DraftKings PGA: WGC Dell Technologies Match Play

MEXICO CITY, MEXICO – FEBRUARY 24: Tiger Woods of the United States lines up a putt on the sixth green during the final round of World Golf Championships-Mexico Championship at Club de Golf Chapultepec on February 24, 2019 in Mexico City, Mexico. (Photo by Hector Vivas/Getty Images DraftKings PGA /

DraftKings PGA: 2019 WGC Dell Technologies Match Play

The Valspar Championship was a lot of fun. A lot of casual fans were likely tuning into Duke vs Central Florida (Zion vs. Tacko), but us true fans were dual screening the game while working on a Sunday. I cannot complain. Casey tried to give it away a couple of times, but was too good on the Par 5’s. Casey shot a cumulative 14-under on Par 5’s, and only finished the tournament at 8-under. Jason Kokrak and Sungjae Im continued their great ball striking, while Louis Oosthuizen putted the lights out and it was not enough. Your defending WGC Match Play champion Bubba Watson, rounded out the top-5. Bubba is playing really sound golf at the moment and it seems to be going unnoticed.

This week we will see a totally different format. Instead of 140 golfers vying for the best 4-day score, the PGA tour implores a “skins” format, where the player with the lowest score wins the hole. The first round will consist or 16 pods of 4 golfers each (top 64 golfers and alternates based on the Official World Golf Rankings). The 4 golfers will match up against one another (one vs one) and only the champion of his pod will enter the single elimination round-of-16.

There is a lot of strategy surrounding this event. Even more strategy this year for us DraftKings PGA players, as DraftKings (I believe for only the second time) will offer a DK contest. Basic rules of DK match play: 1) Avoid playing 2 golfers from the same pod, 2) Avoid playing golfers who would play each other in round of 16, 3) Try and pick 3 golfers from each side of the draw.

Scoring for this week:

HOLES WON +3 PTS
HOLES HALVED +0.75 PTS
HOLES LOST -0.75 PTS
HOLES NOT PLAYED +1.6 PTS
MATCHES WON +5 PTS
MATCHES HALVED +2 PTS
STREAK OF 3 CONSECUTIVE HOLES WON IN MATCH {MAX 1 PER ROUND} +5 PTS
NO HOLES LOST IN MATCH BONUS +7.5 PTS

I digress. The strategy for these golfers is to beat his opponent over 18 holes. No longer is the game a 4 day grind. Match play is a series of sprints (for the eventual winner that is 7 rounds of head-to-head victories for those counting at home). The cream typically rises to the top, as the last 5 victors at this event have held the world number one ranking at one point in their careers. Bubba, DJ, JD, Rory and JD are your previous 5 champions. Although there have been surprises to make it out of the pods every year. The previous 3 tournaments have been played at Austin Country Club in Austin, Texas.

Austin Country Club will play just over 7,100 yards this year. The par-71 Pete Dye designed tract offers a 9 highlands holes and a 9 lowlands holes along Lake Austin. Just like the Florida swing, Bermuda is the dominant grass-type this week. Heavy wind is typical at this event, with gusts approaching 30 MPH last year. And remember, just like any Pete Dye course, we will get a lot of visually imposing shots and plenty of hazards. Canyons, water, and sand are the hazards of choice for Austin Country Club. The course boasts 112 sand traps and is situated on Lake Austin. There will be plenty of breath-taking views for spectators this week.

These are the stats I am leaning on this week:

Approach Gained

Ball striking Gained

Opportunities Gained

Short Game Gained

Bermuda Gained

As always, you should be building your own models. FantasyNational.com and FutureOfFantasy.com are great tools to use.

AUSTIN, TX – MARCH 22: Dustin Johnson of the United States plays his shot from the 15th tee during the second round of the World Golf Championships-Dell Match Play at Austin Country Club on March 22, 2018 in Austin, Texas. (Photo by Richard Heathcote/Getty Images) /

DraftKings PGA: WGC Dell Technologies Match Play – Picks

$11,400 Dustin Johnson

DJ ranks 2nd in my model, and is first in the field in SG:Total, SG:App and SG:BS. He is also 4th in the field in birdie or better gained, a stat that is extremely important in this format. Rory is a difficult fade at the top, but I like DJ better this week. Dustin did not make it out of his pod-of-four for the first time since the reformatting, and I assume he will be here for revenge. DJ is playing like his old-self, and won this event in 2017. He is an easy play.

Hideki in the same group scares me, but I just hope that depresses his ownership. Grace and Reavie are not threats. Rory has an easier draw, and is playing amazing, so I see high ownership his way.

$10,600 Brooks Koepka

I usually prefer Koepka at long courses or in Majors, but I absolutely love this play. Koepka has struggled his last couple times out, but he should be refreshed and energized coming into this event. He is less than a month from Majors season, so his game should be starting to round into form. Koepka has elite course history here, finishing 5th and 9th in his two appearances.

I will back Koepka in by far the weakest draw. Koepka not only draws three golfers in questionable form, he would also have a smoother path to the final than the top (DJ’s) bracket.

$9,300 Francesco Molinari

This is way more than I want to pay for Molinari. You are definitely overpaying for that Arnold Palmer Invitational win. However, I love his draw. He has yet to make the round-of-16, but I think he has a great shot this year. Webb is a class player, but his form is not ideal. Thorbjorn does not scare me. Molinari ranks 10th in this field in SG:Total, and this course should set up well for his style.

AUSTIN, TX – MARCH 24: Byeong-Hun An of Korea plays a shot on the 16th hole of his match during round three of the World Golf Championships-Dell Technologies Match Play at the Austin Country Club on March 24, 2017 in Austin, Texas. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images) /

DraftKings PGA: WGC Dell Technologies Match Play – Values

$7,400 Charles Howell

Chucky 3 sticks is in decent form and this course must fit his eye. He has made it out of two really tough draws the past 2 years. I wish his ball-striking was more in form, but he is still scoring, ranking 6th in the field in SG:Total over the past 36 rounds. Howell will be paired up with Paul Casey, Cam Smith and Abe Ancer. That group is as wide open as any. I will ride CH3’s solid course history.

$6,600 Russell Knox

This is a terrifying group! Knox is easily the weakest guy in this pod, but I spent too much up top so I am giving you some value plays. Knox rates out extremely well in my model. He is 2nd in the field in opportunities gained, 2nd in SG:App and 5th in SG:BS. This course appears to set up tremendously for Knox, especially if the wind is in full form. I am not happy about this pick, but he fits my model.

$6,300 Byeong Hun An

An rates out well in my model. He ranks 4th in the field in ball striking and 10th in approach over his last 12 rounds. The group will be tremendously difficult, boasting the likes of Fleetwood and Oosthuizen. Fleetwood is playing great golf and Oosthuizen has excellent course and just cashed a T4 last week. An has played this event twice, making it out of his group in 2016. Plus, he is playing for a spot in the Masters – love me a narrative.

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