PGA First Look: Genesis Open

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

Golf is one of the toughest sports to predict, especially when it comes to weekly DFS. No matter how much research I would have done before last week’s tournament, I would have never ended up on Ted Potter Jr., who took down Dustin Johnson at Pebble Beach on Sunday. The unpredictability is part of what makes fantasy golf so fun and what brings us back each and every week. If you are tired of pro-am events, no shot tracker on half of the courses, or the cut not being made until after the third round, have no fear, the Genesis Open is here. And better yet, Tiger Woods is back in the field to make his second professional appearance of the season. Tiger is not the only big name, as Dustin Johnson, Rory McIlroy, Jordan Spieth, and Justin Thomas help round out a stacked field.

The tournament is held in Los Angeles at the beautiful Riviera Country Club. This is one of my favorite events of the year. Riviera is a classical course that features tree-lined fairways and fast greens. The fairways are hard to hit and the greens are even tougher. The course routinely ranks in the bottom five when it comes to greens in regulation percentage. The fairways and rough are both Kikuyugrass, while the greens are a mix of Bentgrass and Poa Annua. We typically see longer hitters perform better at this track, as the rough isn’t too penal. When everyone is missing the fairways, it certainly makes sense that the bombers would have the advantage, as they are significantly closer to the hole when hitting their approach shots.

In total, the course measures 7,322 yards and is a Par 71. If you compare that to the three courses last week, it is significantly longer and it features one less par five. In addition to the hard to hit fairways and greens, the course is one of the toughest when it comes to putting inside of ten feet. Basically, it’s an extremely tough course that is going to test each golfers all-around game. Scoring over the last two seasons has been better than we typically see here, but that could change this week. It sounds like the area hasn’t seen significant rain in over a month, which could make the course play a bit firmer than the last two editions.

Now, if we put all of that together, we basically want to target a golfer that is long off the tee, good with their approach shots (specifically from rough), good around the greens, and good at putting inside of ten feet. While we won’t find many golfers that check every single one of those boxes, the more complete a golfer is, the better. If you want to narrow it down, I’m looking for powerful ball strikers that can scramble. Golfers like Dustin Johnson and Paul Casey come to mind and it just so happens that they both have excellent track records at this course.

Cut Rule: The 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: Dustin Johnson (2017), Bubba Watson (2016 & 2014), James Hahn (2015), John Merrick (2013)

Key Statistics (In Order of Importance)

1) Strokes Gained Off the Tee (Emphasis on Distance)
2) Strokes Gained Approach
3) Strokes Gained Around the Green
4) Birdie or Better %
5) Strokes Gained Putting (Emphasis on Poa)

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

Golfer DK Salary FD Salary FDRFT Salary OWGR Odds DK Odds FD Odds FDRFT Odds 2017 2016 2015 2014 2013
Dustin Johnson $11,900 $12,900 $18,200 1 6 0% 0% 0% 1 4 2 2 80
Jordan Spieth $11,300 $12,000 $16,900 3 13 -50% -50% 0% 22 119 4 12 500
Rory McIlroy $11,100 $11,700 $17,100 10 13 33% 50% 0% 500 20 500 500 500
Justin Thomas $10,700 $11,900 $16,500 4 17 0% -33% 0% 39 54 41 500 500
Paul Casey $10,200 $11,600 $15,700 17 27 -20% -20% 0% 39 39 2 500 500
Phil Mickelson $9,900 $11,300 $15,800 35 23 17% 17% 0% 34 500 500 500 21
Tommy Fleetwood $9,500 $10,800 $15,500 13 29 0% 36% 0% 500 500 500 500 500
Daniel Berger $9,200 $10,500 $14,900 32 42 -50% 8% -20% 500 99 500 500 500
Branden Grace $9,000 $10,900 $14,700 28 43 -67% -50% -15% 22 500 500 500 500
Tiger Woods $8,800 $9,300 $14,800 550 42 -40% 53% -27% 500 500 500 500 500
Alexander Noren $8,700 $11,100 $14,600 16 42 -18% -86% 7% 500 500 500 500 500
Pat Perez $8,600 $10,000 $14,300 19 53 -75% -24% -11% 28 119 41 75 51
Marc Leishman $8,500 $11,000 $15,100 14 36 38% 0% 0% 72 5 119 59 61
Matt Kuchar $8,400 $11,000 $14,400 18 52 -43% -150% -11% 22 8 500 132 38
Xander Schauffele $8,300 $9,100 $14,000 25 61 -47% 44% 0% 500 500 500 500 500
Tony Finau $8,200 $10,500 $13,800 41 66 -50% -85% 4% 72 126 56 500 500
Bill Haas $8,100 $9,600 $13,800 67 68 -65% -22% -12% 11 77 122 23 3
Chez Reavie $8,000 $9,900 $15,000 43 39 50% 53% 0% 109 7 500 500 500
Brendan Steele $7,900 $9,700 $14,200 36 51 0% 14% 10% 39 39 14 10 46
Bubba Watson $7,800 $9,300 $14,500 117 51 15% 43% 0% 500 1 14 1 114
Charl Schwartzel $7,800 $9,400 $13,800 44 67 -35% -4% -8% 121 45 41 5 3
Kevin Streelman $7,800 $8,800 $13,600 134 79 -65% 28% -6% 94 500 103 35 27
Kevin Chappell $7,700 $10,200 $14,600 34 50 30% -7% -14% 109 26 136 23 90
Thomas Pieters $7,700 $9,600 $14,600 38 42 52% 52% 21% 2 500 500 500 500
Rafael Cabrera-Bello $7,700 $10,200 $13,700 20 69 -26% -93% 0% 500 500 500 500 500
Beau Hossler $7,700 $8,800 $13,400 202 83 -57% 22% -13% 500 500 500 500 500
Ollie Schniederjans $7,600 $9,400 $14,800 79 41 63% 62% 9% 8 500 500 500 500
Keegan Bradley $7,600 $9,200 $13,800 64 66 7% 29% 0% 34 77 4 20 16
Patrick Cantlay $7,600 $10,000 $14,300 39 51 37% 0% 11% 500 500 500 500 80
J.B. Holmes $7,600 $9,200 $13,400 84 76 -19% 9% 0% 34 11 22 52 90
Jason Kokrak $7,500 $9,100 $13,200 127 75 0% 21% 16% 22 2 41 101 79
Martin Kaymer $7,500 $9,500 $13,000 78 86 -32% -64% -5% 500 500 500 500 500
Bryson DeChambeau $7,500 $9,300 $12,900 89 87 -35% -40% 2% 500 500 500 500 500
Kevin Na $7,500 $8,900 $13,000 95 85 -29% 7% -3% 4 126 61 78 80
Shane Lowry $7,500 $9,200 $13,000 69 98 -42% -26% -13% 500 500 500 500 500
Charley Hoffman $7,400 $9,300 $13,000 23 82 3% -17% 10% 4 63 30 12 68
Adam Scott $7,400 $10,700 $13,900 51 67 28% -117% -13% 11 2 500 500 10
Luke List $7,400 $8,200 $12,500 131 108 -44% 20% 0% 83 20 500 500 500
Sam Saunders $7,400 $8,100 $12,000 206 141 -75% 7% 0% 49 500 500 500 500
Scott Stallings $7,400 $7,900 $12,400 209 123 -58% 26% -2% 500 92 66 45 500
Wesley Bryan $7,400 $8,200 $11,900 76 154 -83% -2% -2% 4 500 500 500 500
Charles Howell $7,300 $9,800 $13,900 63 64 45% -15% 0% 15 75 61 101 80
Austin Cook $7,300 $9,400 $12,700 111 102 -19% -92% -11% 500 500 500 500 500
J.J. Spaun $7,300 $8,300 $12,300 126 128 -45% -2% -3% 500 139 500 500 500
Vaughn Taylor $7,300 $8,100 $11,600 270 212 -90% -18% -11% 500 119 22 500 500
Andrew Landry $7,300 $7,800 $11,400 110 224 -100% 1% -5% 500 500 500 500 500
Martin Flores $7,300 $7,800 $11,500 269 222 -95% 4% -6% 500 500 76 70 46
Nick Taylor $7,300 $7,700 $11,400 199 238 -107% 4% -9% 55 26 111 500 500
Ted Potter $7,300 $8,100 $12,400 126 -40% 13% -5% 500 500 500 114 10
Jhonattan Vegas $7,200 $8,500 $12,700 45 99 8% 18% -2% 15 500 75 40 500
Francesco Molinari $7,200 $9,800 $13,200 22 89 14% -115% -16% 109 52 111 40 500
Jimmy Walker $7,200 $8,700 $13,300 82 79 32% 33% 6% 11 77 41 20 16
Hao-Tong Li $7,200 $9,200 $13,400 33 83 26% -6% -16% 500 500 500 500 500
Sang-Moon Bae $7,200 $8,000 $12,600 113 -10% 23% -10% 500 500 8 12 8
Brian Gay $7,200 $8,700 $12,500 140 122 -12% -10% -8% 500 500 500 101 90
Si Woo Kim $7,200 $8,800 $11,900 48 146 -28% -39% 2% 72 92 500 500 500
Jim Furyk $7,200 $8,800 $11,700 226 187 -46% -59% -6% 39 500 14 23 13
James Hahn $7,100 $9,000 $13,700 61 69 48% 27% -3% 28 119 1 29 61
Cameron Smith $7,100 $8,900 $12,900 58 84 34% 12% 12% 28 63 500 500 500
William McGirt $7,100 $9,000 $12,700 105 102 17% -17% -7% 500 20 14 6 80
Aaron Wise $7,100 $7,900 $12,100 187 130 -7% 19% -2% 500 500 500 500 500
Adam Hadwin $7,100 $9,400 $13,400 57 85 33% -50% -22% 34 16 22 500 500
Lucas Glover $7,100 $8,300 $11,700 92 182 -21% -17% -1% 500 77 76 122 114
Retief Goosen $7,100 $7,900 $11,200 331 244 -53% -16% -2% 500 45 8 65 74
Tyrone Van Aswegen $7,100 $8,000 $11,200 318 222 -41% -15% 6% 71 20 500 500 500
Sean O’Hair $7,100 $8,300 $11,200 122 268 -62% -57% -8% 500 500 500 500 500
Michael Kim $7,100 $7,500 $10,700 332 294 -67% 3% 0% 94 139 500 500 500
Kyle Stanley $7,000 $8,800 $12,700 53 102 31% -2% -4% 39 500 500 122 500
Billy Horschel $7,000 $8,400 $11,900 75 154 3% -16% -2% 94 54 500 500 500
Sung Kang $7,000 $7,700 $11,600 91 181 -1% 24% 4% 22 8 500 500 500
K.J. Choi $7,000 $7,700 $11,600 657 184 -4% 22% 1% 17 5 30 12 33
Danny Lee $7,000 $7,900 $10,700 142 374 -56% -38% -9% 94 77 69 500 500
Scott Brown $7,000 $7,900 $11,400 135 201 -13% 0% 4% 2 39 134 45 500
Troy Merritt $7,000 $7,500 $11,600 402 185 -6% 28% 0% 109 11 87 500 500
Vijay Singh $7,000 $7,000 $10,400 452 400 -63% 11% -2% 72 45 12 45 51
J.J. Henry $7,000 $7,100 $10,300 479 353 -53% 11% 5% 17 66 500 40 61
Martin Piller $7,000 $7,400 $10,500 222 347 -51% 1% 4% 500 500 500 500 500
Camilo Villegas $7,000 $7,500 $10,600 390 376 -57% -7% -3% 72 37 30 500 500
Martin Laird $6,900 $8,600 $12,600 116 98 44% 19% 12% 8 11 500 65 90
Harris English $6,900 $8,200 $12,500 223 128 24% 8% -15% 83 39 30 10 51
Ryan Moore $6,900 $9,300 $12,700 70 103 35% -70% -13% 83 10 22 90 27
Ryan Armour $6,900 $8,300 $11,800 162 162 14% -13% 0% 500 500 500 500 500
Peter Uihlein $6,900 $8,400 $12,400 59 108 33% 7% 5% 500 500 500 500 500
David Lingmerth $6,900 $7,900 $11,300 153 241 -11% -14% -2% 500 500 124 29 500
Patrick Rodgers $6,900 $8,300 $12,100 167 102 38% 18% 20% 22 108 500 500 500
Luke Donald $6,900 $7,800 $11,500 177 210 1% 8% -1% 17 45 76 500 16
John Huh $6,900 $7,900 $11,400 267 193 6% 4% 8% 49 138 129 35 101
Graeme McDowell $6,900 $8,000 $11,500 219 215 -3% -14% -5% 67 500 500 500 80
Cameron Champ $6,900 $7,400 $10,300 391 -39% -6% 0% 500 500 500 500 500
Peter Malnati $6,900 $7,700 $10,300 667 434 -47% -27% -5% 64 77 500 500 500
Nicholas Lindheim $6,900 $7,200 $10,200 309 456 -49% -5% 0% 500 500 500 500 500
Brandon Harkins $6,800 $8,600 $12,500 213 110 41% 0% -4% 500 500 500 500 500
Anirban Lahiri $6,800 $8,400 $11,600 77 193 20% -30% -3% 64 39 500 500 500
Brian Stuard $6,800 $8,000 $11,200 214 253 1% -28% -5% 39 500 39 101 500
Harold Varner $6,800 $7,800 $11,100 160 237 7% -1% 7% 83 26 500 70 500
Xin-Jun Zhang $6,800 $7,200 $10,300 296 400 -21% 1% -1% 500 500 500 500 500
Derek Fathauer $6,800 $7,200 $10,300 353 447 -27% -4% -6% 109 54 61 500 500
Padraig Harrington $6,800 $7,300 $10,900 174 291 -4% 13% -1% 39 45 56 90 114
Morgan Hoffmann $6,800 $7,300 $10,200 210 469 -29% -8% -1% 130 68 22 101 500
Robert Streb $6,800 $7,600 $10,700 184 306 -8% -3% -2% 72 77 87 500 80
Billy Hurley $6,800 $7,000 $10,000 272 734 -46% -7% 1% 28 500 103 52 500
Dominic Bozzelli $6,800 $7,400 $10,200 291 544 -40% -24% -9% 500 500 500 500 500
Ernie Els $6,800 $7,000 $10,200 613 513 -38% -2% -8% 121 26 134 35 13
Whee Kim $6,800 $7,400 $10,300 138 431 -25% -11% -5% 61 92 500 500 500
Cody Gribble $6,800 $7,100 $10,200 330 469 -29% -2% -1% 109 500 500 500 500
Fabian Gomez $6,800 $7,200 $10,100 524 606 -43% -18% -1% 121 45 111 500 500
D.A. Points $6,800 $7,000 $10,100 300 583 -41% -4% 1% 500 500 30 500 101
Bud Cauley $6,700 $8,900 $12,300 120 124 46% -35% 2% 61 500 500 500 123
Kevin Tway $6,700 $8,000 $11,100 201 265 14% -31% -1% 121 500 500 500 500
Talor Gooch $6,700 $7,600 $10,700 218 309 7% -4% -3% 500 500 500 500 500
Cheng-Tsung Pan $6,700 $7,600 $11,700 190 196 30% 21% -10% 500 500 500 500 500
Brice Garnett $6,700 $7,700 $10,900 208 285 12% -4% 0% 500 500 136 500 500
Cameron Tringale $6,700 $7,400 $11,000 345 246 17% 13% 4% 8 68 47 12 21
Aaron Baddeley $6,700 $7,900 $11,400 235 228 21% -10% -6% 94 26 87 18 114
Ryan Blaum $6,700 $7,600 $10,500 338 378 0% -13% -1% 134 500 500 500 500
Jonathan Randolph $6,700 $7,000 $10,600 259 384 -1% 13% -5% 500 500 49 500 500
Shawn Stefani $6,700 $7,100 $10,200 367 475 -13% -4% -3% 94 92 56 500 500
Jim Herman $6,700 $7,000 $10,200 212 597 -21% -5% -11% 104 500 87 500 500
Kelly Kraft $6,700 $7,100 $10,300 230 409 -6% 3% -4% 121 500 500 500 500
Geoff Ogilvy $6,700 $7,100 $10,200 346 469 -10% -2% -1% 104 500 49 29 101
Jon Curran $6,700 $7,000 $10,100 548 703 -23% -6% -2% 94 26 76 500 500
Andrew Loupe $6,700 $7,000 $10,000 758 913 -27% -10% -1% 109 63 500 500 500
Vinnie Poncino $6,700 $7,000 $10,000 1375 -28% -10% -2% 500 500 500 500 500
Jamie Lovemark $6,600 $8,700 $12,000 108 151 48% -27% -3% 39 20 500 500 500
Tom Hoge $6,600 $8,000 $11,400 194 210 37% -10% 3% 500 500 39 500 500
Stephan Jaeger $6,600 $7,400 $10,700 293 315 19% 3% -4% 500 500 500 500 500
Chris Stroud $6,600 $7,800 $11,200 173 257 26% -8% -6% 500 59 30 500 500
Benjamin Silverman $6,600 $7,500 $10,700 252 303 21% 2% -1% 500 500 500 500 500
Chad Campbell $6,600 $7,800 $10,700 264 329 18% -20% -5% 59 77 49 500 101
Abraham Ancer $6,600 $7,100 $10,600 253 356 15% 10% -1% 500 500 500 500 500
Tyler Duncan $6,600 $7,000 $10,200 509 -2% -1% -7% 500 500 500 500 500
John Merrick $6,600 $7,000 $10,200 506 -1% 0% -6% 137 119 111 90 1
Jonas Blixt $6,600 $7,100 $10,300 299 400 10% 5% -1% 500 500 500 500 130
Smylie Kaufman $6,600 $7,200 $10,200 271 481 1% -10% -4% 500 126 500 500 500
Matt Every $6,600 $7,000 $10,200 750 500 0% 1% -5% 94 99 49 6 68
Charlie Beljan $6,600 $7,000 $10,100 734 -8% -7% -2% 83 108 69 12 2
Greg Chalmers $6,600 $7,000 $10,000 487 863 -10% -9% -1% 72 500 500 122 10
Seunghyuk Kim $6,600 $7,100 $10,200 274 525 -3% -9% -8% 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 – 2016 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