The 2016 Masters field is wide open, which makes for an interesting dilemma for fantasy golf players.
Sure, there are the usual suspects like Jordan Spieth, Jason Day, Rory McIlroy and Phil Mickelson, but they’re far from the only contenders for the year’s first major. Past winners such as Bubba Watson, Adam Scott and Charl Schwartzel also could earn another green jacket, and there also are sleepers like Brooks Koepka and Patrick Reed.
Luckily for you, though, we came up with 10 players you should consider putting in your fantasy golf starting lineup, along with a few sleepers. Check it all out below.
Jason Day
Day has dominated the golf world since last summer, winning his first major at the PGA Championship, along with two wins already in 2016. So any fantasy lineup should include the No. 1 golfer in the world. But we will give you a word of caution: Day said he lost 11 pounds during the World Golf Championships-Dell Match Play a few weeks ago.
Jordan Spieth
Spieth is the defending Masters champion and reigning PGA Tour Player of the Year, but he hasn’t exactly been on his A-game of late. There’s a high chance of a Spieth letdown for fans this weekend, but winning at Augusta National is no easy task, and Spieth already has proved he can do that.
Rickie Fowler
Fowler is due for a major championship. It’s going to happen one of these days, right? He doesn’t have a win this season (yet), but he has been in contention in almost all his appearances with five top-10 finishes.
Bubba Watson
Augusta National simply is Watson’s playground. He won the Masters in the past two even-numbered years in 2012 and 2014, and there’s a strong chance he could add 2016 to that list. He’s also already a winner on tour this season at the Northern Trust Open.
Rory McIlroy
McIlroy has tasted victory at the PGA Championship (twice), U.S. Open and British Open, but never at Augusta. He has come close, most notably in 2011 before collapsing in the final round, but he never has finished better than fourth place (2015). McIlroy’s still one of the best golfers in the world when healthy, though.
Louis Oosthuizen
The South African always seems to be in contention at majors, although his last (and only) win came at the 2010 British Open. He’s had mixed results lately, missing the cut in Houston last week after a second-place finish at the WGC-Dell Match Play, but he’s usually a solid pick come major time.
Charl Schwartzel
Schwartzel is part of the prestigious list of past Masters champions after his 2011 win. He hasn’t won a big one since, but he comes into this weekend with two worldwide wins already this season.
Adam Scott
Scott is one of the hottest golfers on tour right now, and he’s a past Masters champion (2013). He has the early lead in the FedEx Cup rankings, thanks to his back-to-back wins at The Honda Classic and WGC-Cadillac Championship.
Justin Rose
Rose’s lone major came at the 2013 U.S. Open, but he came close again at last year’s Masters with a tie for second place.
Phil Mickelson
Lefty is a three-time Masters champion and has 11 top-five finishes in the tournament, so he’s always a solid pick at Augusta. He also has three top 10s so far this year.
Sleepers: Rafael Cabrera-Bello, Kevin Na, Brooks Koepka, Bill Haas, Matt Kuchar, Justin Thomas, Patrick Reed
Thumbnail photo via Michael Madrid/USA TODAY Sports Images
