PGA First Look: Fort Worth Invitational

The PGA First Look is complete with a course preview, odds, salaries, Official World Golf Rankings, and course history.

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Event Preview

Aaron Wise was the best golfer in the field last week and was the one holding up the trophy when all was said and done at the AT&T Bryon Nelson. Unfortunately, he was brutally banished to the friend zone by a lady that is clearly older than Wise. All jokes aside, it was great to see the young player pick up his first PGA Tour victory. This week we stay in Texas for the Forth Worth Invitational. It was previously named the Dean & Deluca Invitational and the Crowne Plaza Invitational if you are wondering why you can’t find any course history for the Fort Worth Invitational. There are only 121 golfers in the field, which will lead to a higher percentage of the golfers making the cut and likely a higher percentage of 6-of-6 lineups in DFS.

The event will be played at Colonial Country Club, which is a Par 70 that measures just over 7,200 yards. As you can see from the hole breakdown, there are only two par fives on the course and only one of them is reachable by everyone in the field. This course isn’t a Pete Dye design, but it certainly plays like one. The fairways are tree-lined and the greens are very small. Many describe the course as a plodder’s paradise because it cannot be overpowered by the bombers. While the fairways are made of Bermudagrass, the greens are Bentgrass. Do you know who putts well on Bentgrass? Jordan Spieth. Do you know who plays well here every single year? Jordan Spieth.

The course typically plays difficult, especially when the wind picks up. It’s early in the week, but the forecast looks pretty calm. If that’s the case, we could see the winner post a score in the mid to upper-teens rather than the -10 range that we’ve seen here most years. I always like these courses because anyone can win here. We’ve seen short-game specialists and ball strikers win here. We’ve even seen Jon Rahm compete here when he hit some incredible drives. In an interview, Rahm said that he rarely clubs down off the tee. That type of aggressiveness is great for fantasy scoring, but it can also get him into trouble when he’s not hitting the ball straight on these tight tracks.

As for the type of golfer that I am looking to target, I will mostly be focused on strokes gained approach — both in terms of recent and long term form. Most golfers will club down off the tee, so it will come down to the second shot on most holes. If we look at past data from this course, strokes gained approach is five times more important than strokes gained around the green. I was intrigued by this statistic because scrambling is typically important on courses with such small greens. Putting could actually play a big role this week and I will be placing a big emphasis on Bentrgrass splits. Finally, I will be taking a look at course history and at performance on less than driver courses.

Cut Rule:Top 70 and ties will move on after the first two rounds. The MDF rule is in effect if more than 78 golfers make the initial cut.

Recent Winners of this Event:Kevin Kisner (2017), Jordan Spieth (2016), Chris Kirk (2015), Adam Scott (2014), Boo Weekley (2013)

Key Statistics (In Order of Importance)

1) Strokes Gained Approach
2) Birdie or Better %
3) Par 4 Scoring
4) Fairways Gained
5) Strokes Gained Putting (Emphasis on Bentgrass)

Hole by Hole Breakdown

Salaries, Odds, and Course History (2013-2017)

Golfer DK Salary FD Salary FDRFT Salary OWGR Odds DK Odds FD Odds FDRFT Odds Cuts 2017 2016 2015 2014 2013
Jordan Spieth $11,700 $12,400 $17,800 3 8 0% 0% 0% 5/5 2 1 2 14 7
Jon Rahm $11,000 $11,900 $16,800 4 12 0% 33% 0% 1/1 2 500 500 500 500
Justin Rose $10,600 $12,200 $16,000 5 18 -33% -100% 0% 0/0 500 500 500 500 500
Rickie Fowler $10,400 $11,700 $16,200 6 18 25% 25% 0% 1/2 500 500 500 122 54
Webb Simpson $10,200 $11,600 $15,900 20 18 0% 0% 0% 2/2 5 3 500 500 500
Aaron Wise $9,600 $9,400 $15,500 66 30 -67% 64% -25% 0/0 500 500 500 500 500
Jimmy Walker $9,500 $11,100 $15,600 54 28 0% 22% -17% 3/3 500 29 65 10 500
Matt Kuchar $9,300 $11,500 $15,400 22 32 -38% -83% -10% 3/4 12 6 500 76 2
Brooks Koepka $9,200 $11,400 $15,500 11 27 33% 14% 25% 0/0 500 500 500 500 500
Adam Scott $9,100 $11,300 $15,600 61 29 10% -13% -50% 3/3 500 55 24 1 500
Patrick Cantlay $9,000 $10,900 $15,400 35 29 27% 20% 20% 0/0 500 500 500 500 500
Bryson DeChambeau $8,800 $10,700 $15,200 39 33 -8% -8% 0% 0/2 73 85 500 500 500
Jason Dufner $8,700 $10,200 $15,300 51 32 8% 20% 0% 4/5 73 6 43 2 46
Emiliano Grillo $8,600 $10,000 $14,600 68 46 -21% 0% -6% 2/2 24 55 500 500 500
Zach Johnson $8,500 $10,800 $15,000 58 34 7% -27% 0% 5/5 63 17 19 73 3
Louis Oosthuizen $8,400 $9,800 $14,200 36 60 -25% 0% 0% 1/2 500 94 500 38 500
Chesson Hadley $8,300 $9,900 $14,600 60 45 6% 11% 0% 1/3 500 102 24 121 500
Xander Schauffele $8,200 $9,900 $14,600 23 48 0% 0% -13% 1/1 48 500 500 500 500
Kevin Kisner $8,100 $9,800 $14,800 27 40 21% 25% 0% 3/4 1 10 5 88 500
Ollie Schniederjans $8,000 $9,000 $13,400 93 82 -75% 13% -13% 1/1 29 500 500 500 500
Steve Stricker $7,900 $9,300 $13,800 136 64 -14% 27% 4% 3/3 7 47 27 500 500
Charley Hoffman $7,900 $10,400 $13,500 30 76 -43% -114% 0% 5/5 24 42 10 51 18
Kevin Na $7,800 $9,300 $14,300 75 49 17% 42% 0% 2/3 500 42 10 76 500
Brian Harman $7,800 $9,700 $14,100 26 60 9% 5% 0% 4/4 7 25 10 30 500
Beau Hossler $7,700 $9,600 $14,000 86 66 0% -4% -9% 0/1 94 500 500 500 500
Scott Piercy $7,700 $9,600 $13,800 159 68 -8% -13% -8% 4/4 7 67 43 500 26
Russell Knox $7,700 $9,300 $13,600 123 72 -12% 15% 3% 2/2 500 500 24 21 500
Adam Hadwin $7,600 $10,600 $14,100 45 61 21% -69% -5% 3/3 53 22 5 500 500
Chris Kirk $7,600 $9,200 $13,800 140 66 7% 28% -4% 5/5 67 15 1 14 35
Rory Sabbatini $7,600 $9,100 $13,400 155 83 -29% 5% -16% 1/4 73 500 10 88 78
Chez Reavie $7,600 $9,100 $13,400 53 81 -21% 11% -10% 2/3 48 71 500 500 11
Ryan Palmer $7,600 $9,500 $13,700 115 75 -4% -12% -4% 4/5 70 3 81 5 14
Cameron Smith $7,500 $9,400 $13,900 41 62 30% 18% 4% 0/1 73 500 500 500 500
Brandt Snedeker $7,500 $10,100 $13,400 92 87 -12% -131% -19% 4/4 48 17 2 45 500
Danny Lee $7,500 $8,200 $13,100 144 80 3% 44% 14% 4/4 6 22 10 38 500
Si Woo Kim $7,500 $9,400 $13,100 42 81 0% -18% 11% 0/2 73 71 500 500 500
J.J. Spaun $7,400 $8,300 $12,600 129 105 -19% 19% -2% 0/0 500 500 500 500 500
Austin Cook $7,400 $9,000 $12,400 103 120 -24% -15% -2% 0/0 500 500 500 500 500
Kevin Tway $7,400 $8,400 $12,400 194 114 -22% 13% 0% 1/2 18 500 500 109 500
Jason Kokrak $7,400 $8,300 $11,900 122 150 -49% -2% -8% 2/4 117 55 112 500 18
David Lingmerth $7,400 $7,500 $11,800 218 159 -65% 36% -2% 4/4 12 500 33 5 18
Pat Perez $7,300 $9,700 $12,700 25 97 5% -82% 5% 1/3 82 500 5 96 500
Nick Watney $7,300 $9,200 $13,200 98 87 10% -6% -6% 1/2 53 500 500 96 500
Russell Henley $7,300 $9,400 $13,300 55 79 26% -11% 11% 0/0 500 500 500 500 500
Martin Laird $7,300 $9,500 $12,900 102 101 -2% -65% -10% 3/5 73 71 43 30 54
Andrew Landry $7,300 $8,000 $12,800 69 97 2% 43% -3% 0/0 500 500 500 500 500
Trey Mullinax $7,300 $7,900 $11,900 176 153 -40% 23% -16% 0/0 500 500 500 500 500
Ted Potter $7,300 $8,000 $11,900 83 150 -31% 24% -8% 1/1 500 500 500 500 18
Cheng-Tsung Pan $7,300 $8,100 $11,700 187 171 -55% -3% 0% 0/1 88 500 500 500 500
Sam Burns $7,200 $8,700 $11,800 167 146 -2% -13% 15% 0/0 500 500 500 500 500
Grayson Murray $7,200 $8,800 $12,800 107 96 22% 9% 3% 0/0 500 500 500 500 500
Vaughn Taylor $7,200 $8,000 $11,500 255 204 -56% -8% -5% 3/3 18 55 500 500 70
Aaron Baddeley $7,200 $8,300 $11,400 234 219 -64% -52% -6% 2/5 82 55 101 51 121
Jim Furyk $7,200 $8,900 $11,700 237 181 -36% -62% -5% 2/3 500 85 500 51 31
Brice Garnett $7,200 $8,100 $11,900 119 151 -14% 10% -12% 1/2 500 500 81 30 500
Shubhankar Sharma $7,200 $8,700 $11,700 74 173 -32% -47% -2% 0/0 500 500 500 500 500
William McGirt $7,200 $8,200 $11,400 158 225 -68% -47% -9% 4/5 61 47 33 21 115
Kevin Streelman $7,100 $8,600 $12,500 113 100 28% 11% 5% 2/4 18 102 58 500 78
Sean O’Hair $7,100 $8,500 $12,000 91 131 16% 0% 2% 3/5 2 34 81 63 108
Harris English $7,100 $8,000 $12,200 222 137 14% 31% -4% 3/4 29 2 500 30 108
Joaquin Niemann $7,100 $8,400 $12,200 661 124 17% 8% 0% 0/0 500 500 500 500 500
Sam Saunders $7,100 $8,100 $11,900 175 147 10% 17% -2% 1/2 24 500 112 500 500
Bill Haas $7,100 $9,400 $12,300 88 123 19% -68% 0% 3/3 12 47 500 21 500
Joel Dahmen $7,100 $8,100 $11,700 406 179 -16% -6% -3% 0/0 500 500 500 500 500
Shawn Stefani $7,100 $7,800 352 183 -19% 16% 3/3 500 34 19 500 42
Anirban Lahiri $7,100 $8,000 $11,900 104 151 2% 21% -12% 1/2 88 6 500 500 500
Maverick McNealy $7,100 $8,100 $11,900 740 149 9% 16% -4% 0/0 500 500 500 500 500
Andrew Putnam $7,000 $8,100 $11,900 289 149 21% 14% -6% 0/0 500 500 500 500 500
Patton Kizzire $7,000 $8,200 $11,600 63 199 -12% -33% -10% 1/2 63 109 500 500 500
Corey Conners $7,000 $8,500 $11,600 440 195 -7% -49% -6% 0/0 500 500 500 500 500
JT Poston $7,000 $8,100 $11,800 343 164 7% 0% -5% 1/1 41 500 500 500 500
Tom Hoge $7,000 $7,400 $11,400 199 221 -22% 19% -8% 1/1 500 17 500 500 500
Jhonattan Vegas $7,000 $8,600 $11,900 64 158 12% -28% -18% 1/3 111 115 53 500 500
Scott Brown $7,000 $7,400 $11,400 153 200 -13% 25% 0% 2/5 12 109 33 88 94
Ryan Armour $7,000 $7,700 $10,600 173 260 -41% -8% 9% 0/0 500 500 500 500 500
Nicholas Lindheim $7,000 $7,600 $11,200 296 243 -35% 0% -7% 0/0 500 500 500 500 500
Mac Hughes $7,000 $7,300 $10,900 221 310 -59% -1% -10% 0/1 114 500 500 500 500
Cody Gribble $7,000 $7,800 $11,400 364 228 -25% -4% -10% 1/2 41 500 98 500 500
Ben Crane $6,900 $8,200 $11,600 409 188 11% -23% -1% 2/3 500 29 71 500 78
Brandon Harkins $6,900 $7,900 $11,000 229 260 -22% -25% -3% 0/0 500 500 500 500 500
Patrick Rodgers $6,900 $8,200 $11,800 141 164 20% -11% -5% 1/2 106 500 74 500 500
Ben Martin $6,900 $7,600 $11,000 247 266 -25% -8% -6% 4/4 57 29 10 21 500
Robert Garrigus $6,900 $7,900 $11,200 236 211 -3% -5% 6% 0/0 500 500 500 500 500
Chris Stroud $6,900 $7,500 $11,500 188 206 0% 18% -7% 4/5 41 13 92 14 7
Brian Stuard $6,900 $7,800 $11,300 252 228 -8% -4% -1% 3/4 24 500 62 76 22
Satoshi Kodaira $6,900 $8,800 $11,800 29 160 22% -44% -3% 0/0 500 500 500 500 500
Martin Flores $6,900 $7,600 $11,000 300 275 -27% -9% -8% 2/3 106 500 53 500 14
Nick Taylor $6,900 $7,800 $11,000 235 253 -20% -16% -2% 3/3 61 47 27 500 500
Talor Gooch $6,800 $7,600 $11,300 206 235 1% 4% -5% 0/0 500 500 500 500 500
Alex Cejka $6,800 $7,300 $10,700 259 290 -19% 1% -6% 0/0 500 500 500 500 500
Michael Thompson $6,800 $7,900 $11,100 310 244 -4% -21% -3% 3/4 57 500 98 10 46
Tyler Duncan $6,800 $7,300 $11,400 395 236 0% 17% -16% 0/0 500 500 500 500 500
Richy Werenski $6,800 $7,800 $11,200 288 238 -1% -10% -5% 0/0 500 500 500 500 500
Seamus Power $6,800 $7,700 $11,600 323 195 18% 18% -6% 0/0 500 500 500 500 500
Martin Piller $6,800 $7,500 $11,400 243 198 16% 22% 3% 1/2 82 6 500 500 500
Benjamin Silverman $6,800 $7,100 $10,400 277 390 -26% 1% -3% 0/0 500 500 500 500 500
Robert Streb $6,800 $7,400 $10,800 240 288 -16% -1% -4% 4/5 34 70 19 38 103
John Senden $6,800 $7,100 $10,200 965 433 -29% -2% -3% 1/4 500 102 92 5 103
John Huh $6,700 $8,200 $11,500 214 188 29% -23% 5% 2/5 73 107 18 96 11
Abraham Ancer $6,700 $8,500 $11,600 201 193 27% -47% -4% 0/0 500 500 500 500 500
Stewart Cink $6,700 $8,100 $11,000 169 234 12% -38% 6% 1/3 10 109 500 500 108
Scott Stallings $6,700 $7,800 $10,700 146 280 -2% -23% -1% 2/4 63 102 500 76 4
Kelly Kraft $6,700 $7,400 $11,200 172 240 8% 11% -6% 1/1 18 500 500 500 500
Jonathan Byrd $6,700 $7,300 $10,700 320 303 -8% 0% -7% 1/2 500 500 500 70 94
Adam Schenk $6,700 $7,200 $10,700 328 283 -3% 8% -2% 0/0 500 500 500 500 500
Tyrone Van Aswegen $6,700 $7,800 $10,700 322 288 -4% -26% -3% 1/2 111 42 500 500 500
Whee Kim $6,700 $7,000 $10,500 164 358 -11% 4% -2% 2/2 34 500 65 500 500
Xin-Jun Zhang $6,700 $7,000 $10,200 330 508 -18% -2% -4% 0/0 500 500 500 500 500
Sung Kang $6,700 $7,500 $11,100 120 249 5% 2% -4% 1/2 57 85 500 500 500
Ryan Blaum $6,600 $7,900 294 207 27% -4% 1/1 24 500 500 500 500
Tom Lovelady $6,600 $7,700 $11,100 280 263 11% -10% -9% 0/0 500 500 500 500 500
Wesley Bryan $6,600 $8,100 $10,600 112 313 1% -73% -3% 1/1 48 500 500 500 500
Chad Campbell $6,600 $7,500 $10,700 317 288 6% -7% -3% 3/5 34 10 81 30 78
J.J. Henry $6,600 $7,200 $10,200 456 468 -5% -5% -4% 2/5 94 85 101 57 42
Rod Pampling $6,600 $7,500 $10,200 374 421 -4% -19% -2% 0/2 100 500 500 76 500
Tim Herron $6,600 $7,000 $10,100 558 -7% -3% -2% 3/5 100 29 81 63 65
Derek Fathauer $6,600 $7,400 $10,300 291 400 -3% -11% -2% 2/2 48 62 500 500 500
Smylie Kaufman $6,600 $7,000 $10,100 373 688 -8% -3% -3% 0/1 500 113 500 500 500
Keith Clearwater $6,600 $7,000 $10,000 1382 -9% -4% -2% 0/5 100 119 122 123 130
Conrad Shindler $6,600 $7,000 $10,400 460 385 -1% 3% -2% 0/0 500 500 500 500 500

Color Coding
Course history in BLUE indicates a top ten finish.
Course history in GREEN indicates a top 25 finish.
Course history in YELLOW indicates a made cut with a finish outside of the top 25.
Course history in RED indicates a missed cut.

Legend

Term Description
Site Odds The percentage differential between a golfer’s salary rank and odds rank. The higher the %, the better.
OWGR Official World Golf Ranking
Cuts Cut record of each golfer at this course in the last five seasons.
2013 – 2017 Columns Course history at this event in the last five seasons.

About the Author

Notorious
Derek Farnsworth (Notorious)

Derek Farnsworth (aka Notorious) is a lead RotoGrinders Expert and one of the most recognizable names and faces in all of DFS. Before joining the RotoGrinders team, Derek received a Master’s Degree from the University of Utah. When he’s not busy providing content, he’s dominating the DFS industry as evidenced by his consistent top rankings in several sports and multiple Live Final appearances. Noto provides expert NBA, NFL, MLB, and PGA analysis for RotoGrinders Premium members on a daily basis and has also been nominated for five different Fantasy Sports Writer’s Association (FSWA) awards. Follow Noto on Twitter – @RG_Notorious