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 TOUR $500K Drive the Green [$50K to 1st]
The Field
The field for The Open Championship consists of approximately 156 golfers, featuring a cutline with the top 70 and ties advancing to the weekend after Friday’s round. The player pool includes many international qualifiers, but it still features one of the best fields in all of golf. All of the top-10 players in the OWGR will be in attendance this week, including the No. 1 player in the world, Scottie Scheffler, the No. 2 player in the world, Rory McIlroy, and most of the top players from LIV, including Jon Rahm and Bryson DeChambeau.
In addition to that elite group, we have all the past Open winners from 2017-2024 playing with Jordan Spieth, Xander Schauffele, Collin Morikawa, and 2019 Open winner Shane Lowry (which was played at Portrush), all in the field. Spieth won his only Open Championship on this week’s course (Royal Birkdale) back in 2017.
One of the more exciting features of The Open for DFS is that DraftKings’ salary structure has shifted, allowing you to roster players below $6,000. With the unpredictability of links golf and many players in the field less well known to casual DFS players, using one of these sub-$6,000 players could provide huge flexibility in your lineups. For that reason, I’ve highlighted a few who could be useful in the sections below.
The Course
Royal Birkdale—Southport, England
Par 70—7,156 yards
Royal Birkdale is in Southport, England, a major fixture on the Open rota. It last hosted in 2017, when Jordan Spieth outdueled Matt Kuchar down the stretch. Despite being just a 7,100-yard Par 70, Birkdale is famously one of the tougher Open courses to play.
Spieth’s -12 winning score in 2017 was the second-lowest ever. Lee Trevino (1971) holds the record at -14. In 2008, Padraig Harrington won the event at Birkdale at +3, a testament to how hard things can get there when poor weather and wind move in at the exposed venue.
The venue sits on the edge of the sea. The holes are built between naturally forming sand dunes, which can block the view but not necessarily the wind, as the course remains bare and open, as with most traditional links courses. The dunes also provide well-defined corridors and are covered in thick native fescue, which puts a strong emphasis on accuracy. Players who stray into the rough often face forced layups rather than aggressive recovery shots, making Birkdale one of the fairer tests on the Open, as accurate shots are rewarded while blatant bomb-and-gouge strategies will likely suffer.
The course was redesigned for this year’s major; the project was led by architects Martin Ebert and Tom Mackenzie, whose goal was to enhance its strategic character. In addition to modernizing several holes, the project addressed long-standing drainage issues and restored the course’s natural dune landscape. The result is a layout that places an even greater premium on precision, decision-making, and links golf creativity rather than pure power.
Major Renovations for 2026
No. 5 (Par 4, 321 yards): Previously an awkward 350-yard hole, the fifth has been transformed into a true risk-reward drivable par 4. An elevated green protected by seven deep pot bunkers now tempts players. Still, anything offline makes recovery difficult from sand or tightly mown run-offs.
No. 7 (Par 3, 151 yards): Shortened from 177 yards, this hole now features a newly elevated “pedestal” green sitting roughly three feet above its surrounds. The smaller target places even greater emphasis on precise iron play.
Former No. 14 removed: The previous short par-3 has been eliminated from the routing and replaced with a modern short-game practice facility.
New No. 14 (Par 5, 602 yards): Previously the 15th hole, this demanding par 5 has been stretched by 60 yards and shifted approximately 30 yards closer to the towering dunes. At over 600 yards, it now ranks among the longest holes in Open Championship history.
New No. 15 (Par 3, 241 yards): Built entirely from scratch, this daunting long par 3 replaces the retired 14th. Measuring 241 yards, it demands a long iron or hybrid into a deep, narrow green.
Overall, I expect this course to be a great one for targeting shot makers – players who can consistently find the fairway in the narrowest corridors while attacking flags or finding greens regardless of the conditions. Strokes gained approach and around-the-green stats would be the two SG metrics I would emphasize most this week.
2026 Weather Outlook: The forecast looks considerably more playable than in past editions. Temperatures are expected to stay in the low 70s°F (21–23°C) throughout the championship, with dry conditions and very little rain. Thursday is projected to be the toughest scoring day, with sustained winds around 15-20 mph and gusts approaching 25 mph in the afternoon, making Royal Birkdale’s revamped pot bunkers and elevated greens significantly more demanding. Winds are forecast to ease into the 8-12 mph range on Friday before remaining relatively manageable over the weekend, creating more favorable scoring conditions if the forecast holds.
As things stand, there doesn’t appear to be a significant tee-time wave advantage. However, with Thursday afternoon expected to be the windiest period of the week, the Thursday AM / Friday PM draw could gain a slight edge if the forecast remains stable. Given Birkdale’s exposed links setting, even a modest 5-10 mph difference in wind speed can translate into several shots over 36 holes.
Last 10 winners
2025 – Scottie Scheffler -17 (over Harris English -13)
2024–Xander Schauffele -9 (Justin Rose -7, Billy Horschel -7)
2023—Brian Harman -13 (over four players -7)
2022—Cameron Smith -20 (over Cameron Young -19)
2021—Collin Morikawa -15 (over Jordan Spieth -13)
2019—Shane Lowry – 15 (over Tommy Fleetwood -9)
2018—Francesco Molinari -8 (over Justin Rose and three others -6)
*2017 – Jordan Spieth -12 (over Matt Kuchar -9)
*Held at Royal Birkdale
Winning Trends
Seven of the past 14 winners of The Open Championship have been age 35 or older; eight of the past 14 have been age 32 or older.
11 of the past 13 winners of The Open Championship had recorded a T-20 or better in one of the year’s first two major championships in the year of their victory. Six of the past eight winners had recorded a T-11 or better in one of the year’s first three majors.
Seventeen of the past 20 winners of The Open Championship had a T-9 or better finish at this event in a previous year.
Seven of the past eight winners had played in The Open Championship at least four times before winning.
The last five winners of the Open all played the Scottish Open the week before.
The last four winners of the Open finished T-15 or better at the Scottish Open the week before winning.
Winners’ Stats and Course Overview
Scottie Scheffler (17 under par, 2025)
2025 lead-in form (T8-T6-T7-win-T4)
SG: OTT — 0.38 (per round)
SG: APP — 2.68 (per round)
SG: TOTAL— 4.63 (per round)
SG: ATG — -0.39 (per round)
SG: PUTT — 2.16 (per round)
We don’t have a ton of past Strokes Gained data to look back on, since The Open site itself doesn’t track it. That said, certain trends among winners and high finishers exist.
The past seven winners have all ranked 23rd or better in Strokes Gained: Approach in the year of their win, with 2017 winner Jordan Spieth ranking first in this category and 2018 winner Francesco Molinari ranking 10th. The 2024 winner, Xander Schauffele, was sixth in this category in 2025.
Brian Harman came into this major in 2023 having gained over 4.0 strokes on approach in each of his last two starts, and by all accounts, he was one of the best in the field with his irons at Hoylake.
Links golf often isn’t as much about length off the tee as it is about placement, so emphasizing great iron players this week seems like a solid start. 2021 winner Collin Morikawa ranked top five in greens hit in 2021, and Cameron Smith ranked fifth in SG: APP stats at this event in 2022.
The past few Open Championship winners have also emphasized how important scrambling can be, and is, at this event. Shane Lowry ($9,300) led the field in SG: OTT stats at the 2019 Open, but he was also second in scrambling for the week.
Morikawa led the field in scrambling during the week of his win at St. George’s.
In terms of lead-up, the last five winners all came in with signs they were playing well. Each of the last six winners gained 4.0 strokes or more on approach in at least one of their previous five starts before winning this event.
Finding Values on DraftKings Sportsbook
Odds to win are one factor to consider when picking players (but not the only one, so be careful not to put 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.
Sam Burns | +4200 and $7,800
Comparables:
- Wyndham Clark | +4200 and $8,200
- Viktor Hovland | +4500 and $8,300
- Bryson DeChambeau | +4300 and $8,400
Chris Gotterup | +2800 and $8,500
Comparables:
- Collin Morikawa | +3100 and $8,700
- Cameron Young | +2800 and $9,000
- Ludvig Aberg | +3100 and $9,300
All odds are provided by DraftKings Sportsbook and are subject to change.
HORSES FOR COURSES
**With this course being only used for the Open Championship every 10 years or so, we’ll be looking at past Open Championship form instead.
1. Rory McIlroy ($11,500; best finishes: win-2014, T2-2018): McIlroy has racked up lots of top finishes at this event over the past five years. The winner of the 2014 Open at Hoylake has six finishes of T-5 or better over his past 10 Open starts, including a T-2 in 2018 and another in 2022. Over 13 career Open Championships, McIlroy has only missed the cut three times, and one was at Carnoustie in his first Open in 2007.
2. Jordan Spieth ($7,700; best finishes: win-2017, T2-2015): The 2017 winner of this event has finished T-4 or better at this championship in three of the past nine years and has never missed a cut in 12 Open Championship starts (T25 in 2024). He is second in strokes gained total stats at this major over the past five seasons.
3. Adam Scott ($7,300; best finishes: second-2012, T3-2013): After a T-10 finish in 2024, Scott has now made the cut in 13 of the past 15 Open Championships — and has five top-10 finishes to his credit over that span. That includes a second-place finish in 2012 when he famously bogeyed the last four holes to lose by a shot. He did MC at this event in 2019 when it was last played at Portrush.
4. Tommy Fleetwood ($9,500; best finishes: T2-2019): The Englishman finished second at this major in 2019 (Portrush) and T-10 at Hoylake in 2023. Despite missing the cut at Troon in 2024, he is again one of the leaders in the field in strokes gained total stats at the Open over the last five seasons and gained over 4.9 strokes on approach last week.
Recent Form
Matthew Fitzpatrick ($10,000; T3 – T4): Fitzpatrick continues to trend in the right direction after back-to-back top-four finishes, including a T3 at last week’s Genesis Scottish Open, where he held a share of the lead entering Sunday. His ball-striking has returned to elite form, making him one of the hottest players entering Royal Birkdale.
Chris Gotterup ($8,500; T11 – win): Gotterup has quietly become one of the PGA Tour’s most consistent performers, following a T11 with a victory before another strong showing in Scotland. His recent run has featured multiple wins over the past year, proving he can contend against elite fields.
Tom Kim ($6,800; win – T46 – T3): Kim arrives with a ton of momentum after capturing the Genesis Scottish Open with a flawless final-round 64. That victory followed a T3 at the U.S. Open, suggesting his game has fully returned after an inconsistent stretch earlier this season.
Wyndham Clark ($8,200; T13-T5-win): Clark has pieced together an excellent run of results, posting a win alongside top-5 and top-15 finishes in his last three starts. His combination of elite driving and improving iron play makes him one of the higher-upside options in this price range.
Robert MacIntyre ($8,000; T3 – T10): MacIntyre continues to thrive on links-style setups, backing up a T10 with a T3 at the Scottish Open after spending much of the week near the lead. The Scotsman has consistently elevated his game in big events and enters The Open in excellent form.
DRAFTKINGS DFS STRATEGY
Big Field Punt plays:
Nick Taylor ($5,900): Taylor has quietly made several cuts in a row and was recently challenged at the PGA in May. He also continues to gain strokes with his irons. At this salary, he’s a solid value play with enough accuracy to outperform expectations on a demanding links layout.
Eric Cole ($6,000): Cole’s recent results have been inconsistent, but his elite short game always gives him upside when conditions get difficult. He’s a boom-or-bust tournament option who can climb the leaderboard if his putter heats up.
Core Plays:
Matthew Fitzpatrick ($10,000): Fitzpatrick enters The Open after consecutive top-four finishes and appears to have his complete game back. He’s arguably underpriced at under 11k this week.
Russell Henley ($7,700) – See below.
Si Woo Kim ($6,900): Kim is coming off a big week in Scotland and has quietly put together solid recent performances while ranking among the better approach players in the field. He’s laughably underpriced at under 7K.
Contrarian Click:
Patrick Reed ($7,000): Reed has a decent Open record, and his creativity around the greens gives him legitimate top-10 upside. He’s the type of player who can thrive when scoring conditions become difficult, and he played well last week.
Patrick Cantlay ($7,000): Cantlay has struggled to find his best form this season, which should keep ownership low. If his iron play rebounds, he’s significantly underpriced relative to his long-term pedigree and ceiling.
MY PICK: Russell Henley ($7,700)
Henley lines up extremely well from all angles this week. The American has already been in contention at a major in 2026, finishing T3 at the Masters, where he was a missed putt or two away from potentially forcing a playoff. He also won this year at Colonial (another accuracy-driven course), coming from behind to grab the win in Texas. While he didn’t play last week, which is a bit concerning, his path is very similar to the one Jordan Spieth took here in 2017, when he won the Travelers in June, skipped the Scottish Open, and then triumphed at Birkdale.
Moreover, Birkdale feels like a phenomenal setup for Henley, who remains one of the most accurate drivers off the tee and a phenomenal iron player who has triumphed in windy conditions at places like Bay Hill and PGA National. Now in his late 30s, Henley is at a prime age to contend at this major and posted his best-ever finish at it, a T5, at another tricky venue, Royal Troon, just two years ago.
At $7,700, expect him to be one of the most popular picks for DFS this week in the big GPPs, but he’s a value I wouldn’t ignore. For betting, his +5200 price on the DraftKings Sportsbook looks extremely inviting as well.
MY SLEEPER: Jordan L. Smith ($6,100)
Smith was my sleeper here last season, and with a very similar price tag, he’s a player I would venture to recommend again this year as a low-price sleeper to potentially give your stars-and-scrubs lineups a boost. The Englishman finished a solid T21 in Scotland last week and has had a very solid season, challenging at a couple of PGA TOUR events, including the Valspar, where he took home solo 3rd. He also showed some great upside at Colonial, another tighter, more technical course, where he finished T16 last month. This year also sees the Open return to what I consider to be a more suitable venue for Smith, where his ball-striking should come more into play, and he’ll be in front of his home-country crowds.
Smith will be playing the Open for the fifth time in a row this season (sixth overall). While he’s yet to crack the top 20, the experience angle is certainly in his favor at this major now. His recent form and added experience suggest this could be the year he delivers a better finish. He becomes the player to target for DFS at these levels.
