Here are nine contenders to help build a winning roster.
The 86th Masters tees off April 7 at Augusta National Golf Club in Augusta, Ga. The first major of 2022 is the perfect time to start playing DFS golf. As with all DFS games, the key is to build a solid lineup from top to bottom. With a salary cap of $50,000 to pick six golfers, that means finding a successful mix of top-line contenders, mid-tier options and value picks.
Here are three names to consider at each level:
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Top-Tier
Scottie Scheffler ($11,000)
The hottest player on the PGA Tour is Scheffler. He has three wins over his previous five starts to go with seventh- and 55th-place finishes. Since his last missed cut in early October, Scheffler has gone 113 strokes under par over 176 holes with three other top fives (second, second and fourth). His success pushed him to first in the World Golf rankings while also drawing the highest salary in the daily games at the Masters. In his first two appearances at Augusta, Scheffler placed 19th and 18th while going seven strokes under par over 128 holes. He is in top form, but there will be a cost-benefit to rostering him.
Jon Rahm ($10,800)
Over the past four years, Rahm finished fourth, ninth, seventh and fifth at Augusta while posting a remarkable 37 strokes under par over 64 rounds. In his rookie stint at the Masters in 2017, he placed 27th despite finishing with a +3 score over four rounds. Rahm lost in the round of 16 in the WGC Dell Technologies Match Play Championship, and he turned in a dull showing at The Players Championship (55th). His 2022 season started with six top-21 finishes, highlighted by a second, third and 10th. Rahm isn’t in top form, but his resume at Augusta screams success.
Cameron Smith ($9,900)
I thought Smith was ready to win a major last year due to his elite putting and ability to drive the ball. His play at the Masters has been exceptional in three of his last four events (fifth, second, 10th; 51st in 2019). Over this span, he went 25 strokes under par over 16 rounds. Smith struggled in his first appearance at Augusta in 2016 (+15). In his four events in the U.S. in 2022, he has two wins, a missed cut and a 33rd-place finish. Since last summer, his game has been on the rise, and I expect him to be in the top 10 next Sunday at the Masters.
Second-Tier
Brooks Koepka ($9,400)
Last year, Koepka missed the cut at Augusta for the first time in six chances. Over the previous three seasons, he finished 11th, second and seventh (missed 2018 with an injury) while going 23 strokes under par. Unfortunately for Koepka, he has been up and down in 2022 (three missed cuts with a 28th, third, 16th, 12th and eighth). However, his game tends to be at its best in majors, so the eye of the tiger may kick in if Koepka is close to the top of the leaderboard on Sunday.
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Hideki Matsuyama ($9,300)
After six years of solid play at the Masters (fifth, seventh, 11th, 32nd, 19th and 13th – 26 under par), Matsuyama rose to elite status in 2022 by winning at Augusta in his 10th try. He outlasted the field with a score of -10 despite shooting 73 on Sunday. Five of his last 10 rounds at the Masters have been under 70. Heading into the Valero Open, Matsuyama made the cut in 12 straight events with two more wins and one other top 10 (eighth). Despite being the defending champion, he appears to be flying under the radar.
Will Zalatoris ($9,200)
In his first appearance in the Masters, Zalatoris finished one shot shy of Hideki Matsuyama with a score of -9. He broke par every round, with his best success coming on day 2 (68). Over his first two events in 2022, Zalatoris placed sixth and second with a combined score of -34. His results have been flat over his last three stroke-play events (26th, 38th, 26th). Daily gamers only have a short sample size of success at Augusta, but only one player beat him in 2022.
Value Options
Patrick Reed ($7,400)
Over his last five events, Reed has three missed cuts followed by a 26th-place finish and a 1-1-1 record in the WGC Dell Technologies Match Play event. However, his salary is relatively low when considering he has a Masters title (2018) and success over the past two years (10th and eighth). Reed looks to be only a dart if his salary fits your game plan.
Corey Conners ($7,600)
After an excellent finish (third) in the WGC Dell Technologies Match Play event, Conners looks poised to build off his recent success at Augusta (10th and eighth). He is 13 under par over his last eight rounds at the Masters, including four rounds in the 60s). Conners has three missed cuts and two 11th-place finishes in his eight completed events this year. His game is trending forward at the Masters and in 2022.
Webb Simpson ($7,500)
Simpson doesn’t have the ideal skill set to make a deep run at a title at Augusta, but he has been competitive over the previous three seasons (fifth, 10th, 12th). Over his last 16 rounds at the Masters, Simpson is 24 under par. Unfortunately, his play has been subpar in 2022 over four events (61st, missed cut and 48th). Simpson didn’t play well in the WGC Dell Technologies Match Play event. Based on his form, I view him as a weaker option, but he may work for someone rotating similar salaries for their final roster spot.
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