PGA DFS: Showdown Spotlight for the Northern Trust Round 1 l Play for $50K

This column is a quick-hitter article to give you the stats you need to make informed PGA DFS picks for your DraftKings + FanDuel daily fantasy lineups and give you a couple of recommendations for The Northern Trust. On a typical showdown contest, DraftKings will offer upwards of $50,000 to first for rounds 2 and 3 showdown and sometimes up to $100,000 for the final-round contests. They also provide weekend-long contests that have been offering $25,000 to first for most weekends. Lastly, FanDuel has also tried to get into the weekend-long and final round contests, offering $10,000 and $5,000 to first.

Previous Round Commentary 

Although he has not top 10s, he’s got a bunch of good starts in a row, and a bunch of top 25s Harris English had his iron game going early, going eagle-birdie bride at the very beginning of the round. He finished his day at seven-under. He was caught by a couple of golfers in the afternoon wave, and even passed for a brief time, as Cameron Davis and Tommy Fleetwood each got to -8 for the round at a time, but Fleetwood’s bogey-double finish moved him back to -5, and Davis also bogeyed 8. Kevin Streelman and a late eagle by Russell Henley gives us four at 64 at day one.

The course also played quite a bit easier than in years past, with the average score coming in at 69.45, which is now pushing the cut line to somewhere between -2 & -3. Those at even-par will likely need a 68 to get to the weekend. I don’t suspect the 25 extra players are the only reason for this, the course is in absolutely perfect conditions, and the greens are holding. The rough is also short, all giving reasons as to why the scoring average was lower today.

Previous Round Stat Review

Not only do all those factors account for low rounds, but they also breed plenty of extra DFS points with birdie streaks and bogey-free rounds. There were seven bogey-free rounds on the day turned in by KH Lee, Russell Henley, Chez Reavie, Talor Gooch, Louis Oosthuizen and Sam Burns! Good to see Burns continuing his hot form.

BOB Leaders in Round 1

1. Tommy Fleetwood, Cameron Davis, Sebastian Munoz, Harris English, Scott Piercy (8)
2. Daniel Berger, Matthew Wolff, Kevin Kisner, Bubba Watson, Charley Hoffman, Harry Higgs, Kevin Streelman (7)

For the full list of stats, click here

Strokes Gained Ball Striking vs. Putting

Kevin Streelman continues to impress in New England, coming off a second-place finish at the Travelers, he looks to make it two of two here in the North East. He had a fantastic day ball striking, gaining 5.8 more strokes with it than he did his putter, which he only lost .31. Contrary to Tyler Duncan, who gained 2.75 strokes ball striking but lost almost the same amount putting, for a 5.5 stroke differential. Joaquin Niemann, Denny McCarthy and Scott Harrington all ended up with five more strokes ball striking then putting. EVEN DENNY MCCARTHY! Even Brian Harman gained four more strokes ball striking then putting on the day, as did Justin Rose. Crazy, crazy day.

PGA DFS Slate Preview

Lock Time

7:20 am EST

PGA DFS Contest Preview

DraftKings:

• DraftKings is offering $50,000 to first and 150K Gtd for tomorrow’s slate.

FanDuel: 

• n/a

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Top 10 Breakdown and PGA DFS Picks

I’ve touched on a lot of golfers already here, but a few I haven’t that are inside the top 10 after round one are Matthew Wolff and Charley Hoffman. Wolff was great through the bag in round one, gaining strokes in every category, except putting now that I look closer, where he only lost .24 to the field. Watch out if that gets going. Louis Oosthuizen went bogey-free in round one while gaining 1.69 strokes on the approach, and adding a hot putter, gaining 1.76 strokes there. That’s a great combo for Louis.

Kevin Kisner and Bubba Watson were two surprises, well at least Kisner, as I didn’t think this course was optimally suited for him, but he certainly bucked that trend in round 1. Scott Piercy is the last one to mention here, and he had a hot putter and around the green game, gaining over 3.52 strokes with his short game in round one, that sounds like a good chance to fade in round two.

Matthew Wolff & Louis Oosthuizen 

Ok, so I have two, but pairing them both together gives some really decent salary flexibility to go up and down the list. Wolff has been in form for a little while now, and Louis has slowly been getting better each and every week. I’m gonna have them start most of my lineups tomorrow.

Stud or Value Pick Outside of Top-10

Justin Thomas ($10,200) & his best buddy… Tiger Woods 

While it wasn’t a great day for JT, he actually gained in all four facets, albeit marginal. Still, that’s a good sign, cause you know his irons will pick up as the week goes on, and the closer to the lead he is. Tiger, on the other hand, looked really good all day, except for one tee shot on the back nine, I think 15, where he blocked it well right and let to a bogey. Something similar happened on nine as well, leading to his only other bogey on the day. The putter also heated up, which had been icy cold his first two starts, a very good sign for him.

Sneaky PGA DFS Pick Outside of Top-10

Tyler Duncan ($6,300)

A week after he gained strokes through the whole bag, Tyler couldn’t find the putter here in round one, but the rest of the game remains intact. At this price, it’s a no brainer for me to try and continue this hot streak.

Lineup Fill-Ins

Jordan Spieth ($7,000): Spieth is terrible at putting right now. Yup, the same Jordan Spieth that has relied on it for two years sucks right now. But at this price…Really?

Robby Shelton ($6,100)

Denny McCarthy ($7,300)

Dustin Johnson ($9,100) 

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