Here at RotoBaller, we are always searching for ways to give our readers the best fantasy sports content possible. With that goal in mind, we are very proud to announce the addition of a weekly PGA “One and Done” column. In this feature, our golf staff of Joe Nicely, Spencer Aguiar and Gianni Magliocco will provide their weekly golf picks every Wednesday. The purpose of this article is to present you with alternative options to consider and hopefully make your selection a much easier process weekly. With that plan in mind, let's get started!
Last week's Wells Fargo Championship marked the halfway point of the season, and things are beginning to heat up. Joe was the big winner at Quail Hollow, netting slightly over 311k with Rickie Fowler to jump back into second place. Joe and I have entered what appears to be a weekly battle where we flip-flop back and forth between second and third place, but during this time of jockeying for position, Gianni's lead has started to dwindle.
There is still no reason for Gianni to enter panic mode with over a two million dollar advantage, but three majors and 13 additional events have this contest being far from over. With a 7.9 million dollar pool up for grabs at Trinity Forest Golf Club, can the lead continue to narrow? Or will Gianni add a triumphant exclamation point to his total? Let's see who the guys will be targeting this weekend.
For an in-depth breakdown of the top DraftKings and Fanduel plays, check out Joe Nicely's weekly Horse For The Course that highlights the best fits for the week's course.
And you can also find out who the smart money is on by checking out Spencer Aguiar's PGA DFS: Vegas Report every week.
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.
2019 AT&T Byron Nelson - Trinity Forest Golf Club
7,558 Yards - Par 71 - Greens Bermuda
It is not uncommon for tournaments to feature weaker fields right before a major championship, but the AT&T Byron Nelson feels especially feeble. Led by Brooks Koepka, Hideki Matsuyama, Henrik Stenson, Jordan Spieth and Patrick Reed, the event is only as strong as it is because of the brigade of European players who are making the trek to Dallas. Golfers such as Rafa Cabrera Bello, Branden Grace, Alex Noren, Thomas Pieters, Justin Harding and Lucas Bjerrehaard somewhat salvage the day, but the overall quality of participants leaves something to be desired.
Designed by Bil Coore and Ben Crenshaw, Trinity Forest Golf Club opened in 2016 and plays as an extremely long Par 71 venue. However, outside of wind, the 7,558-yard behemoth offers very little defense against the bombers. The fairways are wide open, the rough is insufficient and there are no trees, which means golfers can swing away without any real consequences. Eighty-five steep bunkers are scattered throughout the grounds, but the lack of water makes it a free-for-all. Overall, the best way to describe the track would be that it is rather simple with wind and a cinch without it.
Length off the tee will be significant, along with the ability to play in blustery conditions. Look for golfers that can create scoring opportunities in bunches and excel with their long irons. At the end of the day, Trinity Forest is not the most rigorous test in the world, so let's not overcomplicate this from a research perspective.
One and Done Selections
Joe Nicely - Keith Mitchell
Alternate -
After a solid return on my Rickie Fowler selection last week at Quail Hollow, I was really pumped for the AT&T Byron Nelson...until I saw the field. I suppose its weak nature is to be expected with the combination of a major championship looming next week and a new, slightly quirky, Trinity Forest Golf Club hosting for just the second time.
The big fish in this week’s pond is obviously Brooks Koepka, but I have some future plans for the ‘Big Game Hunter’ and don’t plan on burning him at the Byron Nelson. The quality of this field drops really quickly, so in the absence of a clear slam-dunk play, I’m going with a player whose style fits this American-links layout and has been exhibiting strong form this season.
Keith Mitchell wasn’t a name I was expecting to drop in this ‘One and Done’ contest when the season began, but here we are. Mitchell has morphed from an exciting player that led some tournaments in the early rounds last year, into a full-fledged PGA Tour winner this year. The former Georgia Bulldog slashed his way to victory at the Honda Classic and I really like his chances this week on a course where he logged a T3 last season. Mitchell likes to hit bombs off the tee and putt on Bermuda greens. Trinity Forest checks both those boxes and is good enough to make me lean on him in this watered-down field. - Joe Nicely
Yearly Earnings - $3,617,006
Yearly Cuts Made - 13/16
Spencer Aguiar - Brooks Koepka
Alternate - Thomas Pieters
Would saving Brooks Koepka for a major be a better idea? Perhaps. But I've gone rogue in this contest and need to think outside of the box if I want to get myself back into contention. Koepka comes into the week as the 7/1 favorite to capture the title, and outside of this preconceived notion that the 29-year-old only shows up for the most significant events of the year, there really isn't a reason to not consider the American at the AT&T Bryon Nelson.
Without giving away my entire arsenal for the rest of the season, there are three majors and one WGC event left, so we are mainly looking at four massive decisions from here on out. I wouldn't necessarily want to select Koepka at the Open Championship, which leaves us with three optimal places to consider him. I feel like I have enough golfers stockpiled at my disposal to take a chance this weekend that Koepka will enter the week motivated and believe this is a unique spot to grab one of the best players in the world at a reduced ownership percentage. -Spencer Aguiar
Yearly Earnings - $3,466,935
Yearly Cuts Made - 15/16
Gianni Magliocco - Marc Leishman
Alternate - Tony Romo
I'm playing it safe this week and taking Marc Leishman. The Australian finished runner-up at this event last year, and I don't think there is a better track to play Leishman this year than this week at the Byron Nelson.
Leishman has been far from impressive lately, with no top-20 finishes in his last five events, but he does have four top-5 finishes this season. He's fifth in the betting this week, and that's likely to be as high up in the market as you'll find Leishman this year. With the PGA Championship next week, there's no reason to go gung-ho, and while Leishman may not be the most exciting or creative pick this week, he should keep the total ticking along, and that's fine by me. - Gianni Magliocco
Yearly Earnings - $5,844,045
Yearly Cuts Made - 14/16
Running Totals
Joe Nicely |
Spencer Aguiar |
Gianni Magliocco |
|
Sony Open |
Gary Woodland $11,520 |
Justin Thomas $99,200 |
Kevin Kisner $12,864 |
Desert Classic |
Jon Rahm $212,400 |
Jon Rahm $212,400 |
Patrick Cantlay $159,300 |
Farmers Insurance |
Marc Leishman $21,158 |
Patrick Cantlay $0 |
Charles Howell III $79,804 |
Waste Management |
Hideki Matsuyama $113,600 |
Webb Simpson $76,917 |
Justin Thomas $482,800 |
Pebble Beach |
Chez Reavie $31,160 |
Phil Mickelson $1,368,000 |
Phil Mickelson $1,368,000 |
Genesis Open |
Xander Schauffele $100,788 |
Hideki Matsuyama $177,600 |
Dustin Johnson $177,600 |
WGC Mexico Championship |
Justin Thomas $201,000 |
Xander Schauffele $128,000 |
Tommy Fleetwood $103,750 |
Honda Classic |
Adam Scott $0 |
Gary Woodland $25,346 |
Adam Scott $0 |
Arnold Palmer |
Rory McIlroy $294,613 |
Justin Rose $19,474 |
Jason Day $0 |
Players Championship |
Sergio Garcia $125,000 |
Tiger Woods $77,625 |
Rory McIlroy $2,250,000 |
Valspar Championship |
Patrick Reed $0 |
Sergio Garcia $15,209 |
Henrik Stenson $54,270 |
WGC-Match Play |
Ian Poulter $108,429 |
Haotong Li $167,000 |
Francesco Molinari $712,000 |
Valero Texas Open |
Tony Finau $16,275 |
Rickie Fowler $112,500 |
Tony Finau $16,275 |
Masters |
Tiger Woods $2,070,000 |
Bubba Watson $225,400 |
Rickie Fowler $310,500 |
RBC Heritage |
Byeong Hun An $0 |
Matt Kuchar $745,200 |
Brandt Snedeker $17,342 |
Wells Fargo Championship |
Rickie Fowler $311,063 |
Tony Finau $17,064 |
Webb Simpson $99,540 |
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