The next stop on the PGA Tour is the Shell Houston Open, kicking off early on Thursday, March 31st. Despite being the first stop before the Masters, there is actually a really good lineup of golfers scheduled to compete. Oftentimes, the top talent in the world likes to rest before the Majors season kicks off, but that is not the case this year. Let’s take a look at some of the top golfers that will be entered for the tournament, and see who is a good pick for your daily fantasy roster, and who is not.
Jordan Spieth: Spieth is one of the favorites going into the Masters Championship, and he’s certainly the favorite this weekend in Houston. When it comes to fantasy points, he has the highest average per tournament of anyone entered at 90.7, and his price tag of $12,900 reflects this. However, Spieth might not be the best choice despite this. He’s expensive for one, and his average strokes per round isn’t that great at 69.7. He’s played in 7 tourneys this season, making the cut in 6 of them, and he has just 3 top ten finishes to his credit on the season. There are other golfers out there that are currently performing better than Spieth, even if he is the most expensive player in the field according to DraftKings. This weekend will be a good litmus test for next weekend, but for now we’re passing on him. But we’ll still be watching closely to see if he’s ready for the Masters.
Rickie Fowler: Fowler is the second highest ranked golfer in this tournament, but he has better statistics than Spieth, and he’s a ton cheaper at $11,000. Thanks to this, he’s an almost instant draft choice for your fantasy roster. He is averaging 69.1 strokes per round, has made 7 of 8 cuts, and has made the top ten on 5 occasions this season. His average fantasy score is 89.8, putting him a touch behind Spieth here, but that’s just because Spieth dominated a couple tourneys very early in the season. Right now, Fowler is the far better choice, and drafting him over Spieth leaves a lot of extra salary dollars for other talent.
Dustin Johnson: Johnson has been exceedingly consistent this season, which he hasn’t always been. That’s good news for his fans, and it’s even better news if you’re thinking of drafting him because he’s pretty cheap compared to what he’s capable of. He’s priced at $10,700, is averaging 88.8 fantasy points per tournament, and has an average stroke count of 70.0 per round. That number could be improved, but he’s been competitive with the best golfers in the year in tournament settings this year. He’s finished in 3 top tens, and has made 7 of 7 cuts on the season. He’s a top ten threat here easily, and we like his price.
Phil Mickelson: Mickelson keeps surprising us this season. He has made 5 out of 6 cuts on the season, but his 3 top ten finishes already are even more impressive. He has an average fantasy score per tourney of 84.1 points, and his stroke count per round is one of the best in the tournament this weekend at 69.1. His price? Just $10,500. He’s performing, on average, about the same as Rickie Fowler, but far cheaper. We’re waiting for Mickelson to slow down this season still, but there’s no reason to believe that it will happen in Houston. He might be the best value pick of the weekend.
Patrick Reed: Reed is another pleasant surprise this season. He has made 6 top tens this season, and has made the cut 8 out of 10 times. His average fantasy point total of 82.9 is also quite nice. Despite all of this, Reed is still a borderline choice for us. He’s a bit more expensive than a mid-tier golfer should be at $10,300, but he’s not performing at a top level talent just yet. We’re passing, but it’s easy to see how he could fit well on your roster.
