PGA DFS Playbook Shriners Children's Open: Top DraftKings & FanDuel PGA DFS Picks
Published: Oct 05, 2022
It was a wild weekend in Jackson, Mississippi with names flying up and down the leaderboard. Thomas Detry looked completely in control heading into the weekend before dropping an ugly 74 on Saturday which took him out of contention. That opened the door for Mackenzie Hughes and Sepp Straka to climb up and battle it out in a playoff on Sunday. It only took two sudden death holes for the Canadian to win his second career PGA Tour event. We got to see a player who is typically in the mid-7K range on DraftKings show off his skill set. This is where watching these events help us when the bulk of the PGA DFS season rolls around. Sepp Straka should not be forgotten because he has flashed a few times and shown an ability to play on the biggest stages with the best in the world.
VEGAS BABY! The PGA Tour wrap-around schedule heads to Las Vegas, Nevada for the Shriners Children’s Open. We’ve got an improved field this weekend and you have to think that this event being in
Sin City” helps bring in more top tier talent. We’ve got 12 of the Top 50 players in the world teeing it up this weekend. The tournament is played at TPC Summerlin which was designed by Bobby Weed and consulted on by Fuzzy Zoeller. It is consistently ranked by Golf Digest as one of "America's Best" in their "Top 100 Modern Golf Courses in the United States."
You may some of the previous winners you may know over the last decade are Ryan Moore (2012), Webb Simpson (2013), Patrick Cantlay (2017 - 1st PGA Tour Victory), Bryson DeChambeau (2018) on the LIV Tour now, Kevin Na twice (2011 & 2019) on the LIV Tour now, Martin Laird (2020), and Sungjae Im taking it down in 2021. We’d probably see more household names if it wasn’t for the LIV Tour but it is what it is.
The course went through a major overhaul a few years back after nearly 25 years. All 102 bunkers were redone and fitted with white sand. In a lot of the cases, they were relocated to enhance the value of strategy for today’s talent. TPC Summerlin sits between 7,200-7,300 yards in length depending on the tee boxes and plays as a Par 71. That distance is deceiving because of the thin air in Las Vegas, it plays a lot shorter than the actual distance. The 280 hitters hit it 300, the 300 hitters can stretch it to 320 and so on. We need birdie makers this weekend because 10 of the last 12 editions of this event the winner has ended at 20 under par or better. Players have got to finish 3-5 under par each day to keep themselves in the hunt for a Top 10 finish.
Putting is a vital stat every single week and when you look at Kevin Na’s history of winning on this course, it was done on the greens. In this tournament, the greens in regulation for even the worst golfers are very high. Overall, this will be one of the easier courses that these players will face the entire 2021-2022 season.
The weather should be exactly what you expect from Las Vegas in October. No rain in the forecast at all with sunny skies and temperatures in the upper 80s throughout the weekend. It should be a fun week in the desert for these players and hopefully we all can bring home big cash in DFS. Good luck!
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 | Patrick Cantlay | 11100 | 32.6% | 12000 | 39.5% |
He is easily the best player in this field and why he is the most expensive player. I’m going to spend up because he owns this place winning the event in 2017, runner up the next two years and finished eighth in 2020. When you look at his past seven starts, he’s only got one finish outside the Top 10. He finished the 2021-2022 season ranked Top 20 in Birdie Average, Scoring Average, Green in Regulation, Off the Tee, and Tee to Green. Game Type: CASH & GPP | |||||
G | Sungjae Im | 10400 | 27.0% | 11800 | 29.9% |
This is the first time we’ve seen him since his second place finish at the Tour Championship. That was his third runner up in his last six starts of the season. Im improved his finish at this event each of the last three trips going 15th, 13th and winning the whole darn thing last year. Sungjae finished the 2021-2022 season ranked Top 20 in Greens in Regulation, Scoring Average, Off the Tee, Around the Green, and Tee to Green. Game Type: CASH & GPP | |||||
G | Taylor Montgomery | 9500 | 22.3% | 11300 | 19.4% |
He continues to be the hottest name in the DFS PGA world starting the season with finishes of 3rd and 9th. He graduated from the Korn Ferry despite not winning an event. Instead, he just finished inside the Top 15 in 12 of his last 16 events. In his one non major event on the PGA Tour was the 2022 Farmers Insurance and finished 11th. Just listen to these rankings on the Korn Ferry last year, 1st in Scoring Average, 1st in Birdie Average, 2nd in All Around, 3rd in Putting Average, 15th in Driving Distance and 21st in Greens in Regulation. It’s hard not to play him again this weekend. Game Type: CASH & GPP | |||||
G | Cameron Davis | 9200 | 18.2% | 11100 | 17.6% |
Davis has become a very boom or bust type play in the PGA DFS world. I spoke about the importance of going low and piling up the birdies which this dude can do. He finished the 2021-2022 season ranked ninth in eagles and 34th in Birdie Average. Cam has been to this event three times and has never missed the cut with two Top 30 finishes. You gotta think he can make the leap this year. Game Type: CASH & GPP | |||||
G | Tom Hoge | 9000 | 12.7% | 10300 | 16.4% |
When you see the name Tom Hoge, you don’t typically get excited but when you look at this field, you should. He has made the cut at this event in five of his six trips to TPC Summerlin. While he doesn’t wow you off the tee, he does have terrific ball striking with his irons and it’ll come down to whether he gets a hot putter this weekend. The 33-year-old finished last season 11th in Approach, 33rd in Tee to Green, and Top 50 in both Scoring and Birdie Average. No one wants to play this guy but he’s the type that could win you a DFS tournament. Game Type: CASH & GPP | |||||
G | Si Woo Kim | 8600 | 16.9% | 10200 | 19.0% |
We all know how much fun it is to roster Si Woo on a weekly basis. He is a roller coaster of emotions but his aggression could pay off big this weekend. He has two Top 15 finishes in four trips to TPC Summerlin but also a missed cut and a 55th place finish. That’s exactly what you expect from him. He finished last season ranked Top 50 in Off the Tee, Around the Green, and Tee to Green. When he gets going, he can be a birdie making machine and that’s what we need in Vegas. Game Type: CASH & GPP | |||||
G | Dean Burmester | 8500 | 7.6% | 9700 | 10.9% |
I’m really mad at myself because I had Dean in my original players list for the Sanderson Farms but didn’t make the final cut. Dean shot a final round 67 to finish Top 5 last weekend and crushed my soul but I won’t make that mistake again. It’s very early in the season but he currently ranks Top 20 in Off the Tee, Around the Green, Putting and Tee to Green. This 33-year-old former full time DP World Tour player is making his first run on the PGA Tour and has started well. Game Type: GPP | |||||
G | Thomas Detry | 7900 | 13.6% | 9900 | 14.3% |
The Belgian paid off for us last weekend finishing Top 10 at the Sanderson Farms. He has played most of his career on the DP World Tour, but this year was able to take his shot of trying to earn full status on the PGA Tour via the Korn Ferry Tour Finals. He ranks Top 30 in Birdie Average, Scoring Average, Driving Distance, Off the Tee, Around the Green and Tee to Green. I’m going to keep riding the hot hand especially at an event he can go really go low. Game Type: CASH & GPP | |||||
G | Adam Hadwin | 7700 | 15.1% | 10500 | 7.8% |
Hadwin had a strong finish to the 2021-2022 PGA Tour season making the cut in nine of his last 10 starts with a Top 20 at the Memorial and a Top 10 at the U.S. Open. While last week’s 45th at the Sanderson was disappointing, he has a better history at the Shriners with two Top 10 finishes in his last four trips. The nice Canadian is known for his short game and putting which has served him well at this event. He will have added length off the tee at TPC Summerlin and its elevation. Game Type: CASH & GPP | |||||
G | Seamus Power | 7600 | 14.2% | 10000 | 10.1% |
While Seamus only finished 30th last weekend, he did have 21 birdies which was third best in the field. That’s what we need lots of this weekend. He finished 21st last year at TPC Summerlin because of his skills like ranking 3rd in Birdie Average, 14th in Off the Tee, 20th in Around the Green, 24th in Driving Accuracy, 30th in Scoring Average, and 30th in Total. While the end of last season did not end the way he would have liked, this season has started much better. Game Type: CASH & GPP | |||||
G | Matthew NeSmith | 7500 | 12.1% | 9300 | 10.9% |
I have had a love hate relationship with Matthew. He has won me money but he’s also cost me a lot as well. I’m going back in because there are few I trust in this price range in DFS. He fired the low final round of the day at the Sanderson of 64 to put himself into the Top 10. Now, you know why he’s ranked 16th in Birdie Average. I’m hoping that momentum rides him into the Shriners where he’s never missed the cut and never finished below 18th in three trips to Vegas. This is an easy play for me this weekend. Game Type: CASH & GPP | |||||
G | Martin Laird | 7200 | 5.9% | 8700 | 8.2% |
Laird has made the cut at this event in seven of his past eight trips to TPC Summerlin. He won the tournament in 2020 and followed that up with an 11th place last year. I know he’s missed the cut in his first two starts of the new season but I think a familiar course like this one could be just the thing he needs to get back on track. The struggle is real but we know he has real ball striking ability. He finished the 2021-2022 season ranked Top 30 in both Approach and Tee to Green, the hope is he can get that stroke back. Game Type: GPP | |||||
G | Beau Hossler | 6900 | 5.4% | 8500 | 4.0% |
Hossler finished out the 2021-2022 PGA Tour season making the cut in seven of his last nine starts with two Top 25 starts. He has been great on the greens all season ranking 5th in Strokes Gained: Putting and that’ll always keep him in tournaments especially against this level of competition. Hossler has made the cut at this event in all four of his trips which includes a Top 10 in his first attempt. He also finished Top 25 in his first start of the new season. I am not going to dive too deep into the 6K range this weekend but if you need too, I like him a lot as salary cap relief. Game Type: CASH & GPP | |||||
G | Chris Gotterup | 6800 | 6.7% | 8500 | 5.4% |
Gotterup was everyone’s darling in DFS when he made his debut at the RBC Canadian Open in June, only to miss the cut. He did score a Top 5 at the John Deere a few weeks later though. In his first start of the new season, he made the cut at the Fortinet. This is a very risky play because you just don’t know what you are going to get week in and week out. He ranked 10th in Driving Distance and Eagles and also 17th in Around the Greens at the end of the 2021-2022 PGA Tour season. This is a gut shot tournament only option this weekend. Game Type: GPP | |||||
G | Harry Hall | 6600 | 3.8% | 7600 | 4.6% |
While this Englishman missed the cut in his first two starts as a full time member of the PGA Tour, he did just play his way onto the tour after a terrific run in the Korn Ferry playoffs. Hall is known for his putting ability, he already ranks first on the PGA Tour in Strokes Gained: Putting in the early portion of the season. This UNLV product knows this course inside and out. He finished 8th at this same tournament last year. Hall makes for a great sneaky play in DFS, I’d even consider him for cash because of his familiarity with the course. Game Type: CASH & GPP |
G | 11100 | 12000 | |||
He is easily the best player in this field and why he is the most expensive player. I’m going to spend up because he owns this place winning the event in 2017, runner up the next two years and finished eighth in 2020. When you look at his past seven starts, he’s only got one finish outside the Top 10. He finished the 2021-2022 season ranked Top 20 in Birdie Average, Scoring Average, Green in Regulation, Off the Tee, and Tee to Green. Game Type: CASH & GPP | |||||
G | Sungjae Im, G | 10400 | 11800 | ||
This is the first time we’ve seen him since his second place finish at the Tour Championship. That was his third runner up in his last six starts of the season. Im improved his finish at this event each of the last three trips going 15th, 13th and winning the whole darn thing last year. Sungjae finished the 2021-2022 season ranked Top 20 in Greens in Regulation, Scoring Average, Off the Tee, Around the Green, and Tee to Green. Game Type: CASH & GPP | |||||
G | 9500 | 11300 | |||
He continues to be the hottest name in the DFS PGA world starting the season with finishes of 3rd and 9th. He graduated from the Korn Ferry despite not winning an event. Instead, he just finished inside the Top 15 in 12 of his last 16 events. In his one non major event on the PGA Tour was the 2022 Farmers Insurance and finished 11th. Just listen to these rankings on the Korn Ferry last year, 1st in Scoring Average, 1st in Birdie Average, 2nd in All Around, 3rd in Putting Average, 15th in Driving Distance and 21st in Greens in Regulation. It’s hard not to play him again this weekend. Game Type: CASH & GPP | |||||
G | 9200 | 11100 | |||
Davis has become a very boom or bust type play in the PGA DFS world. I spoke about the importance of going low and piling up the birdies which this dude can do. He finished the 2021-2022 season ranked ninth in eagles and 34th in Birdie Average. Cam has been to this event three times and has never missed the cut with two Top 30 finishes. You gotta think he can make the leap this year. Game Type: CASH & GPP | |||||
G | Tom Hoge, G | 9000 | 10300 | ||
When you see the name Tom Hoge, you don’t typically get excited but when you look at this field, you should. He has made the cut at this event in five of his six trips to TPC Summerlin. While he doesn’t wow you off the tee, he does have terrific ball striking with his irons and it’ll come down to whether he gets a hot putter this weekend. The 33-year-old finished last season 11th in Approach, 33rd in Tee to Green, and Top 50 in both Scoring and Birdie Average. No one wants to play this guy but he’s the type that could win you a DFS tournament. Game Type: CASH & GPP | |||||
G | Si Woo Kim, G | 8600 | 10200 | ||
We all know how much fun it is to roster Si Woo on a weekly basis. He is a roller coaster of emotions but his aggression could pay off big this weekend. He has two Top 15 finishes in four trips to TPC Summerlin but also a missed cut and a 55th place finish. That’s exactly what you expect from him. He finished last season ranked Top 50 in Off the Tee, Around the Green, and Tee to Green. When he gets going, he can be a birdie making machine and that’s what we need in Vegas. Game Type: CASH & GPP | |||||
G | 8500 | 9700 | |||
I’m really mad at myself because I had Dean in my original players list for the Sanderson Farms but didn’t make the final cut. Dean shot a final round 67 to finish Top 5 last weekend and crushed my soul but I won’t make that mistake again. It’s very early in the season but he currently ranks Top 20 in Off the Tee, Around the Green, Putting and Tee to Green. This 33-year-old former full time DP World Tour player is making his first run on the PGA Tour and has started well. Game Type: GPP | |||||
G | Thomas Detry, G | 7900 | 9900 | ||
The Belgian paid off for us last weekend finishing Top 10 at the Sanderson Farms. He has played most of his career on the DP World Tour, but this year was able to take his shot of trying to earn full status on the PGA Tour via the Korn Ferry Tour Finals. He ranks Top 30 in Birdie Average, Scoring Average, Driving Distance, Off the Tee, Around the Green and Tee to Green. I’m going to keep riding the hot hand especially at an event he can go really go low. Game Type: CASH & GPP | |||||
G | Adam Hadwin, G | 7700 | 10500 | ||
Hadwin had a strong finish to the 2021-2022 PGA Tour season making the cut in nine of his last 10 starts with a Top 20 at the Memorial and a Top 10 at the U.S. Open. While last week’s 45th at the Sanderson was disappointing, he has a better history at the Shriners with two Top 10 finishes in his last four trips. The nice Canadian is known for his short game and putting which has served him well at this event. He will have added length off the tee at TPC Summerlin and its elevation. Game Type: CASH & GPP | |||||
G | Seamus Power, G | 7600 | 10000 | ||
While Seamus only finished 30th last weekend, he did have 21 birdies which was third best in the field. That’s what we need lots of this weekend. He finished 21st last year at TPC Summerlin because of his skills like ranking 3rd in Birdie Average, 14th in Off the Tee, 20th in Around the Green, 24th in Driving Accuracy, 30th in Scoring Average, and 30th in Total. While the end of last season did not end the way he would have liked, this season has started much better. Game Type: CASH & GPP | |||||
G | 7500 | 9300 | |||
I have had a love hate relationship with Matthew. He has won me money but he’s also cost me a lot as well. I’m going back in because there are few I trust in this price range in DFS. He fired the low final round of the day at the Sanderson of 64 to put himself into the Top 10. Now, you know why he’s ranked 16th in Birdie Average. I’m hoping that momentum rides him into the Shriners where he’s never missed the cut and never finished below 18th in three trips to Vegas. This is an easy play for me this weekend. Game Type: CASH & GPP | |||||
G | Martin Laird, G | 7200 | 8700 | ||
Laird has made the cut at this event in seven of his past eight trips to TPC Summerlin. He won the tournament in 2020 and followed that up with an 11th place last year. I know he’s missed the cut in his first two starts of the new season but I think a familiar course like this one could be just the thing he needs to get back on track. The struggle is real but we know he has real ball striking ability. He finished the 2021-2022 season ranked Top 30 in both Approach and Tee to Green, the hope is he can get that stroke back. Game Type: GPP | |||||
G | Beau Hossler, G | 6900 | 8500 | ||
Hossler finished out the 2021-2022 PGA Tour season making the cut in seven of his last nine starts with two Top 25 starts. He has been great on the greens all season ranking 5th in Strokes Gained: Putting and that’ll always keep him in tournaments especially against this level of competition. Hossler has made the cut at this event in all four of his trips which includes a Top 10 in his first attempt. He also finished Top 25 in his first start of the new season. I am not going to dive too deep into the 6K range this weekend but if you need too, I like him a lot as salary cap relief. Game Type: CASH & GPP | |||||
G | 6800 | 8500 | |||
Gotterup was everyone’s darling in DFS when he made his debut at the RBC Canadian Open in June, only to miss the cut. He did score a Top 5 at the John Deere a few weeks later though. In his first start of the new season, he made the cut at the Fortinet. This is a very risky play because you just don’t know what you are going to get week in and week out. He ranked 10th in Driving Distance and Eagles and also 17th in Around the Greens at the end of the 2021-2022 PGA Tour season. This is a gut shot tournament only option this weekend. Game Type: GPP | |||||
G | Harry Hall, G | 6600 | 7600 | ||
While this Englishman missed the cut in his first two starts as a full time member of the PGA Tour, he did just play his way onto the tour after a terrific run in the Korn Ferry playoffs. Hall is known for his putting ability, he already ranks first on the PGA Tour in Strokes Gained: Putting in the early portion of the season. This UNLV product knows this course inside and out. He finished 8th at this same tournament last year. Hall makes for a great sneaky play in DFS, I’d even consider him for cash because of his familiarity with the course. Game Type: CASH & GPP |