Josh Culp's Blog, page 30

Sony Open in Hawaii Fantasy Preview

Don’t take your hawaiian shirts off just yet. We’ve got another week in the Pacific for this week’s Sony Open.

The course is Waialae Country Club and while it’s one of the oldest on TOUR, it’s just a baby in size. At 7,044 yards it certainly qualifies as a short, par 70 course.

Give a look at the Wind Specialists and the entire Sony Open Fantasy Golfanac for more quotes and course details.

Check out my Searching for a Specialist article over at RotoGrinders for some deeper analysis.

Players to Watch

Matt Kuchar… Matthew Kooch has Waialae Country Club figured out. With top 10s in each of the past four years here, it’s safe to lead with him on any of your fantasy rosters. Also, don’t worry about his putter-up-the-arm method of putting, it is still legal with the new anchoring rules.

Jimmy Walker… It’s Walker Hawaiian Ranger. Anytime he tees it up on an island, you want to invest. Just don’t go overboard in DFS since his price is super, dooper, trooper inflated.

Graeme McDowell… He gave gamers the middle finger last week and makes his course debut this week. There is a reason so many wanted a piece of G-Mac on their roster last week. He was looking great, don’t let one bad week deter you. Hop back on the train!

Harris English… He’s becoming one of my favorite golfers to lock-and-load blindly on short courses. This week is definitely a shot venue. Look for a top 30 this week with top 10 upside.

Gary Woodland… Finished third here last year. There is not a lot of wind currently forecasted but we all know that can change at the drop of a hat. If the week picks up, Woodland is one of the best in the business in the wind.

Kevin Kisner… The Kiz is 1-for-4 here at Waialae with the one being a T84. Ouch! Given his raised expectations as of late, I think it’s an easy week just to avoid Kisner altogether.

Brandt Snedeker… Said he was in for a big year and he started off strong last week. Much like Billy Horschel, when Sneds gets rolling, you want to keep rostering him. Load him up again.

Tony Finau… My overall numbers suggest Finau should be a top-15 finisher. However, when researching I stumbled upon his terrible record on bermuda grass. Add in the switch to nike irons and I’m going on the complete Finau Fade Train this week. Its a dangerous game I’m playing, but I say Finau finishes outside the top 25 so I want no part of him this week. Wish me luck.

Will Wilcox…Now you’re really gonna hate me. First I fade Finau and now I fade Willy Wavegod Wilcox! I’ve gone completely mad. There is some method to my madness though. Looking at his short course performance I see negative in the Strokes Gained:Total column. He does have a top 10 here in one start, but I’m going to bank on him not repeating that. I think at best he sneaks into the top 20, but worse-case is a missed cut. I don’t want that MC on my rosters this week.

Hao Tong Li… The 20-year-old already has four international wins. All in Asia, but still four wins. If you’re looking for a deep scrub sleeper, I’d rather take a flier on some like Li or Miguel Tabuena than settle for a washed-up veteran.

Sony Open Cheatsheet… Head over to Daily Fantasy Solutions and grab this week’s DraftKings cheatsheet for just five bucks. This includes guys that fit the stat profile, golfers that are in good form, course history, recommended cash game targets and more! I love hearing about the success people are having with the weekly DraftKings cheatsheet so check it out!

My Top 25 for the 2016 Sony Open in Hawaii

1. Matt Kuchar

2. Jimmy Walker

3. Adam Scott

4. Ryan Palmer

5. Harris English

6. Graeme Mcdowell

7. Brandt Snedeker

8. Gary Woodland

9. Webb Simpson

10. Keegan Bradley

11. Kevin Na

12. Charles Howell III

13. Russell Knox

14. Pat Perez

15. Justin Thomas

16. Daniel Summerhays

17. Zach Johnson

18. Chris Kirk

19. Luke Donald

20. Daniel Berger

21. Jerry Kelly

22. Jason Dufner

23. Kevin Kisner

24. Marc Leishman

25. Francesco Molinari

Sony Open in Hawaii Fantasy Golf Happy Hour Podcast

This week Joel and I break down the Sony Open in Hawaii. Discussing DraftKings plays and strategy then diving into Yahoo! Fantasy Golf picks as well.

Show your support for this podcast by heading over to Patreon.com and becoming a patron today!

Join the fun of playing weekly fantasy golf at DraftKings.com, get in the action now!

There are whispers of fantasy golf joining the stable over at FanDuel.com, pop on over and start winning today.

Hyundai Tournament of Champions Fantasy Preview

Welcome back after a short PGA TOUR hiatus over the holiday season!

We start right back up this week in Hawaii. The event is the Hyundai Tournament of Champions where anyone who hoisted a trophy in the 2015 calendar year is invited to come vacation compete.

The course is Kapalua Resort’s Plantation Course and it stretches out past 7,400 yards so its long but the hilly terrain and hole-by-hole design help it play a little shorter than the yardage book would have you believe. The venue has no protection from the coastal winds so they WILL play a factor. Give a look at the Wind Specialists and the entire for more quotes and course details.

Check out my Searching for a Specialist article over at RotoGrinders for some deeper analysis.

Players to Watch

Jordan Spieth… The Golden Child claims his wedge game was average last year. Don’t let his modesty fool you. He is nearly elite with every club in the bag and that makes him a top option every week. After finishing runner-up here in 2014, I think another podium is in the cards this week.

Dustin Johnson… Looking at notable wind specialists from the link above, DJ stands out as he’s gained 2.247 strokes over the field during rounds where the wind has picked up over 14 mph. It’s no wonder he won the weather-shortened 2013 playing of this event. The guy handles the elements with the best of em.

Bubba Watson… While DJ is laidback and handles any element thrown at him, Bubba is kind of the opposite. Completely uptight while on the course and really throws a hissy fit anytime something doesn’t go his way. If the wind doesn’t pick up this week then Bubba could really scorch this course. That’s a big IF though, so I think we will have to settle for a top 15 instead.

Patrick Reed… Just might be the hottest golfer on the planet right now. Not his physical hotness (unless you’re really into that #dadBodLife but his form is what we’re looking at. Six straight top 10s, internationally as he arrives back on U.S. soil. Oh yeah, also the defending champ.

Emiliano Grillo… I’m not all-in this week, but I am very interested to see his performance against this elite field. Grillo is one of my favorite up-and-comers and I think if he puts out a top 10 this week then he’s safe to roll out anywhere moving forward.

Kevin Kisner… The Kiz has the game where he can pepper flagsticks on any course. This week’s course will make that even easier. He doesn’t have the same length as some of the big boys so he will need the wind to be somewhat cooperative this week. Other than that, he should be hitting GIRs at an incredible rate this week.

Brandt Snedeker… The Sneds never has the sexiest of stats but he’s just a winner. He should bounce back in 2016 now that he’s had time to rest up and take care of that hip that bothered him over the summer. I’m expecting big things to come for Sneeeedeker.

Brooks Koepka… New Nike sticks in the bag. Has to feel great about the new clubs to make that switch after his breakout season. There could be an initial in-tournament learning curve though. Same goes for guys like Zach Johnson, Chris Kirk, and James Hahn who are all debuting their PXG clubs this week.

Jason Day… Has been inactive for 14 weeks now. He’s world-class obviously and able to come out and win this thing regardless of his last tee time. That rust factor is still enough to knock him down my rankings though.

Hyundai TOC Cheatsheet… Head over to Daily Fantasy Solutions and grab this week’s DraftKings cheatsheet for just five bucks. This includes guys that fit the stat profile, golfers that are in good form, course history, recommended cash game targets and more! I love hearing about the success people are having with the weekly DraftKings cheatsheet so check it out!

Top 25 for the 2016 Hyundai TOCc

1. Jordan Spieth

2. Dustin Johnson

3. Bubba Watson

4. Jimmy Walker

5. Patrick Reed

6. Jason Day

7. Zach Johnson

8. Rickie Fowler

9. Justin Thomas

10. Brooks Koepka

11. Russell Knox

12. Brandt Snedeker

13. Emiliano Grillo

14. Brandt Snedeker

15. Scott Piercy

16. Graeme Mcdowell

17. Kevin Kisner

18. J.B. Holmes

19. Chris Kirk

20. Alex Cejka

21. Smylie Kaufman

22. James Hahn

23. David Lingmerth

24. Steven Bowditch

25. Peter Malnati

Hyundai TOC Fantasy Golf Happy Hour Podcast

This week Joel and I break down the Hyundai Tournament of Champions. Discussing DraftKings plays and strategy then diving into Yahoo! Fantasy Golf picks as well.

Show your support for this podcast by heading over to Patreon.com and becoming a patron today!

Join the fun of playing weekly fantasy golf at DraftKings.com, get in the action now!

There are whispers of fantasy golf joining the stable over at FanDuel.com, pop on over and start winning today.

Projecting the 2016 PGA TOUR Money Leaders

The 2015-16 PGA TOUR season is off and running. It’s been in action since the Frys.com Open in October. Some gamers have brought to my attention that many leagues ignore the fall portion of the schedule and wait until January to pick things back up.

In particular, many gamers are looking for some money earning projections for the 2016 portion of the schedule. I’ve crunched some numbers and provided those projections.

I’ve attached a PDF below as well as a link to the Google Doc that contains the top 150 projected money earnings (2016 portion of 2015-16 season only).

You’ll notice some golfers are labeled breakout candidates, but while are bounceback candidates.

The breakouts represent golfers that should exceed their money-earning expectations based on recent season totals. The bouncebacks are just golfers that struggled in 2014-15 and should return to normal earning levels in 2016. Both of these categories should represent targets if you are about to draft for a season-long league.

I excluded any golfers that don’t currently have PGA TOUR status since starts will be way to unpredictable.

Feel free to reach out with any concerns or questions about this list…

Download (PDF, Unknown)

View in Google Doc Form.

The RSM Classic Fantasy Preview

The McGladrey Classic received a makeover this year and prefers to be called The RSM Classic now.

The brand change wasn’t the only switch-up this year. They’ve also included the Plantation Course as a one-round filler to allow for a full field to finish without darkness issues. The host course is still the Seaside Course, where golfers will now play three rounds instead of four.

This course barely stretches out past 7,000 yards, so bombers can leave their drivers at home, for the most part. That means course managers and great putters will have a slight advantage this week.

Check out my Searching for a Specialist article over at RotoGrinders for some deeper analysis.

Players to Watch

Matt Kuchar… The top-10 machine looks like a solid bet for another this week. On a course that allows you to take less than drive on a lot of holes, fire him up!

Bill Haas… If you visited the RotoGrinders article I just mentioned, you’ll already know that Haas is my specialist of the week. He crushes weak fields and short courses. A deadly combination this week, making him a legit One-and-Done option.

Hudson Swafford… Georgia Bulldog playing in Georgia? Sure, sure. He racks up birdies in bunches which always makes him an attractive option in DFS.

Patton Kizzire… He’s making immediate impact on the PGA TOUR and now tees it up as a local resident of this week’s venue. Sounds good to me!

Jason Dufner… Making his tournament debut, but should be love at first sight. I’m expecting one of those classical Duff ball-striking clinics as he grabs a top 25.

Brian Harman… A short course against a weak field? Consider me sold on the lefty who always thrives when distance off the tee is irrelevant.

Matt Every… He’s so far off the radar given his form over the past year, but this is the course that could auto-correct that form. He rarely disappoints on bermuda tracks and enjoys a course that doesn’t favor bombers. A longshot, but a very lively one.

Stuart Appleby… Making his way back from injury, now is the time for him to pick up some easy(er) points towards meeting the terms of his medical. A short course against a weak field is a good place for Appleby to strike. File him under sleeper status.

Vaughn Taylor… Still flying under the radar in many regards. His 2014-15 was pretty remarkable. He’s gaining strokes left and right. A great option to lead with in DFS.

RSM Classic Cheatsheet… Head over to Daily Fantasy Solutions and grab this week’s DraftKings cheatsheet for just five bucks. This includes guys that fit the stat profile, golfers that are in good form, course history, recommended cash game targets and more! I love hearing about the success people are having with the weekly DraftKings cheatsheet so check it out!

Top 25 for the 2015-16 RSM Classic

1. Matt Kuchar

2. Bill Haas

3. Zach Johnson

4. Kevin Kisner

5. Justin Thomas

6. Patrick Rodgers

7. Patton Kizzire

8. Vaughn Taylor

9. Chris Kirk

10. Brian Harman

11. Harris English

12. Jason Kokrak

13. Brandt Snedeker

14. Robert Streb

15. Brendon de Jonge

16. Camilo Villegas

17. Graeme Mcdowell

18. Charles Howell III

19. Kevin Chappell

20. Russell Henley

21. Fabian Gomez

22. Boo Weekley

23. Stuart Appleby

24. Jason Dufner

25. Brendon Todd

OHL Classic at Mayakoba – Fantasy Preview

Winter is coming! We just got our first real snow of the year here in Denver. For all those DFS golfers that are getting hit with the wintery precip, be sure to tune in for this week’s OHL Classic so you can live vicariously through the professional golfers that are teeing it up in Playa del Carmen, Mexico.

This week’s course is El Camaleón Golf Club. What you need to know is that it’s a shorty. Checking in at under 7,000 yards, it’s an even playing field this week in Mexico. Bombers can still succeed but we really want to target golfers that can manage their way around a golf course.

Positioning off the tee is crucial because it will determine how close you can stick your second shot. On unfamiliar greens that feature Seashore Paspalum, eliminating as many feet of putts as possible is crucial.

Have a look at the OHL Classic Fantasy Golfanac for some additional tournament and course insight.

Players to Watch

Jason Bohn… Last week was the perfect event for Bohn. This week isn’t much different, except for the lack of constant rain delays, hopefully. He’s crushed El Camaleón recently and there is no reason to suspect anything different this week. If you still have him available in One-and-Done leauges, I would trot him out this week.

Carlos Ortiz… If Zach Johnson considers the John Deere Classic his fifth major, Ortiz might do the same this week in Playa del Carmen. Considering he’s never qualified for a major, this is his biggest event of the season, playing in front of his home country. He finished top 10 here last year and I expect a similar result this week.

Brendan Steele… A couple of close calls early in the season. He is swinging well and ready to breakthrough for his second career PGA TOUR win.

Hudson Swafford… While Steele is overdue for a second win, Swafford is long overdue for a maiden victory. This weak field on a short layout has all the makings of a big week for the Georgia Bulldog.

Patton Kizzire… The golfer everyone wants a piece of early on in the season. He demolished the Web.com Tour last year and it’s transitioning well early in the season. Give him a strong look in all formats this week.

Chris Stroud… This week’s course horse deserves some love. At the same time, it’s Chris freakin’ Stroud and another top 5 here in Mexico would be more than impressive. Give him some attention this week, but don’t overdue it based on course history, alone.

Brian Harman… A short course against a weak field? Consider me sold on the lefty who always thrives when distance off the tee is irrelevant.

Matt Kuchar… He’s the class of the field and won overseas as recent as three weeks ago. Unfortunately, Vijay Singh was the second best golfer in that field. If Kooch is looking to pad his fall with a couple wins, this is a good field and course to add another.

OHL Classic Cheatsheet… Head over to Daily Fantasy Solutions and grab this week’s DraftKings cheatsheet for just five bucks. This includes guys that fit the stat profile, golfers that are in good form, course history, recommended cash game targets and more! I love hearing about the success people are having with the weekly DraftKings cheatsheet so check it out!

Top 25 for the 2015-16 OHL Classic

1. Jason Bohn

2. Matt Kuchar

3. Harris English

4. Brendan Steele

5. Carlos Ortiz

6. Patton Kizzire

7. Chris Stroud

8. Brian Harman

9. Hudson Swafford

10. Patrick Rodgers

11. Alex Cejka

12. Charles Howell III

13. Jerry Kelly

14. Keegan Bradley

15. Brendon Todd

16. Brendon de Jonge

17. Charley Hoffman

18. Will Wilcox

19. Chad Campbell

20. Kevin Streelman

21. Will MacKenzie

22. Jason Kokrak

23. Rory Sabbatini

24. Russell Knox

25. Shawn Stefani

WGC-HSBC Champions Fantasy Preview

The PGA TOUR stays in Asia this week for the WGC-HSBC Champions.

The course is Sheshan International Golf Club just outside of Shanghai. The last two winners are Bubba Watson and Dustin Johnson, so we can immediately boost bombers this week. The field is sub-80 golfers and there is no cut, like all WGC events. Playing on bentgrass greens, we really don’t need to focus on great putters, because these greens are quite easy to putt on.

Players to Watch

Rory McIlroy… He’s dealing with a bout of food poisoning, but he’s the class of the field when healthy. Last week’s showing at the Turkish Airlines shows that he’s almost back to normal Rory levels. A top 10 should be on the docket this week with a good chance at a win.

Adam Scott… Another case of class is permanent. On this week’s podcast I initially said I was not jumping back in, but I’m a sucker for large sample sizes. The Aussie has been one of the best in these no-cut, strong field events. I am ready to take another stab this week.

Henrik Stenson… A risky play with his impending knee procedure on-deck. Still makes for a solid GPP option since everyone will be off the scent.

Martin Kaymer… A course horse. He’s one of those golfers that you ignore current form when he arrives at a venue he likes. That’s the case this week. Makes for a solid One-and-Done selection as you liekly won’t find another tournament to fully commit to the German later in the season.

Louis Oosthuizen… Shrek is well-rested, so the likelihood of WD is slightly less, you would think. He currently ranks 4th in the Race to Dubai, and is a threat to podium any time he tees it up.

Bubba Watson… I usually don’t like backing defending champions, but Bubba should feast on this course yet again. I’m willing to fire him back up in Shanghai.

David Lingmerth… I’m mentioned a lot of stars, but here is one scrub that could deliver the goods for you this week. He loves playing in these strong field events. He went on quite the tear over the summer. Despite his simmering during the Playoffs, I think he’s made big improvements in his mental side of the game, and could really take another step this season. Give him a go.

Thorbjorn Olesen… Struggled to regain form after returning from injury in May. His win at the Alfred Dunhill Links at the beginning of October is a great sign that his game is back. This should be a course where the bomber can really let his hair down and gravitate toward the top of the leaderboard.

WGC-HSBC Cheatsheet… Head over to Daily Fantasy Solutions and grab this week’s DraftKings cheatsheet for just five bucks. This includes guys that fit the stat profile, golfers that are in good form, course history, recommended cash game targets and more! I love hearing about the success people are having with the weekly DraftKings cheatsheet so check it out!

Top 25 for the 2015-16 WGC-HSBC

1. Rory Mcilroy

2. Bubba Watson

3. Jordan Spieth

4. Adam Scott

5. Dustin Johnson

6. Sergio Garcia

7. Kevin Na

8. Rickie Fowler

9. Louis Oosthuizen

10. Martin Kaymer

11. Henrik Stenson

12. Emiliano Grillo

13. Hideki Matsuyama

14. Paul Casey

15. Shane Lowry

16. Marc Leishman

17. Ian Poulter

18. Branden Grace

19. Lee Westwood

20. Patrick Reed

21. Justin Thomas

22. Marc Warren

23. Danny Willett

24. Charl Schwartzel

25. Thorbjorn Olesen

Top 15 for the 2015-16 Sanderson Farms Championship

1. Jason Bohn

2. Brendon Todd

3. Ollie Schniederjans

4. Will Wilcox

5. Graham DeLaet

6. Patton Kizzire

7. Patrick Rodgers

8. Jason Kokrak

9. Vaughn Taylor

10. David Toms

11. Freddie Jacobson

12. Shawn Stefani

13. William McGirt

14. Smylie Kaufman

15. Boo Weekley

WGC – HSBC Fantasy Golf Happy Hour Podcast

This week Joel and I break down this week’s WGC-HSBC Champions. Discussing DraftKings plays and strategy.

Join the fun of playing weekly fantasy golf at DraftKings.com, get in the action now!

CIMB Classic Fantasy Preview

This week the PGA TOUR heads overseas to Malaysia to take on Kuala Lumpur Golf & Country Club. It’s a short, par 72 track. It requires precision, not distance off the tee.

Ball-in-hand will likely be in use given the rain showers forecasted throughout the week. That means easy greens to hit, so scrambling may not be all that important this week.

Players to Watch

Sergio Garcia… The Surge Protector basically called it quits when he skipped the first two legs of the FedExCup Playoffs. Hate that attitude, but love the Spaniard this week. He crushes no-cut events and also plays well overseas. I think he’s the class of this field and I am debating on using him in my One-and-Done league this week. With 75 percent or more of the league likely to be on Ryan Moore, its a good chance to gain some ground if Moore finally falters at KLGCC.

Ryan Moore… The obviously play of the week. He will be heavily owned in all formats. He’s a solid play, but likely worth a gamble to underweight him in GPPs just in case he doesn’t get back inside the top 10 this week.

Henrik Stenson… With a knee procedure on deck in December, you wonder if Stenson is just using this as a primer to warm back up before next week’s HSBC. He’s right there with Sergio as class of the field, but way overpriced on DFS sites. The added news of knee concerns puts me in full fade mode.

Richard T. Lee… Not to be confused with Richard H. Lee that you may be more familiar with on the PGA TOUR. This Canadian has top 20s in both of his trips to Kuala Lumpur Golf & Country Club. Fire him up as a deep sleeper.

Pat Perez… He missed four cuts all of last year but is already 0-for-2. On a short track like this one, I expect Patty to bounce back in a BIG way this week. I’m seeing a top 15 in his future.

Harris English… Since the start of 2013-14, nobody in the field has gained more strokes on short courses than this man right here. Boom goes the dynamite. I like Harris to contend yet against this week.

Jerry Kelly… Are you seeing a trend here? Short course studs. Fire them all up.

Cameron Smith… I will keep riding him until further notice. At his age, he’s still developing the distance, so I like his chances on a short position golf course like this one.

Gary Woodland… Ryan Moore is the obvious course horse but Woodland is right behind him with a pair of runner-ups in his two trips here. Give him a strong look.

Anirban Lahiri… The winner of the 2015 Maybank Malaysian Open, Lahiri will feel very comfy this week at Kuala Lumpur Golf & Country Club. He’s always overrated in the OWGR, but he’s no slouch. It’s really just a matter of time before he burst through with some major PGA TOUR success.

CIMB Classic Cheatsheet… Head over to Daily Fantasy Solutions and grab this week’s DraftKings cheatsheet for just five bucks. This includes guys that fit the stat profile, golfers that are in good form, course history, recommended cash game targets and more! I love hearing about the success people are having with the weekly DraftKings cheatsheet so check it out!

Top 25 for the 2015-16 CIMB Classic

1. Sergio Garcia

2. Kevin Na

3. Hideki Matsuyama

4. Henrik Stenson

5. Ryan Moore

6. Harris English

7. Paul Casey

8. Gary Woodland

9. Justin Thomas

10. Adam Scott

11. Patrick Reed

12. Keegan Bradley

13. Kevin Kisner

14. Pat Perez

15. Jerry Kelly

16. Tony Finau

17. Danny Lee

18. Charles Howell III

19. Anirban Lahiri

20. Rory Sabbatini

21. Kevin Chappell

22. Brendon de Jonge

23. Brendan Steele

24. Daniel Summerhays

25. Cameron Smith