PGA DFS Playbook: CJ Cup

Home course narratives are often overblown, but in the absence of course history or a great understanding of what stats are important here, I will fall back on the best iron player on the planet on his home course. 

Schauffele's prowess in short-field events has been well-documented, and I think his ownership could be a bit deflated by all the hype Dustin Johnson and Collin Morikawa are getting heading into this event. Schauffele was in the top 15 in Birdie or Better Percentage, Holes per Eagle and SG: Approach last season.

I wanted to fade Sam Burns this week. It seems like everyone likes him in this tournament, and if you look at the most expensive players on either site, Burns is the player whose resume looks like it doesn't belong. That being said, he is 18th in the Official World Golf Rankings, so perhaps it is time we think of Burns as one of the top players in the world. More importantly, He has finished T21 or better in eight of his last nine starts, including a T14 last week and a win at the Sanderson Farms Championship the week before that. 

Tom Fazio courses tend to favor length and if that is the case at The Summit Club, Smith could be in some trouble. That being said, Smith was third in Birdie or Better Percentage last season. If this turns out to be a birdie fest, Smith should be right in the thick of things. He has six top-10s in 19 starts in 2021, including three in his last five starts. 

When Leishman is playing well, he can compete with just about anybody. Coming off two consecutive top-fives, this looks like a good opportunity to ride the hot streak at a reasonable price.

Kokrak is the defending champion, and while that tournament was on a different course, it was a Tom Fazio design in Las Vegas that yielded a ton of birdies. By all accounts, that is what we are getting from The Summit Club. Perhaps more importantly, Kokrak was 16th in Birdie or Better Percentage last season, and that should play well at this course.

Homa has made six consecutive cuts, including a win in his last start. He was in the top 50 in Birdie or Better Percentage, Holes per Eagle and SG: Approach last season.

Niemann was T25 in Birdie or Better Percentage last season. He has missed just one cut in 2021, including 10 straight since The Memorial. He shot a final round 67 in his last tournament and if he can build upon that this week, he could easily be a nice value.

Wise is one of several players on this list who strikes the ball beautifully and can contend when his putter gets hot. He is putting better of late, including last week when he finished T8. He has just one missed cut in his last 11 starts, and he has been much more solid this year than his price would indicate. 

I think Gooch is a bit of a poor man's Marc Leishman. Both have gotten off to hot starts this season, but while Leishman has demonstrated a high ceiling when things are going well, Gooch's ceiling is mostly theoretical. Even so, Gooch is a quality ball striker who finished 32nd in SG:Approach last season and is 14th so far this season.

Henley shot 67 or better in three of his four rounds last week, including both on the weekend. Henley gained 7.266 shots on approach last week, and he was sixth in SG: Approach last season. He belongs in Round 1 lineups as well.

If Jason Day is healthy, he is far too cheap. If he withdraws, as he did in the final round of The CJ Cup last year, he will sink your lineup. He hasn't played in nearly two months, so I am willing to take a chance on his health. It also helps that Day has played well at other Tom Fazio designed courses lately, including the Shadow Creek, where Day was -10 through three rounds.

Grace has long been a strong Top-10 bet at majors, including this past U.S. Open, where he finished T7. He absolutely has the game to compete with such a strong field, and he is coming off a T27 and T12 in his last two European Tour events.

Vegas has as many runner-up finishes (three) as missed cuts in 2021. He is almost certainly safer than his price would indicate, but he has proven capable of going low at times as well.