The Open: Five DraftKings Sleeper Picks

James Morrison

The British Open, or simply “The Open Championship” as it’s more properly known, is the oldest and arguably the most prestigious golf tournament in the world, with some of the all-time greats like Gary Player, Seve Ballesteros, Nick Faldo and Tiger Woods having won the famous Claret Jug three times. The Open action returns to Royal Troon this week, with a whole host of golfers competing for the title. In this article we look at five sleeper picks who will surely fly under the radar on DraftKings.

James Morrison
Odds to Win: 275/1                                                                                                                                            $5,500

Morrison is back in the Open again after a strong first half to the season, hoping to build on last year’s 20th place at St. Andrew’s. The 31 year-old isn’t the highest-profile of players and his form has fluctuated over the years, but he’s showing greater consistency these days and is a sleeper to finish in the top ten on Sunday, especially given his natural affinity with the changeable weather and moist greens of seaside golf.

Matteo Manassero
Odds to Win: 150/1                                                                                                                                              $6,200

The youngest player to ever win a European Tour event, Manassero is still only 23 although he seems to have been around for a very long time.

Although Manassero had fallen to number 596 in the World Rankings before the recent Scottish Open, he’s had his fair share of decent runs on the Tour in 2016, and has effected a gradual, partial, recovery of his natural game that impressed so many people. He is unlikely to deliver a win, but this is a man who has found form just in time for the big one.

Nicolas Colsaerts
Odds to Win: 100/1                                                                                                                                                $7,200

The Belgian, 33, picked up one of the four final slots in the Open field after he hit 66 in his final round of the Scottish Open last week (tied for third). Colsaerts holds number 124 in the World Rankings, and like fellow qualifier Manassero, probably isn’t in contention for the very sharp end of the leaderboard. However, when picking DraftKings golfers, you want players with the smarts to make it to the final day, something which the former US Tour pro has done many times in the majors. He finished T7 at The Open in 2012. There’s potential here.

David Howell
Odds to Win: 300/1                                                                                                                                        $6,000

It’s not really a surprise pick if the man you’re picking is a former Ryder Cup-winner, but Howell has since sunk and risen partially in the rankings and, at 41, falls into the experienced camp. Howell also knows Royal Troon like the back of his hand, having competed in 2004 at the previous staging of the Open there.

You probably wouldn’t put your finger on the Englishman for the win, but he’s a sensible pick for a final-day finish, and may even beat some of the glitzier, younger, DraftKings choices. He’s also likely to be far better value than the similarly-aged, but more feted, Lee Westwood.

Padraig Harrington
Odds to Win: 130/1                                                                                                                                                      $6,800

A popular competitor at major championships and a winner of three in his long, storied career, the famously introverted, non-drinking Irishman will have another tilt at the Claret Jug. The now-44-year-old has said that he lacks the mental strength of his past, but he’s still got the eerie calm and decent demeanor that made him such an outlier in the brash 2000s.

Why do I think Harrington is a good fantasy pick? Because there are few better, more nuggety players when it comes to course-craft, and Harrington and links golf go together like DiCaprio and Scorcese. Even past his best, the veteran is value at this price.

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