RADIO
Hello RotoBallers and PGA DFS fans! Welcome to the 2019 Masters DFS Bible! This piece is near and dear to my heart, probably because the Masters is my favorite golf tournament of the year. It has it all...the greatest players in the world, the most exciting golf course in the world, and all the awesome Augusta National traditions that we know by heart.
Last year's Masters Bible was my very first article for RotoBaller. This site has been so unbelievably supportive of me over the past year and has remained committed to growing and constantly improving our PGA content. Since last year's Masters, we've added weekly columns like my Horse For The Course, Spencer Aguiar's Vegas Report, and our 'One and Done' Staff Picks, and we're always looking for ways to bring you bigger and better PGA coverage.
I also want to give a big shoutout of thanks to our friends over at Fantasy National, who are amazing partners and the best in the business at providing comprehensive PGA DFS stats, both to the public and our RB staff, on a weekly basis. All stats used in this article are courtesy of Fantasy National, unless otherwise noted.
Featured Promo: For this week only, take 50% off any full-season or yearly Premium Pass on the site! Just enter discount code THANKS when checking out. Thanks for being a reader, and Happy Holidays! Sign Up Now!Editor's Note: Our friends at Fantasy National have built some incredible DFS Golf lineup tools including a Lineup Optimizer, Stat Engine, Ownership Projections and Course Breakdowns. They are by far the best daily fantasy Golf tools in the industry. Seriously. You can read all about them here and see screenshots.
Overview
This piece is a labor of love, and I do mean LABOR. Last year's Bible came in at over 10,000 words and this year's version is at 13,000! I will once again touch on every single player in the Masters field. The golfers are listed in descending order of their DraftKings price, just like you would see on DK when building a lineup and any DFS strategies discussed were written with the DraftKings Millionaire Maker tournament in mind.
Some players are discussed more in-depth than others. You can use this preview as a quick reference to get some thoughts on a specific golfer or you can spend some time with it and become familiar with the entire field. However you choose to use it, I hope that every reader will find at least one thing they feel is helpful or interesting.
My goal this year remains the same...to create a piece that will be helpful to those of you that might be making your first PGA DFS Golf lineup, while also being interesting to you grinders that are slightly obsessed with this wonderful game! Ok, enough with all the formalities, let's get to the golfers for The Masters!
DraftKings DFS Player Preview for the 2019 Masters Tournament
Rory McIlroy – $11,600
Notable Masters Results: T5 (2018), T7 ('17), T10 ('16)
Alright, here we go! Rory enters this year's Masters in perhaps the best form of his career. Alongside the next golfer on this list, he possesses the best 'A game' in the world. He bagged a huge win at THE PLAYERS a few weeks ago and hasn't finished lower than tied for sixth in six 2019 starts. The win at TPC Sawgrass looms large for McIlroy. He had struggled to close out tournaments this year prior to THE PLAYERS victory and that has to be a huge psychological boost as he heads to Augusta National, where he definitely has some final-round demons.
We all know about his heart-crushing, final-round 80 in 2011 and his similarly disappointing Sunday 74 last year, but Rory is consistently giving himself chances at Augusta National every year. He hasn't finished outside the Masters top-10 since a T25 in 2013, and I would argue that he's racked up all these top-10's without his 'A' game. We are seeing that 'best player in the world' upside this season and Rory is more focused and motivated than he's been in years. It's paid off for him in a big way, as he leads this Masters field in an impressive four Strokes Gained categories (SG: Total, Tee to Green, Ball Striking, & Off the Tee) over his last 24 rounds and ranks first on the PGA Tour in SG:T2G this season. I also like a lot of the types of shots I've seen from Rory this year...he hit beautiful, high cuts with his irons all week at the API, exactly the shot shape that is needed on approach shots at Augusta National.
Obviously, winning the green jacket isn't going to be easy, but the task might me be even more difficult for McIlroy because he's supposed to win this year. He's the Las Vegas betting favorite and needs a Masters win to complete the career Grand Slam, which brings some extra pressure to an already gargantuan task. He comes in as the highest-priced player on the DK salary scale, but unlike most weeks, it's not hard to fit him in your lineups with the soft major championship pricing that DK has again rolled out.
Dustin Johnson – $11,300
T10 ('18), W/D ('17), T4 ('16), T6 ('15)
DJ is right there with Rory as the co-favorite for this year's Masters. Johnson blew Rory's doors off in the final round of the WGC-Mexico and lots of folks think we might see a rematch at Augusta National. Along with Rory, DJ possesses the best 'A game' in the world. He's McIlroy's statistical equivalent, ranking inside the top-five in five Stroke Gained categories (SG: Total, T2G, Ball Striking, Short Game, & Approach) over his last 24 rounds. He can go on dominant runs and his 2019 has been impressive. He has a win at the aforementioned WGC-Mexico and also took down the Euro Tour's Saudi International. Outside of a T45 at the slog that is the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am, DJ has logged top-ten finishes in every tournament he's entered this year.
DJ's inability to close out a winnable Valspar Championship a few weeks ago raised some eyebrows. His final-round 74 snapped a streak of 14 consecutive sub-70 rounds. You will hear a lot of comparisons to his 2017 season in the lead up to this tournament. 2017 was the year that DJ seemed basically unbeatable, but suffered the infamous fall down the stairs just before the start of the Masters. I don't know that he's playing quite as well now as he was then, but he's darn close.
I'm the biggest DJ supporter there is, always have been, but there are some legitimate concerns with him at Augusta National. Despite having all the talent in the world, DJ still has just one major championship on his resume at 35-years-old, and though he's ran off some nice Masters finishes over the last four years, he struggled at Augusta National early in his career and it's never seemed like a perfect fit for him, with his preference for a cut off the tee. A bit more on his finishes of the last few years...DJ has never really been in the Sunday back-nine fire at Augusta and we're still not really sure how he would react in that situation. It seems like the best chance Johnson would have at winning would be a dominant romp where he basically runs away from the field and, while he's certainly capable of doing that, it's not something we see very often at Augusta National. All that being said, his talent and form make him a hard-to-resist DFS option and, like Rory, you can easily get him in your lineups this week.
Justin Rose – $10,800
T12 ('18), 2nd ('17), T10 ('16), T2 ('15)
How has Justin Rose not won the Masters? The guy just plays so consistently great at Augusta National every year. He hasn't finished outside the top-25 in this tournament in 10 years (Literally...10 years!) and has recorded two runner-up finishes in that span. Rose had a MONSTER 2018, winning the FedEx Cup and missing just one cut the entire season. A huge equipment change from Taylor Made to Honma on the first day of the year raised some concerns after a mediocre 2019 debut at the Desert Classic, but the Englishman quickly put those worries to rest with a win at the Farmers on a major championship-quality Torrey Pines course.
Despite the win, Rose's game hasn't felt as consistent this year. He had an uncharacteristically ugly weekend at the Arnold Palmer Invitational and overcame a slow start to log a top-10 at THE PLAYERS. That's probably just a bit of nitpicking on my part, as you have to look pretty deep to find any problems with a player that's fourth in the Masters field in SG: Total over his last 24 rounds.
Rose carries a strong DFS price tag of $10.8k, but he's in a very interesting spot on the salary scale, as he has 'You Know Who' right below him and Rory & DJ available above him for slightly more. He was very popular in last year's Milly Maker at just $9.2k, but you have to think his ownership will take a pretty big hit this year with his position on the salary scale. Ownership is pretty much the only knock I can ever find with Rose, because if he's not mega-chalk you can't really go wrong with rostering him at Augusta...he's remarkably consistent and has tournament-winning upside.
Tiger Woods – $10,500
Winner ('97, '01, '02, '05), T32 ('18)
I could probably write 10,000 words on just Tiger Woods. At 43-years-old, Tiger is still the sun that all the other PGA players orbit around...and things are still more exciting when he's in the field. While we're not quite experiencing the same massive sense of anticipation around the four-time Masters champion in this year's lead-up to the tournament, I actually feel that Woods' game is in a much better place now than it was a year ago. His outings this season haven't been as flashy as some of his early comeback appearances last year, but they have been solid, if unspectacular and it feels like Tiger is in greater control of his game as he heads to Augusta for his 22nd Masters start.
Tiger seems to have found a nice groove with his driver and he grades out 10th in the field in Fantasy National's Good Drives Gained metric over his last 24 rounds. He's still plenty long enough to compete at Augusta and his irons have continued to be his strength, as he ranks seventh in the field in Proximity and eighth in SG: Approach in the 24 round time span. It seems like we just continue to wait around on the putter to come alive. His putting hasn't been terrible, he's 24th in the field in SG: Putting, but it sure hasn't been timely either. Like everyone, I watch a lot of Tiger coverage on TV, and he's had sooo many momentum-killers on the greens this year...putting lapses that just stopped great rounds in their tracks.
We all know that course knowledge and experience is crucial at Augusta National and Tiger probably knows every blade of grass at this place. If, and it's a big if, Tiger can get some of those pesky putts (that keep a round going) to drop, he has a legitimate chance to win the Masters. He will be a popular DFS option with casual players.
Justin Thomas – $10,200
T17 ('18), T22 ('17), T39 ('16)
After a stretch of looking like the best golfer in the world earlier this year, JT has cooled off a bit lately. A heartbreaking runner-up finish at the Genesis seemed to take a little something out of him and some concerns about a possible wrist injury popped up at the Honda Classic, where he lost strokes on approach for the first time this year and he again lost strokes with his irons in a lackluster PLAYERS performance.
Augusta National should be perfect for JT, but he's sputtered in his three previous Masters starts and only has one sub-70 round (a second-round 67 last year) in the 12 he's played. We know that it takes some time to learn the ropes on this course and Thomas has improved in each of his Masters starts, with his best, a T17, coming last year...so perhaps things will continue to trend up for him this year.
It's tough figuring out what to do with JT. He will probably be the lowest-owned player above $10k, which makes him an interesting contrarian option. At the same time, his low ownership is for a reason...his form is a tiny bit off and he's not yet showcased his trademark ability to go low on the grounds of Augusta National. He's certainly capable of winning any tournament, including this one.
Jon Rahm – $10,000
4th ('18), T27 ('17)
Remember when Jon Rahm burst onto the scene a couple of years ago? He was a DFS darling and everybody loved him. It doesn't feel like that's still the case among golf fans, as the public sentiment around Rahm seems to have shifted. I'm not sure if it's because he's so good or if it's due to his stout appearance...but it's easy to forget that this kid is still just 24-years-old, and as we saw at THE PLAYERS, he's obviously still got some work to do on the mental side of the game.
That's been the knock on Rahm...that he's not psychologically ready to win major championships. He's not done enough yet to change that perception, as his brief record in majors is erratic at best. However, Rahm has been consistently strong in the Masters, logging a T27 in his debut and he overcame a brutal opening-round 75 by going 68-65-69 to finish in an impressive tie for fourth last year. The Spaniard's 'Driver or Bust' style works well at a long and rough-free Augusta National. He's third in this field in SG: Off the Tee over his last 24 rounds. All the physical tools are there and his style fits the course, so it all seems to come back to how Rahm will handle things mentally.
I'm really interested to see where ownership is trending with Rahm. He's the last $10k player down the salary scale and we know that players both above and below him are going to be popular. I think this kid is going to win multiple majors in his career and if he isn't projected to be popular, I won't hesitate to load up in hopes that he has his head on straight. THE PLAYERS aside, he's shown that he has the ability to win golf tournaments and he's the type of player that could go extremely low to make a Sunday charge up the leaderboard.
Rickie Fowler – $9,700
2nd ('18), T11 ('17), T5 ('14)
We drop below the $10k barrier with Rickie Fowler. Rickie, Rickie, Rickie...we all know the knock on him, "Can't close", "Can't win the big one", etc, etc. He's officially picked up the Phil Mickelson / Sergio Garcia mantle of 'Best Player To Never Win A Major'. Fowler did log an adventurous win at the Waste Management Phoenix Open earlier this year, where he showed some mental toughness by overcoming a horrible break in the final round. He also managed a T2 at the Honda and hasn't missed a cut in 2019.
While Rickie's been fairly reliable, outside of the WMPO and Honda, things haven't been great. Fowler's unbelievable short game is working overtime to cover for his currently less-than-stellar tee to green play. Rickie ranks second in the Masters field in SG: Putting and seventh in SG: Short Game over his last 24 rounds, but comes in just 40th in the field SG: T2G & 46th in SG: OTT. That doesn't mean he can't play well in the Masters this year, but the state of his ball striking does give me some pause when considering him.
After following the trend of starting slow at Augusta National in his first three Masters starts, Fowler has played well here over the last five years. Outside of a missed cut in 2016, he's finished no worse than T12, with a T5 in 2014 and a runner-up finish last year in what was undoubtedly his best Masters performance. Last year's outing might give him some confidence in this edition, but Rickie will need to get a huge monkey off his back to be able to slip on the green jacket. He will, as always, be a popular DFS option.
Brooks Koepka – $9,500
Injured-DNP ('18), T11 ('17), T21 ('16), T33 ('15)
I feel like Brooks Koepka is the most unpredictable 'elite' player in the world. We know he's a 'Big Game Hunter' that's been tremendous in major championships over the last two years, so he should be all systems go at Augusta National, but outside of a runner-up finish at the Honda Classic in February, he's shown very little form in 2019. I know, I know...that's Koepka's M.O...He goes through the motions in normal tournament settings and turns into the Terminator in the majors.
I don't know exactly what Brooks does to get up for these big events, but whatever he's doing is working for him. He's bagged the last two U.S. Open's and last year's PGA Championship. He's not just won them, he's won them in cold-blooded fashion. Koepka's ability to turn it on in majors really is remarkable and we have to feel like he wants to win this one. He missed last year's Masters and has made several comments to the media that missing it rekindled his love for the game. If he contends this year, he will definitely need to find another gear than the one he's been in this year. He ranks outside the top-25 in this field in EVERY major strokes gained statistic over his last 24 rounds.
Rostering Brooks for this tournament will require a leap of faith. You will have to strongly believe that he can flip some sort of switch and become a better player than his form indicates. It's scary to bet against him. He's improved in each of his three Masters starts. There are lots of popular players in this $9k range and Koepka's ownership should be very modest, which makes him an intriguing Milly Maker play.
Bryson DeChambeau – $9,300
T38 ('18), T21 ('16)
'The Mad Scientist' has been rebooting the computer over the last month or so. After finding the perfect formula and winning twice in the FedEx Cup Playoffs, again in the swing season, and kicking off 2019 with a victory on the Euro Tour, Bryson DeChambeau has cooled off a bit since the end of February. He logged a T56 at the WGC-Mexico and a disappointing T46 on a Bay Hill course where he'd played excellent in previous appearances. Things were a little better at THE PLAYERS, but we've come to expect more than a T20 from DeChambeau.
As most of you know, DeChambeau is the most scientifically technical player on the PGA Tour. He looks at the game in a different way than most other pros. The results of this approach have been very effective, but also somewhat erratic. Augusta National was actually the site of DeChambeau's coming-out party as an amateur in 2016. He turned pro shortly after his Masters outing, but his road to becoming the sixth-ranked player in the world has not been without some obstacles. He went through a brutal cold streak in 2017 that saw him miss eight consecutive cuts, before winning the John Deere that summer.
I'm giving you this little history lesson to illustrate that DeChambeau is a player that's often either 'REALLY ON' or 'REALLY OFF'. We've already seen both missed-cut streaks and winning binges in his brief career. Though it's not been long since he was on fire, it would be hard to describe DeChambeau as 'ON' right now. He heads to Augusta ranked an alarming 54th in the field in both SG: Approach & SG: Around the Green over his last 24 rounds. He's still driving the ball great (seventh in SG:OTT) which is crucial in this tournament. Bryson hasn't fared especially well in major championships yet, but Augusta National is the one he's played the best. Fun fact...DeChambeau was priced $6,900 on DK in last year's Masters!
Tommy Fleetwood – $9,200
T17 ('18), M/C ('17)
Who doesn't love Tommy Fleetwood? 'Fairway Jesus' has turned into one of the most popular players in the world and a go-to play for lots of DFS grinders. There's a lot to like about Fleetwood. He's turned into one of the most consistent performers in the game and he can go ULTRA LOW when he gets in the groove. We saw a glimpse of that ability in last year's Masters when the Englishman fired a third-round 66 on the way to a T17. It was a strong performance in his second trip to Augusta and proved that he's a fast learner after a missed cut in his 2017 debut.
It's not often that a golfer's straightest club is his driver, but that's the case with Fleetwood. He lives in the fairway off the tee and, while not being a bomber, is definitely 'long enough' to compete at Augusta National. He's worked on his short game and the improvements have been evident this season, as he logged back-to-back top-five's at the Arnold Palmer and THE PLAYERS. There's starting to be some rumblings around the DFS industry that Fleetwood can't close. I'm not ready to agree with that assessment, but he does seem to consistently struggle with having one really bad round in each tournament.
As I mentioned, everybody loves Tommy. It's the perfect storm for the Masters...a very popular player that's in great form with a reasonable price tag. I wouldn't be at all surprised if Fleetwood is the highest-owned player in the Milly Maker. His ability to go low is hard to ignore and he has a legitimate chance if he puts four rounds together. If you aren't 100% sold on Fleetwood, a fade would be a great way to gain leverage on the Milly Maker field.
Jason Day – $9,100
T20 ('18), T10 ('16), 3rd ('13), T2 ('11)
The Space Ranger! Am I the only one suffering from Jason Day fatigue? There's been a lot of words spoken and typed about the Aussie over the last month and it's unfortunately not all been about his play. Day has been plagued with various injuries and ailments throughout his career. We know that he's a W/D risk on any given week and he burned some people by pulling out of the Arnold Palmer after just a few holes earlier this season with a back injury, but he was able to fight through a family trip to Disney World the next day, like the true warrior that he is.
There's been some chatter about lingering issues with his back as we head into the Masters, but Day always seems ready to go when the majors roll around. His form hasn't been great recently and he logged a missed cut at the Valspar and suffered an early exit at the WGC-Dell Match Play...but his season hasn't been without some strong performances. Day recorded top-five's at both the Farmers and the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am. He was also in serious contention at THE PLAYERS before a lackluster final round left him tied for a share of eighth place.
Listen, I'm not going to yell at you for rostering Jason Day...but he very rarely finds his way into my lineups. I get it, he's a very talented guy and he's performed very well at Augusta National throughout his career. Day offers some leverage from a game-theory standpoint as lots of folks don't want the headache and stress that can come with rostering him.
Paul Casey – $9,000
T15 ('18), 6th ('17), T4 ('16), T6 ('15)
I always seem to find myself mentioning Paul Casey in the same breath as Justin Rose. Maybe it's because they're both English, but I think it's because they're both so great at Augusta National. Casey's T15 in last year's Masters snapped his three-year streak of top-six finishes at Augusta.
Casey bounced back from a horrible outing at THE PLAYERS with a huge win at the Valspar Championship, his second straight win at Innisbrook. In addition to the victory, he has logged a runner-up finish at Pebble Beach and a T3 at the WGC-Mexico this season. Casey is a rock-solid ball striker and stands 10th in the Masters field in SG: T2G over his last 24 rounds. His kryptonite is the flatstick and he ranks a vomit-inducing 183rd on the PGA Tour in SG: Putting this season. Yes, that's definitely not ideal...but another way of looking at it is that this guy beat a pretty good Valspar field while gaining just 0.4 strokes putting for the week. What happens if he actually makes some putts at Augusta?
While I always seem to go light with Jason Day, I'm normally heavy with my Paul Casey shares. That will probably be the case for me again in the Milly Maker, even though I expect him to be popular. There's a lot to like. He's a super-solid player that's in good form and has a great track record at Augusta National.
Jordan Spieth – $8,900
Win ('15), 3rd ('18), T11 ('17), T2 ('16 & '14)
I consider myself neutral when it comes to Jordan Spieth...don't love him, don't hate him...but I have to admit, I was screaming my head off cheering for him in the final round of last year's Masters! What a fun round that was to watch! I make myself notes during every tournament and one of my notes from last year's Masters was: "PLAY JORDAN SPIETH IN THIS TOURNAMENT!" Listen, I know I was fired up because of his final round, but '2019 Joe' is having a hard time taking '2018 Joe's' advice.
It's a classic case of course history vs. current form. You can't ask for a much better track record than Jordan Spieth has at Augusta National, but he's playing the absolute worst golf of his career in 2019. He ranks in the bottom 5% of the Masters field in almost every strokes gained measurement and only cracks the top-50 in the field in two areas; SG: Approach (49th) & SG: Putting (43rd) over his last 24 rounds. Things aren't pretty for the wonder boy right now.
I write a weekly article for RotoBaller called 'Horse For The Course' that uses a players course history as a jumping off point when considering them for lineups. A few weeks ago I said this about Henrik Stenson (who was playing terribly at the time) and Bay Hill (a course where he'd been unbelievably successful):"...sometimes a player's comfort level with a course can bring about good form...". Stenson logged a T17 at Bay Hill, his best outing of the year to that point. I don't think that being at Augusta National will magically make Spieth play great, but there is something at play with Spieth and this course. Listen, I'm all for stats, but I do think that some great players possess something inside of them that can't be measured in Strokes Gained or on a TrackMan Monitor. I'm not sure what the 'it' is, but guys like Spieth and Tiger Woods have it. I wouldn't be surprised if he misses the cut, but I also wouldn't be shocked if plays well at Augusta.
Bubba Watson – $8,800
Win ('12 & '14), T5 ('18)
I was sure there was something good brewing with Bubba Watson as we headed towards the Masters. An ugly performance at the WGC-Dell Match Play now has me slightly wavering on that. We know that Bubba is a very course-specific player and that Augusta National is one of his 'happy places'. We know that Augusta National is kind to left-handed players and Bubba is no exception, as the course fits his ball-flight preferences perfectly.
The two-time Masters champion has played well in 2019 and hasn't missed a cut since January. A change to a longer putter and new grip has his putting trending in the right direction. Watson recorded top-fives at the WMPO and the Valspar, a tournament where he's never been successful. It's no surprise that he ranks second in the Masters field in SG: Off the Tee, but he also stands a very solid 11th in SG: T2G over his last 24 rounds.
I don't want to overreact to his bad Match Play disaster, but it did leave a bad taste in my mouth and slightly concerns me about his mindset. If you want to throw out the Dell appearance, I really like the way Bubba has played this year and I'm always intrigued with his special affinity for Augusta National.
Hideki Matsuyama – $8,700
19th ('18), T11 ('17), T7 ('16), 5th ('15)
This guy is dangerous! Hideki Matsuyama is striking the ball perhaps better than anyone in the world this season. He's first in the field in SG: Approach and second in both SG: T2G & Ball Striking. Unfortunately, Matsuyama makes Adam Scott look like Ben Crenshaw when it comes to putting. It's been REALLY BAD! Hideki ranks 74th in the Masters field in SG: Putting over his last 24 rounds and 182nd on the PGA Tour for the season.
Yeah, it makes you a little queasy to roster a player who might three-putt from four feet, but I do love me some Matsuyama in this spot. He's a natural fit at Augusta National and hasn't finished outside the top-20 at the Masters since 2014. This guy is literally a lukewarm putting week away from slipping on a green jacket.
Francesco Molinari – $8,600
T20 ('18), T19 ('12)
What a huge year for Francesco Molinari in 2018! The Italian broke through with a major championship victory at The Open and spent a portion of last season looking like the best player in the world. After hibernating over the winter and easing into the 2019 schedule, Moli caught lightning in a bottle on the greens at Bay Hill to take down the Arnold Palmer Invitational.
That victory, coupled with a very strong WGC-Dell Match Play outing, will put Molinari on a ton of radars, but he's historically struggled at Augusta National, with his best outing in seven Masters appearances being a T19 in 2012. However, Moli is evolving as a player, so it's definitely possible for him to play well here. When he gets the putter going he's a very dangerous player and he's rolling it better than he ever has at the moment. I like Moli and I'll keep a close eye on his ownership...but will probably be a little underweight on him compared to the field if he's looking chalky, just due to the fact there are players priced both slightly higher and lower that I prefer.
Xander Schauffele – $8,500
T50 ('18)
Xander Schauffele is a really impressive young player that I like a lot. He's quickly showing that he can consistently get himself in the mix and win tournaments. He took down the WGC-HSBC Champions event during the fall season and won the Sentry TOC to kick off 2019 with one of the best final-round performances you will ever see.
I love Xander's game and think he will be in the major championship mix for years to come, but his lack of experience at Augusta National does concern me. We've historically seen that it takes most players two to three starts to get comfortable on this Augusta layout where course knowledge plays such an important role. There's a lot to like about the X-Man, he's rock-solid across the board and ranks fifth in this elite field in Strokes Gained: Total over his last 24 rounds. I will definitely have a bit of exposure to him because I really do like his game, but he might need a couple more years of Augusta National seasoning to be a serious threat to win this tournament.
Adam Scott – $8,400
Win ('13), T32 ('18), T9 ('17), T8 ('12), T2 ('11)
The man with the perfect swing. I have a six-year-old daughter and anytime I want to show her a golf swing I pull up Adam Scott. The Aussie used that perfect swing to win the Masters in 2013 and has racked up four additional top-10's at Augusta National. Scott has been consistently great here for a long time, missing just two cuts since his 2002 Masters debut.
We all know the standard line about Adam Scott: 'Great ball striker, but can't putt.' That's a fair statement, but it might surprise you to know that over his last five tournament starts Scott has actually gained more strokes putting (2.1 Avg) than he has with his irons (1.9 Avg). He hasn't been overly impressive with his ball striking since gaining a massive 7.5 strokes on approach in a runner-up finish at the Farmers. It kind of puts us in an awkward position. Is his ball striking suffering? Can he continue the solid putting? What if his ball striking comes around? No matter which side you come down on, it's pretty safe to assume that Scott will once again be solid at Augusta National. I'll be fairly heavily invested, but he's never an 'All-In' DFS play for me.
Phil Mickelson – $8,300
Win ('04, '06, '10), T36 ('18), T2 ('15)
'Lefty' always piques my interest at Augusta National. Mickelson has won three green jackets and we know that he loves the course. He came out firing in 2019 after fading badly down the stretch last season. Mickelson won the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am earlier this year and very easily could already have two victories this season, as he lost the Desert Classic on the 72nd hole of the tournament. After vowing to reduce his playing schedule this year to combat fatigue, the 48-year-old has remained fairly active.
His recent form has been slightly concerning, as he's lost strokes on approach in two of his last three starts and lost strokes putting in all three of them. His recent struggles aside, Mickelson is driving the ball farther than he ever has and Augusta National won't punish him off the tee. He has more imagination than the young players in the field and we've seen older players pull off some magical runs in this tournament. He's a volatile, but intriguing GPP play
Tony Finau – $8,200
T10 ('18)
If you didn't already like Tony Finau before last year's Masters, you probably became a fan by the time the tournament was over. After a freak ankle injury in the Par-3 Contest, Finau gutted out a T10 in his Masters debut. It was an extremely impressive performance for a couple of reasons: 1.) Finau had to be in a huge amount of pain, as Augusta is the toughest course to walk in the world & 2.) First timers traditionally struggle at the Masters.
After seemingly living in the top-five every week in 2018, Finau has been under-the-radar this year. He has the ability to play well in this tournament, but after drastically improving his short game last season, he seems to have taken a step back this year and ranks 54th in the field in SG: Around the Green over his last 24 rounds. After being hugely owned in every major last year, it will be interesting to see where ownership is trending on Finau after his relatively low-key performances this season.
Louis Oosthuizen – $8,100
T12 ('18), T15 ('16), T19 ('15), 2nd ('12)
Oosthuizen is a perennial contender at Augusta National. After a crushing playoff loss to Bubba Watson in 2012, 'Shrek' has logged two top-25's and two top-15's in this event. Oosthuizen battled neck and back injuries for a good portion of 2018, but flashed some form over the winter with a win at the South African Open and two top-10's on the Euro Tour. His PGA Tour outings had been mediocre this season, but he found his groove at the Valspar where his short game looked absolutely silky en route to a runner-up finish and he showed tons of fight in the WGC-Dell Match Play event.
Louis appears to be rounding into form at just the right time. That combination of form and his history of success at Augusta National will put him on a lot of DFS radars. His $8.1k price tag struck me as a bit high at first glance, but I'm coming around to the idea that people will be willing to pay it for a player that seems like a proven, conservative option. His recent form will make him a player that will probably garner some buzz around the DFS industry in the lead up to the Masters.
Patrick Reed – $8,000
Win ('18), T22 ('15)
Slipped on the green jacket last year in what was probably one of the least popular Masters wins of all time...Reed played spectacular golf with three sub-70 rounds and a tough-as-nails final-round 71 to hang on for his first major championship. His performance showed that great course history at Augusta National isn't a requirement to win (though I think it's important), as his best previous Masters finish was a T22 in 2015.
Reed's game appears to be in shambles at the moment. He made an iron change prior to The Players and lost strokes on approach. Then things got really ugly at the Valspar, when he lost a hard-to-fathom 7.3 strokes Tee to Green in his two rounds and an emergency call was placed from Patrick's wife to instructor David Leadbetter. I suppose you could make a game-theory argument for rostering Reed in the Milly Maker, as his ownership will be next to nothing, but I can't get there myself.
Matt Kuchar – $7,900
T28 ('18), T4 ('17), T5 ('14), T8 ('13), T3 ('12)
We dip our toe in the $7k water with Matt Kuchar. Who knew that the most boring guy on the PGA Tour could ever be this controversial? After a Mexican-caddie controversy following a win at the Mayakoba Classic - that was a very bad look for him - Kuch recently clashed with Sergio Garcia at the WGC-Dell Match Play.
Despite his WWE-like heel turn (or maybe because of it?), Kuchar has been playing tremendous golf. After a years-long winning drought, the floodgates opened with the aforementioned win at Mayakoba. Kuchar quickly logged another victory at the Sony Open in Hawaii and notched a top-five at the Waste Management. He cooled a bit after Phoenix, but recently made a run to the finals in the match play event and now heads to an Augusta National course - where he has three career top-five's - in very sharp form. His price, Masters history, and current play will make him one of the most popular options in the field.
Marc Leishman – $7,800
9th ('18), T4 ('13)
The 'Big Aussie' was cooking in late 2018 and into early 2019. Leishman grabbed a victory in the swing-season's CIMB Classic and started the 2019 calendar year with three top-five's in his first four starts. Things have been more of a grind lately, as Leishman has struggled to regain his early-season form over the past six weeks. He goes as far as his putter allows and he's been fighting the flatstick since a dreadful outing at the WGC-Mexico, where he lost a horrible 9.3 strokes putting.
Leishman has been hard to peg at Augusta...he has three missed cuts, a top-five, and a top-10 in six career Masters starts. He played well in last year's edition, logging a T9, and he definitely brings some upside to the table at his DK price. Leishman grades out in the middle-of-the pack in most tee-to-green statistical categories and will need a hot putting week to make any noise at Augusta.
Patrick Cantlay – $7,700
M/C ('18), T47 ('12)
Patrick Cantlay is a player that has become a popular DFS go-to over the last year, and rightly so. He made 21 of 23 cuts in 2018, with a win and six top-10's. That type of consistency goes a long way toward building a rather faithful DFS following. Cantlay has flashed similar upside this season, with a solo-second in the fall and two top-10's in 2019. However, he has also already matched his 2018 missed cut count of two and we're just a few months into 2019.
Cantlay's Masters outing last year was very disappointing (he shot 75-76 to miss the cut), but not entirely surprising. We've seen it take time for players to gain their bearings at Augusta National and it was Cantlay's first Masters appearance since playing as an amateur in 2012. His ball striking (10th in the field in SG: Approach over his last 24 rounds) is appealing, but his spotty short game (50th in SG: Short Game last 24 rounds) is worrisome. I know a lot of people will jump on Cantlay at this price - and he has the tools to play well at Augusta - but I wonder if he's one of those players that needs to get three or four Masters starts under his belt before he seriously contends.
Sergio Garcia - $7,700
Win ('17), T8 ('13), T4 ('04), 8th ('02)
Sergio's Masters record reads about like what you would expect from a notorious head case: a win, three top-10's, and six missed cuts in 20 career Augusta National appearances. It's almost a microcosm of Garcia's career as a whole...brilliant, but volatile, marked by highs and lows, as well as periods of 'just showing up'. His recent incident with Matt Kuchar at the WGC-Dell Match Play really has me thrown off, as I've been riding Sergio heavily in 2019. I loved the direction his game was trending as we inched closer to Augusta - fifth in the field in SG: Approach, sixth in SG: Ball Striking, and 17th in SG: T2G over his last 24 rounds - but his recent match play outburst (not to mention the incident earlier this year in Saudi Arabia) has me wondering where his head will be for this year's Masters.
It really is easy to imagine any possible scenario for Sergio. He could win, seriously contend, miss the cut, or simply 'just show up' and log a forgettable T39. He's in excellent form physically and striking the ball tremendously, but we know what can happen if he's in a bad place mentally. I do love his reduced price tag and it definitely makes investing in Sergio more palatable.
Henrik Stenson – $7,600
T5 ('18), M/C ('17), T14 ('14)
We go from one superb ball striker in Sergio Garcia to another in Henrik Stenson. 'The Iceman' logged his best-ever outing in last year's Masters when he tied for fifth, but his track record at Augusta National is slightly underwhelming for a player of his caliber. Stenson hasn't been bad at Augusta by any measure - he has seven top-25's in 12 career appearances - but before last year's T5, his best finish was a T14 in 2014.
After battling an injury at the end of last season, Stenson got off to a really sluggish start in 2019. His irons finally woke up at Bay Hill, where he gained a massive 6.7 strokes on approach. His ball striking again looked very sharp at the Valspar, where he gained 7.3 strokes on approach, but lost over 2 strokes putting. Like Sergio, there are some questions about Stenson's mental outlook at Augusta, but the prospect of the rest of his game coming together around his superb iron play makes him an intriguing DFS option.
Ian Poulter – $7,600
T44 ('18), T6 ('15), 7th ('12), T10 ('10)
Another Englishman with a sterling track record at Augusta National. A last-minute win at the Houston Open got him into this tournament last year, but Poulter ran out of juice and logged a T44. I expect more from him in this time around, as Poulter has played arguably the best golf of his career over the past year.
He ran off an impressive streak of three straight top-six finishes on the Euro Tour to kick off 2019 and kept it going when he crossed the pond by logging a T3 at the WGC-Mexico. Poulter is a player that doesn't do one thing great, but also doesn't do anything horribly. He's a solid option that's playing well and has some good Masters experience to draw from. He'll be popular, but is hard to ignore at this price.
Gary Woodland – $7,500
M/C ('18), M/C ('17), M/C ('15), T24 ('11)
Over the last couple of years I've went through a few periods of thinking it was Gary Woodland's 'time', but things just haven't worked out that way. After a win at the WMPO early last year, Woodland went into a spiral and didn't really emerge until making a run at the PGA Championship at the end of 2018. I understand there were some family/personal issues going on off the course at the time, but we've seen a mini repeat this season. After a monster swing season and having the Sentry TOC literally stolen from him by Xander Schauffele, Woodland appears to be yet again be entering a mid-season swoon, as he's been fighting to just make cuts over the past month...perhaps due to his regression on the greens (71st in Masters field in SG: Putting over his last 24 rounds).
The guy has all the talent in the world, but it's never translated to Augusta National. His best Masters outing was his first, a T24 back in 2011. Woodland has missed the cut in his last three Masters starts and it hasn't been close, as he's failed to break 75 in his last five rounds at Augusta National. He's a great player and his stats suggest he should play well on this course (eighth in the field in SG: T2G his last 24 rounds), but his course history tells a different story.
Rafa Cabrera-Bello – $7,400
T38 ('18), M/C ('17), T17 ('16)
After an impressive T17 in his 2016 Masters debut, Rafa's last two trips to Augusta have been rather underwhelming. With many of his fellow Spaniards having won green jackets, Cabrera-Bello seems almost destined to play well here at some point. He's a tremendous putter (12th in the field in SG: Putting last 24 rounds), but struggles terribly around the greens and ranks almost last in the field in SG: Around the Greens over his last 24 rounds. Not exactly a recipe for success at Augusta National.
Rafa has put together a nice season in 2019, racking up a top-five and three top-25's against just one missed cut in his six North American starts. Cabrera-Bello seems like a steal at this price and his game log looks really tempting, but his spotty chipping and underwhelming tee-to-green stats (50th in field in SG: T2G over his last 24 rounds) raise enough concerns to take him out of the 'slam dunk' category for me.
Webb Simpson – $7,400
T20 ('18), M/C ('17), T29 ('16)
Webb Simpson had a dream season in 2018 and one of his many highlights was logging a career-best finish at the Masters (a T20). The 2018 Players Champion has been solid if unspectacular this year, logging a top-10 and two top-25's in six 2019 starts.
While I'm normally happen to roll with 'The Webber' in any tournament, his issues at Augusta National aren't easily fixable. He stands 175th on the PGA Tour in Driving Distance this season and his lack of length off the tee gives him no room for error in any other facet of the game on this long Augusta layout. I like him as a player and can't argue with his price tag, but last year's T20 kind of feels like his Masters ceiling.
Cameron Smith – $7,400
T5 ('18), T55 ('16)
I think a lot of us that watched last year's Masters put a mental asterisk by Cam Smith as a player to watch in future Masters. The Aussie logged a brilliant T5 at Augusta last season on the strength of his impeccable short game. He continues to be one of the best in the world in that area and heads to Georgia ranked third in the field in SG: Short Game and eighth in SG: Putting over his last 24 rounds.
Smith was firing on all cylinders during the swing season and logged a win at the Australian PGA. He kept things going with some nice outings in early 2019 that included top-10's at the Farmers and WGC-Mexico. However, his form regressed during the month of March, when he missed the cut at the Honda and only mustered a T55 at The Players. He struggles badly off the tee (65th in the field in SG: OTT over his last 24 rounds), which puts tons of pressure on his short game. I look for him to be popular due to his Masters performance last year, but his recent form might not warrant as much ownership as he will garner.
Matthew Fitzpatrick – $7,300
T37 ('18), T7 ('16)
The young Englishman is just 24-years-old, but already has four Masters starts under his belt. Fitzpatrick has made three straight cuts at Augusta since a missed cut in his debut, including a T7 in 2016.
He's already logged five wins on the Euro Tour and made some noise stateside earlier this year when he logged a runner-up finish at the Arnold Palmer Invitational where he gained 7.8 strokes T2G. His run at Bay Hill indicates some solid form and - despite coming up short in the Arnold Palmer - I like that he hung tough with Rory McIlroy in a final-group Sunday pairing. His competent Masters record makes him an interesting pivot option in this price range.
Eddie Pepperell – $7,300
First Masters Appearance
Geez...how many guys from England are playing in this tournament?!? Pepperell has been grinding away on the Euro Tour for a few years, but kicked his game into another gear in 2018, winning the Qatar Masters and British Masters. His play was strong enough to get into some WGC events and his ranking inside the OWGR Top-50 qualified him for this year's Masters.
Pepperell is known mostly in the U.S. for his awesome Twitter account (follow him if you aren't already!), but the guy can play, as evidenced by a final-round 66 at The Players that resulted in a T3. While he's a fan favorite, his Masters prospects this year aren't great. Augusta National is notoriously tough on first timers and Pepperell has lost strokes Off the Tee in all three of his North American starts this year.
Charl Schwartzel – $7,300
Win ('11), M/C ('18), 3rd ('17)
The 2011 Masters champion spent the better part of the past decade being one of the most reliable pros in the world, but over the last couple of years Schwartzel has been anything but reliable. I don't have any problem at all with PXG, but the South African (as well as Zach Johnson) has basically been in the tank since switching to the upstart equipment company.
Schwartzel's last two Masters starts perfectly illustrate his inconsistency issues...he logged a T3 in 2017 and missed the cut last year. It's been more of the same for him in 2019, as he has five missed cuts and a W/D in 10 starts with a top-10 and a top-25 mixed in. Schwartzel has some name recognition with casual golf fans and will probably find his way into a surprising number of novice lineups, but I don't have any interest myself.
Hao-Tong Li – $7,200
T32 ('18)
Recorded an impressive T32 in his Masters debut last year. We've seen him play well in some big tournaments, with a final-round 63 to finish third in the 2017 Open Championship leaving a lasting impression. Multiple wins internationally, with the last one being the Omega Dubai Desert Classic last January. Logged a runner-up finish to Dustin Johnson at this year's Saudi International and a top-20 at the WGC-Mexico, but has missed his last two cuts at the Arnold Palmer and Players.
This might sound weird, but Li reminds me a little of Brooks Koepka, because he always seems to play his best golf on the biggest stages. His recent form is concerning and his lack of play on the PGA Tour skews his stats, but you are getting a lot of talent for his $7.2k price tag. Feels like an interesting player to get a little exposure to if you are mass entering lineups in the Milly Maker.
Brandt Snedeker – $7,200
DNP ('18), T27 ('17), T10 ('16), T6 ('13), T3 ('08)
Sneds punched his return ticket to Augusta with a win at the Wyndham Championship late last season. The Nashville native should be excited to earn his way back into the Masters after a one-year absence, as he's played extremely well here in his previous appearances. Snedeker has made the cut in eight of his 10 Masters starts, scoring a T3 in 2008 and top-10's in 2013 and 2016.
After a sluggish start to 2019, Snedeker has demonstrated some sharp improvement after reuniting with his former swing coach in early March. Since Todd Anderson rejoined the team, Sneds has recorded a top-five at The Players and a T30 at Valspar. His ball striking stats leave a lot to be desired, but he ranks first in the Masters field in SG: Short Game & Around the Green, while also grading out seventh in SG: Putting over his last 24 rounds. Similar to Webb Simpson in that he lacks distance off the tee, but has found a way to overcome it in his previous Masters appearances.
Tyrrell Hatton – $7,200
T44 ('18), M/C ('17)
The Englishman will be making his third Masters start. Improved from a missed cut in his debut to a T44 last year. Hatton is a nice player, but one I honestly have a difficult time putting my finger on. I never seem to get him right and his game can go from hot to cold and back again in the blink of an eye. He goes through lapses with his irons and is often bailed out by his superb play around the greens.
Hatton missed the cut at The Players and went 69-81 to miss the cut at the Valspar, though he did show some fight to advance out of the group stage at the WGC-Dell Match Play. Hatton would need a lot of things to go right to contend at Augusta National.
Matt Wallace – $7,100
First Masters Appearance
Making his Masters debut. Qualified via OWGR Top-50 ranking. Matt Wallace is a new name for U.S. golf fans, but this guy has been lighting it up on the international scene over the past year. Racked up three victories on the European Tour in 2018, including the BMW International Open. Made a splash with a T6 at the Arnold Palmer and has been exceptionally solid over his recent starts in the U.S.
Wallace is a grinder in the Ian Poulter vein. He's really solid from tee to green and ranks 10th in the field in SG: Putting over his last 24 rounds. I really like his game, however I'm always a little reluctant to go super-heavy on players making their Masters debut. Despite it being his first go-round at Augusta National, I will definitely be sticking Wallace in some lineups.
Branden Grace – $7,100
T24 ('18), T27 ('17), T18 ('13)
Grace always seems to pop up in majors and plays well on difficult courses and conditions. I have to admit, I was a little underwhelmed when I reviewed his Masters history, as I honestly thought it was a bit stronger. Missed the Masters cut in three straight years from 2014 to 2016, but has flirted with top-25's in last two starts at Augusta National.
Grace closed out 2018 on a cold streak and 2019 really hasn't been much better outside of a runner-up finish at the WMPO. Grace has failed to break 70 in his last two starts - The Players and the Valspar - but is a player that is difficult to totally count out in a major championship setting. Only ranks inside the top-25 in this field in one Strokes Gained category (SG: OTT) over his last 24 rounds.
Billy Horschel – $7,100
M/C ('18), T17 ('16)
Missed the cut in last year's Masters, his second M/C in four starts at Augusta National. A notoriously streaky player, Horschel has been riding an extremely hot putter in 2019. He ranks first in the field in SG: Putting over his last 24 rounds, but stands just 58th in SG: T2G over the same timeframe.
Horschel is averaging an unsustainable 4.8 SG: Putting over his last five tournaments and has struggled badly off the tee. He's a gamer and logged a T17 in the 2016 Masters, so it's possible that he guts out a solid performance, but his nice-looking game log masks a tee to green game that is pretty off right now.
Keegan Bradley – $7,000
T22 ('15), T27 ('12)
The anti-Billy Horschel. Legitimately might be the best iron player in this field - not something you can usually say about a guy priced $7k in a major championship - but also legitimately might be the worst putter in the field. 'Keegs' ranks second in the field in SG: Approach and fourth in SG: Ball Striking over his last 24 rounds, but grades out an abysmal 75th in SG: Putting and 74th in SG: Short Game over the same timeframe.
We've seen Bradley make a couple of runs this year, only to unravel on the greens. He's lost strokes putting in eight of his nine 2019 starts. The elite ball striking makes him tempting, but we know how this movie ends. Has only cracked the top-25 once in five Masters starts.
Thorbjorn Olesen – $7,000
T44 ('14), T6 ('13)
Thunder Bear! Olesen is an uber-talented European that runs hot and cold. He's in a cold stretch at the moment and hasn't shown much fight in 2019 outside of a T7 at the Omega Dubai Desert Classic in late January.
He's a player that can make birdies in bunches when he finds his groove, as evidenced by a T6 in his Masters debut back in 2013. This will be Olesen's first trip to Augusta since a T44 in 2014. I would probably have some interest if he had shown any recent form, but he's simply a punt with his game in its current state.
Charles Howell III – $7,000
T19 ('12), T13 ('04)
The Augusta native is making his long-awaited return to the Masters, his first appearance since 2012. CH3 picked up a swing-season win at the RSM Classic to earn his way back into the Masters field and he hasn't slowed down much in 2019. Howell hasn't missed a cut this year and has six top-25's.
Despite being a hometown boy, he hasn't found a ton of traction in previous Masters starts...mustering two top-20's and three missed cuts in eight career appearances. Howell will be a go-to for tons of people at this cheap price and rostering him isn't without merit. He's experienced, solid from tee to green (18th in the field in SG: T2G over his last 24 rounds), and has been tremendous both on and around the green (second in SG: Short Game & third in SG: Putting over his last 24 rounds). His ownership will offer some leverage for those willing to employ a calculated fade.
Alex Noren – $6,900
M/C ('18), M/C ('17)
Noren is a player we would normally jump on at a sub-$7k price tag, but he's down here for a reason. The Swede has been ice cold in 2019 and has missed three cuts in five PGA Tour starts this year, with his best outing being a T44 at the WMPO.
He's struggling in every facet of the game right now and ranks near the bottom of this field in SG: T2G over his last 24 rounds. His current form, mixed with the fact that he's not been close to making the cut in his two previous Masters starts, makes it easy for me to take Noren out of DFS consideration.
Danny Willett – $6,900
Win ('16), M/C ('18), M/C ('17)
A former Masters champion that has been lost in the golf wilderness for the last couple of years, Willett appears to finally be heading back to civilization. After fighting through injuries and undergoing a swing change, the Englishman picked up a win at the end of 2018 at the DP World Championship in Dubai.
Had a solid stretch in North America to start 2019 and has been powered by sharp iron play (12th in field in SG: Approach over his last 24 rounds), but his results have declined recently as he's struggled both off the tee and on the greens.
Zach Johnson – $6,900
Win ('07), T36 ('18), T9 ('15)
I think the idea that Zach Johnson 'always plays well at Augusta' is a pretty big misconception. Yes, he of course won the tournament in 2007, but outside of the win Johnson only has one top-10 and one top-20 in 14 career Masters starts.
Normally a player that you can rely on week-in-and-week-out, ZJ's trademark consistency has been MIA over the past year. He has one top-25 in seven 2019 starts, though it was in his most recent outing at the Valspar, so perhaps Johnson found something at Innisbrook? Similarly to CH3, I expect casual fans to flock to ZJ at this price.
Keith Mitchell – $6,800
First Masters Appearance
The FRL legend 'Killa' Keith Mitchell finally put four rounds together to take down the Honda Classic a month ago. Mitchell has been on the radar of DFS regulars for awhile, but his Honda win and strong follow-up performance at the Arnold Palmer have made him a fairly known commodity.
It's always an educated guess when considering how first-timers will handle Augusta National and that's the case with Mitchell. He's a tremendous ball striker (13th in SG: Ball Striking) that has plenty of length off the tee (eight in SG: OTT), but we have no idea how the guy we only roster on Bermuda greens will react to the lightning Bentgrass of Augusta National.
Martin Kaymer – $6,800
48th ('18), T16 ('17)
Zeee German! We know that Kaymer is a big-game hunter and has bagged some major wins in his career - including the 2010 PGA and 2014 U.S. Open - but he's never really found his groove at Augusta National.
Missed the cut in his first four Masters starts and logged a career-best finish of T16 in 2017. Kaymer can be a dominant player when he has everything clicking, but his play in 2019 has been very ho-hum and he doesn't rank inside the top-25 in this field in any major Strokes Gained category. Who knows? The guy does seem to wake up and win a major about once every five years.
J.B. Holmes – $6,800
50th ('17), T4 ('16), M/C ('15)
The player formerly known as John heads back to Augusta after a one-year absence. Holmes won the Genesis Open earlier this year and it's possible that he's still lining up a Riviera putt at this moment. Sorry, but he's slower than cold molasses and I just can't do it.
Popped for a T4 in the 2016 Masters, but that outing is sandwiched between a missed cut and a T50. Has the length and ball striking ability to compete here, but he's lost strokes tee to green and missed the cut in both of his starts (API & Players) since the win at Riviera. Erratic player that's hard to predict, but does have some legit upside.
Charley Hoffman – $6,800
T12 ('18), T22 ('17), T9 ('15)
Sneaks into this year's field via his T12 finish in last year's Masters. Those of you that partake in a little wagering might want to throw down a few bucks on a Hoffman FRL bet. The guy comes out smoking at Augusta National and has fired sub-70 rounds in three of his last four Masters starts. Has exhibited little-to-no-form in 2019, but always seems to get up for this tournament. Hoffman has a T9 and a T12 here and has never finished worse than T29 in five career Augusta National appearances. If you want to play the 'course horse' angle, he's a decent discount option.
Kiradech Aphibarnrat – $6,700
T44 ('18), T15 ('16)
The native of Thailand started out as something of a DFS novelty thanks to his interesting name, but has worked his way to legitimacy over the last couple of years. The 'Barn Rat' qualified for this year's Masters via his standing inside the OWGR Top-50.
It will be his third start at Augusta National, where he logged an impressive T15 in 2016. He's strong off the tee and can get on fire with the putter, but his ball striking has been ugly as of late and he ranks near the bottom of this field in SG: Approach over his last 24 rounds. Erratic play has lead to a T3 at the WGC-Mexico this year, but also four missed cuts in seven 2019 starts.
Kyle Stanley - $6,900
52 ('18), M/C ('12)
The popular train of thought on Kyle Stanley for the last few years has been that he's a terrific ball striker that can't perform on golf's big stages. While that may have been true over the past few years, Stanley has been struggling in EVERY type of tournament in 2019.
His always-sharp ball striking has all but disappeared this year and he's missed the cut in six of the seven tournaments he's played with a 36-hole cut. While we've been used to seeing Stanley as a statistical beast, over his last 24 rounds he ranks 63rd in this Masters field in SG: T2G. Something is amiss in Stanley-land and I'm not very hopeful that he finds his groove on a brutal Augusta National layout.
Kevin Kisner – $6,700
T28 ('18), T43 ('17), T37 ('16)
The often-overlooked Kevin Kisner heads to this year's Masters with some buzz following a gritty win at the WGC-Dell Match Play event. It could be easy to dismiss a match-play performance, but Kiz has been ridiculously consistent over the past couple of months, and finished between 28th and 22nd place in six consecutive tournaments prior to his match play win.
He doesn't have the obvious physical talent of many players in this field, but he still stands 24th in the Masters field in SG: T2G and 19th in SG: Approach over his last 24 rounds. Closed out 2018 with two strong major championship performances, with a T2 at The Open & a T12 at the PGA Championship. He'll be a trendy pick, but seems like a player that's underpriced for this tournament.
Si Woo Kim – $6,700
T24 ('18), M/C ('17)
It's easy to forget that Si Wooooo is only 24-years-old, as it seems like he's been around forever. We've started seeing some concrete returns on his tantalizing potential over the last couple of years. The 2017 Players champion is still frustratingly inconsistent, but has showcased his upside this season with back-to-back top-four finishes at Pebble Beach and Riviera, which he, of course, promptly followed with a missed cut at Bay Hill.
Consistently brings a brilliant short game (fourth in the field in SG: Around & sixth in SG: Short Game over his last 24 rounds), but is plagued by erratic ball striking. Logged an impressive T24 in last year's Masters and could make some noise if gets hot with his irons. Offers some intriguing upside at this price point.
Jimmy Walker – $6,600
T20 ('18), T18 ('17), T8 ('14)
Still attempting to get his career back on track following an extended bout with a mystery illness that turned out to be Lyme disease. This is a guy that won six times on the PGA Tour between 2013 and 2016, including the 2016 PGA Championship at Baltusrol...so he has a winning pedigree.
Walker has a juicy track record at Augusta National - having never finished worse than a T38 in five Masters starts - but his current form is non-existent. His best finish this year is a T44 at the WMPO, and he ranks near the bottom of this field in almost every major Strokes Gained statistic.
Andrew Landry – $6,600
First Masters Appearance
The 2018 Valero Texas Open champion will be making his Masters debut. Landry has been extremely quiet since his win in San Antonio last year. He's missed the cut in half of his eight starts this year and is facing a course that's notoriously tough on first timers.
He's accurate off the tee, but might lack the distance that's needed at Augusta National, as he ranks just 178th on the PGA Tour in Driving Distance this season.
Emiliano Grillo – $6,600
T51 ('18), T17 ('17)
The young Argentinian is a tantalizing talent. Grillo is a world-class ball striker that stands 17th in this field in SG: Approach over his last 24 rounds. Unfortunately, he's has a boom-or-bust short game that is currently ice cold. Grillo ranks near the bottom of the Masters field in SG: Short Game, Around the Green, and Putting over his last 24 rounds.
Those shortcomings have negatively affected his results this year and Grillo hasn't logged a top-25 since he squeaked out a T22 at the Sony Open in January, though he did show some improved form in his most recent start, a T26 at The Players. His outing at TPC Sawgrass is encouraging and his upside is tempting at this price, but Grillo will have to bring an improved short game to compete at Augusta.
Aaron Wise – $6,600
First Masters Appearance
A talented young player that many in the DFS community have been excited about since he turned pro. Wise won the NCAA Individual Championship while at Oregon in 2016 and quickly made his mark on the PGA Tour by winning the AT&T Byron Nelson last year.
He spent the offseason bulking up his small frame and, while it might not be the direct cause, his play has undoubtedly suffered this year, as he's missed four cuts in seven starts. He's a great driver of the ball (11th in the field in SG: OTT over his last 24 rounds), but that's about all that's working for him at the moment, as he ranks near the bottom of this field in both SG: Approach and Putting.
Corey Conners – $6,600
First Masters Appearance
The Canadian was a late add to this field, as he just earned an invite after winning the Valero Texas Open last week. Conners' story is an amazing and inspiring one...as he Monday qualified just to get into the Valero field and will now be making his Masters debut. He might be a little-known commodity, but the guy is definitely more than just a feel-good story. He ranks 10th in this Masters field in SG: OTT and 18th in SG: Ball Striking over his last 24 rounds and he'd logged two top-three finishes this season prior to his Valero win. Conners' weakness is his abilities on and around the green, which is a cause for concern at Augusta National. If you are throwing multi-entry darts in the Milly Maker, Conners is an intriguing ball striker to sprinkle into some lineups.
Rest Of The Pack
Kevin Na – $6,500:
M/C ('17), T12 ('15), T12 ('12)
Forget Samuel L. Jackson, this dude is the real 'Mr. Glass'! It's basically been a lost season for Kevin Na up to this point, as he's battled injuries and W/D's throughout 2019. He showed some moxie recently at the WGC-Match Play, but I just can't go there for the Masters. I can understand taking some risks with a player like Jason Day, but Na just isn't worth the headache for me.
Patton Kizzire – $6,500:
M/C ('18)
Headed back to Augusta after a disappointing debut last year when he shot 76-76 to miss the cut in his first Masters go-round. Kizzire flashed some form over the fall and during the 'Hawaii Swing', but has been MIA since January. He's failed to break 70 in his last nine rounds and I don't expect that trend to change at Augusta National.
Bernhard Langer – $6,500:
Win ('85 & '93), T38 ('18), M/C ('17), T24 ('16)
You know it's Masters week when you are seriously considering rostering a 62-year-old! I'm only half-joking, as you can do much worse than Langer in this price range. May legitimately be the greatest senior golfer of all time. He continues to roll on the PGA Champions Tour this year and has a win and three top-five's in just four starts. Logged a Masters top-10 as recently as 2014 and had a top-25 in '16. His upside is capped a bit, but it wouldn't be a surprise to see him play well.
Stewart Cink – $6,500:
T14 ('14), T25 ('13), T3 ('08)
Returning to Augusta National for the first time since 2014 thanks to a top-four finish at the 2018 PGA Championship. Cink had something of a career resurgence last year and played some excellent golf down the stretch. Unfortunately, he hasn't been able to duplicate that level of play this year and has missed the cut in his last three starts. Cink has some nice Masters experiences to draw from, but he's really struggling with his ball striking at the moment.
Kevin Tway - $6,400:
First Masters Appearance
Many expected Kevin Tway to be a superstar out of Oklahoma State. Things haven't exactly worked out that way, but he did finally pick up a win at the Safeway Open during the swing season. The 30-year-old bomber earned his first Masters invite with the victory, but he heads to Augusta National in the midst of a horrible slump. Tway has missed five straight cuts and last broke 70 at the beginning of February. His length off the tee might be tempting if his game was in any sort of form.
Adam Long – $6,400:
First Masters Appearance
The 31-year-old journeyman is set to make his Masters debut after qualifying via a Cinderella win at the Desert Classic earlier this year. Long outlasted Phil Mickelson to win in the desert, but has since found the waters to be very rough on the PGA Tour. He missed five straight cuts after the victory before finding lightning in a bottle at Bay Hill, where he recorded a T10. Long is an easy guy to root for, and a decent ball striker, but I don't expect a fairy-tale ending at Augusta National.
Lucas Bjerregaard – $6,400:
First Masters Appearance
You are probably noticing a trend as we head into this price range. Lots of these guys are either older, former champs or are making their Masters debut. Bjerregaard is in the latter category and qualified thanks to his OWGR standing. The Dane gained some notoriety when he took down Tiger Woods in the WGC-Dell Match Play a few weeks ago, but he had sneakily played well over the month prior to the match play, recording a T12 at the Honda Classic and a T30 at The Players. He's very good off the tee, but will need to keep his fire putter going. An interesting punt at this price.
Vijay Singh – $6,400:
Win ('00), 49th ('18), M/C ('17), T5 ('05)
Won the green jacket in 2000 and practically lived in the Masters top-10 for the rest of the decade, as he ran off five straight top-10's from 2002-06. Singh has long-been considered the 'hardest working man in golf', so don't let his age fool you. He popped up on the Honda leaderboard earlier this year and logged a sixth-place finish, but that's his only made cut in five PGA Tour starts this season. We know experience is key at Augusta, so it wouldn't be surprising to see Vijay playing on the weekend.
Michael Kim – $6,300:
First Masters Appearance
Came out of nowhere to win last year's John Deere Classic. Punched his first ticket to Augusta National with the win, but hasn't been able to capitalize in any other way. Kim has really struggled in 2019 (that's putting it very gently) and hasn't made a cut this calendar year in eight starts. I'm all for looking at a player's positives...but there are none here with Kim.
Shugo Imahira – $6,300:
First Masters Appearance
Playing on a special invitation from the Masters Committee, Imahira is a talented 27-year-old that spends his time on the Japan Golf Tour. Shugo won his home tour's money title last season, as well as the Bridgestone Open. Shugo logged a T33 while playing on a sponsor's invite at the Sony Open and managed a T39 at the WGC-Mexico. Stats are hard to come by for him, due to his limited rounds in tournaments on this side of the world, but he's got a very solid short game. This isn't a throwaway invite, the guy can play, but he's never faced Augusta National.
Satoshi Kodaira - $6,300:
T28 ('18)
Recorded an impressive T28 in his Masters debut last year. Kodaira was a surprise winner at Hilton Head last season and returns to Augusta courtesy of his RBC Heritage victory. While he was playing well at this time last year, that isn't the case in 2019. Kodaira has struggled badly this season and currently stands 204th on the PGA Tour in SG: T2G.
Alvaro Ortiz – $6,300:
First Masters Appearance
The 24-year-old from Mexico earned a spot in this field by winning the Latin America Amateur Championship. Ortiz finished runner-up to Joaquin Niemann in last year's Latin American Am, but closed the deal this time around. He played his college golf at the University of Arkansas, so he has tournament experience...just nothing like what he will face at Augusta National. His brother Carlos has spent time on the PGA Tour.
Viktor Hovland – $6,200:
First Masters Appearance
The current U.S. Amateur Champion and Oklahoma State Cowboy is a player that lots of folks are excited about. Many feel like Hovland has the tools to be a star on the PGA Tour and we could see him take a Joaquin Niemann / Bryson DeChambeau type leap if he plays well at Augusta National this week. He's a dynamic ball striker that's still finding his way on and around the greens. He's played in two PGA Tour events this year...Hovland shot 73-72 to miss the cut at the Farmers Open and logged a fairly impressive T40 at the Arnold Palmer Invitational.
Trevor Immelman - $6,200:
Win ('08), M/C ('18), M/C ('17)
More focused on broadcasting than playing at this point in his life. Immelman has missed the cut in every Masters start since 2014. Played a couple of tune-up events recently, logging a T59 at the Puerto Rico Open and a missed cut at Corales. Despite being just 39-years-old, Immelman is already more of a ceremonial player than a competitive one.
Mark O'Meara – $6,200:
*NOT IN THE FIELD*
This is a weird error on DK's part. O'Meara announced his retirement from playing the Masters last year and is not listed as in the field on the Masters website. Don't roster him!
Fred Couples – $6,200:
Win ('92), T38 ('18), T18 ('17), 6th ('10), T3 ('06)
Who doesn't love Freddy Couples? The 1992 Masters champion is a beloved figure at Augusta National and has withstood the test of time on this golf course. Couples has remained competitive here despite fighting father time and debilitating back issues. He's indicated that his competitive playing days are nearing an end and we've seen him in some obvious discomfort over the last couple of years. He's played well on the PGA Champions Tour this year, but missed the cut in his lone PGA Tour start of 2019 at the Genesis Open. He'll be a cheap go-to for lots of folks this week and he continues to play well at Augusta National.
Angel Cabrera – $6,300:
Win ('09), M/C ('18), M/C ('17), 2nd ('13)
The 2009 Masters champion has missed the cut in his last two Augusta starts, but did record consecutive top-25's in 2015 and 2016. Finished second here in 2013. We haven't seen much of Cabrera lately...he missed the cut at a warm-up start in Puerto Rico and recently withdrew from Corales. A lot of unknowns here.
Jose Maria Olazabal – $6,100:
Win ('94 & '99), M/C ('18), M/C ('17)
The two-time Masters winner hasn't made a cut at Augusta since a T34 outing in 2014. The Spaniard is 53 and has mixed results in his attempt to play the PGA Champions Tour. Missed the cut in two Euro Tour appearances earlier this year. Basically a ceremonial player at this point.
Takumi Kanaya – $6,100:
First Masters Appearance
The 21-year-old from Japan earned an invitation as the current Asia-Pacific Amateur Champion. Shot 71-70 to miss the cut at the Sony Open while playing on a sponsor's exemption. Kanaya is currently the seventh-ranked Amateur in the world. He finished runner-up in the 2017 Japan Open Golf Championship.
Devon Bling – $6,100:
First Masters Appearance
Qualified with a runner-up finish to Viktor Hovland at the U.S. Amateur. Bling plays his collegiate golf at UCLA and is currently a sophomore. The 19-year-old has been prepping for Augusta National's legendary greens by practicing putts on the UCLA basketball court.
Kevin O'Connell – $6,100:
First Masters Appearance
O'Connell qualified via his win at the U.S. Mid-Am Championship. The 30-year-old has a rather interesting story, as he turned pro after leaving the University of North Carolina, but fizzled out on the mini-tours. O'Connell then re-qualified for amateur status and plans to yet again try to give professional golf a shot after playing the Masters and the Open on his Mid-Am Champion exemption. His bread and butter is accuracy, but he lacks length.
Sandy Lyle – $6,000:
Win ('88), M/C ('18), M/C ('17)
We've reach the stone-minimum price tag! The 1988 Masters winner has only made two cuts at Augusta National since 2010. The 61-year-old last played the weekend in 2014. Largely a ceremonial player.
Jovan Rebula – $6,000:
First Masters Appearance
The 22-year-old from South Africa is the current British Amateur Champion. The Auburn University player is actually Ernie Els' nephew. He hadn't had an especially prolific amateur career prior to the British Am win.
Mike Weir – $6,000:
Win ('03), M/C ('18), M/C ('17)
The only Canadian Masters champion, Mike Weir took home the green jacket in 2003 and his career has basically been in a freefall ever since. Hasn't been close in his last four starts at Augusta National.
Ian Woosnam – $6,000:
Win ('91), M/C ('18), M/C ('17)
Someone might want the tell the 61-year-old that it's time. The 1991 Masters champion hasn't been close and has made one cut in his last 17 starts at Augusta National, with the last coming in 2008.
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