AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am - Power Rankings
Three majestic courses which rank amongst the top courses in America, 12 of the top 25 players in the world, and a plethora of celebrities from various industries industries around the world. There is a lot to look forward to this week at the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am.
One of the most entertaining weeks of the year on Tour, the likes of Bill Murray, Ray Romano & Wayne Gretzky tee it up alongside the pros, adding a unique competitive flavour to the week. Three different courses are also used for the first three days of competition - Pebble Beach, Spyglass Hill & Monterey Peninsula. All three provide breathtaking California scenery.
A field stronger than most this week, here’s a look at the players I’ll be keeping an eye on, followed by my DraftKings lineups.
Jordan Spieth - Took a much needed week off last week after playing overseas. Has finished in top-10 last two years - as if anyone needs additional reasons to expect that he will play well.
Brandt Snedeker - Coming off a great win in California just two weeks ago. This week’s defending champion, and also won this event in 2013. Jason Day - Struggled with the illness in his last start. Look for him to come out strong this week. Finished T4 last year, and 6th in 2013.
Bubba Watson - Will use his creative shot-making ability to get around Pebble. Has been playing great golf, always a threat and continues to perform in strong fields.
Dustin Johnson - Despite final round 82 in 2010 U.S. Open, has played Pebble quite well in the past. Finished T4 last year, and T2 year prior to that.
Phil Mickelson - Always a crowd favourite, has been exciting golf fans everywhere with his recent play. Has a ton of experience at Pebble Beach, you can see his drive to get back in the winner’s circle.
Jimmy Walker - Winner it Pebble in 2014, the man simply seems to always play well during the early months of the season. Struggled in tough conditions at Torrey Pines two weeks ago, but otherwise has been playing well.
Justin Rose - Not a regular at Pebble Beach, but he is always a threat to win no matter where he plays in the world.
Russell Knox - Cooled down in the first two events of the season, after a big win at the WGC in China back in November. I think the month off may have been what he needed to get himself refreshed and ready to perform.
Will Wilcox - I’m a big believer in this guy. At last year’s event, finished at 14-under par, despite a third round 73. Finished on the leaderboard last week in Scottsdale after posting a final round 65.
And now for the real fun….my DraftKings picks!
There are so many players to choose from this week because there are so many players who are either coming in playing well, or tend to play well in this event. My strategy this week is to spend top-heavy. I’m taking Spieth in both teams because not only is he playing well, but he’s finished in the top-10 each of the last two years. I see my biggest gamble being Dustin Johnson. He tends to play well at Pebble, but he’s also had a difficult time of late stringing together four solid rounds. In reality, this week will be won and lost by my low picks. If they can show up, I should be one excited fan come Sunday evening.
Starting Lineup:
Jordan Spieth - $12,300
Bubba Watson - $10,900
Will Wilcox - $7,500
Davis Love III - $6,400
Steven Bowditch - $6,400
Jim Herman - $6,400
Alternate Lineup:
Jordan Spieth - $12,300
Dustin Johnson - $11,400
Cameron Smith - $7,100
D.J. Trahan - $6,600
Billy Hurley III - $6,300
Tom Hoge - $5,900
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
