With the Masters starting on Thursday, the biggest Daily Fantasy Golf Tournament is also set to kick off, with first place receiving $1 Million. A little background on how I select my golfers. I strictly look at Course History, which I believe is the one and only factor in DFS Golf. I know a lot of people take Drive Distance, Greens in Regulation, Fairways Hit, Sand Saves, Strokes Gained Through Putting, etc, in consideration. However, the way I see it is all those factor into Course History. I will absolutely check out all those statistics, but my deciding factor is how many top 20’s, 10’s, 5’s, and cuts did each golfer have. With that being said, here’s a look at the contest info and my look at this week’s top picks and fades.
$2,200,000 prize pool.
– First place wins $1,000,000
– Top 24,025 finishing positions are paid.
– Starts Thursday, April 9th
– Salary Cap Style Drafting. $50,000 to select 6 golfers
Top Picks:
Dustin Johnson ($10500): My pick to win The Masters this year is Dustin Johnson. DJ has looked not only rejuvenated since his return to the PGA Tour, but he almost looks like a new man. Since 2008, Johnson has 8 wins, good for 3rd best on Tour. This season, Johnson has made 4/6 cuts, one of which he was cut despite shooting even par. In those 4 cuts made, DJ has finished in the top 6 in each event. When his game is on, he’s arguably the best player on Tour. One of the longest hitters as well as improved putting, it’s tough to not believe in DJ this week. His course history at Augusta isn’t the greatest, but he’s my one and only exception. This is a new and improved Dustin Johnson, which is scary to think about
Lee Westwood ($8200): Westwood defines course history at Augusta. Lee has made 12/15 cuts in his career at Augusta, and has not missed a cut since 2006. The Former #1 Golfer in the World is still somehow in search for his 1st Major. This very well could be the year and event he gets it. In the last five years at Augusta, Westwood has finished 2nd, 11th, 3rd, 8th, and 7th. Considering the difficulty of the course, it’s no coincidence, Westwood clearly has a feel for Augusta and his breakthrough is as close as it gets. To win big this week, you will likely need 6 top 10 finishers, and Westwood probably gives the best chance at a top 10 finish.
JB Holmes ($7200): Why not like JB? He just won last week, has had 4 top 10’s in his last 6 events, and look at that price! To stack the big guys, you’re going to need some bargains, and Holmes is the biggest bargain in the field. Holmes is also one of the longest hitters on Tour, which is very important to survive Augusta. He’s playing the best golf of his career, and coming off one of the greatest 9 hole performances I’ve ever seen. Holmes is a must in all lineups, but beware, he will likely be heavily owned.
Others to Consider:
Jason Day ($11300)
Patrick Reed ($9300)
Sergio Garcia ($9100)
Paul Casey ($7300)
Ryan Palmer ($6600)
Charley Hoffman ($6000)
Top Fade:
Tiger Woods ($9300): His name stands out. You’ll want to use him, and I strongly advise against it. We just don’t know where his game is at right now. The last time we saw Tiger he was so bad he withdrew in embarrassment. I love Tiger, he’s the reason I started watching the sport, and I’m glad he’s playing because he’s the biggest attraction there is, but this is not the place to make his return. If he felt fine enough to play a practice round last week, he should have played in the Houston Open to have a better idea of how his game would be in tournament conditions. With a big contest field, it’s possible Tiger is highly owned for a pretty decent price. If you want to win big, fade Tiger, and let the others pay the consequences.
Others to Fade:
Ricky Fowler ($9800)
Justin Rose ($9700)
Jim Furyk ($7700)
Hunter Mahan ($7200)
My Lineup:
Jason Day ($11300)
Dustin Johnson ($10500)
Lee Westwood ($8200)
Paul Casey ($7300)
Ryan Palmer ($6600)
Charley Hoffman ($6000)
