PGA DFS Example Lineups: Zurich Classic

It was quite a week on the island of Hilton Head for the PGA Tour.  I feel like this small tournament gains traction each year because of the course and the challenges that it presents.  If Shane Lowry was just able to hold onto the lead, it could have been an epic week but that double bogey on the Par 3 14th hole cost him dearly.  Congrats to Jordan Spieth on his second Easter Sunday victory of his career.  You won’t hear the end of this storyline at the 2023 Masters when Jordan Spieth tees it up on Easter Sunday in Augusta.  Here’s hoping he can pull off the trifecta because he definitely didn’t have the touch two weeks ago.  Let’s look forward to this week’s action in Louisiana.  

This is a unique week on the PGA Tour as they head to New Orleans for the Zurich Classic.  It is unique because we’ve got two players teaming up in a stroke play event.  There are 80 teams of two preparing to do battle this weekend. That is the largest field of any event on the PGA Tour.  

The teams will begin with a four-ball opening round which means both players will hit their own ball and then pick the best shot to hit their next shots from until the hole is completed.  The second round will be foursomes which is an alternate shot between the two teammates.  We will then have a cut down to the low 33 teams and ties to compete over the weekend.  The third and fourth rounds will go in the same sequence as the first and second rounds.  

This is such a unique format that only DraftKings is offering a DFS game this weekend.  FanDuel and Yahoo are choosing to ignore this tournament.  I don’t think there should be DFS around this tournament but since there is, here’s your look into the game on DraftKings.  You cannot take two players from the same pairing in your lineup.  Both players on the team are listed at the same price tag and earn the same number of points..    

Listed below will be my personal rankings of the Top 10 Pairings for the weekend in New Orleans.

#1 Cameron Smith & Marc Leishman - I don’t see how you can rank the defending champs anything lower than number one especially knowing how good Cameron Smith has been playing this season.  These two Aussies make a great tag-team and compliment each other’s games well.  Cam has actually won this event twice (with Jonas Blixt in 2017).

#2 Collin Morikawa & Viktor Hovland - This is the PGA Tour’s dream team.  Two of the hottest young players teaming together is amazing to see.  They are two of the best ball strikers in the world but it will come down to their work on the greens whether they make a run for the championship.

#3 Scottie Scheffler & Ryan Palmer - You’d have to be living under a rock to not see how good Scottie Scheffler has been this season.  He’s got four wins including the green jacket.  While Palmer has had terrific success in this event with a win and three other Top 10 finishes, his recent form is not great.  

#4 Sergio Garcia & Tommy Fleetwood - We’ve seen how good Sergio and Tommy have been in the Ryder Cup.  They are superb in the fourball and foursomes formats and that’s translated over to this event as well.  These two played together in 2019 and finished runner up.  Tommy finished fourth in 2018 and has good recent form.  

#5 Xander Schauffele & Patrick Cantlay - If both of these guys were playing at the top of their game, I’d have them ranked in the Top 3.  Cantlay started the season on fire with four straight Top 10s before cooling off.  Xander has missed the cut in two of his last four starts.  I love that they are friends and practice partners, it makes for a natural connection.  They debuted together as a team last year and finished 11th. 

#6 Joaquin Niemann & Mito Pereira - This Chilean duo may be one of the most naturally gifted teams in the field.  I’ve spoken about and you’ve seen just how good Niemann can be when he’s on top of his game.  Pereira has flashed but really hasn’t found his footing on the PGA Tour as of yet.  Playing alongside his countryman could be just what he needs to take that next step.       

#7 Billy Horschel & Sam Burns - At first glance I would not have jumped to play this pairing but after doing a deeper dive I’m all-in.  They debuted as a team in last year’s edition and finished Top 5.  Billy has won this event twice, once as an individual (2013) and once as a teammate (2018).  Sam has won twice this season at the Sanderson Farms and the Valspar about a month ago. 

#8 Keegan Bradley & Brendan Steele - Both of these guys have Top 10 finishes paired with someone else and Top 10 finishes with each other last year.  Bradley is having a typical season for him with a couple flashy Top 10s while Steele has made his last three cuts including a Top 15 at THE PLAYERS.  I love playing guys who are friends off the golf course as well.   

#9 Max Homa & Talor Gooch - These two are very similar players and that’s why they teamed up together for the first time last year at this event.  While they would have liked better than a 17th place finish, it was a good starting point.  Both of these guys are terrific from driver to putter, very balanced throughout the bag.  I also like that both of them have had a great deal of success this season thus far with 16 combined Top 20 finishes.    

#10 Shane Lowry & Ian Poulter - Another pair of Europeans who know how to play in these Ryder Cup style formats.  They have never played in this even before but they’ve teamed up in the Ryder Cup before and have had a great deal of success.  I like combining Lowry’s recent form (back to back Top 3 finishes) with Poulter’s clutch gene especially on the green

FANDUEL EXAMPLE LINEUPS … 

CASH LINEUP:

Smith/Leishman - $11,700

Scheffler/Palmer - $11,500

ALTERNATIVE OPTION: Horschel/Burns - $11,400

Garcia/Fleetwood - $11,200

ALTERNATIVE OPTION: Lowry/Poulter - $11,000

Homa/Gooch - $10,500

Hahn/Chappell - $7,400

Hagy/Percy - $7,400

GPP LINEUP:

Morikawa/Hovland - $11,900

Scheffler/Palmer - $11,500

Niemann/Pereira - $10,800

ALTERNATIVE OPTION: Lowry/Poulter - $11,000

Hadwin/Svensson - $9,100

Theegala/Hossler - $8,300

Duncan/Schenk - $8,000

ALTERNATIVE OPTION: Hahn/Chappell - $7,400

MY ONE AND DONE SELECTION: Sam Burns

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