Frys.com Open Fantasy Golf Preview
Pardon me if I don’t make a really funny joke about how short the off-season is. I already made that joke in my Searching for a Specialist column on RotoGrinders. Let’s get right into it, instead.
The course this week is Silverado Resort and Spa’s North Course. It’s a par 72 track at a very pedestrian 7,203 yards. The tight pin placements and poa annua greens are really the unique features this week. Even though they are separated by 400 miles, many golfers have compared this test to Riviera Country Club, where the Northern Trust Open is held.
Check out the Fantasy Golfanac for more course and tournament information.
Players to Watch
Hideki Matsuyama… The success of Jimmy Walker in California is well known by now. However, we have a new contender in the running for King of Cali, and that man is Hideki Matsuyama. Early in his career he has gained 2.051 strokes over the field, per round. Let’s see if he can add some hardware to that California resume. He is my favorite play across all formats this week.
Rory McIlroy… Its hard to fade the (arguably) best golfer on the planet, but that might be a smart move this week. He’s playing due to obligation, and not because he truly wanted it on his schedule. That being said, this would be a nice spot to bank some eas(ier) FedExCup points. Fade him in cash games, but hes fair game in GPPs, for sure.
Jason Bohn… We saw Bohn nosedive at the end of the season. It wasn’t unexpected since he’s always struggled against strong fields. This week, its closer to the weak side of things, in terms of field strength. Time to get back on board and lets the birdies rain in.
Tony Finau… Last year’s rookie trio of Finau, Thomas, and Berger are getting a lot of love. Finau is the only one with course fit on his side. The bomber out of Utah is a poa annua specialist and a specialist in the state of California, in general. Add in a Top 15 here last year, and its a no-brainer in my mind.
Bryce Molder… Another poa specialist who is slowly returning to his old self. He’s been a $1MM+ earning guy for five of the last seven years. Newcomers to DFS golf may think the end of last year was a fluke when compared to the two years prior, but it was more of him returning to true form.
Brooks Koepka… It won’t be shown on the California Course Horse page but Brooks has gained 22.9 strokes over the field in 12 Cali rounds. It’s well documented that he can feast on par 5s, so even if he doesn’t land in the top 10, he is still a valuable fantasy asset in daily formats that reward eagles and birdies at a higher level.
Daniel Summerhays… The Utah boy loves returning to the West Coast for some golf. Poa greens have never bothered him, so jump on board. He owns a career clip of 22% of his starts landing for top 25s. I put that likelihood of a top 25 closer to 40% this week.
Hunter Mahan… Last year was all about finding (or not finding in his case) the balance between elite play and fatherhood. I think a re-dedication to his craft is in order this year, and no better place to start for the California native. He’s always played great golf in the Golden State.
Emiliano Grillo… I love me some Gree-O but lets hold the train here this week. He’s a little spendy throughout the industry and we really don’t have an established course profile for him. He was great to invest in last year when he was bargain bin, but I will play the wait-and-see game for the most part this week. Still a great GPP option, I just don’t fully trust yet.
Michael Kim… My super darkhorse of the week is Michael Kim. The youngster grew up in San Diego and attended the University of Cal. Golfing in this region will be right in his wheelhouse. He didn’t win on the Web.com Tour last year but he was sneakily one of the top performers, grabbing five top 10s, including a pair of podium finishes. Throw him on a GPP roster or two and hope his PGA TOUR adjustment period is non-existent.
Ryo Ishikawa… Not to bring race into this, but I’ve spotted a trend of guys I’m targeting (Matsuyama, Kim, Ryo). Ishikawa spent his offseason winning on the Japan Tour, per usual. It’s just a matter of time before that translates. Consider him if you are putting together multiple GPP entries this week on DraftKings.
Frys.com 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!
Top 25 for the 2015-16 Frys.com Open
1. Hideki Matsuyama
2. Rory Mcilroy
3. Brooks Koepka
4. Justin Rose
5. Ryan Palmer
6. Tony Finau
7. Kevin Na
8. Robert Streb
9. Daniel Summerhays
10. Brendon Todd
11. Hunter Mahan
12. Webb Simpson
13. Ryan Moore
14. Jason Bohn
15. Justin Thomas
16. Charl Schwartzel
17. Bryce Molder
18. Steven Bowditch
19. Brandt Snedeker
20. Will Wilcox
21. George McNeill
22. Chris Kirk
23. Nick Watney
24. Graham DeLaet
25. Emiliano Grillo
