PGA DFS Picks This Week: Expert Predictions, Values & Golf Projections
Published: Aug 21, 2024
As we look ahead to our PGA DFS picks this week, we must first look to the past. Last year, Viktor Hovland had quite a run, picking up the BMW Championship title and then clinching the Tour Championship just a week later, walking away with the FedEx Cup and a hefty $18 million prize. After that, he decided to tinker with his swing, which backfired pretty quickly, causing him to lose his form.
Fortunately, Hovland went back to basics, but this season hasn't been one he’ll want to remember. Still, his recent runner-up finish in Memphis suggests he might be finding his groove just in time for the playoffs.
BMW Championship 2024: Daily Fantasy Golf Picks & Projections
The FedEx Cup Playoffs are now in full swing, with the field trimmed to just 50 golfers. Last year, Hovland made headlines with a record-setting 61 at the BMW Championship, pulling off a comeback win over Scottie Scheffler and Matt Fitzpatrick. It was the lowest final-round score in FedExCup Playoffs history.
As we head into the next stage, the focus for PGA DFS picks is on the big names like Scheffler and Xander Schauffele, who've been dominant all year. But don't count out Rory McIlroy or Patrick Cantlay, who’s always a threat. It’s shaping up to be another thrilling week in the playoffs.
Castle Pines: Course Breakdown This Week
Castle Pines, a stunning venue designed by Jack Nicklaus in 1981, is often referred to as the “Augusta National in the Mountains.” Nestled against the backdrop of the Rocky Mountains, this perfectly manicured course has long dreamed of hosting a Major championship, and it’s getting its big audition this week. Castle Pines hasn’t seen PGA TOUR action since 2006, and this will be the first standard stroke play event in Colorado.
Sitting just outside Denver at 6,500 feet above sea level, the course offers a unique mountain golf experience, where the thin air means the ball travels roughly 10% farther. Even though the course measures a whopping 8,130 yards on the scorecard, after accounting for elevation, it’ll actually play closer to 7,317 yards—still long, but not quite as daunting.
Mountain golf isn’t something we see often on the PGA TOUR, but courses like Tahoe Mountain Club and TPC Colorado offer some insight into the type of players who excel in these conditions. While distance can be an advantage, accuracy and strategic play are just as crucial.
Castle Pines is a challenging course with firm, fast greens and hazards on 10 holes. Players will need to bring their A-game, blending power with precision to navigate this modern mountain masterpiece.
2024 BMW Championship Field: Golf DFS
The FedEx Cup Playoffs are getting intense, and we’re down to the top 50 players in the standings for the second leg. With no cut this week, all 50 will be playing four rounds at the BMW Championship, which is even more exclusive than usual.
This week’s lineup is stacked with all eligible OWGR top-25 players on the PGA TOUR hitting the course in Colorado. They’re all aiming to break into the top 30 of the FedEx Cup standings, which would secure them a spot in the TOUR Championship and a full schedule of PGA TOUR Signature Events for 2025.
As of Sunday morning, the race for the top 50 is still up in the air, with players like Justin Rose, Harris English, Nick Taylor, Max Greyserman, Nick Dunlap, and Eric Cole battling it out for their ticket to Denver.
Playing at elevation adds another layer of challenge, so players like Colorado native Wyndham Clark, Collin Morikawa, who trains at The Summit Club, and Patrick Cantlay, who’s thrived at TPC Summerlin, might have a slight edge.
Viktor Hovland, last year’s BMW Championship winner, is back to defend his title against a field that includes past champions like Rory McIlroy and Justin Thomas. It’s going to be an exciting week, both for the actual tournament and our PGA DFS picks!
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PGA Best Bets & Predictions: 2024 BMW Championship (42-82 Overall, -12.40 Units)
- Justin Thomas - Top 10 (+240)
- Robert MacIntrye - Top 10 (+300)
- Taylor Pendrith - Top 20 (+150)
- Eric Cole - Top 20 (+170)
PGA DFS Picks: BMW Championship
Golf DFS Picks - Top-Priced Golfers: BMW Championship
Xander Schauffele ($11,100)
Xander Schauffele is having the season of his life, consistently showing up as a top contender. Alongside Scottie Scheffler, Schauffele is proving that he’s a force to be reckoned with nearly every week. Just last week, both players finished in the top 5, and it wouldn’t be shocking to see them do it again.
Schauffele has been particularly impressive, often having the edge thanks to his superior putting skills. With the form he’s in, don’t be surprised if he makes another strong run at the BMW Championship. Schauffele is definitely one to watch with this weekend's PGA DFS predictions!
Ludvig Aberg ($10,000)
Ludvig Aberg might be flying a bit under the radar after some so-so finishes at the Olympics and the FedEx St. Jude, but this could be the perfect time to jump back on the Aberg train. The young Swede is an absolute standout when it comes to driving the ball and his long iron game is top-tier, making him a strong contender at Castle Pines in our PGA DFS picks.
New golf courses seem to suit him well, and with this week's venue leveling the playing field, Aberg’s lack of course history won’t be much of a disadvantage. This could be his time to shine again.
Golf DFS Picks - Mid-Priced Golfers: BMW Championship
Wyndham Clark ($9,200)
Wyndham Clark is definitely a name to watch this week. As a Colorado native, he’s got more rounds at Castle Pines under his belt than anyone else in the field, and that local knowledge could really pay off. He knows how to handle the elevation changes that can mess with even the best golfers.
After a bit of a rough patch earlier in the season, Clark has found his form again, racking up three top-10 finishes in his last four PGA Tour events, plus a solid T14 at the Olympics. With his strong game off the tee and solid putting, Clark's looking like a serious threat in this week's PGA DFS predictions.
Justin Thomas ($8,800)
Justin Thomas might not be stealing the spotlight lately, but don’t let that fool you—he’s been playing some solid golf behind the scenes. Last week in Memphis, he gained over three strokes on approach, which shows he's got his game dialed in.
Now, heading to a course that’s easier off the tee should play right into his hands. With a spot at East Lake and a Presidents Cup team spot on the line, Thomas will definitely be bringing his A-game. Our PGA DFS picks expect him to step up and make a statement this week—he’s got all the motivation he needs to make a big splash!
Robert MacIntyre ($7,600)
Robert MacIntyre’s been hitting it long and putting like a champ lately. In his last 24 rounds, he’s outdriven almost everyone and putted better than nearly all but Xander Schauffele. He’s coming off a solid tie for seventh at Memphis, so he’s definitely in form.
Plus, his spot in the TOUR Championship is already secured, so he’s playing with some serious confidence. With that kind of momentum, he’s definitely one to watch at the BMW Championship when it comes to PGA DFS values. Expect him to keep that strong play going and possibly shake things up on the leaderboard.
Golf DFS Picks - Best Values: BMW Championship
Taylor Pendrith ($7,300)
Taylor Pendrith is in a solid position right now, sitting 27th in points and looking good for the TOUR Championship if it started today. He’s really stepped up his game lately, with last week’s T22 being his 12th top-25 finish of the year – half of those are top-10s!
He’s been on a roll with a couple of fifth-place finishes, including one at the elevation-heavy Barracuda Championship. Pendrith’s putting game is impressive too, ranking 12th on Tour in SG: Putting. With everything on the line and his game firing on all cylinders, keep an eye on him when making PGA DFS predictions at the BMW Championship.
Will Zalatoris ($6,800)
Will Zalatoris is really heating up right now, and he’s a steal at this price—cheaper than he’s been on DraftKings since his breakout at the 2020 U.S. Open. He just had a solid T12 finish at the FedEx St. Jude Championship, where he was one of only seven golfers to gain strokes across the board at TPC Southwind.
Zalatoris is ranked sixth in Strokes Gained per round in no-cut events over the last 50 rounds, according to the Rabbit Hole. Considering his recent form and the fact that he’s been underpriced for his talent, he’s definitely someone you’ll want to consider regarding PGA DFS values as you build your lineup for the BMW Championship.
Eric Cole ($6,500)
Eric Cole is on a serious roll right now! After a solid T18 finish at Memphis, he’s moved into the top 50 in the standings. And get this—he’s closed with a blistering 63 in back-to-back tournaments. In his last six starts, Cole’s racked up three top-10 finishes plus that T18, really turning around what was looking like a rough season.
Now sitting at No. 46 in points, he’s got a tough road ahead to crack the top 30, but with his hot putter, he’s definitely got the potential to make a big push at the BMW Championship. Keep an eye on him when making PGA DFS picks—Cole’s got the game to make some noise!
Player Pool
| $ Tier | G |
|---|---|
| High |  Scottie Scheffler  $13,400 |
| Xander Schauffele $12,600 | |
| Ludvig Aberg $11,300 | |
| Viktor Hovland $11,100 | |
| Patrick Cantlay $10,800 | |
| Medium | Wyndham Clark $10,400 |
| Justin Thomas $10,100 | |
| Aaron Rai $10,000 | |
| Adam Scott $9,700 | |
| Byeong Hun An $9,200 | |
| Akshay Bhatia $9,000 | |
| Robert Macintyre $8,900 | |
| Low | Taylor Pendrith $8,700 |
| Will Zalatoris $8,200 | |
| Max Greyserman $8,100 | |
| Eric Cole $7,500 |
Player News
Justin Thomas arrived at the Travelers Championship amidst a bit of a slump but left with 25 birdies to manage a T9 finish, his first top 10 since March.
Thomas is known for his stellar rate of big finishes over the course of his career but that changed recently with six straight finishes landing outside of the top 10. A cold putter has been the culprit for much of the downturn but he managed to fight through the flat-stick woes this week. Thomas lost 1.9 strokes putting at TPC River Highlands but ranked 3rd in strokes gained tee-to-green. It was a promising result to rebuild some confidence but he still has some work to do in the putting department. Despite the nice finish this week, Thomas is just 66th in the FedExCup race.
Brian Harman tossed together a 6-under 64 on Sunday at the Travelers Championship, posting a piece of second place on the final leaderboard (-20).
Harman entered the week with just one top 25 in his last 14 stroke-play events. It's been a slump for the straight shooter but TPC River Highlands was the perfect cure. The Georgia Bulldog gained 4.4 strokes on approach, 3.5 strokes around-the-green, and 4.9 strokes putting. All three ranked 13th or better for the week. This was far from his first taste of success at the course, going in the books as his sixth career top 10 at TPC River Highlands.
Chez Reavie started the day just one shot off the pace but stumbled with a 1-over 71 to drop back to a share of fourth place on the final leaderboard.
Reavie and overnight leader Keegan Bradley were in a tier of their own to begin the day. Reavie dropped a rung with seven pars and two bogeys before the turn. His driver remained steady (12-of-14 fairways) but lost strokes in each of the other three categories of strokes gained today. It was a day to forget but a week to remember for Reavie who still managed a T4 finish, vaulting him from 114th to 95th in the FedExCup race.
World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler steadied a 5-under 65 on Sunday at the Travelers Championship, ending the week on 19-under 261, good for a slice of fourth place.
The Texan piled up 21 birdies and a pair of eagles this week at TPC River Highlands. He ended the week ranked second in strokes gained tee-to-green (+11.08). He's now gained at least 10.6 strokes in that department in six straight events. Scheffler carded three sub-66 rounds this week but a two-birdie 70 on Friday is what held him back from truly contending. The World No. 1 now has six straight top-5 finishes and you have to go back to October to find the last time he finished worse than 12th. It's safe to say he's been the most consistent golfer on the planet over the last nine months.
Rory McIlroy raced out of the gate on Sunday at the Travelers Championship before slowing his pace to record a 6-under 64, ending his week in a share of seventh place (18-under 262).
McIlroy circled birdies on five of the first seven holes today. He couldn't maintain that pace but still bettered the field average by more than three shots today. McIlroy tossed together four sub-69 rounds this week at TPC River Highlands but didn't even sniff contention over the weekend. "I don't particularly like when a tournament is like this. Unfortunately technology has passed this course by, right? It sort of has made it obsolete, especially as soft as it has been with a little bit of rain that we had." The Northern Irishman now has five straight top-10 finishes and has his game trending back toward the winner's circle just in time for the season's final major and the FedExCup Playoffs.
Patrick Cantlay gave the leader a small scare down the stretch was swallowed two late bogeys to finish on 19-under this week at the Travelers Championship, four shots off the winning tally of Keegan Bradley.
Cantlay was slow out of the gate with eight pars and a birdie before the turn. He applied some pressure with four birdies on the next six holes, all while Keegan Bradley was starting to leak with three straight bogeys. That shrunk the lead to just three shots be Cantlay stumbled home with two bogeys and a par. "I thought I struck the ball very solid all day. Played smart. Not the finish I wanted obviously, but my game is in a good spot and a lot of big tournaments left this summer." The UCLA alum carded four sub-69 rounds this week and led the field in strokes gained tee-to-green. Cantlay now has six straight top 15s at TPC River Highlands. He collected two victories last season but still searching for his first win of the 2022-23 campaign.