Picturesque views and low scores should be the norm this week when the top PGA Tour players tee off Thursday in the 2021 CJ Cup at The Summit Club in Las Vegas. The Tom Fazio-designed course offers spectacular views of the mountains and the Vegas Strip, but it shouldn't offer any major challenges to the 2021 CJ Cup field. Dustin Johnson is the 12-1 favorite in the latest 2021 CJ Cup golf odds from Caesars Sportsbook. Olympic gold medalist Xander Schauffele and two-time CJ Cup winner Justin Thomas are close behind at 14-1. Collin Morikawa (16-1), Rory McIlroy (20-1), Jordan Spieth (22-1) and Brooks Koepka (25-1) are among the many other notable names in the 2021 CJ Cup field.
Will Schauffle finally break through for another victory and make a strong foundation for your 2021 CJ Cup Fantasy golf picks? Will emerging star Sam Burns (28-1) continue his rise and give you a great chance to win? Before locking in 2021 CJ Cup Fantasy golf picks, be sure to see the projections and analysis from proven fantasy expert Riley Gates.
Gates is a writer for 247Sports and has covered a range of sports for nearly five years. He has followed golf closely for much longer and has a profound knowledge of the sport. He also knows what it takes to win, on the course and in Fantasy sports.
Now, Gates has locked in his top 20 golfers for the CJ Cup 2021. You can only see his Fantasy golf picks and rankings at SportsLine.
2021 CJ Cup Fantasy golf picks
Gates loves what he has seen from Spieth since February and tabs him as a key figure in his Fantasy golf picks this week. The former superstar began last season on a low note, missing the cut in five of his first seven events. Everything then clicked into place and the 27-year-old finished in the top 10 in half of his remaining events (nine of 18). He won the Valero Texas Open, was the runner-up at the British Open and had four other top-three finishes. He was excellent around the green (sixth in strokes gained) and averaged 4.3 birdies per round (10th).
On the flip side, Gates is backing off Schauffele, even though the Olympic gold medalist was the runner-up in the CJ Cup at Shadow Creek last year. The 27-year-old ranks fifth in the world and has strong stats across the board, but aside from the Tokyo Games, he hasn't had a lot to show for it. His 2020-21 season was the opposite of Spieth's, as he was in the top 10 in five of his first seven tournaments and finished the season with eight. He has not won an event since January 2019, and while he has the talent to break through at any time, Gates is fading him this week.
How to set your 2021 CJ Cup Fantasy golf rankings
For this week's event at Summit Club, Gates is recommending a massive long-shot who comes in at well over 70-1. This veteran is consistently near the top of the leader board and is off to a strong start to the season. Jason Kokrak was an unlikely CJ Cup winner last year, and it could happen again. Head to SportsLine to see his Fantasy golf picks.
Who wins the CJ Cup 2021? Who are the top players to target? And which overlooked players can help you win your league this week? Visit SportsLine now to get Riley Gates' Fantasy golf rankings, all from the Fantasy expert with his finger on the pulse of the game, and find out.