This column is a quick-hitter article to give you the stats you need to make informed PGA DFS picks for your DraftKings and FanDuel daily fantasy lineups and find a couple of recommendations for the third round of the Mayakoba Golf Classic. In a typical Showdown GPP, DraftKings will offer upwards of $50,000 to first place for Rounds 2 and 3 tournaments 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 place on the average. Lastly, FanDuel has also tried to get into the weekend-long and final-round contests, offering $10,000 and $5,000 to first place in their PGA DFS showdown contests.
Mayakoba Golf Classic Round 3 DraftKings PGA DFS Showdown Picks
Previous Round Recap
Morning Wave
The overnight leader turned right around and got back on the course, but Russell Knox couldn’t get it going and posted eight-under through 36 holes after a finishing with a bogey. Tony Finau continued his impressive putting performance and posted nine under, as did Tom Hoge. The always entertaining Joel Dahmen continued his stellar play and sits just a few back of the leader heading into tomorrow.
The surprise of this wave, other than Hoge, is Nate Lashley, who has found form late here in the calendar year. He’s tied with defending champion Brendon Todd and Carlos Ortiz whose looking to win in back to back starts. The other story of this wave, Akshay Bhatia, the 19-year-old who qualified for the event on Monday and now has a chance at another top-10, earning himself a start at the Sony Open in Hawaii, the Tour’s second stop.
Afternoon Wave:Â
Emiliano Grillo?! Is it time? Everything seems to be clicking through two rounds, and it seems like he got the better of the weather wave as well. Grillo has a commanding four shot lead heading into the weekend. Now, this is a course where a four-shot lead can evaporate pretty quickly with all the water and hazards lurking off the tee, but Grillo seems to be in command of his game. He stretched his lead late into the day, getting in just before the suspension of play. Sponsor invitee Andy Ogletree, who is making his professional debut, didn’t quite finish the round but sits at -7 in a tie for 5th.
The threesome of Justin Thomas, Viktor Hovland and Joaquin Niemann had a combined 11 under for the day at one point, but all of them faltered coming in, though the latter two are clinging to the top-10 as we head into Saturday.
PGA DFS Showdown Slate Preview
Lock Time
TBD but likely around 8:30 A.M. EST
Fantasy Golf Contest Preview
DraftKings
- DraftKings is offering $20,000 to first and $60,000 guaranteed for the third-round slate, and they are also offering a $30,000–$10,000 to first place for the weekend-long contest.
FanDuel
- FanDuel is offering $2,000 to first and $8,000 guaranteed for the third-round slate and $1,000 to first for the weekend-long slate.
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General Strategy and Mayakoba Golf Classic PGA DFS Picks
Top-10
Akshay Bhatia & Andy Ogletree
I’m so mad that of the 300 lineups I made this week, I couldn’t find two of my favorite under $7,000 plays into a lineup. Ugh. Well, I’m going to do it in round three, better late than never, right? Ogletree has relied mostly on his putting, his driving accuracy has not been good at all this week, ranking 100th. Bhatia is doing everything right, ranking inside the top-20 in all three measured stats (driving accuracy, GIR & Putts per GIR). In essence, the two golfers are in the same boat in terms of their career, looking for more starts, and trying to earn them through their play. They will each have a chance at it this weekend.
PGA DFS Picks From Outside the top-10:
- Justin Thomas ($10,500) If you’ve waited for the price to come down after two mediocre rounds, now’s the time to jump on Thomas. While his ownership is still likely to be high, it may not eclipse his week-long mark, though it will be in that range. I’m ok with that. Thomas is hitting the ball nicely, despite struggling a tad off the tee. The putter needs to cooperate a bit, but Thomas showed me enough today to roll him out again this weekend.
- J.J.Spaun ($6,600) Now that he’s safely through to the weekend, after a bit of a scare towards the end of the round, Spaun is looking to find his putter. He ranks 7th in greens in regulation, 10th in driving accuracy, but 98th in putters per green in regulation. Yikes. So either he’s not hitting it close at all, or his putter is ice cold. I’m willing to bet it’s the latter and also willing to parlay that bet into a turnaround in round three.
- Â John Huh ($7,400)Â Another one of my week-long plays, Huh found his grove in round two, shooting four-under 67. He ranks inside the top-10 in greens in regulation this week, continuing his strong form. However, his driving accuracy is a bit lacking, ranking 62nd. If Huh wants to get inside the top-10 by the end of Sunday, he’ll need to hit more fairways. Plain and simple, Huh can contend if he gives himself a chance to use those hot irons effectively.
Lineup Fill-Ins
Jhonattan Vegas ($7,000)
Will Zlaatoris ($9,000)
Branden Grace ($7,000)
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