DFS Dish: Expect big things from Patrick Cantlay after Harbour Town close calls

Harbour Town Golf Links is the backdrop for the fifth Signature Event of the 2024 season.

Located less than 200 miles from Augusta National Golf Club, those making the trip to Hilton Head, South Carolina, will not have too far to travel for the next big event of the year.

Beginning in 1983, the RBC Heritage has traditionally followed the first major championship. Last year, Matt Fitzpatrick defeated the 2022 champion Jordan Spieth in a playoff. Both players are teeing it up this week in the 69-man, no-cut event.

Here’s a look at the players I have my eye on for this week from a DFS perspective:

DraftKings: Top of the board

Scottie Scheffler ($13,300): The biggest question facing the two-time Masters champion this week has nothing to do with his golf game. The miracle of life might be the biggest challenge facing Scheffler in the coming days. With his first child due soon, sticking him in the lineup this week comes with the possibility of the Texan flying home for the birth of his first child. If he was ready to leave the Masters on Sunday during his round, I doubt he’s changing his mind for this week.

Rory McIlroy ($11,200): Making only his third start at Harbour Town, the Ulsterman continues his search for consistency in 2024. With tight, doglegged fairways and tiny greens, this should fit his ball-striking profile. Playing for the third week in a row, he might have more questions than answers. It will be interesting to see if the disappointment from last week fuels or fades. I’m leaning toward the latter, especially in an event he hasn’t been attached to over the last dozen years.

Overvalued or undervalued

Patrick Cantlay ($10,200): Sharing 22nd last week kept the Californian out of the weekend pressure cooker at the Masters. His record at the season’s first major championship completely overshadows how quickly he moves on at Harbour Town. Making his seventh start, his five previous weekends are all T7 or better with four podium finishes including a playoff loss in 2022. Knocking off the rust last week, don’t let his 76 on Sunday fool you. All aboard.

Max Homa ($9,700): At this point in his career, I believe he has larger fish to fry than Signature Events. Wonderfully grounded and impossible not to like, I cannot imagine it is easy to pick up mentally this week where he left off Sunday evening. Coming out of a major championship close call is a difficult task for most.

Will Zalatoris ($9,000): A red-hot putter is not required this week at Sea Pines. Navigating the pines, bunkers, and water on every hole will provide him an advantage. Making just his second appearance, he set an excellent foundation with his third top-10 at the Masters (T9) hours ago.

Sam Burns ($8,200): Guess who else is getting ready to have a baby? Nailed it! Well, not him, but his wife, but you get the point. After a scorching, four-event run that started in the Coachella Valley, the Louisiana native has turned ice cold. After taking a few weeks off, he returned with T30 at Bay Hill and T45 at THE PLAYERS Championship before missing the cut in San Antonio and last week at the Masters.

Makers or breakers

Ludvig Åberg ($10,400): I understand it’s not a popularity contest, but the first-time major participant captured hearts and minds last week. Being in this position, the week after a major for the first time creates a new baseline. Leave him out at your own peril.

Tommy Fleetwood ($9,800): Not only is he chasing major championship glory, but the Englishman has also yet to win in the United States. Keeping bogeys off the card is one of the keys this week, and not many do it better. If the wind picks up, even better! His countryman laid down the tee-to-green blueprint last season.

Jordan Spieth ($9,400): Ignoring the 2022 winner and 2023 playoff runner-up is tough. Slotting him and Fitzpatrick in the lineup this week comes with some major concerns in the ball-striking department. Careful.

Shane Lowry ($8,500): Hitting the podium in 2022 (T3) after finding it in 2019 (T3), the Irishman arrives on a sponsor exemption. Seaside links fit his ball-striking and Pete Dye’s Harbour Town fits his eye.

Si Woo Kim ($8,000): In 10 starts this season, he’s cashed T30 or better in eight and has not missed the weekend. Throwing away a five-shot lead on Sunday and losing a playoff here in 2018, he has some unfinished business on Hilton Head Island.

Adam Schenk ($7,100): Cashing T12 last week, he will return to the Masters in 2025. Playing the best golf of his season so far, the Indiana native racked up T19 at THE PLAYERS and T5 at the Valero Texas Open before his excellent performance last week.

Thomas Detry ($6,300): Let’s hope the last two weeks off didn’t slow him down! Cashing T2 in Houston, he backed up T17 at Valspar, another difficult course. While Harbour Town doesn’t annually rate as hard as those two tracks, his ability to find GIR and hole putts should work again this week.

The lineup

Here’s a look at how I would style a six-man roster this week while staying below the $50,000 salary cap at DraftKings:

• Patrick Cantlay ($10,200)
• Tommy Fleetwood ($9,800)
• Shane Lowry ($8,500)
• Si Woo Kim ($8,000)
• Adam Schenk ($7,100)
• Thomas Detry ($6,300)

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