This article is part of our FanDuel PGA DFS Picks series.
THE PLAYERS Championship – Ponte Vedra Beach, FL
TPC Sawgrass Stadium Course (7,189 yards, par 72)
$11.0M Purse
$1,980,000 and 600 FedEx Cup points to the winner
Tournament Preview
Highly proclaimed as the top dog of the non-majors on the PGA Tour, the Players Championship returns in all its splendor for another dramatic week of golf. Much like last week's Wells Fargo Championship, the field is strong, and the course difficult. In fact, each of the world's top 50 ranked players are in attendance, including World No.1 Dustin Johnson, FedEx Cup leader Justin Thomas, and defending champion Si Woo Kim. The courses' 17th hole – with its famous par-3 island green - headlines a final three-hole stretch that sees major scoring swings and almost always determines the eventual champion. The Players Championship is the highest non-major payout of the year, the winner taking home a cool $1.98 million and 5-year exemption on the PGA Tour along with other major benefits. Look for exciting swings in momentum throughout the week and especially down the stretch Sunday.
Recent Past Champions
2017 – Si Woo Kim
2016 – Jason Day
2015 – Rickie Fowler
2014 – Martin Kaymer
2013 – Tiger Woods
2012 – Matt Kuchar
2011 – K.J. Choi
2010 – Tim Clark
2009 – Henrik Stenson
2008 – Sergio Garcia
Key Stats to Winning this Week
• Strokes gained: Tee-to-Green
• Scrambling
Champion's Profile
It's been harped repeatedly that the Stadium course plays no favorites – and it's held true for the most part. The key for the course's objectivity lies in its variety of holes - 12 have water hazards in play, others are short and tricky, and still others long and brutish. Though wind is somewhat mild in May, no two consecutive holes play in the same direction, making it tough for players to get in a rhythm. Players who hit strike it accurately off the tee and hit plenty of the tricky Pete Dye greens are well suited for this venue. Strokes Gained: Tee-to-Green encompasses this dynamic very well, but players will need to scramble as well. Many of the greens are raised and protected by difficult bunkers and slopes, so saving par can be incredibly tough to do consistently. All said, focusing on players who are great at ball striking and have decent scrambling ability will produce a lineup of many highly-ranked players who can win this flagship event.
FanDuel Value Picks
The Chalk
Jordan Spieth, $12300 – Spieth's unexplainable record of three consecutive missed cuts at TPC Sawgrass is as confusing as it gets, but don't let that deter you. Spieth is 2nd in Strokes Gained: Tee-to-Green this season and leads the PGA Tour in scrambling, and those happen to be the most critical stats this week. It's only a matter of time before Spieth bounces back on the radar, so play him with confidence.
Rory McIlroy, $12000 – With a scoring average of 70.55 in his career at TPC Sawgrass, Rory is destined for a title at some point. He's amassed four top-12 finishes in the last five years here, indicating he's primed for more success ahead.
Justin Thomas, $11900 – A perfect 3-for-3 made cuts in his career including a T3 in 2016 have Thomas-backers hoping for the best this week. JT leads the FedEx Cup so far this season and will look to continue his elite play at the PGA Tour's flagship event.
Rickie Fowler, $11500 – Many will remember his dramatic win three years ago while forgetting his four missed cuts in eight tries at TPC Sawgrass, but nonetheless he's a good option. His aggressiveness can get the best of him at times but he's good enough to recover from the sand consistently and contend if he avoids the big numbers on his scorecard.
Longer Shots Worth a Risk
Hideki Matsuyama, $10500 – A nice consistent record of four top-25s at TPC Sawgrass, but he's struggled to do well since returning from injury. However, he's a good value in the shadow of his injury and could provide your squad with a solid differentiator this week.
Bryson DeChambeau, $9600 – Riding hot off three top-5s his last four starts, DeChambeau enters TPC Sawgrass for the first time in great form. At $9600, he's a good fit for the golf course and worthwhile risk in my opinion.
Kevin Kisner, $8900 – Tied for second three years ago and could easily surprise with a good finish again given his ability to show up at bigger tournaments in recent years. Though winning probably isn't in the cards, he's a high-upside value play this week.
Kevin Na, $7900 – It's been three years since Na has played well at TPC Sawgrass, but his long history has proven that he's capable on this venue. Three career top-10s and a stellar short game give Na both history and a shot to play well at the rock-bottom price of $7900.
Strategy Tips for this week (based on 60k standard salary cap)
With only a few bargain players who have a real shot at holding up through four rounds this week, seek out top ball-strikers who have a good record of scrambling this season and you won't be disappointed.
