With the PGA Tour deciding to offer a one-and-done fantasy golf platform, as well the increasing number of private one-and-done leagues, we here at Golf News Net will offer weekly one-and-done fantasy golf picks separate from our weekly fantasy golf rankings and picks.
We began with the 2018 Safeway Open, continue this week at the 2019 The Players Championship and will continue through to the Tour Championship in Atlanta in August 2019, keeping track of our picks all along the way.
Before we begin, if you're not familiar with game, read this primer on the one-and-done fantasy golf format, and welcome to the game. It really is as easy as it sounds, but you have to take a long-term view of the season to figure out how best to use players.
Back from a long vacation, I got to see Francesco Molinari storm up the leaderboard with a Sunday 64 to win the Palmer. It was an incredible display, and you can't help but root for that guy. Marc Leishman played pretty well for us, all things considered, though I wish I would have trusted my gut and gone with Rafa Cabrera Bello.
However, we move forward, and we're on to the First Major (joke!), The Players Championship. The tournament is back in March, where it belongs, and TPC Sawgrass should be a more challenging and intriguing test this time of year. It's also a tough week for fantasy, as TPC Sawgrass' Stadium Course doesn't tip a whole lot of specific players as horses for courses. Further, plenty of top players have a garbage record here. Even further, current form doesn't usually tell us much either.
So, this feels like a wild guess this week.
2019 The Players Championship One and Done picks
- Jason Day: Maybe the only real horse-for-course in the field, and his back is a question mark.
- Chris Kirk: Plays this course well, but I struggle to see him busting out of a slump.
- Matt Kuchar: Past winner here, and his ball-striking game is strong enough to do it again.
- Jon Rahm: I think driving and power will become a big deal again in this championship, especially with the change in wind.
- Francesco Molinari: Frankie doesn't get bothered by winning. He just keeps playing well, and he handles this course very well.
My pick this week will be Francesco Molinari. I don't typically pick guys after a win, but Molinari is the rare exception who seems to keep it up.
2018-2019 PGA Tour One-and Done Picks
- Safeway Open: Sungjae Im (T-4)
- CIMB Classic: Xander Schauffele (25th)
- CJ Cup at Nine Bridges: Paul Casey (T-18)
- WGC-HSBC Champions: Eddie Pepperell (WD)
- Sanderson Farms Championship: Nick Taylor (T-26)
- Shriners Hospitals for Children Open: Rickie Fowler (T-4)
- Mayakoba Golf Classic: Emiliano Grillo (15th)
- The RSM Classic: Lucas Glover (T-11)
- Sentry Tournament of Champions: Aaron Wise (T-27)
- Sony Open in Hawaii: Charles Howell III (T-8)
- Desert Classic: Adam Hadwin (T-2)
- Farmers Insurance Open: Jason Day (T-5)
- Waste Management Phoenix Open: Hideki Matsuyama (T-15)
- AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am: Rafa Cabrera Bello (T-22)
- Genesis Open: Bubba Watson (T-15)
- WGC-Mexico Championship: Tommy Fleetwood (T-19)
- Puerto Rico Open: Rafael Campos (T-49)
- The Honda Classic: Adam Scott (MC)
- Arnold Palmer Invitational: Marc Leishman (T-23)
- The Players Championship: Francesco Molinari
