This article is part of our FanDuel PGA DFS Picks series.
WGC-HSBC Champions – Shanghai, China
Sheshan International GC - West Course (7,266 yards, par 72)
$9.75M Purse
$1,660,000 and 550 FedEx Cup points to the winner
Tournament Preview
For the 12th time in the last 13 years, the World Golf Championships – HSBC Champions will be hosted by Sheshan International Golf Club. The Shanghai area's first and arguably most prestigious club traverses the Sheshan Mountain and manmade waterways that have earned it plenty of fanfare for Asian golf. The event has experienced many changes in recent years but currently sits on both the European and PGA Tours; it's the final regular season event on the European Tour and the fourth event of the new 2017-18 wraparound season on the PGA Tour. The 78-player field is stacked with 18 of the top 25 in the world rankings, including Dustin Johnson and defending champ Hideki Matsuyama, who combined hold claim to all four WGC's in the last year. We won't see a star-studded international field like this until the WGC-Mexico in four months, so get in your world-class golf fix before the PGA Tour's pseudo-hibernation stretch.
Prior Decade Champions
2016 – Hideki Matsuyama (Sheshan)
2015 – Russell Knox (Sheshan)
2014 – Bubba Watson (Sheshan)
2013 – Dustin Johnson (Sheshan)
2012 – Ian Poulter
2011 – Martin Kaymer (Sheshan)
2010 – Francesco Molinari (Sheshan)
2009 – Phil Mickelson (Sheshan)
Key Stats to Winning at The Club at Nine Bridges
· Strokes Gained: Tee-to-Green
· Par-5 Scoring Average
· GIR Percentage from 200+ yards
Champion's Profile
Though limited stats are recorded in Shanghai, it's clear most of champions here since 2009 are studs who have utilized their driving ability to give themselves an edge, the most obvious being distance hogs Bubba Watson, Dustin Johnson and Hideki Matsuyama in recent years. Though bombing it off the tee isn't a prerequisite for winning, it certainly helps, considering Sheshan GC plays longer than its yardage indicates with two 590+ yard par-5s, numerous par-4s over 450 yards and all four par-3s over 200 yards. Players who hit it long and straight with consistent long iron play are solid options to find the top of the leaderboard come Sunday. Another fact to consider is that nine of the previous 11 HSBC champs were 30th or better in the world rankings heading into this event. This makes plenty of sense given a no-cut format where about one quarter of the field ranks in the top 30, but it further strengthens the profile to steer you toward as many top-ranked players as possible.
FanDuel Value Picks
The Chalk
Dustin Johnson, $10,200 – Wherever DJ goes he's a threat to win, but when you give him four rounds at a track where he's won before, he's simply dangerous. There's a reason he's listed at a pricey $10,200, and it's because he's won two WGC's in the past year and won this event back in 2013. He's worth every penny if you ask me.
Hideki Matsuyama, $9,400 – The defending champ was the first Asian player to win the HSBC when he took the tourney by storm in his seven-shot victory last year. Though he's not putting quite as well as his early season tear last season, he's an ironclad tee-to-green player who can easily go back-to-back with a few good breaks.
Jon Rahm, $9,300 – The young Spaniard took the PGA Tour by storm last season and is also in contention on the European Tour heading into this week, the last regular season event before the European Tour finishes with its three-event finale. With plenty on the line, Rahm should be revved up to play four solid rounds and continue his great form.
Marc Leishman, $8,700 – Finishing no worse than 18th in this event in three starts since 2012, Leishman enters in arguably the best form on his career having finished 3rd, 1st, 24th, and 2nd in his last four events. The perfect combination of history and form, Leishman is primed to continue his torrid pace toward top-10 stardom.
Longer Shots Worth a Risk
Xander Schauffele, $7,300 – Xander left us hanging last week with a dismal 72nd in a field of 78 despite a 69 in his opening round. But if we take a broader look of the youngster, last week was clearly a fluke as he's only had one finish worse than this since May. Xander might be a bit burned out after a draining FedEx Cup playoffs and early season schedule, but I'm not giving up on the talented youngster after just one poor showing.
Ross Fisher, $7,200 – Fisher has performed admirably in his last six WGC events, posting top-6s in four of them dating back to the 2015 HSBC Champions where he was third. Having the ability to perform in tough fields seems to fit Fisher's mantra in no-cut events like this one, so take a chance on the Englishman with a strong history at Sheshan.
Matthew Fitzpatrick, $7,000 – In his only two starts at Sheshan, Fitzpatrick has quietly managed a solid T16 and T7. Though he's likely not quite capable of winning, he represents a great lineup filler who could find himself in the top 10 by tournament's end.
Russell Henley, $6,300 – Henley wrapped up a strong 2016-17 season with 10 straight made cuts that ended with a third place showing at the TOUR Championship. Though he posted a middling finish at the CJ Cup last week, Henley is almost assured to outplay his low salary as long as he can slip inside the top 30.
Strategy Tips for this Week (based on 60k standard salary cap)
In a third straight no-cut event of 78 players, it's again encouraged to pick highly-ranked studs like DJ and Matsuyama while filling in with low-risk, low-salary options who have four guaranteed rounds to earn points. In tournaments it may be a unique opportunity to go contrarian with a bunch of middle-tier guys, but for the most part it's proven that big names triumph at this venue with few exceptions.
