👉 TAP TO SAVE 30% WITH CODE NEW
X
Lost password?

Don't have an account?
Gain Access Now

X

Receive free daily analysis

NFL
NBA
NHL
NASCAR
CFB
MLB
MMA
PGA
ESPORTS
BETTING

Already have an account? Log In

X

Forgot Password


POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

#1 Expert Projections
Save 30% Now
Import Your Leagues
Top-Rated Accuracy
Draft Simulator
Enter League Settings
Compare Any Players
Rookies & Call-Ups
24x7 News and Alerts

Breaking $100: PGA Betting Picks and Strategy - 3M Open

Byron Lindeque (@TheModelManiac) provides free PGA betting picks for the 3M Open. Breaking $100 is a golf betting guide, using $100 across various bets.

Last week's article mentioned, "...hopefully Smith's wispy mullet doesn't get in the way of too many photos of him and the Claret Jug."  This week, Cameron Smith is the Champion Golfer of the Year and his mullet behaved as well as his putter, not getting in the way of a single photo! Breaking $100 gets its third outright and second Cam Smith victory lap. What a sensational back nine from the Ozzie who scorched the putting greens and lathered the fairways with beautiful butter cuts. When he is playing his best golf, I'm not sure there is anyone more entertaining to watch.

Rory McIlroy continued a phenomenal run of major form and continues to put himself in positions to potentially grab his first major since piling up four of them eight-plus years ago. His play on the course is even more impressive when you think of what he is advocating off the course, defending the PGA Tour from the evil Australian warlock, who continues to poach the best players in the world. A truly heroic performance from Rory in his "home major" in front of a crowd who were basically all there for him.

For those of you who are new to the article, Breaking $100 is a comprehensive PGA betting guide on how to squeeze every cent out of your $100. We will be breaking $100 into a betting card of outrights, first-round leaders, placings, and a "farewell fiver", all in an attempt to turn a structured betting strategy into a profitable and entertaining Sunday sweat. $100 is easily divided or multiplied, so please only bet amounts that you can afford to lose. You can find me on Twitter an unhealthy amount of the time @TheModelManiac, if you have any questions, compliments, or insults for me.

Featured Promo: New Novig users get a $25 purchase match (50% discount up to $25) on your first Novig deposit, and 6 free months of RotoBaller's "Big-4" Premium Pass (NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL) which includes exclusive tools for Betting, Props, DFS and more! CLAIM IT NOW

 

Course Breakdown and Key Stats

TPC Twin Cities, Par: 71, Yardage: 7,431, Greens: Bent, Designer: Arnold Palmer

After getting spoilt at the Old Course of St. Andrews the tour jumps back across the pond to tee it up at TPC Twin Cities in Minnesota. As is the case with most TPC courses, Twin Cities seems to be a ball strikers paradise, emphasizing approach play and rewarding great drivers of the ball. 50% of approach shots will take place from 125-200 yards which will be a key proximity range this week. A combination of length and accuracy off the tee will go a long way to capitalizing on the 13 holes that play under par.

The last trio of winners scoring -15, -19, and -21 all indicate that we are in search of birdie makers who can dominate the three par 5s and continue that into the rest of the round. Matthew Wolf won the 2019 edition leading the field in strokes gained from tee to green (T2G). The other two winners did most of their damage with the putter (both having season-best performances on the greens), but a handful of top-five finishers those years were also inside the top five in T2G, which seems like the blueprint we want to pursue.

Below are the settings for the model:

  • We use two seasons of data for all metrics that don't have an L24 (last 24 rounds). "Szn Weight" is comprised of 66% 2022 stats and 34% 2021 stats.
  • Golfer power rankings are generated with stats (70%), OWGR (10%), and L24 strokes gained total (10%), course history (10%).

 

Outrights

Our betting strategy for outrights is rather conservative, requiring a winner once every eight events in order to break even. From a dollar standpoint, we are betting $13 of our $100 to net $110 or more.

Hideki Matsuyama ($6.55 @ +1800 onDraftKings)

As the best golfer in my model by quite a significant margin over Tony Finau, Hideki Matsuyama has odds +400 points more than Tony. Hello value! Before we get into what makes Hideki the best player in this field, we need to fully understand that a DQ or WD is definitely a possibility this week but getting the best player in this weaker field at 18-1 is worth the risk.

Hideki leads the field in baseline ball striking and is also inside the top five over the last two-dozen rounds. His proximity numbers from 125-200 are sensational and he also leads the field in both par 5 scoring and birdie or better percentage. As if that were not enough to sell you on the Japanese sensation, he finished T7 here in 2019 while losing strokes in the short game department. If his motivation shows up, without any white out on it (see Memorial DQ), he stands a fantastic chance of winning his third tournament of the year.

Davis Riley ($4.77 @ +2500 on BetMGM)

The Davis Riley outright odds market has been brutal to watch the last few days, as his popularity has driven down his odds across all books. However, regardless of his price, we want him on our card as he showed an impressive run of form heading into the U.S. Open, inevitably finishing outside the top-13 for the first time in six starts. Riley also played seven tournaments in May and June, which adds to the optimism of a refreshed and polished contender after taking off three weeks since.

Riley enters the week with the second-best ball striking numbers over the last 24 rounds, leading the field in approach over that time frame. He is also a birdie-making machine, ranking second to Hideki in that department. Since gaining on approach in six-straight starts, Davis has not gained more than +3.1 total strokes on the greens. He gained more than seven strokes twice in a handful of starts leading up to his iron play combusting into best-in-field territory. If we can get a spike putting week like we have seen before, Riley has the ball striking and birdie making capacity to find himself at the top of the 3M Open leaderboard on Sunday afternoon.

Chris Gotterup ($2.43 @ +5000 on PointsBet)

In his five starts on tour so far, Chris Gotterup has flashed incredible ball striking and a putter that is either hot or cold. With that kind of statistical profile, it is only a matter of time until his ball striking and short game tango through the fairways of TPC Twin Cities. In his limited starts, Gotterup has shown the ability the make a bunch of birdies and use his length to take advantage of Par 5s. His sample size is minute, but at 50-1 we are taking a chance on the upside we have seen so far from the rookie.

 

Did you know RotoBaller has a Premium DFS PGA subscription?

Like what you read today? You can show your support for Byron by using the discount code MANIAC when purchasing a PGA Premium Pass. You get 10% off and full access to all of our Premium PGA articles, DFS tools, and Lineup Optimizer! You also get access to weekly betting picks from Spencer Aguiar, one of the top betting minds in the industry. Spencer is absolutely crushing out of the gate in 2022!

 

First-Round Leaders

From a dollar standpoint, we are betting a total of $11.25 on eight guys to net $110 or more. The below image shows the best round one scorers this year. There also seems to be a sizeable wind advantage for the guys going off in the morning on Thursday, which eliminates any PM tee times from the list.

Adam Svensson ($2.70 @ +5000 on DraftKings)

Matthias Schwab ($1.42 @ +9500 on FanDuel)

Seung-Yul Noh ($2.70 @ +5000 on BetRivers)

C.T. Pan ($2.08 @ +6500 on FanDuel)

Vaughn Taylor ($1.05 @ +5000 on DraftKings)

Dylan Fritelli ($2.05 @ +6600 on BetRivers)

Maverick McNealy ($3.38 @ +4000 on FanDuel)

Martin Laird ($2.70 @ +5000 on FanDuel)

 

Placings

At the time of writing this article BetMGM had no placing bets available, so if you get around to betting on these, if available, please use a book that pays ties in full, as long as the odds are within 30 points of what we have below. We have seven placing bets, with six top 20 bets. It's looking to be a volatile event, so we are embracing that with some really long top 20 odds.

Emiliano Grillo (T20: $10 @ +270 on BetRivers)

Cameron Davis (T20: $10 @ +160 on FanDuel)

Tom Hoge (T20: $10 @ +350 on DraftKings)

Chris Gotterup (T20: $10 @ +225 on Ceasars)

Lucas Glover (T20: $10 @ +350 on DraftKings)

Doug Ghim (T20: $10 @ +320 on Ceasars)

Vaughn Taylor (T40: $10 @ +250 on FanDuel)

 

The Farewell Fiver

Martin Laird (T10: $5 @ +450 on FanDuel)

After a T13, a T30 and a solo third place at the Baracuda, Martin Laird will bring his steady ball striking to a ball strikers paradise, where he will hopefully continue his form and ball strike his way to a top 10.

Good luck this week and as always, may the odds be ever in your favor!!!



Win More With RotoBaller

Win more with expert tools and advice from proven winners! RotoBaller's PGA Premium Packages feature several savvy analysts and proven winners for DFS and betting.

Our very own Joe Nicely took down a big DraftKings DFS tournament for the Travelers Championship. And as an encore, RotoBaller subscriber @tenndolly2 won $100K on FanDuel with the help of Joe and the rest of our Premium PGA team:

Between all the incredible Premium PGA DFS and Betting content and tools we put out each week, and our Premium Slack Community where we chat with our subscribers before lineups lock, RotoBaller PGA subscribers are armed with the tools, analysis, and advice to win more.

Golf DFS News and Player Outlooks


More PGA Analysis and DFS Lineup Picks

POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

#1 Expert Projections
Save 30% Now
Import Your Leagues
Top-Rated Accuracy
Draft Simulator
Enter League Settings
Compare Any Players
Rookies & Call-Ups
24x7 News and Alerts

REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

Jeremy Peña

Jeremy Pena Not in the Lineup on Opening Day
Jonathan Greenard

Colts Interested in Jonathan Greenard
JJ Wetherholt

Batting Leadoff in MLB Debut
Micah Parsons

Expected to Miss First Three or Four Games of 2026
Breece Hall

Still a Chance Breece Hall Plays 2026 on Franchise Tag
Myles Garrett

Browns Modify Myles Garrett's Contract
Kyle Pitts Sr.

Remains a Risky Tight End Option Despite 2025 Breakout
Dalton Schultz

Upside Remains Limited Despite Resurgent 2025 Production
Kimani Vidal

Could Be Sliding Down the Running Back Depth Chart in Los Angeles
Juwan Johnson

Can Juwan Johnson Repeat Steady 2025 Production in 2026?
Jackson Chourio

Placed on Injured List with Fractured Hand
Francisco Lindor

Officially Starting on Opening Day
Tank Dell

Can Tank Dell Re-Establish His Career Coming Off His Serious Injury?
Chuba Hubbard

Has Chuba Hubbard Reclaimed the RB1 Role in Carolina?
Keegan Murray

Cleared for Basketball Activities
Killian Hayes

Uncertain for Thursday
Precious Achiuwa

Questionable Thursday
Jalen Suggs

Could Miss Third Consecutive Game
Anthony Black

Misses 11th Straight Game
Franz Wagner

Remains Out Thursday
Anthony Edwards

Could Return Saturday
Mika Zibanejad

Pots Two Goals Versus Toronto
Pavel Zacha

Adds Two More Points Against Buffalo
Jordan Addison

in Line for 2026 Resurgence with Improved Quarterback Play?
Landry Shamet

to Remain Out Thursday
Gunnar Helm

Appears Well-Positioned for 2026 Breakout
Vít Krejčí

Vit Krejci Misses Sixth Straight Game
Peyton Watson

Good to Go Wednesday
Dalton Kincaid

Facing Durability and Usage Questions Heading into 2026
Aaron Gordon

Misses Second Leg of Back-to-Back
Jakob Poeltl

Cleared to Play Against Clippers
Colston Loveland

Poised for Superstar Breakout in 2026?
Immanuel Quickley

Won't Play Wednesday
Brandon Ingram

Active Against Clippers
Khalil Shakir

Could See His Role in Buffalo Shrink in 2026
Myles Turner

Won't Play Against Trail Blazers
Bobby Portis

Kyle Kuzma Out Wednesday
Brandon Williams

Available Wednesday Night
Kawhi Leonard

Ready to Face Raptors
Daniel Gafford

Won't Play Wednesday
Jerami Grant

Returns to Action Wednesday
Robert Williams III

Active Wednesday Night
Christian Watson

Is Christian Watson's Breakout Season Coming in 2026?
Pat Freiermuth

Should Have More Volume, but QB Situation Still a Mystery
Nicolas Roy

to Be Out For "a Little Bit"
Anton Lundell

Likely Out for Rest of Regular Season
Anthony Mantha

Day-to-Day With Lower-Body Injury
Evgeni Malkin

to Remain Out Thursday
Mattias Samuelsson

a Game-Time Call Wednesday
Jonathan Quick

Remains Unavailable Wednesday
Victor Hedman

Takes Leave of Absence
Jake Bates

Lions Officially Re-Sign Jake Bates
Patrick Mahomes

Chiefs "Optimistic" That Patrick Mahomes Can Take Part in Offseason Practices
Najee Harris

Visits With Seahawks
Sean Murphy

Lands on 10-Day Injured List
Bryce Miller

Placed on 15-Day Injured List With Oblique Strain
Lars Nootbaar

Will Begin the Season on 60-Day Injured List
Jackson Holliday

Placed on 10-Day Injured List
New York Jets

Ty Simpson to Hold Private Workout With Jets on Friday
Jeremy Peña

Jeremy Pena on the Astros Opening Day Roster
Blake Snell

Dodgers Place Blake Snell on 15-Day Injured List
John Carlson

Sets Up Three Goals Tuesday Night
Joel Hofer

Picks Up Sixth Shutout of the Season
John Tavares

Records Three Assists in Tuesday's Win
NJ

Arseni Gritsyuk Scheduled for Imaging Wednesday
Tony DeAngelo

Suffers Lower-Body Injury Tuesday
Emmitt Finnie

Enters Concussion Protocol
Ryan Fox

a High-Upside Value in Houston
Barrett Hayton

Sustains Upper-Body Injury Tuesday
Marco Penge

a Boom-or-Bust Option in Houston
Aaron Rai

Looks to Bounce Back in Houston
Jason Day

a Volatile Option at the Texas Children's Houston Open
Kirby Yates

Angels Place Kirby Yates on 15-Day Injured List
Harris English

Eyes a Bounce-Back at the Texas Children's Houston Open
Ben Griffin

Looks for Turnaround at the Texas Children's Houston Open
Rickie Fowler

Brings Strong Form Into Texas Children's Houston Open
Brady Tkachuk

Collects Two More Points on Tuesday
Martin Necas

Scores Twice Against Penguins
Nick Lodolo

Will Open 2026 on the Injured List Due to Finger Ailment
Pete Crow-Armstrong

Agrees to Six-Year, $115 Million Extension With the Cubs
Igor Chernyshov

Returns to Sharks Lineup
Dylan Larkin

Good to Go Tuesday
Ross Colton

Logan O'Connor, Ross Colton Available Tuesday
Francisco Lindor

Likely to be Ready for Opening Day
Ryan Gerard

Can Continue Rolling at Texas Children's Houston Open
Pierceson Coody

Bounces Back at Valspar Championship
Rasmus Hojgaard

Trying to Get Back on Track at Texas Children's Houston Open
Michael Thorbjornsen

Playing Well Heading to Texas Children's Houston Open
Harry Hall

Looking for Consistency at Texas Children's Houston Open
Brooks Koepka

Continues Building Momentum
Roki Sasaki

to Stick in Rotation Despite Spring Struggles
Kevin McGonigle

Makes Tigers Opening Day Roster
Scottie Scheffler

Withdraws From Texas Children's Houston Open
Ryan Pepiot

Placed on Injured List to Open the Season
JJ Wetherholt

Likely to Hit Leadoff on Opening Day
Connelly Early

to Make First Start on Sunday
Luke Clanton

Might Have a Problem in Houston
Sam Stevens

Happy to See Houston This Week
Keith Mitchell

Tries to Rebound After The Players Championship
Will Zalatoris

Returning This Week at Houston
Wyndham Clark

Trending in the Wrong Direction Heading to Houston
Shane Lowry

Seeking Better Luck in Houston This Weekend
Kurt Kitayama

Poised to Bounce Back at the Houston Open
Pete Crow-Armstrong

Cubs, Pete Crow-Armstrong Finalizing Long-Term Extension
Blake Snell

Targeting a May Return
Lerone Murphy

Suffers His First Loss
Movsar Evloev

Edges Out Lerone Murphy
CFB

Notre Dame Ranks No. 1 in Returning Production for 2026
Michael Aswell

Jr. Drops Decision At UFC London
Michael Aswell

Luke Riley Outclasses Michael Aswell Jr.
Sam Patterson

Suffers Unanimous-Decision Loss
Michael Page

Wins Lackluster Decision
Austen Lane

Suffers First-Round TKO Loss
Iwo Baraniewski

Delivers 28-Second TKO
Tyler Reddick

Overcomes Adversity for Fourth Victory of the Season At Darlington
Brad Keselowski

Falls Short of Darlington Victory Despite Domination
Ryan Blaney

Recovers From Pit-Road Struggles to Score Career-Best Darlington Finish
Carson Hocevar

Rallies to Finish Fourth at Darlington
Kyle Larson

Decent Performance Ends with Technical Issues At Darlington
Tyler Reddick

the Clear Favorite at Darlington
Kyle Larson

a High-Risk, High-Reward Driver at Darlington
Ryan Blaney

Is Getting Better at Darlington
NASCAR

Bubba Wallace Not Slowing Down at Darlington
Chris Buescher

Should be a Top-10 Contender at Darlington
Austin Cindric

a Sleeper at Darlington
Erik Jones

Quickest in Practice at Darlington
Denny Hamlin

Qualifies Ninth for this Week's Cup Race at Darlington
Chase Briscoe

Is One of the Top DFS Options of the Week for Darlington
William Byron

Is William Byron A Playable DFS Option for Darlington Lineups?
Christopher Bell

Could Christopher Bell be Considered A Decent DFS Option for Darlington?
Chase Elliott

Is Chase Elliott Worth Rostering At Darlington This Week For DFS?
Joey Logano

May Not Have the Speed to Warrant A Darlington DFS Lineup Spot
Ross Chastain

Should DFS Players Trust Ross Chastain at Darlington?
Kyle Busch

Could Kyle Busch Be A Worthy DFS Option for Darlington?
Brad Keselowski

May be A Contriarian DFS Tournament Option At Darlington
Lerone Murphy

Set For UFC London Main Event
Movsar Evloev

Looks To Remain Unbeaten
Michael Aswell

Jr. An Underdog At UFC London
Luke Riley

Set For UFC London Co-Main Event
Sam Patterson

Looks To Extend His Win Streak
Michael Page

Set For Welterweight Bout
Austen Lane

In Dire Need Of Victory
Iwo Baraniewski

A Favorite At UFC London
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF