OK folks! Great Open last weekend! The Will Zalatoris withdrawal hurt me a lot but I still managed to cash in a lineup with 4 guys making the cut. Of course, they were Spieth, Morikawa, Rahm and MacIntyre. That scored 484 on FanDuel with Zalatoris only playing one round. Oh, the “what could have beens” of fantasy golf – and DFS in general.
$9,000 and Above
Tony Finau & Matthew Wolff
Finau: $10,700 | Wolff: $9,700
Tony Finau – the gentle giant of the PGA Tour. This isn’t a play based on what I usually look at – current form. Finau has missed two cuts in his last five starts and that isn’t the Tony Finau I expect. However, the T15 at the Open last week is encouraging. That, and the fact that he has placed Top 25 here in both trips to TPC Twin Cities. I’m playing him because of course history and his most recent performance across the pond.
Matthew Wolff – This is a “wildcard” play. Wolff finished T12 here last year and won the event in 2019. If I recall correctly, this event was where we were introduced to this excellent player with the awkward start to his swing. He’s been inconsistent lately in both performance and durability – he’s withdrawn recently. Part of that, I heard, was his mental state when playing. Nothing like a comfortable venue to help get you game and mind in the correct place.
I do expect both of these guys to be popular choices this week solely on course history. Pricing isn’t as soft this week either.
Additional Play(s) to Consider
- Patrick Reed ($10,300) – I think he comes out gunning this week after his sub-par performance last week….and he didn’t have to wait until Sunday evening to fly back.
- Sergio Garcia ($9,900) – 4 Top 20s in last 4 events.
- Robert MacIntyre ($9,000) – Quality player that plays mostly in Europe. In the 4 Majors this year, he has a T12 (Masters), T49 (PGA), T35 (US Open) and T8 (Open Championship). Worth a shot at $9K. And I LOVE a lefty’s swing.
- DJ and Oosthuizen are both in play as well. However, at their prices, and the mental stress of last week, their play this week could, frankly, be boom or bust.
$7,500 to $8,900
Hank Lebioda & Mito Pereira
Lebioda: $7,900 | Pereira: $7,600
In case you haven’t noticed, I’m not the guy that goes for the “obvious” play. That’s mainly because those are guys that practically everyone will know and play if they aren’t familiar with the need to differentiate in DFS or are just doing it for fun. That, and the fact that I can list them as “Additional Plays to Consider” and still look like I know what I’m talking about!
Hank Lebioda – With the above being said, the casual DFS player will go for the Rickie Fowlers, Stewart Cinks, and Charl Schwartzels of the golf world. All of them are more expensive that both of my picks. Lebioda has made the cut in both appearances at TPC Twin Cities and is playing very well. T8, T4 and T5 in his last three events. He’s made his last seven cuts. The $7,900 price tag makes this a well thought out risk.
Mito Pereira – Who? Yep, this is a golfer, not a pastry chef! He may also be a good cook. I have no idea. But I do know that he has three Top 5s in his last five events. Two of those are wins on the Korn Ferry Tour, but a win is a win and you have to be playing well to win no matter what tour you’re on. He missed the cut in his first event on the PGA Tour, but came back with a T34 and a T5 after that. Again, at $7,600 it’s worth a shot.
Additional Plays to Consider
- Patton Kizzire ($8,600)
- Stewart Cink ($8,600)
- Maverick McNealy ($8,400)
- Charl Schwartzel ($8,200)
- Brandt Snedeker ($7,800) – you never know when he will contend.
$7,400 and Under
Kyle Stanley & Pat Perez
Stanley: $7,300 | Perez: $7,100
Not a whole lot of analysis here. We are back to where picking guys in this category may/will require you to take someone that has been less than consistent in making cuts. Not Kyle Stanley. He’s made 7 in a row. Pat Perez has been less consistent, but when he’s made a cut, his last two made cuts have been Top 15s.
Additional Play(s) to Consider
- Adam Schenk ($7,400)
- Beau Hossler ($7,300) – made 4 of last 5 cuts and all have been Top 25.
- Byeong Hun An ($6,800) – inconsistent as Hell, but finished T26 at The Open.
- Vincent Whaley ($6,800) – I was on him each week in this level for a while, but he went South on me. T26 at Barbasol last week so maybe he’s cleaned it up.
FADE
This week, I’m not willing pay up for Dustin Johnson. Yes, he could collect another trophy on Sunday. But, I’m thinking this is a “wind down” tournament. If he doesn’t finish Top 5, in my opinion, the risk you have to take with the rest of your lineup to get him isn’t worth it.