3M Open 2022 Fantasy golf picks, advice, rankings: Golf expert says Back Sungjae Im, fade Hideki Matsuyama

The PGA Tour is back in the States this week, and that means golfers will need to deal with tree-lined fairways and water hazards again at the 2022 3M Open at TPC Twin Cities. Many of the top PGA Tour players are taking a break after the year’s final major on the links at St. Andrews, but the likes of Hideki Matsuyama, Tony FInau and Sungjae Im will need to make the adjustment. They will be part of a 2022 3M Open field that also includes notable players who didn’t make the trip to Scotland like Maverick McNealy, Davis Riley and Adam Hadwin. Former tennis player Mardy Fish, who won 20 times on the ATP Tour, is also in the 3M Open 2022 field on a sponsor exemption. Cameron Champ is the defending champion, winning last year at 15-under par.

Finau is the 12-1 favorite in the latest 2022 3M Open odds from Caesars Sportsbook, with Matsuyama (16-1) and Im (16-1) not far behind. Among the other favorites in the 2022 3M Open field are Hadwin (20-1), McNealy (22-1), Riley (25-1), Sahith Theegala (25-1) and Cam Davis (25-1). Should you go with a player who has won on tour, like Matsuyama or Finau, to anchor your 2022 3M Open Fantasy golf picks? Or can a player like McNealy or Riley challenge for a first victory and give you much better value? Before you lock in any Fantasy golf rankings or make any bets on the 2022 3M Open, be sure you check out the Fantasy golf projections from SportsLine 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.

Gates has been crushing his golf picks all season. He nailed last week’s Open Championship, going with Cameron Smith among his outright winners despite many experts writing off the Australian. “There is some concern here after how he played in the U.S. Open,” Gates said before the historic event at St. Andrews. “But Smith was solid in the other two majors this year. … The value is certainly there.”

Of course, the 28-year-old rebounded from a third-round 73 to blitz the Old Course on Sunday. He fired a 4-under 68 to surge past sentimental favorite Rory McIlroy to have his name carved into the Claret Jug. This was just the latest of Gates’ strong weeks picking PGA Tour events.

At the John Deere Classic, he pegged 40-1 longshot J.T. Poston as a potential winner. At the Travelers, he was all over Sahith Theegala, who was priced at just $7,300 at DraftKings and finished as a runner-up to help many Fantasy golf players cash in!

At the Memorial, five of Gates’ nine picks finished in the top 15, including his biggest sleeper, Brendan Steele — just $6,600 at DraftKings — who posted a top-10 finish! At the Wells Fargo, four of his top six players finished in the top five, including winner Max Homa, a 40-1 long shot. Anyone who has followed Gates is way up.

Now, Gates has ranked his top golfers for the 2022 3M Open, and you’ll really want to see what he has to say. You can only see his Fantasy golf rankings and 3M Open picks at SportsLine.

2022 3M Open Fantasy golf expert picks

For this week’s tournament, Gates is sticking with Sungjae Im, backing the South Korean despite a recent slump. The 24-year-old tied for 81st at the Open Championship after missing the cut at the Scottish and U.S. Open. But the challenge at this TPC course will be much more familiar, and Im finished no worse than 21st in his five events before Brookline. He has six top-10 finishes this season, including a victory at the Shriners Children’s Open last October. 

On the other hand, the expert is staying away from Matsuyama, as the Japanese star’s game has lacked consistency. He tied for 68th at The Open, and even that took a stellar 68 on the final day, and a long flight back won’t help matters. The 30-year-old missed the cut at the Scottish Open but finished fourth at the U.S. Open last month. He has finished outside the top 25 in half his events (nine of 18), so he has been too up-and-down for Gates to have confidence in him.   

How to set your 2022 3M Open Fantasy golf rankings

For the year’s 3M Open, Gates is touting a player for fantasy rosters who will be overlooked and is priced at right around $7,500 on DraftKings. This golfer’s putter can keep him near the top of the leaderboard any week. He could be a surprise in this weaker field and give you excellent value for your 3M Open 2022 lineup. You can find out who it is and see the rest of Gates’ 3M Open fantasy golf picks at SportsLine.

Who wins the 2022 3M Open, and who are the top players to target for your Fantasy picks? Which overlooked players can help you win your league this week? Visit SportsLine now to get Riley Gates’ Fantasy golf rankings for the 2022 3M Open, all from the fantasy expert who has been on fire with his picks, and find out.