Fantasy Golf: Singh when you're winning

Eurosport - Thu, 01 May 14:27:00 2008

Last year's champion Tiger Woods misses the Wachovia Championship due to injury but 18 of the world's top 25 are in North Carolina for one of the best non-major tournaments on Tour.

GOLF Vijay Singh Arnold Palmer Invitational - 0

So with plenty of options available who are you going to pick on your fantasy team? Tee 'Em up offers some advice.

The Tournament: The Wachovia Championship

The Course: Quail Hollow, North Carolina.

A tough, unforgiving course, this is one of the hardest tests on Tour outside of the majors. Expect some high scores and for familiar names to dominate the leaderboard. The tournament has been held here for the last five years and four of the past winners have been major champions. The three closing holes are extremely tough and accuracy rather than power is crucial. The person who wins here will also have to putt very well.

A Group

Tee 'Em Up: Vijay Singh's record here is outstanding and can't be ignored. In the tournament's five-year history he has finished in the top 10 four times, and won the event in 2005. His form was patchy at the start of the season but he has gone 5-3-2-14 in his last four starts and could very easily pick up his first win of the year here. Jim Furyk may be the best player to pair up with Singh. Furyk won here in 2006 and was second in 2005. He plays the sort of textbook golf that is perfect for a course like this.

Cut 'Em: Phil Mickelson is favourite with the bookmakers but his putting has not quite been sharp enough this season for us to tip him on this layout. Sergio Garcia putted a lot better last week but his erratic short game remains a concern on this course. 2007 Masters champion Zach Johnson has a horrible record here and should be avoided. Justin Rose is another who has struggled to challenge the leaders here and is worth passing on.

B Group

Tee 'Em Up: If it aint broke don't fix it; Stewart Cink continues to play good golf week-in and week-out so you should keep picking him for Fantasy play. He also finished T5 here last season. Nick Watney is another good option having finished in the top 25 in his previous three visits to Quail Hollow. Anthony Kim is starting to come back into form and was T5 here last year in his only start at the event. Billy Mayfair could be a nice sleeper - he has had a scrappy enough time of things lately but has finished in the top 10 here in two of his last three years.

Cut 'Em: Ian Poulter has been striking the ball well this season but the Englishman can't be fancied at a course where he has missed the cut the last two times he has played. Vaughan Taylor might tempt based on the fact that he finished sixth here in 2006 and fifth in 2005 but he has missed four cuts in a row and is completely off form. He also missed the cut here last year.

C Group

Tee 'Em Up: Last week we told you to avoid Trevor Immelman because his head would still be at Augusta - and we were right as he missed the cut! But he should be in a better place to challenge this week and also has a good record here, having lost in a playoff in 2006 before backing it up with a decent 14th place here last year. Luke Donald has had less success on this course, but still, compared to the other C group options he looks the best alternate.

Cut 'Em: Jose Maria Olazabel is still feeling his way back after long term injury. He needs a few more rounds under his belt before he can be expected to challenge again. A tough course like this is unlikely to be the type of place where he finds his feet again.

Seán Fay / Eurosport