Stenson
Tyrrell Hatton
Rafa Cabrera Bello
Branden Grace
Martin Kaymer
Sergio Garcia
Matthew Fitzpatrick
Tommy Fleetwood
Joost Luiten
Top Performers on Bermuda (since 2015)
Rory Mcilroy
Tyrrell Hatton
Henrik Stenson
Rafa Cabrera Bello
Tommy Fleetwood
Martin Kaymer
Matthew Fitzpatrick
Sergio Garcia
Dylan Frittelli
Joost Luiten
Top Performers on Long Courses (since 2015)
Branden Grace
Henrik Stenson
Rory Mcilroy
Matthew Fitzpatrick
Ross Fisher
Francesco Molinari
Tommy Fleetwood
Martin Kaymer
Joost Luiten
Alex Noren
Top Performers on Easy Courses (since 2015)
Rory Mcilroy
Tommy Fleetwood
Henrik Stenson
Francesco Molinari
Jon Rahm
Tyrrell Hatton
Kiradech Aphibarnrat
Shane Lowry
Matthew Fitzpatrick
Martin Kaymer
Top Performers in the Fall (since 2015)
Tyrrell Hatton
Sergio Garcia
Tommy Fleetwood
Matthew Fitzpatrick
Shane Lowry
Kiradech Aphibarnrat
Hao Tong Li
Ross Fisher
Branden Grace
Dylan Frittelli
Golfers that show up on all FIVE lists: Tommy Fleetwood, Matthew Fitzpatrick
Golfers that show up on 4-of-5 lists: Rory McIlroy, Tyrrell Hatton, Martin Kaymer, Henrik Stenson
Golfers that show up on 3-of-5 lists: Sergio Garcia, Branden Grace, Joost Luiten
My Top 25 for the 2018 DP World Tour Championship
1. Rory Mcilroy
2. Sergio Garcia
3. Tommy Fleetwood
4. Hao Tong Li
5. Tyrrell Hatton
6. Jon Rahm
7. Andy Sullivan
8. Francesco Molinari
9. Shane Lowry
10. Patrick Reed
11. Rafa Cabrera Bello
12. Matthew Fitzpatrick
13. Lee Westwood
14. Branden Grace
15. Ian Poulter
16. Henrik Stenson
17. Kiradech Aphibarnrat
18. Thorbjorn Olesen
19. Martin Kaymer
20. Lucas Herbert
21. Thomas Detry
22. Dylan Frittelli
23. Joost Luiten
24. Alexander Bjork
25. Ross Fisher
November 7, 2018
Nedbank Golf Challenge Fantasy Preview
Just two starts remain in the 2018 European Tour season.
Unlike the FedExCup Playoffs, the organization of the final stretch allows golfers to take some time off as they see fit. Looking at the Top 10 in the Race to Dubai Rankings, only two are in the field this week (Rory and Hao Tong).
Taking place in Sun City, South Africa, Gary Player Country Club will host this event. The course stretches out OVER 7,800 yards, although it is played in some altitude (~3,700 feet above sea level). Even with ~5% help in distance, this is still really long.
The field has averaged 72.32 over the last five editions, so it’s accurately labeled as a par 72.
The grasses are kikuyu from tee-to-green and then bentgrass on the putting surfaces. Very similar to most South African layouts.
Despite all the yardage here, we shouldn’t get caught up in length. The last five winners here are Branden Grace, Alex Noren, Marc Leishman, Danny Willett, and Thomas Bjorn. None of them are going to be mistaken for a long-drive competitor.
Let’s have a look at some past results to see who might like this layout…
Top Performers in Africa (since 2015)
Branden Grace
Charl Schwartzel
Joost Luiten
Paul Waring
Dean Burmester
Paul Dunne
Thomas Aiken
George Coetzee
Louis Oosthuizen
Mikko Korhonen
Top Performers on Bentgrass (since 2015)
Sergio Garcia
Branden Grace
Matthew Fitzpatrick
Andy Sullivan
Rory Mcilroy
Charl Schwartzel
Lee Westwood
Shane Lowry
Joost Luiten
Hao Tong Li
Top Performers on Long Courses (since 2015)
Branden Grace
Rory Mcilroy
Matthew Fitzpatrick
Ross Fisher
Martin Kaymer
Joost Luiten
Andrew Johnston
Charl Schwartzel
Andy Sullivan
Alexander Levy
Top Performers on Par 72s (since 2015)
Rory Mcilroy
Branden Grace
Sergio Garcia
Ross Fisher
Alexander Bjork
Joost Luiten
Martin Kaymer
Matthew Fitzpatrick
Andy Sullivan
Shane Lowry
Top Performers in Altitude (since 2015)
Branden Grace
Matthew Fitzpatrick
Charl Schwartzel
Dean Burmester
Louis Oosthuizen
Thomas Aiken
George Coetzee
Darren Fichardt
Nacho Elvira
Dylan Frittelli
Golfers that show up on all FIVE lists: Branden Grace
Golfers that show up on 4-of-5 lists: Matthew Fitzpatrick, Charl Schwartzel, Joost Luiten
Golfers that show up on 3-of-5 lists: Rory McIlroy, Andy Sullivan
My Top 25 for the 2018 Nedbank Golf Challenge
1. Branden Grace
2. Sergio Garcia
3. Louis Oosthuizen
4. Hao Tong Li
5. Andy Sullivan
6. Rory McIlroy
7. Matthew Fitzpatrick
8. Lee Westwood
9. Shane Lowry
10. Charl Schwartzel
11. Danny Willett
12. Martin Kaymer
13. Lucas Herbert
14. Ross Fisher
15. Jordan Smith
16. Alexander Bjork
17. Thomas Detry
18. Kiradech Aphibarnrat
19. Alexander Levy
20. Dylan Frittelli
21. Mikko Korhonen
22. Matthias Schwab
23. Shubhankar Sharma
24. Erik van Rooyen
25. Tom Lewis
October 31, 2018
Turkish Airlines Open Fantasy Preview
Kicking off the final run for Dubai, the Euro Tour heads to Regnum Carya Golf & Spa for the third straight year.
This course is a par 71 that plays to 7,159 yards. There is water in play on 8 holes.
In two editions, it has played nearly a shot under par, definitely on the easier side.
For grasses we have overseeded Bermuda which isn’t seen very often on the Euro Tour.
Let’s have a look at some past results to see who might like this layout…
Top Performers in the Middle East (since 2015)
Martin Kaymer
Justin Rose
Joost Luiten
Tommy Fleetwood
Jeunghun Wang
Kiradech Aphibarnrat
Shane Lowry
Jorge Campillo
Ross Fisher
Chris Paisley
Top Performers against Strong Fields (since 2015)
Justin Rose
Tommy Fleetwood
Russell Knox
Ross Fisher
Martin Kaymer
Andy Sullivan
Hao Tong Li
Alexander Bjork
Ryan Fox
Shane Lowry
Top Performers on Easy Courses (since 2015)
Tommy Fleetwood
Justin Rose
Kiradech Aphibarnrat
Shane Lowry
Ross Fisher
Andy Sullivan
Paul Dunne
Martin Kaymer
Lee Westwood
Jorge Campillo
Top Performers in the Fall (since 2015)
Tommy Fleetwood
Justin Rose
Shane Lowry
Kiradech Aphibarnrat
Ross Fisher
Julian Suri
Soren Kjeldsen
Joost Luiten
Hao Tong Li
Martin Kaymer
Golfers that show up on all FOUR lists: Justin Rose, Tommy Fleetwood, Shane Lowry, Ross Fisher
Golfers that show up on 3-of-4 lists: Kiradech Aphibarnrat
Golfers that show up on 2-of-4 lists: Hao Tong Li, Andy Sulivan, Joost Luiten, Jorge Campillo
My Top 25 for the 2018 Turkish Airlines Open
1. Justin Rose
2. Tommy Fleetwood
3. Lucas Herbert
4. Hao Tong Li
5. Kiradech Aphibarnrat
6. Shane Lowry
7. Thorbjorn Olesen
8. Julian Suri
9. Andy Sullivan
10. Lee Westwood
11. Nicolas Colsaerts
12. Jordan Smith
13. Soren Kjeldsen
14. Alexander Bjork
15. Ross Fisher
16. Lucas Bjerregaard
17. Andrea Pavan
18. Marcus Kinhult
19. Shubhankar Sharma
20. Tom Lewis
21. Padraig Harrington
22. Thomas Pieters
23. Martin Kaymer
24. Matthias Schwab
25. Alexander Levy
October 16, 2018
Valderrama Masters Fantasy Preview
We saw a big turnout for last week’s British Masters hosted by Justin Rose. It was a strong field that took on Walton Heath in was tough weather conditions.
Now the Euro Tour heads to Spain for the Masters held at Valderrama, hosted by Sergio Garcia. The Spaniard is not getting the same turnout as Rose got last week.
We shouldn’t take that as disrespect for Garcia. It’s just a product of where this event lies on the schedule, as the final tournament of the regular season. Most of the superstars are getting ready for the WGC-HSBC Champions in China next week. Second-tier Euro Tour stars likely have their status locked up and they are getting geared up for the final three-event stretch of the Race to Dubai.
Looking at the course, it’s Valderrama which is known as one of the toughest courses on Tour. It’s tight and extremely tree-lined with small greens as targets, similar to a Harbour Town back in the States. Last year was an “easy year” and it still played to 72.88 strokes per round (+0.88 RTP).
Let’s look at a few stats to see who might fare well this week:
One major note is Joost Luiten returns from a lengthy injury layoff this week. As you’ll notice below, he grades out extremely well here but he falls at just 28th in my rankings, due to the lack of recent play and likely rust.
Top Performers on Short Courses (since 2015)
Sergio Garcia
Joost Luiten
Pablo Larrazabal
Lee Westwood
Soren Kjeldsen
Shane Lowry
Andrew Johnston
Richie Ramsay
Maximilian Kieffer
Robert Rock
Top Performers against Weak Fields (since 2015)
Joost Luiten
Sergio Garcia
Mikko Korhonen
Lee Westwood
Padraig Harrington
Wade Ormsby
Robert Rock
Jorge Campillo
Andrew Johnston
Richard Sterne
Top Performers on Bentgrass (since 2015)
Sergio Garcia
Lee Westwood
Joost Luiten
Soren Kjeldsen
Shane Lowry
Richard Sterne
Mikko Korhonen
Jorge Campillo
Padraig Harrington
Bradley Dredge
Top Performers on Mainland Europe (since 2015)
Sergio Garcia
Joost Luiten
Lee Westwood
Soren Kjeldsen
Padraig Harrington
Mikko Korhonen
Shane Lowry
David Horsey
Richard Sterne
Andrew Johnston
Top Performers on Tough Courses (since 2015)
Joost Luiten
Sergio Garcia
Lee Westwood
Soren Kjeldsen
Bradley Dredge
Shane Lowry
Richard Sterne
Andrew Johnston
Gregory Bourdy
Jeunghun Wang
Golfers that show up on all FIVE lists: Sergio Garcia, Lee Westwood, Joost Luiten
Golfers that show up on 4-of-5 lists: Shane Lowry, Andrew Johnston, Soren Kjeldsen, Richard Sterne
Golfers that show up on 3-of-5 lists: Padraig Harrington, Mikko Korhonen
My Top 25 for the 2018 Valderrama Masters
1. Sergio Garcia
2. Padraig Harrington
3. Soren Kjeldsen
4. Shane Lowry
5. Lee Westwood
6. Robert Rock
7. Richard Sterne
8. Nacho Elvira
9. Pablo Larrazabal
10. Bradley Dredge
11. Andrew Johnston
12. Ricardo Gouveia
13. Mikko Korhonen
14. Ashley Chesters
15. Wade Ormsby
16. Nino Bertasio
17. Matthew Southgate
18. Julien Guerrier
19. David Drysdale
20. Richard Bland
21. Aaron Rai
22. James Morrison
23. Maximilian Kieffer
24. Christiaan Bezuidenhout
25. Richie Ramsay
October 9, 2018
British Masters Fantasy Preview
Justin Rose will play the role of host this week as the European Tour heads to Walton Heath in Surrey, England.
Like the name suggests it’s a heathland course which is basically another name for an inland links layout. The course is exposed to the elements and has links-style bunkering, and links-style rough (heather).
The course has hosted many U.S. Open Sectional Qualifiers in the past, so check out Dave Tindall’s Rotoworld preview if you want to see who has advanced from that sectional.
The course is set up to play as a par 72 right around 7,400 yards. The grasses are a mix of bentgrass, fescue, and poa.
Let’s look at a few stats to see who might fare well this week:
Top Performers on Links-Style Layouts (since 2015)
Chris Wood
Andy Sullivan
Tommy Fleetwood
Eddie Pepperell
Ryan Fox
Soren Kjeldsen
Julien Guerrier
Robert Rock
Hao Tong Li
Andrea Pavan
Top Performers against Strong Fields (since 2015)
Francesco Molinari
Justin Rose
Tommy Fleetwood
Ross Fisher
Martin Kaymer
Andy Sullivan
Ryan Fox
Matthew Fitzpatrick
Hao Tong Li
Shane Lowry
Top Performers on Bentgrass (since 2015)
Francesco Molinari
Matthew Fitzpatrick
Charl Schwartzel
Andy Sullivan
Lee Westwood
Chris Wood
Soren Kjeldsen
Tommy Fleetwood
Shane Lowry
Hao Tong Li
Top Performers in GB&I (since 2015)
Andy Sullivan
Tommy Fleetwood
Shane Lowry
Ryan Fox
Chris Wood
Ross Fisher
Francesco Molinari
Soren Kjeldsen
Justin Rose
Nicolas Colsaerts
Top Performers on Par 72s (since 2015)
Francesco Molinari
Ross Fisher
Justin Rose
Tommy Fleetwood
Martin Kaymer
Charl Schwartzel
Alexander Bjork
Shane Lowry
Matthew Fitzpatrick
Alexander Levy
Golfers that show up on all FIVE lists: Tommy Fleetwood
Golfers that show up on 4-of-5 lists: Francesco Molinari, Andy Sullivan, Shane Lowry
Golfers that show up on 3-of-5 lists: Justin Rose, Hao Tong Li, Ross Fisher, Chris Wood, Ryan Fox, Soren Kjeldsen
My Top 25 for the 2018 British Masters
1. Justin Rose
2. Francesco Molinari
3. Tommy Fleetwood
4. Andy Sullivan
5. Matthew Fitzpatrick
6. Shane Lowry
7. Thorbjorn Olesen
8. Chris Wood
9. Charl Schwartzel
10. Lee Westwood
11. Ryan Fox
12. Hao Tong Li
13. Thomas Detry
14. Erik van Rooyen
15. Alexander Levy
16. Richard Sterne
17. Eddie Pepperell
18. Martin Kaymer
19. Soren Kjeldsen
20. Julian Suri
21. Andrew Johnston
22. Jordan Smith
23. Lucas Herbert
24. Andrea Pavan
25. Matt Wallace
October 2, 2018
Alfred Dunhill Links Fantasy Preview
The European Tour heads to Scotland to take on some iconic venues this week.
Similar to the CareerBuilder Challenge or the Pebble Beach Pro-Am, golfers will see a three-course rotation. Similar to Pebble Beach, these pros are also paired with celebrities or semi-celebrities as they play the event.
The courses are The Old Course at St. Andrews (x2), Kingsbarn, and Carnoustie.
All of them are set up to play as par 72s and also set up to help the amateur playing partners navigate the course is reasonable time. That means Carnoustie won’t be Carnasty this week, unless Mother Nature decides to roar.
With three courses in the mix, it brings COURSE STACKS into play this week on DraftKings. Even with the course set up for amateurs, there will still be weather days that benefit one course more than the others. Personally for course stacks I like to pick four golfers that start on the same course and then allow the last two roster spots to come from any course. This gives you a core built around one specific starting course but also lets you diversify a bit because it’s unlikely EVERYONE in contention will come from the same starting course.
You may notice I’ve been harsh on the American stars playing this week (Brooks Koepka, Tony Finau, and Matt Kuchar). There is a lot less motivation for them to succeed this week, so it becomes somewhat of a vacation after the Ryder Cup, allowing them to play some great courses on their trip. If you think they are highly motivated or think they’ll contend without motivation then feel free to give them a big boost, compared to where I rank them.
Let’s look at a few stats to see who might fare well this week:
Top Performers on Links Layouts (since 2015)
Chris Wood
Tyrrell Hatton
Andy Sullivan
Eddie Pepperell
Joakim Lagergren
Jorge Campillo
Ryan Fox
Soren Kjeldsen
Richard Sterne
Tommy Fleetwood
Top Performers against Strong Fields (since 2015)
Tyrrell Hatton
Branden Grace
Tommy Fleetwood
Ross Fisher
Martin Kaymer
Shane Lowry
Matthew Fitzpatrick
Andy Sullivan
Ryan Fox
Alexander Bjork
Top Performers on Bentgrass (since 2015)
Branden Grace
Matthew Fitzpatrick
Tyrrell Hatton
Andy Sullivan
Chris Wood
Soren Kjeldsen
Shane Lowry
Tommy Fleetwood
Hao Tong Li
Martin Kaymer
Top Performers in GB&I (since 2015)
Tyrrell Hatton
Shane Lowry
Chris Wood
Andy Sullivan
Branden Grace
Soren Kjeldsen
Ross Fisher
Ryan Fox
Richard Sterne
Graeme Mcdowell
Top Performers on Par 72s (since 2015)
Branden Grace
Tyrrell Hatton
Ross Fisher
Martin Kaymer
Shane Lowry
Alexander Bjork
Matthew Fitzpatrick
Tommy Fleetwood
Alexander Levy
Andy Sullivan
Golfers that show up on all FIVE lists: Tyrrell Hatton, Andy Sullivan
Golfers that show up on 4-of-5 lists: Shane Lowry, Tommy Fleetwood, Branden Grace
Golfers that show up on 3-of-5 lists: Matthew Fitzpatrick, Chris Wood, Martin Kaymer, Ross Fisher, Ryan Fox, Soren Kjeldsen
My Top 25 for the 2018 Alfred Dunhill Links
1. Shane Lowry
2. Chris Wood
3. Tommy Fleetwood
4. Tyrrell Hatton
5. Soren Kjeldsen
6. Matthew Fitzpatrick
7. Branden Grace
8. Louis Oosthuizen
9. Andy Sullivan
10. Thomas Pieters
11. Brooks Koepka
12. Bradley Dredge
13. Erik van Rooyen
14. Richard Sterne
15. Graeme McDowell
16. Jordan Smith
17. Matt Kuchar
18. Ross Fisher
19. Alexander Levy
20. Thomas Detry
21. Paul Dunne
22. Mike Lorenzo-Vera
23. Ryan Fox
24. Jorge Campillo
25. Tony Finau
September 19, 2018
Portugal Masters Fantasy Preview
Another week on the Euro Tour and another tournament with ‘Masters’ in the title.
This one takes place at the Victoria Golf Course in Vilamoura, Portugal. It’s an Arnold Palmer design that opened in 2004 and has hosted this event since 2007.
Victoria GC is a par 71 that plays right around 7,200 yards. There are five par 4s under 410 yards but there are three par 5s over 575 yards. That translates to a lot of wedges unless you are able to reach those lengthy par 5s which would be wind and course-setup dependent.
The course is flat and exposed, somewhat linksy in that regard. There is water in play on seven holes. The short par 4s lead to plenty of scoring opportunities as long as you avoid the lakes which is why we’ve seen the field average more than a stroke under-par over the last three editions.
For turf types we have Bermuda fairways, overseeded rye rough, and bent/poa greens.
Let’s look at a few stats to see who might fare well this week:
Top Performers on Easy Courses (since 2015)
Ross Fisher
Paul Dunne
Shane Lowry
Andy Sullivan
Jorge Campillo
Chris Wood
Alexander Levy
Thorbjorn Olesen
Padraig Harrington
Thomas Detry
Top Performers against Weak Fields (since 2015)
Charl Schwartzel
Alexander Levy
Andy Sullivan
Matt Wallace
Padraig Harrington
George Coetzee
Chris Wood
Mikko Korhonen
Thomas Detry
Robert Rock
Top Performers on Bentgrass (since 2015)
Sergio Garcia
Charl Schwartzel
Andy Sullivan
Soren Kjeldsen
Chris Wood
Shane Lowry
Hao Tong Li
Ross Fisher
Paul Dunne
Richard Sterne
Top Performers on Mainland Europe (since 2015)
Sergio Garcia
Andy Sullivan
Chris Wood
Soren Kjeldsen
Padraig Harrington
Hao Tong Li
Thomas Detry
Matt Wallace
Thorbjorn Olesen
Lucas Bjerregaard
Top Performers in the Summer (since 2015)
Sergio Garcia
Ryan Fox
Andy Sullivan
Soren Kjeldsen
Chris Wood
Thomas Detry
Thorbjorn Olesen
Padraig Harrington
Jorge Campillo
Richard Sterne
Golfers that show up on all FIVE lists: Chris Wood, Andy Sullivan
Golfers that show up on 4-of-5 lists: Thomas Detry, Paddy Harrington
Golfers that show up on 3-of-5 lists: Thorbjorn Olesen, Sergio Garcia, Soren Kjeldsen
My Top 25 for the 2018 Portugal Masters
1. Charl Schwartzel
2. Chris Wood
3. Shane Lowry
4. Lucas Bjerregaard
5. Thorbjorn Olesen
6. Andy Sullivan
7. Padraig Harrington
8. Thomas Detry
9. Robert Rock
10. Ross Fisher
11. Alexander Levy
12. Eddie Pepperell
13. Soren Kjeldsen
14. Benjamin Hebert
15. Hideto Tanihara
16. Sergio Garcia
17. Ryan Fox
18. Richard Sterne
19. Matt Wallace
20. Nacho Elvira
21. Bradley Dredge
22. Jorge Campillo
23. George Coetzee
24. Mikko Korhonen
25. Hao Tong Li
September 11, 2018
KLM Open Fantasy Preview
With no PGA TOUR event to talk about, I’ve published my European Tour preview on Rotoworld this week.
The previews will return here starting next week but for now, head over to Rotoworld for my KLM Open Preview (page 2).
September 5, 2018
Omega European Masters Fantasy Preview
With Ryder Cup qualifications in the book, a full field will head to the Swiss Alps to have a nice relaxing week.
The course is Crans-sur-Sierre GC which has played host for decades. The course is under 6,900 yards and sits at 4,900 feet above sea level. REALLY SHORT.
Distance is not a bid advantage here but we shouldn’t ignore bombers, either. Just look at last year’s leaderboard which featured Ryan Fox and Scott Hend in the top 10. Looking at some early-week social media shares, Ryan Fox was getting about 350 yards of carry up here. That should make the game a bit easier! As long as you keep it between the tracks.
The greens are a bent/poa mix and the other unique feature of the course is the set up. It’s a par 70 but there are three par 5s (make up the difference with five par 3s).
Let’s look at a few stats to see who might fare well this week:
Top Performers on Short Courses (since 2015)
Shubhankar Sharma
Paul Dunne
Pablo Larrazabal
George Coetzee
Matthew Fitzpatrick
Lee Westwood
Andrew Johnston
Soren Kjeldsen
Andy Sullivan
Ryan Fox
Top Performers in Altitude (since 2015)
Matthew Fitzpatrick
Charl Schwartzel
Dean Burmester
Richard Sterne
Fabrizio Zanotti
Justin Walters
Thomas Aiken
George Coetzee
Hao Tong Li
James Morrison
Top Performers on Bentgrass (since 2015)
Andy Sullivan
Matthew Fitzpatrick
Charl Schwartzel
Ross Fisher
Lee Westwood
Soren Kjeldsen
Hao Tong Li
Paul Dunne
Chris Wood
Martin Kaymer
Top Performers on Mainland Europe (since 2015)
Matthew Fitzpatrick
Andy Sullivan
Lee Westwood
Mike Lorenzo-Vera
Chris Wood
Ross Fisher
Thomas Pieters
Soren Kjeldsen
Hao Tong Li
Matt Wallace
Top Performers on Par 70s (since 2015)
Matthew Fitzpatrick
Richard Sterne
Thongchai Jaidee
Andrew Johnston
Fabrizio Zanotti
Robert Rock
Scott Hend
Lucas Bjerregaard
Dean Burmester
Ryan Fox
Golfers that show up on all FIVE lists: Matthew Fitzpatrick
Golfers that show up on 4-of-5 lists: None
Golfers that show up on 3-of-5 lists: Lee Westwood, Hao Tong Li, Andy Sullivan, Soren Kjeldsen
My Top 25 for the 2018 Euro Masters
1. Charl Schwartzel
2. Matthew Fitzpatrick
3. Lee Westwood
4. Thomas Pieters
5. Danny Willett
6. Richard Sterne
7. Ryan Fox
8. Erik van Rooyen
9. Richie Ramsay
10. Thomas Detry
11. Ross Fisher
12. Miguel Angel Jimenez
13. Soren Kjeldsen
14. Lucas Bjerregaard
15. Robert Rock
16. Matt Wallace
17. Hao Tong Li
18. Alexander Levy
19. Kiradech Aphibarnrat
20. Mike Lorenzo-Vera
21. Stephen Gallacher
22. Thongchai Jaidee
23. Lee Slattery
24. Chris Wood
25. Andy Sullivan
