By Chris Celotti
@ChristopherCelo
Once again, the field is less than stellar at this week’s PGA tour
stop, which I suppose is to be expected come major season. The course
should be getable for the field. With soft conditions, expect the
aggressive players to vault up the leaderboard. Experience, however,
will rule the day. Look for those players who have a good track record
at TPC Deere Run and/or have good form coming in.
This is the first week I’m going to say this, but building a high/low
lineup is probably the way to go. With a lackluster field, you need to
have a big name or two on the roster and you can take some chances with
the lower level players. I usually promote balance but it’s time to
change it up.
SLEEPERS
Spencer Levin (FantasyAces $3,550)
We have a Spencer Levin sighting! I rarely use Spencer due to his
lack of length, but he’s actually a great play for the week. Levin is
17th in Driving Accuracy and 52nd in Greens in Regulation. He had a good
finish in Memphis, finishing T22 at the FedEx St. Jude Classic. Places
like Harbor Town and TPC Deere Run are good for him because you need
accuracy more than length.
Ken Duke (FantasyAces $2,950)
Hello Mr. Duke, we meet again. Ken is a favorite of mine because you
look at his game and he doesn’t leap off the page, but he somehow places
well. Duke ranks 36th in Driving Accuracy and is playing solid of late.
He finished T10 at the Travelers and T29 at St. Jude. Ken seems to do
well on parkland style courses—when distance isn’t a factor, he’s
dangerous.
ULTIMATE SLEEPER
Fabian Gomez (FantasyAces $3,900)
Look out for Fabian Gomez, because he’s coming. It takes some time to
get acclimated to the tour and Fabian is starting to show signs of
brilliance. He broke through with the win at St. Jude, and TPC Deere Run
is another good fit for him. He’s 70th is Driving Accuracy, which is
decent, but 27th in Birdie Avg. and 15th in Putting Avg. When scoring is
vital, Fabian brings it. Look for him to rise up the leaderboard again
this week.
TOP PLAYERS
Steve Stricker (FantasyAces $5,950)
Stricker isn’t currently at his best form, but he’s the horse for
this course. A three-time champion here, when Steve steps on the grounds
of TPC Deere Run he finds that Midwest magic. The Wisconsin native is a
good driver of the ball and an even better putter. The silky smooth
stroke works very well on these bentgrass greens. Steve had a T40 at
Memorial but look for him to finish considerably higher this week.
Zach Johnson (FantasyAces $7,150)
TPC Deere Run is definitely home of the Zach attack. Johnson has five
top 3 finishes in his last six starts here, including a title in 2012.
He ranks 9th in Driving Accuracy and 57th in Greens in Regulation. A
true magician with a wedge from 125 yards and in, he’s definitely
cracked the code at TPC Deere Run. Expect to see his name near or at the
top of the leaderboard once again.
WINNER
Ryan Moore (FantasyAces $6,200)
It’s hard to say what kind of year Ryan is having. He has a win and
some decent finishes to go along with some poor ones. The one thing I
will say is that his game fits this track, and with a weaker field, Ryan
is one of the top names. Moore ranks 13th in Driving Accuracy and 28th
in Strokes Gained Total. A very good ball striker, Moore finished T18 at
Memorial and is looking for another top finish. He has a funny way of
sneaking up on you and getting a win, so don’t be left out when Ryan is
raising the trophy.
Play well this week and keep an eye out for Twitter updates from @ChristopherCelo and @Fantasy_Aces.
About Chris Celotti
Chris Celotti was born and raised in the San Francisco Bay Area
and currently resides there with his fiancée, Jenna, and dog, Chance.
Having worked for the Golden State Warriors, Upper Deck, The OC Blue
Star, and Global Sports and Entertainment, Chris has worked with
athletes at every amateur and professional level. He played four sports
in high school and was Athlete of the Year in 2003, with First Team
All-Conference honors in Golf and Soccer. Chris played three years of
intercollegiate golf beginning at Chabot College. He has a B.A. from
California State East Bay and a Masters in Sport Management from the
University of San Francisco. Chris looks to bring his unique take on
golf to the DFS world and has a knack of picking sleepers. He works in
Market Development (San Francisco Bay Area) for Gatorade.
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Daily Fantasy Golf: The John Deere Classic Player Picks - Handicappers Hideaway
