PGA DFS Value Breakdown: Arnold Palmer Invitational (FREE) - Best DraftKings & FanDuel Salary Savers
Selecting the absolute best value out there is crucial to cruising to the top of the PGA DFS leaderboards. TJ “tjl5124” Laessig, will dive into the player pool, evaluating roster construction and picking out his favorite value options for the week’s tournament.
Arnold Palmer Invitational
For the second straight week, we have a difficult golf course where we expect very few golfers to get into the double digits under par. As always on difficult tracks, I’ll be targeting ball strikers first a foremost, with a preference for golfers that have an all-around game. We have significant course history to work with at Bay Hill, so I’ll be looking into past performances here as well. With a strong field this week, I expect the elite golfers to rise to the top and be in contention come Sunday. When it comes to value, the 7k range on DraftKings is strong, with a significant drop-off when we dip down into the 6k options. From a roster construction standpoint, I’ll be looking at hybrid stars and scrubs builds that include some of the higher priced golfers but is more well balanced from there. Let’s dive into my favorite options for the week.
Optimal Plays
Cameron Young (7500 DK / 9100 FD / 30 Yahoo)
Cameron Young is off to a hot start in 2022, making five straight cuts for finishes of T40, T20, T26, T2, and T16. He is striking the ball well, ranking 6th in this field ball striking over the past 24 rounds and gaining 4.4, 8.6, 2.4, and 7.9 strokes tee to green in each of his past four events. He is in the zone right now firing on all cylinders, and I look for him to continue his strong play at Bay Hill this week.
Lanto Griffin (7100 DK / 8800 FD / 26 Yahoo)
Lanto is always someone that interests me when looking for a ball striker that has an all-around game to go with it. Over the past 24 rounds, he ranks in the top half of this field across all categories and has made 8 straight cuts dating back to October last year. During this stretch, he has three top-10 finishes and has gained strokes tee to green in every tournament aside from the Houston Open. He has played the Arnold Palmer twice, finishing T21 and T36 the past two years. Overall, he is my favorite salary saver on the board when looking for consistency and cut-making ability.
GPP Plays
Luke List (7500 DK / 9200 FD / 32 Yahoo)
A glutton for punishment, I’m ready to go back to the well on Luke List and his always-frustrating putter. It’s the same old story for List, who ranks 1st in this field tee to green over the past 24 rounds, and dead last with the putter. On difficult courses like this, I’ll rely on the ball striking and hope that List can continue his past success at Bay Hill, where he has made 4 of 4 cuts including finishes of T10, T7, and T17 prior to a less-appealing T63 last year. I understand if you are hesitant to click List into your lineups, but he has as much upside as anyone in the 7k range on DraftKings this week.
Kevin Na (7400 DK / 8900 FD / 34 Yahoo)
Na has been a bit inconsistent as of late, sprinkling in a variety of finishes and most recently missing the cut at the Genesis, but I like the setup for him at Bay Hill. Na has made 10 of his last 12 cuts, including four top-10s and eight top-25s during this stretch. He has a lengthy history here, playing the Arnold Palmer 12 times dating back to 2009 and notching five top-15 finishes at this tournament. Na excels in approach and around the greens, two categories I am heavily weighting this week. I’ll be looking to get leverage on the field in large field GPPs and Na is a great candidate for anyone creating an MME pool.
Punt Plays
Ian Poulter (7200 DK / 8600 FD / 29 Yahoo)
As mentioned in the opening of this article, I don’t love the 6k range this week, so I am allowing myself to cheat my own system and categorize Poulter as a punt play despite the 7200 price tag on DraftKings. This play is a bet on long term form and a golfer that has proven the ability to compete on difficult golf courses in the past. Over the past 50 rounds, Poulter ranks 18th in this field in strokes gained total, including 1st in putting and 3rd around the greens. These short game stats are not typically the most predictable, but when it comes to Poulter and this specific tournament, I’m willing to give it some weight. Poulter has played the Arnold Palmer 13 times, making the cut in 12 of them including seven finishes of T26 or better. He’s a grinder that is familiar with this track, and someone that will be in my player pool this week.
Adam Svensson (6700 DK / 8300 FD / 20 Yahoo)
Svensson could not be more opposite of a play than Poulter, as he relies strictly on the ball striking and has been struggling on and around the greens. Over the past 50 rounds, Svensson ranks 14th in this field tee to green, but is 115th in short game. That said, he managed to finish T9 last week at the Honda, has made five straight cuts including a second top-10 at the Sony, and overall has shown the ability to compete on Tour. He is a risky play, but when looking for salary relief, Svensson is my favorite option below 7k in this field.