DFS Dish: Sam Burns most comfortable man at Innisbrook
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The fourth event of the Florida Swing takes the PGA TOUR to the Gulf Coast for the final stop in the Sunshine State.
The Valspar Championship, hosted by Innisbrook Resort at the Copperhead Course since 2000, welcomes a full field of 156 players.
The demanding par-71 layout stretches 7,340 yards and will cut the field to the top 65 and ties after 36 holes. Those advancing to the weekend will have a chance to pocket $1.512 million, 500 FedExCup points and an invitation to the Masters in three weeks among other perks.
Here’s a look at the players I’m considering for my DFS lineups, as well as some stars that pose high-priced question marks:
DraftKings – top of the Board
Xander Schauffele ($11,200): Leading with five holes to play on Sunday, the 54-hole leader fell one shot short of a playoff at TPC Sawgrass. The swing changes he has been implementing are still a work in progress under pressure. The energy spent last weekend might be difficult to replicate. The bright side is he picked up another top-10 payday, his fifth in seven events.
Sam Burns ($10,900): Picking up his first TOUR victory on this property in 2021, he successfully defended the title in 2022 and ran solo sixth last season. Florida has produced mixed results for him during the other three stops. Making all five cuts with four resulting in T12 or better, he’s the most comfortable man on the range this week.
Over (or under) valued?
Tony Finau ($9,300): Shaking up his Florida Swing, the big hitter returns for the first time since 2018. Talent is never the issue here, and he'll be roaring to get to the Texas Children's Houston Open, an event he won in November of 2022. After not hosting an event in 2023, he is the defending champion next week at Memorial Park.
Adam Hadwin ($8,200): The former champion from 2017 is all-or-nothing here. Since his victory, he’s cashed for T12 and T7 but has also packed up early in three others. The club toss into the lake on No. 18 was the highlight of his missed cut last week. I’m expecting a bounce-back on a familiar track.
Taylor Moore ($7,800): Defending on TOUR for the first time is always new and exciting. And time-consuming. And time-altering. And routine rerouting. I don’t believe he will join Sam Burns in the club of first-time winners repeating.
Doug Ghim ($8,400): There’s hot and there is Florida hot. Those of you who live in the Sunshine State know the difference. After cashing in the top 30 for the third time in four tries at TPC Sawgrass (T16), the former Texas Longhorn is streaking. Producing T16 or better in his last five starts on TOUR, 18 of 20 rounds have been par or better.
Cameron Young ($9,600): Making his debut, the big-hitter will look to join a very elite club of debutant winners. Keep reading for the answer. Paying a top-six price tag comes with more questions than answers.
Makers or breakers
Justin Thomas ($10,400): Missing the cut in two of his last three, he could have found a softer landing rather than the Copperhead Course. Remember, they make their schedules and choose their workload before major championships/signature events.
Jordan Spieth ($10,200): I wouldn’t read too much into his missed cut last weekend. That course, for whatever reason, doesn’t fit his game. The Copperhead Course does. Returning last season after a four-year hiatus, the 2015 champ picked up his second podium finish in four starts and fifth T20 or better in six career starts. I’ll start here and hope the rest dismiss his recent struggles.
Christiaan Bezuidenhout ($8,800): Ranking in both the top 30 in SG: Approach (8th) and Putting (27), the South African has had an excellent start to the season. I’m overpaying here, but he demonstrated he could handle the rough last week at TPC Sawgrass (T13).
Maverick McNealy ($8,100): Cashing in six straight, he’s found the top 10 twice in his last four, including T9 last week. Don’t tell anyone he only made four bogeys (no doubles/others) last week.
Sam Ryder ($7,300): Setting THE PLAYERS Championship record with 27 birdies circled last week, the Florida native should get plenty of run this week. Cashing T16 at TPC Sawgrass and T21 at PGA National, I’m trailing along as well.
Matthew NeSmith ($6,500): Co-owns the course record on 61 from Round 2 in 2022. Cashing T3 in that event followed T21 on debut in 2021. As an avid course historian, sign me up at this price. It doesn’t hurt either that he picked up his best finish (T26) of the season last week. Momentum.
Adam Schenk ($7,100): Falling one short of forcing a playoff last year, the Indiana native rolls back into town on form. Cashing T19 last week, he hit 41 of 56 Fairways (7th) and signed for just eight total bogeys.
Erik Barnes ($6,500): Nobody remembers who comes in second in the opposite field event. Defeated by Brice Garnett in Puerto Rico, his surgically repaired knee continues to allow him to get after it. In four events this season, he’s cashed in each of them.
The lineup
Here’s a look at how I would construct a six-man roster this week while staying below the $50,000 salary cap at DraftKings:
- Jordan Spieth ($10,200)
- Christiaan Bezuidenhout ($8,800)
- Doug Ghim ($8,400)
- Maverick McNealy ($8,100)
- Sam Ryder ($7,300)
- Adam Schenk ($7,100)
Trivia Answer: Gary Woodland is the only debutant to win at the Copperhead Course. Posting 15 under in 2011, a March tournament scoring record that stood until 2022, the big hitter held off Webb Simpson by a shot.
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