Paulie’s Picks: 2021 Charles Schwab Challenge

This week’s Charles Schwab Challenge venue, Colonial Country Club, is a big change of pace from the Ocean Course at Kiawah Island, site of last week’s PGA Championship. Colonial is not only much older than Kiawah, but it’s tree-lined and relatively short. Players will need to keep the ball in the fairway, especially after this week’s heavy rains, which will make the rough juicy. Even after the rains, the course will play short, giving the pros a lot of short irons and wedges into the greens. In addition, the greens will be softer than normal, so expect plenty of short birdie putts.

Here are a few players to target in your fantasy leagues at the Charles Schwab Challenge:

DraftKings

Brian Harman $8,000

We’re getting a cheap price on Harman in part because he missed the cut at the PGA Championship by one shot. But that was only his second missed cut in 24 events. Prior to last week, Harman had five straight finishes of 18th or better. Harman has made seven appearances at Colonial and finished 31st or better every time. His game is a perfect fit for the course, as he keeps it in play off the tee and is an above-average iron player with a top-flight short game. In this field, he is ninth in fairways fit, 11th in overall putting, 11th in putting inside 15 feet, and 17th around the green.

Vincent Whaley $6,200

Vincent Whaley is an unknown to much of the golf world, but that’s part of why he’s a great DraftKings play this week. DraftKings just continues to misprice him. Whaley has made nine straight cuts, including 36th or better in each of his last eight events. Yet he’s close to the minimum price, which allows you to stack the rest of your roster

One-and-Done

Corey Conners

Conners has finished 19th, 31st, and eighth in three starts at the Charles Schwab Challenge, and he is the best overall ball-striker in this field, so should hit a lot of greens. He is fourth off the tee, fifth on approach, fifth in accuracy off the tee, fifth from 100-125 yards, and 10th from 125-150 yards. Also, Conners has missed only one cut in his past 19 events and finished in the top 24 14 times.

Chris Kirk

Chris Kirk loves Colonial. In his last nine starts here, he has won, placed in the top 16 on five other occasions, and made every cut. Like most players who thrive at Colonial, Kirk keeps the ball in play off the tee and is above average with his irons and wedges. Furthermore, he is top 30 in a bunch of categories: off the tee, approach, short irons, putting, short putting, around the green, and birdies.