2 months agoAaron Rai was unable to participate in last week's AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am, but he did finish T33 at the Farmers Insurance Open two weeks prior. This is only Rai's second appearance at the Waste Management Phoenix Open, and last year he finished T42. Although he hopes to finish higher this year, it may be challenging for him. Over the previous 12 months, Rai ranks in the 55th percentile for proximity to the hole on approach shots from 150-200 yards in the fairway, and last year, 45% of approach shots came from 150-200 yards. Although Rai is a formidable player, selecting him for DFS lineups this week carries some risk.Source: Data Golf
2 months agoMichael Kim did not participate in the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am last week. However, he finished T37 two weeks ago at the Farmers Insurance Open. He has made three appearances in 2024, with two top-50 finishes and a tied-for-sixth finish. His last appearance in the Waste Management Phoenix Open was in 2021, where he finished T58. Despite not participating in this event since 2021, Michael Kim has the potential to compete. In the last 12 months, Kim has been ranked in the 94th percentile for proximity to the hole on approach shots from 150-200 yards in the fairway. Over 45% of approach shots in last year's tournament came from the same distance range.Source: Data Golf
2 months agoAdam Schenk had a decent finish at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am last week, ending up in T47. In the first round, he ranked 114th in Strokes Gained on Approach, but he bounced back in round three and improved his ranking to 34th in strokes gained on approach. Schenk finished in T23 position in the Waste Management Phoenix Open last year but missed the cut in the previous three years. This makes him a risky pick for DFS lineups this week, but if he's on form, he could be a solid addition.Source: Data Golf
2 months agoNick Taylor finished T71 at last week's AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am, and according to Data Golf, he gained over 1.10 true strokes with his putter. This year, he has been performing exceptionally well with his putter, and he even finished second at last year's Waste Management Phoenix Open. It's important to note that during that tournament, he had one of his best performances of the year, gaining 1.86 true strokes on the field with his putter. However, during the 2022 edition of the same tournament, he missed the cut and had one of his worst performances of the year, losing 2.53 true strokes on the field with his putter. Although Taylor has been playing well and could be a good addition to DFS lineups this week, it's worth mentioning that there is some risk involved.Source: Data Golf
2 months agoTaylor Moore landed T47 at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am last week. He has been consistent in hitting greens on approach, but his putting has been the key to his success, as he hasn't missed a cut in three events so far in 2024. In two of his first three events in 2024, he has gained at least 0.5 True-Strokes Gained with his putter. He had an impressive T14 finish at last year's Waste Management Phoenix Open and could replicate that this year. Since January 1, 2023, Moore has ranked in the 64th percentile for approach shots from over 150 yards in the rough. It's worth noting that over 45% of approach shots were taken from 150-200 yards at last year's tournament. This week, Moore could be a valuable addition to DFS lineups, considering all these factors.Source: Data Golf
2 months agoKevin Yu had his worst finish of the season, outside of missing the cut at the Sony Open in Hawaii, when he finished T58 at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am last week. In addition to his T58 finish last week, Yu had tied for sixth and third at the Farmers Insurance Open and The American Express, respectively. Yu will debut at the Waste Management Phoenix Open and could struggle this week. Last year, over 45% of the approach shots came from 150-200 yards, and since Jan. 1 of 2023, Yu has ranked in the 22nd percentile for proximity to the hole on approach shots from 150-200 yards in the fairway. Yu has been playing well, but including him in DFS lineups comes with some risk.Source: Data Golf
2 months agoTom Hoge tied for sixth place at last week's AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am. He has made a good start to the 2024 season with two top-20 finishes, and only one missed cut at the Sony Open in Hawaii. However, Hoge has had mixed results at the Waste Management Phoenix Open. He missed the cut in 2021, finished T14 in 2022, and missed the cut again in 2023. Despite this, Hoge has been playing well lately, and his strengths are well-suited to the challenge of TPC Scottsdale. In last year's tournament, over 45% of approach shots were taken from 150-200 yards, and since January 1, 2023, Hoge has ranked in the 98th percentile for proximity to the hole on approach shots from 150-200 yards in the fairway. He may be overlooked this week, but Hoge could be a solid addition to DFS lineups.Source: Data Golf
2 months agoAfter missing out on last season's playoffs for the first time in five seasons, Shane Lowry has made a concerted effort to begin his PGA Tour campaign a few months early. Although we typically aren't used to seeing Shane until the Tour moves to his adopted stateread more...
2 months agoNormally a quiet, unassuming figure on the PGA Tour, 2017 Valspar Champion Adam Hadwin has carved out a stellar career at the top level. The 36-year-old Canadian currently sits as the 49th-ranked player on the planet and has managed to make the FedEx Cup Playoffs in every oneread more...
2 months agoThe 2023 PGA Tour Rookie of the Year has done anything but rest on his laurels to begin the new year. After running through the fall swing with four top-four finishes in five starts, Eric Cole has logged finishes of 14th, 13th, 21st, and 14th in four of five starts to begin his 2024 campaign. Cole remains one of the most prolific iron players on the PGA Tour, a skill that's backed up by his propensity to get red-hot on the greens -- gained at least 3.5 strokes putting in 11 measured starts over his last 12 months on tour. TPC Scottsdale will provide one of his most daunting tee-to-green tests in some time, though, as Cole's notoriously wayward driver will be tested by a course with one of the highest missed fairway penalties on tour. If he can keep his driver under control, however, the rest of his game remains stellar enough to put him in the mix once again on a Sunday afternoon.Source: PGA Tour
2 months agoTwo years removed from his introduction to most of the golfing public, Sahith Theegala will once again do battle with a course he feels will owe him one from his 2022 heartbreak. The third-place finish he recorded here at the WM Open was the closest the then 24-year-old American had come to a professional victory, but a horrible left kick on the 71st hole denied him a shot to claim at least a spot in the sudden-death playoff won by Scottie Scheffler. This year, now armed with the distinction of being a PGA Tour winner and a top 25 player on the planet, Theegala's star is shining brighter than ever in the golfing world. He'll no doubt be one of the fan favorites for the over 700,000 projected to be in attendance, and he's proved time and time again that his game is capable of mixing it up at some of the most iconic venues professional golf has to offer. Source: PGA Tour
2 months agoMuch of the discourse around Max Homa over the last few weeks has been on his stellar record in his home state of California, but since 2019, the Burbank, CA native has put down roots just a few miles down the road from TPC Scottsdale. He hasn't yet reached the same professional heights here in the desert as he has in the Golden State, but with two top 15 finishes over the last four seasons at the WM Open, plus the distinction of one of the betting favorites heading into 2024's iteration, Homa has established himself as a main figure in this star-studded field. Max has proven time and time again that his best is capable of conquering some of the most daunting venues on the PGA Tour. With six Top 10s (and one win), to his name since the end of last July, it's difficult to cast much doubt on Homa's prospects this week.Source: PGA Tour
2 months agoTaylor Montgomery is enjoying a great stretch of golf heading into the WM Phoenix Open. The second-year PGA Tour pro missed a cut at the Fortinet Championship to kick off the 2024 season, but has made eight-straight cuts since, including four top-20 finishes and back-to-back events where he gained over three and a half strokes putting. Montgomery can be erratic off-the-tee, but TPC Scottsdale boasts the fourth-lowest missed fairway penalty on tour. He should have the opportunity to score this week, as he enters the week ranking 14th in scrambling, fifth in birdie-or-better percentage gained, and second in overall putting over the last 36 rounds. In the year of the long shots, it would be no surprise for fantasy managers to see Montgomery toward the top of the leaderboard on Sunday.Source: PGA Tour
2 months agoMark Hubbard isn't always the model of consistency, but he is certainly trending in the right direction heading into the WM Phoenix Open. The OWGR No. 66 heads to Scottsdale on the heels of four-straight made cuts, including a T20 at the Farmers and a T4 at Pebble Beach last week. Hubbard had a disastrous missed cut at this event last year, but did make the cut in his previous four starts, including a T9 in 2020. Hubbard should be a solid course fit as well, as he ranks 24th in good drive percentage, 11th in overall approach, 29th in bogey avoidance and 18th in par five scoring over the last 36 rounds. While fantasy managers shouldn't expect Hubbard to pick up his first career PGA Tour win this week, his recent form is pointing to what could be his 13th career top-10 finish.Source: PGA Tour
2 months agoBrendon Todd should be on the radar of fantasy managers this week. The 38-year-old University of Georgia alum hasn't missed a cut since the Travelers Championship last June, and he's yet to lose strokes on approach in the 2024 season. He's certainly not the sexiest name in the $7,000 range on DraftKings, but he should come with an ownership discount as a result. Todd will benefit from added distance off-the-tee in Scottsdale, and he enters the week ranking 23rd on approach, seventh in scrambling, 37th in putting, and 12th in bogey avoidance over the last 36 rounds. This should be a recipe for success at TPC Scottsdale, just as it was for Todd's T22 finish here in 2021 and T26 finish in 2022. Todd could be an under-the-radar play that pays off big for fantasy managers this week.Source: PGA Tour