The Cheat Sheet provides DraftKings fantasy golf players with course info, player history, and the most noteworthy trends of the week to help them with their roster selections.
Set your DraftKings fantasy golf lineups here: PGA $600K Drive the Green [$100K to 1st]
The Field
The Masters this season consists of 91 players, before any late withdrawals or absences. J.J. Spaun won last week in Texas but already had a spot thanks to his 2025 US Open win.
This season will also mark the fourth time that the Masters has been played since the formation of the rival LIV golf league. Neither Tiger Woods nor Phil Mickelson will be playing, the first time both players have been absent from this event since 1994. Players from the LIV Golf TOUR will be competing head-to-head against the heavyweights of the PGA TOUR, and for DFS and betting purposes, that means players like Bryson DeChambeau, Jon Rahm, and Cameron Smith will all be available.
One final note for DFS purposes: The cut line for this event is also unique. The cut still takes place after Friday, but only the top 50 and ties will play the weekend (the old 10-shot rule no longer applies). Getting all six of your golfers through the cut line will be especially crucial this week since over 50% of the actual field will get a chance to play the weekend.
The Course
Augusta National Golf Club — Augusta, Georgia
Par 72 | 7,565 yards | Bentgrass Greens
Augusta National was built on the site of an old tree sanctuary, and every hole has a name associated with its natural surroundings (usually a tree, bush, or flower). At its most basic, Augusta is a standard par-72 course with four par-5s, four par-3s, and 10 par-4s. However, there truly isn’t anything standard about the hole layout or the course. Augusta is one of the hilliest tracks on the PGA TOUR, and the elevation changes and slopes between the tee box and green mean that course experience can really pay off. The slick bentgrass greens offer up their own challenge, and missing an approach at Augusta on the wrong side of the green can often bring big numbers into play.
Players at Augusta often struggle in their first few outings — and it’s easy to see why. On top of the green structures being the toughest the players face all season, the course features many subtle and dramatic doglegs. Players who move the ball right to left have an advantage, and we’ve seen severe drawers of the golf ball like Zach Johnson and Patrick Reed net the biggest wins of their careers at this venue. Left-handers who fade the ball well, like Bubba Watson and Phil Mickelson, have also thrived at this event.
As far as the individual holes go, here’s a brief breakdown of what awaits the players this week:
Par-5s 550-600 yards: 2; Par-5s 500-550: 2; Par-4s over 500: 1; Par-4s 450-500: 5; Par-4s 400-450: 3; Par-4s under 400: 1; Par-3s over 200: 1; Par-3s 150-200: 3
The course was redesigned back in 2002 to keep up with modern technology and now plays quite long, but it has still seen winning scores range from +1 (Zach Johnson, 2007) to -20 (Dustin Johnson, 2020).
The par-4 11th hole and par-5 15th hole were both lengthened a couple of seasons ago, and for 2024, the tee box on the par-5 2nd hole (typically one of the easiest on the course) was pushed back. The 11th has also had its fairway widened, but has been toughened in areas around the green to make bailing out a less viable option. It now stretches to 520 yards and is likely to play as the toughest hole again for the week. The 15th was already a classic risk-reward hole with a huge moat surrounding a skinny green, but the added length to 550 yards has made the tee shot much more important.
The course played much tougher the last three seasons, with Hideki Matsuyama and Scottie Scheffler winning at just 10-under par in 2021 and 2022, respectively. In 2023, Jon Rahm put on a clinic in the final round and managed to get in at 12-under par, but he was the only player to achieve that feat. In 2024, Scottie Scheffler won by four strokes at -11, and only one other player posted a score of -5 or better (Ludvig Aberg -7). In 2025, Rory McIlroy and Justin Rose tied at -11, with no one else getting in at double digits under par.
The first two days of this year have higher wind forecasts, with potential gusts of 15-20mph on Thursday. While the weekend does have slightly lower winds, warmer temperatures and a lack of rain mean the course is expected to play very firm and fast. It seems likely we’ll once again see a winner come in around the -10 to -14 range.
Augusta has seen winning scores range from 5-under to 20-under over the past 10 years, and tougher conditions have often led to more long-shot winners. Hideki Matsuyama went off at 40-1 in 2021, and in 2017 and 2016, when the winning scores stayed well below 10-under-par, we saw long-shot winners at 40-1 or greater.
However, with the course lengthened in multiple areas in recent seasons, the venue has favored the off-the-tee specialists. The duel between Jon Rahm and Brooks Koepka in 2023 (two of the best drivers of the ball in the game) certainly emphasized this point. In toss-up situations this week (for DFS and betting), leaning slightly towards the bigger hitter (or better off-the-tee player) is warranted.
2026 Masters Weather Outlook: The weather this week doesn’t look overly penal. Still, even a little wind at Augusta can cause the course to toughen up considerably, as the players are already dealing with the fastest and hilliest greens on the PGA TOUR. The one big key so far this week is the lack of rain in the forecast, which is sure to keep the greens firm and fast all week. Colder temperatures, with highs in the 65-70º F range on Thursday and wind gusts up to 15mph, will likely make Day 1 one of the hardest days. Winds die down later in the week, with temperatures on the weekend expected to reach highs in the low 80º F range. Green speeds will likely be fast all week and may be the story of this year’s event. Players with higher ball flight are likely to have an advantage as a result. First-round leaders have often come from the middle-of-the-day groups, as they can often avoid the dryer greens, heavier winds, and the cool morning air (something to keep in mind).
Last 10 Winners
2025 — Rory McIlroy -11 (over Justin Rose playoff)
2024 — Scottie Scheffler -11 (over Ludvig Aberg -7)
2023 — Jon Rahm -12 (over Brooks Koepka -8)
2022 — Scottie Scheffler -10 (over Rory McIlroy -7)
2021 — Hideki Matsuyama -10 (over Will Zalatoris -9)
*2020 — Dustin Johnson -20 (Sungjae Im and Cameron Smith -15)
2019 — Tiger Woods -13 (over Brooks Koepka, Xander Schauffele and Dustin Johnson -12)
2018 — Patrick Reed -15 (over Rickie Fowler -14)
2017 — Sergio Garcia -9 (over Justin Rose playoff)
2016 — Danny Willett -5 (over Jordan Spieth and Lee Westwood -2)
*Played in November
Winning Trends
- No player has won at Augusta in their first attempt since Fuzzy Zoeller back in 1979.
- 10 of the last 13 winners had achieved a top-five finish at Augusta in at least one previous Masters start.
- Since 1996, only one player has won the Masters after missing the cut the previous year (Patrick Reed in 2018).
- 11 of the last 12 winners of the Masters had recorded a top-five finish in one of their last five starts before Augusta.
Recent statistical form of the LAST FOUR Masters winners (over their FINAL FOUR starts before Augusta):
- Gained 2.0 strokes or more on approach in multiple starts
- Gained 2.0 strokes or more around the green in at least one start
- Gained 1.0 stroke or more putting in at least one start
Winners Stats and Course Overview
Rory McIlroy (2025 — 11-under-par)
McIlroy Lead-in form for 2025: (T5-win-T15-T17-win)
- Strokes Gained: Tee to Green — 1st
- Strokes Gained: Approach — 1st
- Strokes Gained: Off the Tee — 7th
- Strokes Gained: Around the Green — 10th
- Strokes Gained: Putting — 43rd
Just like Scheffler in 2024, McIlroy, as the winner, was the top tee-to-green player in the field. This time, he also led the field in strokes gained approach stats.
Rahm killed the par 5s in 2023, which is a hallmark of most Masters winners. He putted well but was also excellent around the greens — that was also a trend of the 2022/2024 winner Scottie Scheffler, who ranked second in strokes gained around the greens in 2022 and first in 2024.
2021 champion Hideki Matsuyama also excelled around the greens, ranking fourth in Strokes Gained: Around the Green in the year of his win.
Strong tee-to-green play is a necessity. Rahm led the field in that stat, and four of the last five winners have now gained +12.0 or more strokes tee to green for the week.
However, in the last few years, success among top finishers at this venue has been nearly split between Approach and Around the Greens.
Finding Values on DraftKings Sportsbook
Odds to win are one factor to consider when picking players (but not the only one, so be careful putting too much weight on them). This section is going to detail a few of the players who have the best fantasy value compared to their DraftKings Sportsbook odds of winning this week.
Matt Fitzpatrick +2350 and $8,700
Comparables:
- Hideki Matsuyama +2700 and $8,900
- Patrick Reed +4300 and $9,000
- Justin Rose +3500 and $9,100
Si Woo Kim +4900 and $7,800
Comparables:
- Akshay Bhatia +5700 and $7,800
- Patrick Cantlay +5800 and $7,900
- Sepp Straka +7400 and $8,000
All odds provided by DraftKings Sportsbook are subject to change.
Horses For Courses
1. Scottie Scheffler ($14,000; best finish: win-2022, win-2024): Scheffler has been dominant at this event over the past four years. He still leads the field in strokes gained per round over the last five seasons and strokes gained total stats. His two wins have come by three and four strokes, respectively.
2. Rory McIlroy ($11,600; best finishes: win-2025, 2nd-2023): McIlroy capped off a great career run at Augusta with a thrilling playoff win last season. Overall, he’s finished inside the top 10 on six other occasions. While he sometimes struggles to score on this course,McIlroy is without a doubt a serious contender every time he tees it up at Augusta.
3. Jon Rahm ($10,000; best finishes: win-2023, T5-2021): It didn’t take long for Rahm to build up a massive portfolio of top finishes at this event. He’s now finished inside the top 10 at Augusta in four of the past seven seasons and won this event by four strokes in 2023. He’s moved tours but remains a top-tier player and someone very likely to contend this week.
4. Jordan Spieth ($8,400; best finish: win-2015, T2-2016, T3-2018 and 2021): Spieth has placed second here twice and won the event in 2015 by tying the then-scoring record set by Tiger Woods (-18). In 2018, he shot a brilliant 64 in the final round to vault him into third place. Among players with 30 or more rounds played at Augusta, he has one of the best scoring averages in the field.
5. Patrick Reed ($9,000; best finish: win-2018, 3rd-2025): Reed won this event back in 2018 (his only major) and has since strung together a few more high finishes. He finished T4 at this event in 2023 and came in third last year. He’s fifth in strokes gained total stats at this venue over the last five seasons.
Recent Form
1. Bryson DeChambeau ($10,200; win-win-T24): DeChambeau is on quite a heater this year. He’s won twice in a row heading into the first major and looks primed for a big week.
2. Cameron Young ($9,200; win-T3): Cameron Young is coming in off a great run in Florida, where he finished T3 at Bay Hill and won the PLAYERS. He’s finished in the top 10 at Augusta before and is expected to contend again this week.
3. Jon Rahm ($10,000; 2nd-T5-win): Rahm also looks poised for another run at a Green Jacket. He broke through with another LIV Tour win recently and finished second in his last outing.
4. Robert MacIntyre ($8,600; T2-T4): MacIntyre has played great golf most of the season. He has multiple top-five finishes and was runner-up last week after leading the way for much of the event.
5. Matthew Fitzpatrick ($8,700; win-2nd): Fitzpatrick is yet another player coming into the week off a win. The Englishman won at Valspar and has been off since. He was also the runner-up at the PLAYERS and certainly looks to be headed toward a big year in the majors.
DRAFTKINGS DFS STRATEGY
Big Field Punt plays:
Tom McKibbin ($6,900): McKibbin is my pick to be the top debutant this season. He’s a long hitter who had a massive win in Hong Kong late last year and has the perfect sort of game for success at Augusta. Overall, I expect his ownership to be extremely low as he hasn’t done a ton on LIV yet this year, making him a perfect GPP add and a player who could lift your lineup, if he can position himself for a top 20 on Sunday.
Aldrich Potgieter ($6,200): see below
Core Plays:
Adam Scott ($7,200): Scott is trending well heading into the first major. He’s top 20 in tee-to-green stats and played some decent golf his last time out in Texas. Overall, his record at Augusta speaks for itself — so at 7.2K, I see little downside in being overweight on the veteran.
Si Woo Kim ($7,800): Kim is top-10 in strokes gained tee-to-green this season and comes into this week off a solid effort in Texas, where he gained over 4.0 strokes in approach. He’s looked great at times in 2026, and if he figures out the greens, the rest of his game is good enough to compete this season.
Ludvig Aberg ($9,800): see below
Contrarian Click:
Patrick Cantlay ($7,900): Cantlay may not have had the greatest lead-in, but he’s notched some big wins in his career on tougher golf courses and has been in contention at Augusta, finishing T9 here in 2019. This is the lowest price we have seen on him in a major in quite some time, so I would not hesitate to use him if he’s trending towards lower ownership in larger GPP fields.
MY PICK: Ludvig Aberg ($9,800)
With a long, firm golf course in play, this is the exact type of scenario where I expected a young phenom like Aberg to make his mark. The Swede may not have won yet this season, but he has had a far better lead-in to the year’s first major championship than he did last year — posting top-five finishes in each of his last three starts. While you may not have liked how he looked on Sunday at PLAYERS or even last week in Texas, there is little doubt that Aberg’s A+ game is not far off. He enters this year 7th in strokes gained tee to green stats and has gained over 5.0 strokes on the field over his first two rounds at Sawgrass.
Last week in Texas, he again started strong with his irons and also flashed serious upside around the greens, gaining 5.1 strokes ATG. While you can nitpick small consistency issues with Aberg, his suitability for Augusta National is undeniable. He finished second here in his 2024 debut before managing a T7 last year, despite carrying little to no form into the event. He was even the betting favorite at one point for a brief moment on Sunday.
With some of the other top players carrying a few question marks this season, I see no reason not to be overweight on him for DFS and make him a core player for tournament lineups. For betting, I’m more than happy to take him as an outright play at +1700 or bigger on the DraftKings Sportsbook, after what he’s shown us to date this season.
MY SLEEPER: Aldrich Potgieter ($6,200)
I expect the young South African to potentially make some noise this week at Augusta. As the biggest hitter on the PGA TOUR and someone with an incredibly high ball flight, he’ll benefit more than most from the open fairways and the firm greens in play this week, which will make holding greens and getting close to pins extremely difficult. While he can struggle outside of his great long game, we saw Potgieter play extremely well early in the season at another tough course. In Riviera, he finished T5. Long term, he’s the sort of player who should thrive on these longer setups.
His only other visit to Augusta was in 2023, when he missed the cut, but his game has improved significantly since then. While his 2026 season has been spotty, he posted a T21 in his last start in Houston, where he gained an incredible +10.2 strokes on approach and off the tee stats combined. For DFS, his low price makes him a great way to fit in multiple studs at the top of your lineup. For betting, he’s the sort of player I love ladder-betting this week, with top 20 (including ties) odds as high as +530 on DraftKings Sportsbook.
