2015 WGC-HSBC Champions daily fantasy golf picks, values & strategy

The 2015 - 2016 PGA Tour season continues this week at the 2015 WGC-HSBC Champions. There are a ton of big names in this event, as is the case with any WGC tournament, so you'll have plenty of options to choose from on your daily fantasy golf roster. We've got your DraftKings fantasy golf picks ready. Let's get crackin'.

Strategy

Winning in daily fantasy sports on sites like DraftKings or Fanduel is next to impossible, especially if you only enter one lineup per contest. The sheer volume of players who enter each contest total the tens of thousands, shrinking your odds of winning anything -- especially a profit -- minuscule. As long as you are willing to accept that risk, then DFS contests can be a lot of fun.

As we’ve discussed on multiple podcast episodes and posts, strategy is everything when it comes to a massive fantasy golf system like DraftKings. Pat Mayo over at RotoExperts.com is the best at explaining all the stats you should consider when making your picks, which boil down to:

1. Strokes Gained: Putting
2. Strokes Gained: Tee-to-Green

Aside from that, I like to play the “hot hands” every week; those players who have placed in the Top-10 or higher in recent tournament weeks, whenever possible.

Will this strategy work? Or will I get shutout of the money again this week? Only time will tell.

Best Value

Justin Thomas recorded his first PGA Tour win last week at the CIMB Classic, and his $9,400 price tag this week is a little surprising. Granted, names like Spieth, McIlroy, Watson and Fowler are also playing this week, but only Thomas is fresh off a win so far this season.

Best of the Rest

• Dustin Johnson $10,300
• Adam Scott $9,900
• Hideki Matsuyama $9,800
• Paul Casey $9,200
• Emiliano Grillo $8,400
• Byeong-Hun An $7,800
• Daniel Summerhays $7,300
• Thorbjorn Olesen $7,100

DraftKings Fantasy Golf Picks for the Week

1. Rickie Fowler$10,300
2. Patrick Reed $8,900
3. Charl Schwartzel $8,100
4. Scott Piercy $8,100
5. Daniel Summerhays $7,300
6. Kevin Kisner $7,300

Wyndham Championship 2015 DraftKings fantasy golf picks, pricing & values

The major championship season may be behind us, but many PGA Tour stars are in a mad rush to qualify for the start of the FedExCup Playoffs in a couple weeks. This week's 2015 Wyndham Championship features a flurry of big names from which to choose for your DraftKings fantasy golf roster, so let's get right into it.

Strategy

As we've discussed on multiple podcast episodes, strategy is everything when it comes to a massive fantasy golf system like DraftKings. Pat Mayo over at RotoExperts.com is the best at explaining all the stats you should consider when making your picks, which boil down to:

1. Strokes Gained: Putting
2. Strokes Gained: Tee-to-Green

Aside from that, I like to play the "hot hands" every week; those players who have placed in the Top-10 or higher in recent tournament weeks, whenever possible.

Sometimes that works, sometimes it doesn't; however, I feel much more comfortable "wasting" a pick on a guy who finished well last week than some random shot in the proverbial dark.

Best Value

Brandt Snedeker ($10,300) might be the best value in the field. He's got eight top-10's this season including a win thanks to one of the Tour's most consistent putting strokes. He finished T12 at last week's PGA Championship, finishing fourth in Strokes Gained: Putting.

Adam Scott and Hideki Matsuyama are the highest-priced plays in the field at $10,900 each. While I don't see them as finishing high this week, neither will kill your $50,000 salary cap if you choose one or the other.

That being said, there are plenty of "higher value" options throughout the different tiers in the field.

Best of the Rest

• Bill Haas ($9,600)
• Webb Simpson ($9,500)
• Will Wilcox ($8,400)
• Austin Cook ($8,000)
• Jason Dufner ($7,600)
• Vaughn Taylor ($6,700)
• William McGirt ($6,600)
• Boo Weekley ($6,600)
• Matt Every ($6,100)

DraftKings Fantasy Golf Picks for the Week

1. Brandt Snedeker ($10,300)
2. Martin Kaymer ($9,800)
3. Will Wilcox ($8,400)
4. Austin Cook ($8,000)
5. Boo Weekley ($6,600)
6. Matt Every ($6,100)

GU PODCAST 26: Matt Castonguay from Bunkers Paradise

Matt Castonguay, Senior Editor at BunkersParadise.com was dying to get back on the show to receive a verbal assault from me about our good friend Tiger Woods. I let him down easy, although I'm just a big softy anyway. Matt and I discuss the Quicken Loans National and how Tiger performed despite his lackluster round on Saturday. We also dive deep into the rumor that's been swirling in regard to Chris Como and Tiger. Are the two guys still working together? Will Tiger fire Chris Como after the PGA Championship? Why do we care so much about this stuff?

We then switch gears to something much more important: John Daly's bid to become the next US Ryder Cup captain. There aren't many things more American than good ol' J.D., but would making the two-time major champion captain be a good idea? Or would it make the US Team even more of a laughing stock than it has been in recent years?

Finally, Matt and I give our DraftKings fantasy golf picks for this week's WGC-Bridgestone Invitational. We discuss some of the strategy we use when making our picks as well as how fantasy golf newbies (like me) can make the most of their DraftKings roster budgets every week.

Be sure to follow Matt Castonguay on Twitter at @mcastonguay27.

DraftKings fantasy golf picks: 2015 WGC-Bridgestone Invitational

Finally! We get a little stability on the PGA Tour season with a return to the familiar face of Firestone C.C. for this week's 2015 WGC-Bridgestone Invitational. Defending champion Rory McIlroy is skipping this week to "rest his injured ankle" by playing a practice round at Whistling Straits instead, so you'll need to get creative with your DraftKings fantasy golf picks this week. Don't worry. We've got you covered. Don't forget to join via the link below and use promo code 'Unfiltered' to play for FREE.

Jordan Spieth is easily the favorite heading into Firestone as he makes his first tournament appearance since nearly winning the British Open last month. He leads the PGA Tour in a number of categories -- including adjusted scoring, par-4 scoring and multiple putting stats -- which means he'll come with a hefty DraftKings salary ($12,500).

Rickie Fowler, however, might be the more cost-conscious play this week ($10,500) without compromising too many potential fantasy points. He took solo second at last week's Quicken Loans National and has two wins on his resume this season (The Players, Scottish Open). Fowler has two top-10's at Firestone in his young career, making him a solid start this week.

Zach Johnson might be the DraftKings bargain of the week. Coming in at sub-$10,000, the British Open Champion has six top-20's at this event in his career. He also makes his first start since St. Andrews, which means he'll be well rested heading in to a course at which he's played well multiple times.

Kevin Kisner and Robert Streb also seem adequately priced ($7,700 and $7,500, respectively). Kisner has six top-10 finishes this season in 17 made-cuts and has averaged nearly 63 fantasy points per tournament. Streb has more made-cuts (19) and more top-10's (7), but for some reason is still priced lower than many golfers with similar stats. For example, the higher-priced Hideki Matsuyama ($9,000+) has a scoring average of 69.9 on the year... which is the exact same as Streb.

Ryan Palmer and Troy Merritt are also strong plays this week as both have hot hands for different reasons. Palmer has played extremely consistent all year, boasting a 69.1 fantasy point average with four top-10's and 13/16 cuts made. Merritt is fresh off his first career PGA Tour win at the Quicken Loans last week, so his $7,400 price tag is a bargain for the final scrub spot on your DraftKings fantasy golf picks roster.

DraftKings Fantasy Golf Picks Roster:

1. Rickie Fowler ($10,500)
2. Zach Johnson ($9,000)
3. Ryan Palmer ($7,800)
4. Kevin Kisner ($7,700)
5. Robert Streb ($7,500)
6. Troy Merritt ($7,400)

Join the Action at DraftKings Here!

Fantasy Golf Picks: 2015 Northern Trust Open

The stars are out at the 2015 Northern Trust Open as many of the biggest names on the PGA TOUR return to Riviera Country Club. These are the weeks that make choosing your fantasy golf picks even more fun, so let's get right into it.  

This will be the first PGA TOUR start for Sergio Garcia in 2015, making him a tempting start this week. I highly anticipate Garcia to have a great season -- possibly to the tune of finally winning his first major championship -- so what better way to get started than at Riviera. Bubba Watson is the defending champion, having held off Dustin Johnson by two-shots in 2014. Bubba hasn't played especially well as of yet, but there are a limited number of courses like Riviera that suit his game this well (Augusta National and Kapalua being the others).

Brandt Snedeker was last week's winner at Pebble Beach, making him a solid "hot-hand" start at the Northern Trust. Nick Watney was also in the mix throughout the final two rounds last week, and Jordan Spieth is bound to break out of his slump at some point. Spieth showed flashes of good play at Pebble, earning himself about 10 minutes of television time during the final round. He'll also be part of a marquee group that includes Garcia and Fred Couples. Hunter Mahan is a decent sleeper pick as he's played relatively well at Riviera in the past.

Justin Thomas is going to be the surprise player of the year, plain and simple. He's got two top-10s in four starts this season (three since November 2014), and with the exception of missing the cut at the Farmers Insurance Open two weeks ago he has played well enough to accumulate more than $600,000 this year. Thomas is going to win a tournament this year, guaranteed.

Fantasy Golf Picks: 2015 AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am

The boys from the PGA TOUR return to Pebble Beach this week for the 2015 AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am. We've got our fantasy golf picks up and ready for what is sure to be another photo-finish this week.

Jason Day was last week's winner on TOUR, capturing the Farmers Insurance Open in a four-man playoff for his third win overall. He's back in the field at Pebble and is an automatic no-brainer for fantasy golf players. The same can be said for Patrick Reed, who also has a victory in 2015 already and looks to stay hot this week.

Jimmy Walker is hand's down the best American player at the moment, having accumulated three top-10 finishes in each of his three starts in 2015 (two of which were top-3). His win at the Sony Open last month cemented himself as a viable threat to his peers as well as his spot on your fantasy golf roster.

While players like Billy Horschel and Jordan Spieth have started their years slower than expected, look for them to pick up their games sooner rather than later. They are solid bench players for this week, along with last week's runner-up J.B. Holmes.

Finally, Ryan Palmer is the top choice in Yahoo's A-Group, having recorded two top-10 and a top-3 finish already this season. Palmer has always been a streaky player on TOUR, so now's the time to start him on your roster before he cools off again (which is bound to happen).

Which players are you starting and sitting this week on your fantasy golf team? Be sure to let us know in the comments section below. You can also share your team with me on Twitter at @adamjfonseca or you can reach us on Facebook. We promise to not make fun of your team too much.

U.S. Open 2014: Fantasy Golf Picks

The 2014 U.S. Open Championship returns to Pinehurst, North Carolina this week, and as is usually the case with major championships, the number of storylines is huge. Will Phil Mickelson put aside his recent off-course troubles to finally capture the elusive U.S. Open crown, thus completing his career grand slam? Can Masters Champion Bubba Watson go two-for-two in major titles this year, inching him closer to a season's Grand Slam? Will the young Jordan Spieth -- quite possibly the future of American golf -- defy the odds and become one of the youngest Open winners of all time?

Let's not forget about the veteran Miguel Angel Jimenez, who at 50-years old is playing the best golf of his career en route to two victories already this year. If he wins this major, social media will explode, the golf world will instantly become intoxicated, and I'll dance the tango down Interstate-88.

My favorite fantasy golf pick this week, however, is Jason Day.

Day has been a contender in almost every major championship over the past two years. The young Australian tends to peak four times a year, and it is only a matter of time before he finally breaks through and wins his first career major. Look for him to have another strong showing this week at Pinehurst, and don't be surprised to see him come out with the victory.

Fantasy Golf 2014: HP Byron Nelson Championship

The next PGA Tour stop this week is at the 2014 HP Byron Nelson Championship from the TPC Four Seasons Resort and Club Las Colinas in Irving, Tx. Sang-Moon Bae is your defending champion, and also a great name for a vacation destination. Martin Kaymer is the popular fantasy golf pick this week having won The Players Championship less than a week ago. He also finished in a tie for fifth at this tournament in 2013, so he should definitely find his way on your fantasy golf pick roster.

Keegan Bradley is another obvious choice this week, having finished runner-up to Bae in 2013. The fidgety Bradley has played consistently well this season and seems on the cusp of adding another trophy to his resume. He also seems to be on the brink of crapping his pants, but I digress.

Jimmy Walker is also a pick this week, and it has everything to do with the fact that he's still won three times this season. I'm also afraid that his wife, Erin, will beat me up if I don't.

@wesleywhamond @ChicagoDuffer yeah... T8 at Masters, top 10 at Players... Terrible.

— Erin Walker (@tourwifetravels) May 11, 2014

Who are your fantasy golf picks for this week? Let me know in the comments below.

Fantasy Golf 2014: The Players Championship

Come for the TPC at Sawgrass, stay for the chance to see Sergio Garcia lose 17 golf balls! The PGA Tour returns to Ponte Verde Beach, Fla. for the 2014 The Players Championship. There is no way I can write that previous sentence without sounding like a grammar douchebag. Note to tournament namer people: never start off the name of your golf tournament with the word "The." It gives me fits.

Anyway, Tiger Woods is the defending champion at this event, but he's at home beating his children at putt-putt golf and nursing a back injury. As the video above reminds all of us, Sergio Garcia was in the hunt before screwing the "perro" on Sawgrass' 17th green in epic fail fashion. Since that time he has played very well in both Europe and the US, making him a safe fantasy golf pick this week.

Adam Scott has been Steady Eddie for most of the year, averaging 45 Yahoo fantasy golf points per tournament. He also has yet to miss the cut in six tries. Jim Furyk made a run last week at Quail Hollow and has played well at Sawgrass in the past. Phil Mickelson also recorded a strong showing last week, and we all know Lefty is good for one or two tournaments a year.

What do you think of my fantasy golf picks this week? Leave your comments below or hit me up on Twitter at @chicagoduffer.

Fantasy Golf 2014: Wells Fargo Championship

The PGA Tour returns to Quail Hollow for this week's Wells Fargo Championship, a popular place for some of the biggest names in the sport. Derek Ernst captured his first win on Tour at this event last year. Don't expect that to happen again.

Why? Because guys like Rickie Fowler, Rory McIlroy, Justin Rose and Gary Woodland have been playing stellar golf over the last few months. Fowler had a strong showing at The Masters earlier in the month (T-5), and McIlroy is moments away from having another break-out season (if that's even possible). Woodland can overpower any golf course on the planet (and probably other planets as well). Oh, and don't forget about Jim Furyk; the crafty veteran who always sneaks by with a win or two during the year.

This is also a great tournament to load up on some less-common fantasy golf picks. I went with Kevin Chappell and Jamie Donaldson, for example, since both have played relatively decent this season. Quail Hollow fits the game for a wide range of players.

Fantasy Golf 2014: RBC Heritage

The PGA Tour returns to Harbour Town Golf Links in Hilton Head Island, SC for this week's 2014 RBC Heritage. Graeme McDowell is your defending champion, but there are a number of other players who could be strong fantasy golf picks. Jordan Spieth, for example, returns to action after an impressive run at last weeks Masters. The 20-year old golf phenom likely has no issue settling for the tartan jacket awarded to this week's winner, and I suspect another strong week from the young man.

Matt Kuchar is also back after his strong showing at Augusta, despite having a shaky final round on Sunday. His flat swing and smooth tempo has done well at this tournament in the past, and Kuchar has only finished outside the top 25 twice in any tournament this season. Put him on your fantasy golf roster.

Bill Haas and McDowell round out my starting lineup for the week, with the former holding the 18-hole lead at last week's major and the latter being this week's defending champion.

Fantasy Golf Picks: Valspar Championship 2014

The PGA Tour returns to Innisbrook Resort and Golf Club to finish out the Florida Swing this week at the 2014 Valspar Championship. Chicago-area native Kevin Streelman is the defending champion, however we haven't heard too much from Streels this season. It would be nice to see him turn in another solid performance at this event, but there are a number of smarter fantasy golf picks this week.

Luke Donald seems to be a name popping up in multiple expert picks, so I'll play along and choose him as well. Graham DeLaet is in a similar situation, especially since he's already recorded two second-place finishes so far this season. Neither man is a stranger to playing in the spotlight, so I feel they are the top picks for this week.

Jason Dufner and Matt Kuchar are probably the two most popular players in the tournament field, with Duff getting the start in my B-List while Donald edges Kuchar in the A-List.

Fantasy Golf Picks 2014: Northern Trust Open

Last year, John Merrick won his first PGA Tour trophy at the 2013 installment of the Northern Trust Open. This year, all eyes will be on the red-hot Jimmy Walker as the boys return to Riviera Country Club. The 2014 Northern Trust Open will be another spectacle primed for a Bubba Watson blow-up, similar to what he had at the Waste Management Phoenix Open a couple weeks ago. He seems to play just well enough to put him at the top of the leaderboard before crapping down his leg. For his sake, let's hope that won't be the case this week.

As mentioned, Jimmy Walker needs to be on your fantasy golf roster. I'm not sure how long he'll maintain this hotstreak, but three victories in the 2013-14 season is something we haven't seen since Tiger. Don't expect to keep this guy on the shelf until the majors; Walker will clean up in the regular season events.

Fantasy Golf 2014: Farmers Insurance Open

While most of the golf industry is playing with their balls in sunny Orlando at the PGA Merchandise Show, the PGA Tour is on the west coast for the 2014 Farmers Insurance Open. Looks like it's time for some more fantasy golf picks. No, your eyes do not deceive you; I am starting Patrick Reed over Tiger Woods this week. Reed's performance at last week's Humana Challenge was incredible, so giving him the nod to at least begin the week is the right thing to do. I know Tiger has won this tournament seven times. I don't care.

Many of the bigger names on Tour are in the field this week, so I wanted to focus on players who are making their 2014 debut for the rest of my roster. Phil Mickelson should probably be on my team after his runner-up finish in Abu Dhabi, but Torrey Pines just doesn't suit his game. Steve Stricker looks like a strong play this week despite his lack of distance (like that's ever bothered him before).

Expect big things from Graham DeLaet this week. Mark my words. He's a man on the move.

EDIT: Thanks to Adam Sarson (@Adam_Sarson) for the head's up; Patrick Reed has withdrawn from the event. Apparently he has a rib issue? Looking at his physique, I wouldn't say he has an issue with any ribs.

I went with Gary Woodland instead. Tiger can still sit the bench. For now.

Fantasy Golf 2014: Sony Open in Hawaii

The name of this week's PGA Tour event -- the Sony Open in Hawaii -- has always bothered me. Why do we have to designate that it's in Hawaii? Why not just the Sony Open or something similar?

Anyway, many of the players from last week's Hyundai Tournament of Champions made the short trip to Honolulu for this week's event. Zach Johnson looks to go back-to-back in Hawaii for the first time since 2003, when Ernie Els last accomplished the feat. This is a full-field event, however, so ZJ will have more competition to fend off.

Looks for Mark Wilson to play well again in this event. He won it in 2011, perhaps his best year on Tour, and seems to prefer the tight fairways and severe doglegs featured at Waialae Country Club. He's a solid fantasy golf pick this week if you're looking for a strong gamble.

Fantasy Golf Picks: 2013 Tour Championship

The 2013 PGA Tour season comes to a close this week at the Tour Championship presented by Coca-Cola. The FedExCup Champion will also be determined on Sunday, along with the newest $10 million winner in the season-long series. Tiger Woods enters the week as the FedExCup Points leader, followed by Matt Kuchar, Brandt Snedeker, Phil Mickelson and Bill Haas.

East Lake in Atlanta will once again host the Tour Championship. The venue has proven to be a tough test for the world's best players over the years, however we are sure to see some exciting golf near the home stretch.

Here are my fantasy golf picks for the 2013 Tour Championship.

Fantasy Golf Picks: 2013 BMW Championship

The PGA Tour returns to my back yard this week for the 2013 BMW Championship from Conway Farms in Lake Forest, Ill. Consider me slightly excited. Rory McIlroy is the defending champion at this event, which marks the third stage of the FedExCup Playoffs. Henrik Stenson is the current points leader slightly ahead of Tiger Woods, who has grown rather comfortable winning in the Chicago area throughout his career.

Other golfers to consider this week include Steve Stricker -- who also prefers Midwest courses -- Phil Mickelson and Chicago-resident Luke Donald.

Here are my fantasy golf picks for this week's BMW Championship.

Fantasy Golf Picks: 2013 Deutsche Bank Championship

The second round of the 2013 FedExCup Playoffs is this week as the top 100 players will tee-off at the Deutsche Bank Championship in Boston. The main story for the week will be how points-leader Tiger Woods will play following his back injury last week at The Barclays. Woods still holds a slight lead over Adam Scott, but he is in danger of being dethroned should Scott produce another strong performance.

Rory McIlroy is the defending champion this week, so keep an eye on him to build off his strong performance at the PGA Championship.

Here are this week's fantasy golf picks for the 2013 Deutsche Bank Championship.

Fantasy Golf Picks: 2013 The Barclays

The first round of the 2013 FedEx Cup Playoffs starts this week at The Barclays from Liberty National in New Jersey. The majority of the world's top players will be in the field, including all four major championship winners from the season. Liberty National got a ton of flack from golfers and fans alike as the site of the US Open four years ago, but a lot of time has passed since that tournament and the course has grown into one of the finest in the country. It will undoubtedly be a challenging test for all competing, so choose your fantasy golf picks wisely.

Here are my fantasy golf picks for the 2013 The Barclays tournament.

Fantasy Golf Picks: 2013 Wyndham Championship

The major championship season may be over, but there is still a ton of great golf to be played on the PGA Tour. This week, Sedgefield Country Club welcomes the best players in the world for the 2013 Wyndham Championship. Sergio Garcia returns to defend his title, which he will do so against a strong field of past champions including Webb Simpson, Brandt Snedeker and Davis Love III. While Garcia has not played much on the PGA Tour this season, he has managed to accumulate a 37.55 fantasy golf point average per appearance.

Here are my fantasy golf picks for the 2013 Wyndham Championship.