This article is part of our FantasyDraft PGA series.
The Honda Classic
Palm Beach Gardens, Florida
PGA National (Champion Course) - Par 70 - 7,140 yards
Field - 144 entrants
Purse - $6.6M
The Preview
Bubba Watson won at the right time during last week's Genesis Open at Riviera Country Club, because the Champion Course at PGA National is not so kind to players without a sufficient short game and/or issues with accuracy off the tee. The Honda Classic has been one of the more difficult venues on Tour with an average winning score of just around nine-under-par since 2011. PGA National features a plethora of long, difficult par-fours to go along with the infamous "Bear Trap" where players embark on a demanding three-hole stretch from 15-17 before reaching a scorable par-five 18th. Although there are only three members from the top-10 of the Official World Golf Ranking in this week's field, the competition isn't actually too bad with 21 of the top-50 in attendance. And it'd be strange not to mention Tiger Woods will also be teeing it up for a second straight week. The weather forecast for Palm Beach Gardens includes temperatures reaching 80 degrees with sunny skies, but wind will definitely play a factor each day.
Past Champions
2017- Rickie Fowler
2016 - Adam Scott
2015 - Padraig Harrington
2014 - Russell Henley
2013 - Michael Thompson
2012 - Rory McIlroy
2011 - Rory Sabbatini
2010 - Camilo Villegas
FantasyDraft Value Picks - based on $100,000 salary cap
Cream of the Crop
Rickie Fowler - $18,200
The defending champion earns the top price in the field this week as the betting favorite as well, while he ranks third on Tour in SG: Around-the-Green, ninth in birdie average, second in scrambling and first in both par-three and par-four scoring. In his last start at the Waste Management Phoenix Open, Fowler was in contention before a final-round 73 resulted in a tie for 11th.
Tyrrell Hatton - $15,600
The 15th-ranked player in the world has finished no worse than T19 in his last 10 starts worldwide, while he's most recently coming off a third-place performance at the Omega Dubai Desert Classic. During his first visit to PGA National for the Honda Classic last year, Hatton placed T4 and he'll look to be in contention once again this week.
Brian Harman - $15,000
Harman's missed cut during his last start at the Farmers Insurance Open deflated his price this week, but he's still finished top-10 in five of his last seven starts and owns one of the better short games on Tour. He's also ninth in driving accuracy and fourth in GIR percentage as his game sets up nicely for PGA National.
Glue Guys
Brandt Snedeker - $14,200
Snedeker's price seems a bit low due to his lack of sufficient course history, as he hasn't played in the Honda Classic since a WD in 2011 and his personal best is a T39 in four tries at PGA National. He's finished top-25 in each of his past two starts at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am and Waste Management Phoenix Open. Snedeker's short game has been on point this season, while he currently ranks fourth in SG: Around-the-Green, sixth in SG: Putting and first in sand-save percentage.
Rafael Cabrera-Bello - $14,200
The Spaniard displays a very affordable price tag this week as he currently resides at No. 20 in the OWGR, while he hasn't missed a cut since the Northern Trust. He most recently finished T26 for a second consecutive week at the Genesis Open, where he ranked T11 in putts per GIR and T13 in driving accuracy. Cabrera-Bello made the cut and finished T37 in his first start at the Honda Classic last year.
Jason Dufner - $14,200
Dufner hasn't earned a top-10 finish since his win at last June's Memorial Tournament, but the 44th-ranked player in the OWGR has gone 12 consecutive starts without a missed cut. He's also never missed a cut in nine career appearances at PGA National's Honda Classic, where he placed top-20 in two of the past three years.
Bargain Bin
Patton Kizzire - $14,000
As the current leader in the FedExCup standings, Kizzire hasn't missed a cut since early October's Safeway Open and owns a pair of wins since then. He's two for two in made cuts at the Honda Classic, but Kizzire is playing the best golf of his career at this stage. He's eighth on Tour in GIR percentage, 11th in birdie average, 13th in proximity and 16th in SG: Putting.
Scott Stallings - $13,900
Stallings has been on a roll the past three weeks with finishes of T4-7-T23 at the Genesis Open, AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am and WMPO. He's scored in the 60s in nine of his last 12 competitive rounds, while he ranks 31st in SG: Approach, 27th in sand-save percentage and 12th in par-three scoring average. Stallings posted a T21 at last year's Honda Classic for his first top-25 in four career starts at the event.
Kiradech Aphibarnrat - $12,700
With two wins in his last six starts worldwide, this is quite a discount for the 38th-ranked player in the world. The 5-foot-8 Aphibarnrat is making his first career appearance at the Honda Classic, but he ranked 15th in stroke average, 61st in driving accuracy, 26th in GIR percentage and 14th in putts per GIR on the European Tour in 2017.
