2014-2015 CIMB Classic: Fantasy Picks And Power Rankings

Sep 12, 2014; Atlanta, GA, USA; Patrick Reed tees off on the third hole during the second round of the Tour Championship at East Lake Golf Club. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports

I’m not sure why Official World Ranked number four, Sergio Garcia is in the CIMB Classic field this week, but here he is. (Be sure to read my article: Sergio Skips BMW Masters). Now that he is in the 78-man field at the Kuala Lumpur Golf & Country Club in Malaysia, he appears to be the consensus top Fantasy Pick in the field.

Like Lee Corso says, “Not so fast my friend!”. Garcia is the top ranked player in this field, but this is a no-cut tournament, and I’m not so sure he has a lock on this title. There are some fine golfers in this field who have been playing well during the wrap-around season, and the 34 year-old Spaniard hasn’t struck a competitive shot since the Ryder Cup.

Patrick Reed

The big question on the table regarding Patrick Reed, is the condition of his wrist. Reed played well in the Ryder Cup, and was finally eliminated in the quarterfinals at the Volvo World Match Play Championship. Reed went 3-0-1 in the Ryder Cup, and plays well on the world stage. If healthy in Kuala Lumpur, I feel like if he shows up with the competitive chip on his shoulder that he had in Europe, he could well be the man to beat this week in Malaysia. His big win at the WGC-Cadillac last year is a testament to his ability to perform on the big stage.

John Senden

I like the 2014 Valspar Champ at this golf course. This will be the 43 year-old Aussie’s first start at Kuala Lumpur, but it fits his game. At 6985 yards and very tight, it could be a dream for a guy that isn’t long off the tee anymore, but has an impeccable iron game. John Senden has T 25 finishes in his last five starts, with a T 18 at the Shriners two weeks ago.

Sergio Garcia

Sergio Garcia is not my top pick here because he hasn’t played in a while, but I’m not foolish enough to leave him off the list. He finished 11th here last year, and he is still the top ranked player in the field. If he can keep his driver in the short grass, he has the talent to win this thing on Sunday afternoon.

Hideki Matsuyama

The 22 year-old Matsuyama has had his rookie tour around golf, and now it’s time for him to win again. The 2010 Asian Amateur Champ(at age 18) has the talent, has a Presidents Cup under his belt, and is now looking for a another win. Two top ten finishes in two starts in the early going makes him a threat to win in Malaysia this week. Matsuyama finished T3 at Silverado, and T10 in Las Vegas to go along with his win at Memorial last June. Good finishes in the majors in 2014 makes this youngster a threat in any field.

Charl Schwartzel

The 2011 Masters Champ has as good a game tee-to-green as anyone on any tour, but sometimes just can’t putt. If he shows up at Kuala Lumpur with a hot puttter, he could quickly become the man to beat. He loves playing in this part of the world, and seems to flourish South of the Equator. He ended in a tie for 15th last week in Perth, and has had eight top 15 finishes in his last 15 world-wide starts. If he can warm up that putter, he could be a factor in this no-cut tournament.

Source: PGATour.com

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