PGA Drive for Show, DFS for Dough - The Genesis Invitational
Our PGA gurus are here to break down the field for The Genesis Invitational! Join Justin Van Zuiden (stlcardinals84) and Derek Farnsworth (Notorious) for Drive for Show, DFS for Dough, your first look at this week’s PGA DFS slate.
Show Highlights
This podcast episode focuses on providing expert strategies and insights for The Genesis Invitational. Hosted by Justin Van Zuiden and Derek Farnsworth, the episode dives into the importance of player selection, course evaluation, and lineup building.
Watch the video below to hear all about The Genesis Invitational PGA DFS slate!
Course Overview
- Elevated, limited-field Genesis Invitational at Riviera, with 70 golfers and a cut to the top 50 and ties, along with anyone within 10 shots off the lead.
- Riviera plays as a par 71 at 7,383 yards, with narrow fairways, large but difficult greens, and a reputation as a challenging, “all-around game” test rather than a birdie fest.
- Greens in regulation are much easier to hit from the fairway than from the rough, yet driving distance has historically been a stronger predictor of success here than pure accuracy.
- Poa greens generate plenty of three‑putts and missed short putts, making putting volatile and allowing DFS players to tolerate weaker putters if the tee‑to‑green profile is strong.
- Course history is highly predictive; only Augusta National rates higher in that regard, and first-timers have generally struggled relative to veterans.
- Winning scores typically fall well under the ultra‑low totals of PGA birdie fests, rarely approaching 20‑under, with big numbers lurking for the weaker players.
- Hosts expect a slight lean toward bombers, strong approach play, and scrambling, with less emphasis on pure putting skill.
DFS Strategy
- With Scheffler priced at the very top, hosts debate stars and scrubs versus balanced builds, ultimately leaning toward more balanced constructions because value feels thinner and limited missed cuts punish punts.
- They still plan to be overweight on Scheffler in MME but are reluctant to lock him in single entry or main builds due to roster strain and the need to avoid landmines among the cheapest plays.
- Balanced lineups starting in the mid‑$9,000 range (Hideki, Cantlay, Fleetwood) allow six golfers with strong floor/ceiling combinations without dipping deep into the $6,000 range.
- Stat focus is on total driving with a lean to distance, plus approach and around‑the‑green play; bad putters are acceptable if they gain in the other three Strokes‑Gained categories.
- Hosts weigh course history heavily and are cautious with complete debutants at Riviera but will take shots on first-timers who match the bomber/ball‑striker profile.
- They warn that projections on streaky players (e.g., Rickie, Spieth, Straka) may mask limited true ceilings or narrow paths to success on a difficult track.
Player Highlights
$10,000+ Range
- Scottie Scheffler — target in MME, underweight in single entry — elite overall form, back‑to‑back top‑five finishes despite poor opening rounds, strong course history with finishes between 7th and 20th — best for large-field GPPs and high‑risk builds.
- Rory McIlroy — sprinkle — viable starting point but not a priority relative to cheaper balance options; discussed more as an alternative to Scheffler builds than a core play — GPP only.
- Tommy Fleetwood — target — excellent recent form with wins and top 10sworldwide, gains across all categories, and solid Riviera results (10th, 20th) — cash, single entry, and GPP.
9,000 Range
- Hideki Matsuyama — primary target — past Riviera winner with 4 starts this season and no finish worse than 13th, elite around‑the‑green numbers and strong tee‑to‑green profile despite some driver concerns — strong in all formats, especially single entry.
- Patrick Cantlay — target — underlying ball‑striking trending up, at least 3.6 strokes gained ball striking in every start this season, back-to-back top-5 finishes at Riviera, comfortable on California tracks — preferred for cash and single entry.
- Cameron Young — GPP target — bomber with three straight top‑20s at Riviera, sub‑10% projected ownership, and big driver‑heavy upside if he keeps it in play — large‑field GPPs.
- Collin Morikawa — fade/sprinkle — coming off a win and viewed as an easy pass due to chase risk rather than skill; little enthusiasm at his price — only light GPP exposure if used.
- Viktor Hovland — sprinkle — three or four straight top‑20s at Riviera but inconsistent recent form; hosts admit difficulty timing him — secondary GPP option only.
- Russell Henley — cautious sprinkle — shorter hitter in a bomber‑leaning range but strong irons and short game; can win anywhere but doesn’t feel like ideal course fit — limited GPP use.
$8,000 Range
- Jake Knapp — target — bomber with four straight top‑20s (often on non‑bomber tracks), improved approach play and elite putting, despite being a first‑timer at Riviera — primary GPP play with some single‑entry consideration.
- Matt Fitzpatrick — target — hasn’t missed a cut in roughly 10 months, is now longer off the tee, gains in all four categories, had a prior T5 at Riviera with a couple of missed cuts — cash and GPP.
- Maverick McNealy — target — improving ball striking to pair with driver‑putter strength, California comfort, and previous 27th-place finish at Riviera — GPP priority in this tier.
- Ben Griffin — sprinkle — solid cut‑maker with top‑40 finishes this year but weaker recent ball‑striking than last season; hosts hope for regression back up — salary saver for balanced builds.
- Rickie Fowler — fade/limited sprinkle — playing well but stuck in mid‑pack finishes (often 15th–20th) with very low top‑5 percentile rate over 14 months; ceiling concerns relative to salary — mostly avoid outside MME.
$7,000 / Value
- Jason Day — target — strong Riviera history (recent 9th) and three-for-three in cuts this year with top‑25s, plus a reliable short game that fits classical setups — single entry and GPP (Justin).
- Min Woo Lee — GPP target — bomber coming off a strong week, limited or poor course history but profile fits driver‑heavy Riviera — large-field GPP flier.
- Harris English — target — four straight top 30s this season, back‑to‑back top‑15s at Riviera, and a known streaky player to ride while hot — cash and GPP.
- Sepp Straka — fade — elite irons but below‑average short game on a course where missed greens can pile up, plus missed cut here last year; viewed as vulnerable on difficult tracks — avoid outside contrarian GPP darts.
Other Notes
- Shane Lowry — sprinkle — recent T3 in Europe and T8 at Pebble, not an ideal fit but interesting upside — GPP only.
- Pierceson Coody — target value — nine straight made cuts and six top‑25s, bomber profile at a persistent low salary; hosts question why he remains this cheap — core value in GPP and viable in balanced builds.
- J.J. Spaun, Kurt Kitayama, Nick Taylor, Patrick Rodgers, Tony Finau, Ryan Fox, Sahith Theegala, Daniel Berger, and Steven Jaeger — mix‑and‑match GPP pieces in the upper‑$6,000 to low‑$7,000 range, with emphasis on drivers (Rodgers, Fox, Theegala, Berger) and recent form (Taylor’s top-30 streak), while hosts remain cautious on ceiling and ownership.