The PGA TOUR is headed to the Midwest for a couple of low-scoring weeks before jumping across the pond for the final major of the season. This week’s tournament is the Rocket Classic, which has a new name this year but is still held at Detroit Golf Club. The very scoreable layout is a classic par 72 that doesn’t have a lot of frills or notable features. It is usually dominated by long hitters.
As you build your fantasy golf lineups for GPPs this week, let’s take a closer look at three fantasy golf pivot plays. I think each of these three players will be able to outperform their comparatively low ownership. My top three fantasy golf pivot plays for the week are Harry Hall ($9,500), Chris Kirk ($7,500) and Aldrich Potgieter ($7,000)
To make sure we’re all targeting the same flag stick, a “fantasy golf pivot play” is a golfer with lower ownership but similar upside to more popular options available around the same DFS salary. Often, golfers with lower ownership bring extra risk factors, but they can be worth that added risk since their lower ownership improves your chance of finishing near the top of tournaments. Even though they’re NOT the safest plays in their price range, they have enough potential upside to be worth the sweat. Be sure to check out my companion post to this one that highlights my picks for cash lineups if you’re looking for safer options that raise the floor of your lineup.
Let’s break down why I like each of my top three pivot plays this week.
Set your DraftKings fantasy golf lineups here: PGA TOUR $800K Summer Sand Trap [200K to 1st]
Harry Hall ($9,500)
There are a lot of good options near the top of the salary structure, as Detroit Golf Club has drawn its best field in the history of the event. Hall is a play I think has a good chance to emerge with the win this week, but he’s getting much less attention than Collin Morikawa ($10,900), Patrick Cantlay ($10,200), Cameron Young ($9,300) and Ben Griffin ($9,800).
Hall has made the cut in nine straight PGA TOUR events with five straight top 25 finishes. He has been heating up even more in his last few events, with a T6 at the Charles Schwab Challenge and a T9 at the Travelers in his last three events, giving him four top 10 finishes on the season.
Hall is just about a year removed from his breakthrough PGA TOUR win at the ISCO Championship, and he has proven that he can go low in birdie-fest events like the one expected this week. He has shown he can pile up birdies in a hurry.
Over the last 20 rounds, Hall leads the field in Strokes Gained: Putting and ranks third in Total Strokes Gained.
He finished T31 last year at this event after missing the cut in 2023, and I think he’ll build on that finish with an even better result this year given his strong recent form.
Chris Kirk ($7,500)
Kirk has had a rocky season, so I understand why he isn’t a popular play in this price range like Alex Noren ($7,800), Jake Knapp ($7,300) and Nicolai Hojgaard ($7,600). However, Kirk has a great history in Detroit and showed some great signs at the U.S Open at Oakmont a few weeks ago.
Kirk missed the cut in two straight events coming into the U.S. Open, and had only two top 50 finishes in his previous 12 events. The week didn’t start much better for him, as he opened with three bogeys and two double bogeys on his first nine holes of the week. However, Kirk then bounced back and battled his way to a T12. Without that bumpy start, he could have been in contention on Sunday. He finished the week tied for fourth in birdies made and 11th in Strokes Gained: Tee-to-Green.
In Detroit, Kirk has made the cut in each of his five appearances with four top 25 finishes. Among the players in the field with multiple appearances at this event, Kirk ranks ninth in Total Strokes Gained per round. Coming back to where he has had success in the past, he has a good chance to build on that momentum from the U.S. Open.
Aldrich Potgieter ($7,000)
If you’re looking for a fun flier play for your lineup this week, check out this 20-year-old South African. Potgieter leads the PGA TOUR in driving distance and posts unreal club and ball speeds. Since long hitters have had success here, Potgieter will hope to follow their path to victory.
Even though he’s young, Potgieter played this event two years ago, missing the cut in 2023. He didn’t return last year, instead playing on the Korn Ferry Tour where he set the record for the youngest winner and became the second-youngest graduate, earning his PGA TOUR membership just 23 days after he turned 20.
He hasn’t had a ton of success in his rookie season, but he has popped for a few spike weeks. Despite missing the cut in nine of his 13 events, he is 73rd in the FedExCup Standings.
When he does make the cut, he has been posting good results with three top 25 finishes, highlighted by a runner-up at the Mexico Open at Vidanta and a T6 in his most recent event, the Charles Schwab Challenge.
His driving distance and high ceiling make him a flier worth targeting at only $7,000, and his boom-or-bust production is a great fit for GPP lineups where you’re searching for upside even if it comes with elevated risk.
