:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/67082804/usa_today_14443610.0.jpg)
After two weeks at Muirfield Village, the PGA TOUR heads to Minnesota for the 3M Open at TPC Twin Cities. Last season was the first edition of this tournament and the first time the PGA TOUR had an event in the state of Minnesota after a 50-year absence. It led to a thrilling finish with Matthew Wolff ($9,700) pulling out a one-shot victory with an eagle on the 18th hole with Bryson DeChambeau and Collin Morikawa finishing runner-up.
All three of those players have played well since the PGA TOUR has returned with DeChambeau and Morikawa notching wins and Wolff finishing second at the Rocket Mortgage Classic. Since DeChambeau and Morikawa are sitting out this week, Wolff will likely be a popular option. Other big names at the event include Dustin Johnson ($11,500), Brooks Koepka ($11,200), Tommy Fleetwood ($10,500) and Paul Casey ($10,100). Fleetwood is back in the field for his first event since missing the cut at the Arnold Palmer Invitation in March after finishing runner-up at The Honda Classic.
Even with those big salaries, the field is not an especially strong one and is definitely the weakest we’ve seen since the Tour returned to action after its COVID-19 layoff. Each week since the restart, I’ve been highlighting four plays that can contribute to your team from their very affordable salaries under $7,500. They all definitely come with risk but also allow you more freedom in your other roster spots. This week with a thinner field, finding value could be trick, but it’s still critically important to overall success.
DraftKings is hosting another PGA TOUR millionaire tournament that pays out $2.25 million in total prizes, including $1 million to first place. For only $20, draft six golfers for a shot to win the $1 million top prize. This contest is also part of the DraftKings Championship Series – Fantasy Tournament of Champions. In addition to the $1 million top prize, the winner will also earn a ticket to the Big Game in Tampa in February 2021 to compete for another $1 million top prize.
The millionaire slate locks at 6:00 a.m. ET on Thursday, July 23. Set your lineups here: $2.25M Millionaire [$1M to 1st].
Charles Howell III, $7,400
Howell is a well-known entity to long-time fantasy golf players, but CH-Triple-Sticks is a pretty solid option if you’re looking for a proven cut-maker to round out your lineup. Howell shot 68-66-66 in the opening three rounds of last season’s 3M Open before fading with a 71 on Sunday to finish T23.
He hasn’t had a top-25 finish on Tour since January’s T12 at the Sony Open in Hawaii. He did make the cut last week at The Memorial with an opening-round 69 and finished T48. On the season, he has made the cut in 11-of-16 tournaments.
Curious about when major leagues and events will return? Check out our DraftKings Sports Calendar for the latest updates.
Sam Ryder, $7,300
Ryder seems like a great value option at this price, especially if he can continue his form from two weeks ago at the Workday. He didn’t play in the Memorial but looked strong on the easier version of Muirfield Village Golf Club when he had the third-most birdies in the field. He finished with a 66-69 on the weekend to surge to a T7, which was his second top-10 finish of the season.
Last season, Ryder did play the 3M Open and finished T34 with a 69-66-71-66. If it wasn’t for that even-par third round, he would have been right in contention given the rest of his week. The 30-year-old made his way to the Tour from the PGA TOUR Canada and what was then Web.com Tour and is currently ranked No. 83 in the FedEx Cup standings.
Seamus Power, $6,500
Power was in contention in Detroit at the Rocket Mortgage Classic and played the third round alongside Wolff. He faded a bit over the weekend in Detroit and finished T12 for his best result of the season before taking a couple of weeks off from the Tour during the two Ohio events.
He will be making his first trip to TPC Twin Cities and looking to build on that momentum. He had a pair of top-10 finishes last season and is the kind of player who can go low in a hurry when his putts start dropping. His flat stick seemed to be heating up in Detroit and he could be in for a strong finish if that momentum can carry over after he took last week off.
Fabián Gómez, $6,300
Gómez missed the cut in two of his three events since the restart but he was solid at the Rocket Mortgage Classic, which is an event on a track that has a similar feel and field. The 41-year old Argentinian has gone 9-for-16 in making cuts this season with three top-25 finishes, including a solo seventh at the Bermuda Championship back in November.
In his trip to TPC Twin Cities last year, Gómez was consistent with 68-68-68-65 throughout the week for a T13. He struggles against elite fields and tough courses but usually can take advantage of low-scoring tracks like this one.
Set your DraftKings Millionaire lineups here: $2.25M Millionaire [$1M to 1st]
Put your knowledge to the test. Sign up for DraftKings and experience the game inside the game.
I am a promoter at DraftKings and am also an avid fan and user (my username is Z.Thompson) and may sometimes play on my personal account in the games that I offer advice on. Although I have expressed my personal view on the games and strategies above, they do not necessarily reflect the view(s) of DraftKings and I may also deploy different players and strategies than what I recommend above. I am not an employee of DraftKings and do not have access to any non-public information.