RADIO
Patrick Cantlay Continues Playing Well Heading to Truist Championship
Patrick Cantlay finished tied for eighth at the RBC Heritage last month and will now turn his focus to preparing for this week's Truist Championship at Quail Hollow Club in Charlotte, North Carolina. Cantlay has five top-25 finishes and two missed cuts in nine starts this season. He finished tied for fourth at last year's Truist Championship, but it was held at the Philadelphia Cricket Club. Over the past 12 months, Cantlay ranks in the 74th percentile in proximity to the hole on approach shots from over 200 yards in the fairway.
Source: Data Golf
Source: Data Golf
Ludvig Aberg Returns to Action For Truist Championship
Ludvig Aberg finished tied for fourth at the RBC Heritage last month and will now prepare for this week's Truist Championship held at Quail Hollow Club in Charlotte, North Carolina. Aberg started the season slowly, compared to the high standards he's set over the past few years, but has secured six straight top-25 finishes and four top-five finishes in his last five starts. He's also missed one cut and has one withdrawal this season. Over the past 12 months, Aberg ranks in the 89th percentile in proximity to the hole on approach shots from over 200 yards in the fairway.
Source: Data Golf
Source: Data Golf
Justin Thomas Searching for Consistency at Quail Hollow
Since returning from injury, Justin Thomas has been all over the map, with one top-10, one missed cut, and four other finishes ranging from T23 to T77. He'll look to find some consistency at the Truist Championship, being held at Quail Hollow. His history at this course is solid, including a win at the 2017 PGA Championship and four other top-25 finishes. Success here typically comes down to driving distance, approach play, and short game. Thomas ranks just 92nd off the tee (-0.036 per round), 103rd on approach (-0.142), and 152nd in putting (-0.605), though he has been solid around the green (22nd) and is 49th in driving distance. Despite the poor profile, this sets up as a potential get-right spot for Thomas. At $7,600 on DraftKings, his history and name will likely make him a popular option in this range, but he comes with plenty of volatility.
Source: PGA Tour
Source: PGA Tour
Jordan Spieth Looks to Break Through at Quail Hollow
Jordan Spieth has put together a solid season, but still hasn't been able to crack the top 10, with six top-25 finishes and a best result of T11. He'll look to change that at the Truist Championship, being held at Quail Hollow. His history at this course isn't great, with two missed cuts and a best result of T28 at the 2017 PGA Championship. Success at this course typically comes down to driving distance, approach play, and short game. Spieth ranks just 95th off the tee (-0.049 per round), but sits 45th on approach (+0.226), 29th in putting (+0.415), and 40th in driving distance. At $8,000 on DraftKings, his profile offers a solid return on investment, but he'll need to keep it in play off the tee if he wants to contend this week.
Source: PGA Tour
Source: PGA Tour
Adam Scott Brings Strong Form to Quail Hollow
Adam Scott carded a bogey-free 64 in his final round at the Cadillac Championship, jumping up to a T4 finish at Doral. He now looks to carry that into the Truist Championship, being held at Quail Hollow. Scott has recorded seven top-25 finishes in 13 starts at this venue. Success here typically hinges on driving distance, approach play, and short game, areas where Scott has been great. He ranks first on approach (+1.009 per round), 16th in driving distance, and 50th off the tee (+0.230). The only real concern is the putter, where he has lost more than 1.9 strokes in four straight events. Even with that, Scott is in great form and still profiles as an elite option at $8,900 on DraftKings.
Source: PGA Tour
Source: PGA Tour
Robert MacIntyre a Steady Option at Truist Championship
Robert MacIntyre did not have his best stuff at the Cadillac Championship, losing more than 5.9 strokes on approach and finishing T42. This was his sixth event in his last eight where he has lost strokes on approach, and he now ranks 136th on Tour in that category (-0.410 per round). There's a clear pattern with MacIntyre, as his three top-five finishes this season have all come when he's gained strokes across the board, something he'll try to replicate at Quail Hollow. This course rewards strong driving and short-game play, areas where he excels, ranking eighth off the tee (+0.613), 103rd in driving distance, and fourth in putting (+0.832). At $9,300 on DraftKings, iron issues could limit his upside, but his elite off-the-tee play and putting provide a safe floor for fantasy managers.
Source: PGA Tour
Source: PGA Tour
Jason Day Looks to Overcome Approach Struggles at Quail Hollow
Jason Day had a solid overall week at the Cadillac Championship but ultimately finished T38 after losing over 5.3 strokes on approach. This has become a trend, as he now ranks 140th on Tour in strokes gained on approach (-0.436 per round). He has been excellent in the short game, ranking 10th around the green (+0.416) and 17th in putting (+0.503). At Quail Hollow, driving is a major factor, and Day also ranks just 80th off the tee (+0.040) and 97th in driving distance. He does have strong history here, with four top-10s, including a win in 2018. At $7,900 on DraftKings, he brings upside, but will need a quick turnaround with the irons to contend.
Source: PGA Tour
Source: PGA Tour
Akshay Bhatia Looks for Complete Game at Truist Championship
Akshay Bhatia finished T23 at the Cadillac Championship, gaining over 9.3 strokes around the green and putting, but losing more than 7.9 combined off the tee and on approach. He'll need his full game to show up at the Truist Championship at Quail Hollow. His course history here isn't strong, with a best finish of 42nd in four appearances. He has been great overall this season, ranking ninth in total strokes gained (+1.360 per round), third in putting (+0.848), and 15th on approach (+0.528). The concern at a course like this is off the tee, where he ranks 124th (-0.220) and 101st in driving distance. Bhatia has been in solid form, but he'll need to find something off the tee if he wants to contend this week.
Source: PGA Tour
Source: PGA Tour
Justin Rose to Continue Mid-Season Club Change at Truist Championship
Almost like deja vu, Justin Rose returned to competition last week sporting an unfamiliar name to the golfing scene, especially the hard goods portion of it. And, just like the last time he switched to a niche company outside the mainstream, it didn't look good. It was arguably more from his chipping and putting, but posting an even 0.00 strokes gained on approach is a steep fall from what we've seen from him most of the year. His long history at Quail Hollow holds a few good memories and finishes, but what sticks out more in the metrics is the putting woes he's experienced here. The 45-year-old has only gained strokes on the greens four times in 11 events played. The uncertainty with the new additions in the bag and his clear struggle on these putting surfaces make him a hard sell this week. There aren't many places Rosey can't get things done, but this track feels as close to that possibility as any other venue on tour.
Source: Data Golf
Source: Data Golf
Si Woo Kim is Back to Peak Form Ahead of Truist Championship
The muscle behind Si Woo Kim's golf game flourished this past week in Miami, as he led the field in strokes gained around the green (1.19) and ranked fifth in strokes gained on approach (1.40). It's certainly quite the recipe to be a top-five long iron player at a course that forces many players to hit a ton of them, but also be able to get up and down from anywhere if needed, much like what is on deck this week at Quail Hollow. Over 40% of approaches in last year's PGA Championship--where Kim finished T8--came from over 200 yards. There doesn't seem to be anything that could stand in his way this week, outside of the always turbulent putter. Nonetheless, he's one of the more intriguing DFS plays of the week, but beware of outrageous ownership.
Source: Data Golf
Source: Data Golf
Sam Burns to Bounce Back at Truist Championship
It was a quiet week on the greens for Sam Burns at Doral, as gaining at least four strokes putting seems to be the only way he can find himself on the first page of leaderboards, despite having decent ball-striking metrics. He'll have a chance to rectify his flat stick woes this week in Charlotte, where he has finished inside the top-20 in his last two events played at Quail Hollow. The former LSU Tiger has all the length needed, but the real concern lies with his long iron play, as he is middle of the pack in terms of strokes gained per shot from 200 yards or more (-0.002). However, that hasn't prevented him from scoring at other venues similar in approach lengths. Burns has shown comfort on these greens in the past, so look for last week's struggle to be a blip on the radar.
Source: Data Golf
Source: Data Golf
Cameron Young Looks to Carry Dominance to Quail Hollow
After going wire-to-wire last week at Doral, all eyes are on Cameron Young as we approach the year's second major. First up, however, is this week's Truist Championship at Quail Hollow. It's one of the more coveted layouts on the PGA Tour, but not one that has particularly jived with the reigning Players Champion thus far. In three events, including a major, the 28-year-old's best finish is a T34. However, it's easy to see that the current state of his game isn't even in the same galaxy as prior seasons. He's the fifth-ranked player on tour in strokes gained from tee to green (1.366) this season, which is attributed more to the superb ball striking than anything he does around the green. He obviously isn't very gassed from his time at Doral, so there's no reason to think he won't be ready to jump back in the mix again this week.
Source: PGA Tour
Source: PGA Tour
Rory McIlroy Returns to Familiar Stomping Grounds This Week at Quail Hollow
We haven't seen Rory McIlroy since becoming the fourth man in history to defend at Augusta National last month, and rightfully so. When you are on the mountain peaks as high as him, some accomplishments are worth the R&R. He gets back to action this week in Charlotte at an event he's won four times. The long and demanding nature off the tee at Quail Hollow allows the Northern Irishman to play from the best positions on every hole he drives it well on. In 14 career events held here--including two majors--McIlroy has averaged 1.40 strokes gained off the tee. Approach numbers are equally impressive, which makes it clear to see why he's the undoubted course horse every year. He'll be the highest-owned player of the week, and the degree of hangover and amount of rust lingering from not hitting a meaningful shot in a month is the only thing that will determine whether being a part of it was smart or not.
Source: Data Golf
Source: Data Golf
Chris Gotterup Looking to Bounce Back at Quail Hollow
It was a poor week at the Cadillac Championship last week for Chris Gotterup. The iron play fell off a cliff, losing an average of -1.22 strokes on approach over the four days. He has a quick chance to get things straight before the PGA Championship next week, as Quail Hollow should be another venue made for the long-hitting 26-year-old. The rest of his game is still performing at a high level, as he still found a way to finish with a positive total strokes gained on the week. It's unlikely we will see a repeat performance of that magnitude come Thursday, and with any luck, it will somewhat reduce the ownership interest. Any Gotterup believers should stay on the train.
Source: Data Golf
Source: Data Golf
Tommy Fleetwood Looking For Better Iron Play at Quail Hollow
Things have been off for Tommy Fleetwood over his last two outings, where he has lost strokes on approach in back-to-back events for the first time in two years. Ball striking is the bread and butter of the 35-year-old's game, and while his play off the tee is as steadfast as usual, he'll need the other half to pull its weight if he hopes to be in the mix at Quail Hollow. His strong bogey avoidance and ability to score helped him finish top-25 last week in Miami, but a middling par-4 scoring average, less-than-ideal length, and approach play struggles make him a less desirable DFS option. There is a lot more risk here than usual.
Source: Data Golf
Source: Data Golf
