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DraftKings PGA: 2019 Desert Classic Picks and Analysis

By Benjamin Main

LA QUINTA, CA - JANUARY 21: Jon Rahm of Spain poses with the trophy after putting in to win on the fourth hole of a sudden death playoff during the final round of the CareerBuilder Challenge at the TPC Stadium Course at PGA West on January 21, 2018 in La Quinta, California. (Photo by Robert Laberge/Getty Images)
LA QUINTA, CA - JANUARY 21: Jon Rahm of Spain poses with the trophy after putting in to win on the fourth hole of a sudden death playoff during the final round of the CareerBuilder Challenge at the TPC Stadium Course at PGA West on January 21, 2018 in La Quinta, California. (Photo by Robert Laberge/Getty Images) /
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LA QUINTA, CA – JANUARY 21: Jon Rahm of Spain poses with the trophy after putting in to win on the fourth hole of a sudden death playoff during the final round of the CareerBuilder Challenge at the TPC Stadium Course at PGA West on January 21, 2018 in La Quinta, California. (Photo by Robert Laberge/Getty Images) DraftKings PGA
LA QUINTA, CA – JANUARY 21: Jon Rahm of Spain poses with the trophy after putting in to win on the fourth hole of a sudden death playoff during the final round of the CareerBuilder Challenge at the TPC Stadium Course at PGA West on January 21, 2018 in La Quinta, California. (Photo by Robert Laberge/Getty Images) DraftKings PGA /

DraftKings PGA: 2019 Desert Classic Picks and Analysis

The Sony Open was a fun way to start the 2019 DraftKings PGA cut season! If you bet on the guys who played at the Tournament of Champions, then you probably did pretty well. Andrew Putnam parlayed a T14 at Sentry Tournament of Champions to an opening round 62. But it was old reliable Matt Kuchar who outlasted Putnam and the field, taking home his 2nd trophy of the season.

The Tour shifts from Hawaii to California for the West Coast swing. The Desert Classic, formerly the Career Builder Challenge, will be played at La Quinta Country Club, Jack Nicholas Tournament Course, and the Stadium Course at PGA West. 3 courses means a 54-hole cut instead of the typical 36-hole cut. This is particularly beneficial for scrubs who knock in hella birdies.

All three courses play similar to one another. All are par-72 and under 7,200 yards. La Quinta CC generally plays the easiest and Stadium Course the most difficult, but scores can occasionally rotate in a given year. We are staying on Bermudagrass again this week, and the greens will be oversewn with Poa, although this may be too early for the Poa to be fully budding (I am far from an agronomist, but that is what I am told).

The 2018 edition of the Desert Classic saw Jon Rahm outlast Andrew Landry in a playoff. Rahm fired a 10-under in the 1st round at La Quinta Country Club, and shot a -22 for the tournament. Hudson Swafford won in 2017 with a 20-under, and Jason Dufner took home the trophy in 2016 shooting a -25. The strength of this field is usually lacking, but we will have a solid showing this week. 3 of the top-25 golfers in the world will tee it up this week, including Justin Rose, Jon Rahm, and Patrick Cantlay.

In order to master these three courses, golfers will have to go low. The winner is going to be in the -20’s. The unique aspect of this tournament is the fact that 3 courses are in play and we only have data on the Stadium Course. So you can focus on all the data you want, but recent form and course history will be what you want to focus on. I will be focusing on golfers who were able to shake off the rust in Hawaii and have experience on this course.

Key Stats

DraftKings Scoring Gained

Approach Gained

Shots Gained Total

Overseeded Greens Gained

LA QUINTA, CA – JANUARY 20: Phil Mickelson plays his shot from the 15th tee during the second round of the CareerBuilder Challenge in Partnership with The Clinton Foundation at the Jack Nicklaus Tournament Course at PGA West on January 20, 2017 in La Quinta, California. (Photo by Jeff Gross/Getty Images)
LA QUINTA, CA – JANUARY 20: Phil Mickelson plays his shot from the 15th tee during the second round of the CareerBuilder Challenge in Partnership with The Clinton Foundation at the Jack Nicklaus Tournament Course at PGA West on January 20, 2017 in La Quinta, California. (Photo by Jeff Gross/Getty Images) /

DraftKings PGA – Desert Classic Picks

11,600 Jon Rahm

Yes he is the most expensive golfer on the board, but he deserves to be. Rahm won this event last year, he is accustomed to desert golf (played his college golf at ASU) and excels on easy courses. This is Rahm’s 3rd appearance at the Desert Classic, and he already made it clear that his first 2019 resolution was to defend the Desert Classic.

10,000 Adam Hadwin

Hadwin shook off the rust in Hawaii last week and now he returns to a tournament he absolutely loves. Hadwin lives in Phoenix and is loves desert golf. It shows when he comes to La Quinta. Hadwin has played this tournament since 2015, finishing T48, T6, solo 2nd, and T3. Hadwin owns the course record with a 59 in 2017. Hadwin will be popular, but at this elevated price tag and with a MC last week I cannot see him being mega-chalk.

9,500 Phil Mickelson

We have not seen Phil since his victory in Vegas. It was only a two-man field, but I am still giving it to him. When I looked at the field I knew that I wanted a piece of Phil. The price tag is probably a little high considering its his first 2019 start, but fair. I anticipate an ownership around 10%, so I am jumping on board. Phil has played this tournament a lot, winning in 2002 and 2004. Phil missed the cut in 2018, something that he had not done in a long time. I am calling the MC an anomaly and rolling with Lefty this week.

HONOLULU, HI – JANUARY 11: Pat Perez of the United States stands on the 17th tee during the second round of the Sony Open In Hawaii at Waialae Country Club on January 11, 2019 in Honolulu, Hawaii. (Photo by Sam Greenwood/Getty Images)
HONOLULU, HI – JANUARY 11: Pat Perez of the United States stands on the 17th tee during the second round of the Sony Open In Hawaii at Waialae Country Club on January 11, 2019 in Honolulu, Hawaii. (Photo by Sam Greenwood/Getty Images) /

DraftKings PGA – Dessert Classic Values

7,400 Bud Cauley

Although I prefer golfers who were able to shake off some rust in Hawaii, I cannot fade Cauley. In his last 3 appearances at this tournament, Cauley has an incredible T14, T3, T14. At this price tag, it is extremely easy to throw him in multiple lineups. Cauley’s form is solid, with 3/4 made cuts and a top-10 at Shriner’s during the swing season.

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7,300 Pat Perez

What the heck is going on with this pricing? It seems to me that DraftKings just threw every average golfer who has yet to tee-it-up in 2019 in the 7K range. Well lets take advantage of that! Perez is a Cali guy and absolutely loves the home cooking. Any time he is in a tournament on the West Coast he is live. I will play Perez until the Florida swing, when he is humbled by Bermudagrass. Perez has not played the event since a missed cut in 2016, but has a solid course history with a victory in 2009.

6,500 Adam Svensson

Did you see this guy on Thursday at the Sony Open? He was in total shooters gonna shoot mode. The irons were fire, the putter was serviceable, and he looked calm like he belonged. Friday he looked like a PGA rookie. Now that the nerves have settled, I like this kid to do great thing this week. And he is a great price. Anyone who hits their irons this well deserves a roster.

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Check out more PGA and NFL articles by the author and make sure to follow @Mystery_Main for up-to-date injuries, withdrawals, and ownership projections up until the tournament. Also, follow @FantasyCPR for your daily fantasy fix.