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Rico Hoey Looking to Put Together Another Strong Week at Austin Championship
Rico Hoey has put together an up-and-down season, recording 22 made cuts in 28 events, including seven finishes inside the top 25. He played well last week at the World Wide Technology Championship, posting rounds of 67-69-67-70, but a quadruple bogey on the 13th hole Sunday ruined his chances at a second top-10 finish of the year. He currently ranks 16th in strokes gained off the tee (+0.487 strokes per round), 87th on approach (+0.093), and 49th tee to green (+0.437). His short game has been a weak point, ranking 135th around the greens (-0.142) and 138th in putting (-0.281). Omni Barton Creek's Fazio Canyons Course measures over 7,400 yards and features wide fairways, so Hoey's 49th-ranked driving distance and impressive sixth-place ranking in proximity from over 200 yards (44'10") could give him an advantage. At $8,100 on DraftKings, he offers strong value for fantasy lineups.
Source: PGA Tour
Source: PGA Tour
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Pierceson Coody Looking to Carry Momentum Into Austin Championship
Pierceson Coody put together an all-around solid tournament at the World Wide Technology Championship, posting rounds of 68-70-68-69 en route to a T33 finish. He has made 20 of 30 cuts this year, including 12 top-25 finishes, and looks to keep it going at the Austin Championship. Coody ranks 88th in total strokes gained (+0.198 strokes per round), 28th off the tee (+0.131), 97th on approach (+0.028), and 78th in putting (+0.066). He has been one of the longest hitters on Tour, ranking 14th in driving distance, which should benefit him on the 7,400-yard layout at Omni Barton Creek's Fazio Canyons Course, which features wide fairways. Coody has been solid lately and offers plenty of upside at $9,000 on DraftKings.
Source: PGA Tour
Source: PGA Tour
Christiaan Bezuidenhout Looking to Rebound at Austin Championship
Christiaan Bezuidenhout was unable to make the cut at the World Wide Technology Championship, but had recorded back-to-back top 20 finishes prior to that result. He now looks to get back on track at the Austin Championship at Omni Barton Creek's Fazio Canyons Course. Bezuidenhout has climbed the statistical leaderboards, ranking 24th in total strokes gained (+0.736 per round), 25th on approach (+0.427), 25th around the greens (+0.254), and 23rd in putting (+0.375). He does lose -0.320 strokes per round off the tee, though much of that can be attributed to being one of the shorter hitters on Tour, as he still ranks 36th in driving accuracy. Fazio Canyons measures over 7,400 yards, so he will need to deliver with his long irons, where he ranks just 160th in proximity from over 200 yards. Bezuidenhout has been playing well lately and profiles as a fairly safe option at just $7,900 on DraftKings.
Source: PGA Tour
Source: PGA Tour
Emiliano Grillo Needs A Strong Performance at Austin Championship
Emiliano Grillo finished tied for 21st at last week's World Wide Technology Championship and will now focus on preparing for this week's Austin Championship at the Fazio Canyons Course in Austin, Texas. Grillo currently sits 114th in the FedEx Cup Standings and has two weeks to move into the top 100 to secure his card for the 2027 season. He has five top-25 finishes and nine missed cuts in 25 starts this season. Over the past 12 months, Grillo ranks in the 79th percentile for proximity to the hole on approach shots from 150-200 yards on the fairway. This is worth noting because this range is where most approach shots are projected to be played.
Source: Data Golf
Source: Data Golf
Andrew Novak Secures First Win of 2026 Season
Andrew Novak walked away as the winner at the VidantaWorld Mexico Open two weeks ago and will now prepare for this week's Austin Championship at the Fazio Canyons Course in Austin, Texas. The win in Mexico propelled Novak to 54th in the FedEx Cup Standings and secured his tour card for the 2027 season. So far this season, he has one win, seven top-25 finishes, and nine missed cuts in 27 starts. Over the past 12 months, Novak ranks in the 93rd percentile for proximity to the hole on approach shots from 150-200 yards on the fairway. This is worth noting because this range is projected to be where most approach shots are played.
Source: Data Golf
Source: Data Golf
Michael Kim Continues to Play Well Through Fall Swing
Michael Kim finished third at last week's World Wide Technology Championship and has now rattled off four straight top-25 finishes. He'll now turn his focus to preparing for this week's Austin Championship, held at the Fazio Canyons Course in Austin, Texas. He has 10 top-25 finishes and six missed cuts in 25 starts this season. He currently sits 55th in the FedEx Cup Standings, so he'll maintain his tour card heading into the 2027 season. Over the past 12 months, he ranks in the 60th percentile for proximity to the hole on approach shots from 150-200 yards on the fairway. This is important because this range is where most approach shots are projected to be played from.
Source: Data Golf
Source: Data Golf
Billy Horschel Sits Just Inside Top 100 in FedEx Cup Standings
Billy Horschel missed the cut at last week's World Wide Technology Championship and will now focus on preparing for this week's Austin Championship at the Fazio Canyons Course in Austin, Texas. Horschel will need to bounce back in a big way to stay inside the top 100 and retain his tour card for 2027. So far this season, he has seven top-25 finishes and 10 missed cuts in 25 starts. Over the past 12 months, Horschel ranks in the 67th percentile for proximity to the hole on approach shots from 150-200 yards on the fairway. This is important because this range is projected to be where most approach shots will be played.
Source: Data Golf
Source: Data Golf
Harry Hall Rattles Off Third Straight Top-25 Finish
Harry Hall finished tied for 12th at last week's World Wide Technology Championship and will now focus on preparing for this week's Austin Championship at the Fazio Canyons Course in Austin, Texas. So far this season, Hall has eight top-25 finishes and nine missed cuts in 25 starts. He has had a solid fall season since failing to qualify for the BMW Championship, rattling off four top-25 finishes in six starts. Over the past 12 months, Hall ranks in the 57th percentile in proximity to the hole on approach shots from 150-200 yards on the fairway. This is worth noting because this range is projected to be where most approach shots will be played.
Source: Data Golf
Source: Data Golf
Luke Clanton Having Solid Fall Season Heading to Austin Championship
Luke Clanton finished tied for 33rd at last week's World Wide Technology Championship and will now focus on preparing for this week's Austin Championship at Fazio Canyons Course in Austin, Texas. Clanton has four top-25 finishes and 11 missed cuts in 25 starts this season. His best finish was tied for fifth at the Puerto Rico Open in March. Over the past 12 months, Clanton ranks in the 86th percentile for proximity to the hole on approach shots from 150-200 yards on the fairway. This is worth noting because this range is projected to account for the majority of approach shots.
Source: Data Golf
Source: Data Golf
Jackson Koivun Looks to Get Back Into Contention Mix in Austin
It's been a month and a half since we saw Jackson Koivun near the top of a leaderboard, as the rising star continues to sharpen his game ahead of the 2027 season. He is perhaps the leading name amongst a group of young talent coming from the college ranks (or high school) to cut their teeth in professional golf. The former Auburn Tiger was the first in this group to win, which came at the 3M Open. And though another victory in 2027 is unlikely, what happens over the next couple of weeks could do a lot for him come spring. The talent level should attract some interest, especially in a field this weak. The ball-striking prowess and maturity are already there, making him a threat at every stop.
Source: Data Golf
Source: Data Golf
Joe Highsmith Continues to Backslide into Irrelevancy
A disappointing 2026 regular season for Joe Highsmith has continued this fall, as he has missed the cut in his last three starts. The pressure is mounting for the 26-year-old, with the PGA Tour set to change drastically in 2028. He'll have another season to figure things out, but at 165th in FedEx Cup points, there is a lot to fix. He ranks 153rd in strokes gained from tee to green (-0.636) and has arguably been the worst statistical putter on the planet since July. Highsmith certainly doesn't possess any DFS appeal, but he was a young player on the radar coming into the season. It will be interesting to see if he can right the ship a year from now.
Source: PGA Tour
Source: PGA Tour
Blades Brown Keeping The Ball Rolling This Week in Austin
It was simply a matter of time before Blades Brown held on to win a PGA Tour event, and really, doing so in his second start since earning tour credentials through the Korn Ferry Tour is unsurprising. He's played a jam-packed 31 events in 2026, including 13 PGA Tour starts, and has only finished outside the top 25 nine times. Data from his limited starts on the main circuit show the 19-year-old is an impressive ball striker, as his 0.405 strokes gained off the tee and 0.534 on approach averages would rank inside the top 25 for the season. The Canyons Course is long at over 7,400 yards, so ball striking could be the leading factor in scoring. However, it was the putter that inevitably pushed him over the finish line on Sunday. If the flat stick stays hot while his iron play returns, there isn't a reason we couldn't see him back in contention this week.
Source: Data Golf
Source: Data Golf
Matt McCarty Comes to Austin After a Month Off
Matt McCarty last played golf early in October at the Baycurrent Classic. The American golfer bounced back with a final round 65 after a third round 75. Overall, both Fall events just did not see McCarty impress much (T-53 in Utah and T-50 in Japan. McCarty briefly touched +10000 at DraftKings but has come back to +9600. One of the big worries with the golfer is bogey avoidance (16.61% - 139th). Basically, McCarty ends up bogeying or worse once every six holes. Also, his scoring average in Rounds 1 and 2 is 70.69 which ranks 144th. He is another golfer who probably gets faded here in a more stacked field than usual for the Fall.
Source: PGATour.com
Source: PGATour.com
Chris Kirk Riding a Fall Wave of Momentum Heading to Texas
Chris Kirk has not won an event this Fall but he has contended several times. The American golfer has three Top 12 results in four events. Kirk's best result was a T-6 in Bermuda but one has to wonder what might have been. Asheville and Bermuda were his best efforts where every round wound up in the 60's. Kirk has been on the plus side in every event when it comes to around the green and approach. Last week, those approach shots set up quite a few extra opportunities at the World Wide Technology Championship. Kirk is a risky wager for bettors but bettors have him pegged sixth at +3000 via DraftKings to win. Kirk is a reasonable +255 for a Top 10 result and that may be something to ponder.
Source: PGATour.com
Source: PGATour.com
Mackenzie Hughes an All-or-Nothing Possibility at Austin Championship
Mackenzie Hughes wants to bounce back from the World Wide Technology Championship. The Canadian golfer almost won in Mexico (T-4) It has been an up-and-down Fall for Hughes who has three Top 25 results during the Fall season. This is a long course at 7.451 yards. Around the greens has been not great for Hughes and off the tee has been not great in terms of driving accuracy (59.67% - 120th). The hilly course could be a challenge for Hughes. The putter fell flat at El Cardonal and that concern is quite valid for Austin. It may be a plan to fade Hughes from a DFS and betting perspective.
Source: PGATour.com
Source: PGATour.com
Tom Hoge Heads to Austin Championship After Another Missed Cut
Tom Hoge has had a nightmare of a Fall season. The American golfer has missed three cuts in six events. Hoge even shot an 81 in the opening round of the Baycurrent Classic. Last week, it was a second-round 76 where errant shots and worse started to happen. The final five holes saw Hoge lose five strokes to par. Bogeys on two Par 5's had to raise alarm bells heading into Austin. Overall, Hoge lost 2.05 strokes to putting last week. Only the 2.29 lost at the Valero in April was worse. It may truly be for the best to stay away from the American this week at a new event such as Austin.
Source: PGATour.com
Source: PGATour.com
Eric Cole Must Watch Out for That One Bad Round in Austin
Eric Cole has had a recurring theme in his three Fall events. The American golfer has had that one bad round that derails any hope. Asheville was a final-round 73. Utah featured a third round of 73, and Bermuda had that windswept 74. He has the ability to start off really well. Cole has fired a 67 or better in six of his previous seven opening rounds. If Cole finds any driving accuracy with rhythm, then look out. He loses half a stroke off the tee alone (157th). For early DFS options, Cole could be utilized, and maybe betting-wise as well early on.
Source: PGATour.com
Source: PGATour.com
Daniel Berger Returns After Long Layoff in Austin
Daniel Berger has not played competitive golf in almost four months. The American golfer struggled before the layoff including missing cuts in four of the last five tournaments played. Berger's big red flag was the putter. He ranks 121st in strokes gained to putting at -0.187. It gets worse when one dives deeper. Berger ranks 144th in putts per round with 29.45. Worse, his one-putt percentage is 163rd at a mere 36.39%. Second rounds are probably the ugliest where Berger averages 30.22 putts per round. With the uncertainty here, it may be wiser to fade Berger from a DFS or betting standpoint.
Source: PGATour.com
Source: PGATour.com
Matthieu Pavon Searching for a Much-Needed Breakthrough in Mexico
Matthieu Pavon has struggled for much of the season, making just 11 of 23 cuts with only four top-25 finishes. His recent results follow the same pattern, as he made just one cut in three fall events, finishing T53. He now heads to the VidantaWorld Mexico Open, where he is making his tournament debut. Vidanta Vallarta is a wide-open course with little penalty for missing fairways, so players who hit the ball long off the tee and are strong with their long irons should find success. Pavon ranks 80th in driving distance but 143rd in proximity from over 200 yards, a range that accounted for more than 43% of approach shots here last year. His overall profile is not encouraging either, as he ranks 130th in total strokes gained (-0.402 strokes per round) and 152nd on approach (-0.498), while losing a combined -0.041 strokes per round around the greens and putting. There is little to be excited about in Pavon's game right now, and he is best left out of lineups until he shows signs of a turnaround.
Source: PGA Tour
Source: PGA Tour
Andrew Novak Looking to Make Another Run in Mexico
Andrew Novak came out firing at the Butterfield Bermuda Championship, posting an opening-round 64 before cooling off and ultimately finishing T44. He now turns to the VidantaWorld Mexico Open, where he has recorded finishes of T15, T49, and T8 in three appearances. Success at Vidanta Vallarta typically hinges on distance off the tee and long-iron approach play. Novak ranks 99th in driving distance and 96th in proximity from over 200 yards, a range that accounted for more than 43% of approach shots here last year. He does have a strong overall profile, ranking 62nd on approach (+0.218 strokes per round), 32nd around the greens (+0.225), and 43rd in strokes gained tee to green (+0.497). If he can get his putter to cooperate (158th, -0.492 strokes per round), Novak has a chance to put together another strong tournament in Mexico.
Source: Data Golf
Source: Data Golf
Billy Horschel Hoping to Carry Momentum Into Mexico
Billy Horschel has put together a solid run lately, posting finishes of T13 and T21 in his last two starts, and looks to keep it going at the VidantaWorld Mexico Open. This run can be attributed to Horschel's approach game clicking, as he has gained strokes in nine of his last 12 events while ranking 52nd on the season (+0.278 strokes per round). Vidanta Vallarta typically rewards players who are long off the tee, and Horschel ranks just 119th in driving distance. He also sits in just the 54th percentile in proximity from over 200 yards, a range that accounted for more than 43% of approach shots here last year. Despite the questionable course fit, Horschel has momentum on his side and could be an intriguing dark horse option to contend this week.
Source: Data Golf
Source: Data Golf
