DraftKings Preview: Genesis Scottish Open

The PGA TOUR heads across the pond to Scotland this week, as we are one week out from The Open Championship. The Renaissance Club will host the Genesis Scottish Open, and measures as a 7,237-yard par 70 with fescue grass greens. The field is absolutely loaded this week as well, with Jon Rahm the only top-10 player in the world electing to sit out the week before the year’s final major.

Below, I have outlined three of my favorite DraftKings plays for the week.

Set your DraftKings fantasy golf lineups here:PGA TOUR $1M Summer Sand Trap [$200K to 1st]

GOLFERS TO CONSIDER

Xander Schauffele ($10,400)

It feels like Schauffele has been less than his spectacular self so far this season, but he’s still posted three top-10 finishes over his past six starts and eight overall in 2023, which just speaks to the standard we hold him to. He’ll be making his way back to The Renaissance Club as the defending champion of this event, after edging out Kurt Kitayama by one stroke last year to take home the title.

Schauffele’s rolling stats entering play this week look phenomenal, as he ranks third in SG: Total — behind only Scottie Scheffler and Rory McIlroy — over his past 24 rounds. In addition to last year’s win, Schauffele also finished T10 at this event back in 2021, so he’s really taken a liking to the links style of golf played in Scotland.

He’s done nothing over his past few starts to warrant going away from him in this spot, and even with world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler in the field this week, Schauffele still rates out as one of the best values in the $10,000-plus range this week.

Tommy Fleetwood ($9,400)

Fleetwood has had a marvelous 2023 season thus far, amassing five top-five finishes and three top-20s in 17 starts. He’s coming off a missed cut at the Travelers, but that was three weeks ago and he should be well-rested for a tournament that’s treated him quite well in the past. In three career starts at The Renaissance Club, Fleetwood has gone T4, T26 and solo second, so it’s clear he has quite the affinity for golf in Scotland.

The Englishman has been dialed in with every facet of his game of late, ranking eighth in SG: Tee-to-Green, 13th in SG: Ball-Striking, 17th in SG: Putting and eighth in SG: Total. This is always the time of year that Fleetwood gets hot, and when you combine both his course history and rolling stats, he’s a great option, even at $9,400.

Alex Smalley ($7,900)

At first glance, it feels a bit weird to be writing up Smalley at a tournament with this deep of a field, but he’s absolutely earned it with his play of late. He lit it up again at the John Deere Classic last week, finishing T2, which marked his second top-10 finish over his past three starts and fifth top-25 over his past eight.

It’s been Smalley’s approach play that’s carried him during this run, as he ranks second in this loaded field in SG: Approach — behind only Scottie Scheffler — over his past 24 rounds. His putter has been holding him back from truly contending in some events, but he still ranks 17th in SG: Total in that 24-round stretch. Another thing working in his favor is that he played The Renaissance Club last year and finished T10, so he’s already taken a liking to the course. I do worry a bit about him traveling from Illinois to Scotland in such a short period of time, but his numbers have been undeniable.

He’s a bit more pricey than I would’ve liked at $7,900 but still is an elite value.

Set your DraftKings fantasy golf lineups here: PGA TOUR $1M Summer Sand Trap [$200K to 1st]

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I am a promoter at DraftKings and am also an avid fan and customer (my username is Lan1228) and may sometimes play on my personal account in the games that I offer advice on. Although I have expressed my personal view on the games and strategies above, they do not necessarily reflect the view(s) of DraftKings and do not constitute a representation that any particular strategy will guarantee success. All customers should use their own skill and judgment in building lineups. I may also deploy different players and strategies than what I recommend above. I am not an employee of DraftKings and do not have access to any non-public information.