This article is part of our DraftKings PGA DFS Picks series.
RBC HERITAGE
Purse: $5.9M
Winner's Share: $1,062,000
FedEx Cup Points: 500 to the Winner
Location: Hilton Head, S.C.
Course: Harbour Town Golf Links
Yardage: 7,099
Par: 71
2015 champion: Jim Furyk
Tournament Preview
We move from the green jacket to the plaid jacket, which goes to the winner of the Heritage. Since we last saw Harbour Town Golf Links, the course has undergone a renovation, as every blade of grass was changed while it was closed from May to October. And while there are some changes, most notably to Nos. 2, 5, 16 and 17, it still is among the shortest courses on the PGA Tour, a far cry from most of the bombers' paradises we see from week to week. No. 2 is one of only three par-5s, hence the par-71 layout. According to PGATour.com, the average of all drives last year was just 264.3 yards, the shortest on tour. The signature hole remains No. 18, a 472-yard brutish par-4 with the famed red-and-white-striped lighthouse and marina in the background behind the tiny green. Following the Masters, most of the top names are taking the week off, with world No. 1 Jason Day the lone golfer in the top 10 on hand. No. 14 Branden Grace, No. 15 Brandt Snedeker and No. 17 Zach Johnson round out top-20 entrants. The field tops out at 132 golfers, significantly less than the standard 156. This will mark the professional debut of U.S. Amateur champion Bryson DeChambeau, who played admirably at the Masters. He received a sponsor's exemption.
Key Stats to Winning at Harbour Town
• Driving accuracy
• Greens in regulation
• Scrambling
• One-putt percentage
Past Champions
2015 - Jim Furyk
2014 - Matt Kuchar
2013 - Graeme McDowell
2012 - Carl Pettersson
2011 - Brandt Snedeker
2010 - Jim Furyk
2009 - Brian Gay
2008 - Boo Weekley
2007 - Boo Weekley
2006 - Aaron Baddeley
Champion's Profile:
A look at the past champions tells us that golfers who keep the ball in the fairway off the tee, and not necessarily the game's longest hitters, do well here. Jim Furyk ended a long winless drought last year in winning at Harbour Town for the second time, but he won't be defending his title, still on the mend from wrist surgery (he's targeting a May return to the tour). Once off the tee, golfers will approach some of the smallest greens in golf, each averaging roughly 3,700 square feet, about half the tour average. So greens in regulation is paramount. Once on the green, you won't have a very long putt, meaning golfers who rank high in one-putt percentage could do well there.
DRAFTKINGS VALUE PICKS (Based on Standard $50K Salary Cap)
DraftKings Tier 1 Values
Jason Day - $12,500 (Winning odds at golfodds.com: 6-1)
Paul Casey - $10,800 (15-1)
Brandt Snedeker - $10,600 (20-1)
Matt Kuchar - $10,300 (20-1)
Zach Johnson - $10,000 (20-1)
DraftKings Tier 2 Values
Kevin Kisner - $9,700 (25-1)
Justin Thomas - $9,300 (30-1)
Billy Horschel - $8,900 (40-1)
Luke Donald - $8,300 (50-1)
DraftKings Tier 3 Values
Russell Henley - $8,100 (50-1)
Webb Simpson - $7,900 (50-1)
Chez Reavie - $7,600 (60-1)
Patton Kizzire - $7,500 (80-1)
DraftKings Long-Shot Values
Boo Weekley - $7,200 (100-1)
Colt Knost - $7,000 (Field, 5-2)
Aaron Baddeley - $6,700 (Field, 5-2)
David Toms - $6,400 (Field, 5-2)
MY PICKS THIS WEEK
Lower-Risk Cash Game Lineup ($50K Salary Cap)
Kevin Kisner - $9,700
Justin Thomas - $8,300
Billy Horschel - $8,900
Luke Donald - $8,300
Boo Weekley - $7,200
David Toms - $6,400
The smaller course brings many more golfers into play as possible winners, and we feel there are four of them in this lineup. Kisner lost to Furyk in a playoff last year, triggering a strong rest of the season. Thomas played well in his Harbour Town debut in 2015, finishing 11th. Horschel was ninth in 2013, and he's been playing better now than at any point since then. Donald has had many close calls at Harbour Town, with five top-five finishes. Weekley is a two-time past champion who isn't really on top of his game. But this is one of his favorite courses. Toms is among the leaders in driving accuracy and is first on tour in scrambling.
Higher-Risk Tournament Lineup ($50K Salary Cap)
Jason Day - $12,500
Brandt Snedeker - $10,600
Russell Henley - $8,100
Colt Knost - $7,000
Jason Gore - $6,200
J.J. Henry - $5,600
Day is the overwhelming favorite here. He's among the game's biggest hitters, but unlike so many of them, he can easily dial it down when need be -- and that's this week. Snedeker is the 2011 champion coming in on form after a strong week at Augusta. Just like that, we've used almost half of our cash allotment. Henley showed signs of escaping a horrible slump two weeks ago in Houston, and he ranks high in driving accuracy and greens in regulation. Knost is another accurate driver as well as a top scrambler. With $11,800 left for two golfers, Gore and Henry make a lot of cuts.