June 18, 2025
Andrew Novak has been very good at tournaments that are not upper tier or majors. The American golfer won at the Zurich Classic of New Orleans. Also, Novak had excellent results at the Valero Texas Open and RBC Heritage. He found his way into the weekend at the U.S. Open and nearly managed a Top 40 finish (T-42). If not for the opening round 76, Novak might have even been somewhat in contention. Anyway, Novak ranks ninth in FedEx Cup points for a reason, he is consistent on courses like TPC River Highlands. It also helps he ranks ninth in putts per round (27.92). Driving and driving accuracy is not as paramount as putting and short game. Novak has a chance to be a factor again especially in DFS and betting formats.
--Chris Wassel - RotoBallerSource: PGATour.com
June 18, 2025
Tom Kim played more like what most pundits and fans are accustomed to. The South Korean golfer managed to post mostly the same scores throughout the U.S. Open (72-73-72-72). Kim never got too high or too low and ended up T-33. While it was not great, it was far from poor. Since Pebble Beach in February, Kim has not posted a Top 10 result and Oakmont was his best finish in four months. Kim has been off compared to 2023 and 2024. Putting is under 30% (29.62) when it comes to birdie or better conversion percentage. That is 132nd. Worse, Kim averages 29.38 putts per opening round which is 3/4 of a putt more than his 2025 average. The Travelers Championship is ripe for scoring, unlike Oakmont, so Kim might have some troubles keeping up with the pace.
--Chris Wassel - RotoBallerSource: PGATour.com
June 18, 2025
Max Greyserman is not posting spectacular results. However, the American golfer is playing steady golf with a slew of Top 35 finishes. A 74 at the U.S. Open kept him just outside of the Top 20 (T-23). On the other hand, Greyserman rebounded from an early 76 with a 67 to keep him around for the weekend. His putter kept him in the U.S. Open and he ranks 26th in birdie or better conversion percentage at 34.25%. Greyserman's final rounds see him average only 27.93 putts (28th). His scoring average is a red flag at 70.75 (122nd) but Greyserman makes four birdies a round (35th). If Greyserman can work on driving accuracy (54.98%), he can be a DFS factor in Connecticut.
--Chris Wassel - RotoBallerSource: PGATour.com
June 18, 2025
Matt Fitzpatrick has three appearances at the Travelers Championship at TPC River Highlands. The English golfer has not finished inside the Top 35. Also, that includes one missed cut in 2020. Last year, he finished 13 strokes off the lead (winning score was -22). Fitzpatrick did survive Oakmont and slowly improved each day (74-73-72-72). The scores did not show it but the mechanics were better. However, in a results-oriented business, Fitzpatrick has underwhelmed with only one Top 10 result in 2025 (PGA Championship). Approaching the greens has been an issue all season as the Englishman ranks 113th in strokes gained (-0.091). Greens in regulation (64..37%) and Proximity have been persistent issues. Combine this with +9000 odds and Fitzpatrick may be one to fade.
--Chris Wassel - RotoBallerSource: PGATour.com
June 18, 2025
Thomas Detry stayed level throughout his battle at the U.S. Open. The German golfer opened with a 69 and then three straight rounds of 73. Now, that was enough for a solid T-23 finish. Detry won at Scottsdale in February (WM Phoenix Open) and opened with a T-5 at The Sentry. The previous half dozen tournaments or so have been a struggle to stay in contention. As for the PGA Championship, Detry just could not make birdies. Normally, putting is not that much of an issue as he ranks 31st in strokes gained at 0.283 despite averaging 28.9 putts per round (96th). Getting off to a good start is crucial for Detry as he takes 29.47 putts per opening round. For him to be a factor in fantasy formats, he must average more than four birdies a round (currently 80th at 3.8).
--Chris Wassel - RotoBallerSource: PGATour.com
June 18, 2025
Daniel Berger found Oakmont to be quite a beast of a golf course. The American golfer held his own on Thursday and Friday but faltered to a 76 on Saturday. That took him out of any chance of contending for the U.S. Open. However, the Travelers Championship has seen him almost taste victory. Berger lost to Jordan Spieth in a playoff in 2017. If he can get back to that form in February, March, and April, that would be ideal. Oakmont dropped his strokes gained to putting all the way to 105th at -0.027. On the bright side, Berger still is 15th in overall strokes gained (1.02). His DFS and betting options should be elevated this weekend along with that $20,000,000 purse.
--Chris Wassel - RotoBallerSource: PGATour.com
June 17, 2025
After squeaking by the cut Friday at Oakmont, Rory McIlroy unpleasantly played the remaining 36 holes at one-over par after a charming three-under 67 on Sunday. His talks afterwards with the media have overtaken anything he did inside the ropes and have made himself a hard DFS sell at nearly every event the rest of the season. The whirlwind of completing the career grand slam has made it difficult to have the same drive, which is understandable. Another tough decision comes this week at the Travelers Championship, where McIlroy has never finished outside the top 20 in five career starts. From a statistical perspective, the golfing great makes total sense given his peculiar ability to bomb and gouge places that most other players can't, mixed with his 12th-place ranking in strokes gained putting (plus-0.517). Again, it's all about headspace and willpower right now for the 36-year-old, which gives him uncomfortable volatility.
--Todd McGillSource: PGA Tour
June 17, 2025
It wasn't meant to be for Scottie Scheffler last week at Oakmont. Winning doesn't happen when you miss as many short putts over the final 36 holes as the world no. 1 did. The data will say it was his play off the tee (-0.12) that squandered his chances, and while it certainly wasn't up to the standard we're accustomed to seeing, his iron play and short game were trying to overcome it. The flat stick was the ultimate key, and Scheffler didn't have it. He comes to Cromwell, Conn., with the potential to win four out of his last six events. If there is anyone who can overcome the putting acumen needed to win here, it's this man. The tee ball will likely see some level of improvement, so the control he could have from tee to green makes him an easy favorite to repeat this week.
--Todd McGillSource: Data Golf
June 17, 2025
Another chance at a major championship wasn't meant to be for Viktor Hovland this past week at the U.S. Open. But it was an intriguing sign of form for a player who seems to go from completely lost to contending for major titles weekly. The rough at Oakmont was no match for him, hitting just 31 of 56 fairways on the week while averaging +2.07 strokes on approach and hitting 75% of his greens. The surprising stat was his strokes gained around the green +1.76, being that it was his best short game performance of his career by a country mile. Don't expect that to stick around, but everything else is working well enough to find himself in contention again this week in Connecticut if his woes off the tee get straightened out.
--Todd McGillSource: Data Golf
June 17, 2025
If there was anyone in contention that you felt for on Sunday at the U.S. Open, Sam Burns had to be it. One iffy rules call from two different USGA officials likely cost him a chance at the very end, but that certainly wasn't everything that thwarted his efforts. As driver-dependent as Oakmont was, he only managed to gain strokes off the tee in one of the four rounds. However, the iron play has come alive for the 28-year-old after struggling most of the season with it. He's averaging +1.15 strokes gained on approach over his last three starts. That is a ridiculous bar that can't possibly continue, and the heartbreak of what happened in PA could easily diminish that with such a quick turnaround. The play is there, but it is viable to see some regression following an emotional week that may warrant going a different direction
--Todd McGillSource: Data Golf
June 17, 2025
After back-to-back top 20 finishes before last week's U.S. Open, the missed cut was a bit surprising for Ludvig Aberg, since he arguably established himself as someone who shines on difficult setups. Other than around the green (-1.16), it wasn't that bad of a week from a statistical perspective. The short game struggles will make it difficult around TPC River Highlands, especially if putting also doesn't cooperate. The 25-year-old ranks outside the top 120 in both strokes gained statistics for the season, and isn't the most accurate player on approach or off the tee. At $11,500, Aberg feels like a desperation play reaching for a level of play we haven't quite seen since the spring.
--Todd McGillSource: Data Golf
June 16, 2025
Tony Finau finished tied for 38th at last week's U.S. Open and is now focusing on preparing for the Travelers Championship, which will take place at TPC River Highlands in Cromwell, Connecticut. So far this season, Finau has four top-25 finishes but has also missed the cut four times in 15 starts. Over the past 12 months, he ranks in the 93rd percentile in greens in regulation percentage on approach shots from 100-150 yards in the fairway. This is particularly relevant, as over 35% of approach shots at last year's Travelers Championship were taken from this distance.
--Ian Christenson - RotoBallerSource: Data Golf
June 16, 2025
Bud Cauley missed the cut at last week's U.S. Open and will now focus on preparing for this week's Travelers Championship at TPC River Highlands in Cromwell, Connecticut. This season, he has four top-10 finishes and missed the cut twice in 13 starts. Over the past 12 months, Cauley ranks in the 44th percentile in greens in regulation from approach shots 100-150 yards in the fairway. This is noteworthy because, at last year's Travelers Championship, over 35% of approach shots came from this distance.
--Ian Christenson - RotoBallerSource: Data Golf
June 16, 2025
Cameron Young finished tied for fourth at the U.S. Open and is now focusing on preparing for this week's Travelers Championship at TPC River Highlands in Cromwell, Connecticut. This season, he has seven top-25 finishes but has also missed the cut six times in 17 starts. Over the past year, Young ranks in the 42nd percentile in greens in regulation percentage on approach shots from 100-150 yards in the fairway. This is particularly relevant because, during last year's Travelers Championship, over 35% of approach shots came from this distance.
--Ian Christenson - RotoBallerSource: Data Golf
June 16, 2025
J.J. Spaun emerged as the winner of last week's U.S. Open and is now focusing on preparing for this week's Travelers Championship at TPC River Highlands in Cromwell, Connecticut. So far this season, Spaun has six top-25 finishes, one win, and has missed the cut twice in 17 starts. Over the past 12 months, he ranks in the 77th percentile in greens in regulation percentage from approach shots 100-150 yards in the fairway. This is notable because at last year's Travelers Championship, over 35% of approach shots came from this distance.
--Ian Christenson - RotoBallerSource: Data Golf
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