DFS Dish: Look for Taylor Pendrith to power lineups at low-scoring TPC Summerlin

Two-time defending champion Tom Kim will be looking to add his name to the PGA TOUR history books. Only nine players have won an event in three consecutive editions, and none have accomplished the feat since Steve Stricker at the John Deere Classic from 2009-11.

Playing 7,255 yards, the par-71 TPC Summerlin, located just a few miles off The Strip in Las Vegas, will host the field of 132 players in the fourth of eight events in the FedExCup Fall.

DraftKings – top of the board

Tom Kim ($10,800): Everyone wants to be a part of history, and I would expect heavy ownership of the Korean star as he tracks three in a row at TPC Summerlin. The Presidents Cup star, making his third appearance in the desert, has never posted worse than 68 in eight rounds. Picking up his first victory as a 20-year-old in 2022, he did not make a bogey over 72 holes. Defending the title for the first time in his career last fall, Kim signed for 20-under and won by a shot. Over 144 holes, he's posted an aggregate of 44-under and has squared only seven bogeys. Making his first start on his own ball since the FedEx St. Jude Championship, there is no possible softer landing.

Davis Thompson ($10,300): Edging Taylor Pendrith out by just $100, the shootout winner at the John Deere Classic in July at 28-under is the second choice at DraftKings. Already secure in the top 50, the 25-year-old has cashed in five straight since his first TOUR victory, but nothing inside the top 10. Sitting at No. 15 in Strokes Gained: Tee to Green, he will produce multiple chances to circle birdies over the four rounds. Rounds in the 70s need not apply.

Trivia: There are two multiple champions in the field. Kim is looking for his third consecutive victory. Name the other two-time champion.

Overvalued or undervalued?

Matti Schmid ($7,800): Desert golf last week in Utah produced the best finish of 2024 for the German. Cashing fifth at the Black Desert Championship last week, the 26-year-old played the weekend for the seventh consecutive event entered. Finding the weekend in only 13 of 25 events in 2024, he has posted T26 or better nine times. Last year at TPC Summerlin, he opened with 65 and closed with 63 to cash in 26th place.

Cam Davis ($8,800): Never missing the cut in five previous visits to TPC Summerlin, the Australian cashed T7 last season for his best payday and only top-10 result. The winner at the Rocket Mortgage Classic at the end of June, his T5 at the BMW Championship at Castle Pines Golf Club was the last time he competed. I’ll ride the in-form German instead and use the $1,000 to enhance my roster.

Makers or breakers

Taylor Pendrith ($10,400): Already a winner in a shootout this year, the champion at TPC Craig Ranch posted 23-under to pick up his first trophy on TOUR. The Canadian has made the cut in 17 of 24 events and 14 of those paychecks are T25 or better, including seven of his last eight. The power player will enjoy the generous targets off the tee while his elite putter, ranked No. 7 in SG: Putting, has no problem rolling in birdies.

Stephan Jaeger ($9,900): While Matt McCarty was the story last week, plenty of curious investors hoped the German could run down the newbie late on Sunday. The 36-hole leader ran out of birdie juice and finished solo second. It will be a crowded room again this week.

Adam Hadwin ($8,900): Painting the top 10 four times in the last five years, including 2021-2023, the Canadian is an AUTO PLAY in the desert. The disappointment of missing out on a captain’s pick for the Presidents Cup can be dulled by a victory this week.

Harry Hall ($8,400): The Englishman who calls Las Vegas home already has a victory in a shootout in 2024. The winner of the ISCO Championship in Kentucky last July ran out of gas last week in Utah. Posting 74 in the final round, I’m hoping the man who has cashed T26, T15 and T8 over the previous three Shriners Children’s Open has thrown the pack off his scent.

Ben Kohles ($7,000): Sitting one shot off the 36-hole lead in Utah, the man who finished second to Pendrith at TPC Craig Ranch languished to a 71-75 weekend and drifted to T46. Posting 17-under two weeks ago in Mississippi suggests something is brewing.

Nick Hardy (7,000): Posting 31-under over the last two shootouts combined, the Chicago native was second in GIR and T5 in Fairways last week for T8, his best result of 2024. Closing with 64 last year at TPC Summerlin, he should be ready to keep the momentum going.

Matt NeSmith ($6,900): Another familiar with the par-71 layout, his only round in the 70s here was 71 last year. Making his sixth visit, he has cashed T18 or better four times, including T2 to Kim in 2022.

Martin Laird ($6,500): The winner in 2009 and 2020, the Scotsman lost in the playoff in defense when Jonathan Byrd made a walk-off hole-in-one. In 52 rounds, he’s never posted anything worse than 72 (four times); the other 48 rounds are par or better.

The Lineup

Here’s a look at how I would devise a six-team roster this week while staying below the $50,000 salary cap offered for DraftKings contests:

• Taylor Pendrith ($10,200)
• Stephan Jaeger ($9,900)
• Harry Hall ($8,400)
• Matti Schmid ($7,800)
• Nick Hardy ($7,000)
• Martin Laird ($6,500)

Trivia Answer: Martin Laird (2009, 2020)

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