PGA DFS Playbook: World Wide Technology Championship at Mayakoba

A fantastic finish to the 2020-2021 season for Ancer and earned himself a well-deserved break.  Over his last six starts of the season, he went 4th-59th-1st-64th-9th-9th.  That win came at the WGC-FedEx St. Jude Classic with the top players in the world.  While missing the cut at the Shriners was a surprise, he bounced back with a Top 15 at the CJ Cup.  Distance is not a big factor but accuracy is, which makes him a force to be reckoned with.  He has made the cut at this event all five of his trips with two Top 10 finishes.

Since the Masters in early April, he’s made the cut in every event he’s completed (withdrew from the U.S. Open).  Over those 13 events, he’s got eight Top 25s (three Top 5s).  He is the defending champ of this event after missing the cut in his first trip.  Looking over the early statistics of this season, he ranks 7th in Strokes Gained: Off the Tee, 11th in Driving Accuracy, 12th in Greens in Regulation, and the biggest surprise, 37th in Strokes Gained: Putting.  If Hovland could keep this putting up all season, he could do a lot of damage this season.

Tyrrell has never been to this course but that won’t hold me back from rostering him this weekend.  He has all the tools to take down El Camaleon, ranking 15th in Driving Accuracy, 20th in Strokes Gained: Putting, 47th in Strokes Gained: Around The Green, 58th in Strokes Gained: Approach.  Now, his game has been up and down lately making only two cut in two of his last five events.  Those two cuts made were Top 20 finishes (FedEx St Jude & CJ Cup).  Looking at this field and this course, I think he makes for a great play.  

It’s been a terrific start to the 2021-2022 season for Talor Gooch.  He’s got 2 Top 5 finishes and another Top 12 over his first three events.  He participated in the 2019 edition of the Mayakoba and made the cut.  I think he’s a better golfer than he was a couple years ago.  Not surprising his ranks are stellar with those results, Top 10 in Strokes Gained: Approach, Strokes Gained: Around the Green, Strokes Gained: Tee to Green and Strokes Gained: Total.  He’s also 21st in Green in Regulation.  The price tag is going up but he’s earned it.

Here’s another guy who has had a great start to the 2021-2022 season.  In his three starts, he doesn’t have a finish lower than 26th and he comes into this event on back to back Top 10 finishes.  The numbers look great thus far ranking Top 10 in Strokes Gained: Around the Green, Tee to Green, Total and Greens in Regulation.  It’s been boom or bust results for Wise at the Mayakoba in his five appearances.  He’s made the cut three times with two Top 10 finishes (runner up in 2020).  I’ll save him for GPPs this weekend. 

He finished the 2020-2021 season strong with Top 10 finishes at the Northern Trust and BMW Championship.  You can also add a Top 15 at the Alfred Dunhill and a Top 30 at the BMW PGA Championship on the European Tour.  We know he excels on and around the greens and seeing that he missed the cut last year, surprises me but doesn’t scare me from playing him.  Hovland missed the cut in his first trip and won the next year.  I’m not saying he’ll win but I would not be surprised to see him finish Top 15.

The 34 year old had a terrific 2020-2021 season on the PGA Tour.  He nearly got his first career victory a couple weeks ago at the ZOZO Championship finishing second.  He had four Top 10 finishes last year and has two already this season.  He’s missed just one cut over his last 14 starts dating back to May.  He finished last season Top 20 in Putting, Top 30 in Around the Green and Top 50 in both Tee to Green and Approach, that’s a pretty balanced attack.  Tringale has made the cut the last three trips to Mayakoba with a Top 25. 

Joaquin had made the cut in 31 of his 32 starts dating back to August 2020.  He’s the model of consistency but he needs to take that next step onto the leaderboard more consistently.  He has all the tools to be a star on this tour but we have to remember that he’s still just 22-years-old.  Niemann has made the cut in two of his three trips to the Mayakoba with a Top 25 in his last appearance.  He finished Top 15 in Strokes Gained: Off the Tee and Top 50 in Strokes Gained: Approach and Putting last season.  

There are not a lot of weeks on the PGA Tour where I’m going to push Adam Long but this is one of those weeks.  He has made two trips to the Mayakoba and has finished Top 5 both times.  Finished 2nd in 2019 and finished 3rd in 2020.  I know he’s missed the cut in 7 of his last 11 starts but he’s made it in two of his last three with Top 30 finishes in both.  He has started this season showing impressive skills on the greens ranking Top 10 in Strokes Gained: Putting.  If he can continue that, he’ll be around for the weekend. 

Rodgers has started with two Top 6 finishes over his first three starts of the 2021-2022 season.  You can’t ask for much more than that.  We all know that Rodgers excels in two areas, driving and putting which has served him well thus far.  He’s made the cut in five of his seven trips to the Mayakoba with two Top 20s and another Top 10 finish.  The key will be if he can keep the ball on the fairway, his distance will give him an edge on the field.  The price tag is perfect for him and a great value this weekend.  

My boy came through last weekend with a Top 12 finish in Bermuda and I’m going right back to him in Mexico.  He has never missed the cut at the Mayakoba in 8 trips with 3 Top 10 finishes and no finish higher than 37th.  The Scot made the cut in his first two events of the new season before missing it at the Shriners.  He’s always been a premiere ball striker but putting has never been consistent enough for sustained success.  He finished last season Top 20 in Strokes Gained Approach and 8th in Greens in Regulation.  Another player with plenty of experience playing on coastlines being from Scotland. 

We all know how frustrating Grillo came be as a DFS golf option.  The guy is one of the best ball strikers in the world but I’m a better putter than he is (not really).  I usually only target him on courses where putting is not at a premium.  He has made the cut at the Mayakoba in all five of his trips with three Top 10 finishes including last year.  After missing the cut at the Fortinet to start the 2021-2022 season, he has made four straight with a Top 20 finish at the CJ CUP.  I’m loving his price tag at just $7500 this weekend.

The defending champ showed well at the Bermuda Championship last weekend finishing 12th.  That was just his third cut made in his last 13 starts on the PGA Tour but once again, this course that fits him.  That shows in the results where he has never missed the cut and won the event back in 2008.  He can’t compete on these courses that are over 7200 yards, but the playing field is leveled on a course this short and a field this weak.  He can compete at this event and that’s why I think he’ll make for a sneaky play.    

A solid ball striker who is coming off of a Top 10 finish at the ZOZO Championship.  Ryder only had two Top 10 finishes all of last year.  He is a below average PGA Tour player but when you are looking in that 6K range, it’s a pool of those type players.  Ryder has made the cut in two of his three trips to the Mayakoba and when you roster a player at this price tag, you’re just hoping he’ll make the cut.    

I mean who doesn’t love a guy named Guido?  This 24-year-old is slowly becoming a favorite on the PGA Tour because of his fun personality.  He burst on the scene after scoring a Top 5 finish at the 2021 U.S. Open.  Guido has made the cut in three of his four PGA Tour events.  He was Top 50 on the European Tour in Driving Distance, Greens in Regulation and Top 10 in Stroke Average.  I think he’ll make for a nice play in GPPs.