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Hello RotoBaller PGA family! Veteran journeyman Brian Gay shocked the world last week by taking down Wyndham Clark in a playoff, further proving that sometimes golf makes no sense!
This week's Vivint Houston Open is the last event before the rescheduled Masters and we'll see a noticeably stronger field than we saw in Bermuda last week. In this article we'll discuss some of the standout PGA DFS plays available on FanDuel for the Vivint Houston Open. While it's impossible to hit on every player, we'll touch on some different plays across all price ranges, breaking the groups down into "High", "Mid", and "Low" price options.
Like always, the purpose of this piece is to help you put together your optimal daily fantasy golf lineups for FanDuel, whether that be from a GPP perspective or a cash-game mentality. Be sure to also read all of our other top-notch weekly PGA DFS and betting articles to help you win big!
Vivint Houston Open - PGA DFS Overview
Memorial Park GC
7,434 Yards - Par 72 - Greens: Bernuda - Designer: John Bredemus (1936) - Renovation: Tom Doak (2019)
Originally a nine-hole course that was converted into an 18-hole layout in 1936, Memorial Park underwent a massive Tom Doak-led renovation last year (with input from player-consultant Brooks Koepka) that stretches the track to a very-modern 7,432 yards. The course is open to the public and built over 250 acres on a municipal park owned by the city of Houston. Doak is one of the most prominent names in modern golf architecture, but this will curiously be the first Doak-designed course to be played on the PGA Tour schedule, so lots of questions abound as to how this layout will play for the pros.
We have to believe that players will be able to go low this week, as Doak was forced to create a layout that is playable by the public for the other 51 weeks of the year. His renovation included removing many of the courses bunkers. Players will be faced with multiple risk/reward holes, including a closing stretch that features two potentially drivable Par-4s and two Par-5s. Like Sherwood a couple of weeks ago, Memorial Park features a rarely-seen layout of five Par-5s and five Par-3s, which forces me to weight scoring on each heavier than usual. Since we're guessing in a lot of areas, I'll lean on Strokes Gained: T2G and Ball Striking for the most part, while also giving a large bump to longer hitters that can score on Par-5s, Birdie or Better % and a slight nod to Bermuda putting splits.
Let's Look At The Stats
| Stat | Memorial Park | Tour Average |
| Driving Distance | N/A | 281 |
| Driving Accuracy | N/A | 62% |
| GIR Percentage | N/A | 65% |
| Scrambling Percentage | N/A | 57% |
| Average Three-Putts Per Round | N/A | 0.55 |
Key Stats
- Strokes Gained: Tee to Green
- Strokes Gained: Off the Tee
- Driving Distance
- Par 5: Birdies or Better Gained
- SG: Putting (Bermuda)
- Strokes Gained: Approach
- Birdie Average
Fantasy Golf Lineup Picks for FanDuel (PGA DFS)
We have tons of great weekly PGA articles, DFS analysis, tools and DFS advice. Be sure to read our other fantastic articles regarding this week's event including DFS lineup picks for DraftKings/FanDuel, betting advice and DFS prop picks.
High-Priced FanDuel DFS Players
Dustin Johnson ($12,200)
I feel like we at least need to touch on DJ this week, as he's undoubtedly the "best" player in the field. Unfortunately, we're catching Johnson in a possible "sandwich game" here...he's coming off a multiple week layoff due to a positive COVID-19 test and has the Masters ahead next week. I quit trying to figure out what's going on in DJ's head a long time ago, so he might come out blazing this week or he may simply be trying to get a few rounds in and knock the rust off before heading to Augusta. Either way, this play, at this price, feels like a shaky spot despite Johnson's obvious talent and upside.
Brooks Koepka ($11,800)
I'm kinda surprised at how interested I am in Koepka this week. I rarely consider him in "regular" Tour events, but there a couple of exceptions to that rule. I believe this falls into the "exception" category, as we have to think that BK will be trying to round into form before next week's Masters. We’ve seen some “peaking for the majors” performances from him in the past. He posted a runner-up finish at the WGC-FedEx St. Jude earlier this year just a week before the PGA Championship, as well as top-five finishes in events the week directly prior to his last two PGA Championship victories.
If we want to wander drunkenly down #NarrativeStreet...this is a week where we have literally zero course history for any player in the field, but we can at least come up with a narrative tie to Memorial Park for Koepka. He was Tom Doak’s player consultant on the extensive renovation of this layout and should have more “course knowledge” than any player in this week’s field.
Tyrrell Hatton ($11,700)
I don't feel like this Memorial Park layout is a great fit for Tyrrell Hatton on paper, as he doesn't come to mind when we're thinking of "bombers". However, Hatton's recent output (really his output over the past year) almost demands that we at least consider him. He won the API just before the COVID-19 layoff and returned from the break in the same sharp form, running off four top-10s and a win at the BMW in Europe since the restart. He followed that BMW win with an impressive iron display at the CJ Cup, an event where he gained a MASSIVE 9.2 strokes on Approach en route to a third-place finish. Hatton seemed to run out of steam at the ZOZO, but I'm willing to talk that up to plain ol' fatigue. He's had some time to recharge now and - while I don't love him in this spot - his recent form earns him a spot in my player pool.
Tony Finau ($11,500)
You might have noticed that my comments on the first three highlighted players have been "lukewarm"...that's not gonna be the case with Tony Finau, a player that will be the starting point for the majority of my builds this week. Finau is a guy that I frequently target, but a positive COVID-19 test threw a wrench in the works for a couple of events. However, he came off the layoff blazing at the ZOZO, briefly holding the lead in the third round before ultimately settling for a T11.
Finau gained strokes in every major statistical area at the ZOZO, including gaining 3.2 strokes T2G. It was his sixth-straight start with a positive number in the SG: T2G category. He brings that momentum to a Memorial Park layout that should suit his strengths, as we expect players to be able to bomb away without much fear. Finau will have the opportunity to fire away at five Par-5s this week and he stands fourth in this field in SG: Par-5s over the last 24 rounds.
His consistency is hard to ignore...over his last 10 tournaments, Finau has three top-5s and two top-10s. The price tag is high (though he's cheaper in comparison on FanDuel than DraftKings), but the combination of “safety” and upside that he brings to the table this week is perhaps unmatched by any other player on the slate.
Scottie Scheffler ($11,300)
COVID-19 seems to be a common theme this week. Unfortunately, it has also impacted Scottie Scheffler. Scheffler was closing out the season on a heater before being forced to miss the U.S. Open due to a positive test result. He's failed to find that same form since returning to action, coming out of the gate slowly, going T37-MC-T52 in his first three starts. However, he looked much sharper in his most recent start at the ZOZO, gaining 6.5 strokes OTT en route to a T17. The driver should be his biggest asset this week, as we expect player's to be able to bomb away at Memorial Park. His recent stats are skewed, but we know that Scheffler is an explosive player that can rack up birdies with the best of 'em. He'll be able to take advantage of this layout's five Par-5s.
Russell Henley ($11,200) & Viktor Hovland ($11,100)
Throwing these two in the same bucket this week. They are both explosive scorers who are excellent from tee-to-green, but often battle with balky putters. Henley has been especially hot as of late, having posted top-five finishes in his last two events on the strength of almost supernatural iron play that grades out second in this field in SG: Approach. Hovland's results haven't been as spectacular, but have been solid nonetheless. He sets up well to take advantage of this layout's five Par-5s and ranks eighth in the field in that area.
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Mid-Priced FanDuel DFS Players
Si Woo Kim ($10,100)
I'm a little more willing to pull the trigger on Si Woo Kim than many in the DFS community. Yes, there's often lots of risk that comes with rostering him, but I'm willing to take on that volatility in exchange for his intriguing upside. Kim is like golf's version of Ebby Calvin "Nuke" LaLoosh...a million-dollar arm with a five-cent head. That's not to be cruel to Si Woo, but it does feel as though his mental attitude stands in the way of his elite physical traits at times. "Consistency" is a relative term when it comes to Kim, but he has displayed what passes for consistent form as of late, making the cut in nine of his last 10 starts and gaining strokes T2G each time he's made the weekend. He grades out 10th in this Houston field in Birdies or Better Gained over his last 24 rounds and can take rounds deep when everything is clicking (has carded rounds of 62 and 63 over the last 10 weeks).
Cameron Davis ($9,800)
The Aussie really pops statistically in this spot. Davis checks all the boxes that we're targeting this week...he's averaging 314-yards off the tee, ranks second in the field in Birdies or Better Gained, and trails only Dustin Johnson in SG: Par-5s. In addition to standing out in those key areas, he's been exceptionally consistent as of late, running off six-straight made cuts with three top-15s among them. Unfortunately, he's gonna pop in a lot of models this week, which will result in him being a popular play. You can consider a game-theory fade in GPPs, but if you are focusing on cash or single-entry formats, he's a rock-solid option.
James Hahn ($9,700)
Hahn is a player that I've been high on in his last couple of starts and boy...he's produced for us in a big way, going T9-T6-T5 over his last three starts. He ranks third in this Houston field in Birdies or Better Gained over his last 12 rounds and brings top-10 (actual tournament-winning potential as well) upside to the table at this sub-$10k price tag. Hahn swerves us away from the "bomber" mold a bit, as his OTT game is focused more on accuracy. However, his overall ability that helps him to grade out ninth in this field in SG: T2G should not be overlooked.
Denny McCarthy ($9,600)
It's easy to think of Denny McCarthy "only" as a great putter - after all, he has finished first in SG: Putting on the PGA Tour for the last two seasons - but there are some areas of his game that are a bit underrated. McCarthy has been surprisingly good on Par-5s as of late, ranking sixth in this week's field in SG: Par-5s over the last 24 rounds. He's also been adept at pouring in birdies in bunches recently, with birdie totals of 21/22/22 in his last three starts. McCarthy heads to Houston off a strong T4 last week in Bermuda...his second top-10 result in his last three starts.
Low-Priced FanDuel DFS Players
Sam Burns ($9,300)
Kinda "out of sight, out of mind" with Sam Burns here, a player that last teed it up at the Shriners. Though he's coming off a multiple week layoff, there's a lot to like about the potential fit for the young bomber on this Memorial Park layout. Burns is LOOONG off the tee (averaging 314-yards Driving Distance) and is a prolific scorer that finished last season ranked 21st on the PGA Tour in Par-5 Scoring and 16th in Total Eagles. In addition to his length, he's also a tremendous putter that stands third in this field in SG: Putting on Bermuda over long-term measurements.
Wyndham Clark ($9,200)
A bit of a "ride the hot hand" play here with Wyndham Clark, a player that's coming off a runner-up finish in Bermuda last week. It was Clark's second consecutive good outing (he posted a T13 at the Shriners). He is a very streaky player that we've seen play really well in spurts. Clark reminds me of Billy Horschel, in that I want absolutely no part of him when his game is off, but I'm very willing to target him when things are clicking. It's fair to say that he's in a nice groove at the moment, as he's gained over 21 combined strokes total over his last two starts. Clark is a "bomb and gouge" player that's averaging a MASSIVE 320.5 yards off the tee and can make tons of putts when he's hot.
Adam Schenk ($8,700)
Adam Schenk has been sneaky-consistent since the restart, posting 10-straight made cuts. He's flirted with top-25 finishes in each of his last two starts. At just $8.7k, Schenk checks some of the boxes that we're looking for in Houston, ranking inside the top-25 in this field in both SG: Par-5s and Birdies or Better Gained. The downside - despite his ability to consistently make cuts - is that he's been unable to truly put four rounds together, which has limited his upside. That said, he has proven himself to be a capable scorer in "birdie-fest" situations and we have to love the flexibility that his salary brings to roster construction.
Beau Hossler ($8,700)
Hossler isn't a guy that I find myself targeting very often, but I've been on board recently. I think we can go back there this week, as Hossler's strengths - distance of the tee and excellent putting - should be a recipe for success on this Memorial Park layout.
Francesco Molinari ($7,800)
Molinari has been on a milk carton since last year's Masters, when Tiger may have actually snatched his soul right out of his body. The Italian has went through some life changes, among those are his family moving continents, but he did try to get back in the ring at the Shriners, going 70-68 to miss the cut. The form isn't there and there are no real indicators that Molinari's game is about to return, but he's tough to ignore at this price as a "dart throw" in GPPs.
Win Big With RotoBaller
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If you read my articles @RotoBaller or listen to @TheTurnGolfPod I’ve been telling y’all it was #WinningSeason when golf came back! Shoutout to the entire @RotoBallerPGA squad and all you guys that support my work for all the ❤️ pic.twitter.com/07a4ynvbSU
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