PGA DFS Picks: This column is a quick-hitter article to give you the stats you need to make informed decisions for your fantasy golf, PGA DFS lineups on DraftKings, FanDuel, Yahoo and FantasyDraft and give you a couple of recommendations. Not a member of Awesemo+? Sign up HERE to get access to Awesemo’s premium projections and rankings for DraftKings, FanDuel, Yahoo and FantasyDraft as well as Jason Rouslin’s in-tournament models.
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Tournament Update:
DraftKings is offering $3,000 to first place for today’s second round, and 2k to first for the late second-round contests.Â
Saturday WeatherÂ
Another day of 30 mph winds, which will continue to wreak havoc on the players.
SweatsheetÂ
PGA DFS Second Round
30 mph winds will affect any golfer, even the ones on the PGA Tour. The average score yesterday for the first round was 73.06, two over par. For a course that sits at less than 7,100 yards, that shouldn’t be the case. The weather — and how a golfer’s game translates — is unpredictable but let’s take a look at who played well yesterday.
PGA DFS Statistical AnalysisÂ
Collin Morikawa rode an incredible approach game again, gaining over 3.75 strokes on the round, something he’s done a couple of times since joining the Tour. The golfers who have done that are few and far between. Ryan Palmer and Matt Jones sit two back of Morikawa, and each had four birdies and only one bogey. Cameron Smith and Sam Ryder lead the field with six bogeys, putting Smith five back and Ryder two back.
While Morikawa got it done with a hot approach game, he also putted well, gaining over 2.5 strokes on the round. Others like Chesson Hadley, Ruyuko Tokimatusi, Scott Brown, Joseph Bramlett and (surprise surprise) Kyle Stanley are the top five in ball striking versus putting, each gaining at least four more strokes ball striking than they did on the green.
On the flip side of that, we saw Corey Conners gain 4.39 strokes putting. Yesterday was his best putting round ever on the PGA Tour. The perennial ball striker actually lost strokes in that category yesterday. Cameron Smith, Brendan Steele, Mikumu Horikawa and Patrick Rodgers all gained at east three strokes putting yesterday.
For the full list of statistics, click here.
PGA DFS Second Round PicksÂ
Top-10 Pick
Morikawa was my week-long pick at the top and it will be very hard to come off of him after a bogey-free 66 to open. There are a couple of surprise names in the top 10, like usual, including Ted Potter and Sam Ryder. Outside of my focus on Morikawa will be a recent winner …
Matt Jones ($7,500)
Coming off of his win in Australia, Jones continued his hot play, gaining over two strokes tee to green and with the putter. He gained 2.84 ball striking 2.84 on the round, split basically evenly between off the tee and approaches. He also goes out to play in just a couple of hours, which should help him continue that hot form.
PGA DFS Stud or Value Pick outside of Top-10
Andrew Putnam ($7,800)
A mini Spieth (though he’s been way better than Spieth on the whole over the last 52 weeks), Putnam is fantastic on and around the greens. He lived up to that again yesterday to the tone of 2.6 gained strokes putting. He would be soundly in the top 10 had he not skulled his chip on 18. Sitting just 30 feet away for eagle, he skulled about 20 feet past and made five. Beyond his putting, Putnam also gained on his approaches, which has me even more excited, especially with how good of a putter he is.
Sneaky Pick Outside of Top 10
Michael Gellereman ($6,000)
Now here’s a name I have not used all year. Gellereman, a Korn Ferry Tour grad this year, is in the field this week due to Aaron Baddeley dropping out. Gellereman made the best of it in round one, shooting a one-under 70, but gained strokes in three of four measured categories. He had five birdies and is tied for fourth in greens in regulation, to go along with his 2.5 strokes gained from tee to green. He had a a heavy focus on his approaches, losing just a bit off the tee. I’m OK going for a long shot here in these conditions.
PGA DFS Lineup Fill-InsÂ
Marc Leishman ($8,800)Zach Johnson ($7,300)
Satoshi Kodaira ($6,400)