👉 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

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Draft Rankings
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

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Draft Rankings
Draft Simulator
Enter League Settings
Compare Any Players
Rookies & Call-Ups
24x7 News and Alerts

REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

Cole Ragans

Named Royals Opening Day Starter
Cole Caufield

Nets Game-Winning Goal
Pavel Zacha

Scores Twice Versus Montreal on Tuesday
Malik Willis

Facing Uphill Battle With Limited Pass-Catchers
Michael Porter Jr.

May Sit Out Again Wednesday
Dejounte Murray

Could Miss Another Game
Jalen Tolbert

Becomes Miami's WR1 After Most Recent Trade
Alperen Sengün

Alperen Sengun Off Injury Report Wednesday
Luke Kornet

Cleared to Play Tuesday
Dylan Harper

Available Against Kings
Harrison Barnes

Set to Start Tuesday
Xander Schauffele

Trending In The Right Direction For Valspar Championship
Sahith Theegala

Has Shot to Challenge at Valspar Championship
Mackenzie Hughes

Looking to Bounce Back at Valspar Championship
Nicolai Hojgaard

Finding Rhythm For Valspar Championship
Matt Fitzpatrick

Continues Hot Start to 2026 Heading to Valspar Championship
Pierceson Coody

Heads to Valspar Championship Following Two Missed Cuts
Pat Bryant

Is the Pat Bryant Breakout on Hold Following Latest Trade?
Troy Franklin

Now Faces Even Stiffer Competition for Targets
Bo Nix

Sees His Ceiling Rise Following Blockbuster Trade
Malik Monk

Sidelined for Fourth Straight Game
De'Von Achane

is the Last Playmaker Standing in Miami
Bennedict Mathurin

to Sit at Least Three Games
Joe Flacco

Bengals Waiting for Joe Flacco?
Courtland Sutton

How Will Courtland Sutton's Target Share be Affected by Latest Addition?
David Njoku

Visits Ravens as a Free Agent
Cade Cunningham

Exits After Five Minutes Tuesday
Cleveland Browns

Browns Expected to Address Receiver Position in the Draft
Ryan Rollins

Cleared to Play Tuesday
Giannis Antetokounmpo

Out at Least One Week
Grayson Allen

Ruled Out Tuesday Against Minnesota
Jaylon Tyson

is Returning on Tuesday
Shohei Ohtani

to Pitch in Cactus League Game on Wednesday
Myles Turner

is Unavailable for Tuesday's Contest
Seiya Suzuki

has Sprained Knee, Opening Day Availability Unclear
Aaron Nesmith

is Available for Tuesday's Game
Andrew Nembhard

is Ruled Out on Tuesday
Ivica Zubac

is Upgraded to Available
Pascal Siakam

to Miss Fifth Straight Game
Mitchell Robinson

is Cleared for Tuesday's Game
Jalen Brunson

Gets Downgraded to Out
Bam Adebayo

is Downgraded to Out
Alex Tuch

a Game-Time Decision on Tuesday
Eeli Tolvanen

Iffy for Tuesday
Seth Jones

Returns to Action Tuesday
Sam Bennett

Available Tuesday
Tyler Warren

Expected to be No. 2 Pass-Catcher in Indy
Kirby Dach

to Miss 2-4 Weeks
Jerry Tillery

Colts Sign Defensive Tackle Jerry Tillery
Joel Eriksson Ek

Expected to Miss Three Games
Danny Pinter

Ravens, Center Danny Pinter Agree to Terms
Wyatt Teller

Texans Agree on Two-Year Deal With Wyatt Teller
Leon Draisaitl

to Miss Remainder of Regular Season
Seiya Suzuki

Diagnosed With Strained PCL
Zach Neto

Making his Return on Tuesday
Kyle Freeland

to Start for Rockies on Opening Day
José Soriano

Angels Name Jose Soriano the Opening Day Starter
Julius Chestnut

Titans Re-Sign Running Back Julius Chestnut to One-Year Deal
Ty Chandler

Saints Agree With Ty Chandler on Tuesday
Wyndham Clark

Searching for Momentum at Valspar Championship
Justin Thomas

Is Justin Thomas Back Ahead of This Week's Valspar Championship?
Jordan Spieth

to Bounce Back at Favored Valspar Championship?
Brooks Koepka

is Starting to Find His Groove Again Ahead of Valspar Championship
Viktor Hovland

is One of The Best DFS Plays at Innesbrook
Rasmus Hojgaard

to Get Back on Track at Valspar Championship
Isaiah Likely

Expected to be "Featured Piece" in Giants Offense
Marquise Brown

Eagles Signing Marquise Brown to One-Year Deal
Jaylen Waddle

Broncos Acquiring Jaylen Waddle From Dolphins
Konnor Griffin

Avoids Next Round of Roster Cuts
Gerrit Cole

to Throw an Inning on Wednesday
Tony Finau

is Again a Scary Option at Valspar Championship
MarShawn Lloyd

to Compete for No. 2 Job
Deshaun Watson

Back on the Fantasy Radar in 2026?
Blades Brown

Continues PGA Tour Run at Valspar Championship
Jacob Bridgeman

Great Season Keeps Rolling For Jacob Bridgeman Ahead of Valspar Championship
Alex DeBrincat

Shines with Three Assists Monday
Jack Hughes

Produces Three Assists in Comeback Victory
Evgeni Malkin

Returns with Three-Point Effort
Erik Gudbranson

a Game-Time Call Tuesday
Shayne Gostisbehere

to Remain Sidelined Tuesday
Maxim Shabanov

Considered Day-to-Day
Adrian Kempe

Labeled Day-to-Day
Akshay Bhatia

Riding Strong Form Into the Valspar Championship
Patrick Cantlay

Playing Well Heading to Valspar Championship
Keegan Bradley

Needs Improvement From Approach Play at Valspar Championship
Johan Rojas

Suspended 80 Games for PED Violation
José Ramírez

No Plans for Jose Ramirez to Undergo Imaging on Injured Shoulder
Seiya Suzuki

Undergoing MRI Exam on Monday
Joe Musgrove

Expected to Open the Year on the Injured List
Matt McCarty

Could Thrive at the Valspar Championship
Michael Kim

Seeks to Dust Off Tough Week at TPC Sawgrass
Max Homa

Enjoying a Solid 2026 Heading into Valspar Championship
Zach Neto

Expected to Return to Game Action on Tuesday
Josh Emmett

Suffers First-Round TKO Loss
Kevin Vallejos

Scores First-Round TKO
Amanda Lemos

Drops Back-To-Back Fights
Gillian Robertson

Extends Her Win Streak
Zach Neto

to Take Batting Practice on Monday
Andre Fili

Drops Decision on Saturday
Denny Hamlin

Dominates and Gets His Third Career Las Vegas Win
Chase Elliott

Earns Runner-Up Finish at Las Vegas
William Byron

Wins A Stage and Finishes Third at Las Vegas
Christopher Bell

Finishes Fourth at Las Vegas After Strong Run
Kyle Larson

Fades to Seventh Despite Leading Laps Early at Las Vegas
Andre Fili

Jose Delgado Edges Andre Fili in Split-Decision Win
Oumar Sy

Suffers First-Round Submission Loss
Ion Cutelaba

Returns To The Win Column
CFB

CJ Carr Enters Sophomore Season as Heisman Favorite
CFB

Aaron Philo Not a Lock to be Florida's Starting QB?
CFB

George MacIntyre the Favorite to Win Tennessee Quarterback Battle?
CFB

Keelon Russell, Austin Mack Battling for Alabama QB1 Duties
Connor McDavid

Records Three Assists Sunday
Bo Groulx

Makes Big Impact Sunday
Drake Batherson

Pots Two Goals in Sunday's Win
Bobby McMann

Continues Dream Start in Seattle
Kirby Dach

Injured on High Hit
José Ramírez

Jose Ramirez is Day-to-Day with Shoulder Inflammation
Corbin Carroll

to Resume Playing Defense This Week
Francisco Lindor

Non-Committal About Status for Opening Day
Nathan Eovaldi

Named Rangers' Opening Day Starter
Hayden Birdsong

Diagnosed with Grade 2 Forearm Strain and UCL Sprain
Marcelo Mayer

Scratched With Left-Knee Soreness
Christopher Bell

Looking for Redemption, Wins Pole at Las Vegas
Denny Hamlin

Should Contend for Another Vegas Win
Chase Briscoe

Qualifies 18th Despite Toyota Dominating at Las Vegas
Chase Elliott

May Fly Under the Radar at Las Vegas
NASCAR

Ross Chastian Has Been As Solid As They Come at Las Vegas
Ty Gibbs

Could Ty Gibbs Finally Break Through With a Win at Las Vegas?
Brad Keselowski

a Solid DFS Pick at Las Vegas
Kyle Larson

Should Kyle Larson be Considered A Favorite for Las Vegas?
William Byron

Could Compete for a Top-Five Finish at Las Vegas
Ryan Blaney

Is Ryan Blaney Worth Rostering in Tournament DFS Lineups for Las Vegas?
Tyler Reddick

Could Continue his Top-10 Streak at Las Vegas
Joey Logano

Should DFS Managers Underestimate Joey Logano for Las Vegas?
Chris Buescher

Is Chris Buescher Worth Rostering For Las Vegas DFS Lineups?
NASCAR

Bubba Wallace is A Risky DFS Option Who Could Pay Off at Las Vegas
Josh Berry

Has Plenty of Upside for Las Vegas DFS Lineups
Ryan Preece

Scores his First Las Vegas Top-10 Starting Spot in Qualifying
Kevin Vallejos

Looks To Remain Undefeated In The UFC
Josh Emmett

In Dire Need Of Victory
Gillian Robertson

A Favorite At UFC Vegas 114
Amanda Lemos

Set For Co-Main Event
Oumar Sy

Looks To Win Back-To-Back Fights
Ion Cutelaba

Looks To Get Back In The Win Column
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF