Wells Fargo Championship: Fantasy Golf Preview
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Dustin Johnson returns from injury this week as the Wells Fargo Championship moves away from Quail Hollow for the first time since 2003.
It’s regular North Carolina spot is playing host to the US PGA Championship this year, so players will instead be heading further inland of NC to Eagle Point Golf Course.
Last year’s champion James Hahn overcame Roberto Castro on the first play-off hole last year to win his second PGA Tour title, and will now be hoping to follow Rory McIlroy as only the second person to win the title twice.
This week’s European Tour is following the Zurich Classic with their own two-man team event, so if you’re looking for Fantasy Golf points – you won’t want to be looking in the direction of Golf Sixes.
The PGA Tour players in general have higher tarrifs, so you’ll want to choose wisely when it comes to who makes your line-up this week.
Wells Fargo Championship: Who is Playing?
Dustin Johnson: Fantasy Price £15m
The World No.1 is returning to action for the first time since the fall down the stairs of his Augusta rental home that forced him to pull out of the Masters at the beginning of April. He’ll be aiming to be fighting fit and hoping to win his fourth PGA Tour title in a row, but after a month off competition, we’ll leave you to speculate whether it’s worth the risk.
Paul Casey: Fantasy Price £13.5m
Casey has had a few weeks off following his 6th place finish at the Masters, and will come in to this week hoping to continue an excellent run of form. He’s poised to make a move in to the winners chair this week. His last five starts? 11th-16th-41st-9th-6th.
Phil Mickelson: Fantasy Price £13.5
There’s no ruling out a multiple major champion that has a top 5, two top 10s and no missed cuts since September. He hasn’t played since a T22 finish (that could have been so much better) at the Masters, but with the course set-up well for him and 11 top-12 finishes in 13 past visits, it could be a great week for lefty.
Kevin Kisner: Fantasy Price £12m
Kisner’s incredible chip-in eagle on the 18th hole at the Zurich Classic forced a Monday play-off, and while he and Scott Brown weren’t able to get the job done on this occassion, he’ll be looking to go one better this week. He’s had two T2 and two T11 finishes in his last six starts, and hasn’t finished worse than 43rd (at the Masters). We’d be surprised if he finds himself out of contention this week.
Jon Rahm: Fantasy Price £12m
Rahm has proven to be a force to contend with, and the rookie will be well-rested having had a break since his T27 finish in his first ever Masters. In the eight events he’s played in 2017, he’s had a win, three other top-5s, a top 10, a T16 and a worst finish of T34 back in January. The numbers speak for themselves.
Bill Haas: Fantasy Price £11m
Other than a missed cut at the RBC Heritage, Bill Haas has had a pretty consistent season so it wouldn’t be surprising if he was up there this week. He finished T3 at the WGC Dell Match Play and has had three top 20s in his last eight starts.
Soren Kjeldsen: Fantasy Price £10.5m
Kjeldsen didn’t have a fast start to 2017, but he’s certainly found his form in the last couple of months and comes to Eagle Point after a T24 finish with partner Alex Cejka. He’s not missed a cut in his last six stroke-play events, which includes a 5th in the WGC Dell Match Play and T36 at the Masters.
William McGirt: Fantasy Price £9.5m
He’s a North Carolina native and while his team missed the cut at the Zurich Classic, he’s finished T9-T22-T3 in his last three stroke-play events. Advantage, McGirt.
Wesley Bryan: Fantasy Price £8.5m
Another man from the Carolina’s, Bryan should find himself in a setting which suits his game this week. He picked up his maiden victory at the RBC Heritage and hasn’t missed a cut since January. In his last seven starts he’s had a win, two top-5s, a top-10 and comes into this week with a T29 finish at the Zurich Classic.
Cameron Smith: Fantasy Price £7.5m
Smith was too overcome by emotion speak following his victory with Jonas Blixt at the Zurich Classic, which has now granted him exemption on the PGA Tour through the 2018/2019 season. The 23-year-old Australian finished T6 at the Valero Texas Open the week prior to Zurich, and with Blixt saying he’s not seen anything as good as Smith’s golf in a long time – he’s definitely not one to rule out.
Wells Fargo Championship: The Course
Pristine fairways and brilliant greens appear to await the players this week at Eagle Point Golf Club, which was design by Tom Fazio and opened in 2000.
The greens on the 7259 yard par 72 course are expected to run 12.5 (feet) on the Stimpmeter this week – and already has drawn big approval form PGA Tour pro’s such as Steven Bowditch, who has likened the course condition to Augusta National. Now that’s big praise!
