2 weeks agoThe more things change, the more they stay the same. That has been the story for Viktor Hovland in 2024 after taking The Tour by storm last season. His shortcomings around the greens was a highly scrutinized part of his game at the beginning of his professional career. After a much improved 86th ranking in strokes gained around the green (0.060) in 2023, the Norwegian has fallen 100 spots in 2024 (-0.811). Luckily, Augusta National has a way of bringing players out of slumps with a good course history, and in four starts, Hovland hasn't finished worse than T32. At $10,500 on FanDuel, it's a scary pick knowing what the floor could be, but there is a potential ownership advantage here that's worth consideration.
--Todd McGill - RotoBallerSource: PGA Tour
2 weeks agoFor many of us, it will be the first time seeing Jon Rahm hit a live shot in 2024. With that anticipation in mind, however, is the realization that placing him in the fold for DFS strategies is essentially a dart throw, though one with the ability to land squarely on a bullseye. There aren't many stats to dig into as LIV does a horrendous job in that department, though Data Golf lists him as having an average total strokes gained of 2.25 through the first five LIV events of the season. Keep in mind that Augusta National is miles tougher than anything Rahm's seen this season, and regardless of the product the rival league has slowly become, it is slightly worrisome that he hasn't managed to win given his high finishes in all of them. And at $12,200 on FanDuel, it feels like a reach given how little we know.
--Todd McGill - RotoBallerSource: Data Golf
3 weeks agoAdam Schenk is pretty easy to figure out: The 32-year-old can hold his own off-the-tee, around-the-greens, and with the flat stick without issue. Every once in a while, a strong chipping game or a hot putter will throw him into the weekend mix, but where he usually lacks is his ability to hit shots close with his irons. Schenk has lost strokes on approach in seven of his last nine events, yet he's only missed two of those cuts. If the Indiana native can just gain a single stroke with his irons while having a good putting week, we could be looking at another T7 finish at the Texas Open like we saw in 2019. At just $6,900 on DraftKings, there are reasons to be optimistic about Schenk heading to San Antonio, but his current form will leave many fantasy managers on the fence.
--Tommy BellSource: PGA Tour
3 weeks agoVictor Perez has started to find some form in March, as he placed T16 at the Cognizant Classic, T3 at the Puerto Rico Open, and T17 last week at the Houston Open. A missed cut at the Valspar due to poor putting and around-the-green ability shows some volatility for the Frenchman, but Perez' iron game can hang with the best of them when he's on. The 31-year-old heads to TPC San Antonio for his debut at the Valero Texas Open, and at just $7,100 on DraftKings, there's plenty of upside to be had, especially when we just saw him gain strokes in all four categories a week ago, including 3.3 strokes on approach.
--Tommy BellSource: PGA Tour
3 weeks agoDenny McCarthy can putt. That's it. That's the Tweet. The 31-year-old continues to lack the approach consistency needed to truly compete on tour each week, but when the irons do spark up, look out! McCarthy hasn't played the last two weeks, coming off some lackluster tee-to-green showings in early March, but he heads now to a comfortable event where he's gained a combined 10.2 strokes putting in his three appearances. The Maryland native will almost never gain strokes off-the-tee, but if he can keep pace with his irons for once, and the putter gets hot, we could be looking at another top-20 showing from McCarthy in San Antonio. Even still, at $7,500 and in questionable form at the moment, most fantasy managers will look to spend that salary elsewhere, and with good reason.
--Tommy BellSource: PGA Tour
3 weeks agoLucas Glover has yet to find the red-hot approach numbers that led him to two straight victories in August of 2023, but his form has been strong all-the-while. A much-improved around-the-green ability has led to T35-or-better finishes in four of his last five events. Now the 44-year-old heads to TPC San Antonio, where he's made the cut at the Texas Open in four straight appearances, including three finishes in the top-20. Glover gained putting at the Valspar last week en route to a T11 finish, and if he carries that flat stick success to San Antonio along with solid irons and a plus around-the-green game, he should once again find himself lingering around the top of the leaderboard on Sunday at an affordable $7,300 on DraftKings.
--Tommy BellSource: PGA Tour
3 weeks agoAkshay Bhatia has placed T17 or better in all five 2024 events in which he's made the cut. The bad news? The 22-year-old has already missed four cuts this year. A very high-risk, high-reward type player, Bhatia rides an above-average iron tee-to-green game with a sporadic putter that comes and goes in an instant. The California native struggles around the green, which typically sets him back at least once a round, but the upside he possesses is undeniable. Coming off two strong putting performances at the Valspar and the Houston Open, Bhatia looks to keep his momentum going at the Texas Open where he's missed the cut in 2021 and placed T46 in 2023.
--Tommy BellSource: PGA Tour
3 weeks agoRory McIlroy has finished inside the top 25 in his past four events, but the 2024 season hasn't been very successful. As the most expensive player in the field, another top-25 isn't enough for the price tag. It's hard to believe that McIlroy's focus isn't already in Augusta and he's hoping to get his game in shape this week.
--Rob Rose - RotoBallerSource: pgatour.com
3 weeks agoA solo fifth place at this event was one of Patrick Rodgers' best finishes last season, and he undoubtedly will be looking to have that same success this week. And much like he was in 2023, the former Stanford Cardinal is rolling into town playing pretty horrendous golf. He hasn't had a positive total strokes gained metric for three straight events, so DFS managers willing to take on the riskiest of plays in this field will rely heavily on the solid finish a year ago. However, at $8,700 on FanDuel, there are higher trending guys to take the chance on.
--Todd McGill - RotoBallerSource: Data Golf
3 weeks agoThe stats say to pick Doug Ghim almost every week, though it bit you last week in Houston where he missed his first cut in the last seven starts and ended an impressive stretch of golf that included two top 20s, two top 15s, and one top 10 finish. The major regression on the greens and approach over his last two starts is worrisome. He's averaged -0.93 strokes gained putting and -0.495 strokes gained on approach over that span, and with only one made cut (T44) in three appearances at the Valero, we need to see more from Ghim before trusting him in lineups again.
--Todd McGill - RotoBallerSource: Data Golf
3 weeks agoAfter a missed cut at The Players, Brendon Todd bounced back decently at the Valspar with a finish of T33 that was much higher on the leaderboard before a final-round 76. His derailment came both on the greens (-1.83 strokes gained putting) and off the tee (-2.03 strokes gained off the tee). Todd's efficiency with the putter has been a strong attribute of his game for over a decade, so look for that to get wrangled in. But his driver woes have also been just as notorious throughout his career. For DFS players, the range of expected finishes for the former Georgia Bulldog is wide, but at $9,300 on FanDuel, instability starts to build up at this range with nearly every player around him; he just seems to have less of it.
--Todd McGill - RotoBallerSource: Data Golf
3 weeks agoComing off two missed cuts in his last two events, there is very little reason to be excited about Nicolai Hojgaard coming into this week's Valero Texas Open. Statistics have been poor with every club in the bag, except driver (32nd in strokes gained off the tee: 0.376), and that is likely not enough to be a valuable asset to most fantasy lineups. Hojgaard's T28 here in 2023 was heavily reliant on strong approach play, as he was 9th in the field in strokes gained on approach (1.30). However, that is perhaps the worst performing part of his game over the last three events, with an average of -0.446 strokes gained on approach. At $9,500 on FanDuel, there are better options around him.
--Todd McGill - RotoBallerSource: Data Golf
3 weeks agoThere was a short stretch to begin the year that was advantageous for playing Beau Hossler in DFS lineups, however, that ship has unfortunately sailed until he figures some things out inside the ropes. The only bright spot for the former Texas Longhorn has been with the putter, as he ranks 26th in strokes gained putting (0.470), but a strokes gained on approach average of -1.19 over his last three events is derailing any hopes of competing on the upper half of leaderboards, if he makes the cut at all. At $9,600 on FanDuel, the inherent risk is most likely not worth the reward.
--Todd McGill - RotoBallerSource: Data Golf
3 weeks agoBefore his missed cut at the Valspar Championship, Aaron Rai was a trending name for DFS players. He had an impressive bounce-back last week in Houston, most notably ranking 24th in strokes gained putting (0.93) and 14th in strokes gained on approach (1.00). Now, the strong performance with the irons is something we have come to expect this season, however, the high marks with the putter are not, as the Englishman is well outside the top 100 in strokes gained putting (-0.157) for the season. If he can keep the flat stick hot and flex his 13th ranking of approaches between 175-200 yards at TPC San Antonio, which has made up 18.2% of approach shots since 2015, Rai is a smart business move at $9,600 on FanDuel.
--Todd McGill - RotoBallerSource: Data Golf
3 weeks agoTom Kim has been on a rough road this season with a best finish of T17 at the WM Phoenix Open. Other than a mediocre 82nd ranking in strokes gained on approach (0.051), he is positioned outside the top 100 in every other strokes gained statistic. The South Korean is undoubtedly one of the biggest grinders on tour, as he has managed to miss just one cut, even with all of the ailments plaguing his game this season. From a fan perspective, Kim is an easy player to root for, but right now, he's too volatile to suggest playing in any fantasy format at $9,800 on FanDuel.
--Todd McGill - RotoBallerSource: PGA Tour
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