RADIO
Max Homa Still Searching for Consistent Iron Play in Year's Penultimate Event
For as bad as things had gotten for Max Homa in recent years, 2026 has seemingly been a step in the right direction. He's made the cut nine of his last 10 starts, with three top 25s, one top 15, and a runner-up finish during that span. In his poor showings, nearly all of them was a result of poor approach play, as he ranks 137th on the season in strokes gained on approach (-0.223). With his run of good finishes down the stretch of the regular season and into the fall, that area of his game has shown some improvement, but a few starts during that time has shown he is still capable of losing his swing at times. There is reason for cause this week in Austin due to the demand from tee to green, but in terms of world ranking, talent, and overall upside, he's worth consideration this week.
Source: PGA Tour
Source: PGA Tour
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Haotong Li Could Be a Boom-or-Bust Option at Austin Championship
Haotong Li has had an overall disappointing season, making just 12 of 27 cuts with three top-25 finishes. His recent play shows some upside, however, as he has made four of his last five cuts with two finishes inside the top 30. He now looks to find success at the Austin Championship, held at Omni Barton Creek's Fazio Canyons Course. Li currently ranks just 121st on Tour in total strokes gained (-0.127 strokes per round), but sits 18th off the tee (+0.413), 75th on approach (+0.141), and 23rd in total driving. His biggest struggles have come in the short game, where he ranks 165th around the greens (-0.468) and 125th in putting (-0.212). With Fazio Canyons measuring over 7,400 yards, his 49th-ranked proximity on approach shots from over 200 yards could work to his advantage, though he will need to avoid three-putts, an area where he ranks 122nd. Li comes in at $7,100 on DraftKings and is a classic boom-or-bust option, with his success likely hinging on his short game.
Source: PGA Tour
Source: PGA Tour
Ben Kohles Looks to Stay Hot at Austin Championship
Ben Kohles continued his breakout year at the World Wide Technology Championship, finishing T25 for his 12th straight result of T29 or better. He looks to keep this run going at the Austin Championship, held at Omni Barton Creek's Fazio Canyons Course. He now ranks fourth on Tour in total strokes gained (+1.304 strokes per round), first on approach (+0.765), and first in driving accuracy (80.39%). Other areas where he has been elite include greens in regulation (first), proximity on approach (second), and scrambling (fifth). Kohles has one of the strongest all-around profiles on Tour and is the eighth-most expensive golfer on DraftKings at $9,200. It seems as though he is underpriced, and can easily be trusted in fantasy lineups again this week.
Source: PGA Tour
Source: PGA Tour
Stephan Jaeger Looking to Keep Strong Fall Run Going
Stephan Jaeger has been on a strong run during the fall golf season, recording his third straight finish of T26 or better last week at the World Wide Technology Championship. He now ranks 75th in total strokes gained (+0.282 per round), 83rd on approach (+0.107), 12th around the greens (+0.330), and 44th in putting (+0.226). The only area where he is losing strokes is off the tee, where he ranks 150th (-0.382), largely due to his 157th-ranked driving accuracy. He has gained strokes both around the green and on approach in his last two measurable events, and will need to continue playing well with his irons and short game to find himself in contention again at the Austin Championship. At $7,900 on DraftKings, he offers solid upside based on his recent play, but there is some risk that his driver could go awry once again.
Source: PGA Tour
Source: PGA Tour
Rico Hoey Looking to Put Together Another Strong Week in Austin
Rico Hoey has put together an up-and-down season, recording 22 made cuts in 28 events, including seven finishes inside the top 25. He played well last week at the World Wide Technology Championship, posting rounds of 67-69-67-70, but a quadruple bogey on the 13th hole Sunday ruined his chances at a second top-10 finish of the year. He currently ranks 16th in strokes gained off the tee (+0.487 strokes per round), 87th on approach (+0.093), and 49th tee to green (+0.437). His short game has been a weak point, ranking 135th around the greens (-0.142) and 138th in putting (-0.281). Omni Barton Creek's Fazio Canyons Course measures over 7,400 yards and features wide fairways, so Hoey's 49th-ranked driving distance and impressive sixth-place ranking in proximity from over 200 yards (44'10") could give him an advantage. At $8,100 on DraftKings, he offers strong value for fantasy lineups.
Source: PGA Tour
Source: PGA Tour
Pierceson Coody Looking to Carry Momentum Into Austin Championship
Pierceson Coody put together an all-around solid tournament at the World Wide Technology Championship, posting rounds of 68-70-68-69 en route to a T33 finish. He has made 20 of 30 cuts this year, including 12 top-25 finishes, and looks to keep it going at the Austin Championship. Coody ranks 88th in total strokes gained (+0.198 strokes per round), 28th off the tee (+0.131), 97th on approach (+0.028), and 78th in putting (+0.066). He has been one of the longest hitters on Tour, ranking 14th in driving distance, which should benefit him on the 7,400-yard layout at Omni Barton Creek's Fazio Canyons Course, which features wide fairways. Coody has been solid lately and offers plenty of upside at $9,000 on DraftKings.
Source: PGA Tour
Source: PGA Tour
Christiaan Bezuidenhout Looking to Rebound at Austin Championship
Christiaan Bezuidenhout was unable to make the cut at the World Wide Technology Championship, but had recorded back-to-back top 20 finishes prior to that result. He now looks to get back on track at the Austin Championship at Omni Barton Creek's Fazio Canyons Course. Bezuidenhout has climbed the statistical leaderboards, ranking 24th in total strokes gained (+0.736 per round), 25th on approach (+0.427), 25th around the greens (+0.254), and 23rd in putting (+0.375). He does lose -0.320 strokes per round off the tee, though much of that can be attributed to being one of the shorter hitters on Tour, as he still ranks 36th in driving accuracy. Fazio Canyons measures over 7,400 yards, so he will need to deliver with his long irons, where he ranks just 160th in proximity from over 200 yards. Bezuidenhout has been playing well lately and profiles as a fairly safe option at just $7,900 on DraftKings.
Source: PGA Tour
Source: PGA Tour
Emiliano Grillo Needs A Strong Performance at Austin Championship
Emiliano Grillo finished tied for 21st at last week's World Wide Technology Championship and will now focus on preparing for this week's Austin Championship at the Fazio Canyons Course in Austin, Texas. Grillo currently sits 114th in the FedEx Cup Standings and has two weeks to move into the top 100 to secure his card for the 2027 season. He has five top-25 finishes and nine missed cuts in 25 starts this season. Over the past 12 months, Grillo ranks in the 79th percentile for proximity to the hole on approach shots from 150-200 yards on the fairway. This is worth noting because this range is where most approach shots are projected to be played.
Source: Data Golf
Source: Data Golf
Andrew Novak Secures First Win of 2026 Season
Andrew Novak walked away as the winner at the VidantaWorld Mexico Open two weeks ago and will now prepare for this week's Austin Championship at the Fazio Canyons Course in Austin, Texas. The win in Mexico propelled Novak to 54th in the FedEx Cup Standings and secured his tour card for the 2027 season. So far this season, he has one win, seven top-25 finishes, and nine missed cuts in 27 starts. Over the past 12 months, Novak ranks in the 93rd percentile for proximity to the hole on approach shots from 150-200 yards on the fairway. This is worth noting because this range is projected to be where most approach shots are played.
Source: Data Golf
Source: Data Golf
Michael Kim Continues to Play Well Through Fall Swing
Michael Kim finished third at last week's World Wide Technology Championship and has now rattled off four straight top-25 finishes. He'll now turn his focus to preparing for this week's Austin Championship, held at the Fazio Canyons Course in Austin, Texas. He has 10 top-25 finishes and six missed cuts in 25 starts this season. He currently sits 55th in the FedEx Cup Standings, so he'll maintain his tour card heading into the 2027 season. Over the past 12 months, he ranks in the 60th percentile for proximity to the hole on approach shots from 150-200 yards on the fairway. This is important because this range is where most approach shots are projected to be played from.
Source: Data Golf
Source: Data Golf
Billy Horschel Sits Just Inside Top 100 in FedEx Cup Standings
Billy Horschel missed the cut at last week's World Wide Technology Championship and will now focus on preparing for this week's Austin Championship at the Fazio Canyons Course in Austin, Texas. Horschel will need to bounce back in a big way to stay inside the top 100 and retain his tour card for 2027. So far this season, he has seven top-25 finishes and 10 missed cuts in 25 starts. Over the past 12 months, Horschel ranks in the 67th percentile for proximity to the hole on approach shots from 150-200 yards on the fairway. This is important because this range is projected to be where most approach shots will be played.
Source: Data Golf
Source: Data Golf
Harry Hall Rattles Off Third Straight Top-25 Finish
Harry Hall finished tied for 12th at last week's World Wide Technology Championship and will now focus on preparing for this week's Austin Championship at the Fazio Canyons Course in Austin, Texas. So far this season, Hall has eight top-25 finishes and nine missed cuts in 25 starts. He has had a solid fall season since failing to qualify for the BMW Championship, rattling off four top-25 finishes in six starts. Over the past 12 months, Hall ranks in the 57th percentile in proximity to the hole on approach shots from 150-200 yards on the fairway. This is worth noting because this range is projected to be where most approach shots will be played.
Source: Data Golf
Source: Data Golf
Luke Clanton Having Solid Fall Season Heading to Austin Championship
Luke Clanton finished tied for 33rd at last week's World Wide Technology Championship and will now focus on preparing for this week's Austin Championship at Fazio Canyons Course in Austin, Texas. Clanton has four top-25 finishes and 11 missed cuts in 25 starts this season. His best finish was tied for fifth at the Puerto Rico Open in March. Over the past 12 months, Clanton ranks in the 86th percentile for proximity to the hole on approach shots from 150-200 yards on the fairway. This is worth noting because this range is projected to account for the majority of approach shots.
Source: Data Golf
Source: Data Golf
Jackson Koivun Looks to Get Back Into Contention Mix in Austin
It's been a month and a half since we saw Jackson Koivun near the top of a leaderboard, as the rising star continues to sharpen his game ahead of the 2027 season. He is perhaps the leading name amongst a group of young talent coming from the college ranks (or high school) to cut their teeth in professional golf. The former Auburn Tiger was the first in this group to win, which came at the 3M Open. And though another victory in 2027 is unlikely, what happens over the next couple of weeks could do a lot for him come spring. The talent level should attract some interest, especially in a field this weak. The ball-striking prowess and maturity are already there, making him a threat at every stop.
Source: Data Golf
Source: Data Golf
Joe Highsmith Continues to Backslide into Irrelevancy
A disappointing 2026 regular season for Joe Highsmith has continued this fall, as he has missed the cut in his last three starts. The pressure is mounting for the 26-year-old, with the PGA Tour set to change drastically in 2028. He'll have another season to figure things out, but at 165th in FedEx Cup points, there is a lot to fix. He ranks 153rd in strokes gained from tee to green (-0.636) and has arguably been the worst statistical putter on the planet since July. Highsmith certainly doesn't possess any DFS appeal, but he was a young player on the radar coming into the season. It will be interesting to see if he can right the ship a year from now.
Source: PGA Tour
Source: PGA Tour
Blades Brown Keeping The Ball Rolling This Week in Austin
It was simply a matter of time before Blades Brown held on to win a PGA Tour event, and really, doing so in his second start since earning tour credentials through the Korn Ferry Tour is unsurprising. He's played a jam-packed 31 events in 2026, including 13 PGA Tour starts, and has only finished outside the top 25 nine times. Data from his limited starts on the main circuit show the 19-year-old is an impressive ball striker, as his 0.405 strokes gained off the tee and 0.534 on approach averages would rank inside the top 25 for the season. The Canyons Course is long at over 7,400 yards, so ball striking could be the leading factor in scoring. However, it was the putter that inevitably pushed him over the finish line on Sunday. If the flat stick stays hot while his iron play returns, there isn't a reason we couldn't see him back in contention this week.
Source: Data Golf
Source: Data Golf
Matt McCarty Comes to Austin After a Month Off
Matt McCarty last played golf early in October at the Baycurrent Classic. The American golfer bounced back with a final round 65 after a third round 75. Overall, both Fall events just did not see McCarty impress much (T-53 in Utah and T-50 in Japan. McCarty briefly touched +10000 at DraftKings but has come back to +9600. One of the big worries with the golfer is bogey avoidance (16.61% - 139th). Basically, McCarty ends up bogeying or worse once every six holes. Also, his scoring average in Rounds 1 and 2 is 70.69 which ranks 144th. He is another golfer who probably gets faded here in a more stacked field than usual for the Fall.
Source: PGATour.com
Source: PGATour.com
Chris Kirk Riding a Fall Wave of Momentum Heading to Texas
Chris Kirk has not won an event this Fall but he has contended several times. The American golfer has three Top 12 results in four events. Kirk's best result was a T-6 in Bermuda but one has to wonder what might have been. Asheville and Bermuda were his best efforts where every round wound up in the 60's. Kirk has been on the plus side in every event when it comes to around the green and approach. Last week, those approach shots set up quite a few extra opportunities at the World Wide Technology Championship. Kirk is a risky wager for bettors but bettors have him pegged sixth at +3000 via DraftKings to win. Kirk is a reasonable +255 for a Top 10 result and that may be something to ponder.
Source: PGATour.com
Source: PGATour.com
Mackenzie Hughes an All-or-Nothing Possibility at Austin Championship
Mackenzie Hughes wants to bounce back from the World Wide Technology Championship. The Canadian golfer almost won in Mexico (T-4) It has been an up-and-down Fall for Hughes who has three Top 25 results during the Fall season. This is a long course at 7.451 yards. Around the greens has been not great for Hughes and off the tee has been not great in terms of driving accuracy (59.67% - 120th). The hilly course could be a challenge for Hughes. The putter fell flat at El Cardonal and that concern is quite valid for Austin. It may be a plan to fade Hughes from a DFS and betting perspective.
Source: PGATour.com
Source: PGATour.com
Tom Hoge Heads to Austin Championship After Another Missed Cut
Tom Hoge has had a nightmare of a Fall season. The American golfer has missed three cuts in six events. Hoge even shot an 81 in the opening round of the Baycurrent Classic. Last week, it was a second-round 76 where errant shots and worse started to happen. The final five holes saw Hoge lose five strokes to par. Bogeys on two Par 5's had to raise alarm bells heading into Austin. Overall, Hoge lost 2.05 strokes to putting last week. Only the 2.29 lost at the Valero in April was worse. It may truly be for the best to stay away from the American this week at a new event such as Austin.
Source: PGATour.com
Source: PGATour.com
Eric Cole Must Watch Out for That One Bad Round in Austin
Eric Cole has had a recurring theme in his three Fall events. The American golfer has had that one bad round that derails any hope. Asheville was a final-round 73. Utah featured a third round of 73, and Bermuda had that windswept 74. He has the ability to start off really well. Cole has fired a 67 or better in six of his previous seven opening rounds. If Cole finds any driving accuracy with rhythm, then look out. He loses half a stroke off the tee alone (157th). For early DFS options, Cole could be utilized, and maybe betting-wise as well early on.
Source: PGATour.com
Source: PGATour.com
