Charles Schwab Challenge: Top PGA DFS Picks, Values, and Sleepers for Large-Field GPPs on DraftKings

After last week’s thrilling major championship in Kentucky, the PGA TOUR is back in Texas this week for the Charles Schwab Challenge. The newly renovated Colonial Country Club will host this week’s tournament and continue its impressive status as the longest-running host venue among non-majors on the PGA TOUR schedule.

Colonial is a par-70 that is known as a positional course that rewards ball strikers. The narrow fairways and doglegs along with undersized greens make it a “less-than-driver” course that rewards accuracy and precision along with creativity and shot-shaping, especially on approach. The greens are bentgrass and have typically allowed strong putters to have spike weeks to claim victory.

Last year’s winner Emiliano Grillo hit driver only 46% of the time but gained 4.7 strokes on approach and 7.4 strokes with his flat stick. Grillo is back to defend his title, but the biggest names in the field are World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler and along with his fellow Texan Jordan Spieth. Collin Morikawa, Max Homa, Brian Harman, Keegan Bradley and Sepp Straka join Scottie and Spieth to give the event seven players ranked in the top 25 in the world.

Since this is an invitational event, there will be 132 players teeing it up this week with the typical cut to the top 65 and ties after the second round. The players not already qualified for the next Signature Event at the Memorial Tournament in two weeks have this event and next week’s RBC Canadian Open to climb the standings.

In this post each week

The focus of this post is strong GPP options who have lower ownership projections than their potential performance. Finding high-leverage plays is critical for GPP success, so the picks here go against the grain looking for under-owned options.

All Strokes Gained metrics referenced are from the Rabbit Hole.

Usually, I rely heavily on the Stroked Gained Model in FantasyLabs, which is very predictive of results. I also tend to lean into players who excel in Strokes Gained: Approach, which is more sustainable week-to-week than a hot putter.

Since these are GPP picks, we can accept more risk in exchange for getting a higher ceiling. High-risk, high-reward options with low ownership create the “boom-or-bust” style lineups that often lead to large-field success. To find guidance for all contest types, check out our full Daily Fantasy Golf coverage each week.

No matter what type of format you prefer, be sure to use the FantasyLabs PGA Models to help you make the best choices. These models use stats and simulations to highlight different players’ strengths and weaknesses. A few critical new stats for GPP play are Perfect% and SimLeverage, which are further explained here.

As you dig into the numbers, you can enjoy the many tools FantasyLabs offers, including the Lineup Optimizer, which effortlessly creates up to 300 lineups. Alternatively, you can use the Lineup Builder if you prefer a more hands-on approach.

Check out my top picks in each price range listed below.

Editors note: SimLeverage and Perfect% numbers may change after this piece is published. Be sure to check the PGA Models for any updates to the sims.

Become an All-Access Member Today

Lineup builder and optimizer

Real-time DFS models & projections

Data-driven analysis & tutorials

High-Priced PGA DFS Picks

Note: FantasyLabs has partnered with Betsperts Golf and the Rabbit Hole! Sign up for the biggest database of golf stats available on the internet and get 25% off a yearly sub with our link! 

Unless otherwise noted, all Strokes Gained metrics referenced in this article come via the Rabbit Hole.

Tool Highlights

  • Build unlimited custom stat models with official PGA TOUR data.
  • Hundreds of filters to find the exact data split you’re looking for.
  • Save custom reports and run them again with next week’s field.
  • Download anything you right to your computer with the click of a button.
  • See expert models each week.
 

Collin Morikawa $11,000

The prohibitive favorite this week is Scottie Scheffler, whose salary over $13,000 for the second straight week. There are four players with salaries over $10,000, and they all make good plays if you can make them work under your cap. Scheffler has the highest raw scoring projections but also the highest ownership projections, and he doesn’t have great per-dollar numbers since he’s priced up so high. Morikawa has the second-best median, ceiling, and floor projections and the second-highest Perfect%, and he actually edges out Scottie for the most Pro Trends in the field.

Morikawa’s ownership projection is the second highest in the field but is more than 10% less than Scheffler’s. He has the fourth-highest SimLeverage in the field and the highest Pts/Sal of all the players with salaries of $9,500 or higher.

After a slow start to the year, Morikawa has been hot lately with four straight top 20s including top 5s at both the Masters and the PGA Championship. At this event, he has made the cut in all four appearances, with a runner-up finish in 2020 and a top 15 the following year. Morikawa is a shot-making specialist, so the course should be a good fit for him.

Over his last 16 rounds, Morikawa ranks second in the field in Total Strokes Gained and in the top five in Strokes Gained: Tee-to-Green. His switch to a mallet putter and return to his swing coach have his game trending the right direction coming to Colonial. He’s a solid alternative to Scheffler, and his lower ownership projection could pay off in GPP contests.


Tony Finau $9,900

While stacking Morikawa and Scheffler is tricky to do, Finau can work in tandem with either star and brings great upside from just under $10,000. He can also be a strong foundation for a balanced lineup. He has the second-highest SimLeverage in the entire field since he has the fifth-highest Perfect% and is outside the top 10 in ownership projection.

Finau hasn’t been in contention down the stretch very often this season but has been able to string together strong results. He has made the cut in 12 of 13 events, with seven top 25s including a T12 at the RBC Heritage and a T18 last week at Valhalla. Finau posted his best finish of the season at the Texas Children’s Hospital Open, where he finished runner-up behind Stephan Jaeger. On the season, he ranks fifth in the field in Strokes Gained: Tee-to-Green and Strokes Gained: Approach but has had some struggles with his putter. Last week at the PGA Championship, he led the field in Strokes Gained: Approach.

Last year, Finau missed the cut at this event for the first time in his eight career appearances. He posted five top 25s in those events, including a runner-up in 2019. He typically plays well in Texas and is a great play to build around this week, especially given his low ownership projection.


Now in beta testing: our PGA DFS SimLabs Lineup Generator that creates advanced DFS lineups using the power of simulation.


Mid-Priced PGA DFS Picks

Sepp Straka $8,300

Straka is coming off a disappointing missed cut at the PGA Championship last week, but he should be in a good bounce-back spot at Colonial. He has been getting quite a bit of pre-tournament hype and has actually risen to the fourth-highest ownership projection in the field. However, his value at this salary is worth eating a little chalk to include the big Austrian.

Despite that extra attention, Straka still has the best SimLeverage of all golfers with salaries under $9,000. That’s a result of his very high Perfect%. He has the third-highest Perfect% in the entire field behind only Scheffler and Morikawa, so getting him at $8,300 makes him worth including as long you look to differentiate your Straka lineups in other spots.

Straka is known as one of the most accurate drivers on the PGA TOUR and is third in driving accuracy percentage this season, behind only Collin Morikawa and Shane Lowry. He was rolling along nicely before last week’s letdown, posting matching T16s at the Masters and THE PLAYERS Championship and then finishing in the top 10 at the Signature Events at Quail Hollow and Harbour Town. Over the last 12 rounds, he ranks second in the field in Strokes Gained: Approach and is in the top 10 in Total Strokes Gained.

He typically excels on tracks like this where his accuracy is rewarded. He missed the cut in 2020 and 2021 but made the cut and finished T29 last year. Straka should be able to improve that result if he can continue his pre-Valhalla form this week.


Akshay Bhatia $7,900

Bhatia also missed the cut last week but should be ready to bounce back this week. He’ll be back in Texas, where he got a big win earlier this season at the Valero Texas Open. That win earned him a spot at the Masters for the first time in his career, and he finished a solid T35. He missed the cut at the PGA Championship last week, snapping a streak of six straight tournaments in which he made the weekend.

Before this year, Bhatia usually only contended in birdie-fests where scoring went extremely low, but this year, his improved iron play has kept him in contention on multiple layouts and formats. He ranks sixth in the field in Strokes Gained: Approach over the last 24 rounds and third in Total Strokes Gained during that span. Like the other options on this list, his success with his driver is more about accuracy than length.

This will be Bhatia’s second career appearance at Colonial after he made the cut to finish T56 last year. He has the third-highest ceiling, median, and floor projections of all players under $8,000 and the second-highest Perfect%. His ownership projection under 10% gives him good SimLeverage, and he has the potential to contend if he puts it all together like he did in San Antonio.

Be sure to check out all the pick’ems Sleeper has to offer with Sleeper Fantasy promo code LABS1 for a $500 deposit match.

 

Value PGA DFS Picks

Aaron Rai $7,800

Rai has the highest ceiling, median, and floor projection of all players with salaries under $8,000. He has a surprisingly low ownership projection of under 8%, so he should be a great source of both value and leverage. He also matches more Pro Trends than any other player under $8,000.

His game should be a good fit for the course, and he showed that he can succeed here, with a T12 last year in his second career appearance. The 29-year-old from Wolverhampton comes in with good form, having made the cut in seven of his last eight events including last week at the PGA Championship where he finished T39. He has a pair of top 10s during that run at the Texas Children’s Houston Open and THE CJ CUP Byron Nelson, both also held in Texas.

Rai ranks seventh in the field in Strokes Gained: Tee-to-Green and seventh in the field in Strokes Gained: Approach in 2024 and is also in the top 20 in Total Strokes Gained.


Austin Eckroat $7,500

Eckroat has the fifth-highest Perfect% and the eighth-highest SimLeverage of players with salaries under $8,000. He only has an ownership projection of barely over 5%, so he should be a solid source of leverage despite his strong recent form and past success on this course.

Not only did Eckroat break through for his first PGA TOUR win this season at the Cognizant Classic, but he has also been able to continue to post good results through the rest of the Spring. He has made the cut in six of his seven tournaments since that victory and posted top-20 finishes at the RBC Heritage and PGA Championship in two of his last three starts. His success at Harbour Town is especially encouraging since it’s a similar track to Colonial, where Eckroat also posted a top 20 last year, finishing T16 in his tournament debut.

Over the last 30 rounds, the 25-year-old Oklahoma State alum ranks in the top 25 in the field in Strokes Gained: Tee-to-Green and Strongs Gained: Approach. He has exceeded salary-based expectations in 10 of his 13 events this season, and he always looks very comfortable in Texas. He’s a solid play at this price with a great shot at making the cut and upside to contend if he can get his putter to heat up.

Sleeper PGA DFS Picks

Samuel Stevens $6,800

Stevens comes into this event playing very well and matches the most Pro Trends of any golfer under $7,000. He ranks in the top seven in that price range for ceiling, median, and floor projections and fifth in Perfect%.

Quietly, Stevens has put together a solid season, making the cut in 12 of his 15 events and posting five top 25s. He made the cut at the Houston Open, the Valero Open, and THE CJ CUP Byron Nelson in Texas earlier this season. He had especially strong results with a T15 at the Valero and a T4 at the Zurich Classic, where he teamed up with Frenchman Paul Barjon. In his last start, he continued his good form with a T10 at the Myrtle Beach Classic in an alternate-field event.

Stevens made his debut at this event last year, finishing T29. His recent form has helped him to exceed salary-based expectations in five straight tournaments, and he is a nice bargain play this week as well.

Andrew Novak $6,300

While his ownership projection is slightly higher than Stevens’ this week, Novak is such a nice bargain this week that he’s still worth playing. He has the third-highest median, ceiling, and floor projections of all players with salaries under $7,000 even though his salary is well below that mark.

Novak has been a regular in my picks this season since he has been so affordable. He has exceeded salary-based expectations in seven of his last nine events dating back to three straight top-10 finishes early in the year at the Phoenix Open, Mexico Open, and Cognizant Classic. While he hasn’t been able to get back into the top 10 since then, he did make the cut at the three Texas stops this season, with his best finish a T30 at THE CJ CUP Byron Nelson earlier this month. Over his last 36 rounds, Novak ranks seventh in the field in Strokes Gained: Tee-to-Green and 20th in the field in Strokes Gained: Approach.

He made the cut and finished T40 in his debut at Colonial last year, and he should be set up for another strong result this week. If he can flip his putter, he has the potential to contend with his strong shot-making ability.

After last week’s thrilling major championship in Kentucky, the PGA TOUR is back in Texas this week for the Charles Schwab Challenge. The newly renovated Colonial Country Club will host this week’s tournament and continue its impressive status as the longest-running host venue among non-majors on the PGA TOUR schedule.

Colonial is a par-70 that is known as a positional course that rewards ball strikers. The narrow fairways and doglegs along with undersized greens make it a “less-than-driver” course that rewards accuracy and precision along with creativity and shot-shaping, especially on approach. The greens are bentgrass and have typically allowed strong putters to have spike weeks to claim victory.

Last year’s winner Emiliano Grillo hit driver only 46% of the time but gained 4.7 strokes on approach and 7.4 strokes with his flat stick. Grillo is back to defend his title, but the biggest names in the field are World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler and along with his fellow Texan Jordan Spieth. Collin Morikawa, Max Homa, Brian Harman, Keegan Bradley and Sepp Straka join Scottie and Spieth to give the event seven players ranked in the top 25 in the world.

Since this is an invitational event, there will be 132 players teeing it up this week with the typical cut to the top 65 and ties after the second round. The players not already qualified for the next Signature Event at the Memorial Tournament in two weeks have this event and next week’s RBC Canadian Open to climb the standings.

In this post each week

The focus of this post is strong GPP options who have lower ownership projections than their potential performance. Finding high-leverage plays is critical for GPP success, so the picks here go against the grain looking for under-owned options.

All Strokes Gained metrics referenced are from the Rabbit Hole.

Usually, I rely heavily on the Stroked Gained Model in FantasyLabs, which is very predictive of results. I also tend to lean into players who excel in Strokes Gained: Approach, which is more sustainable week-to-week than a hot putter.

Since these are GPP picks, we can accept more risk in exchange for getting a higher ceiling. High-risk, high-reward options with low ownership create the “boom-or-bust” style lineups that often lead to large-field success. To find guidance for all contest types, check out our full Daily Fantasy Golf coverage each week.

No matter what type of format you prefer, be sure to use the FantasyLabs PGA Models to help you make the best choices. These models use stats and simulations to highlight different players’ strengths and weaknesses. A few critical new stats for GPP play are Perfect% and SimLeverage, which are further explained here.

As you dig into the numbers, you can enjoy the many tools FantasyLabs offers, including the Lineup Optimizer, which effortlessly creates up to 300 lineups. Alternatively, you can use the Lineup Builder if you prefer a more hands-on approach.

Check out my top picks in each price range listed below.

Editors note: SimLeverage and Perfect% numbers may change after this piece is published. Be sure to check the PGA Models for any updates to the sims.

Become an All-Access Member Today

Lineup builder and optimizer

Real-time DFS models & projections

Data-driven analysis & tutorials

High-Priced PGA DFS Picks

Note: FantasyLabs has partnered with Betsperts Golf and the Rabbit Hole! Sign up for the biggest database of golf stats available on the internet and get 25% off a yearly sub with our link! 

Unless otherwise noted, all Strokes Gained metrics referenced in this article come via the Rabbit Hole.

Tool Highlights

  • Build unlimited custom stat models with official PGA TOUR data.
  • Hundreds of filters to find the exact data split you’re looking for.
  • Save custom reports and run them again with next week’s field.
  • Download anything you right to your computer with the click of a button.
  • See expert models each week.
 

Collin Morikawa $11,000

The prohibitive favorite this week is Scottie Scheffler, whose salary over $13,000 for the second straight week. There are four players with salaries over $10,000, and they all make good plays if you can make them work under your cap. Scheffler has the highest raw scoring projections but also the highest ownership projections, and he doesn’t have great per-dollar numbers since he’s priced up so high. Morikawa has the second-best median, ceiling, and floor projections and the second-highest Perfect%, and he actually edges out Scottie for the most Pro Trends in the field.

Morikawa’s ownership projection is the second highest in the field but is more than 10% less than Scheffler’s. He has the fourth-highest SimLeverage in the field and the highest Pts/Sal of all the players with salaries of $9,500 or higher.

After a slow start to the year, Morikawa has been hot lately with four straight top 20s including top 5s at both the Masters and the PGA Championship. At this event, he has made the cut in all four appearances, with a runner-up finish in 2020 and a top 15 the following year. Morikawa is a shot-making specialist, so the course should be a good fit for him.

Over his last 16 rounds, Morikawa ranks second in the field in Total Strokes Gained and in the top five in Strokes Gained: Tee-to-Green. His switch to a mallet putter and return to his swing coach have his game trending the right direction coming to Colonial. He’s a solid alternative to Scheffler, and his lower ownership projection could pay off in GPP contests.


Tony Finau $9,900

While stacking Morikawa and Scheffler is tricky to do, Finau can work in tandem with either star and brings great upside from just under $10,000. He can also be a strong foundation for a balanced lineup. He has the second-highest SimLeverage in the entire field since he has the fifth-highest Perfect% and is outside the top 10 in ownership projection.

Finau hasn’t been in contention down the stretch very often this season but has been able to string together strong results. He has made the cut in 12 of 13 events, with seven top 25s including a T12 at the RBC Heritage and a T18 last week at Valhalla. Finau posted his best finish of the season at the Texas Children’s Hospital Open, where he finished runner-up behind Stephan Jaeger. On the season, he ranks fifth in the field in Strokes Gained: Tee-to-Green and Strokes Gained: Approach but has had some struggles with his putter. Last week at the PGA Championship, he led the field in Strokes Gained: Approach.

Last year, Finau missed the cut at this event for the first time in his eight career appearances. He posted five top 25s in those events, including a runner-up in 2019. He typically plays well in Texas and is a great play to build around this week, especially given his low ownership projection.


Now in beta testing: our PGA DFS SimLabs Lineup Generator that creates advanced DFS lineups using the power of simulation.


Mid-Priced PGA DFS Picks

Sepp Straka $8,300

Straka is coming off a disappointing missed cut at the PGA Championship last week, but he should be in a good bounce-back spot at Colonial. He has been getting quite a bit of pre-tournament hype and has actually risen to the fourth-highest ownership projection in the field. However, his value at this salary is worth eating a little chalk to include the big Austrian.

Despite that extra attention, Straka still has the best SimLeverage of all golfers with salaries under $9,000. That’s a result of his very high Perfect%. He has the third-highest Perfect% in the entire field behind only Scheffler and Morikawa, so getting him at $8,300 makes him worth including as long you look to differentiate your Straka lineups in other spots.

Straka is known as one of the most accurate drivers on the PGA TOUR and is third in driving accuracy percentage this season, behind only Collin Morikawa and Shane Lowry. He was rolling along nicely before last week’s letdown, posting matching T16s at the Masters and THE PLAYERS Championship and then finishing in the top 10 at the Signature Events at Quail Hollow and Harbour Town. Over the last 12 rounds, he ranks second in the field in Strokes Gained: Approach and is in the top 10 in Total Strokes Gained.

He typically excels on tracks like this where his accuracy is rewarded. He missed the cut in 2020 and 2021 but made the cut and finished T29 last year. Straka should be able to improve that result if he can continue his pre-Valhalla form this week.


Akshay Bhatia $7,900

Bhatia also missed the cut last week but should be ready to bounce back this week. He’ll be back in Texas, where he got a big win earlier this season at the Valero Texas Open. That win earned him a spot at the Masters for the first time in his career, and he finished a solid T35. He missed the cut at the PGA Championship last week, snapping a streak of six straight tournaments in which he made the weekend.

Before this year, Bhatia usually only contended in birdie-fests where scoring went extremely low, but this year, his improved iron play has kept him in contention on multiple layouts and formats. He ranks sixth in the field in Strokes Gained: Approach over the last 24 rounds and third in Total Strokes Gained during that span. Like the other options on this list, his success with his driver is more about accuracy than length.

This will be Bhatia’s second career appearance at Colonial after he made the cut to finish T56 last year. He has the third-highest ceiling, median, and floor projections of all players under $8,000 and the second-highest Perfect%. His ownership projection under 10% gives him good SimLeverage, and he has the potential to contend if he puts it all together like he did in San Antonio.

Be sure to check out all the pick’ems Sleeper has to offer with Sleeper Fantasy promo code LABS1 for a $500 deposit match.

 

Value PGA DFS Picks

Aaron Rai $7,800

Rai has the highest ceiling, median, and floor projection of all players with salaries under $8,000. He has a surprisingly low ownership projection of under 8%, so he should be a great source of both value and leverage. He also matches more Pro Trends than any other player under $8,000.

His game should be a good fit for the course, and he showed that he can succeed here, with a T12 last year in his second career appearance. The 29-year-old from Wolverhampton comes in with good form, having made the cut in seven of his last eight events including last week at the PGA Championship where he finished T39. He has a pair of top 10s during that run at the Texas Children’s Houston Open and THE CJ CUP Byron Nelson, both also held in Texas.

Rai ranks seventh in the field in Strokes Gained: Tee-to-Green and seventh in the field in Strokes Gained: Approach in 2024 and is also in the top 20 in Total Strokes Gained.


Austin Eckroat $7,500

Eckroat has the fifth-highest Perfect% and the eighth-highest SimLeverage of players with salaries under $8,000. He only has an ownership projection of barely over 5%, so he should be a solid source of leverage despite his strong recent form and past success on this course.

Not only did Eckroat break through for his first PGA TOUR win this season at the Cognizant Classic, but he has also been able to continue to post good results through the rest of the Spring. He has made the cut in six of his seven tournaments since that victory and posted top-20 finishes at the RBC Heritage and PGA Championship in two of his last three starts. His success at Harbour Town is especially encouraging since it’s a similar track to Colonial, where Eckroat also posted a top 20 last year, finishing T16 in his tournament debut.

Over the last 30 rounds, the 25-year-old Oklahoma State alum ranks in the top 25 in the field in Strokes Gained: Tee-to-Green and Strongs Gained: Approach. He has exceeded salary-based expectations in 10 of his 13 events this season, and he always looks very comfortable in Texas. He’s a solid play at this price with a great shot at making the cut and upside to contend if he can get his putter to heat up.

Sleeper PGA DFS Picks

Samuel Stevens $6,800

Stevens comes into this event playing very well and matches the most Pro Trends of any golfer under $7,000. He ranks in the top seven in that price range for ceiling, median, and floor projections and fifth in Perfect%.

Quietly, Stevens has put together a solid season, making the cut in 12 of his 15 events and posting five top 25s. He made the cut at the Houston Open, the Valero Open, and THE CJ CUP Byron Nelson in Texas earlier this season. He had especially strong results with a T15 at the Valero and a T4 at the Zurich Classic, where he teamed up with Frenchman Paul Barjon. In his last start, he continued his good form with a T10 at the Myrtle Beach Classic in an alternate-field event.

Stevens made his debut at this event last year, finishing T29. His recent form has helped him to exceed salary-based expectations in five straight tournaments, and he is a nice bargain play this week as well.

Andrew Novak $6,300

While his ownership projection is slightly higher than Stevens’ this week, Novak is such a nice bargain this week that he’s still worth playing. He has the third-highest median, ceiling, and floor projections of all players with salaries under $7,000 even though his salary is well below that mark.

Novak has been a regular in my picks this season since he has been so affordable. He has exceeded salary-based expectations in seven of his last nine events dating back to three straight top-10 finishes early in the year at the Phoenix Open, Mexico Open, and Cognizant Classic. While he hasn’t been able to get back into the top 10 since then, he did make the cut at the three Texas stops this season, with his best finish a T30 at THE CJ CUP Byron Nelson earlier this month. Over his last 36 rounds, Novak ranks seventh in the field in Strokes Gained: Tee-to-Green and 20th in the field in Strokes Gained: Approach.

He made the cut and finished T40 in his debut at Colonial last year, and he should be set up for another strong result this week. If he can flip his putter, he has the potential to contend with his strong shot-making ability.

About the Author

Zach Thompson writes NBA, MLB, NFL, golf and soccer content for Fantasy Labs. Zach's fantasy experience dates all the way back to high school when he would manually tabulate fantasy football scores using Tuesday morning's newspaper. Even though he was raised on the island of Guam on the opposite side of the world, Zach is a hardcore Boston sports fan who loves playing fantasy sports in almost any format. He's always in search of a great bargain play and keeps a close eye out for rising talent that can provide leverage. Zach joined the FantasyLabs team in 2022 and is also a contributor for DraftKings Network.