The Greenbrier Classic - Fantasy Picks - Presented by DraftKings
This week, the tour returns for The Greenbrier Classic. Played at a very historic venue, the event was only established in 2010 and made more memorable by the final round 59 that eventual champion Stuart Appleby posted. The Old White TPC, the first 18-hole golf course at The Greenbrier, opened in 1914. Full of tradition, the course was named for the well-known Old White Hotel, which stood on the grounds from 1858 to 1922.
This week, golfers not yet qualified for the British Open can secure a spot if they manage to finish in the top-12 in the event. Many will consider this their last shot at qualifying, as only one spot will be available at next week’s John Deere Classic, and a player would be required to finish within the top-5.
Below are the players who I feel have a chance to make some noise come this weekend in West Virginia.
Webb Simpson - Has finished in the top-10 three times in his last four attempts at this event. Solo 3rd place finish last year.
Kevin Na - Has been consistently playing very steady golf this season, and has finished well at this tournament in the past (T7 in 2012).
Keegan Bradley - Finished T4 at this event last year. Has only missed two cuts all season.
Bubba Watson - One would think he would have a legitimate shot this week. He owns a home in the area and is coming off a win at last week’s Travelers Championship. However, has never finished inside the top-10 at this event, which leads me to believe that the course does not suit his eye as well as some others. Still a worthwhile fantasy pick, for he is always a threat.
Paul Casey - Returned to form last week after a quiet few weeks. His runner-up finish at The Travelers is more like what we have become accustomed to seeing from Casey this season.
George McNeill - Has continued to play great golf this season, but has done so fairly quietly. Returning this week to the course which saw him post a final round 61 and yet still lose by two strokes to Angel Cabrera.
Will Wilcox - When he makes the cut, he seems to finish inside the top-20 on a fairly regular basis. Finished T4 last year, making him a solid pick for this week.
Cameron Tringale - It seems like a matter of time before this young man finally breaks through into the winner’s circle. Having a solid season, but is not always a lock to make the cut. His T4’s in 2011 & 2014 make a strong argument that this could be a memorable week for him.
Steve Stricker - Has made 5 of 6 cuts this season as he continues to get back into form following back surgery. Warming up for next week when he returns to the John Deere Classic, which he has won three times.
Patrick Rogers - Playing inspired golf as of late, and has been rewarded for it. Recently earned conditional status on Tour as a result of his fine play. Has made 8 of 11 cuts this season.
Sleeper Picks
Jon Curran - Has five top-10’s this season, including a T10 at last week’s Travelers Championship.
Peter Uihlein - Struggled in last event played, but his play on the European Tour has shown that he is a legitimate threat.
I love making my DraftKings picks every week. The platform they have created is one which allows anyone to compete, while at the same time requiring you to be very strategic in your picks. Here’s a look at the two teams I will be fielding this week.
Starting Lineup:
George McNeill - $9,900
Steve Stricker - $8,800
Cameron Tringale - $8,200
Will Wilcox - $8,100
Patrick Rogers - $8,000
Bo Van Pelt - $6,900
Alternate Lineup:
Bubba Watson - $13,000
Tony Finau - $9,800
Kevin Na - $9,100
Jonathan Randolph - $6,000
Adam Hadwin - $5,900
Tommy Gainey - $5,600
For my first team, my strategy was to stay away from the high-cost players, and stack my team with mid-level talent. My hopes is that this will increase my odds of having players on the leaderboard on the weekend. For my second team, I spread out my spending. By taking last week’s champion (Bubba Watson), I was required to make some cheaper selections. I like both my teams, for they are filled with players whom I would never be surprised to see on a leaderboard, and this has always been one of my checkpoints when selecting my teams.
About the Author This article was written by Jonathan Carr (@jonathanwcarr) as part of our weekly #FantasyGolf series. Each week we preview the upcoming PGA Tour event and highlight some of the players we'll be keeping an eye on. As a scratch golfer himself, Jonathan has a keen eye for what it takes to be successful on and off the golf course. His passion for golf is surpassed only by his passion for his faith and his family. Read some of Jonathan's other articles here. About DraftKings DraftKings is a leading provider of online fantasy sports. Our core product is a 1-day Fantasy Sports Contest, where users compete against each other to win cash prizes. The game works similarly to how season-long contests on ESPN or Yahoo operate, with the key difference being that instead of season-long commitments, our users only need to commit to playing for a single day at a time. Free and entry-fee-based games are available. Featuring daily fantasy sports contests and same-day settlement, DraftKings makes playing fantasy sports simpler and faster for both seasoned and casual players.
Read more about DraftKings at: www.DraftKings.com
