PGA DFS Picks: This column is a quick-hitter article to give you the stats you need to make informed decisions for your PGA DFS lineups and give you a couple of recommendations.
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Tournament Update
DraftKings is offering $15,000 to first for the second-round slate with a $60,000 guaranteed prize pool.
Friday Weather
It should be wonderful again for round 2. The morning wave seemed to have much better scores yesterday, something to take into consideration for tomorrow.
PGA DFS Round 1 Recap & Sweatsheet
The Riviera showed its teeth to one of the best fields we’ve seen in a long time, playing to an over-par average of 71.41. The first, 10th and 11th holes combined for 42% of the total scoring. Golfers have to get off to hot start, or else they fall way behind the eight ball. There were only two eagles on the day, only one birdie on the 17th hole, two on the 11th and seven on the first. Only the second hole had more birdies than bogeys, besides the three mentioned before.
Matt Kuchar had one of his best putting rounds against the field ever, gaining well over four strokes against the field. But he also matched that up with a scorching iron game, gaining almost two strokes on his approaches for the day. He holds the lead by three. The pack of wolves sits four back as Rory Mcilroy, Jason Day, Bryson DeChambeau and Patrick Reed, among others shot 68 on day one.
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PGA DFS Statistical Analysis
Finally, we have a full field of stats to look at and analyze. Let’s start with some good. First, DeChambeau’s performance off the tee was something extraordinary. He gained another 1.91 strokes off the tee, leading the field, giving himself the best position all day. Match his off-tee game with Tiger Wood’s approach game and you’d have someone surpassing Kuchar in a hurry. Tiger gained over three strokes on the day with his irons, leading the field by a full half a stroke.
Keegan Bradley had a 6.42-stroke differential between putting and off the tee. In contrast, Sergio Garcia, Corey Conners, Joseph Bramlett and Xander Schauffle all had at least a four-stroke differential between the two.
Click here to see the full list of statistics.
PGA DFS Final-Round Picks
Top-10 Pick
Bryson DeChambeau ($7,600)
Although he’s not playing in the morning, where clearly it was much easier today, I suspect that to flip tomorrow. DeChambeau won’t be affected by a little uptick in the wind on the afternoon as he hits the ball so hard now.
PGA DFS Stud or Value Pick Outside of Top 10
Justin Rose ($8,700)
It’s uncharacteristic of Rose to lose almost a stroke and a half off the tee, but he did so in round one. He bounced back with his irons, though, to the tune of 2.35 strokes, riding that to a 2-under 69. He goes out at a comfortable time and will have the best of the weather of anyone in the field tomorrow. He’s also reasonably priced so you can mix and match with some of the other studs teeing off around him.
Sneaky Pick Outside of Top 10
James Hahn ($6,500)
Hahn continued his strong iron play, ranking 18th in greens in regulation while gaining almost a stroke with his approaches. If he can tune up his off-tee game and have a slight uptick in putting, he should be able to overcome the obvious regression around the green that’s coming; he gained over 2.5 strokes on Thursday. A former winner of the event has a lot on the line this week and is in good position after day one.
PGA DFS Lineup Fill-Ins
Paul Casey ($7,700)
Patrick Reed ($8,900)
Tony Finau ($8,800)
Corey Conners ($6,600)
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