PGA First Look: WGC-HSBC Champions
The PGA First Look is complete with a course preview, odds, salaries, Official World Golf Rankings, and course history.
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Event Preview
Despite a few chasers on Sunday, Brooks Koepka ran away from the field to pick up another win. He’s now the number one ranked golfer in the world. It’s pretty crazy to see how far he’s come in a span of six months. He withdrew from the WGC Mexico and missed two months of action (including the Masters). He returned from injury and went on an insane run that included two majors. There isn’t a course that he can’t dominate. He’s back in the field this week for the first WGC event of the year. While the HSBC Champions is missing some elite players, this is the best field that we will see for months.
Sheshan International GC is located in Shanghai, China. The course is a Par 72 that measures 7,261 yards. It features four par fives (three are reachable with good drives) and a drivable par four 16th hole. The fairways are quite generous, but they are tree-lined and the rough can be penal. Good drivers of the ball will put themselves at a big advantage this week, but that’s the case most weeks. Depending on the weather, the course can play quite easy or fairly difficult, which is evidenced in the winning scores over the last five years. We’ve seen long and short hitters compete here, but they always seem to have one statistic in common — a high greens in regulation percentage.
The course will yield many birdies, but with water in play on 11 holes, there will be plenty of big numbers. Driving distance will be a premium, but being wild off the tee can lead to penalties. Rather than focusing on pure distance, I will heavily weight strokes gained off the tee. As always, strokes gained approach will be my biggest weight in my stat model. With four par fives, it doesn’t hurt to look at par five scoring. Keep in mind that this is another no-cut event, so chasing birdie-makers is never a bad strategy. In terms of course history, we’ve seen two first-timers win here in the last five years. I will take a look at course history, but it will be a smaller weight than it normally is in my model.
Recent Winners of this Event: Justin Rose (2017), Hideki Matsuyama (2016), Russell Knox (2015), Bubba Watson (2014), Dustin Johnson (2013)
Key Statistics (In Order of Importance)
1) Strokes Gained Approach
2) Strokes Gained Off the Tee
3) Par 5 Scoring
4) Greens in Regulation
5) Strokes Gained Putting (Emphasis on Bentgrass)
Salaries, Odds, and Course History (2013-2017)
| Golfer | DK Salary | FD Salary | FDRFT Salary | OWGR | Odds | DK Odds | FD Odds | FDRFT Odds | Cuts | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | 2014 | 2013 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dustin Johnson | $11,500 | $12,600 | $18,500 | 2 | 8 | 0% | 0% | 0% | 4/4 | 2 | 35 | 5 | 500 | 1 |
| Justin Rose | $11,200 | $12,100 | $18,400 | 3 | 8 | 0% | 33% | 0% | 3/3 | 1 | 500 | 500 | 48 | 5 |
| Brooks Koepka | $11,000 | $12,600 | $18,300 | 1 | 8 | 0% | -200% | 0% | 2/2 | 2 | 40 | 500 | 500 | 500 |
| Rory McIlroy | $10,700 | $11,900 | $17,700 | 5 | 10 | 0% | 0% | 0% | 3/3 | 500 | 4 | 11 | 500 | 6 |
| Jason Day | $10,300 | $11,700 | $16,800 | 10 | 16 | 0% | 0% | 0% | 1/1 | 11 | 500 | 500 | 500 | 500 |
| Hideki Matsuyama | $10,100 | $11,400 | $16,700 | 22 | 17 | 0% | 14% | 0% | 3/3 | 50 | 1 | 500 | 41 | 500 |
| Tony Finau | $9,900 | $10,800 | $16,500 | 17 | 17 | 0% | 42% | 0% | 1/1 | 11 | 500 | 500 | 500 | 500 |
| Francesco Molinari | $9,800 | $11,300 | $16,000 | 6 | 21 | -25% | -11% | 0% | 3/3 | 46 | 6 | 500 | 500 | 21 |
| Tommy Fleetwood | $9,500 | $11,600 | $16,400 | 12 | 18 | 11% | -33% | 0% | 4/4 | 20 | 500 | 30 | 24 | 18 |
| Jon Rahm | $9,300 | $11,100 | $16,100 | 8 | 20 | 10% | 10% | 0% | 1/1 | 36 | 500 | 500 | 500 | 500 |
| Paul Casey | $9,200 | $11,400 | $15,900 | 21 | 24 | 0% | -57% | 0% | 4/4 | 11 | 12 | 23 | 500 | 20 |
| Tyrrell Hatton | $9,100 | $10,000 | $15,600 | 23 | 29 | 0% | 33% | 0% | 3/3 | 11 | 23 | 54 | 500 | 500 |
| Alexander Noren | $9,000 | $10,400 | $15,200 | 20 | 37 | -15% | 0% | 0% | 3/3 | 31 | 12 | 54 | 500 | 500 |
| Rafael Cabrera-Bello | $8,900 | $11,000 | $15,300 | 26 | 34 | 7% | -18% | 7% | 2/2 | 5 | 19 | 500 | 500 | 500 |
| Patrick Cantlay | $8,800 | $10,600 | $15,400 | 24 | 34 | 7% | -8% | -8% | 1/1 | 15 | 500 | 500 | 500 | 500 |
| Matthew Fitzpatrick | $8,700 | $9,600 | $14,700 | 40 | 47 | -13% | 18% | -6% | 3/3 | 9 | 16 | 7 | 500 | 500 |
| Ian Poulter | $8,600 | $9,700 | $14,500 | 35 | 49 | -18% | 5% | 0% | 3/3 | 500 | 500 | 30 | 6 | 2 |
| Patrick Reed | $8,500 | $10,600 | $15,000 | 15 | 42 | 11% | -23% | 0% | 4/4 | 50 | 60 | 7 | 22 | 500 |
| Adam Scott | $8,400 | $10,100 | $14,700 | 39 | 47 | 0% | -12% | -12% | 4/4 | 50 | 14 | 70 | 12 | 500 |
| Byeong-Hun An | $8,300 | $9,300 | $14,100 | 48 | 63 | -20% | 11% | -9% | 2/2 | 500 | 63 | 19 | 500 | 500 |
| Cameron Smith | $8,200 | $9,800 | $14,700 | 31 | 44 | 19% | 15% | 0% | 1/1 | 500 | 500 | 64 | 500 | 500 |
| Xander Schauffele | $8,100 | $10,200 | $14,400 | 19 | 55 | 5% | -31% | 0% | 1/1 | 46 | 500 | 500 | 500 | 500 |
| Billy Horschel | $8,000 | $9,500 | $14,100 | 36 | 63 | 0% | 0% | -5% | 2/2 | 500 | 500 | 500 | 73 | 34 |
| Thorbjorn Olesen | $7,900 | $8,900 | $13,900 | 45 | 65 | -8% | 21% | 4% | 3/3 | 31 | 500 | 19 | 6 | 500 |
| Lucas Bjerregaard | $7,800 | $7,900 | $13,700 | 53 | 73 | -20% | 32% | 0% | 0/0 | 500 | 500 | 500 | 500 | 500 |
| Hao-Tong Li | $7,700 | $8,700 | $14,000 | 54 | 64 | 4% | 31% | -4% | 5/5 | 50 | 63 | 7 | 35 | 39 |
| Kyle Stanley | $7,600 | $9,000 | $14,000 | 28 | 62 | 19% | 29% | 8% | 1/1 | 5 | 500 | 500 | 500 | 500 |
| Brandt Snedeker | $7,600 | $9,500 | $13,000 | 47 | 91 | -26% | -48% | 0% | 2/2 | 500 | 500 | 500 | 10 | 55 |
| Emiliano Grillo | $7,500 | $9,400 | $13,900 | 49 | 66 | 7% | -8% | 0% | 2/2 | 500 | 11 | 35 | 500 | 500 |
| Keegan Bradley | $7,500 | $9,400 | $14,000 | 33 | 66 | 3% | -12% | -17% | 2/2 | 500 | 500 | 500 | 64 | 11 |
| Kevin Na | $7,400 | $8,900 | $13,300 | 43 | 87 | -3% | 3% | 0% | 3/3 | 500 | 54 | 57 | 20 | 500 |
| Eddie Pepperell | $7,300 | $8,600 | $13,900 | 34 | 68 | 9% | 26% | -7% | 0/0 | 500 | 500 | 500 | 500 | 500 |
| Russell Knox | $7,300 | $8,700 | $13,400 | 64 | 82 | 3% | 14% | 0% | 2/2 | 500 | 9 | 1 | 500 | 500 |
| Branden Grace | $7,200 | $9,900 | $12,600 | 46 | 102 | -12% | -100% | 3% | 4/4 | 15 | 30 | 5 | 500 | 39 |
| Pat Perez | $7,200 | $8,800 | $12,800 | 58 | 102 | -9% | -6% | -6% | 1/1 | 24 | 500 | 500 | 500 | 500 |
| Chez Reavie | $7,100 | $8,300 | $12,600 | 59 | 116 | -14% | 0% | -5% | 1/1 | 24 | 500 | 500 | 500 | 500 |
| Thomas Pieters | $7,100 | $9,200 | $13,300 | 73 | 89 | 8% | -14% | -3% | 3/3 | 71 | 14 | 23 | 500 | 500 |
| Ryan Fox | $7,100 | $7,600 | $12,100 | 88 | 154 | -31% | -2% | 0% | 1/1 | 46 | 500 | 500 | 500 | 500 |
| Cheng-Tsung Pan | $7,000 | $8,200 | $12,700 | 100 | 98 | 8% | 14% | 5% | 0/0 | 500 | 500 | 500 | 500 | 500 |
| Julian Suri | $7,000 | $8,400 | $12,600 | 69 | 112 | -3% | 0% | -3% | 0/0 | 500 | 500 | 500 | 500 | 500 |
| Andrew Putnam | $7,000 | $7,700 | $11,700 | 81 | 175 | -26% | -9% | 0% | 0/0 | 500 | 500 | 500 | 500 | 500 |
| Adam Hadwin | $6,900 | $9,000 | $12,400 | 60 | 123 | -2% | -39% | 0% | 1/1 | 65 | 500 | 500 | 500 | 500 |
| Charley Hoffman | $6,900 | $8,700 | $12,800 | 44 | 104 | 7% | -8% | -11% | 0/0 | 500 | 500 | 500 | 500 | 500 |
| Kiradech Aphibarnrat | $6,900 | $9,300 | $12,300 | 41 | 128 | -5% | -63% | 2% | 3/3 | 24 | 500 | 30 | 500 | 55 |
| Andy Sullivan | $6,800 | $7,500 | $12,500 | 123 | 122 | 7% | 14% | 0% | 1/1 | 500 | 500 | 64 | 500 | 500 |
| Wu Ashun | $6,800 | $7,300 | 176 | 212 | -18% | 4% | 5/5 | 20 | 23 | 58 | 14 | 68 | ||
| Chris Wood | $6,800 | $7,500 | $12,400 | 84 | 129 | 0% | 8% | -5% | 3/3 | 500 | 23 | 51 | 500 | 39 |
| Matt Wallace | $6,700 | $7,400 | $12,800 | 62 | 97 | 27% | 33% | 0% | 0/0 | 500 | 500 | 500 | 500 | 500 |
| Brian Harman | $6,700 | $9,100 | $12,200 | 42 | 140 | 4% | -53% | 0% | 1/1 | 8 | 500 | 500 | 500 | 500 |
| Shubhankar Sharma | $6,700 | $8,000 | $11,700 | 115 | 188 | -6% | -19% | -4% | 0/0 | 500 | 500 | 500 | 500 | 500 |
| Andrea Pavan | $6,600 | $11,300 | 118 | 234 | -6% | -2% | 0/0 | 500 | 500 | 500 | 500 | 500 | ||
| Gaganjeet Bhullar | $6,600 | $7,200 | $10,400 | 131 | 421 | -27% | -12% | -3% | 1/1 | 500 | 500 | 500 | 500 | 63 |
| Patton Kizzire | $6,600 | $7,300 | $11,100 | 92 | 266 | -12% | -4% | -4% | 0/0 | 500 | 500 | 500 | 500 | 500 |
| Yuta Ikeda | $6,600 | $7,200 | $10,500 | 89 | 384 | -25% | -10% | -5% | 0/0 | 500 | 500 | 500 | 500 | 500 |
| Alexander Levy | $6,500 | $7,500 | $11,700 | 97 | 195 | 5% | -6% | -6% | 3/3 | 31 | 58 | 500 | 14 | 500 |
| Alexander Bjork | $6,500 | $7,600 | $12,000 | 65 | 161 | 13% | -4% | 0% | 0/0 | 500 | 500 | 500 | 500 | 500 |
| Justin Harding | $6,500 | $7,400 | $10,500 | 91 | 379 | -13% | -19% | -2% | 0/0 | 500 | 500 | 500 | 500 | 500 |
| Brandon Stone | $6,500 | $7,200 | $11,700 | 110 | 186 | 9% | 14% | -2% | 1/1 | 76 | 500 | 500 | 500 | 500 |
| George Coetzee | $6,400 | $7,100 | $11,100 | 158 | 263 | 5% | 10% | -2% | 3/3 | 500 | 40 | 500 | 12 | 74 |
| Scott Vincent | $6,400 | $7,000 | $10,800 | 142 | 305 | 0% | 9% | -2% | 0/0 | 500 | 500 | 500 | 500 | 500 |
| Jorge Campillo | $6,400 | $7,300 | $11,000 | 94 | 279 | 2% | -5% | -2% | 0/0 | 500 | 500 | 500 | 500 | 500 |
| Erik Van Rooyen | $6,400 | $7,400 | $11,300 | 138 | 250 | 7% | -6% | -4% | 0/0 | 500 | 500 | 500 | 500 | 500 |
| Adrian Otaegui | $6,300 | $7,100 | $10,700 | 93 | 339 | 5% | 3% | -2% | 0/0 | 500 | 500 | 500 | 500 | 500 |
| Satoshi Kodaira | $6,300 | $7,600 | $10,700 | 50 | 358 | 3% | -33% | -3% | 1/1 | 500 | 500 | 71 | 500 | 500 |
| Sihwan Kim | $6,300 | $7,000 | $10,300 | 160 | 521 | -8% | -5% | -5% | 0/0 | 500 | 500 | 500 | 500 | 500 |
| JC Ritchie | $6,300 | $10,200 | 197 | 611 | -10% | -1% | 0/0 | 500 | 500 | 500 | 500 | 500 | ||
| Sang-hyun Park | $6,200 | $7,000 | $10,300 | 128 | 513 | 1% | -2% | -2% | 0/0 | 500 | 500 | 500 | 500 | 500 |
| John Catlin | $6,200 | $7,200 | $10,400 | 112 | 379 | 7% | -7% | 2% | 0/0 | 500 | 500 | 500 | 500 | 500 |
| Brett Rumford | $6,200 | $7,000 | $10,200 | 523 | 739 | -4% | -8% | -3% | 1/1 | 500 | 500 | 500 | 500 | 76 |
| Oliver Bekker | $6,200 | $7,000 | $10,100 | 285 | 859 | -9% | -12% | -3% | 0/0 | 500 | 500 | 500 | 500 | 500 |
| Xinjun Zhang | $6,100 | $7,000 | $10,200 | 759 | 0% | -9% | -4% | 3/3 | 44 | 21 | 46 | 500 | 500 | |
| Wen-Chong Liang | $6,100 | $7,000 | $10,100 | 585 | 792 | -1% | -11% | -1% | 5/5 | 38 | 47 | 58 | 48 | 15 |
| Yuki Inamori | $6,100 | $7,100 | $10,300 | 116 | 513 | 6% | -8% | -3% | 0/0 | 500 | 500 | 500 | 500 | 500 |
| Jason Norris | $6,100 | $10,000 | 587 | 1032 | -8% | -3% | 0/0 | 500 | 500 | 500 | 500 | 500 | ||
| Adam Bland | $6,000 | $7,000 | $10,100 | 292 | 953 | 1% | -14% | -4% | 0/0 | 500 | 500 | 500 | 500 | 500 |
| Yechun Yuan | $6,000 | $10,100 | 975 | 0% | -6% | 0/0 | 500 | 500 | 500 | 500 | 500 | |||
| Yan-Wei Liu | $6,000 | $7,000 | 992 | -1% | -17% | 1/1 | 73 | 500 | 500 | 500 | 500 | |||
| Bowen Xiao | $6,000 | $10,000 | 1139 | -4% | -4% | 0/0 | 500 | 500 | 500 | 500 | 500 |
Color Coding
Course history in BLUE indicates a top ten finish.
Course history in GREEN indicates a top 25 finish.
Course history in YELLOW indicates a made cut with a finish outside of the top 25.
Course history in RED indicates a missed cut.
Legend
| Term | Description |
|---|---|
| Site Odds | The percentage differential between a golfer’s salary rank and odds rank. The higher the %, the better. |
| OWGR | Official World Golf Ranking |
| Cuts | Cut record of each golfer at this course in the last five seasons. |
| 2013 – 2017 Columns | Course history at this event in the last five seasons. |