bunkered Fantasy Golf champ shares secrets of his success

Shaun Cooper, the winner of bunkered Fantasy Golf 2022, has detailed the tactics that helped him win our year-long contest.

Cooper, who managed the ‘Can’t Drive for Toffee’ team, said that a mixture of research and his own expertise was the key to winning the season-long battle.

His team was captained by Cameron Smith during The 150th Open and Matthew Fitzpatrick during the US Open, which helped him to valuable points and a narrow win over fierce competition.

“It was fantastic because it was very close in the end,” he said.

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“There were a couple of other guys on my tail and all they had to do was pick the top six guys in the betting and captain Jon Rahm instead of Rory McIlroy and they would have nipped past me on the last week. It was a big relief when I found out they captained Rory as well.

“There’s so many options with Fantasy Golf. It just comes down to a few key decisions through the year.”

The strategy of taking four of the six favourites, as well as two of his own picks paid dividends throughout the year, with Cameron Smith’s Open win proving particularly crucial.

“Captaining Smith, hardly anyone else did that,” he said. “Most others had Rory as their captain. It’s difficult to take a risk, but come the Open I thought I should take Smith as captain as he had played well the week before at the Genesis Scottish Open.

“It’s those major weeks that kind of make or break the team, and I was quite lucky in that I nailed both of those and neither of them were the favourites.”

Cooper, who lives in Aldershot, is also a part of the bunkered Fantasy Golf Facebook page, where he posted weekly updates.

He explained that being part of the competition, which he has played for several years, helps to keep him and the rest of the competitors engaged in every tournament on the fixture list.  

“There are not as many fantasy golf competitions as there used to be but the bunkered one is the main one as it runs all season long. 

“It’s great to get your teeth in to and keeps you interested in the golf.  

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“It really adds a little something to watching golf on TV. You end up cheering your team on just as much as a golfer you like. You might be cheering someone on who you usually wouldn’t because they’re your Fantasy Golf captain. It definitely adds something.”  

With his win, Cooper has earned £2,000 in bunkered Golf Breaks vouchers, which he plans to spend on a dream trip to the ‘Home of Golf’.  

“I get to arrange a holiday up in Scotland now, so I’m delighted,” he said. “I’d love to play at St Andrews, so that’s the plan for the vouchers.  

“I know the Old Course can be tricky to get on but hopefully I can get something sorted out. It’s lovely to get the win but to get to come up to Scotland and play some amazing courses will be fantastic.”