RotoBaller PGA DFS: 2019 Masters Preview

Hi RotoBallers! In our ongoing attempt to expand and improve our PGA coverage, we will be dropping a 'Tournament Preview' for some of the big events on the PGA Tour schedule. This week we're diving into the first major championship of the year, The Masters!

We hope this preview will give you a head start on your Masters research. If you aren't already utilizing RotoBaller's amazing weekly PGA content, fix that right now by joining us this week and throughout the rest of the PGA Tour season. Access to RotoBaller's PGA content is COMPLETELY FREE and our dedicated staff covers all of your golf needs each and every week.

RotoBaller Weekly PGA Article Schedule

Available Now: It doesn't get any more in-depth than this. Check out Joe Nicely's 2019 Masters DFS Bible. A huge breakdown that discusses every single player in the Masters field.

Tuesdays: We kick your DFS research into high gear with articles from Seth Finkelstein and Joe Nicely. Seth's 'DraftKings Picks' highlights DK lineup options in each price range and Joe's 'Horse For The Course' is an in-depth look into players with great course history.

Wednesdays: We broaden your horizons with some unique PGA content from Spencer Aguiar and Gianni Magliocco. Spencer's 'Vegas Report' offers comprehensive PGA betting advice that highlights both outright and head-to-head wagers. Gianni and the rest of the crew give you their takes and insight in our 'RotoBaller One and Done Staff Picks'.

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. 

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Tournament Overview

The Masters

The first major championship of the year is also lots of people's favorite. The Masters really is 'a tradition unlike any other' and we've all come to know and love everything about this tournament over the years. Augusta National, Amen Corner, the green jacket, the azaleas, Magnolia Lane...they have all become part of the fabric of our golf fandom. The Masters is often a reminder that spring is upon us and serves as the universal sign that it is time for recreational golfers to drag their clubs out of winter hibernation.

Of course, the Masters is hosted by the ultra-exclusive Augusta National Golf Club in Augusta, Georgia. Not only is the club almost impossible to get into, so is this field. An invitation from Augusta National is required and they aren't easy to come by. This year's field is just 87 players, one of the smallest we've ever seen at the Masters. Professional golfers want to win any major championship, but I'd be willing to wager that this is the one that many of them want the most.

Patrick Reed gave a gutsy performance to win last year's Masters. Reed held off final-round charges from both Rickie Fowler and Jordan Spieth to slip on the coveted green jacket. It was Reed's first major championship victory and bucked a trend of Masters winners having a history of success at Augusta National, as his best previous Masters finish was a T22 in 2014.

Recent Winners
2018 - Patrick Reed (-15)
2017 - Sergio Garcia (-9)
2016 - Danny Willett (-5)
2015 - Jordan Spieth (-18)
2014 - Bubba Watson (-8)

Event Details
When: April 11-14 2019
Where: Augusta National Golf Club - Augusta, Georgia
Field: 87 Players
Cut: After first two rounds - Top 50 and ties & any players within 10 shots of the leader
Watch: Wed. Apr 10th - Masters Par 3 Contest, 3pm-5pm ESPN
Thurs. Apr 11th 3pm-7:30pm ESPN, Fri. Apr 12th 3pm-7:30pm ESPN, Sat. Apr 13th 3pm-7pm CBS, Sun. Apr 14th 2pm-7pm CBS.
Various coverage & live-streaming is available throughout the week at Masters.com

Course Breakdown

The Masters - Augusta, GA
Augusta National - Par 72 - 7,435 Yards - Greens: Bentgrass
Designers: Bobby Jones & Alister MacKenzie - Opened: 1933

The brainchild of the legendary Bobby Jones, Augusta National was built on a 365-acre property that had been Fruitland Nurseries. Jones imparted all his wisdom on the layout that would eventually become the most famous golf course in the world. The condition of the course is IMMACULATE, with not as much as a young azalea out of place.

Augusta National is a Par 72 that has been stretched out to 7,435 yards. The legendary layout tests every facet of a player's game. You have to be long and (somewhat) accurate off the tee, precise on approach shots with your irons, creative with your short game, and have nerves of steel on the lightning-fast greens.

Perhaps nearly as important as being able to hit the shots, is knowing what type of shots to hit and where to hit them. Course experience isn't an absolute must to play well at Augusta, but we see time and again how big of an asset course knowledge and experience can be in the Masters. The preferred ball flight is right-to-left (a draw for right-handed players) off the tee and a high cut on approach shots into the greens. While there is obviously more than one way to skin a cat, we've seen players that can hit those shots repeatedly succeed over the years.

Augusta National can be extremely difficult, but the beauty of this course is that there are also very low scores to be had. The back-nine at Augusta National on Sunday is perhaps the most perfect environment for drama in golf, as players can get hot and make a charge up the leaderboard or find some of the dangerous trouble that seems to lurk and easily lose a lead.

Fantasy Outlook

The DFS sites are rolling out the red carpet for us this week. DraftKings leads the way with their now-regular 'Millionaire Maker', where you can take down a $1 million first prize for $20. DK also has some very nice single-entry and 3-max GPP's at different price points. Over at FanDuel, you can fire at a $200k first prize for $15 in their PGA MEGA Eagle, though their offerings continue to lag behind DK.

There are those in the DFS community that believe in course history and those that don't give much weight to it. While I belong in the former category on a weekly basis, let me implore those of you that might normally ignore course history to pay attention this week. My first step when targeting players this week will be to see if they have any Masters experience and how they have performed in any previous Augusta National appearances. While we've seen a few recent winners (Patrick Reed & Danny Willett) buck the trend of strong course history, we routinely see familiar names dotting the top-10 and top-25 at the Masters year-in and year-out.

The Par-5's are key this week and players will need to play them successfully in order to contend. Playing the Par-5's well is a blueprint that players from Jack Nicklaus to Tiger Woods have used to win here.

Distance off the tee is a huge advantage. With wide fairways and 'rough' that is basically non-existent, players that are long with the driver have a distinct advantage on this lengthy, hilly course. We've seen some players that rely on accuracy and precision win at Augusta National, but by and large, distance is crucial factor for success.

These infamously-fast greens can be extremely tricky and the short game is another area where Masters experience can really come in handy. Creativity and imagination is needed when chipping and putting at Augusta National, and golfers that have been playing in the Masters for years often have a leg-up in knowing how and where these greens will break.

Key Statistics To Target

• Strokes Gained: Par 5's
• Strokes Gained: Off The Tee
• Strokes Gained: Approach
• Driving Distance
• Strokes Gained: Around the Greens
• Birdies or Better Gained

Golf DFS News and Player Outlooks

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