April 6, 2026
Maverick McNealy is the type of golfer who can get off to a very good start at Augusta. The American golfer averages 27.88 putts per round in Round 1. His one putt percentage ranks 30th at 43.89%. Add in an overall birdie or better percentage inside the Top 25 (25,19% - 23rd) and there is a recipe for some success. McNealy has five Top 25 results in seven events this 2026. One of the more intriguing bets may be leading after Round 1. Check the number but McNealy rolls in second with a 67.25 scoring average currently. His Par 5 scoring average is 4.43 (7th). If McNealy can avoid those second round troubles, he carries even more potential for betting choices at Augusta.
--Chris Wassel - RotoBallerSource: PGATour.com
April 6, 2026
Gary Woodland is now a five-time winner on the PGA Tour. The American golfer won in Houston with four rounds in the 60's. He won by five strokes. This came on the heels of an unbelievable 2.12 strokes gained to putting. His driving accuracy may not be the greatest (132nd - 53.96%). However, Woodland is second in driving distance at a whopping 324.6 yards. The key with Augusta if the dry and very warm conditions pan out will be driving the ball, capitalizing on Par 5's, and avoiding trouble. His birdie average ranks 28th at 4.29 and he is 24th at Par 5 birdie or better percentage at 54.88%. Woodland may be worth an early look scoring and DFS wise.
--Chris Wassel - RotoBallerSource: PGATour.com
April 6, 2026
Rasmus Hojgaard had a March to forget up until Houston. The Danish golfer started off well, had a bit of a Saturday hiccup with a 71. However, Hojgaard rebounded with a final round 67 to finish T-28. Again, the Dane has one Top 10 result at the Cognizant in February. His previous Masters appearance in 2025 was intriguing. Hojgaard only tied for 32nd but his metrics were solid. One of the early assets this season has been his driving distance which ranks 6th so far. Accuracy is poor at 47.14% at 164th. As long as he is within 5% of average accuracy wise, Hojgaard can again be a factor at Augusta. The start will be vital too as he cannot average 30.17 putts per round like he has been in 2026. Again, Hojgaard is a huge betting risk but there's a chance.
--Chris Wassel - RotoBallerSource: PGATour.com
April 6, 2026
Shane Lowry has not seen the same fortune over the past two years at Augusta. The Irish golfer has played well but not well enough en route to two results outside the Top 25. This goes up against 2021,2022, and 2023 where Lowry enjoyed his best performances. Lowry finished T-3 in 2022 behind gaining 3.65 strokes overall. While many want to talk about all these criteria, looking at current form helps here too. Lowry has been inconsistent in 2026 when it comes to opening rounds. He has three plus results and three not so good ones. If birdies to be had, Lowry could thrive much like he did at Pebble Beach (T-8) and the Cognizant (T-2). Again, that 69.25 scoring average is nice (18th) but Lowry must convert those Par 5's to be a betting option this weekend.
--Chris Wassel - RotoBallerSource: PGATour.com
April 6, 2026
Sepp Straka has done everything but get off to a solid start at the Masters Tournament. The Austrian golfer 's best opening round effort was a 70 in 2023. The problem last year was that 78 on Thursday that he could not recover from. Straka has four Top 20 results in his last six events. He must improve at the majors, especially in Georgia. Straka averages 4.28 birdies per round which does rank 30th. If he can pile the birdies up on the Par 5's, Straka will be a DFS option this week. As for a betting option, that remains a bit of a question mark right now.
--Chris Wassel - RotoBallerSource: PGATour.com
April 6, 2026
Viktor Hovland knows that getting off to a good start is vital. The golfer from Norway does have one Top 10 result as recent as the 2023 Masters. One huge reason for that result was this. Hovland was 14% more accurate off the tee compared to other golfers and drove the ball 5.6 yards further. He took a couple of weeks off wisely after the Valspar Championship. This season Hovland has been erratic off the tee. He ranks 132nd off the tee losing 0.287 strokes. Approaches and Par-5 play are vital at Augusta National. Hovland is capable of bouncing back. He ranks 14th in putts per round. If he starts off driving well, Hovland becomes a DFS factor especially early.
--Chris Wassel - RotoBallerSource: PGATour.com
April 6, 2026
Brooks Koepka has one stark fear: when his putter stops working. The American golfer has seen this happen before at Augusta. Four of the previous five appearances have seen the nine-time PGA winner stumble to a start of 73 or worse. The one time he putted well to start resulted in a scintillating 65-67 start as Koepka tied for the runner-up spot in 2023. When the hiccups of his putter resurfaced in Houston, the warning flag immediately popped up. He has lost 1.5 strokes or worse in three of his last six events. Accuracy with the driver is vital too, as Koepka was plus-5% during his 2023 run at the Masters (in negative territory four times in five too). This makes Koepka a volatile DFS option and worse someone to fade when betting.
--Chris Wassel - RotoBallerSource: PGATour.com
April 6, 2026
Cameron Young took some time off after winning THE PLAYERS Championship. The American golfer finished inside the Top 10 in three straight events. When it comes to the Masters Tournament, Young has been all or nothing in his past four appearances. Young missed the cut in 2022 and 2025 but had consecutive Top 10 finishes in 2023 and 2024. One of the notable keys is approach shots and Young has gained a whopping 4.28 strokes in his last three events. He drives the ball well at 308 yards and accurately at 62.5%. That is good for fourth overall on tour. With dry and warm conditions expected, Young has the chance to be a solid DFS and betting option this weekend.
--Chris Wassel - RotoBallerSource: PGATour.com
April 1, 2026
J.J. Spaun's struggles have continued to start the year, recording four missed cuts and just one finish inside the top 40 through seven events. He looks to find some sort of turnaround at the Valero Texas Open, where he won in 2022 and has one other top-25 finish in seven appearances. It's no surprise that Spaun has struggled with the putter, ranking 159th on tour and losing -0.875 strokes per round. Outside of that, he has been solid, ranking 38th on approach (+0.355), 37th in total driving, and 51st tee to green (+0.424). He also ranks in the 87th percentile in proximity from 150-200 yards, a distance that accounted for 36.5% of approach shots here last year. His only top-25 finish this season came during his only positive week on the greens, and his results in San Antonio follow a similar pattern. If Spaun can produce even a neutral week with the putter, he could find himself in contention at a familiar course once again.
--Dakota Legg - RotoBallerSource: PGA Tour
April 1, 2026
Through five events to start the season, Thorbjorn Olesen recorded four missed cuts and a T40 finish, which came at the Cognizant Classic. He showed signs of a turnaround last week at the Texas Children's Houston Open, finishing T14 while gaining over 5.8 strokes on approach. He'll look to carry that into the Valero Texas Open, where he has finished T14 and T5 over the last two years. His success here has been driven by strong approach play, gaining over 8.1 strokes on the field across those two starts. However, the flat stick remains a major concern. He ranks 142nd in putting this season (-0.538 strokes per round) and has lost strokes on the greens in both appearances in San Antonio. Olesen also ranks 17th on approach (+0.608), 24th tee to green (+0.786), and 17th in proximity from 200+ yards, a range that made up over 26% of approach shots here last year. The ball striking will need to carry him, but he is trending upwards ahead of a course he has found success at.
--Dakota Legg - RotoBallerSource: PGA Tour
April 1, 2026
After recording no result better than T40 through his first seven events, Denny McCarthy has started to turn things around, posting finishes of T26 and T12 in his last two starts. He looks to keep that momentum going at the Valero Texas Open, where he has recorded finishes of T18, second, and T18 in his last three appearances. Success at TPC San Antonio typically hinges on ball striking, along with accuracy off the tee and short game play. McCarthy ranks 74th in strokes gained on approach (+0.110 per round), 78th in driving accuracy, 59th in putting (+0.172), and 81st around the green (+0.007). Over his last three starts here, he has gained a massive 32.75 strokes on the field, including over 18.2 strokes putting. This is clearly a course where McCarthy is comfortable, and at $8,200 on DraftKings, he offers strong upside at this price point.
--Dakota Legg - RotoBallerSource: PGA Tour
April 1, 2026
After missing the cut in four of his first five events to start the season, Chris Kirk has started to show some improvement, recording finishes of T47, T27, and T51 in his last three starts. He looks to continue that trend at the Valero Texas Open, where he has historically played well, with five finishes of T13 or better in 10 appearances. Success at TPC San Antonio typically hinges on ball striking, along with accuracy off the tee and short game play. Kirk ranks 105th in total strokes gained (-0.313 per round), 55th on approach (+0.226), and 125th in putting (-0.366). He also sits 51st in total driving and 76th in proximity from 200+ yards, a range that made up 26.8% of approach shots here last year. At $7,200 on DraftKings, Kirk offers strong course upside at his price point.
--Dakota Legg - RotoBallerSource: PGA Tour
April 1, 2026
Billy Horschel struggled with the flat stick at the Texas Children's Houston Open, losing over 3.9 strokes putting and ultimately missing the cut. It marked his third missed cut of the year, to go along with just two finishes of T27 or better through his first nine events. He'll look to get back on track at the Valero Texas Open, where he has been a quintessential boom-or-bust option, recording four finishes of T11 or better along with four missed cuts in ten appearances. His best results here have coincided with strong putting, an area where he has been average this season, ranking 87th on tour. He also ranks 88th on approach (+0.005 per round), 154th in total driving, and 76th around the green (+0.025). Horschel has been all over the map to start the year and profiles as a clear boom-or-bust option once again in San Antonio.
--Dakota Legg - RotoBallerSource: PGA Tour
April 1, 2026
Joe Highsmith has struggled for much of the season, missing four cuts and finishing no higher than T42. He'll look to find something at the Valero Texas Open, where he finished T51 in his only start here in 2025. Highsmith has struggled across the board, ranking 145th in total strokes gained (-1.202 per round), 128th in putting (-0.426), and 138th off the tee (-0.412). The only category where he has been positive is on approach, where he ranks 86th at +0.029 per round. Highsmith is treading water and can safely be left out of fantasy lineups until he shows signs of a turnaround.
--Dakota Legg - RotoBallerSource: PGA Tour
April 1, 2026
Christiaan Bezuidenhout has put together an up-and-down season, with just three finishes of T30 or better and two missed cuts in his first eight events. He looks to find something at the Valero Texas Open, where he has posted a T28 and T25 in his two prior trips. Bezuidenhout has struggled off the tee this year, ranking 143rd on tour and losing -0.425 strokes per round, but he's been strong with the putter, ranking 12th and gaining +0.710 strokes per round. His approach play has been below average (-0.077), and he ranks 149th in proximity from 200+ yards, which made up 26.8% of approach shots here last year. Bezuidenhout will need his short game to do some heavy lifting to get him into the weekend.
--Dakota Legg - RotoBallerSource: PGA Tour
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