The PGA TOUR is across the pond this week, warming up for the Open Championship with a fun co-sanctioned tournament with the DP World Tour at this week’s Genesis Scottish Open, which gives players a chance to get their games in shape for links-style golf. It’s also a chance to get used to rounds starting in the wee hours of the morning, so be sure to get your lineup set early before contests lock at 2:00 a.m. ET on Thursday. As you get your tournament lineups set, check out my top three fantasy golf pivot plays for the week–Ludvig Aberg ($9,400), Matteo Manassero ($7,300) and Kristoffer Reitan ($6,900).
To make sure we’re all targeting the same flag stick, a “fantasy golf pivot play” is a golfer with low ownership and high upside. Typically, they come with major risk factors compared to more popular options that are available around the same DFS salary. Even though these plays are NOT the safest options in their price range, they have enough potential upside to be worth the sweat since they come with lower ownership. 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]
Ludvig Aberg ($9,400)
Aberg is the epitome of the kind of player that works best as a GPP pivot play. The 25-year-old Swede can contend in any field if he’s at the top of his game, but he hasn’t been consistent enough to be reliable for cash games.
He will have much lower ownership than top options like Scottie Scheffler ($13,100) and Rory McIlroy ($11,400), and probably even lower than Sam Burns ($9,000), Corey Conners ($8,900) and Collin Morikawa ($9,600). He’d be a solid pivot play off of those options if you are looking for a player who’s less chalky.
Aberg hasn’t exactly been awful, but he’s been out of form enough to cause the public to focus on other options. He has made the cut at 11 of his 15 events in 2025 with his big win at The Genesis Invitational and six top-25 finishes. He also finished seventh at the Masters after a late collapse cost him a few spots.
Aberg has made the cut in six of his last eight starts dating back to that top-10 at Augusta National, missing the cut at the other two majors but finishing in the top 20 at the Memorial and the RBC Canadian Open.
He should be very familiar with the style of the layout and has proven he can contend at this course after holding the 54-hole lead last year and finishing T4.
His ball-striking has been on point all season, but his putting and work around the green can sometimes be a little shaky. When he puts it together, though, he gives you the upside of snagging a victory at very low ownership.
Matteo Manassero ($7,300)
Manassero is another European player who should have a good feel for the links layout this week, and is coming in off the radar. He’s likely to have much lower ownership than J.J. Spaun ($8,100), Keith Mitchell ($7,400), Max Greyserman ($7,800) and Kevin Yu ($7,100).
The 32-year-old Italian has already been through quite a roller coaster in his career after a bunch of early success, a complete disappearance, and a solid comeback this season.
He made his way back to the PGA TOUR through the DP World Tour, where he won the Jonsson Workwear Open last year. This season, he has made the cut in nine of his 12 PGA TOUR appearances, with three top-25 finishes. His highest finish of the year can at the RBC Canadian Open, where he placed T6.
Last year, Manassero finished T15 last year at the Renaissance Club and returns to this venue with enough form to use him as a good value pivot. His short game and approach work are usually outstanding, while he can sometimes be a little shaky off the tee. The course should play to those strengths this week.
Kristoffer Reitan ($6,900)
Reitan is coming in on a heater this week, and the little-known Norwegian makes a lot of sense as a pivot play under $7K. He’s playing in just his second career PGA TOUR event and making just his second start at the Renaissance Club as well.
Some of the more experienced options getting more attention in this price range include Chris Gotterup ($7,100), Bud Cauley ($7,000), Andrew Putnam ($6,800) and Matti Schmid ($6,900). While those are solid plays as well, Reitan comes in with better form.
He just won the eight-event points race on the DP World Tour called the “European Swing.” He won that section of the schedule after winning the Soudal Open in Belgium in a playoff and then finishing in the top 15 in three of the last four events in Europe. During that stretch, he finished runner-up in the Austrian Alpine Open, T13 at the KLM Open, and T4 at the BMW in Germany last week.
The 27-year-old earned his way to the DP World Tour in 2024 by finishing seventh on the Road to Mallorca Rankings (like the Korn Ferry Tour). He claimed his first professional victory at the Rolex Challenge Tour Grand Final, and followed that up with his first DP World Tour title at the 2025 Soudal Open. In his last few events, Reitan has been on fire in the final round, posting a 62 in Belgium and a 60 in Austria. He closed with a 68 last week to secure the European Swing victory that also secured his spot at Royal Portrush next week.
Reitan is high-risk since he’s unproven, but he makes sense as a pivot play based on his exceptional recent form.
