On December 3, the world’s 18 best golfers will assemble in Albany, Bahamas for the 2015 staging of the Hero World Challenge. All eyes will be on reigning champion Jordan Spieth as he attempts to defend the title he won so convincingly last season.
Spieth might be the odds-on favorite to win this event but a host of other golfers are ready to spoil the American’s party this coming weekend. Read on below as we list down three high-value sleepers who we think can take home the crown this weekend. While you’re at it, you can check out our preview of the upcoming Monday Night Football showdown between Dallas and Washington.
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2015 Hero World Challenge Sleeper Picks and Predictions
Where: Albany, New Province, Bahamas
When: December 3-6
Line:view all Hero World Challenge lines
Brooks Koepka
[sc:Golf240banner ]Looking for a great sleeper this weekend? How about the hard-hitting Brooks Koepka? He made quite a splash in the PGA Tour last season, nabbing eight top-10 finishes including a thrilling victory at the Phoenix Open back in February. What makes the American such a threat in every tournament that he competes on is his incredible power off the tee.
He finished eighth last season in driving distance, averaging a whopping 308.2 yards per drive. This season, he’s fourth in that department with a mind-blowing 315.8 yard-per-drive average. That lengthy swing will come in handy when tackling the long 7,400-yard, par-72 Albany course. This Ernie Els-designed golf course features five par-5s so expect Koepka to flourish in this invitation only event.
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Paul Casey
If there’s one golfer primed for a breakthrough win at the Hero World Challenge this week, it’s got to be Paul Casey. The Englishman has had plenty of close calls this year, finishing runner-up a couple of times and finishing in third place two more times. He has carried that solid play at the start of this season, finishing in the top-25 in both the CIMB Classic and the WGC-HSBC Champions golf tournaments.
Casey’s main weapon thus far this season has been his accurate drive. He is 18th in the PGA Tour in driving accuracy with a solid 72.32 percent clip. What makes Casey special, though, is his ability to hit the greens in regulation. He is sixth in the PGA Tour in that department, posting a remarkable 81.25 percent clip this season. With Casey in such a rich vein of form, he is a solid pick to win the tournament this weekend.
Patrick Reed
One golfer who can definitely make a run at the title this week is American Patrick Reed. The 25-year-old was solid in the PGA Tour last season, recording four top-10 finishes including a victory at the Hyundai Tournament of Champions earlier this year. He has continued his superb form this season, grabbing two quick top-10s in the CIMB Classic and the WGC-HSBC Champions.
He will fancy his chances of extending that top-10 streak here in the Bahamas as he has fared extremely well in this tournament in the past. He came so close to winning the Hero World Challenge last year, finishing in a tie for third alongside fellow American Keegan Bradley. With the form that he is in right now and his experience with this particular tournament, Reed has an excellent chance of grabbing the championship this weekend.
