2 months agoWith his driving accuracy and elite approach skills, Corey Conners should have a lot of chances on a course like Pebble Beach. With small greens, Conners' irons give him an advantage over others, but his short-game struggles create issues. Conners missed the cut in both previous trips, but he's a much better player than he was in 2018 and 2019. If Conners continues to have issues scrambling, it could mean another poor performance at Pebble Beach.Source: PGATOUR.com
2 months agoWith all the talent in the world, it's been confusing to predict how Cam Young will perform since last spring. Young's approach game was a struggle at times last season, but appears to be back in his last three starts. The club that has been a real concern is Young's putter, which had been poor outside of a few weeks when it popped up. The way Young is ball striking currently should give him an advantage at Pebble Beach, but it will come down to whether he can convert enough birdie attempts.Source: PGATOUR.com
2 months agoThe fall was memorable for Ludvig Aberg, but until last week it had been a struggle to start the season. Aberg posted his first top-10 finish of the season at Farmers where his elite driver was a weapon. This week at Pebble Beach is a different story. Aberg will be asked to show off his scrambling skills, which haven't been to the same level as his long game this year. On another new course against a field of the best players, it could be another average start for the young star.Source: PGATOUR.com
2 months agoTo put Patrick Cantlay into a lineup this week, it's better to look at prior Pebble Beach leaderboards instead of his recent results. After a solid start to the season at Sentry, Cantlay hasn't cracked the top 50 since the PGA Tour entered California. Fortunately for Cantlay, he has had great success at this course, unlike last week. Cantlay managed a T4 finish last year without having a good approach week so he may turn in another high finish despite the recent struggles.Source: PGATOUR.com
2 months agoEven in a loaded field for a signature event, it's interesting to see Collin Morikawa priced at the bottom of the $9,000 range on DraftKings. Before last week's missed cut, Morikawa was on a run of top-10 finishes including a win at the ZOZO Championship. Last week was a poor performance with the putter, which isn't surprising for the star. Morikawa has the game to bounce back on a course like Pebble that requires elite approach play with tiny greens if he can make some putts.Source: PGATOUR.com
2 months agoAdam Svensson has been a popular play for fantasy managers over the past few months. The 30-year-old Canadian got off to a hot start in the fall swing, making the cut in all of his starts and picking up three top-20 finishes along the way. But Svensson is likely headed for trouble this week, especially on the heels of an ugly missed cut where he lost strokes in every statistical category. Pebble Beach is very predictive when it comes to course history, and Svensson's only two starts here resulted in a missed cut and a T49. And while he does have the 11th-best greens-in-regulation percentage over the last 36 rounds, he finds himself ranked in the bottom third of the field in around-the-green play, scrambling, and putting on Poa annua. Fantasy managers should seek value elsewhere in the $6,000 range on DraftKings.Source: PGA Tour
2 months agoThere's a lot to like about Tony Finau's form right now. The 34-year-old star has kicked off his 10th year on Tour with four-straight made cuts, including a T4 at the Hero World Challenge and a T6 last week at the Farmers Insurance Open. But Finau may have a tough time contending this week, as he ranks outside of the top 20 golfers in key statistical categories, including overall approach and around-the-green play, greens-in-regulation percentage, par five scoring, birdie-or-better percentage gained, and putting on Poa annua. He's also lost strokes putting in 12 of his last 18 events dating back to the 2023 Masters Tournament. That could be a recipe for disappointment, even at his attractive $8,800 price tag on DraftKings. Fantasy managers should tread lightly with Finau this week.Source: PGA Tour
2 months agoIf fantasy managers are anticipating a wedge-fest and putting contest this week, Andrew Putnam should be a name circled in their potential player pool. The 35-year-old Pepperdine alum missed the cut here last year, but he finished with a T6 in 2022 and has gained strokes putting in six of his seven starts at Pebble Beach. Despite being the 51st-most expensive golfer in the field, Putnam ranks 14th in good drive percentage, 13th in approach from 75-100 yards, fifth in greens-in-regulation,19th in scrambling, and 8th in Poa annua putting over the last 36 rounds. He has also posted two top-10 finishes in his six starts this season. There are few golfers who possess Putnam's upside in DraftKings' $6,000 range, and fantasy managers would be wise to get some exposure to him this week.Source: PGA Tour
2 months agoSomething has got to give for Brian Harman this week. Pebble Beach is a notoriously predictive venue in terms of course history, and that would point to trouble for him this week. Currently ranked ninth in the OWGR, the Tour veteran has teed it up five times at Pebble Beach and has yet to post a finish inside of the top 20. From a statistical perspective, these results are a bit of an enigma given his well-rounded form and strengths in the short game. Perhaps 2024 is the year he finds himself in contention on Sunday, given that he is arguably playing the best golf of his career. Following his major victory at The Open Championship in July, Harman has notched five top-25 finishes in just seven PGA Tour events. He's also coming into Pebble Beach ranking ninth in good drive percentage, 12th around-the-green, and 26th in Poa annua putting over the last 36 rounds. We'll see if 2024 can be the year the Pebble Beach stars align for Harman.Source: PGA Tour
2 months agoAfter an injury-plagued start to the 2023 calendar year, Cam Davis finally began to flash glimpses of his former self. The 28-year-old Aussie finished the season eight top-10 finishes in his final 19 events, including a T4 at the PGA Championship, a T7 at the Wyndham Championship, and a T6 at the FedEx St. Jude. But Davis has cooled off in the 2024 calendar year, finishing T52 at The Sentry, a T30 at the Sony Open, and a missed cut at The American Express in his most recent start. And while he is elite with his wedges and short irons, he's also one of the worst golfers in the field scrambling and putting on Poa greens. Fantasy managers will likely be tempted by Davis' $6,700 DraftKings price tag, but limited exposure may be the way to go at Pebble Beach this week.Source: PGA Tour
2 months agoThanks to his T37 finish at the Farmers Insurance Open last week, Maverick McNealy earned enough FedExCup points to play the remainder of the season out of the Major Medical category. At a near-minimum $6,200 price on DraftKings, fantasy managers should be licking their chops to roster him this week. McNealy is a California kid and always plays his best golf in his home state, and Pebble Beach has been no exception to that narrative. He withdrew in the third round of this event last year, but his previous three years included a T5, a solo runner-up finish, and a T33 in 2022 where he uncharacteristically lost close to a stroke on the greens. McNealy enters this year's tournament ranking 17th in scrambling and fourth in putting on Poa greens over the last 36 rounds, both categories which have traditionally been involved in the recipe for success at Pebble Beach. McNealy is worth the risk for fantasy managers this week and should have plenty of scoring opportunities over the course of four guaranteed rounds.Source: PGA Tour
2 months agoChristiaan Bezuidenhout does have a top-10 finish this season already. His runner-up result at The American Express drew some notice. He putted well and had all four rounds at 67 or better. Most any other week, that likely gets the job done. Bezuidenhout was playing in ideal conditions, however. This week at Pebble Beach will be quite different and all over the place. The concern with the South African golfer is his missed cut at the Farmers Insurance Open last weekend. So many missed putts and errant tee shots could be a theme heading into this week. Several inches of rain and wind is not what Bezuidenhout wanted to see.Source: PGATour.com
2 months agoSepp Straka missed the cut at the Farmers Insurance Open. The Austrian golfer won last year at the John Deere then had a shot at The Open. Narrow fairways and potentially swirling conditions could play havoc with Straka's game come the weekend. With rain potentially being in the forecast every day, Getting off the tee well will be important. Straka struggled at times with tee shots (101st in strokes gained in 2023). He was better at getting on the greens (68.24 at greens in regulation). Again, this week may be more about survival than anything else. Source: PGATour.com
2 months agoRory McIlroy won twice in 2023. The golfer from Northern Ireland has had some below average results at Pebble Beach. He did finish ninth there in 2019 (US Open). The last time he played at the AT&T was back in 2018. McIlroy missed the cut then. This event is his 2024 debut. From the PGA to the Ryder Cup last season, the golfer ended up in the top ten every single time. The course may not suit him optimally and McIlroy may have to shake off a little rust this week. Contending is not impossible here. Source: PGATour.com
2 months agoViktor Hovland has six career wins on the PGA Tour. The golfer from Norway finished just outside the Top 10 at last year's Pebble Beach event. Expectations are higher after three wins and a FedEx Cup triumph in 2023. After a decent result at The Sentry, Hovland is ready to battle the winds and changeable conditions in Pebble Beach. The narrow fairways suit his ability off the tee which ranked eighth last year in strokes gained. Furthermore, If he can minimize putts (1.716 per hole in 2023), Hovland has a chance to contend and win no matter the weather. Source: PGATour.com