Looking for 2018 CareerBuilder Challenge picks, either for betting or fantasy golf games like DraftKings, FanDuel, Yahoo, Golf Channel or the PGA Tour?
We have your 2018 CareerBuilder Challenge rankings and expert picks, as we do each week of the PGA Tour season.
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This week, the PGA Tour heads back to the U.S. mainland and into the California desert for the CareerBuilder Challenge. Jon Rahm and Phil Mickelson headline, while a number of top 50 players get in the fray on the three-course rotation. This is a low-scoring affair, meaning players have to get into the 20-under range to have a chance.
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2018 CareerBuilder Challenge rankings: Top 10 picks
1. Jon Rahm -- I feel required to put Rahm at No. 1, but he really is the best player in the field. I don't sense any slump coming from him anytime soon.
2. Brian Harman -- Harman didn't play as well on the weekend at Waialae as he could have. He probably should've won the tournament. Still, he continues playing hot golf, and he sports a good record here.
3. Patton Kizzire -- Patton's probably tired from picking up his second win of the season at Sony, but he's been at a new level of clutch since turning over to a new campaign. He finds a way to keep momentum going -- huge in fantasy.
4. Phil Mickelson -- The tournament ambassador is kicking off his 2018 in the California desert. Phil was third here in 2016, so he has seen recent success, but his game is somewhat of a question mark.
5. Jason Dufner -- A good start to the year for Dufner: T-18 at the Tournament of Champions and T-11 at the Sony Open. He's a past winner here, and I like his approach so far this season.
6. Kevin Kisner -- This honestly doesn't strike me as a Kevin Kisner-type golf tournament, but the courses are short and you need to make a lot of birdies and eagles to win. Those are things Kisner does well.
7. Webb Simpson -- We recommended Simpson last week with a caveat that we weren't sure what his return to the Tour would look like. It looked like a T-4. Has enjoyed success here in the past.
8. Zach Johnson -- I'm back on the ZJ train. He stumbled on the weekend, yes, but the game is clearly there to do well and continue a strong start to the season.
9. Brendan Steele -- Steele could probably be higher on this list, with a win under his belt this season and some good results in this event. Still worthy of a green light.
10. Chris Kirk -- Call it a gut play, but Kirk has been very good this season and has consecutive top-10 finishes. Ever since he went out on his own for equipment, he's been much better.
WILD CARD: Patrick Reed -- Under normal circumstances, I would green light him. However, we have no idea what clubs he's playing (which was a big deal last year), and he's wearing Nike as part of a new deal. Lots of changes.
My DraftKings primary lineup
- Webb Simpson - $9,700
- Brendan Steele - $8,900
- Chris Kirk - $8,100
- Brandt Snedeker - $7,700
- Martin Laird - $7,400
- Nicholas Lindheim - $7,200
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