6 days agoKevin Yu is set to debut at The Players Championship this week as he gears up to tee it up at TPC Sawgrass. Yu's recent performance at the Cognizant Classic was impressive, where he finished tied for ninth. Yu has had an exceptional start with three top-ten and one top-five finish this season. However, the TPC Sawgrass test might prove to be challenging for Yu, with his proximity to the hole on approach shots from 100-150 yards ranking in the 19th percentile over the past 12 months. This is significant since more than 30% of approach shots at last year's tournament came from this distance. While Yu has shown his ability to compete with the best, adding him to DFS lineups this week might be risky.Source: Data Golf
6 days agoFrom a statistical standpoint, Nick Taylor has played more consistently than his turbulent finishes have reflected. In his last five starts, he's finished T12, T39, first, T71 and with a missed cut. The Canadian is butchering courses with his irons and putter, as he is ranked 19th in strokes gained putting (0.639) and 20th in strokes gained on approach (0.560). His Achilles heel has been off the tee, but what else would we expect from a guy with an average drive under 290 yards? Luckily, the Stadium Course is far from the longest track on tour at 7,276 yards, and most of a player's success off the tee comes from well-placed shots rather than a bomb and gouge. As long as we get the same player we've seen all season, Taylor is a strong play at $8,300 on FanDuel.Source: PGA Tour
6 days agoBilly Horschel finished tied for ninth at the Cognizant Classic two weeks ago but did not participate in last week's Arnold Palmer Invitational. This week, he's all set to tee it up at TPC Sawgrass for The Players Championship. However, his performance at this tournament has been mixed in the past. In 2023, he missed the cut, and in 2022, he withdrew from the tournament. Considering his performance over the past 12 months, Horschel ranks in the 45th percentile in proximity to the hole on approach shots from 100-150 yards in the fairway. Over 30% of approach shots were taken from this distance at last year's tournament, which may make it quite challenging for him. Though his recent form has been solid, including Horschel in DFS lineups this week comes with some risk.Source: Data Golf
6 days agoAndrew Putnam performed well in the Arnold Palmer Invitational last week, finishing tied for eighth place. He is now preparing for The Players Championship at TPC Sawgrass, where he has not had much success in the past. Putnam failed to make the cut in 2019, 2021, 2022, and 2023. Despite having the necessary skills to compete at TPC Sawgrass, he has not yet found the right approach to tackle the challenging course. It's worth noting that over the past year, Putnam ranks in the 91st percentile in proximity to the hole on approach shots from 100-150 yards in the fairway. This is important because over 30% of approach shots came from this distance during last year's tournament. While Putnam is a viable option for DFS lineups this week, including him comes with some risk.Source: Data Golf
6 days agoAaron Rai had a good finish at the Puerto Rico Open last week, ending up at T23, and he has also had two top-20 finishes in his previous two appearances. Now, he is heading to TPC Sawgrass for The Players Championship. Rai has shown that he has the skills to compete with the best, and last year, he finished T19 at this tournament. It is worth noting that over the previous 12 months, he ranks in the 94th percentile in proximity to the hole on approach shots from 100-150 yards in the fairway. Given that over 30% of approach shots were taken from this distance at last year's tournament, Rai could be a valuable addition to DFS lineups this week.Source: Data Golf
6 days agoIf making cuts was the name of the game, Denny McCarthy would be a bonified stud. He has only missed four cuts in his last 24 starts going back to this event last season, however, his game since the start of 2024 has been pretty mediocre with a best finish of T22. Strong play with the putter has been the backbone of his rounds, (currently ranked 34th in strokes gained putting: 0.463) which is the major factor in his success at TPC Sawgrass (T13--T60--T55--T41). The Rockville, MD native has been a hit or miss with the other clubs in the bag as he ranks outside the top 100 in strokes gained on approach (-0.026) and outside the top 150 in strokes gained off the tee (-0.411). It will take some monumental strides for McCarthy to be the "diamond in the rough" find this week, but if playing all four rounds is all you need, it's hard to argue he isn't the guy for it.Source: PGA Tour
7 days agoIt's always difficult to know what to do with the older group of guys like Justin Rose, especially at events where the cream of the crop is supposed to flourish. Seeing him at the tail end of leaderboards as we have most of this season lends itself to the belief that Rose is on the downward slope, but at the same time, no one would be surprised to see him in contention. For DFS players, that conundrum leaves us in a weird spot. The 43-year-old is playing putrid golf tee to green, and after -2.16 strokes gained on the greens at Bay Hill, no evidence points to him having a solid week at TPC Sawgrass. With a price tag of $9,400 on FanDuel, players should look elsewhere.Source: Data Golf
7 days agoAt a field stacked with what's left of the PGA Tour elite, getting down to Cam Davis at $8,700 on FanDuel is tricky business. That price range has a slew of guys rating out higher than the 29-year-old Australian from top to bottom, though few of them are hitting their irons as well, as he has gained an average of 2.42 strokes on approach shots in three of his last four events played. When looking at the history of winners at the Stadium Course, it's hard to overlook the Aussie success. Davis has two missed cuts and a T6 finish in 2023 on his resume, and while many view that as mostly disappointing, it's certainly conceivable that last year's finish could be a sign of big things to come this time around. Source: Data Golf
7 days agoLuke List started off well at the Arnold Palmer Invitational. An early 69 put him position for better things. Instead, the American golfer turned in a 78. After a 72 on Saturday, List bottomed out with a 79. That dropped him to 56th on the event. After missing the cut the week before, things have turned sour for List once again. He just nearly won The Genesis Invitational less than four weeks ago. However, TPC Sawgrass could be a struggle with his 54.19% driving accuracy (152nd) and putting which ranks 118th in terms of strokes gained.Source: PGATour.com
7 days agoWhile California proved to the liking of Matthieu Pavon, Florida has not treated the French golfer so well. Pavon won at The Farmers Insurance Open then came close at Pebble Beach (Tied-3rd). Since then, Pavon has been a little errant with shots and his putter. Back-to-back 70's kept him out of contention at the Cognizant Championship. Last week was even worse at Bay Hill. Pavon opened with a 74 then closed with consecutive 76's. The question becomes do we see the golfer who ranks second overall in strokes gained (1.74) or the one who could not string shots together in Florida. Source: PGATour.com
7 days agoDoug Ghim started off 2024 slowly after missing the cut in his first two tournaments. Since then, the American has finished no worse than 16th. Also, Ghim has fired a 68 or better in the final round of each tournament. That included a 66 to get inside the Top 20 at the Cognizant Championship. Ghim has enjoyed two excellent weekends in a row with the putter and approaches to the green. It is more than the 49th and 12th in strokes gained with those metrics, Ghim has been accurate with his drives (13th on tour) and in GIR (Greens In Regulation). Source: PGATour.com
7 days agoBeau Hossler probably remembers last week more for the missed opportunities in Rounds 2 and 3. However, the American golfer fired off a 65 on Sunday to get himself back inside the Top 30. Putting even three rounds together of quality has been tough for Hossler in 2024. The year is young but even at The Genesis, that final round 73 was a backbreaker. Hossler can put very well and gains more than half a stroke on average. Unfortunately, he drives the ball 292 yards off the tee and his accuracy is 56.77%. At Sawgrass, Hossler must be more accurate on his tee shots. Anything less spells doom on this championship course.Source: PGATour.com
7 days agoAlex Noren showed something last week at the Cognizant Classic. It was more than the tied for ninth as the Swedish golfer seemed to get better as the weekend rolled along. His 67 on Sunday showed that there was a little more left. He will need to be accurate this week as the 7,189 yard Par 72 is not that long. However, getting on the greens in good position is a priority. Noren ranks 16th in that metric at 72.96%. Do watch the weather this weekend at TPC Sawgrass. Breezy conditions and a chance of afternoon thunderstorms might hamper a golfer like Noren. Source: PGATour.com
7 days agoIt has been a rather swift rise through the ranks for Jake Knapp, as the PGA Tour Rookie makes his Players Championship debut. It is uncommon to view a new player as someone who could potentially thrive here seeing how tricky and unpredictable rounds can be. But the intangibles Knapp has shown through his last five starts is a recipe for success at TPC Sawgrass. The former UCLA Bruin is ranked 9th in strokes gained on approach (0.718) and 52nd in strokes gained putting (0.333) on the season. It's worth noting that he is coming off a poor week with the driver (-2.56 strokes gained off the tee) at the API, which is something that will have to be much improved if he wants any shot of making a run this week. There is a good chance Knapp will be a wanted commodity, so keep a modest expectation of ownership. But those who take the plunge on Knapp could be very happy by weeks-end.Source: PGA Tour
7 days agoOther than a second-place finish in his opening tournament at the Farmers Insurance Open, the jump to the PGA Tour hasn't been as fruitful for Nicolai Hojgaard as his time on the European circuit. He's still managed to make 3 of 4 cuts since Torrey Pines, but with a T34 as his best finish, the long-knocker from Denmark hasn't exactly lived up to the hype. He is ranked 24th in strokes gained off the tee (0.488) and has solid approach numbers in various length categories despite being ranked 83rd in strokes gained on approach (0.091). However, at an intricate venue like TPC Sawgrass, where first-time visitors don't typically fare well, the decline in play with the putter and irons makes Hojgaard a volatile pick at $8,900 on FanDuel.Source: PGA Tour