RADIO
Joe Nicely digs into DraftKings PGA DFS ownership projections for the Waste Management Phoenix Open, providing under-the-radar PGA DFS lineup picks and sleepers.
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Hi RotoBallers and welcome to Power Pivots! In this article we'll discuss some players that are currently projected to be popular (Chalk) options in this week's DraftKings PGA tournaments and highlight some pivot options that will come with less ownership.
All DraftKings PGA DFS ownership projections for this week are courtesy of our partners over at Fantasy National and are always subject to change as the week progresses. OK, let's tee it up!
Waste Management Notes
The most fan-friendly tournament on the PGA Tour schedule, the Waste Management Phoenix Open is always a fun event! This year's field is especially stout and includes some players with truly sterling course history. These golfers will soak up tons of ownership, which will lead to some great pivot option in this field full of quality players.
You can also find out who the smart money is on by checking out Spencer Aguiar's PGA DFS: Vegas Report every week.
The Chalk: Hideki Matusyama / The Pivot: Rickie Fowler
$10,100 - Projected Ownership: 18.3% / $10,500 - Projected Ownership: 11%
Hideki Matsuyama has an illustrious track record in this event. The only problem is that EVERYBODY KNOWS THAT, which is sending DFS players flocking to the Japanese star in droves. Rickie Fowler's history at the WMPO isn't as talked about, but comes close to rivaling Matsuyama's. There are a couple of reasons that Rickie might go overlooked this week...people don't like to play the defending champion of an event and he missed the cut at the Farmers last week. I'm willing to use both of these to gain leverage in GPPs, as I give almost no credence to the "don't play a defending champ" narrative, and Fowler has shown time and again that playing well at Torrey isn't necessary for him to play well at TPC Scottsdale, as he won last year's WMPO on the heels of a T66 at the Farmers.
The Chalk: Bubba Watson / The Pivot: Brandt Snedeker
$9,000 - Projected Ownership: 12.8% / $8,900 - Projected Ownership: 8.2%
It feels like Bubba is gaining steam as a trendy pick this week. There's a lot to like...he finally flashed some form with a T6 at the Farmers and he has a strong track record at the WMPO. However, we all know that Watson is a volatile player, which makes him a great fade candidate in large-field GPPs. Sneds is sitting at a similar price point and is also coming off a strong outing at Torrey Pines. The Vandy product has gained strokes both T2G and on Approach in his last two starts, a very good sign as he heads to a TPC Scottdale track on which he's logged a top-10 and a top-25 since 2015.
The Chalk: Viktor Hovland / The Pivot: Ryan Palmer
$8,400 - Projected Ownership: 14.5% / $8,200 - Projected Ownership: 6.9%
This one pains me to write, because I'm about the biggest Viktor Hovland homer that there is, BUT the young phenom is getting a lot of love this week, despite some recent spotty international play. Hovland managed a top-25 in Dubai last week, but had missed the cut in both Abu Dhabi and Mayakoba previously. He also has no experience in the WMPO. While I'm not shocked that Hovland is expected to be popular, I am pretty surprised that it looks as though Ryan Palmer may go overlooked. The Texan has been on a tear in 2020 with a top-five finish at the Sony and a strong outing last week at the Farmers. Palmer faded on Sunday last week, due in large part to his putting. He lost 3.4 strokes with the flatstick, but I expect those numbers to improve as he transitions from Poa to Bermuda - his best putting surface. Palmer has struggled in his last few WMPO starts, though he scored a runner-up finish in this event back in 2015 and has the ability to play well on this layout.
