7 days agoSam Burns looked solid in his first action back following the birth of his first child, gaining close to three strokes from tee-to-green and over two strokes putting en route to a T13 finish at the Wells Fargo Championship last week. Fantasy managers may no longer have to worry about him withdrawing mid-tournament to attend his baby's birth, but they have plenty of reasons to worry about his recent form and Major Championship track record. Prior to last week's T13 result, the five-time PGA Tour winner posted a T44 at the RBC Heritage and consecutive missed cuts at the Masters and the Valspar Championship. Burns has also failed to finish inside of the top-20 in his 15 career Major appearances, and he's missed the cut in three of his last four Major appearances. Statistically, he ranks outside of the top-40 golfers in the field in driving distance, driving accuracy, overall approach, around-the-green, putting on Bentgrass, and par 5 scoring. Fantasy managers may want to look elsewhere for upside in the mid-$8,000 salary range on DraftKings this week.
--Ryan HickeySource: PGA Tour
7 days agoDustin Johnson is likely to be a polarizing option for fantasy managers this week. The 24-time PGA Tour winner and two-time Major champion undoubtedly has the pedigree and skill set to contend at any event anywhere in the world, just as he's proven on the LIV Tour in
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7 days agoMin Woo Lee is likely to be a popular option for fantasy managers at the PGA Championship this week, and perhaps rightfully so. The up-and-coming 25-year-old Tour star has posted nine top-25 finishes in his seven starts in the 2024 calendar year, including back-to-back top-25 finishes at the Masters and The CJ Cup Byron Nelson. He's also impressively gained strokes off-the-tee in all nine of those starts, a metric that will be crucial to success at Valhalla. Lee profiles well for this golf course, as he ranks 39th in driving distance, eighth in approach from 175-200 yards, 16th in approach from 200+ yards, 28th in Bentgrass putting, and 12th in par 5 scoring. He's shown the ability to contend in Majors, with five finishes inside of the top-25 in just 10 Major appearances, including his personal best T5 finish at the 2023 U.S. Open. Lee offers plenty of upside for fantasy managers at a mere $7,700 DraftKings salary and should be given plenty of roster consideration this week.
--Ryan HickeySource: PGA Tour
7 days agoThe 2014 PGA Championship at Valhalla produced one of the most memorable Major finishes in recent golf history, with Rory McIlroy making a late charge in the near darkness to capture his fourth Major title. Sometimes forgotten in that story is PGA Tour veteran Rickie Fowler, who held
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1 week agoThe week that Cameron Young is coming off is proof that one disastrous week in one area can ruin any chance of having a solid showing, as his T34 at the Wells Fargo was marred solely by an abysmal performance around the greens. The former Demon Deacon lost nearly 15 strokes around the greens between his first and last rounds at Quail Hollow. That statistical pitfall would be enough to pull the plug on playing him at most major championship venues. However, Valhalla's unique layout allows Young to play to his strengths. He is ranked 14th in approaches from 200-225 and fourth from 175-200. Those distances made up 36.7% of the shots hit into greens here in 2014 and his 32nd ranking in strokes gained off the tee (0.358) will also allow him to play more aggressively at pins. Hopefully, after a couple of disappointing weeks, morale will also be lower on him, and DFS players can take full advantage of his $10,300 price tag on FanDuel.
--Todd McGill - RotoBallerSource: Data Golf
1 week agoThings have certainly settled down for Bryson Dechambeau after hanging around all four days at Augusta National. With only two LIV events since, resulting in mediocre finishes in both, the former SMU golfer rolls into Louisville looking to iron things out before teeing it up on Thursday. Valhalla's layout could maximize his driving efficiency with many down-sloped landing areas of the tee and a few corners to cut for longer hitters. It's also encouraging to see him ranked 9th on the LIV Golf League in Scrambling (67.33%). However, his wedge game on more full shots raises the biggest red flags, and his lack of converting opportunities down the stretch is a concern. But where he is located on the board at $10,500 on FanDuel presents a real ownership advantage over other guys around him.
--Todd McGill - RotoBallerSource: LIV Golf
1 week agoAfter a two-shot victory in Singapore over the other biggest names the breakaway league possesses, it has the entire golfing world -- especially the bettors and DFS players -- ready to put Brooks Koepka at the top of the board near Scottie Scheffler's and Roy McIlroy's odds. The 34-year-old has undoubtedly been the most dominant Major Championship competitor this generation, with five total to his name. However, the strategy for playing him in lineups will be the hope of him outperforming the other two names mentioned above, as they will most likely be the most popular plays. With a T15 here in 2014 and a golf game that has been on a consistent rise since his flat performance at Augusta (he has gained over 19 strokes total on the field over his last two starts), Koepka is as appealing a play as ever on the DFS front. But the presumption that he will outshine the other two hottest players in the game is a tall order that even he will have trouble achieving.
--Todd McGill - RotoBallerSource: Data Golf
2 weeks agoHideki Matsuyama announced his withdrawal from the Wells Fargo Championship just before his first-round tee time due to a back injury. This was set to be Matsuyama's first appearance since the Masters Tournament last month. He had been performing well and was in excellent form leading up to the Wells Fargo Championship this week, with three top-15 finishes, two top-10 finishes, and one win in his previous five appearances.
--Ian Christenson - RotoBallerSource: PGA Tour
2 weeks agoPatrick Cantlay won't be on any course-horse lists as he heads to Charlotte this week. The PGA Tour star and current No. 8 golfer in the official rankings has had a rough go of things in his last two starts at Quail Hollow. He finished with a middling
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2 weeks agoHideki Matsuyama was a popular selection in his last Tour start at the Masters, but he disappointed fantasy managers with a T38 finish. There should be no hesitation to go right back to the well with the 32-year-old Japanese star this week. Matsuyama's recent form is one of
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2 weeks agoRussell Henley will likely be a popular option for fantasy managers this week based on recent form, but it may be wise to proceed with caution at this year's Wells Fargo Championship. The 35-year-old tour veteran has three top-10 finishes in just 10 events in the 2024 calendar year, and generally projects as a safe, high-upside golfer with win equity. However, Henley doesn't appear to be a great course fit at Quail Hollow, which may explain his two missed cuts and a T72 in his last three starts here. His accuracy of the tee strength will be nullified for the most part, and over the last 24 rounds he ranks 62nd in driving distance, outside of the top-55 in approach play from 175+ yards, 54th in Poa putting, and 55th in strokes gained on long courses. All of these stats are traditionally a recipe for disaster at Quail Hollow, and fantasy managers choosing to roster Henley this week may be doing so at their own peril.
--Ryan HickeySource: PGA Tour
2 weeks agoWill Zalatoris disappointed the golf world as a local favorite last week when he withdrew from the CJ Cup Byron Nelson, citing the need for rest and recovery after a flare-up in his surgically repaired lower back. While that may give fantasy managers some pause when deciding to
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2 weeks agoFantasy managers will have no problem checking the recent form box for Christiaan Bezuidenhout this week. The 29-year-old South African has finished inside of the top-30 in eight of his 11 PGA Tour starts in the 2024 calendar year, and he posted a T3 in his most recent start two weeks ago at the DP World Tour's ISPS Handa Championship. And while he may not fit the bomber narrative this week, he has fared well on long and difficult courses recently and he matches up well statistically with Quail Hollow. Over the last 24 rounds, he ranks as the sixth best adjusted course fit, 26th in weighted strokes gained on approach, 15th on approach from 200+ yards, 25th in weighted around-the-green play, sixth in Poa putting, and third in bogey avoidance. At a mere $7,600 salary on DraftKings, Bezuidenhout projects as a safe option with top-20 upside at the Wells Fargo Championship.
--Ryan HickeySource: PGA Tour
2 weeks agoFantasy managers will face a tough decision on rostering Denny McCarthy at the Wells Fargo Championship. Quail Hollow notoriously demands excellence off-the-tee and places a premium on driving distance, both categories which are major weaknesses in the 31-year-old pro's game. However, McCarthy notably ranks 20th in the field in strokes gained on long courses, and he surprised many with his T8 finish here last year. With a low greens-in-regulation percentage expected this week, McCarthy should be able to lean on his elite short game to generate scoring opportunities and avoid big numbers, but his upside in a field of this caliber remains a question mark. Fantasy managers choosing to invest in McCarthy and his $7,300 price tag may want to consider taking the route of limited exposure this week.
--Ryan HickeySource: PGA Tour
2 weeks agoJ.T. Poston will surely be on the radar of many fantasy managers this week. The eighth-year pro and current OWGR No. 40 followed up his impressive T30 finish at the Masters with a T5 at the RBC Heritage, marking his seventh top-10 finish in the 2023-2024 PGA Tour season. Statistically, Poston does not appear to be a great course fit at Quail Hollow, as he rates outside of the top-50 in weighted strokes gained off-the-tee, driving distance, weighted approach play, and strokes gained on long and difficult courses over the last 24 rounds. He also missed the cut in two of his last three starts here, while adding a T26 result in the 2021 rendition. Poston's tidy short game should be a huge benefit this week with a low greens-in-regulation percentage expected, and the recent upside is certainly worthy of roster consideration this week at a flat $7,000 DraftKings salary.
--Ryan HickeySource: PGA Tour
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