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GOLF · April 7, 2026

PGA Dew Sweeper: The Masters ’26

THE MASTERS

Welcome to the first Major!  Welcome to one of the best tournaments to watch on TV!  Welcome to one of the best fields of the year!    

This is a week where your lineups will look stacked simply because of the quality of the field.  

Augusta National is a course unlike most.  Experience is more important in this Major than others and that is 90-99% because it’s the only one played on the same course every year.  It’s also been a common thing that guys don’t necessarily have to be playing well coming into Augusta – that is as long as they have a good track record AT AUGUSTA!  

With the greens, outside of experience, an excellent short game is a high requirement – if not mandatory.  Fairways aren’t the key factor.  Ball-striking and approach game are.  Now, don’t get me wrong.  If you spray it into the trees and pine straw on a regular basis, you won’t have much fun.  Outside of that, you better be able to put well or, if you normally suck at putting, you better be putting well currently.  

Cue the Music!

Highlights:  Augusta National

  • Par 72 – 7,545 yards
  • Wide fairways and fast greens with a lot of undulation

NOTE:  CUT – TOP 50 AND TIES!!!

NOTE:  Pricing, if noted,  is based on DraftKings

 

$9,000 and Above

  • Scottie “Lock and Load in 2025” Scheffler ($14,000)
    • #1 Player in the World
    • Priced – OUT OF THIS WORLD
    • You hate to fade him, but…he’s taken a few weeks off, he’s not started well in rounds 1 and 2 in 2026 and starting with him leaves you $7,200 per remaining player.
    • YOU CAN DO IT THIS WEEK WITH MAJOR PRICING, but you have to hope he’s Top 5 (at the worst) and the other guys (1) Make the Cut and (2) play well!
    • I may have a low-dollar contest with him in it (or Showdown), but I’m not starting a $200 contest lineup with him.
  • Ludvig Aberg ($9,800) – $4,200 less and he’s been playing…and PLAYING WELL!  Top 10 both times he’s played here.  Top 10 in his last three events.  Scottie won here in his 3RD ATTEMPT!!
  • Tommy Fleetwood ($9,300) – eight straight cuts made at Augusta.  Again, playing well coming in (FOUR Top 10s in last FIVE events).  
  • Collin Morikawa ($10,500) – Top 10 here the 3 of the last 4 years!  Never missed a cut!  Back may be an issue but let’s hope not.  Took the last four weeks off so I’m hoping that did it.
  • Rory McIlroy ($11,600) – you have to consider him but I think I’m leaning more towards Bryson ($10,200) and Rahm ($10,000) if I go above Aberg to start.

It’s hard to exclude any of the guys at $9,000 and above, but you can’t play them all!  If you are a multiple lineups person, it may not be a bad idea to start one lineup with each of them.  I think weeks like this are tougher because the variance is higher due to the pressure at Majors and, the field is so strong it’s hard to “exclude” anyone.  It’s tough to play two of these guys in one lineup but not impossible.   Don’t be afraid to go with your gut!

UPDATE:  I’m feeling a gut call –  I may avoid McIlroy & Morikawa because of the back issues.  This all depends on your risk tolerance.

 

$8,000 to $8,900 

  • Robert MacIntyre ($8,600) – I almost got it right last week!  I just like the way he is playing now.  Missed the cut here last year, but his game is in better shape right now.
  • Brooks Koepka ($8,500) – It’s a Major!  Nothing else needs said… except he’s now back on Tour!
  • Viktor Hovland ($8,800) – Good price for a quality player that will contend!
  • Hideki Matsuyama ($8,900) – past Champion that hasn’t missed a cut in the last 10 years at Augusta.
  • Jordan Spieth ($8,400) – four or five years ago, he’s a “set it and forget it” bet for The Masters.  However, I no longer get that warm and fuzzy feeling playing Jordan – even in Majors.  Still, Augusta is one of his favorite places!
  • Tyrrell Hatton ($8,100) – Bulldog!  Won’t give up even if Augusta kicks him in his nether regions!
  • Chris Gotterup ($8,000 – First appearance.  Probably won’t win (he won’t) but few have been playing as well as him this year. 

 

$7,000 to $7,900

Here is where you make your money!  A lot of these guys are high-quality players that are mid-range priced simply because of the quality of the field.

  • Patrick Cantlay ($7,900) – Great price for him!
  • Corey Conners ($7,700) – FOUR Top 10s, one missed cut since 2019!
  • Akshay Bhatia ($7,800)
  • Harris English ($7,300)
  • Jacob Bridgeman ($7,400) – First timer!  Again, won’t win but all I need with him (and Gotterup) is a made cut!
  • Maverick McNealy ($7,200) – LOOOOVE this price!
  • Gary Woodland ($7,300) – I just like his story and hope his win carries into a good performance here. 

Under $7,000

  • Rasmus Hojgaard ($6,900) – throw in Nicolai ($7,500) if you want to play twins!
  • Casey Jarvis ($6,600) – don’t know much about him and he will be a newbie at Augusta but his last four events on the DP World Tour have been:  T13-T2-Win-Win!
  • Brian Harman ($6,500) – missed three straight cuts at Augusta until a T36 last year.  However, I don’t understand it except his learning curve may be longer.  He has the style of game and demeanor to play Augusta. Too cheap not to play somewhere!
  • Sam Stevens ($6,400)
  • Nick Taylor ($6,500)
  • Sami Valimaki ($6,500)

 

FAVORITES TO WIN:

  • Ludvig Aberg
  • Patrick Cantlay
  • Robert MacIntyre

 

LONGSHOTS:

  • Min Woo Lee 
  • Casey Jarvis

 

Ask questions on Discord if you have them.  Make sure to tag me so I don’t miss it! 

GOOD LUCK!!

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