27D AGO

DFS Dish: Scottie Scheffler’s return warrants tough decisions

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Written by Ben Everill

Scottie Scheffler, Rory McIlroy and Jordan Spieth return to action as the PGA TOUR heads to the Monterey Peninsula for the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am.

It’s Signature Event time, with 80 of the TOUR’s best on show across three rounds at the iconic Pebble Beach and one on Spyglass Hill. With no cut, we have to focus not just on those who have a chance to win, but those we feel will fight to the death — even if it’s likely they won’t.

Decision time is a little tougher with the world No. 1 Scheffler back on the books for all players chasing winnings in the DraftKings DFS contest. Do you ride the man who won seven times on the TOUR last season, plus an Olympic Gold Medal, or do you let him slide by while he knocks off some rust?

Scheffler is returning from a hand injury that required surgery to make his first start of the season, but if you were hoping for a discount — bad luck. The Texan rides the top of the list at $11,900 so if you want him, you have to pay for it. He was T6 here a year ago but that was shortened to 54 holes due to weather. Perhaps he might have found a way to win if Sunday wasn’t washed out. And he was obviously the dominant force in golf last season.

McIlroy ($10,700) is also making his first start on the TOUR this season after returning from a T4 at the Dubai Desert Classic on the DP World Tour. In recent years he’s been a slow starter in the U.S., making his price tag a hefty one. He was T66 last season at this event.

The last player with a five-figure salary is Collin Morikawa ($10,200) who recently was runner-up at The Sentry to start his season and is coming off last year’s FedExCup race where he was second only to Scheffler amongst eight top-10s. None at Pebble (T14); however, it could have been with a final round on offer.

If you don’t plan on spending at the very pointy end of the salary board, you’ll likely need to have one of the next four players in mind.

Ludvig Åberg ($9,900) – Flew out of the blocks at Torrey Pines' North Course last week to set up what appeared to be a road to victory, only to come down with an illness that had him doubled over and throwing up over the final two rounds in tough, windy conditions. If he’s shaken the illness, the Swede offers some value at the top, given he was runner-up at Pebble a year ago.

Justin Thomas ($9,800) – Something is bubbling in Thomas who is getting closer and closer to ending his win drought that extends back to May of 2022. He was runner-up recently at The American Express and was well-poised at T6 here a year ago before rain thwarted his tilt at a Pebble Beach salute.

Hideki Matsuyama ($9,600) – The winner at The Sentry has clearly started the season in form, but when it comes to Pebble Beach prowess – well, his only appearance at the Pro-Am was last season and a dismal T71. He was T21 at the 2019 U.S. Open here.

Patrick Cantlay ($9,400) – As close to a Pebble specialist as they come with four top 11s in his last four trips to the tournament including a T3 and T4. His current form is also colliding with a T15 and T5 to start in 2025.

Leading off the mid-tier are the likes of Jason Day ($8,900), Viktor Hovland ($8,800) and defending champion Wyndham Clark ($8,600). Day has an impressive nine top-seven finishes at Pebble Beach but is still chasing an elusive win. Hovland won his U.S. Amateur at Pebble Beach but hasn’t hit his best form in some time.

Former winner and serial contender here Jordan Spieth ($7,900) makes his return from wrist surgery. Will he have rust to blow off?

Taylor Pendrith ($8,300) was T7 two years ago and now returns as a PGA TOUR winner for the first time while Beau Hossler ($7,600) was T14-T11-three in his last three trips to Pebble Beach and was T15 last week.

But what about the back end of the charts? Where can value be found, particularly if you plan to spend big on Scheffler?

Perhaps the pair of Andrew Novak ($6,700) and Mark Hubbard ($6,700) might fit your eye. If you like current form flowing on, well Novak was third last week, or if you like someone with ties to the venue, Hubbard loves Pebble Beach so much it's where he proposed to his wife and finished T4 a year ago.

Here's a look at how I would build a lineup this week at Pebble Beach and Spyglass Hill, staying below the $50,000 salary cap for DraftKings contests:

  • Ludvig Åberg $9,900
  • Patrick Cantlay $9,400
  • Jason Day $8,900
  • Taylor Pendrith $8,300
  • Mark Hubbard $6,700
  • Andrew Novak $6,700

If you’re looking for an option WITH Scottie Scheffler rostered, I’d go with…

  • Scottie Scheffler $11,900
  • Jason Day $8,900
  • Jordan Spieth $7,900
  • Beau Hossler $7,600
  • Mark Hubbard $6,700
  • Andrew Novak $6,700

Good luck with your contests this week!

For resources to overcome a gambling problem, call or text 1-800-GAMBLER today.

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