DraftKings PGA: 2020 Waste Management Open picks and analysis

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SCOTTSDALE, AZ – FEBRUARY 03: Fans watch play on the sixteenth hole during the final round of the Waste Management Phoenix Open at TPC Scottsdale on February 3, 2019 in Scottsdale, Arizona. (Photo by Ben Jared/PGA TOUR) /

DraftKings PGA: 2020 Waste Management Open Picks and Analysis

Wasn’t the Farmers Insurance Open fun? Tiger Woods brought the crowds, Rahm brought his A-game. Any time Tiger is in contention heading into Sunday it’s a fun time to be a golf fanatic. The weekend brought us some great golf from the best in the world. There were plenty of golfers surging on Sunday, but Rahm with a lead was too much, shooting a 14-under to win the Farmers Insurance Open.

The Tour will move from the California coast to the Arizona desert this week. The 2020 Waste Management Open is one of the most exciting events on the PGA schedule. Over 300,000 raucous fans will show up dawned in NFL jerseys and belligerent. Hole 16 is one of the coolest in golf, with stadium seating providing the perfect fan-experience. The tradition has even grown since 1997 when Tiger Aced the 16th. All you need to know, is that every Super Bowl party should be playing The 2020 Waste Management Open as their pregame coverage.

There is only one course we have to worry about this week. No jumping between multiple courses for the pros this week like the previous 2 tournaments. TPC Scottsdale is a 7,266 yard par-71 course. The course typically plays as one of the easier courses on tour, due to the fact that there are not many opportunities to make big numbers. The fairways are large, the greens are large, and the rough is all dessert fescue (sand and cacti). This wide open layout is perfect for bombers and ball strikers. The Bermudagrass is overseeded with Rye and Poa, so it is similar stuff to what we have been seeing during the West Coast stretch.

The 2019 edition of the Waste Management Open saw Rickie Fowler grab another PGA Tour victory, fending off Brendan Grace and Justin Thomas. In 2018, Gary Woodland held off Chez Reavie in a playoff. Woodland finished at 18-under. Hideki Matsuyama won the 2016 and 2017 edition at 16-under and 17-under, respectively.

TPC Scottsdale typically favors bomber ball-strikers. Driver is the preferred modality off-the-tee this week, and the guys who can spin their mid-iron approaches close will succeed in the desert. Putting is not typically as key to success at this event. Hopefully that is evident to you by the fact that 3 of the past 4 winners are Woodland and Matsuyama. Former winners pound their driver, pure strike their long irons, and score on Par-5’s. That is the prototypical golfer for TPC Scottsdale.

Key Stats

Approach Gained

Off-The-Tee Gained

Ball-Striking Gained

Bermudagrass Putting Gained

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