X
Lost password?

Don't have an account?
Gain Access Now

X

Receive free daily analysis

NFL
NBA
NHL
NASCAR
CFB
MLB
MMA
PGA
ESPORTS
BETTING

Already have an account? Log In

X

Forgot Password


POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Import Your Leagues
Weekly Rankings
Compare Any Players
Projections
Articles & Tools
Weekly Planner
24x7 News and Alerts

Round 3 PGA DFS Showdown Slate Picks - 2023 Arnold Palmer Invitational

Jon Rahm sits at the top of the leaderboard once...... >record scratch< .... he actually played really badly today for the first time in what feels like eternity and those of us who played Rory instead of Rahm (30% of us - woof) finally reaped the rewards...kinda. There really is just no winning with Rahm it seems. Corey Conners shot 66 (-6) and lead the field in fantasy points, taking advantage of the rather benign conditions this morning. He has great course history here which makes a lot of sense in hindsight, but his putter gaining more than 2 strokes in a round, does not make sense.

This article is going to take a look at showdown slates after each completed round. You can find me on Twitter an unhealthy amount of the time @TheModelManiac, if you have any questions, compliments, or insults for me. My DFS style is very ownership-centric, and more often than not, this can make you feel like an unsuccessful DFS player, but every now and then when a sneaky, low-owned golfer comes through for you, it is all worth it. In this article, we are going to break down the previous round's top performers and duds and use that information to derive a player pool full of upside and leverage.

The general logic to showdown has been to target golfers who played well the day before and particularly those who hit their irons well. This makes sense as you want to roster players who are playing good golf right now. These players will be higher-owned and chalkier than golfers in the same price range who had an off day, particularly with their irons. These are the golfers I am gravitating towards, as they could very easily bounce the following day at half the ownership.

Featured Promo: Get any Props Premium Pass for 50% off using code SMASH. Win more with our two new Props Optimizer tools -- one for PrizePicks Props, and one for Sportsbook Betting Props. Find optimal prop bets and get our recommended picks daily! Go Premium, Win More!

 

Ownership Analysis

Top Points Scorers

Highest-Owned Golfers

Notice the amount of green AM tee times. This will be even more pronounced in tomorrow's slate, with winds looking to be brutal as the day progresses.

Going into Round 3, these are the color codes we will be using to identify who we want to target. Think of it as a traffic light with four colors. Stop at mega chalk and go when we see leverage that makes sense.

By taking a look at yesterday's ownership, we can get an idea of where people will be willing to go in Round 3 (DK points include finishing position).

  • Mega chalk: A popular player who played well yesterday.
  • Chalk: a) A popular player who played okay yesterday, b) A less popular player who played well yesterday.
  • Pivots: a) A popular player who played poorly yesterday, b) A less popular player who played okay yesterday.
  • Leverage: A less popular player who played poorly yesterday.

 

Did you know RotoBaller has a Premium DFS PGA subscription?

Like what you read today? You can show your support for Byron by using the discount code MANIAC when purchasing a PGA Premium Pass. You get 10% off and full access to all of our Premium PGA articles, DFS tools, and Lineup Optimizer! You also get access to weekly betting picks from Spencer Aguiar, one of the top betting minds in the industry. Spencer absolutely crushed it in 2022!

 

Round 3 Strategy

Trying to predict the weather is starting to seem rather impossible. The afternoon played about half a shot more difficult despite experiencing "significantly more wind" than the AM wave. Something else to mention is the rules committee and course superintendents seem to have drenched the course in anticipation of the winds we expected today. They may lay off the water going forward which will make the afternoon much drier and crusty, resulting in scoring being a little more difficult for the afternoon wave.

 

Round 3 Power Rankings

Below are the power rankings of the golfers who we have our eye on for Round 3. The full-field model is available to premium subscribers HERE. It includes pre-event rankings, round-specific scoring averages, birdie percentages, weighted approach ratings, and ownership projections for tomorrow's showdown slate.

***Full disclosure: The ownership numbers are based on the $10K Drive The Green $5 Single Entry contest, which is important to note as ownership in showdown can vary from contest to contest depending on field size and entry fee. However, it should provide you with a guide to who will be the most owned and how those around them shake out.

 

$10,000+

Jon Rahm had a bit of a meltdown today on his second nine, but we can expect the Spaniard to return to the form he has displayed so consistently throughout the season. His R3 scoring is not the best but that is usually because he is around the top of the leaderboard. Sitting a few shots back is EXACTLY where he feels most comfortable and hopefully the majority of ownership falls on Rory who had a great R2 and is the cheapest of the "Big 3".

Scottie Scheffler made a massive move up the leaderboard last year on Saturday and that is validated by the incredible round 3 scoring average which is the 2nd best on the slate. He has yet to really unleash his true potential this event. Expect him to do so tomorrow.

 

$9,000+

Tony Finau and Will Zalatoris both sit a little further down the leaderboard, particularly Will, but both have sensational R3 scoring averages very close to Scottie's, which we are hoping to capitalize on tomorrow. Patrick Cantlay is going to be rather chalky, but his consistency and ability to dominate Par 5s are what will have us eating his chalk. All three of these golfers provide the upside that can be found in the $10k range, at a price and ownership discount (excluding Cantlay's ownership).

 

$8,000+

We will be looking to take advantage of Sungjae Im tomorrow, alongside Keagan Bradley and Jason Day, who will come in much less owned than the Korean. Bradley barely made the cut after shooting 77 (+5). He will be someone we lean on most as he will provide a lot of leverage sitting in T53 right now. Jason Day is playing much better golf lately and now that he has made the cut maybe he can play a little more freely and start rolling in the putts we have seen him make over the last few weeks.

 

$7,000+

Shane Lowry is the first Irishman we look to roster heavily as he has a fantastic around-the-green game and is comfortable in the wind. He shot -2 today and will look to carry that momentum into the weekend. Tommy Fleetwood shot level par today, but hopefully, he can bounce back tomorrow after making a triple-bogey in R2. One hole has him in T41 vs T13 had he made par there.  Seamus Power and Si Woo Kim both sit far down the leaderboard and will get softer, less windy conditions early in the morning. Power limped into the clubhouse but has shown he can get hot at any given moment. Will Gordon sits in a similar situation in T53 and is also an explosive golfer who has flashed round-of-the-day potential in less stacked fields before.

 

$6,000+

The entire $6k range in the screenshot above will be going off in the morning after some mediocre golf so far. One of these golfers will score close to 40 points, giving our lineups a boost and freeing up salary to load up a few more reliable, higher-upside studs at the top of the slate. Aaron Baddeley intrigues me as his short game is really impressive and a few long puts or chip-ins can grab him a bunch of points. Emilliano Grillo has been hot and cold in both rounds he has played so far. If he can give us a complete round, we will be looking good in this range.

Good luck this week, and as always, may the odds be ever in your favor!!!

  Win More With RotoBaller

Win more with expert tools and advice from proven winners! RotoBaller's PGA Premium Packages feature several savvy analysts and proven winners for DFS and betting.

Our very own Joe Nicely took down a big DraftKings DFS tournament for the Travelers Championship. And as an encore, RotoBaller subscriber @tenndolly2 won $100K on FanDuel with the help of Joe and the rest of our Premium PGA team:

Between all the incredible Premium PGA DFS and Betting content and tools we put out each week, and our Premium Slack Community where we chat with our subscribers before lineups lock, RotoBaller PGA subscribers are armed with the tools, analysis, and advice to win more.

Golf DFS News and Player Outlooks


More PGA Analysis and DFS Lineup Picks

POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Import Your Leagues
Weekly Rankings
Compare Any Players
Projections
Articles & Tools
Weekly Planner
24x7 News and Alerts

REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

Travis Hunter

ACL is Intact
Cleveland Cavaliers

Chris Livingston Reaches Two-Way Deal With Cleveland
Brandon Miller

Fourth-Year Option Picked Up on Friday
Mitchell Robinson

Returning To Starting Lineup On Friday
Alvin Kamara

Questionable for Week 9
Kevon Looney

Downgraded to Unavailable on Friday
George Springer

Back in Leadoff Spot for Game 6 of World Series
Anthony Davis

Not Expected To Play Saturday
Michael Penix Jr.

Not Listed on Injury Report For Week 9
Drake London

Practices in Full on Friday, Will Play in Week 9
Puka Nacua

Officially Cleared to Return in Week 9
D'Andre Swift

Ruled Out for Week 9 Due to Groin Injury
Rico Dowdle

Will "Start and Get the Bulk of the Carries" in Week 9
Isiah Pacheco

Ruled Out for Sunday
Luka Dončić

Luka Doncic Upgraded to Probable Ahead of Friday's Matchup
Trey Hendrickson

Doubtful vs Bears
Marcus Smart

Participates in Shootaround, Likely to Play
Calvin Ridley

Officially Ruled Out for Week 9
Rhamondre Stevenson

Officially Ruled Out for Week 9
Luka Dončić

Luka Doncic Participates in Shootaround, Remains Questionable
Joe Flacco

Questionable to Play Against Bears
GG Jackson II

Added to Injury Report with Illness
Travis Hunter

to Miss the Rest of the Season?
Bryce Young

Good to Go for Week 9
Jayden Daniels

Will Start on Sunday Night Against Seattle
David Onama

Set For UFC Vegas 110 Main Event
Steve Garcia

Returns At UFC Vegas 110
Waldo Cortes-Acosta

Set For Co-Main Event
Ante Delija

In Search For His Second UFC Win
Miami Dolphins

Chris Grier Out as Dolphins GM, Mike McDaniel Safe for Now
Themba Gorimbo

A Favorite At UFC Vegas 110
Brian Thomas Jr.

Standing Out at Practice
Jeremiah Wells

Looks To Return To The Win Column
Yadier del Valle

Looks To Remain Undefeated
CFB

Arizona State Quarterback Sam Leavitt Out for the Season
Travis Hunter

Will Be Placed on Injured Reserve After Suffering Knee Injury
Isaac Dulgarian

Looks To Win Back-To-Back Fights
Daniel Frunza

Looks For His First UFC Win
Charles Radtke

Looks To Bounce Back
Allan Nascimento

Set To Open Up UFC Vegas 110 Main Card
Cody Durden

In Dire Need Of Victory
Darius Garland

Out Again on Friday
Kris Murray

Considered Questionable on Friday
Puka Nacua

Says He'll Return in Week 9
Robert Williams III

Could Make Season Debut on Friday
Jared McCain

Will Not Make His Debut on Friday
Paul George

Remains Sidelined on Friday
Jason Dickinson

Aggravates Shoulder Injury Thursday
Gustav Nyquist

Sustains Injury in Thusday's Win
Sean Couturier

Injured Versus Predators
Elias Lindholm

Hurt Against Sabres
Seth Jarvis

Makes Early Exit Thursday
Brock Boeser

Exits Win Early
Jordan Harris

to Miss Two Months After Ankle Surgery
Derrick Henry

Rushes for 119 Yards in Thursday Night's Victory
Mark Andrews

Converts Both Receptions into Touchdowns Thursday
Kevon Looney

Doubtful for Friday
Marcus Smart

Could Miss Another Game Friday
Shaedon Sharpe

Considered Probable for Friday
Guerschon Yabusele

Likely to Return Friday
Miles McBride

Returning to Knicks Lineup Friday
Dillon Brooks

Remains Unavailable Friday
Jalen Green

Still Out Friday
Ilya Mikheyev

a Game-Time Call Thursday
Samuel Ersson

Lands on Injured Reserve
Alexander Romanov

Returns to Action Thursday
Roope Hintz

Still Out Thursday
George Springer

"Strong Possibility" That George Springer Returns in Game 6 of World Series
Matt Duchene

Remains Sidelined Thursday
Martin Necas

Inks Eight-Year Extension With Avalanche
Mathew Barzal

Scratched on Thursday for Disciplinary Reasons
Bryce Miller

Not Expected to Need Elbow Surgery
Washington Nationals

Nationals Finalizing a Deal to Hire Blake Butera as Next Manager
CFB

Arch Manning Listed as Questionable for Vanderbilt Matchup
CFB

Arion Carter Listed as Questionable Ahead of Oklahoma Matchup
Zach Werenski

Enjoys Second Consecutive Multi-Point Night
Charlie Coyle

Sets Up Four Goals Wednesday
John Tavares

Joins 500-Goal Club
Zach Hyman

Will Not Return This Week
Robert Thomas

Doubtful for Thursday
Brad Marchand

on Track to Return Saturday
Minnesota Twins

Twins Name Derek Shelton as Their New Manager
Samuel Ersson

Questionable for Thursday
CFB

Jordyn Tyson Questionable for Iowa State Matchup with Hamstring Injury
George Springer

Not in the Lineup for Game 4 of World Series
George Springer

Pulled Early in Game 3 With Side Injury
Baltimore Orioles

Orioles Finalizing Deal to Hire Craig Albernaz as the Next Manager
William Byron

Dominates at Martinsville and Advances to the Championship Round
Kyle Larson

Advances to the Championship Round After Top-Five Finish
Ryan Blaney

Falls Short of the Victory and Title Contention at Martinsville
Chase Elliott

Eliminated From 2025 Title Contention Despite Strong Martinsville Run
CFB

Behren Morton Will Start Against Kansas State
CFB

Lane Kiffin Says Money Won't Impact his Decision-Making
CFB

Arch Manning in Concussion Protocol, Misses Practice Monday
Christopher Bell

Eliminated From Championship 4 After a Too Conservative Season
Joey Logano

Lack of Championship-Caliber Speed Leads to Elimination
Chase Briscoe

Finishes Last at Martinsville
Denny Hamlin

Don't Think Denny Hamlin's Engine Failure Affects his Championship Prospects
Ciryl Gane

Fight With Tom Aspinall Ends In No-Contest
Ciryl Gane

Tom Aspinall Vs. Ciryl Gane Ends in No-Contest
Virna Jandiroba

Suffers Unanimous-Decision Loss
Mackenzie Dern

Wins Vacant Strawweight Title
Mario Bautista

Gets Outclassed
Umar Nurmagomedov

Gets Back In The Win Column
Jailton Almeida

Drops Decision
Alexander Volkov

Wins Split Decision At UFC 321
Azamat Murzakanov

Remains Undefeated
Chris Buescher

Is Chris Buescher A Playable DFS option for Martinsville?
Ryan Preece

is an Intriguing DFS Option For Martinsville
Daniel Suarez

May be Worth Rostering in DFS for Martinsville
Austin Dillon

Is Austin Dillon Worth Rostering in DFS for Martinsville This week?
Christopher Bell

Kyle Larson Should Advance to Championship 4
Joey Logano

Don't Expect Joey Logano to Significantly Contend for Championship 4
William Byron

A DFS Must-Start Due to Lap-Leader Points
Ross Chastain

Hail Melon Nostalgia Masks Ross Chastain's Martinsville Mediocrity
Josh Berry

a Top Contender for DFS Place-Differential Points
Brad Keselowski

an Intriguing Martinsville Option
Shane Van Gisbergen

Now Competent on Ovals, but Don't Start Him Here
Kyle Busch

Qualifies Well but Probably Won't Have Staying Power
Carson Hocevar

Lack of Finesse Makes Him a Risky Martinsville Pick

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP