It's Masters week, which means the entire sports world will turn its attention to Augusta National for the year's first major. If you haven't been paying close attention to the PGA Tour this year, that's alright. Here's a quick update:
Dustin Johnson can't stop winning--but still apparently isn't playing as well as he can. Jordan Spieth and Rory McIlroy are also still pretty good. Hideki Matsuyama and Justin Thomas each looked unstoppable earlier in the year, nabbing multiple wins each, but they've cooled off a bit as of late. Jon Rahm has gone from rising star to bonafide star real quick, and he's been outside the Top 10 just once since late January. Defending Masters champ Danny Willett is struggling, as is two-time Green Jacket winner Bubba Watson. And Tiger Woods isn't playing, as you might have guessed.
Ultimately, the DJ-Spieth-Rory trio is considered to be in a tier of its own in terms of contenders, head-and-shoulders above the rest, and it wouldn't be all that surprising if all three were in contention come Sunday afternoon. But with the steady increase of young stars combined with the presence of steady veterans, it's a really deep field with a long list of players capable of capturing the Green Jacket.
In terms of DFS, the Masters is always tough because the strong field creates a lot of intriguing value and potential sleeper picks. Creating a couple of different lineups is suggested, but you can click through the gallery for a closer look at my ideal picks. (Getty)
Rory McIlroy
Price: $10,600
The Masters is the one major that still eludes McIlroy, but it's only a matter of time before he crosses it off the list. Not only has he finished Top-10 at Augusta in three consecutive years, but he enters this year's tournament in quietly dominant form--after the winning the Tour Championship to end last season, he has finished Top-10 in all five 72-hole tournaments (not counting Match Play) he has played this season, and he has shown no ill effects since returning from a significant rib injury.
As always with Rory, it comes down to his putter. But with his absurdly good tee-to-green game, he really only needs to be average with the flatstick to win this thing. You can't really go wrong with any of McIlroy, Dustin Johnson or Jordan Spieth, but the former is ultimately cheaper and should have a lower ownership percentage. He gets the nod here, but you should have exposure to all three if you make multiple lineups. (Getty)
Rickie Fowler
Price: $9,300
Fowler disappointed by missing the cut at Augusta last year, but it would be surprising if he didn't bounce back in a big way. He's just playing too well right now. Outside of a missed cut at the Farmers Insurance Open in January, the 28-year-old star has one win, three Top-5's and six Top-16's in his other six starts this season--and that doesn't even include a T2 and T3 in two unofficial events.
The statistical profile is about as good as it gets, as well. He's big off the tee (24th in driving distance), his short game--which is so key at Augusta--is on fire (third in strokes gained approaching the green and ninth in strokes gained putting), he tears up Par 4's (third in scoring average) and 5's (27th), and he's avoiding mistakes (fourth in bogey avoidance). Add it all up, and he's first on Tour in scoring average and a great value even at $9,300. (Getty)
Sergio Garcia
Price: $8,300
Sergio has quietly racked up a win (in dominant fashion) and six Top-20 finishes in seven non-Match Play tournaments this year. He ranks first in strokes gained off the green, 13th in GIR percentage, 12th in Par 4 scoring average and 12th in Par 5 scoring average, making him a strong play as just the 14th most expensive option.
Not only that, he's priced directly below two multi-time Masters winners (Phil Mickelson, Bubba Watson) and one of the hottest players in the world (Jon Rahm), and when you combine that with his notorious major winless streak, there's a good chance he'll have a pretty low ownership percentage. That makes him a a nice option in all formats. (Getty)
Tyrrell Hatton
Price: $7,600
I'd probably pick Hatton to win if he had any experience at Augusta, but even though he'll be making his Masters debut, I'm still pretty bullish on him. Not only has he finished inside the Top 10 in each of his last four non-Match Play tournaments (he finished 17th at the WGC-Match Play and would have been even higher if not for a rules infraction), but he has the short game you need to have success at Augusta, ranking sixth in strokes gained approaching the green and first in strokes gained putting.
His odds have moved from 55-to-1 to 40-to-1 in the last couple of days, so it's probably safe to say he'll be a popular option, but he's just too hard to fade. The red-hot form plus bargain price is too compelling. (Getty)
Daniel Berger
Price: $7,300
Berger's recent run of finishes (cut, T7, cut, T16, cut, 5) may suggest that he's due for a missed cut, and it's tough to trust him as a cash-game play, but if you're looking for a low-priced high-upside pick for a GPP or tournament, this is your guy.
He clearly runs hot and cold, but when he's on, he can card some really low numbers, as he ranks 10th in birdie or better percentage. And considering the sky-high potential--he finished 10th in his Augusta debut last year--I'm willing to roll the dice on the "good Berger" showing up. (Getty)
Kevin Kisner
Price: $6,900
For this spot, I go back and forth between Kisner and Adam Hadwin, who are both $6,900. The latter has a win in the last month, he's fifth in the FedEx Cup standings and he's a terrific putter, but I lean towards Kisner largely because he has some experience at the Masters, finishing 37th last year.
Moreover, the 33-year-old is red-hot (11th, second and 17th in his last three tournaments) and ranks ninth on Tour in strokes gained tee to green. He's a strong bet to provide value at this price. (Getty)
Alternate Lineups
Dustin Johnson and Jordan Spieth will be popular, but they're too good to completely fade. DJ is playing at an unreal level right, Spieth has an unbelievable track record at Augusta, and I want each of them in some of my lineups, plus there are a bunch of mid-tier players who I like, so here are a couple optional routes to consider:
Jordan Spieth: $11,500
Justin Rose: $9,200
Paul Casey: $7,800
Matthew Fitzpatrick: $7,400
Marc Leishman: $7,100
Adam Hadwin: $6,900
Dustin Johnson: $11,300
Phil Mickelson: $8,700
Jon Rahm: $8,600
Rafa Cabrera-Bello: $7,200
Brendan Steele: $7,100
J.B. Holmes: $7,100
DraftKings PGA Lineup: Masters 2017 Optimal Picks