The Barclays - Fantasy Picks - Presented by DraftKings
It’s playoff time! The FedEx Cup playoffs kick off this week as The Barclays returns to Plainfield Country Club in Edison, NJ. It’s a very exciting time for golf fans, as golf’s ultimate prize of $10,000,000 is up for grabs, and as last year proved, it’s anyone’s game.
Going into The Barclays event last season, Billy Horschel was ranked 69th in the standings. He missed the cut at this event, dropping him to 82nd. It was then that he went on the run of his life, finishing T2 at the Deutsche Bank and then winning the final two events of the year - the BMW Championship and the Coca-Cola Tour Championship - to become the 2014 FedEx Cup Champion.
Billy’s 2014 run more than proves that this is anyone’s game. With that said, below I’ve outlined the players I expect to see play well in this week’s event. We will then take a look at the DraftKings lineups I’m choosing in an attempt to begin my own playoff run.
1. Jordan Spieth - While it can’t be said that he has been unbeatable in big events this season, he has been very close. Of all the competitors in the four major championships this year, only four golfers were able to finish ahead of him.
2. Justin Rose - Another player who has constantly put himself in contention in the big tournaments this season. On a particularly good run of late, having not finished outside the top-6 in his last four events played.
3. Dustin Johnson - Won this event in 2011 at Plainfield Country Club. Earlier this season was playing some of the best golf of his career, and while he is still playing well, has cooled off a bit. Lately has been getting himself into contention, but as displayed at the Open Championship and PGA Championship he is having trouble finishing tournaments strong.
4. Rory McIlroy - Proved at the PGA Championship that his game is in good form after his ankle injury. In the ten events he did play this 2015 season, he missed only one cut (The Honda Classic). When making the cut, he finished outside the top-10 only once, and never finished outside the top-20. When he plays, he always contends.
5. Jason Day - Another player on quite a run, and it’s one he has been due for. Since missing two consecutive cuts at The Players Championship and then the Memorial, he has won a major (PGA Championship), finished in the top-10 in two others, and won the RBC Canadian Open. Day is going into these playoffs with a ton of confidence. His solid play seemed to be driven by his desire for that first major, and now that he has it, hopefully he continues to play with the same determination.
6. Bubba Watson - Always a player to consider. Since missing the cut at the U.S. Open, he’s won an event (The Travelers Championship) and finished runner-up in two others (RBC Canadian Open & The Bridgestone WGC).
7. Rickie Fowler - Has finished T9 in this event the past two seasons. Has continued to prove that his win at The Players Championship back in May was no “one and done”. Is always a threat.
8. Jim Furyk - In his last ten events, he has finished inside the top-10 half the time. The other half has seen him either miss the cut or finish middle of the pack. He tends to either contend, or finish well back. The fact that he has finished 8th and T6 the last two years at The Barclays makes him a solid pick this week.
9. Danny Lee - He has struggled in the majors this season, but otherwise has performed very well. Has finished inside the top-6 in his last four non-major events, with one of those being a T6 at the Bridgestone WGC showing that he can in fact perform in tournaments with world-class fields.
10. Brandt Snedeker - His eight top-10’s this season come as a result of his solid putting. His ability to roll the rock not only keeps him in events, but allows him to contend. A former FedEx Cup champ (2012), he knows how to get it done come playoff time.
Sleeper Picks
1. Matt Kuchar - Currently ranked 24th in FedEx Cup standings. Has two top-10’s in last five events played, and has won this event in the past (2010).
2. David Lingmerth - In his last seven events, he’s won his first PGA Tour event (The Memorial), had three other top-6 showings, and a T12 at the PGA Championship. Playing the best golf of his career going into the playoffs.
3. Paul Casey - Early in the 2015 season, it looked as if Casey may have a career year. While he has cooled off a bit, he is still playing well, having not missed a cut since the first week of May. Last week at the Wyndham Championship he finally contended again, showing continued signs that he is primed to play some solid golf in this year’s playoffs.
And now a look at my first week of DraftKing picks for the 2015 playoffs.
Starting Lineup
Jordan Spieth - $12,600
Jason Day - $11,500
Jim Furyk - $8,800
Ryo Ishikawa - $5,800
Mark Wilson - $5,700
Jon Curran - $5,600
Alternate Lineup
Justin Rose - $10,900
Bubba Watson - $9,900
David Lingmerth - $7,800
Justin Thomas - $7,700
Jimmy Walker - $7,600
Fabian Gomez - $5,500
I’m excited about my teams this week. There is a lot of value to choose from in order to field a very strong team. The fact that I’m able to draft Spieth, Day and Furyk all on one team is exciting, and Ishikawa, Wilson and Curran are no rip-offs either. With my second team I went a little less top-heavy, but have still managed to field Rose and Watson who have been on fire as of late. If Jimmy Walker can play up to his FedEx Cup ranking, and Lingmerth and Thomas continue their strong play of late, this could be another money-maker.
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
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