Fantasy Sleeper Picks For The Omega Dubai Desert Classic
By Les Bailey
Jul 18, 2014; Wirral, GBR; Martin Kaymer lines up a putt with his caddy Craig Connelly during the second round at the 143rd Open Championship at The Royal Liverpool Golf Club. Mandatory Credit: Steve Flynn-USA TODAY Sports
With thirteen of the top 50 players in the world of professional golf in the field, it would be easy to put together some Fantasy Picks for the Omega Desert Classic, so I decided to take the low road this week and make some Fantasy Sleeper Picks. With the only names wining in Dubai since 2012 being Rory McIlroy, Henrik Stenson, Stephen Gallacher, and Raphael Cabrera Bello, I though it would be fun to look at some other players.
Of course, Stephen Gallacher is looking to make some history by becoming only the sixth player in European Tour history to win three consecutive tournaments at the same place.
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Henrik Stenson won the Desert Classic in 2007, and Rory took home the trophy in 2009 for his first win, but their wins in Dubai since 2012 have come at the Jumeriah Estates in the Race to Dubai finale’, and not at the Emirates Golf Course.
The Omega Dubai Desert Classic gets underway on Thursday morning(11PM Eastern Time), and is the final stop on the Desert Swing. Henrik Stenson got off to a rough start by missing the cut in Abu Dhabi two weeks ago, but had a nice final round in Qatar last week.
Next: Rory McIlroy Goes Back To Work In Dubai
Rory McIlroy has finished in second place in his last three starts, including two weeks ago in Abu Dhabi. Rory took the week off in Qatar, and should be ready to roll this week in Dubai. A place where he loves to play.
Emilliano Grillo
The 22 year-old Argentine is quickly establishing himself on the European Tour, and likes to play in the desert. He finished runner-up here last year, and came up one-shot shot of forcing a playoff with the two-time champ.
Grillo logged a strong fifth place finish last week in the Qatar Masters, and played the last 56 holes without a bogey on his card. He carded three rounds in the 60’s, but couldn’t make enough birdies on Sunday.
The youngster from the Angel Cabrera school of golf, is not long off the tee, but hits fairways at a 75% rate, and greens at a 70% clip. He is ranked 109th in the world, and 29th in the Race to Dubai. He also logged a T8 at the BMW Masters back in November.
Thomas Pieters
I’ll have to admit, I didn’t know much about this 23 year-old kid from Antwerp until he played in the last group with Martin Kaymer two weeks ago in Abu Dhabi. He got off to a nice start, but couldn’t make enough birdies on the weekend to take advantage of Kaymer’s misfortunes, but did finished tied fourth.
Apr 13, 2014; Augusta, GA, USA; Henrik Stenson chips onto the 2nd green during the final round of the 2014 The Masters golf tournament at Augusta National Golf Club. Mandatory Credit: Michael Madrid-USA TODAY Sports
It wasn’t a fluke for this big-hitter, as he picked up a T8 at the Alfred Dunhill Championship earlier in the month.
In his second year at the University of Illinois, he won the NCAA Division I title, beating the likes of Brooks Koepka, Jordan Spieth and Patrick Cantlay. He has two top ten finishes in his last three starts and with four par fives under 570 yards this week, the rookie will hope to use his length off the tee to challenge for his first European Tour title.
The young Belgian is ranked 155th in the Official World Golf Rankings, but with two good finishes in two Race To Dubai events, is in 19th spot in the RTD standings.
Martin Kaymer
Two-time major champ, Martin Kaymer has said in a press conference in Dubai, that his meltdown at Abu Dhabi two weeks ago was just part of life as a golf professional, but I think he has to be coming into this week, looking for some payback.
"“I didn’t come here to Dubai to prove to others that I could win a golf tournament. I don’t care about this. I proved many, many times before that I can win. I’ve been in many situations that were more difficult, more important, so I know it has nothing to do with my game.“The way I played the Sunday, I did play worse than Thursday, Friday, Saturday, but I had reasons, and those reasons were nothing to do with my swing or anything. What happened on Sunday has never happened in my career before, leading by ten shots at one stage and then losing."
I’m not sure if Kaymer, with two majors, and a Players Championship on his résumé qualifies as a Sleeper Pick, but he has never won the Desert Classic, and after the round from hell two weeks ago, I though he deserved to be on some list. Why not this one?
Source: EuropeanTour.com