PGA First Look: Open Championship

rotogrinders_user_11284

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

Click here to follow Notorious on Twitter.

Open Championship Preview

ZJOpen

Welcome to the British Open errr, I mean the Open Championship. This is the third major of the season and the only one featured overseas. If you can remember back to last season, Zach Johnson outlasted Louis Oosthuizen and Marc Leishman in a playoff to take home his first Open Championship. You may also remember that Jordan Spieth and Jason Day both had putts on their final hole to get themselves into the playoff. We have a very strong field this week, but there have already been four players that have withdrawn: Brooks Koepka, Daniel Berger, Stewart Cink, and Jaco Van Zyl.

While the location of the Open Championship changes each and every year, all of the venues are similar. They all play like a classic links style of golf with pot bunkers, fescue grass, and some awful weather to deal with. This season the Open returns to the Royal Troon Golf Club for the first time since 2004, where Todd Hamilton took home the hardware. It’s hard to put any weight on an event that happened 12 years ago, so as far as course history goes, I will be using the results of the last five Open Championships.

The Royal Troon is set on the Ayrshire coast in Scotland. It is a Par 71 layout that measures nearly 7,100 yards. It features three par fives, four par threes, and 11 par fours. As with most links style courses, the front nine heads out and away from the clubhouse (downwind) and is typically the much easier nine. The nine coming back plays much tougher, especially when the winds are up. All this means to us is that we shouldn’t get too excited about our golfers that start out playing well if they start their round on the front nine. After players make the turn, they will just be looking to hold on to save par the rest of the way.

8th

The most iconic hole at the Royal Troon is the par three eighth hole (featured in the picture to the right). It measures only 123 yards (which is the shortest in Open Championship history), but it played over par in 2004. Speaking of scoring, many people are projecting the winning score to fall around ten under par, but we have no way of knowing what the weather is going to look like. Thursday looks like the best scoring day at the moment, but the weather in Scotland can change in an instant. The one thing that players must do this week is keep their ball out of the bunkers and fescue. Hitting fairways is essential if you want to give yourself a chance to make birdies.

In addition to driving accuracy, I will also be targeting strong tee to green types that make birdies. We all know how important birdies are in DraftKings scoring and on tougher courses, finding the golfers that can score may be even more important. I am also looking at current form (both on the PGA Tour and the European Tour) and will try to focus on those that have a good track record on links courses. As far as strategy goes for the Millionaire Maker, I will be stacking the early and late waves of tee times quite a bit this week. Whenever the weather is expected to be bad for most of the tournament, one of the waves typically gets a big advantage. Since the weather can change at the drop of a hat, I will be stacking both waves.

Cut Rule: The top 70 and ties will move on after the first two rounds. It’s important to note that the Masters and the U.S. Open had only the top 60 and ties, so a few more golfers will make the cut compared to the first two majors of the season.

Recent Winners of this Event: Zach Johnson (2015), Rory McIlroy (2014), Phil Mickelson (2013), Ernie Els (2012), Darren Clarke (2011)

Key Statistics

1) Strokes Gained Tee to Green
2) Strokes Gained Putting
3) Driving Accuracy
4) Greens in Regulation
5) Birdie or Better Percentage

Salaries, Odds, and Course History (2011-2015)

Golfer Salary S-Rank Odds O-Rank + / – OWGR Cuts 2015 2014 2013 2012 2011
Jason Day $12,300 1 8 1 0 1 4/4 4 58 32 500 30
Dustin Johnson $12,000 2 9 2 0 2 5/5 49 12 32 9 2
Rory McIlroy $11,900 3 10 3 0 4 3/4 500 1 116 60 25
Jordan Spieth $11,700 4 11 4 0 3 3/3 4 36 44 500 500
Adam Scott $10,600 5 23 5 0 8 5/5 10 5 3 2 25
Sergio Garcia $10,000 6 26 6 0 12 4/5 6 2 21 84 9
Rickie Fowler $9,900 7 29 9 -2 7 4/5 30 2 116 31 5
Branden Grace $9,700 8 27 7 1 10 4/4 20 36 64 77 500
Henrik Stenson $9,500 9 27 8 1 6 4/4 40 39 2 500 68
Justin Rose $9,400 10 34 10 0 11 3/5 6 23 97 84 44
Danny Willett $9,200 11 52 16 -5 9 3/4 6 89 15 500 72
Louis Oosthuizen $9,000 12 46 13 -1 14 4/4 2 36 500 19 54
Shane Lowry $8,800 13 46 12 1 26 2/3 81 9 32 500 500
Phil Mickelson $8,600 14 39 11 3 21 4/5 20 23 1 146 2
Lee Westwood $8,500 15 46 14 1 39 4/5 49 73 3 45 72
Martin Kaymer $8,400 16 47 15 1 52 4/5 12 70 32 109 12
Hideki Matsuyama $8,300 17 64 22 -5 17 3/3 18 39 6 500 500
Zach Johnson $8,100 18 56 17 1 18 5/5 1 47 6 9 16
Bubba Watson $8,000 19 62 20 -1 5 3/5 107 89 32 23 30
Matthew Fitzpatrick $8,000 19 78 27 -8 41 1/1 500 500 44 500 500
Patrick Reed $7,900 21 63 21 0 13 1/2 20 110 500 500 500
Paul Casey $7,900 21 74 23 -2 30 2/4 74 47 500 146 54
Matt Kuchar $7,800 23 60 18 5 15 4/5 58 54 15 9 131
Charl Schwartzel $7,800 23 60 19 4 22 4/5 68 7 15 84 16
Jim Furyk $7,700 25 77 25 0 19 4/5 30 4 97 34 48
Brandt Snedeker $7,700 25 82 29 -4 23 3/5 93 58 11 3 87
Russell Knox $7,600 27 85 30 -3 27 0/1 93 500 500 500 500
Chris Wood $7,600 27 86 31 -4 24 2/2 500 23 64 500 500
Graeme McDowell $7,500 29 77 26 3 78 4/5 49 9 58 5 87
Justin Thomas $7,500 29 139 41 -12 36 0/0 500 500 500 500 500
Marc Leishman $7,400 31 81 28 3 44 2/4 2 5 85 84 500
Scott Piercy $7,400 31 107 36 -5 25 0/1 500 500 153 500 500
Ernie Els $7,300 33 118 38 -5 241 3/5 65 131 26 1 110
Andy Sullivan $7,200 34 74 24 10 40 1/1 30 500 500 500 500
Byeong-Hun An $7,200 34 141 44 -10 31 1/2 93 26 500 500 500
Jason Dufner $7,100 36 141 44 -8 54 4/5 58 51 26 31 94
Jimmy Walker $7,100 36 145 46 -10 46 2/3 30 26 85 500 500
Francesco Molinari $7,000 38 106 34 4 55 4/5 40 15 9 39 110
Thongchai Jaidee $7,000 38 140 43 -5 37 4/5 65 39 32 77 131
Rafa Cabrera Bello $6,900 40 95 33 7 28 0/0 500 500 500 500 500
Alexander Noren $6,900 40 86 31 9 99 1/2 500 500 500 9 87
Thorbjorn Olesen $6,900 40 168 56 -16 64 2/4 500 64 116 9 101
Kevin Chappell $6,800 43 137 39 4 32 0/0 500 500 500 500 500
Billy Horschel $6,800 43 155 48 -5 61 1/3 30 89 116 500 500
Padraig Harrington $6,800 43 107 35 8 152 4/5 20 131 54 39 72
David Lingmerth $6,700 46 137 39 7 47 0/1 74 500 500 500 500
Kevin Kisner $6,700 46 169 57 -11 29 0/1 81 500 500 500 500
Brandon Stone $6,700 46 199 63 -17 89 0/0 500 500 500 500 500
Paul Dunne $6,700 46 297 86 -40 350 1/2 30 89 500 500 500
Webb Simpson $6,600 50 161 52 -2 67 3/4 40 137 64 500 16
Bill Haas $6,600 50 174 60 -10 34 3/5 127 51 85 19 57
Chris Kirk $6,600 50 201 65 -15 60 1/1 500 19 500 500 500
Jon Rahm $6,600 50 170 58 -8 293 0/0 500 500 500 500 500
Jamie Donaldson $6,600 50 225 73 -23 74 3/4 49 121 32 60 500
Kevin Na $6,500 55 161 51 4 33 2/4 58 54 500 141 118
J.B. Holmes $6,500 55 159 50 5 20 1/3 107 121 500 500 72
Bernd Wiesberger $6,500 55 139 42 13 50 2/3 68 121 64 500 500
Joost Luiten $6,500 55 153 47 8 63 2/4 93 151 500 45 63
Anirban Lahiri $6,500 55 250 75 -20 62 2/3 30 116 500 31 500
Victor Dubuisson $6,500 55 220 68 -13 75 1/2 81 9 500 500 500
Emiliano Grillo $6,400 61 168 55 6 43 0/0 500 500 500 500 500
Steve Stricker $6,400 61 171 59 2 177 2/2 500 500 500 23 12
Thomas Pieters $6,400 61 163 53 8 66 0/0 500 500 500 500 500
Keegan Bradley $6,400 61 241 74 -13 119 3/4 107 19 15 34 500
Ross Fisher $6,400 61 224 70 -9 96 3/4 68 89 500 45 72
Andrew Johnston $6,400 61 261 77 -16 105 0/1 500 500 500 500 140
Jeunghun Wang $6,400 61 292 85 -24 73 0/0 500 500 500 500 500
Danny Lee $6,300 68 118 37 31 48 0/1 107 500 500 500 500
Gary Woodland $6,300 68 159 49 19 56 4/4 58 39 500 34 30
Harris English $6,300 68 175 61 7 53 3/4 68 89 15 54 500
Charley Hoffman $6,300 68 191 62 6 38 1/3 138 67 500 500 101
Soren Kjeldsen $6,300 68 164 54 14 49 0/1 118 500 500 500 500
Rikard Karlberg $6,300 68 324 90 -22 77 0/1 81 500 500 500 500
William McGirt $6,200 74 200 64 10 45 0/0 500 500 500 500 500
Ryan Moore $6,200 74 205 66 8 57 3/4 107 12 32 500 28
Russell Henley $6,200 74 220 68 6 94 2/3 20 143 73 500 500
Smylie Kaufman $6,200 74 263 78 -4 59 0/0 500 500 500 500 500
Tony Finau $6,200 74 272 80 -6 80 0/0 500 500 500 500 500
Kiradech Aphibarnrat $6,200 74 266 79 -5 51 0/3 118 73 140 500 500
Tommy Fleetwood $6,200 74 300 87 -13 133 0/2 81 116 500 500 500
Paul Lawrie $6,200 74 416 98 -24 438 4/5 40 140 26 34 66
Ryan Palmer $6,100 82 216 67 15 70 3/3 30 58 500 500 30
Brendan Steele $6,100 82 224 70 12 71 0/1 500 140 500 500 500
Robert Streb $6,100 82 305 89 -7 68 1/1 18 500 500 500 500
Vijay Singh $6,100 82 366 94 -12 115 1/2 500 500 116 9 500
George Coetzee $6,100 82 287 82 0 111 3/5 107 18 71 84 15
Colin Montgomerie $6,100 82 258 76 6 0/0 500 500 500 500 500
Marc Warren $6,100 82 287 82 0 171 2/3 40 39 97 500 500
Robert Rock $6,100 82 416 98 -16 216 1/2 500 500 500 134 38
Harold Varner III $6,000 90 342 92 -2 161 0/0 500 500 500 500 500
Matt Jones $6,000 90 374 95 -5 81 2/2 30 54 500 500 500
K.T. Kim $6,000 90 287 82 8 42 0/0 500 500 500 500 500
Scott Hend $6,000 90 301 88 2 76 0/1 93 500 500 500 500
David Howell $6,000 90 416 98 -8 180 2/2 49 15 500 500 500
Greg Chalmers $6,000 90 516 111 -21 231 2/2 58 500 500 45 500
Richard Sterne $5,900 96 224 70 26 365 2/3 500 131 21 39 500
Seung-Yul Noh $5,900 96 376 96 0 242 1/1 500 500 500 500 30
Miguel A Jimenez $5,900 96 358 93 3 176 0/0 500 500 500 500 500
Kristoffer Broberg $5,900 96 474 108 -12 106 1/1 500 32 500 500 500
Yuta Ikeda $5,900 96 553 113 -17 91 1/2 118 500 500 500 38
Brian Gay $5,900 96 676 119 -23 734 0/0 500 500 500 500 500
Fabian Gomez $5,800 102 468 106 -4 69 0/0 500 500 500 500 500
James Hahn $5,800 102 471 107 -5 58 0/1 118 500 500 500 500
Marcus Fraser $5,800 102 466 105 -3 82 2/3 20 500 54 84 500
Jordan Niebrugge $5,800 102 426 103 -1 1/1 6 500 500 500 500
Zander Lombard $5,800 102 379 97 5 252 0/0 500 500 500 500 500
Scott Gregory $5,800 102 689 120 -18 0/0 500 500 500 500 500
Jim Herman $5,700 108 624 118 -10 79 0/0 500 500 500 500 500
Yusaku Miyazato $5,700 108 737 122 -14 128 0/1 500 110 500 500 500
Clement Sordet $5,700 108 724 121 -13 195 0/0 500 500 500 500 500
Shugo Imahira $5,700 108 776 124 -16 167 0/0 500 500 500 500 500
Satoshi Kodaira $5,700 108 895 129 -21 179 0/1 500 500 150 500 500
Kodai Ichihara $5,700 108 882 128 -20 386 0/1 500 500 500 141 500
Haydn Porteous $5,600 114 582 114 0 247 0/0 500 500 500 500 500
Stefano Mazzoli $5,600 114 934 133 -19 0/0 500 500 500 500 500
Nick Cullen $5,600 114 987 138 -24 375 0/1 500 500 500 84 500
Todd Hamilton $5,600 114 1211 141 -27 1/5 147 121 73 109 151
Ben Curtis $5,600 114 1368 142 -28 1/5 127 89 64 134 131
Mark Calcavecchia $5,600 114 1526 143 -29 1/4 153 500 97 9 110
James Morrison $5,500 120 337 91 29 102 2/2 20 500 500 23 500
Hideto Tanihara $5,500 120 424 102 18 84 0/0 500 500 500 500 500
Anthony Wall $5,500 120 474 108 12 221 1/1 12 500 500 500 500
Matthew Southgate $5,500 120 453 104 16 292 0/1 500 148 500 500 500
Soomin Lee $5,500 120 484 110 10 85 0/0 500 500 500 500 500
James Heath $5,500 120 589 115 5 369 0/0 500 500 500 500 500
Phachara Khongwatmai $5,500 120 895 129 -9 271 0/0 500 500 500 500 500
Mark O’Meara $5,500 120 1039 139 -19 1052 1/3 78 500 58 500 137
Callum Shinkwin $5,400 128 276 81 47 276 0/0 500 500 500 500 500
Patton Kizzire $5,400 128 416 98 30 72 0/0 500 500 500 500 500
Darren Clarke $5,400 128 597 116 12 703 3/5 93 26 21 120 1
Nathan Holman $5,400 128 618 117 11 182 0/0 500 500 500 500 500
David Coupland $5,400 128 1579 144 -16 953 0/0 500 500 500 500 500
Oskar Arvidsson $5,400 128 1737 147 -19 0/0 500 500 500 500 500
Justin Leonard $5,300 134 518 112 22 514 2/5 138 73 13 126 72
Rod Pampling $5,300 134 782 125 9 343 0/1 150 500 500 500 500
Steven Bowditch $5,300 134 974 137 -3 127 1/1 30 500 500 500 500
Scott Fernandez $5,300 134 742 123 11 994 0/0 500 500 500 500 500
Lasse Jensen $5,300 134 829 126 8 376 0/0 500 500 500 500 500
Jack Senior $5,300 134 855 127 7 548 0/0 500 500 500 500 500
Sang-hee Lee $5,300 134 900 132 2 0/0 500 500 500 500 500
Steven Alker $5,200 141 895 129 12 538 1/1 500 500 500 19 500
Yosuke Tsukada $5,200 141 947 134 7 297 0/0 500 500 500 500 500
John Daly $5,200 141 961 136 5 1158 1/4 81 89 500 81 94
Paul Howard $5,200 141 947 134 7 595 0/0 500 500 500 500 500
Ryan Evans $5,200 141 1092 140 1 581 0/0 500 500 500 500 500
David Duval $5,200 141 1658 145 -4 1/5 49 131 126 101 149
Sandy Lyle $5,200 141 2105 148 -7 1/5 107 154 84 109 118
Marco Dawson $5,200 141 1671 146 -5 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
S-Rank Each golfer’s salary rank compared to the field, with one being the most expensive.
O-Rank Each golfer’s odds rank compared to the field, with one the biggest favorite.
+ / – The difference between a golfer’s salary and odds rank. The bigger the number, the better.
OWGR Official World Golf Ranking
Cuts Cut record of each golfer at this event in the last five seasons.
2011 – 2015 Columns Course history at this event over 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