This offers data-driven analysis for each week’s slate, using the FantasyLabs Tools and other industry metrics to highlight notable golfers.
The TOUR’s second straight week in Las Vegas will pull in a field of big names for THE CJ CUP as a number of the top players in the world get set to tee it up at The Summit Club. Dustin Johnson headlines the field, while his Ryder Cup partner, Collin Morikawa, is making the waves early in the week as a member of this course. Many of the others from both teams at Whistling Straits will make their first appearances since the USA won the cup in what will likely be one of the best fields of the fall swing.
One of the keys for this event will be predicting how the course will play, as it will be the first event held at Summit. A few players have alluded to expecting low scores on the relatively short par 72, measuring just over 7,400 yards. When we add in the fact that it is a small-field, no-cut event, our biggest target will be around those who make birdie or better at a high rate for DFS scoring.
Matt Vincenzi has dug in deeper on the course to add some other statistical areas to target for identifying players this week and the players he sees as the best course fit. Landon Silinsky will have his cash game plays that also pair well for starting lineups in small-field GPPs. In this article, we will focus on those players that fit best for small fields, which can be tricky without the cut to separate lineups this week.
And don’t forget to utilize our various PGA DFS tools like our Lineup Builder, PGA Correlation Dashboard, and our Trends tool.
The following players listed are based on DraftKings scoring and pricing.
Top-Tier Plays
Xander Schauffele ($10,600)
I’m going to get up to Dustin Johnson in larger field GPPs, and you certainly could start lineups with club member Collin Morikawa, but I’m going to the Olympic Gold Medalist first. I don’t know what it is about no-cut events that makes Xander Schauffele so consistently good, but time and again, he plays at the top of the leaderboard in these types of tournaments.
While I often fade Xander at these price tags because of his inability to close out wins, we can live with that in a no-cut event where his scoring ability will help him remain in a position to be optimal with a signature top-five finish and an incredibly reliable floor.
Viktor Hovland ($9,900)
One player that shook off any leftover rust from after the Ryder Cup was Viktor Hovland. He teed it up at the Shriners Children’s Open last week in Vegas, and while the 44th place finish doesn’t look great on paper, there were some encouraging aspects.
He actually gained 10.7 shots on the field with his ball-striking but gave an incredible 8.9 shots back around the greens. We can certainly hope that the around the green play will be less of a factor this week at The Summit, or he at least gets closer to field average and keeps his ball-striking going.
I always like Hovland in this type of tournament as he can score with the best of them, and even if he stumbles at times, the birdies, eagles, and bonuses will be in play for four rounds.
Mid-Tier Plays
Tyrrell Hatton ($8,400)
I really liked what I saw from Hatton a few weeks back at the Ryder Cup. He was one of the few bright spots of that squad that seemed to be playing pretty well. He confirmed my thoughts there with a runner-up finish at the Alfred Dunhill, which appears to be overlooked when it comes to pricing this week. I will happily take Hatton at near the average price for the week as one of the few top-end players with some form to lean on heading into this week.
Value Plays
Joaquin Niemann ($7,400)
I intentionally only went with one play in the mid-tier this week, and it’s not because I don’t think others are viable. It’s just that I love the value plays below $7,500. I plan to stack some guys up in this range and pay up to jam in three higher-end plays where possible.
Joaquin Niemann starts the range off for me as he is a similar skillset to Hovland, where if he can avoid blowing the week around the greens, he can contend in this field. He is a birdie maker as well despite a lower ranking which is skewed almost entirely after a really ugly week at the TOUR Championship. I am not worried about his 40th place finish last week, where he shook off some of the rust.
I am expecting he can contend in this event, especially with it being played on his favorite bentgrass greens.
Maverick McNealy ($7,300)
Much of the chatter this week will be around the Vegas natives, and in this case, members at The Summit Club, which include Maverick McNealy and Collin Morikawa. McNealy is said to hold the course record with a 61, and while that’s great, it’s his course knowledge and putting ability that has me interested at the price.
I think this is a week that could turn into a putting contest, and I will happily take a discount on a player that will know these greens better than nearly the entire field, and his flat stick is the best club in his bag. I’m not overthinking this one in small-field GPPs, though his ownership may grow to an interesting fade for larger field contests.
Cameron Tringale ($7,000)
The player that jumps off the page for our model ratings this week is Cameron Tringale. He’s the third-rated player on FantasyLabs and fits in at fifth in a small-field model I made as well. I love that I see such strong agreement on that, and I will happily go to Tringale to continue his recent solid play that has seen consistent finishes in the top 25.
He is also rating out in a great way for par-5 scoring, which will be another key category at The Summit Club.
Sleepers
Cameron Davis ($6,400)
I think we can take a shot down in this range across four guaranteed rounds. I was torn a bit in this spot between two birdie makers that I always seem to like in Erik Van Rooyen and my choice in Cameron Davis. Once I dug deeper, I went with Davis because he rated out 14th in Birdie or Better rate last season, and that will be king this week, especially as we get down in price.
That alone is enough to sell me on a player that is guaranteed to play 72 holes.
Jhonattan Vegas ($6,300)
As I mentioned earlier, I really don’t see a lot of need for that mid-tier when we are getting an absolute steal at the bottom of the board in a guy like Jhonny Vegas. He will undoubtedly see a ton of ownership, but there just isn’t much reason to look elsewhere in small-field GPPs.
I will let others make the mistake of trying to get cute, and I’ll use his price and high floor to help me find ways to pay up at the top and strengthen the upside of my lineup.
