PGA DFS Picks: The Memorial Tournament

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In this edition of PGA DFS picks, we’re looking for a big payday at the Memorial Tournament and helping you find some winning teams!

NOTE: The PGA DFS prices are pretty soft in the secondary tier, so it should be easy to build teams that look good and have monster upside. Focus on single entry GPPs and low-price MMEs.

PGA DFS Course Notes:

• Smaller,much stronger tournament field of 133 golfers (including 48 of the world’s top50 players), but more than normal (usually 120) at the Memorial
• Secondof two consecutive events being played at Muirfield Village, along with last week’sWorkday Charity Open
• Firsttime since 1957 the same course will host consecutive tournament events
• 36-hole Cut: Top 65 and ties play theweekend (about 49%)
• Thecourse: Muirfield Village
• 7,456 yards, Par 72 – Jack Nicklaus design
• Bentgrass Greens
• Rough will be a little longer than last weekand greens will be faster than last week’s event
• Wider fairways should still help somelonger hitters
• Firestone CC and TPC Sawgrass have winnercorrelation
• BrysonDeChambeau (2018 Memorial winner) back in the field after skipping last week,and Tiger Woods is playing for the first time since February
• Defending champ: Patrick Cantlay (2019 Memorial:-19)
• Focus Stat Categories: Strokes Gained: Approach;SG: Ball Striking, Par 4s Gained (450-500), GIR, Bogey Avoidance, Birdie orBetter %, Sand Saves, Proximity (175-200), Scrambling

The Picks:

Elite PGA DFS (DK $9,500 and up):

Bryson DeChambeau (DK $11,100) – If the roughgives him fits, he could struggle, but it’s hard to argue with the success he’shad harnessing his newfound distance. He won here in 2018 and could do itagain.

Dustin Johnson (DK $10,300) – DJ has six top 20s at the Memorial with aT8 last year, and he’s only three weeks removed from an impressive victory atthe Travelers. I’ll be using him as a low-owned GPP plug-n-play.

Collin Morikawa (DK $10,000) – Morikawa spent most of Sunday at Muirfield knocking down flagsticks and ended up walking away a victor in a playoff against Justin Thomas. There’s no way we can fade him here.

Patrick Cantlay (DK 9,800) – If we used plenty of Cantlay last week, there’s no reason we shouldn’t go right back to the well after his T7. He’s well-equipped to finish in the Top 5 this week and should be a leaderboard presence come Sunday.

Victor Hovland (DK $9,500) – A few late mistakes cost Hovland a chance at victory, but he was right in the mix all week long and remains one of the better T2G players in the tournament, leading the field in SG: Off the Tee.

Also consider: Justin Thomas, RoryMcIlroy (GPP), Webb Simpson (Cash)

Mid-Range PGA DFS (DK $7,600 to $9,400):

Jon Rahm (DK $9,300) – Rahm is anabsolute steal at $9,300 given his upside, though form and course fit areconcerns. He works in all formats this week and provides one of the bettervalues in the $9K range.

XanderSchauffele (DK $9,200) – Schauffele and Rahm both provide some salary relief from the toptier while maintaining the same upside, so I’ll have some shares. Xander wasquiet lats week but finished with a respectable T14.

Tiger Woods (DK $9,000) – I probably won’t deploy Tiger in cash games, since there are plenty of safer options at this price point, but I can’t count him out in his search for his record 83rd win, especially without the normal distractions of a gallery.

Rickie Fowler (DK $8,800) – We got a good look at what Rickie can do when his game comes together in the third round at the Workday (66), and he’s trending up. It’s hard to go all-in but mixing in some GPP shares makes sense.

AbrahamAncer (DK $8,500) – Ancer’s form is excellent (T14-2-T11 coming outof the break) and he actually tops the tour in SG: APP. Add in the soaringfigures at the key efficiency proximity range (150-175 yards) and we’ve got alive one.

MatthewFitzpatrick (DK $8,100) – Fitz shook off his MC at the Travelers and made the cut at the Workday,and the week-to-week changes to the course (faster greens, longer rough) shouldhelp his strengths and set him apart as an even more favorable option.

Jason Day (DK $8,000) – Day had his best tournament since February’s fourth-place finish in Pebble Beach, and the price hasn’t yet come up. A classic risk-reward GPP play with Top 5 (and winning) upside.

Matt Kuchar (DK $8,000) – His form is somewhat questionable following a pair of ho-hum finishes (T41-T39) since the uncharacteristic missed cut at the Charles Schwab, but Kuchar is affordable and has had success at Muirfield with a pair of T4s in 2016 and 2017.

Paul Casey (DK $7,900) – Casey is an enormous risk despite still not missing a cut in 2020, but I love him as a low-owned GPP salary saver given his rankings in the WinDaily model.

Also consider: Hideki Matsuyama, DanielBerger, Tony Finau, Joaquin Niemann, Sergio Garcia, Gary Woodland, KevinStreelman, Doc Redman, Ian Poulter

Value PGA DFS (DK $6,600 to 7,500):

Rory Sabbatini (DK $7,500) – Sabbs comes at a huge discount in this loaded field, and while he’s yet to break through here, he’s not a terrible cash game play.

CameronChamp (DK $7,400) – Champ is at the other end of the spectrum, as he has winning GPPupside but shouldn’t be deployed in cash games.

ShaneLowry (DK $7,200) – He’s 2-for-2 at the Memorial and his game fits this venue. I lovethe price and will be using plenty of Lowry this week.

Lucas Glover (DK $7,100) – There’s really a ton of value out there in the $7K range, which makes building teams a lot of fun this week. Glover checks all the boxes this week and comes in sporting excellent form, with four straight Top 25s since the restart.

Matt Wallace (DK $7,000) – Wallace is my sleeper play this week and should maintain low ownership. You won’t have to go overboard to stay ahead of the field, and he’s in good position to make the cut.

Max Homa (DK $6,800) – Homa missed the cut again last week, but he’s at least apologetic. I’ll be using him again in the hops that he can make some putts, as he finished T37 in his Memorial debut in 2019.

Zach Johnson (DK $6,700) – ZJ is just way too cheap given his cut-making upside, though he’s more of a cash game play. I don’t expect him to win, but a Top 25 could be in the cards.

Bud Cauley (DK $6,600) – Cauley has been all over the place here (T9-113-T25-T38 in his last four) and has missed three straight cuts since the Charles Schwab, but I’m using him in a handful of large-field GPPs.

More value golfers forGPPs: Billy Horschel, Adam Hadwin, Corey Conners, Nick Taylor, Maverick McNealy,Sepp Straka, Graeme McDowell, Troy Merritt, Bernd Wiesberger

Longshot Punts PGA DFS (DK $6,500 and under):

Jason Dufner (DK $6,500) – He finished T7 last year and won the Memorial in 2017 – selling points for this enigmatic golfer among the bottom tiers.

Henrik Norlander (DK $6,300) – The stronger field is a tougher test, but Norlander’s recent form justifies using him in stud-scrub builds.

Tyler Duncan (DK $6,300) – I’m not the only one who likes him this week, but Duncan is one of a few solid golfers under $6,500 who could surprise.

Additional punts: Branden Grace, Harry Higgs, Tom Hoge, Andrew Putnam

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