DFS Dish: What we know (and what we don’t) for building lineups at LACC
4 Min Read
Tournament Preview (David Barrett)
The best golfers in the world collide in tinsel town as Los Angeles Country Club plays host to the U.S. Open. Early reports on LACC have been mixed to this point. We’ve heard it’s bomb-and-gouge. We’ve heard pinpoint accuracy and find the fairway at all costs. And of course…we’ve seen the annual “drop the ball in the rough” U.S. Open video. Despite the questions about how LACC will set up, we do know a few things.
We know the USGA wants a true test through the bag. They’ll likely want the winning score to fall somewhere between 6 and 8 under. Given the forecast will feature not a drop of rain all week, we can expect firm and fast conditions. Fairways will be running, and the slopes on these fast, bentgrass greens will be repelling shots into bunkers, deep rough and short grass areas. Regardless of how players choose to attack off the tee, hitting precise irons, gaining strokes around the green and limiting three-putts on the greens will ALL be required.
When we’re not yet sure how things will play out in terms of optimal strategies off the tee, it presents an opportunity to do something called, “skillset stacking” in DFS lineups. With an unknown course and typical U.S. Open variance, we can create some lineups where most (if not all) players do the same things well.
For example, let’s say that all the scary dropped ball in the rough videos turn out as diabolical as they seem and the course plays lightning fast – having some lineups where all the players check the box when it comes to finding fairways would be prudent. The skillset of hitting a ton of fairways would correlate to what’s required of the golf course.
Obviously, you can fill your lineup with bombers off the tee as the opposite approach if LACC turns out to be a course tamed by distance.
We’re not advising that all of your lineups be skillset-based. But taking this approach can help save your week if an unknown golf course plays contrary to popular opinion. Remember, building unique lineups with leverage is the key to DFS profitability. Skillset stacking is one way to hedge against course variance as well as create lineup leverage.
Picks (Pat Perry & Ben Little)
One of our favorite values on the DraftKings board this week is Russell Henley. At just $7,100, he makes for a worthy play regardless of skillset stacking. However, if LACC turns out to be a course where you MUST find the fairway at all costs, then Henley is a steal of a deal. He’s one of the most accurate players off the tee in this field. Over the last 24 rounds, Henley’s in the top 30 in this field in SG: Approach, SG: Around the Green, and Bogey Avoidance. Doesn’t that sound like a recipe for success in majors?
Henley’s got a strong major championship record with three top 30 finishes in his last four US Open starts. He’s been incredible at Augusta National. As a four-time winner on the PGA TOUR, Henley’s got the experience in big moments to provide some significant upside at a cheap price in DFS this week.
Russell Henley bends in 47-footer for birdie at THE PLAYERS
We doubt Henley goes completely overlooked by the DFS public, but for the value, it’s hard to find a better piece of chalk to consider eating.
New Dad and recent playoff loser, Adam Schenk, presents our next value play at just $6,800 on DraftKings. Schenk’s had some close calls this year, including the recent playoff loss to Emiliano Grillo at the Charles Schwab Challenge. He was an 11th-hour qualifier after the conclusion of the RBC Canadian Open and the Official World Golf Ranking re-order. As a result, he’s been added to the DraftKings pool late. Given the late addition, many popular data sites and lineup building sites won’t have Schenk added to the player pool. There will be plenty of entries on Thursday morning after lineup lock that won’t even have realized Schenk was in the field.
Aside from just being overlooked, Schenk’s obviously been playing at his highest level since becoming a PGA TOUR member. He’s had seven top-25 finishes this season, and he backed up his playoff loss at Colonial with a T7 at the Memorial.
In addition to the top form, Schenk’s actually played major championships rather well in limited starts. He finished T24 last year in his one and only U.S. Open appearance, and he’s one for two in made cuts at the PGA Championship.
Schenk has simply reached a new level with his game this season. He doesn’t have a glaring weakness in his game, and he’s as confident as ever given his recent play. He checks plenty of boxes when it comes to the statistics, and he’s rolling with a new caddie on the bag. New caddie, Brett Swedberg, led Schenk to the playoff loss at Colonial in their first start together. We’d say these two are off to a hot start.