Getty Rickie Fowler has a strong track record at the Arnold Palmer Invitational.
The Arnold Palmer Invitational signals the start of a string of big PGA golf tournaments, and we are breaking down the top DraftKings picks for Bay Hill. With Spring just around the corner, golf season has arrived with THE PLAYERS and Masters coming up on the schedule.
Tiger Woods was a late scratch for this week’s tournament, but there is still plenty of star power. Rory McIlroy, Brooks Koepka, Rickie Fowler and Justin Rose lead a long list of the top golfers competing at Bay Hill.
“The field this year is the best it’s been in 12 years,” Arnold Palmer Invitational CEO Marci Doyle told the Orlando Sentinel. “We are looking forward to hosting these players, along with all the fans who will undoubtedly witness some exciting golf here at Bay Hill. I know Mr. Palmer would be proud.”
We have split up our DraftKings picks into contenders and sleepers. The contenders are the golfers that I like to compete for a tournament victory, while the sleepers are the golfers being undervalued in DFS.
Here is a look at my Arnold Palmer Invitational picks
Arnold Palmer Invitational Top Contenders
Rory McIlroy ($11,400)- The 2018 champion checks all the boxes that we are looking for this week at Bay Hill. Not only has McIlroy had success in Orlando, but the golfer has strong recent form. McIlroy has had 100 or more DraftKings points in three of his last four tournaments. He has made the cut in all five of his tournaments this season. The challenge is McIlroy is priced so high that it makes it difficult to fill out a complete DFS lineup.
Rickie Fowler ($10,400)- Fowler is priced at $1,000 less than McIlroy on DraftKings. The golfer came up just short of winning the Honda Classic, which would have been his second tournament win in a month. Fowler has a history of loving to play at Bay Hill given how close he was with Palmer.
Fowler finished a solid T-14 in the 2018 tournament. Fowler enters the 2019 Arnold Palmer as hot as any golfer in the field. If you are looking to have a stud to build your lineup around, Fowler is this week’s pick thanks to his reasonable price and strong recent form.
Bryson DeChambeau ($9,700)- DeChambeau came in second last year at Bay Hill and stands a good chance to be back in contention this year. DeChambeau is the only golfer averaging more than 100 fantasy points on DraftKings this season. Prior to his poor showing at the WGC-Mexico Championship, DeChambeau had top 10 finishes in four of his last five tournaments.
DeChambeau also offers a bit of safety as he is a perfect eight for eight in making the cut. The golfer is a legit contender priced below the $10,000 threshold.
Patrick Reed ($8,900)- Reed is just on the tail-end of the top contenders. There is a lot to like about Reed’s $8,900 price point. Reed finished T-7 last year at Bay Hill and also has solid recent form. At Reed’s price, you are not necessarily expecting a victory, but last year’s green jacket winner has a good chance to land inside the top 15.
Arnold Palmer Invitational Sleepers
Patrick Rodgers is a sleeper to keep an eye on at Bay Hill.
How do we define sleepers? These are not necessarily the golfers I am picking to win the tournament, but these are the top picks for players who will outperform their low DraftKings price.
Kevin Na ($7,200)- Na offers a solid floor making the cut in six of his last seven tournaments. Na finished T-36 last year at Bay Hill, but saved his best golf for Sunday notching a 68. Na is consistently giving fantasy owners 60 points on DraftKings. It is a solid return that allows you to pay for a couple of studs mentioned above in the contenders’ section.
Patrick Rodgers ($6,900)- Rodgers seems to have found his footing after a string of missed cuts. Rodgers put together solid back-to-back showings at The Honda Classic and Genesis Open. He finished T-7 last year at Bay Hill thanks to shooting in the 60’s on both weekend days. Rodgers offers great sleeper potential at under $7,000 with a strong track record at the Arnold Palmer.
Harris English ($6,900)- English is coming off a T-12 finish at the Honda Classic. English has experience playing at Bay Hill and finished T-22 last year. He is another golfer that I feel confident makes the cut and allows you to fill out your lineup with a few top golfers.
