Daily fantasy golf: FanDuel picks – The 2019 Safeway Open
Daily fantasy golf: FanDuel PGA – Top tier picks: ($11,000+)
Justin Thomas – $12,200 – (Cash/GPP)
After a couple of weeks of youngsters Joaquin Niemann and Sungjae Im highlighting the fields as the top plays, things will be quite different this week as plenty of big names return to action at Silverado Country Club in Napa for this weeks Safeway Open. Justin Thomas is my top play. as he closed the FedEx Cup with a share of third place and will return to Napa for the first time since the 2017 season when he T-8. JT had another good showing here the year prior as well, as a score of 14-under was good for a T-3 finish.
I am sure Thomas will be eager to return to competition after a win at the TOUR Championship almost seemed like a sure thing with the new scoring system, but it ultimately got away. Thomas went into the final with a starting score of 10-under par after moving into first place of the FedEx Cup standings after his victory at the BMW Championship, but a couple of bad holes at East Lake led to a T-3 finish at the season finale.
Because of the value this week, I see no reason not to load up on Thomas. He particularly thrives in these smaller type events, has good course history here, and I love the fact that he was cruising with six straight T-12 or better finishes to end the season. I will be playing him in all formats.
Sungjae Im – $11,000 – (Cash/GPP)
Just because some household names are returning to action on the PGA Tour this week, it does not mean that this is the time to jump ship on Sungjae Im. The 21-year-old was oh-so-close once again to that first tour victory last week at Sanderson Farms, as a 66 on Sunday was enough to get him into a playoff with another early-season favorite of mine, Sebastian Munoz.
Im made the comeback to take the lead after Munoz led most of the weekend, but Munoz birdied 18 to force a playoff, and ultimately went on to capture his first PGA Tour victory instead. Im has now started this season with a T-19 and a solo second, following his 19th place finish in the FedEx Cup standings in his rookie season.
I think the price may scare some off with some newer familiar faces in the field this week, and I am firing up Im in all formats in hopes of taking advantage of some lower ownership. It was at this tournament last season when Im truly arrived as a week-to-week force, as he finished 13-under par with four other golfers, and grabbed his first career top-five with a T-4 finish.