PGA DFS Playbook for the Mexico Open at Vidanta: Top DraftKings & FanDuel PGA DFS Picks
Published: Apr 26, 2023
While the Zurich Classic of New Orleans is kind of an off week on the PGA Tour schedule, it did provide us with fantastic golf. You see friendships in these pairings like the winning squad this week Davis Riley and Nick Hardy. These two have known each other since they were 14 and had partnered together at the 2014 Wyndham Cup. Now, they both earned their first career PGA Tour victories together. While that tournament was fun, it’ll be nice to get back to a regular event on the PGA Tour schedule.
The PGA Tour heads across the border for the second time of the year for the Mexico Open at Vidanta. This course is a Greg Norman design. We’ve seen the Wolf Golf Championships - Mexico Championship hold an event at Club de Golf Chapultepec from 2017-2020 but this event has taken its spot. These two courses do have similar characteristics like both being Par 71s, both long (Vidanta is longer) and both featuring paspalum grass. El Camaleon (Mayakoba), Coco Beach (Puerto Rico), and Corales Golf Club (Dominican) all feature that same grass. All of those courses and Vidanta play alongside water which makes wind a primary defense. The early weather reports in the area do show milder winds which will likely lead to lower scores.
The primary difference between Club de Golf Chapultepec and Vidanta is the elevation. Chapultepec was over 7,000 feet above sea level in the mountains of Mexico City. While there is only about 100 yards difference between the courses in length, Vidanta sits barely above sea level. That will make this course feel 10 times longer than Chapultepec because of the added length these golfers would get at high elevation. That means distance off the tee will be at a premium and not necessarily accuracy. The fairways are rather wide without many trees to worry about. There is water featured on half the holes and a lot of nasty bunkers (a Norman signature) strategically placed throughout the course.
We have some course history but not much being that this is a newer event on the PGA Tour. I will be putting a little more weight into recent form and how their skill sets match this course. Despite all that I’ve told you about this course, these pros will likely light this course up. Jon Rahm won the first edition last year at 17 under par. We will target Strokes Gained: Approach as usual with extra looks at Strokes Gained: Off the Tee. I’m also going to target Par 5 Efficiency: 600+ Yards because this course has two of them. There is also a drivable Par 4 on this course which could lead to some fun as well. I will look at players who have experience playing on paspalum grass as well.
This is not one of the PGA Tour’s “designated events” so the field strength will be weaker this weekend. We do have defending champion and 2023 Masters champ, Jon Rahm teeing it up in Mexico. You will see a lot of Latin American golfers playing, led by Nico Echavarria. We do have a lot of players with experience playing at events like the Puerto Rico Open and Corales. These guys will have a slight advantage heading into this weekend.
ONE AND DONE PLAY: PATRICK RODGERS
Pos (Click to sort ascending) | Player (Click to sort ascending) | DK (Click to sort ascending) | Draft % (Click to sort ascending) | FD (Click to sort ascending) | Draft % (Click to sort ascending) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
G | Jon Rahm | 12000 | 12600 | ||
Do I really need to give you any reason to play Jon Rahm this weekend? He’s clearly the best player in the field by almost a mile if it weren’t for Tony Finau being there. He is the defending champ and is coming off of his win at Augusta. If you can fit him in your lineup, fire him up! Game Type: CASH & GPP | |||||
G | Wyndham Clark | 9700 | 11600 | ||
I bet you didn’t know that Wyndham has three finishes of 6th or better in his last four starts on the PGA Tour. He’s having a fantastic season and hasn’t missed a cut since the Shriners in October of 2022. Clark did participate in the first run of this event last year and made the cut. I think he fits the course perfectly with his big drive and terrific work with the putter. He ranks Top 40 in Total, Tee to Green, Approach and is 11th in Driving Distance. I actually wouldn’t mind starting my lineups with him if you are looking to stay out of the 6K range. Game Type: CASH & GPP | |||||
G | Patrick Rodgers | 9300 | 11200 | ||
Last season was a disaster for Rodgers but I feel like the worm is beginning to turn for Patrick. He has three cuts made in his last four starts with a Top 10 and Top 20 finish over that run. Rodgers also finished 10th at this event in 2022. He has the profile you want for this course like Clark, big hitter off the tee and can putt better than most. We’ve also seen him perform better in events with these type of greens. The guy currently ranks Top 50 in Total, Off the Tee, Tee to Green, and Around the Green. He’s also Top 35 in Driving Distance. I don’t love paying this much for him but that’s what has to happen at an event with this type of field. Game Type: CASH & GPP | |||||
G | Ben Martin | 8600 | 9900 | ||
The price is going up on Martin for two reasons, one the field strength and the other is he’s playing really good golf. He has made the cut in seven straight solo play events with three Top 10 finishes and one Top 15 over that run. Martin missed the cut in 2022 but his form is so much better this time around. The reason I like him this weekend is his approach game ranking Top 20 on the PGA Tour. I know he is not a huge hitter but he makes up for that by being Top 30 in Greens in Regulation. The price may be higher but not enough to scare me away. Game Type: CASH & GPP | |||||
G | Emiliano Grillo | 8500 | 10200 | ||
Putting has always been a problem for Grillo but for some reason, paspalum greens really suit him. We know he is one of the best ball strikers in the world but knowing he can putt puts him on another level this weekend. In his last 10 events on these greens he has eight cuts made with six Top 25 finishes. He’s also one of the better drivers of the golf ball this season, ranking Top 40 Off the Tee. I think he’s an easy play this weekend in cash or tournaments. Game Type: CASH & GPP | |||||
G | Stephan Jaeger | 8200 | 10100 | ||
Here is a guy who we love for his distance off the tee. He’s a true bomber and being wild won’t impact him as much on this course. He is also one of the better long iron players on the PGA Tour as well. All these stats make sense as to why he finished Top 15 in his first trip last season. Prior to his missed cut at the RBC Heritage which is not a course that fits his style, he had made four straight cuts with a Top 15 and Top 30 finish. I’d feel good playing him in cash or GPPs this weekend especially knowing I don’t have to play over 8K for his services. Game Type: CASH & GPP | |||||
G | Will Gordon | 7900 | 9700 | ||
I’ve loaded up the playbook with big bombers this weekend. He’s 28th on the PGA Tour in Driving Distance on the season. Gordon is also 64th or better in Tee to Green, Off the Tee, and Approach which is stellar in a field like this one. Despite missing the last two cuts and not making the trip to this event last year I’m still willing to roster him in Mexico but will likely keep him to tournaments. Game Type: GPP | |||||
G | Luke List | 7800 | 9500 | ||
One of the few players in the field with a PGA Tour victory under his belt. He may not be in the best form coming into this weekend but he’s got a leg up on the field when it comes to driving the golf ball. He ranks 11th in Off the Tee, 16th in Driving Distance, 27th in Greens in Regulation, 37th in Tee to Green, and good thing for him accuracy is not at the utmost this weekend. He has made the cut in two of his last three starts including a Top 25 in Zurich last weekend. Not one of the more reliable players on the PGA Tour but you take what you can get in Mexico this week. Game Type: CASH & GPP | |||||
G | Joseph Bramlett | 7800 | 9300 | ||
After making eight straight cuts between the beginning of November 2022 to the end of February 2023, he missed three of his next five starts. He had been a huge winner for us earlier this season in DFS and in a field like this one, I trust he’ll pay off once again. Another guy who can hit the ball pretty darn far off the tee ranking 24th in Driving Distance. He also ranks Top 70 in most all of the strokes gained categories like Total, Tee to Green, Off the Tee, Approach and Around the Green which is better than most anyone in this field. He feels like a pretty safe option this weekend despite not participating in the event last year.. Game Type: CASH & GPP | |||||
G | Dylan Wu | 7500 | 9100 | ||
Wu is in his second full season since making the jump from the Korn Ferry tour last year and has had a solid sophomore campaign. He has made the cut in seven straight solo play events which includes a Top 10 and Top 20 finish. That Top 20 finish was in the Dominican with those same greens. He is one of the better ball strikers in this field ranking Top 75 in Total, Greens in Regulation, Proximity, Birdie Average, Tee to Green, Approach, and Around the Green. I feel like he’s one of the more reliable options in this field, especially at this price point. Game Type: CASH & GPP | |||||
G | Akshay Bhatia | 7400 | 9000 | ||
One of the most fun and volatile plays in DFS but a perfect fit for tournaments this weekend. A lot like Si Woo Kim but still needs to fine tune his game a bit more. He is playing on a special temporary PGA Tour membership for the rest of the season. Just 21 years old and already made the cut at the Honda, finished runner up in Puerto Rico (same greens as this weekend) and Top 25 in the Dominican (same greens as well). He currently ranks 3rd in Proximity, 10th in Greens in Regulation, 28th in Approach, and 29th in Total Driving. Game Type: GPP | |||||
G | Vincent Norrman | 7200 | 8800 | ||
It looks like this Swedish rookie is starting to get it on the PGA Tour. He has three Top 25 finishes in his last five starts and two of those came on courses with paspalum greens. Norrman can crush the ball off the tee, ranking Top 20 in Driving Distance. The question will be whether he can hold it together for four consecutive rounds without falling out of contention. Game Type: CASH & GPP | |||||
G | Augusto Nunez | 7000 | 8300 | ||
Here’s a name new to our playbook. Augusto is from Argentina and ranks 286th in the world golf rankings. He does have one career international win at the Karibana Cartagena Colombian Open. Nunez has made the cut in seven of his last eight starts including four finishes of 35th or better. He finishes 15th in Puerto Rico and 26th in the Dominican which are both courses with those same greens. Another big hitter off the tee ranking 23rd in Driving Distance. He also ranks 44th in Around the Green, 46th in Greens in Regulation, and 60th in Total Driving. I think he’s a great high upside play this weekend but I’d be willing to roster him in cash as well. Game Type: CASH & GPP | |||||
G | Chris Stroud | 6700 | 7900 | ||
Are you noticing a pattern here? I’ve got lots of golfers who performed well on similar courses with paspalum greens. Chris Stroud is another one of these guys who finished 15th in Puerto Rico and Top 40 in the Dominican. The one difference with Stroud is he is not a big hitter off the tee but makes up for it with his iron play. Chris is Top 20 in Strokes Gained Approach for the season. Unlike a lot of the players in this price range, he actually has a PGA Tour victory under his belt. Game Type: CASH & GPP | |||||
G | Alejandro Tosti | 6500 | 7600 | ||
Tosti is another brand new name to our PGA Playbook. The 26-year-old made the cut in his only PGA Tour appearance this season at the Sanderson Farms. Tosti has played terrific golf on the Korn Ferry Tour though. In his last four starts, he has two Top 10s and two Top 25s. On that tour, he ranks 2nd in All Around, 3rd in Total Birdies, 4th in Driving Distance, 10th in Par 5 Scoring, 15th in Scoring Average, 28th in Putting Average, and 34th in Greens in Regulation. I love him as a cheap GPP flier this weekend. Game Type: GPP |
G | Jon Rahm, G | 12000 | 12600 | ||
Do I really need to give you any reason to play Jon Rahm this weekend? He’s clearly the best player in the field by almost a mile if it weren’t for Tony Finau being there. He is the defending champ and is coming off of his win at Augusta. If you can fit him in your lineup, fire him up! Game Type: CASH & GPP | |||||
G | 9700 | 11600 | |||
I bet you didn’t know that Wyndham has three finishes of 6th or better in his last four starts on the PGA Tour. He’s having a fantastic season and hasn’t missed a cut since the Shriners in October of 2022. Clark did participate in the first run of this event last year and made the cut. I think he fits the course perfectly with his big drive and terrific work with the putter. He ranks Top 40 in Total, Tee to Green, Approach and is 11th in Driving Distance. I actually wouldn’t mind starting my lineups with him if you are looking to stay out of the 6K range. Game Type: CASH & GPP | |||||
G | 9300 | 11200 | |||
Last season was a disaster for Rodgers but I feel like the worm is beginning to turn for Patrick. He has three cuts made in his last four starts with a Top 10 and Top 20 finish over that run. Rodgers also finished 10th at this event in 2022. He has the profile you want for this course like Clark, big hitter off the tee and can putt better than most. We’ve also seen him perform better in events with these type of greens. The guy currently ranks Top 50 in Total, Off the Tee, Tee to Green, and Around the Green. He’s also Top 35 in Driving Distance. I don’t love paying this much for him but that’s what has to happen at an event with this type of field. Game Type: CASH & GPP | |||||
G | Ben Martin, G | 8600 | 9900 | ||
The price is going up on Martin for two reasons, one the field strength and the other is he’s playing really good golf. He has made the cut in seven straight solo play events with three Top 10 finishes and one Top 15 over that run. Martin missed the cut in 2022 but his form is so much better this time around. The reason I like him this weekend is his approach game ranking Top 20 on the PGA Tour. I know he is not a huge hitter but he makes up for that by being Top 30 in Greens in Regulation. The price may be higher but not enough to scare me away. Game Type: CASH & GPP | |||||
G | 8500 | 10200 | |||
Putting has always been a problem for Grillo but for some reason, paspalum greens really suit him. We know he is one of the best ball strikers in the world but knowing he can putt puts him on another level this weekend. In his last 10 events on these greens he has eight cuts made with six Top 25 finishes. He’s also one of the better drivers of the golf ball this season, ranking Top 40 Off the Tee. I think he’s an easy play this weekend in cash or tournaments. Game Type: CASH & GPP | |||||
G | 8200 | 10100 | |||
Here is a guy who we love for his distance off the tee. He’s a true bomber and being wild won’t impact him as much on this course. He is also one of the better long iron players on the PGA Tour as well. All these stats make sense as to why he finished Top 15 in his first trip last season. Prior to his missed cut at the RBC Heritage which is not a course that fits his style, he had made four straight cuts with a Top 15 and Top 30 finish. I’d feel good playing him in cash or GPPs this weekend especially knowing I don’t have to play over 8K for his services. Game Type: CASH & GPP | |||||
G | Will Gordon, G | 7900 | 9700 | ||
I’ve loaded up the playbook with big bombers this weekend. He’s 28th on the PGA Tour in Driving Distance on the season. Gordon is also 64th or better in Tee to Green, Off the Tee, and Approach which is stellar in a field like this one. Despite missing the last two cuts and not making the trip to this event last year I’m still willing to roster him in Mexico but will likely keep him to tournaments. Game Type: GPP | |||||
G | Luke List, G | 7800 | 9500 | ||
One of the few players in the field with a PGA Tour victory under his belt. He may not be in the best form coming into this weekend but he’s got a leg up on the field when it comes to driving the golf ball. He ranks 11th in Off the Tee, 16th in Driving Distance, 27th in Greens in Regulation, 37th in Tee to Green, and good thing for him accuracy is not at the utmost this weekend. He has made the cut in two of his last three starts including a Top 25 in Zurich last weekend. Not one of the more reliable players on the PGA Tour but you take what you can get in Mexico this week. Game Type: CASH & GPP | |||||
G | 7800 | 9300 | |||
After making eight straight cuts between the beginning of November 2022 to the end of February 2023, he missed three of his next five starts. He had been a huge winner for us earlier this season in DFS and in a field like this one, I trust he’ll pay off once again. Another guy who can hit the ball pretty darn far off the tee ranking 24th in Driving Distance. He also ranks Top 70 in most all of the strokes gained categories like Total, Tee to Green, Off the Tee, Approach and Around the Green which is better than most anyone in this field. He feels like a pretty safe option this weekend despite not participating in the event last year.. Game Type: CASH & GPP | |||||
G | Dylan Wu, G | 7500 | 9100 | ||
Wu is in his second full season since making the jump from the Korn Ferry tour last year and has had a solid sophomore campaign. He has made the cut in seven straight solo play events which includes a Top 10 and Top 20 finish. That Top 20 finish was in the Dominican with those same greens. He is one of the better ball strikers in this field ranking Top 75 in Total, Greens in Regulation, Proximity, Birdie Average, Tee to Green, Approach, and Around the Green. I feel like he’s one of the more reliable options in this field, especially at this price point. Game Type: CASH & GPP | |||||
G | 7400 | 9000 | |||
One of the most fun and volatile plays in DFS but a perfect fit for tournaments this weekend. A lot like Si Woo Kim but still needs to fine tune his game a bit more. He is playing on a special temporary PGA Tour membership for the rest of the season. Just 21 years old and already made the cut at the Honda, finished runner up in Puerto Rico (same greens as this weekend) and Top 25 in the Dominican (same greens as well). He currently ranks 3rd in Proximity, 10th in Greens in Regulation, 28th in Approach, and 29th in Total Driving. Game Type: GPP | |||||
G | 7200 | 8800 | |||
It looks like this Swedish rookie is starting to get it on the PGA Tour. He has three Top 25 finishes in his last five starts and two of those came on courses with paspalum greens. Norrman can crush the ball off the tee, ranking Top 20 in Driving Distance. The question will be whether he can hold it together for four consecutive rounds without falling out of contention. Game Type: CASH & GPP | |||||
G | 7000 | 8300 | |||
Here’s a name new to our playbook. Augusto is from Argentina and ranks 286th in the world golf rankings. He does have one career international win at the Karibana Cartagena Colombian Open. Nunez has made the cut in seven of his last eight starts including four finishes of 35th or better. He finishes 15th in Puerto Rico and 26th in the Dominican which are both courses with those same greens. Another big hitter off the tee ranking 23rd in Driving Distance. He also ranks 44th in Around the Green, 46th in Greens in Regulation, and 60th in Total Driving. I think he’s a great high upside play this weekend but I’d be willing to roster him in cash as well. Game Type: CASH & GPP | |||||
G | Chris Stroud, G | 6700 | 7900 | ||
Are you noticing a pattern here? I’ve got lots of golfers who performed well on similar courses with paspalum greens. Chris Stroud is another one of these guys who finished 15th in Puerto Rico and Top 40 in the Dominican. The one difference with Stroud is he is not a big hitter off the tee but makes up for it with his iron play. Chris is Top 20 in Strokes Gained Approach for the season. Unlike a lot of the players in this price range, he actually has a PGA Tour victory under his belt. Game Type: CASH & GPP | |||||
G | 6500 | 7600 | |||
Tosti is another brand new name to our PGA Playbook. The 26-year-old made the cut in his only PGA Tour appearance this season at the Sanderson Farms. Tosti has played terrific golf on the Korn Ferry Tour though. In his last four starts, he has two Top 10s and two Top 25s. On that tour, he ranks 2nd in All Around, 3rd in Total Birdies, 4th in Driving Distance, 10th in Par 5 Scoring, 15th in Scoring Average, 28th in Putting Average, and 34th in Greens in Regulation. I love him as a cheap GPP flier this weekend. Game Type: GPP |