This article is part of our FantasyDraft PGA series.
Sentry Tournament of Champions
Kapalua, Hawaii
Kapalua Resort - Plantation Course - Par 73 - 7,452 yards
Field - 34 entrants
Purse - $6.3M
The Preview
Following a lengthy one-month winter break for the PGA Tour, beautiful Hawaiian weather awaits 34 former winners at the Sentry Tournament of Champions this week. The Kapalua Resort's Plantation Course plays host to the first event of the 2018 calendar year, which features seven of the Official World Golf Ranking's top-10 players as Justin Rose, Henrik Stenson and Sergio Garcia have elected not to play. The Plantation Course's layout includes just three par-threes to go along with four par-fives and 11 par-fours, while the venue has become accustomed to giving up the lowest average scores on Tour throughout the past few years. Hitting greens in regulation won't be an issue for most of the field, placing an emphasis on more specific statistics such as average proximity to the hole and SG: putting.
Past Champions
2017- Justin Thomas
2016 - Jordan Spieth
2015 - Patrick Reed
2014 - Zach Johnson
2013 - Dustin Johnson
2012 - Steve Stricker
2011 - Jonathan Byrd
2010 - Geoff Ogilvy
FantasyDraft Value Picks - based on $100,000 salary cap
Cream of the Crop
Jordan Spieth - $15,900
Spieth is the most expensive player on the board this week thanks to his brilliant combination of course history and recent form. The No. 2 player in the world has placed T3-1-2 in three career appearances at the event and finished no worse than a solo eighth throughout his past six starts dating back to the Northern Trust. Last season, Spieth led the PGA Tour in SG: Approach and ranked 10th in terms of proximity.
Hideki Matsuyama - $15,400
Despite his putting struggles, Matsuyama has notched a pair of top-three finishes in two appearances at the Tournament of Champions due to his elite ball-striking. During the 2016-17 season he ranked fifth on Tour in proximity on approaches from 150-175 yards and eighth in proximity from 175-200 yards. These numbers led him to the fourth-best par-four scoring average and No. 1 par-five scoring average. He's also finished top-five in three of his last four starts.
Glue Guys
Marc Leishman - $15,100
The 34-year-old Australian is accustomed to playing in the trade winds that await the field this week in Hawaii, while he's also coming off the best calendar year of his career and four top-five finishes in his last six starts. In 2017 he ranked 15th in par-four scoring, 17th in three-putt avoidance and 17th in SG: Around-the-Green.
Pat Perez - $14,500
Much like Leishman, Perez is another veteran coming off a career year in 2017 after winning the CIMB Classic to go along with six total top-10s. The 41-year-old finished T3 at this past year's Tournament of Champions, while he's posted no finish worse than a T34 in his last nine starts. He also ranked 18th in scrambling and 37th in SG: Putting throughout the 2016-17 season.
Cameron Smith - $14,400
Smith should be a popular selection at this price, despite the fact that he's making his career debut at the Kapalua Resort. The 24-year-old most recently won the Australian PGA Championship as he posted his fourth consecutive top-five result. Smith ranked fourth on Tour in putting from inside 10 feet and was eighth in SG: Around-the-Green last year.
Bargain Bin
Russell Henley - $14,100
Henley, who ranked top-30 on Tour in SG: Putting, GIR percentage and birdie average last season, finished tied for third at the Tournament of Champions during his last start at the event in 2015. The Macon, Georgia native is also comfortable putting on the bermuda greens found at the Kapalua Resort.
Wesley Bryan - $12,900
There isn't much excitement surrounding the outlooks for many of this week's potential punt plays, but Bryan sounds like a popular candidate for inflated ownership at this price thanks to his short game. During his first full season on Tour, Bryan ranked 45th in SG: Putting and 36th in SG: Around-the-Green, while also placing top-50 in terms of proximity.
