With this tournament held in Asia, there are fewer stats than typically available in a PGA Tour event held stateside. While some old-school stats have been kept, where and what the golfers are doing on a shot-by-shot basis is an absolute mystery. Scores for the golfers that have teed off first have been terrible, especially those that tee off on the back nine. As best we can, let us get into some strategy for the final two rounds, starting with PGA DFS DraftKings Showdown picks for the ZOZO Championship Round 4.
PGA DFS Showdown Picks: ZOZO Championship Round 4
Round 3 Recap
Scores and weather patterns remained the same for Round 3, as the conditions this week are indeed challenging the golfers. Hideki Matsuyama looked as though he was going to run away with it, getting to -10 before the turn and three clear of the field. But, an even-par back nine allowed Cameron Tringale to stay within striking distance and is behind by just one. Collin Morikawa continues his strong play, playing his last 41 holes in six-under and poses an outside shot to win, sitting six back to start the final round. Sebastian Munoz, possibly the most volatile golfer on the PGA Tour, has put three solid rounds together and is in position for another Top 5 via the fall swing. Matt Wallace and Brendan Steele have also played three solid rounds and are four back along with Munoz. Lastly, Branden Grace has found a nice stride after shooting a two-over 72 in the opening round, has bounced back to shot 66, 67 and is within firing distance of Matsuyama.
Notables
Tommy Fleetwood’s two-eagle performance in Round 1 has kept him close to the top of the leaderboard all week. He couldn’t get anything going with his ball-striking yesterday and had to settle for an even-par 70 and sits five back. Xander Schauffele finally found a little spark playing his last 10 holes at three-under yesterday, but is too far back to challenge the leaders given the conditions of the course. A final-round 62 would quickly get him into the Top 10 however, which would save the week and be a pivotal piece for DFS lineups. Tom Hoge and Shugo Imahria shot the rounds of the day, 66, as the course played the toughest on average of all three days.
Round 3 Stat Recap
Driving Accuracy
Average position of 35.4
- Kyle Stanley
- Mackenzie Hughes
- Harry Higgs
- Yuki Inamori
- Ryosuke Kinoshita
Greens in Regulation
Average position of 27.4
- Hideki Matsuyama
- Cameron Tringale
- Luke List
- Ryan Palmer
- Ryutaro Nagano
- Maverick McNealy
Putts Per Green in Regulation
Average position of 8
- Tommy Fleetwood
- Matt Wallace
- Cameron Tringale
- Sebastian Munoz
- Joaquin Niemann
Round 4 ZOZO Championship DraftKings Slate Preview
- Lock Time: 7:30 p.m.
- Grand Prize: DraftKings offers $10,000 to first place and $35,000 guaranteed for the fourth-round slate.
PGA DFS DraftKings Showdown Picks
The trend continued yesterday as the golfers that teed off first in the morning had a more difficult time scoring than those in the afternoon. It’s also quite evident that the back nine, especially the first four holes on it, are very difficult, affecting those starting there. But, on the contrary, if a golfer goes through the back nine at two-under or better, the front nine is gettable, and an early post for a back door top 10, possibly top 5, is in play.
- Xander Scahuffele ($10,100): This is where positional points can really help, as ownership is concentrated to those near the top of the leaderboard. Not that Morikawa and Matsuyama aren’t optimal plays, they likely are, but Schauffele presents a lovely opportunity to do exactly what I suggested in the opening paragraph. He can get hot in the beginning of the round, go out in 33, and shoot 30 on the inward nine for a Sunday low 63. That should get him into the Top 10, and the result will look much better than the play. That is the Schauffle way.
- Brendan Steele ($8,000): Through three rounds, Steele is the only golfer in the field to have hit at least 60% of his fairways, 70% of his greens, and average under 1.75 putts per green in regulation. A well-rounded game should give him plenty of confidence that if one thing goes awry, he can make up for it. He’ll likely be a heavy target for gamers in the final-round slate but does present great value at his price and position on the leaderboard.
- Matt Wallace ($8,600): Similar to Steele, Wallace hasn’t hit quite as many greens but is one of the only golfers to hit at least 66% of his greens, fairways, and average less than 1.7 putts per GIR. He’s one of the streakiest putters on tour, and can get hot in a hurry, and is one of a few that have a shot at winning. His price is also reasonable and fits a stars-and-scrubs or balanced build as the third or second golfer in the lineup.
- Tom Hoge ($6,900): If Matsuyama, Schauffele and Moriakwa are among the top scorers of the day, there will be a big need for golfers priced down low to play well. Hoge is one of those carrying momentum the third and is in position for his best finish of the fall swing. He’s played well, making the cut in three of four while also scoring well over 90 points in his last two over the Vegas swing. That shows form is there, but the breaks aren’t entirely going his way. However, that may have broken yesterday, turning in the round of the day, setting him up for a shot at his first Top 10 of the year.
Thanks for reading to the end of this article! If you appreciate this free content and want to see more of it every day, you can help us out by sharing this article on social media!
[PGAPAGE]
