Getty Gallery: 3/7
No. 5 Kevin Chappell
DraftKings Price: $6,900
Vegas Odds: 125 to 1
Chappell is well down in the Vegas odds, making him a great value both in Vegas and on DraftKings. Chappell has three top 10 finishes this year: T-7 at the Arnold Palmer Invitational, T-8 at Pebble Beach and T-6 at the Career Builder Challenge. Chappell has made the cut in every tournament he has played in this year.
The golfer does not have a lot of experience at Augusta, but he is coming off a T-7 performance at only his second Masters. Chappell finished rounds three and four with his best career scores at the course (70 and 68).
Chappell enters Augusta ranked 16th in strokes gained ahead of a bevy of other golfers including Jordan Spieth, Rory McIlroy and Rickie Fowler. He ranks third in strokes gained off the tee, and eighth in strokes gained tee-to-green.
Chappell has the characteristics of the kind of player that succeeds at Augusta, and proved last year he can perform at a high level at the biggest tournament in golf. His price tag reflects the fact he has only played in two Masters, and also takes into account some of his play this season.
Chappell has become one of the best drivers on the PGA Tour. His swing coach Mark Blackburn spoke with Golf Digest about why his swing has had so much success.
"One of Kevin's key moves is his dynamic transition into the downswing," Blackburn explained to Golf Digest. "His lower body moves toward the target while his upper body stays stable...When you move the ball back, you can hit it too much from the inside. Kevin controls trajectory by pivoting his body forward on the downswing...loads the upper body over a stable lower body. The key is to have enough time to make the swing. People tend to get short and quick when they try to hit a knockdown...He can control the downswing pivot. His head is still centered between his feet, which encourages minimal upper-body tilt through impact. That keeps the ball flight down...One of Kevin's key moves is his dynamic transition into the downswing. His lower body moves toward the target while his upper body stays stable...Kevin, like most great ball-strikers, delofts the club with a shallow angle of attack. This produces less spin, made possible by his level body motion."
Chappell earned his first PGA Tour victory in 2017 at the Valero Open. He was also on the 2017 President's Cup national team. Chappell has been a solid play on DraftKings based on his price point. The golfer notched 90 fantasy points at his last outing at the Arnold Palmer Invitational, and his price tag was just $7,300. He scored 95 points in February at the Pebble Beach Pro Am. Chappell notched 113 points at the CareerBuilder Challenge in January. Overall, Chappell is averaging 70 fantasy points on DraftKings, and has made nine of his last ten cuts.
Chappell has been out since the Arnold Palmer as he recovered from a back injury. Chappell is officially listed in the field, but keep an eye out for injury reports before you lock your lineup just to make sure.
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