Every week of the year the PGA Tour plays on a new course. There are some examples in other DFS Sports of environments impacting performance, such as Coors Field in Baseball; Golf, however, offers an entirely unique environment each and every week. This article will break down the week’s PGA course and attempt to find what skill sets are needed for success. This article will then combine the course breakdown with the DFS Army Domination Station & VIP Research Station and give a few players to target in both Cash Game and GPP formats. For more updates throughout the week follow me on twitter @_bschnarr
Last Weeks Recap:
Webb Simpson
I liked Webb as a pivot at the top of the leaderboard to differentiate line-ups with a guy who can certainly compete. Webb finished the tournament T20 which is not quite what we wanted given his price-tag but respectable nonetheless.
Patrick Cantlay
Another week another winner! Cantlay almost let his 1st PGA Tour victory slip away with bogies on 17 & 18 but was able to recover in the playoffs. Cantlay is quickly showing why he was the #1 amateur in the year and is beginning to look like another young player about to breakthrough and become one of the worlds elite.
Smylie Kaufman
An early triple bogey was the difference between for Smylie this week as he missed the cut by 2. In a small consolation, Smylie had one of the highest point totals for those who missed the cut, so there’s that.
Chesson Hadley
Hadley finished just one stroke out of the playoffs due to a bogey on the final hole. Still, a T4 finish is excellent for the price tag Hadley had on both DraftKings & FanDuel as he finished with the 3rd most fantasy points in both formats.
Course Preview
The PGA Tour says goodbye to Las Vegas and is heading to Playa Del Carmen in Mexico. Although the Tour is leaving many of the stars of last weekend in Las Vegas a few big names have made the trip down. Rickie Fowler will be making his season debut and is headlining the field and is joined by Patrick Reed, Charley Hoffman, Gary Woodland, Pat Perez and Zach Johnson.
The event takes place at El Camaleon Golf Club, a par 71 measuring 7,031 yards. By PGA standards this is very short and the scores reflect this. Last year Pat Perez won the event at -21 and the weekend cut was -2. With a lot of scoring opportunity for players, this event tends to turn into a birdie fest as long as the weather cooperates (which it looks like it will).
The shorter track gives every player an opportunity to succeed. Off of the tee, the course attempts to make up for its lack of length with lots of marshes and other trouble if players get wayward. Avoiding the penalties and big numbers goes a long way in ending up at the top of the leaderboard come Sunday. This does not mean driving distance is irrelevant but I will be leaning accuracy over distance off of the tee. However, instead of worrying too much about driving I prefer to use Strokes Gained Tee to Green this week. Quite a few holes you’ll see players employ different strategies off of the tee trying to find a landing spot that they are comfortable with.
Over the years, the same players have popped up time and time again at the top of the leaderboard. Although these players do not always fit the same mould they have clearly figured out an effective way to play the course. As a result, course history will be weighted a bit more heavily than usual. One thing that does correlate between most of these players is they are not the greatest putters. The course is set up for resort guests and vacationers 51 weeks of the year and the greens most likely reflect this, allowing not so great putters to have their disadvantage minimized. This is leading me to weight SG: Putting less than I usually do.
Finally, Birdie or Better % is always crucial in DFS Golf but even more so when the course is set up as a birdie fest.
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Picks!
Rickie Fowler – GPP – DK: $11800 FD: $10300
It’s hard to ignore the best player in the field. Especially when he checks off all of the boxes. Although a bit too pricey for Cash Games Fowler has tremendous upside and the ability to run away from the field. According to our DFS Army Domination Station Fowler is at the top of the field in Birdie or Better % and Strokes Gained: Tee-to-Green.
Pat Perez – All formats – DK: $11300 FD: $9300
Specifically, on FanDuel, Perez’s price puts him into play. As a winner, this year and the reigning champ here at the OHL Classic Perez has shown he can go really low at these birdie fest events. Although past course history should not be entirely ignored Perez really has shown he is a new player now.
Gary Woodland – Cash Games – DK: $9400 FD: $9000
Woodland looked good last week finishing T18 and has shown solid form lately with six straight made cuts. Finishing 2nd here last season Woodland is sure to draw high ownership on both DraftKings and FanDuel given his salary.
Chesson Hadley – FanDuel Value – DK: $9900 FD: $7400
Hadley’s price on FanDuel remains ridiculously low for another week. His price is much more in line with the field on DraftKings but as I said just ridiculous on FanDuel. This will probably result in an absurd ownership level.
Other DFS Army PGA Golf Tools and Articles
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