Fantasy Golf: HSBC WGC Champions
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Hideki Mastuyama hopes to defend his title as a strong field of 78-players heads to Asia for the WGC- HSBC Champions in Shanghai.
The WGC – HSBC Champions boasts a field that includes 18 of the World’s top 25 players at the Sheshan International GC (West) hosts for the 12th time in the 13 editions of the tournament.
Last year, Matsuyama became the first Asian winner in 18 years of WGC competition with a seven-shot victory that still stands as the largest in HSBC Champions history. However, Dustin Johnson also holds two WGC titles at the moment, and also set the 72-hole record in 2013 (of 264).
The HSBC Champions which brings together most of the top players from all corners of the globe, as some play for the 550 FedEx Cup points on offer, while the event marks the final regular-season event on the European Tour.
But who should be in your fantasy team? You’ve only got until midnight on Wednesday to decide!
Fantasy picks: WGC – HSBC Champions
Dustin Johnson: Fantasy Price £15m
Hasn’t played since the Presidents Cup, but has only finished outside of the top 18 once in eight events, which includes his win at The Northern Trust. He’s also got a great record here – A T5 in 2015 and a victory in 2013.
Jason Day: Fantasy Price £15m
Day has actually never played this event before, but he has been playing a lot more consistently in recent weeks. Three top 10s in his last six starts and he finished T11 in his last tournament in South Korea.
Hideki Matsuyama: Fantasy Price £14.5m
It had been a slightly slower spell for Matsuyama in the final tournaments of the 2016/17 season, but the defending champion finished T5 in his last start at the CIMB Classic, indicating that he might be hitting his form again at the right time. His last victory was at the last WGC event – the WGC Bridgestone Invitational – in August.
Justin Rose: Fantasy Price £14.5m
Rose finished last season with four straight top-10s, but this will be his first event of the new season – and he hasn’t played here since 2015 (although he does have two top 10s in four starts at Sheshan)
Patrick Reed: Fantasy Price £14.5m
Reed was T11 at the CJ Cup last week, which followed up a T13 at the Tour Championship and two top 10s in his last five starts. Although he was a disappointing T60 here last year, Reed has results of T7 and a T22 in his first two outings.
Brooks Koepka: Fantasy Price £13.5m
The US Open Champion last played (excluding the Presidents Cup) during his T6 finish at the Tour Championship, and hasn’t finished worse than T18 in his last three starts. Koepka played here last year and finished T40.
Paul Casey: Fantasy Price £13.5m
Mr consistent has had six top 10s in his last 10 starts, but hasn’t quite managed to get over the line. Chances are he’ll be in the mix once more this week, as he has had two top 10s at this event among his five top 25 finishes.
Phil Mickelson: Fantasy Price £13.5m
Mickelson won this event during its first year in 2009, and also finished runner-up in 2012 and 14th in 2013 – which was the last time he played here. Mickelson has two top 10s in his last three starts, including a T3 at the Safeway Open a couple of weeks ago.
Tyrrell Hatton: Fantasy Price £13m
Coming in with a lot of confidence, Hatton made it back to back victories for his second and third European Tour wins – and hasn’t finished worse than T8 in his last four starts. T23 here last year.
Jon Rahm: Fantasy Price £12m
Rahm had a disappointing outing in Spain last week, but even though he’s making his first appearance in this event – he’s had a good outing in WGC’s so far. The World No.5 was T3 at the WGC Mexico and 2nd at the WGC Matchplay, and he’s still can boast five top-15s in last six worldwide starts.
Marc Leishman: Fantasy Price £12m
Leishman won the BMW Championship last month, and has since posted a T24 at the Tour Championship before finishing runner-up to Justin Thomas at the CJ Cup – losing on the second play-off hole. T-18 or better in three trips to Sheshan.
Ross Fisher: Fantasy Price £10m
A course record at the Old Course, St Andrews one Sunday and a 63 at the Italian Open the following Sunday, but Fisher had to settle for second place to Tyrrell Hatton for two weeks on the bounce. He’s playing really nicely, and was T6 here last year.
