Waste Management Phoenix Open DraftKings Picks

After a big time performance by Brandt Snedeker at the Farmers Insurance Open there is no better way to celebrate than head to the desert at TPC Scottsdale for the Waste Management Phoenix Open.  The stadium course is know for it’s rocking ways and for it’s incredible fan atmosphere which will be a big change from watching an empty Torrey Pines on Monday morning finish.  There are major swings on Sundays at holes 15 through 17 at the stadium course as two par 5’s sandwich a par 3 that has become notorious for seeing players not be able to handle the stadium atmosphere.  Local heros like Phil Mickelson get cheered while sticks in the mud get booed.  In the following post I’ll give you a look at how I’m attacking my Waste Management Phoenix Open picks.

Course Information ( TPC Scottsdale Stadium Course, Par 71, 7,266 Yards with decent sized greens)

Horses for the course:

Bubba Watson 12,100
Watson has finished runner up twice and his game is picture perfect for this now lengthened course.  He’s averaged over 100 DK points the last four years at Phoenix so it’s going to be tough to fade him.

Phil Mickelson 10600
Phil has won here a bunch, but all back when the course was playing shorter and with easier landing areas.  There was some hope going into Torrey Pines that Phil had fixed something, but he imploded in Friday and doesn’t look like the skills merit this price tag right now.

Hideki Matsuyama 11000
Matsuyama is maddening as he’s such a terrible putter.  He blew it on the Friday just last week as his putter let him down as he battled to make the cut.  Luckily his putter isn’t such a big deal in Phoenix where his tee to green game can see him once again top 100 DK points.  The only question is, is his price tag too high for how he’s playing right now.  I think it is, but we’ll see what TheMoosenomics thinks on the podcast.

Graham DeLaet 7700
DeLaet famously called out Patrick Reed for withdrawing from the Farmers Insurance Open last week after he shot over 80 in the 3rd round.


DeLaet is an incredible ball striker and has great course history here.  If he had played better at FIO, I’m sure his price may have been prohibitive, but at 7700 he’s a solid play.

Hunter Mahan 7600
Hunter Mahan has averaged over 87 DK points his last three times teeing it up in the desert and won in 2014.  He had a down 2015, but all reports have him back on the grind to try and make the Ryder Cup team.  Mahan’s price has me using him a decent amount this week.

Ryan Palmer 9900
Ryan Palmer has excelled at the WMPO over the years.  Palmer is deceptively long off the tee and is an excellent putter.  His numbers on approaches from 150 to 200 yards out are also top notch.  I really like Palmer this week.

Webb Simpson 9200
Webb Simpson burst on the scene a few years ago with a big US Open win over Jim Furyk.  Since then he has been inconsistent and now faces 2016 without an anchored putter.  Luckily his putter won’t be an issue in Phoenix as the greens are relatively easy.  His tee to green strokes gained and excellent numbers from 150 to 200+ approach shots have me liking him even more.  His price is going to scare some off because of his recent play, but this is the week to grab him.

Kevin Na 10000
Kevin Na hasn’t topped 73 DK points since the course was lengthened.  His ideal approach shot is from 125-150 yards and he’s not going to see too many of those this week.  The price is a bit high for me even though he is in form.

Two Pricing stacks that are going to be hard to choose one golfer from:

1) David Lingmerth 9000
Brendon Steele 8800
Ryan Moore 8500
I can make a case for all three of these guys.  Lingmerth should have won over Dufner at the Career Builder Challenge, but alas fell just short.  He’s in great form and his stats match up well with this course in particular. (Great from 175-200)  Brendon Steele does some of his best work in the desert as he’s scored over 90 DK points in three of the last four years.  His form is good and the only thing holding me back is he may have gotten beaten up a little playing the Farmers.  Ryan Moore plays well at TPC Scottsdale.   It’s a home court advantage for him as he’s topped 100 DK points two out of the last three years.  I’m using Lingmerth in GPPs and Steele and Moore in cash game lineups right now.

2) Graham DeLaet  7700
Martin Laird  7700
Jamie Lovemark  7700
DeLaet and Laird both do some of their best work at this course.  DeLaet has averaged over 99 DK points the last two years and Laird has averaged over 90 in that span.  Laird also boasts a top 5 finish in 2011.  Lovemark is breaking out at the start of the calendar year and his driver is a big reason why.  My only issue is Jamie is in his comfort zone when he can go driver wedge and outside of that it leaves a little to be desired when it comes to his approach proximity.  Lovemark is a GPP play for me, but I’ll be using Laird and DeLaet in both formats.  Maybe a little more Laird in mid cash games as I feel he will be the least used in those games.

My Coin Flip Play

One of my favorite coin flip match ups this week is Sean O’Hair 6500 and Kevin Chappell at 6500.  I like both of them and was leaning more to Chappell when I initially got the pricing, but I started to hedge a little with O’Hair.  O’Hair is off to an excellent start this year with the driver and has been putting great.  My only issue with him is his iron play leaves a lot to be desired lately.  The fact that he has skipped this tournament the last two years has me using him more in GPPs than cash.

My Sprinkles

Harold Varner III 6600

Ben Martin 6400

Morgan Hoffman 6600

Mark Hubbard 6100