2019-20 PGA Season – Syndication Server

Fantasy Golf Power Rankings for the 2020 Players Championship

Analyzing the best fantasy golf options for the 2020 Players Championship at TPC Sawgrass. Can world No. 1 Rory McIlroy defend his title?

TPC Sawgrass welcomes the world’s best golfers for the 2020 Players Championship. The 144-man field is annually the strongest of the PGA Tour season, and Tiger Woods is one of just four golfers from the top 50 of the Golfweek/Sagarin world rankings not in attendance this week. Here, we look at the top 30 fantasy golf options for The Players Championship.

TPC Sawgrass measures 7,189 yards and plays to a par of 72. Each of the last 11 winners finished 10-under par or better.

The Players Championship: Fantasy Golf Top 30

Mar 17, 2019; Ponte Vedra Beach, FL, USA; Rory McIlroy lines up his putt on the 18th green during the final round of THE PLAYERS Championship golf tournament at TPC Sawgrass – Stadium Course. (Photo Credit: John David Mercer – USA TODAY Sports)

Here are my top-30 fantasy golf rankings for the 2020 Players Championship at TPC Sawgrass.

30. Viktor Hovland

The Puerto Rico Open winner has struggled since what was expected to be an ice-breaking victory in the alternate event. He missed the cut at the difficult Honda Classic and tied for 42nd last week at the Arnold Palmer Invitational.

Also see: The Players Championship odds, predictions, picks and PGA Tour best bets

29. Ian Poulter

Poulter ranks fifth in this field with 58 career rounds played at TPC Sawgrass, according to Data Golf. He has gained an average of 1.33 strokes per round in that time. He was a co-runner-up in 2017 but finished just T-56 last year.

28. Tyrrell Hatton

Hatton picked up his first career PGA Tour win last week while surviving difficult conditions at Bay Hill Club & Lodge, but he missed the cut at Sawgrass each of the last two years.

27. Shane Lowry

The reigning Open champion missed the cut here three of the past five years but will enter as a major champ for the first time. He’s among the best in the field in Strokes Gained: Around the Green.

26. Marc Leishman

The winner of the 2020 Farmers Insurance Open popped back up on the leaderboard last week and finished as the lone runner-up to Hatton. His putter is the only thing that can hold him back, and when it’s been on, he’s been a top finisher.

Mar 6, 2020; Orlando, Florida, USA; Scottie Scheffler hits his tee shot on the 18th hole during the second round of the Arnold Palmer Invitational golf tournament at Bay Hill Club & Lodge. (Photo Credit: Reinhold Matay – USA TODAY Sports)

25. Scottie Scheffler

The PGA Tour rookie debuts at TPC Sawgrass ranked No. 27 in the Golfweek rankings. He tied for 15th last week amid a horrible putting performance while his tee-to-green and approach games were nearly perfect.

24. Abraham Ancer

Ancer’s top finish of 2020 thus far was a runner-up result at The American Express, but he also tied for sixth in a strong field at the European Tour’s Saudi International. He ranks near the top of the field in Proximity from 125-150 Yards, a key distance for second shots at TPC Sawgrass.

23. Collin Morikawa

Morikawa had a disappointing weekend at Bay Hill, but he still finished inside the top 10 for the first time in a full-field event in 2020. He’s now up to 21 consecutively made cuts for the longest active streak on the PGA Tour.

22. Matt Kuchar

Kuch, the 2020 Players champ more recently tied for third in 2016. He hasn’t finished higher than T-17 in the three years since, but he has 50 career rounds played here to rank among the most experienced in the field.

21. Henrik Stenson

Stenson missed the cut last year and in 2016, but he has finishes of T-17 in 2015, T-16 in 2017 and T-23 in 2018. He ranks second in my stat model at Fantasy National in Greens in Regulation Gained over the last 36 rounds played by everyone in the field on courses shorter than 7,200 yards.

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20. Justin Rose

Rose missed the cut at Bay Hill and PGA National in each of his last two events to slip to No. 28 in the Golfweek rankings. He struggled with the flat stick last week and would have at least made it to the weekend with an average putting performance.

19. Tony Finau

Finau missed the cut back-to-back in 2016 and 2017, but he has responded with a T-57 finish in 2018 and a T-22 result in 2019. He missed the cut last week at Bay Hill, but he hasn’t missed the cut in back-to-back weeks since missing three straight from last year’s Memorial Tournament through the Travelers Championship.

18. Gary Woodland

Woodland has strung together consecutive strong results. He tied for 12th at the WGC-Mexico Championship before a T-8 result at the Honda Classic. The US Open winner tied for 30th here last year.

17. Jason Day

Day would be higher in these rankings if not for the back injury which forced his withdrawal at Bay Hill last week. The Aussie won in 2016 and has a T-8 and T-5 finish the last two years. He remains among the best in any field in SG: Around the Green.

16. Sungjae Im

Yet another recent first-time winner in this year’s field, Im missed the cut in his TPC Sawgrass debut last year. His best putting performances have come on Bermuda greens over his career, and he has been extremely strong off the tee the last two weeks.

Mar 7, 2020; Orlando, Florida, USA; Rickie Fowler hits his tee shot on the second hole during the third round of the Arnold Palmer Invitational golf tournament at Bay Hill Club & Lodge. (Photo Credit: Reinhold Matay – USA TODAY Sports)

15. Rickie Fowler

Fowler bounced back from a missed cut at PGA National to finish T-18 last week. He won here in 2015, but he missed the cut two of the last four years.

14. Brooks Koepka

Betting Koepka right now means banking solely on pedigree, which is never a bad idea. His best finish in the last five years was a T-11 in 2018, and he finished just T-56 last year. He hasn’t finished inside the top 10 in any global event since the Tour Championship, but he is Brooks Koepka.

13. Xander Schauffele

Schauffele debuted with a T-2 in 2018 but missed the cut last year. He has made the cut in four of five events to open 2020, but he has a top finish of just T-14 in Mexico.

12. Paul Casey

Casey is one of the top statistical fits by my stat model, but the veteran Englishman has struggled at TPC Sawgrass over his career. He has gained just 0.39 strokes per round across 29 rounds, and he missed the cut last year.

11. Patrick Cantlay

Cantlay returns from an injury absence to play for the first time since a T-17 result at the Genesis Invitational. He missed the cut last year following T-22 and T-23 finishes in 2017 and 2018, respectively.

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10. Patrick Reed

Reed has had a pedestrian run at TPC Sawgrass. While he has made the cut four of the last five years, his top finish was a T-22 in 2017. He’s the most recent winner of a WGC event in a comparable strength of field.

9. Bryson DeChambeau

DeChambeau has strung together three straight top-five finishes in 2020. He’s played here each of the last two years with a T-37 in 2018 and a T-20 last year.

8. Webb Simpson

The 2018 champ has 15 top-10 finishes on the PGA Tour since, including his 2020 win at the Waste Management Phoenix Open.

7. Adam Scott

Scott won here in 2004. He already claimed victory at the Genesis Invitational to start his 2020 campaign, after closing out his 2019 season with a win in the Australian PGA Championship.

6. Hideki Matsuyama

Matsuyama does well in the stadium setting of TPC Sawgrass and TPC Scottsdale. He has a T-7 and T-8 finish in the last four years.

Mar 5, 2020; Orlando, Florida, USA; Tommy Fleetwood hits his drive on the 15th hole during the first round of the Arnold Palmer Invitational golf tournament at Bay Hill Club & Lodge. (Photo Credit: Reinhold Matay – USA TODAY Sports)

5. Tommy Fleetwood

Fleetwood has gained more strokes per round at TPC Sawgrass than anyone else in the field with at least 10 rounds played at 2.34 strokes per round. He tied for fifth last year after a T-7 in 2018 and needs his breakthrough win.

4. Jon Rahm

Rahm tied for 12th last year for his best result in three trips to TPC Sawgrass. He took the last two weeks off for rest following a T-3 in Mexico and T-17 at the Genesis Invitational.

3. Dustin Johnson

Johnson picked up his best result in The Players Championship last year with a T-5. He has been largely unimpressive early in 2020, but he remains an elite scorer on these shorter courses.

2. Justin Thomas

Since finishing T-3 in 2016, Thomas has finished T-75, T-11 and T-35 the last three years. His putter has been shaky early in the year, though he’s a contender anytime it doesn’t cost him strokes.

1. Rory McIlroy

The defending champ has seven straight top-five results in global events and five straight fifth-place finishes on the PGA Tour. His putter cost him again last week; however, he gained 0.7 strokes on these greens last year and he only needs to be average with the flat stick.

Follow @EstenMcLaren and @SportsbookWire on Twitter.

Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services. Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.

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Fantasy Golf Power Rankings for the Arnold Palmer Invitational

Analyzing the best fantasy golf options for the 2020 Arnold Palmer Invitational at Bay Hill Club and Lodge.

Bay Hill Club and Lodge in Orlando, Fla., hosts a field of 121 golfers for this week’s Arnold Palmer Invitational. Rory McIlroy, the 2018 champion, highlights those in attendance as the No. 1 golfer in the Golfweek/Sagarin world rankings. Below, we look at the top fantasy golf options for the 2020 Arnold Palmer Invitational.

Also see: Arnold Palmer Invitational odds, predictions, picks and PGA Tour best bets

Bay Hill measures 7,454 yards and plays to a par of 72. Each of the last eight winners finished 11-under par or better.

Arnold Palmer Invitational: Fantasy Golf Top 30

Mar 1, 2020; Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, USA; Tommy Fleetwood lines up his drive on the ninth hole during the final round of the 2020 Honda Classic golf tournament at PGA National (Champion). (Photo Credit: Reinhold Matay – USA TODAY Sports)

Here are my top-30 fantasy golf rankings for the 2020 Arnold Palmer Invitational at Bay Hill Club and Lodge.

30. Vijay Singh

Vijay ranks second to Davis Love III in this week’s field with 94 career rounds played at Bay Hill and he has gained an average of 1.79 strokes per round to lead all golfers with a minimum of 70 rounds played, according to Data Golf. He missed the cut each of the last four years, but he was a three-time winner on the PGA Tour Champions circuit in 2018.

29. Brendan Steele

Steele is coming off a fourth-place finish at the Honda Classic at PGA National. He had a dominant tee-to-green game at the more difficult course. He tied for 17th here last year.

28. Sebastian Munoz

Munoz leads this field in opportunities gained over everyone’s last 36 rounds. He’s also fifth in the field in scoring on long par 3s ranging from 200-225 yards which are featured at Bay Hill.

27. Joaquin Niemann

Niemann is coming off missed cuts at the Genesis Invitational and the Honda Classic. He’s now six months removed from his first career win at A Military Tribute at The Greenbrier in September. He’s still giving himself scoring opportunities but has suffered from some awful putting performances.

26. Abraham Ancer

Ancer missed the cut here in his debut last year. He enters the week ranked 37th in the Golfweek rankings, and he had a strong 12th-place finish at the WGC-Mexico Championship two weeks ago. He can compete in these elevated status fields.

25. Billy Horschel

Horschel has made the cut here each of the last seven years, albeit with a top finish of T-13 in 2017. He’s a good putter on Bermuda greens and tee-to-green play has been a strength in his last three events.

Feb 23, 2020; Mexico City, MEX; Rafa Cabrera Bello plays his shot from the 16th tee during the final round of the WGC – Mexico Championship golf tournament at Club de Golf Chapultepec. (Photo Credit: Orlando Ramirez – USA TODAY Sports)

24. Rafa Cabrera Bello

Bello tied for third last year in his Bay Hill debut. He tied for 17th in a strong field at the Genesis Invitational and tied for 16th in Mexico.

23. Bubba Watson

Watson has made the cut here each of the last three years but without a considerable amount of success. His best finish in that time was a T-17 showing last year. He opened 2020 with two top 10s but has slipped in his last two outings.

22. Tyrrell Hatton

Hatton tied for fourth in 2017 but has had more middling finishes the last two years. He tied for sixth in Mexico and will play his first event in the USA of 2020.

21. Francesco Molinari

The defending champ is one of my favorite betting picks this week at inflated odds of +9000. He has been horribly out of form with three straight missed cuts leading into a T-53 result in Mexico, but the former Open champion can turn it around at any time and he has the course history.

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20. Matthew Fitzpatrick

Fitzpatrick was the lone runner-up here a year ago following a missed cut in 2018. He’s one of the top putters on Tour in Strokes Gained: Putting on Bermuda grass, and he has been dominant from tee-to-green since this time last year.

19. Viktor Hovland

The Puerto Rico Open champ missed the cut last week, but he’s statistically a much better fit to Bay Hill than PGA National. He shares the field lead in Opportunities Gained and ranks sixth in the class in SG: Tee-to-Green.

Mar 1, 2020; Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, USA; Lee Westwood hits his drive on the first hole during the final round of the 2020 Honda Classic golf tournament at PGA National (Champion). (Photo Credit: Reinhold Matay – USA TODAY Sports)

18. Lee Westwood

Westwood gave it a go at PGA National last week and gained 7.0 strokes putting. He has gained an average of 0.87 total strokes per round at Bay Hill for his career, but he hasn’t played here any of the last five years.

17. Justin Rose

Rose finished as the runner-up to Tiger Woods in 2013 for his best career finish at Bay Hill. He tied for ninth in 2016 and finished alone in third in 2018 before a T-63 result last year. He can score, and he’s good from the sand.

16. Marc Leishman

The 2017 champ of Bay Hill picked up his first win of 2020 at the Farmers Insurance Open. He struggled at the Genesis Invitational and the WGC event, but he’s a much better putter on Bermuda grass and could return to form.

15. Tony Finau

Finau skipped this event each of the last two years, but he’s a good fit with a strong tee-to-green game. He has been off since a 51st-place result at the Genesis, but he has two top 10s already this season at the Farmers and Waste Management Phoenix Open.

14. Henrik Stenson

Stenson is one of four golfers in this field averaging at least 2.15 strokes gained per round at Bay Hill for their career. He has plenty of experience here, with 42 career rounds under his belt near his North American home. He has three top-five results in the last five years.

13. Rickie Fowler

Fowler was one of the many notable names to miss the cut last week at PGA National. It was his second MC in his last three events, now matching his number of top-10 showings in 2020.

February 13, 2020; Pacific Palisades, California, USA; Jason Day hits from the fourth hole tee box during the first round of the The Genesis Invitational golf tournament at Riviera Country Club. (Photo Credit: Gary A. Vasquez – USA TODAY Sports)

12. Jason Day

Day continues to play sporadically. He’s coming off a missed cut at the Genesis on the heels of a fourth-place result at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am. The 2016 champion was forced to withdraw last year.

11. Collin Morikawa

Morikawa remains the safest bet on Tour to make the cut, always propping up his fantasy value. He’s fifth in this field in SG: Tee-to-Green, and he enters the week seventh in the Golfweek world rankings.

10. Sungjae Im

Last week’s winner captured his first PGA Tour title while gaining just a single stroke on the greens. He led the field with 3.07 strokes gained per round tee-to-green and can rely on that strength once again at Bay Hill.

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9. Byeong Hun An

An tied for fourth last week to continue what has been a strong season to date. He remains in search of his first PGA Tour win, but he has made the cut in four straight events, all in strong fields. Like Im, his tee-to-green game has been doing the heavy lifting, and he’s one of the best on Tour around the greens, except for putting.

8. Patrick Reed

The WGC-Mexico champ tied for seventh at Bay Hill in 2018 before a T-50 result last year. Putting was his main reason for success in Mexico, and he’s much worse on Bermuda grass than Poa Annua.

7. Brooks Koepka

Having slipped to No. 17 in the Golfweek rankings, it’s tough to remember Koepka being in as poor of form as he’s been in since finishing fourth at the Tour Championship. He has two missed cuts and a withdrawal in his last six events, and he has poor course history here. Still, he can turn it on whenever he wants.

6. Adam Scott

The Genesis Invitational champ followed it up with a 26th-place result in Mexico before taking last week off. His best showing here in the last five years was a T-12 in 2016, but he’ll look to follow the prior success of fellow Aussies Leishman and Day.

Feb 23, 2020; Mexico City, MEX; Bryson DeChambeau walks to the 17th green during the final round of the WGC – Mexico Championship golf tournament at Club de Golf Chapultepec. (Photo Credit: Orlando Ramirez – USA TODAY Sports)

5. Bryson DeChambeau

DeChambeau was the runner-up in Mexico following a T-5 showing at the Genesis. Tee-to-Green has been the best part of his game, but he’s also a great sand player and can escape the trouble of Bay Hill.

4. Hideki Matsuyama

Matsuyama ranks second in the field in SG: Tee-to-Green over everyone’s last 36 rounds, and he’s fourth in Opportunities Gained. His best result here was a T-6 in 2016.

3. Xander Schauffele

Schauffele has surprisingly not played here as a professional. He’s a natural course fit, however, with a strong tee-to-green game and he was excellent on approach while finishing T-14 in Mexico.

2. Tommy Fleetwood

Fleetwood again came close to his first career PGA Tour win last week, as he finished solo third at PGA National. He tied for third at Bay Hill last year, and he gained 9.0 strokes tee-to-green last week.

1. Rory McIlroy

McIlroy’s 2.78 strokes gained per round are more than anyone else in the field with a minimum of five rounds played at Bay Hill. He hasn’t finished worse than last year’s T-6 in the last three years at this event and he has finished in the top five at each of his last six worldwide events.

Follow @EstenMcLaren and @SportsbookWire on Twitter.

Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services. Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.

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Fantasy Golf Power Rankings for the Honda Classic

Analyzing the best fantasy golf options for the 2020 Honda Classic at PGA National.

[jwplayer 7CJ19DjT]

PGA National hosts The Honda Classic for a 14th straight year to begin the PGA Tour’s annual Florida swing. The 7,125-yard, par-70 venue has long been one of the most difficult courses on the Tour’s circuit. Below, we make our fantasy golf picks for the 2020 Honda Classic at PGA National.

Honda Classic: Fantasy Golf Top 30

Aug 25, 2019; Atlanta, GA, USA; Tommy Fleetwood chips on the third hole during the final round of the Tour Championship golf tournament at East Lake Golf Club. (Photo Credit: Butch Dill – USA TODAY Sports)

Here are my top-30 fantasy golf rankings for the 2020 Honda Classic at PGA National.

30. Tom Hoge

Hoge has a great approach game, and he’s good from the sand, which all golfers need to be at PGA National. He has missed two straight cuts at this event, but he finished fifth at the Farmers Insurance Open a month ago.

29. Matthew NeSmith

NeSmith has been steadily improving over his last three events leading to a T-6 finish in Puerto Rico last week. He has been solid in all areas and has been putting extremely well.

Also see: Honda Classic odds, predictions, picks and PGA Tour best bets

28. Ryan Palmer

Palmer tied for fourth last year after missing the cut in 2018. He plays well in the wind, and his best putting surface is the Bermuda grass featured at PGA National.

27. Vaughn Taylor

Taylor comes into 2020 with back-to-back T-59 finishes at PGA National. He scores low on these shorter courses and is another expert putter on Bermuda grass.

Aug 15, 2019; Medinah, IL, USA; Ian Poulter hits his tee shot on the first hole during the first round of the BMW Championship golf tournament at Medinah Country Club – No. 3. (Photo Credit: Brian Spurlock – USA TODAY Sports)

26. Ian Poulter

Poulter will play his first event in North America since the fall’s BMW Championship, where he was eliminated from the FedExCup Playoffs. He tied for third here in 2015 but missed the cut in 2018 and skipped last year’s event.

25. Keith Mitchell

The 2019 champion of the Honda Classic won the event after missing the cut in 2018. He hasn’t played since a T-32 finish at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am, and he doesn’t have a top-10 finish since last season’s Wells Fargo Championship.

24. Matthew Wolff

Wolff is coming off back-to-back missed cuts for the first time in his young career. His putter was one of his biggest weaknesses in those events, but he’s been much better on Bermuda grass as a pro.

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23. Jim Furyk

Furyk remains one of the best ball strikers and approach artists in the game when playing these shorter courses where he’s not penalized for his lack of distance. He tied for ninth last year.

22. Lucas Glover

Glover has had a good three-year stretch at this event with a T-21 in 2017, T-17 in 2018 and a T-4 last year.

January 11, 2020; Honolulu, Hawaii, USA; Rory Sabbatini acknowledges the crowd after making his putt on the 13th hole during the third round of the Sony Open in Hawaii golf tournament at Waialae Country Club. (Photo Credit: Kyle Terada – USA TODAY Sports)

21. Rory Sabbatini

The 2011 champion has made the cut in three of his last five appearances at PGA National with two top-20 results in that time. He’s good on par 4s and he has been playing great around the greens.

20. Kyle Stanley

Stanley is one of the best in the field in Strokes Gained: Approach and Par 4 Efficiency on holes ranging from 400-450 yards.

19. Brian Harman

Harman is a great ball striker who can go low with his scores at shorter venues. He has made the cut in six-straight events dating back to last year’s Houston Open.

18. Luke List

Typically long off the tee but struggles closer to the greens, List doesn’t seem like a great course fit, but he has had success at PGA National with a runner-up finish in 2018 and a T-10 in 2016. He missed the cut last year, but he has played well while making three straight cuts coming into this week.

17. Corey Conners

The expert ball striker also ranks among the field’s best in SG: Approach. He sat out last year’s tournament following a T-59 finish in 2018.

16. Emiliano Grillo

Grillo is coming off a T-3 finish at the Puerto Rico Open to snap a spell of three straight missed cuts. He leads the field in SG: Ball Striking and SG: Approach on courses shorter than 7,200 yards, according to my model at Fantasy National.

15. Byeong Hun An

An tied for fifth here in 2018 before a T-36 result last year. Putting was again his lone weakness in a 29th-place finish at the WGC-Mexico Championship last week.

14. Sungjae Im

Im finished just T-51 last year, but he enters the week in top form on par 4s and in scoring on short courses. Bermuda grass is his best putting surface.

Jul 13, 2019; Silvis, IL, USA; Daniel Berger hits his tee shot on the second hole during the third round of the John Deere Classic golf tournament at TPC Deere Run. (Photo Credit: Brian Spurlock – USA TODAY Sports)

13. Daniel Berger

Berger is among the best in the field in both Sand Saves Gained and Strokes Gained: Scrambling. He also plays well in the wind, and the former PGA Tour Rookie of the Year is coming off back-to-back top-10 finishes.

12. Joaquin Niemann

Niemann scores low on short courses on the back of his ball-striking strength.

11. Erik Van Rooyen

Van Rooyen picked up a T-3 finish in the loaded WGC field last week in Mexico, as he hung around the leaderboard for the entire tournament. He’ll make his debut at this event and it comes at a great time.

10. Lee Westwood

No one has gained more strokes per round at PGA National than Westwood’s 1.93 over 24 career rounds. He’s little more than a month removed from his win at the European Tour’s Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship, and he finished T-22 last week in Mexico.

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9. Viktor Hovland

Hovland rose to No. 22 in the Golfweek/Sagarin world rankings with his breakthrough win in Puerto Rico last week. While he struggles from the sand and can get into trouble with the water covering PGA National, his play from tee-to-green is nearly unrivaled right now.

Jan 31, 2020; Scottsdale, Arizona, USA; Billy Horschel tees off on the ninth during the second round of the Waste Management Phoenix Open golf tournament at TPC Scottsdale. (Photo Credit: Joe Camporeale – USA TODAY Sports)

8. Billy Horschel

Horschel missed the cut in two of his last five appearances at this event, but his other trips to PGA National resulted in finishes of T-8, T-4 and T-16. He tied for ninth in each of his last two events.

7. Shane Lowry

Lowry tied for 29th last week in his first North American appearance of the 2019-20 season. He’s a great sand player and one of the best in the field at scrambling.

6. Louis Oosthuizen

Another great sand player, Oosthuizen was lights out with the putter last week despite struggling desperately from tee-to-green and everywhere in between. He tied for 24th in 2018 and 21st in 2017.

5. Gary Woodland

Woodland has made four straight cuts at this event, including a co-runner-up finish in 2017.

4. Justin Rose

Rose hasn’t played the Honda Classic since missing the cut in 2015. He avoids trouble and can get out of it when he needs to. He trails only Westwood and Rickie Fowler in total strokes gained per round at PGA National.

February 13, 2020; Pacific Palisades, California, USA; Brooks Koepka hits from the fourth hole tee box during the first round of the The Genesis Invitational golf tournament at Riviera Country Club. (Photo Credit: Gary A. Vasquez – USA TODAY Sports)

3. Brooks Koepka

Koepka skipped out on Mexico following a T-43 finish at the Genesis Invitational. He tied for second here last year and is the best in the field at Birdies or Better Gained on courses shorter than 7,200 yards.

2. Rickie Fowler

Fowler, the 2017 champion, tied with Koepka last year following a missed cut in 2018. He also tied for sixth in 2016 and trails only Westwood in strokes gained at this event.

1. Tommy Fleetwood

Fleetwood’s lone appearance here was a fourth-place result in 2018. He tied for 18th in Mexico last week and is the betting favorite at BetMGM.

Follow @EstenMcLaren and @SportsbookWire on Twitter.

Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services. Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.

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Fantasy Golf Power Rankings for the WGC-Mexico Championship

Analyzing the best fantasy golf options for the 2020 WGC-Mexico Championship at Club de Golf Chapultepec.

Club de Golf Chapultepec hosts the World Golf Championships-Mexico Championship for the fourth straight year and eight of the top-10 golfers in the Golfweek/Sagarin world rankings are in attendance. All 72 members of the field will play all four rounds, barring withdrawal, at the no-cut event. Here, we break down the best fantasy golf picks for the WGC-Mexico Championship.

WGC-Mexico Championship: Fantasy Golf Top 30

February 13, 2020; Pacific Palisades, California, USA; Dustin Johnson hits from the fourth hole tee box during the first round of The Genesis Invitational golf tournament at Riviera Country Club. (Photo Credit: Gary A. Vasquez – USA TODAY Sports)

Here are my top-30 fantasy golf rankings for the 2020 WGC-Mexico Championship at Club de Golf Chapultepec.

30. Jordan Spieth

Spieth was T-12 in 2017 and T-14 in 2018 before slipping to T-54 last year. He was coming off a great all-around performance at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am before a dismal tee-to-green display at the Genesis Invitational resulted in a T-59th-place finish.

29. Cameron Smith

Six weeks removed from his win at the Sony Open in Hawaii, Smith returns to Mexico following a T-6 last year. He has missed the cut in each of his last two events, but he at least gained 1.9 strokes on approach last week.

28. Danny Willett

Ignore Willett’s T-3 at “this event” in 2016, as it came at Doral Golf Resort in Florida when the tournament was known as the WGC-Cadillac Championship. He also missed the cut last week, but he won the BMW PGA Championship in September to remind people he can still compete in strong fields.

27. Rafa Cabrera Bello

RCB tied for third in 2018 and 19th last year. He had a strong T-17 showing last week after missing the cut at Pebble Beach in his 2020 North American debut.

26. Sungjae Im

Im’s missed cut last week snapped a worldwide streak of 15 straight events in which he played all four rounds dating back to the Open Championship. He’s assured four rounds this week.

Jan 19, 2020; La Quinta, California, USA; Abraham Ancer gestures after finishing his final round of The American Express golf tournament at Stadium course at PGA West. (Photo Credit: Orlando Ramirez – USA TODAY Sports)

25. Abraham Ancer

The top golfer in the field from Mexico, Ancer has disappointing results of a T-52 and T-39 in the last two years at this event. He’s coming off of back-to-back strong putting performances, and he has a great approach game.

24. Byeong Hun An

An has been off since a ninth-place finish at the Waste Manage Phoenix Open. Putting, like usual, was his problem, as he ranked among the best in the field in Strokes Gained: Tee-to-Green and SG: Around-the-Green. He’s a great scrambler and is well-equipped for the tight fairways of Chapultepec.

23. Bubba Watson

Watson picked up second- and third-place finishes in the last two years this event was held at Doral. His best showing in three years in Mexico was a T-9 in 2018. He’s coming off a rare missed cut at the Genesis, but it was almost entirely the result of a horrid and uncharacteristic putting performance.

22. Chez Reavie

Reavie is one of the best in the field on SG: Approach, and he’s good from this week’s key proximity distance of 150-175 yards. He has put together back-to-back strong performances to snap a skid of three straight missed cuts.

21. Corey Conners

Conners will make his debut in Mexico following his win at last year’s Valero Texas Open. He’s second in the field in Opportunities Gained and is an expert ball-striker.

20. Kevin Kisner

Kisner’s lone career WGC win was at the 2019 Match Play. He has finished outside the top 25 each of the last two years here following an 11th-place finish in Mexico in 2017.

19. Brandt Snedeker

Snedeker has skipped this event each of the last two years following a T-7 finish in 2017. He missed the cut at Pebble Beach and Phoenix following a third-place result at the Farmers Insurance Open. His approach game and play around the greens has remained strong.

Jul 19, 2019; Portrush, IRL; Tyrrell Hatton reacts to his tee shot on the 11th hole during the second round of The Open Championship golf tournament at Royal Portrush Golf Club – Dunluce Course. (Photo Credit: Ian Rutherford – USA TODAY Sports)

18. Tyrrell Hatton

Hatton will play an event in North America for the first time since The Northern Trust in mid-August. He has since won the Turkish Airlines Open for his fourth career victory and he’ll return to competitive play for the first time since late November.

17. Collin Morikawa

Morikawa has made the cut in all 18 of his PGA Tour events as a professional. He’ll participate in his first WGC event this week, after his first career win came at the alternate Barracuda Championship running the same week as the WGC-FedEx St. Jude Invitational.

16. Sergio Garcia

Sergio tied for sixth last year following a T-7 in 2018 and a T-12 in 2017. The 2017 Masters champion has never won a WGC event, but he has been a frequent top-10 finisher in no-cut tournaments.

15. Marc Leishman

The Farmers Insurance Open champ returned to competitive play last week and again dominated on approach, gaining 5.3 strokes. He has lost strokes putting in two of his last three events but needs just to be average for a top finish.

14. Matt Kuchar

A co-leader entering Sunday’s final round of the Genesis, Kuch finished as a co-runner-up and enters this week 24th in the Golfweek/Sagarin rankings. He hasn’t had much success in Mexico, however, finishing 50th last year and T-58 in 2018 after a T-20 debut in 2017.

Aug 22, 2019; Atlanta, GA, USA; Louis Oosthuizen hits his tee shot on the 2nd hole during the first round of the Tour Championship golf tournament at East Lake Golf Club. (Photo Credit: Adam Hagy – USA TODAY Sports)

13. Louis Oosthuizen

Oosthuizen has been playing very well on the European and Australasian Tours and will play in North America for the first time since the 2019 Tour Championship. He finished T-25 last year for his best result in three appearances in Mexico.

12. Patrick Reed

Reed’s best result at Chapultepec also came last year with a T-14 result. He’s an average putter on the Poa Annua surface, but his approach game has been excellent of late.

11. Bryson DeChambeau

DeChambeau’s debut at this event last year ended with a T-56 result. He tied for fifth last week while gaining 10.6 strokes from tee-to-green and 3.5 strokes on approach.

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10. Paul Casey

Casey tied for third here in 2019 for his best result in this event. He’s generally a poor putter on Poa Annua, but it hasn’t held him back here, and he gained 5.6 strokes on approach last week.

9. Tommy Fleetwood

Fleetwood was the runner-up at this event in 2017, but he slipped to T-14 and T-19 in each of the last two years, respectively. He’ll participate in his first PGA Tour event since a T-53 result at the WGC-HSBC Champions. He has since won the Nedbank Golf Challenge and finished second at both the DP World Tour Championship, Dubai and Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship.

February 13, 2020; Pacific Palisades, California, USA; Xander Schauffele hits from the tenth hole tee box during the first round of The Genesis Invitational golf tournament at Riviera Country Club. (Photo Credit: Gary A. Vasquez – USA TODAY Sports)

8. Xander Schauffele

Schauffele improved on a T-18 result in 2018 to finish T-14 in 2019. His best putting surface has historically been Poa Annua, and he has gained strokes off the tee in seven straight measured events.

7. Hideki Matsuyama

Matsuyama enters the week ninth in the Golfweek/Sagarin rankings. He has two career wins in WGC events and finished T-19 here last year in his second appearance in Mexico.

6. Webb Simpson

Simpson benefits from the elevation of Chapultepec making it play much shorter than its 7,345-yard measurement. He has finished outside the top 35 each of the last two years, but he hasn’t finished worse than T-30 in 17 stroke-play events since missing the cut at last year’s Valspar Championship.

5. Justin Thomas

Thomas has strangely missed the cut in two of his last three events, but he still has more wins (3) than missed cuts since the US Open. He has finished inside the top 10 in all three years this event has been held in Mexico.

Feb 16, 2020; Pacific Palisades, California, USA; Adam Scott poses with the winner’s trophy following his victory of the The Genesis Invitational golf tournament at Riviera Country Club. (Photo Credit: Gary A. Vasquez – USA TODAY Sports)

4. Adam Scott

Scott’s lone Mexico appearance was a T-45 in 2017. He’ll return this week off his win at the Genesis Invitational. His last WGC win – the 2016 Cadillac Championship – came the week after he claimed victory at the Honda Classic.

3. Jon Rahm

Rahm tied for third in 2017, but he slipped to T-20 in 2018 and T-45 last year. He’s a great putter on Poa Annua, but he has struggled around the greens in each of his last two events.

2. Rory McIlroy

McIlroy was the runner-up last year, and he tied for seventh in 2017 but skipped the 2018 event. He’s a top scrambler and is able to escape the trouble of the tight fairways.

1. Dustin Johnson

Johnson has won this event two of the last three years since it moved to Mexico. He has six career WGC titles, including the 2017 Match Play.

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Fantasy Golf Power Rankings for the Genesis Invitational

Analyzing the best fantasy golf options for the 2020 Genesis Invitational at Riviera Country Club.

Riviera Country Club hosts the PGA Tour’s best event of the season thus far in this week’s Genesis Invitational. Eight of the top-10 golfers from the Official World Golf Ranking are part of the 120-man field. Below, we rank the best fantasy golf options for the 2020 Genesis Invitational.

Genesis Invitational: Fantasy Golf Top 30

(Photo Credit: Orlando Ramirez – USA TODAY Sports)

Here are my top-30 fantasy golf rankings for the 2020 Genesis Invitational at Riviera Country Club.

30. Marc Leishman

The Farmers Insurance Open champion has had mixed results over his last five appearances at Riviera CC, with three missed cuts and two top-5 results. He has been erratic with the driver of late and won’t have much room for error here.

29. Jordan Spieth

Typically reliant on his putter, Spieth gained 7.8 strokes from tee-to-green at last week’s AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am en route to a ninth-place finish. He’ll need to stay in control of his driver.

28. Jason Kokrak

Still looking for his first PGA Tour victory, Kokrak was a co-runner-up here in 2016, and he hasn’t missed the cut in any of his last five appearances. He’s coming off a week of rest, as he returns to one of his favorite courses.

27. Joaquin Niemann

Niemann opened the 2019-20 season with a victory at A Military Tribute at The Greenbrier. His only top-10 result since was a T-5 at the 30-man Sentry Tournament of Champions, but the expert ball striker is a strong fit for his second attempt at Riviera.

(Photo Credit: Christopher Hanewinckel – USA TODAY Sports)

26. Matthew Fitzpatrick

Fitzpatrick will play on the PGA Tour for the second week in a row after a T-60 finish at Pebble Beach. The five-time winner on the European Tour makes his debut at this event.

25. Kevin Na

Na was a co-runner-up in 2018 following a T-4 in 2017. He tied for 14th last week for his best finish since winning the Shriners Hospitals for Children Open. He’s one of the best in the field in Strokes Gained: Around the Green.

24. J.B. Holmes

The defending champ has ramped up his play coming into the week with three straight top-20 finishes. He has been excellent off the tee and with the driver, and he has been starting strong before fading over the weekend.

Also see: Genesis Invitational odds, predictions, picks and PGA Tour best bets

23. Sungjae Im

Im missed the cut in his debut at this event last year, but he won the Korean Tour’s Genesis Championship in mid-October for his third pro victory.

22. Abraham Ancer

The little-known 29th-ranked golfer in the OWGR is coming off a T-6 finish at the Saudi International following his runner-up result at The American Express. He finished T-44 here last year and T-68 in 2018.

21. Matt Kuchar

Kuchar isn’t a great course fit as a shorter hitter, but he’s strong around the greens and on par 4s. His best result at this event in the last five years was a T-8 in 2016.

(Photo Credit: Kyle Terada – USA TODAY Sports)

20. Phil Mickelson

Lefty made a great run at defending his title at Pebble Beach, before ultimately falling behind eventual winner Nick Taylor. He won this event back-to-back in 2008 and 2009, and more recently finished T-6 in 2018.

19. Patrick Reed

Reed makes his first appearance here since a T-59 result in 2017. He’s one of the best on Tour around the greens, but he’ll need to improve off the tee this week.

18. Collin Morikawa

The star sophomore will compete in one of the strongest fields of his pro career. He enters the week ranked 53rd by the OWGR. He just needs to be average around the greens and with his putter in order to compete.

17. Paul Casey

Casey was a co-runner-up in 2015, but while he made the cut each of the last four years, he hasn’t finished better than last year’s T-25. He can score low at these longer venues and there are eagle opportunities on this course.

16. Jason Day

Day finished T-64 in his only trip to Riviera in the last five years (2017). He finished fourth last week and seemed to recapture his expert play around the greens.

(Photo Credit: Joe Camporeale – USA TODAY Sports)

15. Bryson DeChambeau

DeChambeau tied for 15th last year for his best result in three appearances. He finished just 52nd at the Waste Management Phoenix Open, but he excelled off the tee, and it will shine through much more at Riviera.

14. Sergio Garcia

Sergio tied for sixth at the Saudi International and will participate in a PGA Tour event for the first time since the WGC-HSBC Champions. He ranks eighth in the field in Strokes Gained: Ball Striking over everyone’s last 50 rounds on courses measuring 7,200 to 7,400 yards, per my stat model at Fantasy National.

13. Tony Finau

Finau has the ability to overpower the long par 4s (450-500 yards), which are a common theme at Riviera. He’ll need to overcome another Sunday collapse at the Waste Management Phoenix Open.

12. Hideki Matsuyama

Matsuyama tied for ninth last year after skipping the 2018 event following a missed cut in 2017. He was previously T-4 in 2015 and T-11 in 2016 and clearly a fan of the course.

11. Xander Schauffele

Schauffele debuted with a T-9 result in 2018 and followed it up with a T-15 last year. He missed the cut at the Farmers Insurance Open but bounced back with a T-16 at the Waste Management Open before taking last week off.

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10. Justin Rose

Rose enters the week 10th in the OWGR after a missed cut at the Farmers. He skipped this event the last two years following a T-4 in 2017 and T-16 in 2016.

9. Tiger Woods

Tiger will take his second try at his record-breaking 83rd career PGA Tour victory. He hasn’t done particularly well at this event since back-to-back runner-up finishes in 1998 (at Valencia Country Club) and 1999, but he can score low and is in top form with his irons.

8. Bubba Watson

Watson has three wins here since 2014. He’s coming off a T-3 in Phoenix following his T-6 at the Farmers to open his 2020 season. He has the driving distance, and he has been putting very well through those two events.

7. Adam Scott

Scott has gained more strokes per round at Riviera than all but two others in this field among those with at least 10 rounds played, according to Data Golf. He’ll tee it up for the first time since his win at the Australian PGA Championship.

6. Patrick Cantlay

Cantlay tied for fourth in his debut at Riviera in 2018 and followed it up with a T-15 last year. He’s one of the top ball strikers in the field and he excels on the long par 4s.

(Photo Credit: Butch Dill – USA TODAY Sports)

5. Brooks Koepka

Koepka will participate in his first event ranked something other than first in the OWGR since the 2019 PGA Championship, after he gave way to Rory McIlroy Monday morning. He missed the cut in his lone appearance here over the last five years (2015), but he certainly has the motivation this time around.

4. Dustin Johnson

Johnson won this event by five strokes at 17-under par in 2017. He has two other top 5s, another top 10 and a T-16 in his other four visits to Riviera in the last five years. No one in the field has averaged more strokes gained per round at this venue.

3. Rory McIlroy

McIlroy, the new world No. 1, ranks second to Johnson in strokes gained at Riviera over his 12 rounds played. He tied for fourth last year after finishing T-20 in 2018 and 2016.

2. Jon Rahm

Rahm hasn’t missed the cut in a PGA Tour event since last year’s Charles Schwab Challenge, and he hasn’t finished worse than T-13 in that time, either. He has been as steady as they come, and he shines in these fields.

1. Justin Thomas

Thomas gave this tournament away to Holmes last year with a Sunday round of 75 in poor weather. He has finished in the top 10 each of the last two years and has already won twice in the 2019-20 season.

Follow @EstenMcLaren and @SportsbookWire on Twitter.

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Fantasy Golf Power Rankings for the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am

Analyzing the best fantasy golf options for the 2020 AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am.

Dustin Johnson returns to PGA Tour action for this week’s AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am following a runner-up finish at the European Tour’s Saudi International last week. It will be his first event on the mainland of the 2020 season, as the No. 5 golfer in the Official World Golf Ranking seeks a third victory at Pebble Beach Golf Links. We break down the fantasy golf options for this week in a rather top-heavy field.

AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am: Fantasy Golf Top 30

(Photo Credit: Brian Spurlock – USA TODAY Sports)

Here are my top-30 fantasy golf rankings for the 2020 AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am.

30. Ted Potter Jr.

The 2018 champion won the event after entering the week at No. 243 in the OWGR. He followed it up with a missed cut last year, and he comes in off MCs at both the Waste Management Phoenix Open and the Farmers Insurance Open to slip to 315 in the world.

29. J.B. Holmes

Holmes has collected back-to-back T-16 results, but he has to feel disappointed with both results after falling down the leaderboard over the weekends. His overall game has been very strong, but he missed the cut at Pebble each of the last two years.

28. Daniel Berger

Berger tied for ninth last week for his first top-10 showing since a co-runner-up result at the Puerto Rico Open last February. He hasn’t played this event since a T-10 in 2015.

27. Cameron Champ

Already a winner this season at the Safeway Open, Champ debuted here last year with a T-28. He fares better on longer courses, but he can still create scoring opportunities and go low.

26. Alex Noren

Noren’s among the best in the field in Strokes Gained: Around the Green over everyone’s last 24 rounds on courses shorter than 7,200 yards, according to my model at Fantasy National. He’s coming off a two-week break and hasn’t missed a cut in 10 straight worldwide events.

25. Rafa Cabrera Bello

RCB makes his first professional appearance in America since last year’s BMW Championship. He finished T-26 in 2018 and T-22 last year and is a great scorer at short venues.

24. Lucas Glover

Glover hasn’t been playing too often early in the season, and he has slipped to No. 80 in the world as a result. He’s looking to follow up a T-7 last year.

23. Jimmy Walker

Walker missed the cut in 2019 after a T-8 finish in 2018. He made the cut each of the last two weeks and is an excellent scrambler at the shorter courses.

22. Max Homa

Homa’s looking to follow up at T-10 at this event in 2019 and he comes in off of consecutive top 10 results to vault inside the top 100 of the OWGR.

21. Matthew NeSmith

NeSmith has made five consecutive cuts since missing the weekend at the Houston Open in the fall. The PGA Tour rookie struggles a little around the greens, but he’s strong on approach and can scramble with the best in the field.

20. Russell Knox

Knox has one of the best approach games of those in attendance this week. He finished inside the top 15 each of the last two years here and he’s riding a streak of 11 straight made cuts this season.

19. Kevin Na

Na has had surprisingly little success at this event for a short hitter who has four career PGA Tour wins. He excels on the shorter par 4s.

18. Patrick Rodgers

Rodgers is the best Poa Annua putter in the field. He’s coming off a T-16 result last week and a T-9 at the Farmers to climb to No. 278 in the world.

17. Tom Hoge

Hoge enters with four straight made cuts including a T-6 at The American Express and a solo fifth at the Farmers. He has been great on approach of late and he’s dialed in from this week’s key proximity distance of 125-150 yards.

16. Scott Piercy

Piercy finished tied for sixth last week in Phoenix. He looks to improve on a T-10 result last year which followed a steady trend of improvement over his last three appearances at this event.

(Photo Credit: Thomas J. Russo – USA TODAY Sports)

15. Adam Hadwin

Hadwin tied for 40th last week in his return to professional play following the birth of his child. He’s an excellent putter on all surfaces and has a great approach game.

14. Branden Grace

Grace tied for ninth last week for a second straight top finish at the WMPO. He gained 1.24 strokes per round on approach, according to Data Golf, to rank seventh among those who played all four rounds.

13. Chez Reavie

Reavie has missed the cut in three straight events after failing to play all four rounds in just seven of 29 events last year. He followed up a co-runner-up finish at Pebble Beach in 2018 with a T-38 last year.

12. Jim Furyk

Furyk leads the week’s stat model in SG: Approach on courses shorter than 7,200 yards. He has played here three of the last five years with finishes of T-7, T-66 and T-14 last year. This is his first event since a T-23 finish at The RSM Classic.

11. Kevin Kisner

Generally a better performer on longer courses where he can use his added distance to his advantage, Kisner has an underrated approach game. He’ll still be able to take advantage of the shorter par 4s.

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10. Graeme McDowell

McDowell is coming off a win at last week’s Saudi International to jump all the way from 104 to 47 in the OWGR. He returns to the site of his 2010 US Open win, and while the conditions will be much different than back then, he finished T-18 last year and is in top form after besting a much stronger field last week.

9. Viktor Hovland

Hovland has the best approach game in the field on these shorter courses and he’s an excellent scorer on par 4s ranging from 350-400 yards.

8. Jason Day

Day is one of the best putters in the field on the difficult Poa surface. He’s a good scrambler who can dominate short par 4s. He has three straight top 10 results in this event.

7. Matthew Fitzpatrick

Fitzpatrick missed the cut here last year. He has been in strong form on the European Tour with five top 10s in seven events since late September.

6. Matt Kuchar

Kuchar leads the field in SG: Scrambling on the short courses and he excels at the 125-150-yard shot. He tied for 16th last week in his first event on the mainland this year.

5. Patrick Cantlay

Cantlay finished fourth at the Sentry Tournament of Champions and tied for 34th at the Euro Tour’s Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship. He’ll play his first full-field PGA Tour event since the Shriners Hospitals for Children Open. At No. 8 in the OWGR, he’s the second-best golfer in attendance, behind Johnson.

4. Phil Mickelson

Last year’s champ preps for his defense off of a T-3 last week which was his best result since the win. He has finished T-2 or better in three of his last four tries at this event.

3. Paul Casey

Casey was the runner-up to Mickelson last year following a T-8 finish in 2018. He’s among the best in the field in creating scoring chances at shorter venues, and he ranks eighth in SG: Approach.

2. Brandt Snedeker

Snedeker, the 2013 & ’15 champ here, also finished fourth in 2017. He’s one of the best Poa putters in attendance and the best at avoiding three-putts on the unpredictable surface. He tied for third at Torrey Pines, but he has a further advantage on a short course to neutralize the longer hitters.

1. Dustin Johnson

The 2009 & ’10 champ comes in off a runner-up finish last week at the Saudi International. Once thought of mainly as a long hitter, he’s second in this week’s field in Birdies Gained on courses shorter than 7,200 yards.

Follow @EstenMcLaren and @SportsbookWire on Twitter.

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Fantasy Golf Power Rankings for the Waste Management Phoenix Open

Analyzing the best fantasy golf options for the 2020 Waste Management Phoenix Open.

Fantasy golf players are in for a solid week as Rickie Fowler prepares to defend his 2019 victory at the PGA Tour’s Waste Management Phoenix Open in Scottsdale, AZ ahead of Sunday’s Super Bowl LIV matchup between the San Francisco 49ers and Kansas City Chiefs.

He’ll take on a loaded field fronted by Jon Rahm, Justin Thomas, Webb Simpson and Tony Finau. Recent champs Gary Woodland and Hideki Matsuyama are also in attendance, and Bryson DeChambeau makes his 2020 PGA Tour debut. In other words, fantasy golf players have plenty of options to consider for this week’s event.

Waste Management Phoenix Open: Fantasy Golf Top 30

Here are my top-30 fantasy golf rankings for the 2020 Waste Management Phoenix Open at TPC Scottsdale.

30. Billy Horschel

Horschel is a regular at this event and he hasn’t finished worse than T-43 in his last five appearances. He hasn’t finished better than two T-24 showings in that time, but he’s a safe option to make the cut.

29. Brandt Snedeker

Snedeker made a run at the Farmers Insurance Open last week at one of his favorite courses. He hasn’t had the same success at TPC Scottsdale, but he made the cut in each of his last four appearances with a top result of T-10 in 2015. He was the runner-up to Phil Mickelson in 2013.

28. Martin Laird

Another course horse, Laird has five straight made cuts at TPC Scottsdale with three top-10 results in that time. He finished T-55 last week in California.

27. Kyle Stanley

Stanley missed the cut in each of his last three events dating back to the Sony Open in Hawaii. He also missed the weekend each of his last two years here, but he remains strong off the tee and avoids bad holes.

26. Adam Hadwin

Hadwin has played this tournament each of the last four years with a top result of T-12 in 2017. He returns to professional play for the first time since The RSM Classic following the birth of his first child.

25. Russell Knox

Knox missed the cut in back-to-back appearances in Scottsdale before a T-10 in 2019. He’s very good at avoiding positive scores and can do enough on the easier holes in order to contend.

Also See:

24. J.T. Poston

Poston took last week off following a T-37 at The American Express to wrap up a stretch of three straight events. His driver is in excellent form, and he’s setting himself up well for the approach.

23. Corey Conners

Conners has been off since a T-12 at the Sony Open. He hasn’t played in this event before, but his driving and ball striking are well suited to TPC Scottsdale. He’ll also be able to take advantage of the three short par 5s.

22. Ryan Palmer

Palmer is coming off an ugly closing round of 77 at Torrey Pines after firing a 62 Friday. It was his worst finish in his last five events, as he has become a steady cut-maker early this season.

21. Cameron Smith

Smith followed up his Sony Open victory with a T-64 showing last week. He ranks fifth on Tour in Strokes Gained: Putting on the season, and it’s contributed to a good scrambling performance.

20. Brendan Steele

The runner-up at the Sony Open, Steele hasn’t fared as well on the mainland. He tied for 43rd at The American Express before missing the cut last week. He tied for third here in 2018 but missed the cut last year.

19. J.B. Holmes

Holmes is a two-time winner of this event in 2006 and 2008, but his last PGA Tour victory was at last year’s Genesis Open and he’ll defend that title in two weeks. He tied for 16th last week and the familiar venue will provide an added boost.

18. Jason Kokrak

Kokrak is one of the best ball strikers in the field over everyone’s last 24 rounds on courses with Bermuda greens, according to Fantasy National. He tied for 20th last year and 21st last week.

17. Chez Reavie

Reavie followed up a runner-up result in 2018 with a T-4 last year. He enters this week off of back-to-back missed cuts.

16. Branden Grace

Last year’s runner-up has missed the cut in three of four PGA Tour events this season, but he more recently won the South African Open. He tied for 17th in a strong field in Abu Dhabi and seems to be back in form ahead of his return.

15. Viktor Hovland

Hovland will be a name to watch every week up until the Masters in April, as the young Tour sophomore still needs a victory to gain entry to the year’s first major. He has been putting very well and is always a strong ball striker.

14. Sungjae Im

Im hasn’t missed a cut in 14 straight events dating back to the 2019 Open Championship. He still needs a PGA Tour victory, but he’s 35th in the Official World Golf Ranking and is always a safe pick to play all four rounds.

13. Bubba Watson

Watson finally resurfaced last week, as he finished T-6 in a strong field. He has two top-5 results in his last five appearances in Scottsdale.

12. Gary Woodland

Woodland had a very disappointing missed cut last week, but he’s just two years removed from a win at this event, and he followed it up with a T-7 last year.

11. Matt Kuchar

Kuchar has strung together three straight top-10 showings at this event. He’s a very strong early-season performer, and he’s coming off a win at the SMBC Singapore Open as he returns to mainland USA for the first time since The RSM Classic.

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10. Scottie Scheffler

Scheffler struggled in a strong field last week, as he missed the cut for the first time in nine events this season. This week’s field is a little bit weaker, and he’ll be looking to start strong with a third-ranked first-round scoring average.

9. Byeong Hun An

Only three members of this week’s field with a minimum of five rounds played at TPC Scottsdale average more strokes gained per round than An.

8. Bryson DeChambeau

DeChambeau makes his 2020 PGA Tour debut ranked 17th in the world following a T-8 result at the Omega Dubai Desert Classic. He’ll be looking to continue his strong play in a different desert.

7. Tony Finau

After a solo fifth-place finish at the Hong Kong Open, Finau has returned to America with a T-14 at The American Express and a T-6 last week. He’s back to No. 13 in the world and is in good form ahead of an event where he has oddly missed the cut in each of the last four years. He should be a much better course fit.

6. Collin Morikawa

Morikawa was finally able to prove his worth in a strong field, as he finished T-21 last week alongside Rahm, Rory McIlroy and Tiger Woods. He’s one of the best in the field in Strokes Gained: Tee-to-Green.

5. Webb Simpson

Simpson was the runner-up at The RSM Classic before a third-place showing at the Sony Open. He has been up-and-down at this event, having finished second in 2017, missing the cut in 2018 and tying for 20th last year.

4. Rickie Fowler

The defending champ enters in poor form off of a missed cut last week. He had previously tied for fifth in Hawaii and tied for 10th at The American Express. He tied for 66th at the Farmers before his victory at the WMPO last year, so form isn’t everything for him.

3. Hideki Matsuyama

Another two-time winner in the field, Matsuyama claimed both of his titles in playoffs in 2016 and 2017. He withdrew in 2018 but bounced back to tie for 15th last year. He’s able to cut out the distractions of one of the Tour’s biggest crowds.

2. Justin Thomas

It’s odd to not have Thomas ranked No. 1, but the fourth-best golfer in the world is coming off an extremely rare missed cut at the Sony Open and will make his 2020 debut on the mainland. He has three wins since August and there are no flaws in his game. He finished in solo third last year.

1. Jon Rahm

Rahm may be the only golfer in the world in better form than Thomas right now. After collecting two wins on the European Tour, he placed second at the Hero World Challenge, 10th at the Sentry Tournament of Champions. Plus he made a late Sunday charge to finish as the runner-up last week. He hasn’t finished worse than T-16 in his last four appearances in Scottsdale.

Follow @EstenMcLaren and @SportsbookWire on Twitter.

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Farmers Insurance Open: Fantasy Golf Power Rankings

Previewing the 2020 Farmers Insurance Open and looking at the best fantasy golf selections for the tournament.

The 2020 Farmers Insurance Open boasts the PGA Tour’s strongest field of the calendar year to date. Justin Rose is back to defend his 2019 title at Torrey Pines Golf Course in San Diego, but he’ll need to hold off a group led by Rory McIlroy, Jon Rahm and Tiger Woods. Woods is competing for a ninth career win at Torrey Pines and a record-setting 83rd career win on the PGA Tour.

The entire field will split their first two rounds between Torrey Pines’ North and South Courses. Those who survive the 36-hole cut will move to the South Course for their final 36 holes over the weekend.

Farmers Insurance Open: Top 30

Here are my top-30 fantasy golf rankings for the 2020 Farmers Insurance at Torrey Pines Golf Course.

30. Luke List

List missed the cut at both the Sony Open in Hawaii and The American Express, but he tied for 12th here in 2018 and followed it up with a T-40 last year. He’s very strong tee-to-green and typically performs well at these longer courses.

29. Matthew Wolff

The Tour sophomore finished just T-61 last week coming off a T-11 result at the 30-man Sentry Tournament of Champions. He’s not a true contender here, but he’s a safe pick to make it to the weekend.

28. J.B. Holmes

Holmes missed the cut in 2019 after picking up three top-10 results in his previous four appearances. He’s been in poor form since last year’s Genesis Open win, but his best golf typically comes early in the calendar year.

27. Brendan Steele

The Sony Open runner-up finished just T-43 last week. He has been very strong off the tee of late and will be well-equipped to handle the length of the South Course.

26. Joaquin Niemann

Niemann made the cut in his Farmers Insurance Open debut last year. He’s a quality ball-striker who can get hot with the putter to compensate for a lack of distance off the tee.

25. Jason Kokrak

The 65th-ranked golfer in the Official World Golf Ranking tied for 20th here last year. He’s coming off of a rare missed cut after failing to make the weekend just twice last season.

24. Lucas Glover

Not known as a particularly long hitter, Glover is able to position himself well off the tee and it will help give him good approach angles to the greens. He’s also a strong sand player and will be able to survive the 54 bunkers scattered throughout the course.

23. Phil Mickelson

Mickelson missed the cut as the host of last week’s American Express. He has 70 career rounds played on Torrey Pines’ South Course and is among the most experienced in the field at the venue. He can still score on the long holes.

22. Bubba Watson

The 2011 champion hasn’t played here in the last five years. His length off the tee gives him an edge over most of the field, as he remains in search of his 2018 form which saw him win three times on Tour.

21. Byeong Hun An

An made his 2020 debut with a missed cut last week after going T-6, T-8 and T-14 over the Tour’s three-event swing through Asia to conclude the 2019 calendar year. He’s great tee-to-green and on approach, but putting remains an issue.

20. Ryan Palmer

Palmer’s a favorite of the key stats for Torrey Pines. He’s a great ball-striker with a strong tee-to-green game. He followed up a co-runner-up finish in 2018 with a T-13 last year.

19. Brandt Snedeker

The 2016 winner of this event has made the cut each of the three preceding years. He lacks the distance of the long hitters and top contenders, but if the California weather turns south, it plays to his advantage.

18. Scottie Scheffler

Scheffler will be put to the test in the strongest field in which he’s played against since the 2019 US Open. He finished third last week, but the strength of the field has risen considerably.

17. Sungjae Im

Im collected another top-10 result last week for his third of the PGA Tour season. Like Scheffler (and the entire field) he faces much stiffer competition this week, but he regularly works his way into contention.

16. Billy Horschel

Horschel has two 8th-place finishes here in his last four appearances. He’s not in good form right now, but the familiar venue can get him back on track.

15. Collin Morikawa

Morikawa has steadily risen up the OWGR since turning pro last year, as he’s yet to miss a cut. He’s a safe pick to play a full 72 holes each week.

14. Cameron Smith

Smith took last week off after winning the Sony Open in Hawaii. He tied for ninth here last year after making the cut in his third straight trip to Torrey Pines.

13. Tony Finau

Finau has been a regular contender here with four straight top-20 finishes, including two top 10s. He tied for 14th last week and can make up strokes on the longer holes.

12. Patrick Reed

Ranked 12th in the world entering this week, Reed missed the cut last week but returns to a venue where he tied for 13th last year.

11. Jason Day

Already a two-time winner over his last four appearances at Torrey Pines, Day picked up a T-5 in 2019. He’s the top sand player in the field. The only concern is his return from an injury which forced him to withdraw from the Presidents Cup.

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10. Rickie Fowler

Fowler had a stretch of three straight missed cuts here from 2016-18 before tying for 66th last year. He tied for 10th last week and will be preparing to defend his 2019 win at the Waste Management Open next week.

9. Francesco Molinari

Molinari makes his return to Torrey Pines after skipping last year’s event. He’s coming off a missed cut last week, but he positions himself well off the tee and gains his strokes tee to green at longer venues.

8. Marc Leishman

Leish has made the cut four of the last five years with a top finish of T-8 in 2018. He enters the week ranked 28th in the world and typically steps up in stronger fields.

7. Gary Woodland

The 2019 US Open champ will be taking an advanced look at the 2021 US Open venue. It’s considerably longer than Pebble Beach Golf Links, at which he won last year’s third major, but he has a strong history here, including a T-9 in 2019.

6. Xander Schauffele

Schauffele bucked a trend of three consecutively missed cuts here to finish T-25 last year. He can struggle off the tee at times, but he can score low if the conditions allow.

5. Hideki Matsuyama

Matsuyama tied for third a year ago. His strengths are positioning off the tee and his play from tee to green.

4. Jon Rahm

The 2017 champion finished just T-29 in 2018 before rebounding with a T-5 last year. He has three worldwide wins since July.

3. Justin Rose

The defending champ and former world No. 1 is coming off a runner-up finish at the Asian Tour’s SMBC Singapore Open.

2. Tiger Woods

As noted above, there’s plenty on the line for Tiger this week at one of his favorite courses. He’s three months away from his defense of the Masters, but his hand-picked schedule before then includes only tournaments he plans on winning.

1. Rory McIlroy

The reigning PGA Tour Player of the Year is having his 2020 debut overshadowed by Tiger’s hunt for history. He hasn’t played this even often, but he tied for fifth a year ago.

Follow @EstenMcLaren and @SportsbookWire on Twitter.

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The American Express: Fantasy Golf Power Rankings

Previewing the 2020 American Express and looking at the best fantasy golf selections for the tournament.

[jwplayer DXHEzR1s]

The PGA Tour returns to mainland USA this week for The American Express in La Quinta, Calif. The tournament (formerly the Desert Classic) is played over three courses — TPC Stadium Course at PGA West, PGA West Nicklaus Tournament Course and La Quinta Country Club. It runs as a pro-am with a 54-hole cut before the remaining professionals tee it up on the Stadium Course for Sunday’s final round.

The American Express Fantasy Golf Rankings: Top 30

Sungjae Im. (Photo Credit: Kyle Terada – USA TODAY Sports)

Here are my top-30 fantasy golf rankings for the 2020 American Express in La Quinta, Calif.

30. Jason Dufner

The 2016 champion missed the cut last year, and he has slipped all the way to No. 265 in the Official World Golf Ranking, but he has fared very well on Pete Dye courses over his career.

29. Sebastian Munoz

Munoz missed the cut last week at the Sony Open in Hawaii. It came just two events after his third-place finish at The RSM Classic. He had another strong putting performance last week and his weaker tee-to-green game will be mitigated here with all three courses shorter than 7,200 yards.

28. Brendon Todd

Already a two-time winner in 2019-20, Todd continued his climb up the OWGR with a T-21 result last week and now sits at No. 58. He hasn’t played this event since back-to-back missed cuts in 2015 and ’16.

27. Nick Taylor

Taylor always has a strong approach game, as seen in his 1.27 Strokes Gained: Approach per round last week, according to Data Golf. He lost nearly a half-stroke per round putting, and an average performance would allow him to contend.

Cameron Davis. (Photo Credit: Kyle Terada – USA TODAY Sports)

26. Cameron Davis

Davis was the 36-hole co-leader last week in Hawaii en route to a T-9 result. His driver was a big part of his performance, but it won’t be as valuable at the shorter courses this week.

25. Brendan Steele

Last week’s runner-up, Steele gained 1.49 strokes per round putting. That sort of success on the greens is rarely replicated week-to-week, but he also gained 1.61 strokes on approach and is worth a shot while he’s hot.

24. Jason Kokrak

Kokrak finished T-8 in 2018 and T-18 last year. The 64th-ranked golfer in the world missed just two cuts in 24 events last year and is a safe pick with a guaranteed 54 holes of play.

23. Alex Noren

Noren has made nine straight cuts in worldwide events. He’s coming off a T-32 finish last week despite losing 0.95 strokes per round with the flat stick.

22. Rory Sabbatini

Sabbatini has made three straight cuts in La Quinta, with last year’s T-57 finish his best result in that span. He missed the cut just once since last July.

21. Bud Cauley

Cauley has averaged 2.01 strokes gained per round on the Stadium Course, more than anyone else in this week’s field. He missed the cut last year but a T-3 result in 2017 was sandwiched by T-14 showings in 2016 and ’18.

20. Billy Horschel

Horschel hasn’t played here since missing the cut in 2016. He already has two top 10s early in the 2019-20 PGA Tour season and has one of the best resumes in this week’s weaker field.

19. Cameron Champ

Champ took last week off after a T-14 finish at the Sentry Tournament of Champions the week before. The Safeway Open champ makes his debut at this event.

18. Brian Harman

Harman ranks second to Cauley in Strokes Gained at the Stadium Course among those in the field with a minimum of six rounds played. He used a well-balanced game to pick up a T-32 finish last week.

17. J.T. Poston

The Postman missed the cut last week, as he lost 1.26 strokes per round on approach. He’ll look to rebound at an event where he finished T-7 in 2019.

16. Kevin Na

Na skipped last year’s tournament, but he hadn’t missed the cut in any of his previous four appearances. He had a top showing of T-3 in 2016. He’s incredibly strong in proximity to the pin on approach shots from 100-125 yards. With many of the par 4s on all three courses ranging between 350-400 yards, he’ll have plenty of his favorite shots.

Russell Knox. (Photo Credit: Kyle Terada – USA TODAY Sports)

15. Russell Knox

Knox was third among those to make the cut last week with 1.47 strokes gained per round on approach. He was T-18 here last year following a T-29 in 2018.

14. Lucas Glover

Glover’s a regular contender in La Quinta with three top-20 showings in his last five appearances. His strong approach game sets up plenty of scoring chances at these shorter venues.

13. Phil Mickelson

The new co-host of this event, Lefty was a co-runner-up last year. He has slipped to No. 79 in the world entering this week, but he’s still a safe choice at these familiar courses.

12. Chez Reavie

Reavie had a rare missed cut last week. He has gained 1.45 strokes per round over eight career rounds on the Stadium Course, and he can create scoring chances.

11. Abraham Ancer

Ancer tied for 18th last year after finishing 76th in 2018. He gained 0.93 strokes per round on approach last week on his way to a T-38 finish.

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10. Matthew Wolff

Wolff played just the first of the two events in Hawaii, picking up a T-11 result in his first Tournament of Champions. The PGA Tour sophomore has been struggling on his approach shots, but he’s very strong off the tee and on the greens.

Francesco Molinari. (Photo Credit: Ian Rutherford – USA TODAY Sports)

9. Francesco Molinari

The odds may be stacked against the Italian Stallion, as only five non-Americans have won this event. He strung together a stretch of T-10, T-62 and T-12 from 2015 through ’17 before skipping the event the last two years.

8. Charles Howell III

Howell’s yet another course horse very familiar with all three tracks. He has collected three top-20 showings in his last five appearances, and he’s coming off a solid T-12 result last week.

7. Tony Finau

Finau’s the top golfer in the field from the OWGR (15), but he’s playing his first full-field PGA Tour event since the Mayakoba Golf Classic. He was fifth in last week’s Hong Kong Open on the Asian Tour.

6. Byeong Hun An

An makes his debut at the event formerly known as the Desert Classic and CareerBuilder Challenge. He hasn’t participated in a tournament since early November’s WGC-HSBC Champions, but he already has three top 10s on the 2019-20 season.

5. Paul Casey

Similarly to Molinari, Finau and some of the other top-ranked golfers in the field, Casey may struggle to get up for this event as he looks ahead to next week’s Farmers Insurance Open. He hasn’t played in La Quinta since a T-58 result in 2017.

Scottie Scheffler. (Photo Credit: Ray Carlin – USA TODAY Sports)

4. Scottie Scheffler

We haven’t seen Scheffler, a recent Korn Ferry Tour graduate, since a T-5 showing at The RSM Classic. He has three top 10s and two top 5s early in his PGA Tour season.

3. Rickie Fowler

Fowler skipped last week’s event following a T-5 finish at the TOC. He’s well worth backing ahead of his defense of the Waste Management Phoenix Open during Super Bowl week.

2. Kevin Kisner

Kis made the cut here each of the last three years but with a top showing of just T-25 in 2017. He finished T-4 last week while gaining 1.32 strokes per round on approach and losing 0.23 strokes putting. Nine of the last 10 champions here played in Hawaii the week before.

1. Sungjae Im

Im finished T-21 last week while picking up 0.84 strokes per round on the putting surfaces. He was T-12 in his La Quinta debut last year and is still looking for his first PGA Tour win.

Follow @EstenMcLaren and @SportsbookWire on Twitter.

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Sony Open: Fantasy Golf Power Rankings

Previewing the 2020 Sony Open in Hawaii and looking at the best fantasy golf selections for Waialae Country Club.

A field of 140 golfers descends on Waialae Country Club in Honolulu, Hawaii this week for the 2020 Sony Open. It’s the first full-field tournament since late November’s RSM Classic. Justin Thomas, who claimed his second victory of the 2019-20 PGA Tour season at last week’s Sentry Tournament of Champions is the top golfer from the Official World Golf Ranking in attendance at No. 4.

Fantasy Golf Rankings: Top 30

Here are my top-30 fantasy golf rankings for the 2020 Sony Open in Hawaii at Waialae Country Club.

30. Zach Johnson

The former major champ hasn’t accomplished much of late, but the short venue (7,044 yards) suits his game. He was T-6 here in 2017 and T-9 in 2016.

29. Patton Kizzire

A winner in 2018, Kizzire followed it up with an adequate T-13 showing last year. He missed 15 cuts in 2019, but he’s still worth trusting in Honolulu.

28. Hudson Swafford

Two top 10s and no missed cuts in his last four appearances. The approach game is strong, he just needs to get there.

27. Kyle Stanley

Has slipped to No. 118 in the world after peaking at 26th in 2018. One of his five top 10s over the last two years came at Waialae.

(Photo Credit: Steve Flynn – USA TODAY Sports)

26. Keegan Bradley

Enters in woeful form since his co-runner-up finish at the 2019 Travelers Championship, but his best success has come on shorter tracks (like TPC River Highlands).

25. Sebastian Munoz

Munoz stood his ground at his first Sentry Tournament of Champions following a breakthrough win at the Sanderson Farms Championship. He has been great off the tee and avoids trouble.

24. Brian Stuard

A true course horse with a T-8 and T-4 results in his last two visits to the Sony Open.

23. Shugo Imahira

Has a win, two runners-up and a third-place finish on the Japan Tour since mid-October to rocket up to No. 30 in the OWGR.

22. Brendon Todd

Todd fell back to Earth with a 29th-place finish in the more competitive 30-man TOC last week, but he still jumped 11 spots in the OWGR to 61st.

21. Kevin Na

Only Martin Trainer lost more strokes per round putting last week than Na’s 1.45. It’s usually a strong part of his game and can be expected to bounce back.

20. Russell Knox

One of the best in the field at avoiding trouble and taking bogeys. Has three top 20s in the last five years.

19. Emiliano Grillo

Winless since 2015, Grillo has slipped outside of the top 100 in the world since finishing T-41 at the Mayakoba Classic. He’ll rely on a strong approach game to set up birdies on the short par 4s.

(Photo Credit: Shanna Lockwood – USA TODAY Sports)

18. Alexander Noren

Makes his debut at this event, but has the driver to make a short course even shorter and give himself good angles into the greens.

17. Rory Sabbatini

Loves carding eagles and has the approach game needed to compete at Waialae.

16. Abraham Ancer

Had a T-8 at the Mayakoba and a T-4 at the WGC-HSBC Champions before shining for the International team at the Presidents Cup. Will be able to set himself up well off the tee.

15. Cameron Smith

Another Presidents Cup star for the losing side, Smith hasn’t missed the cut here in his last four tries. Can handle the par 4s but will need to make some eagles.

14. Joaquin Niemann

The Greenbrier champ picked up a surprising T-5 result at the TOC last week with a well-balanced game.

13. J.T Poston

Ranked third in the field in Strokes Gained: Putting last week at the TOC and will look to keep the flat stick hot in Honolulu.

12. Corey Conners

Broke through with a T-3 result here last year after gaining entry as a Monday qualifier. He won’t need to rely on his shaky putter with his driver and irons dicing up the short course.

11. Chez Reavie

The best in the field in Strokes Gained: Approach and third in Eagles Gained and Good Drives Gained. Also tied for third a year ago.

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10. Brandt Snedeker

A runner-up in 2016, Sneds was T-16 last year. Hasn’t missed a cut in eight events since The Open.

9. Kevin Kisner

Will be able to score well with seven of the 12 par 4s coming in below 450 yards.

8. Charles Howell III

Two T-8 showings in his last three appearances here. He can take advantage of easy scoring opportunities.

7. Collin Morikawa

Will be playing in front of plenty of friends and family who call Maui home again this week. It helped him finish T-7 in his debut at the TOC last week.

6. Sungjae Im

Im hasn’t played competitively since a T-11 at the HSBC Champions. He was T-16 in his tournament debut last year.

5. Patrick Reed

Gained a ridiculous 2.33 strokes per round putting last week. His approach game was poor and it’ll need to be on point this week.

4. Matt Kuchar

The defending champ tied for 14th last week. He’s a wiz on the par 4s.

3. Marc Leishman

Leish comes off a T-10 showing at the Australian Open. He’s another member of the tie for third last year.

2. Webb Simpson

Simpson leads my stat model at Fantasy National with best-in-show ranks in SG: Approach and SG: Par 4s. He didn’t play last year, but was T-4 in 2018 and T-13 in each of his three previous trips.

1. Justin Thomas

Three wins since mid-August all against stiffer competition than he’ll face this week. He’s well worth the price of admission.

Follow @EstenMcLaren and @SportsbookWire on Twitter.

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