PGA First Look: The Masters
The PGA First Look is complete with sortable odds, salaries, Official World Golf Rankings, course history, and tee times.
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Course Preview
Masters week is here!!
The week of the Masters is my favorite week of the year. This is the sporting event that I like forward to more than any other, including the Super Bowl. If you are new to fantasy golf, the Masters is held at Augusta National. It is an immaculate Par 72 course that measures 7,435 yards. You won’t watch another golf event all season that has better views than this one. This is the most beautiful course on tour and it’s really not even close.
As with any major, this is a tough test of golf. Jordan Spieth ran away from the field last year with a ridiculous 18-under par. Don’t let that fool you though, as this is not an event where a lot of golfers will go low. Birdies can be made, but there will be a lot of bogeys as well. This is a course that features tree-lined fairways, with some long par fours and some attackable par fives. The greens are undulating and they are very fast, which will lead to a number of three putts. The edges of the greens are shaved, which lead to a number of collection areas.
In terms of the type of golfer that can succeed here, let’s start at the tee. Since the course was lengthened before the 2008 Masters, distance off the tee has been critical. You will see a few short hitters that have peppered the leaderboards over the years, but if you want to win, you have to hit it 300+ yards off the tee. This is also a course that favors left-handed hitters, or right-handed hitters that can play a draw. One final note, we have seen a nice correlation with apex height and success at Augusta National.
Statistics
There are the top five weighted statistics in my PGA model this week:
1. Strokes Gained: Tee to Green
2. Strokes Gained: Putting
3. Driving Distance
4. Par 5 Scoring
5. All-Around Ranking
Editor’s Note: We’ve partnered with DraftKings to add $10,000 in extra prizes to the DraftKings Fantasy Golf Millionaire GPP for RotoGrinders members only. Learn more.
Trends
For cash games, it’s not an absolute must to pick the winner this week. However, if you are entering the Millionaire Maker (and I’m sure a lot of you are), you are going to have to have the winner in your lineup. Here are a few trends that we have seen from the winners over the last ten years:
1. Ten of the last ten winners were under the age of 40 (at the time of winning)
2. Ten of the last ten winners had played in at least one Masters (before winning) and all ten had at least a 32nd place finish
3. Eight of the last ten winners were ranked 30th or better in the Official World Golf Rankings
4. Ten of the last ten winners were not ranked #1 in the world (the last was Tiger Woods in 2002)
5. The last three winners of the Shell Houston Open all missed the cut at the Masters the next week – Holmes, Jones, and Laird
6. The last seven winners of the Masters had an average rank of 20th in driving distance in the respective years played.
Fantasy Notes
Cut Rule: Following the second round, golfers with the low 50 scores, plus ties, plus any golfer within 10 strokes of the lead, advance to play the final two rounds.
Recent Winners of this Event: Jordan Spieth (2015), Bubba Watson (2014), Adam Scott (2013), Bubba Watson (2012), Charl Schwartzel (2011)
Weather: It’s still early and the weather can always change in an instant, but the forecast is interesting. There are expected to be winds in the 12-15 MPH range on both Thursday or Friday. We also have a good chance of rain on Thursday. As always, make sure to read Kevin Roth’s weather report that is usually posted in the forums on Wednesday.
Tee Times & Pairings: TBD
Salaries, Odds, and Course History (2011-2015)
| Golfer | Salary | S-Rank | Odds | O-Rank | + / – | OWGR | Cuts | 2015 | 2014 | 2013 | 2012 | 2011 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rory McIlroy | $12,500 | 1 | 8 | 2 | -1 | 3 | 6/7 | 4 | 8 | 25 | 40 | 15 |
| Jordan Spieth | $12,300 | 2 | 9 | 3 | -1 | 2 | 2/2 | 1 | 2 | 500 | 500 | 500 |
| Adam Scott | $11,900 | 3 | 12 | 5 | -2 | 6 | 9/10 | 38 | 14 | 1 | 8 | 2 |
| Jason Day | $11,600 | 4 | 7 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 4/4 | 28 | 20 | 3 | 500 | 2 |
| Bubba Watson | $11,400 | 5 | 11 | 4 | 1 | 4 | 7/7 | 38 | 1 | 50 | 1 | 38 |
| Rickie Fowler | $10,900 | 6 | 16 | 6 | 0 | 5 | 5/5 | 12 | 5 | 38 | 27 | 38 |
| Phil Mickelson | $10,500 | 7 | 18 | 8 | -1 | 20 | 9/10 | 2 | 52 | 54 | 3 | 27 |
| Dustin Johnson | $10,200 | 8 | 18 | 7 | 1 | 9 | 5/6 | 6 | 68 | 13 | 500 | 38 |
| Justin Rose | $9,900 | 9 | 24 | 9 | 0 | 8 | 8/8 | 2 | 14 | 25 | 8 | 11 |
| Henrik Stenson | $9,600 | 10 | 25 | 10 | 0 | 7 | 7/10 | 19 | 14 | 18 | 40 | 99 |
| Charl Schwartzel | $9,400 | 11 | 36 | 12 | -1 | 21 | 5/6 | 38 | 52 | 25 | 50 | 1 |
| Hideki Matsuyama | $9,100 | 12 | 36 | 13 | -1 | 14 | 3/4 | 5 | 68 | 500 | 54 | 27 |
| Louis Oosthuizen | $8,800 | 13 | 32 | 11 | 2 | 11 | 3/7 | 19 | 25 | 71 | 2 | 75 |
| Branden Grace | $8,600 | 14 | 66 | 23 | -9 | 13 | 1/3 | 67 | 80 | 18 | 500 | 500 |
| Brandt Snedeker | $8,500 | 15 | 54 | 15 | 0 | 17 | 5/7 | 56 | 37 | 6 | 19 | 15 |
| Sergio Garcia | $8,400 | 16 | 57 | 17 | -1 | 15 | 6/10 | 17 | 52 | 8 | 12 | 35 |
| Patrick Reed | $8,300 | 17 | 41 | 14 | 3 | 10 | 1/2 | 22 | 72 | 500 | 500 | 500 |
| Jimmy Walker | $8,200 | 18 | 71 | 24 | -6 | 24 | 2/2 | 38 | 8 | 500 | 500 | 500 |
| Brooks Koepka | $8,100 | 19 | 64 | 20 | -1 | 18 | 1/1 | 33 | 500 | 500 | 500 | 500 |
| Danny Willett | $8,000 | 20 | 58 | 18 | 2 | 12 | 1/1 | 38 | 500 | 500 | 500 | 500 |
| Marc Leishman | $7,900 | 21 | 64 | 19 | 2 | 31 | 1/3 | 500 | 52 | 4 | 500 | 500 |
| Matt Kuchar | $7,800 | 22 | 65 | 22 | 0 | 28 | 6/6 | 46 | 5 | 8 | 3 | 27 |
| Kevin Kisner | $7,800 | 22 | 118 | 30 | -8 | 22 | 0/0 | 500 | 500 | 500 | 500 | 500 |
| Paul Casey | $7,700 | 24 | 64 | 21 | 3 | 25 | 5/7 | 6 | 500 | 500 | 65 | 38 |
| Zach Johnson | $7,600 | 25 | 56 | 16 | 9 | 16 | 7/10 | 9 | 63 | 35 | 32 | 50 |
| Justin Thomas | $7,600 | 25 | 116 | 28 | -3 | 33 | 0/0 | 500 | 500 | 500 | 500 | 500 |
| Bill Haas | $7,500 | 27 | 100 | 26 | 1 | 29 | 6/6 | 12 | 20 | 20 | 37 | 42 |
| Jason Dufner | $7,500 | 27 | 118 | 29 | -2 | 61 | 4/5 | 49 | 85 | 20 | 24 | 500 |
| J.B. Holmes | $7,400 | 29 | 127 | 33 | -4 | 23 | 1/2 | 56 | 500 | 500 | 500 | 500 |
| Rafa Cabrera-Bello | $7,400 | 29 | 100 | 25 | 4 | 36 | 0/0 | 500 | 500 | 500 | 500 | 500 |
| Shane Lowry | $7,400 | 29 | 126 | 31 | -2 | 32 | 0/1 | 56 | 500 | 500 | 500 | 500 |
| Lee Westwood | $7,300 | 32 | 162 | 40 | -8 | 66 | 9/10 | 46 | 7 | 8 | 3 | 11 |
| Danny Lee | $7,300 | 32 | 207 | 51 | -19 | 38 | 0/1 | 500 | 500 | 500 | 500 | 500 |
| Byeong-Hun An | $7,200 | 34 | 144 | 37 | -3 | 26 | 0/1 | 500 | 500 | 500 | 500 | 500 |
| Ian Poulter | $7,200 | 34 | 140 | 36 | -2 | 62 | 8/9 | 6 | 20 | 72 | 7 | 27 |
| Billy Horschel | $7,100 | 36 | 152 | 38 | -2 | 44 | 1/2 | 67 | 37 | 500 | 500 | 500 |
| Harris English | $7,100 | 36 | 155 | 39 | -3 | 70 | 0/1 | 500 | 63 | 500 | 500 | 500 |
| Martin Kaymer | $7,100 | 36 | 181 | 42 | -6 | 47 | 3/8 | 80 | 31 | 35 | 44 | 82 |
| Jamie Donaldson | $7,000 | 39 | 195 | 46 | -7 | 55 | 2/3 | 33 | 14 | 62 | 500 | 500 |
| Victor Dubuisson | $7,000 | 39 | 200 | 47 | -8 | 46 | 0/2 | 73 | 52 | 500 | 500 | 500 |
| David Lingmerth | $7,000 | 39 | 222 | 55 | -16 | 42 | 0/0 | 500 | 500 | 500 | 500 | 500 |
| Kevin Na | $6,900 | 42 | 128 | 34 | 8 | 27 | 3/5 | 12 | 500 | 59 | 12 | 59 |
| Keegan Bradley | $6,900 | 42 | 206 | 50 | -8 | 98 | 3/4 | 22 | 80 | 54 | 27 | 500 |
| Ryan Moore | $6,800 | 44 | 105 | 27 | 17 | 39 | 4/5 | 12 | 52 | 38 | 500 | 35 |
| Graeme McDowell | $6,800 | 44 | 193 | 45 | -1 | 63 | 3/7 | 52 | 63 | 62 | 12 | 59 |
| Matthew Fitzpatrick | $6,800 | 44 | 224 | 56 | -12 | 43 | 0/1 | 500 | 52 | 500 | 500 | 500 |
| Emiliano Grillo | $6,700 | 47 | 183 | 43 | 4 | 35 | 0/0 | 500 | 500 | 500 | 500 | 500 |
| Chris Kirk | $6,700 | 47 | 169 | 41 | 6 | 53 | 2/2 | 33 | 20 | 500 | 500 | 500 |
| Webb Simpson | $6,700 | 47 | 200 | 47 | 0 | 81 | 2/4 | 28 | 52 | 62 | 44 | 500 |
| Andy Sullivan | $6,600 | 50 | 136 | 35 | 15 | 30 | 0/0 | 500 | 500 | 500 | 500 | 500 |
| Russell Knox | $6,600 | 50 | 207 | 51 | -1 | 34 | 0/0 | 500 | 500 | 500 | 500 | 500 |
| Hunter Mahan | $6,600 | 50 | 215 | 54 | -4 | 99 | 5/8 | 9 | 26 | 88 | 12 | 50 |
| Angel Cabrera | $6,500 | 53 | 200 | 47 | 6 | 315 | 9/10 | 22 | 72 | 2 | 32 | 7 |
| Bernd Wiesberger | $6,500 | 53 | 185 | 44 | 9 | 40 | 1/1 | 22 | 500 | 500 | 500 | 500 |
| Bryson DeChambeau | $6,500 | 53 | 229 | 58 | -5 | 468 | 0/0 | 500 | 500 | 500 | 500 | 500 |
| Charley Hoffman | $6,400 | 56 | 126 | 32 | 24 | 58 | 2/2 | 9 | 500 | 500 | 500 | 27 |
| Chris Wood | $6,400 | 56 | 268 | 63 | -7 | 49 | 0/1 | 500 | 500 | 500 | 500 | 500 |
| Ernie Els | $6,400 | 56 | 273 | 64 | -8 | 219 | 5/9 | 22 | 52 | 13 | 500 | 47 |
| Kevin Streelman | $6,400 | 56 | 265 | 62 | -6 | 117 | 2/4 | 12 | 42 | 81 | 500 | 75 |
| Robert Streb | $6,300 | 60 | 281 | 65 | -5 | 52 | 0/1 | 91 | 500 | 500 | 500 | 500 |
| Thongchai Jaidee | $6,300 | 60 | 296 | 66 | -6 | 41 | 2/3 | 55 | 37 | 500 | 500 | 500 |
| Cameron Smith | $6,300 | 60 | 363 | 69 | -9 | 105 | 0/0 | 500 | 500 | 500 | 500 | 500 |
| Daniel Berger | $6,200 | 63 | 209 | 53 | 10 | 59 | 0/0 | 500 | 500 | 500 | 500 | 500 |
| Vaughn Taylor | $6,200 | 63 | 368 | 70 | -7 | 93 | 1/3 | 500 | 500 | 500 | 500 | 500 |
| Soren Kjeldsen | $6,200 | 63 | 405 | 71 | -8 | 45 | 1/2 | 500 | 500 | 500 | 500 | 500 |
| Kiradech Aphibarnrat | $6,100 | 66 | 257 | 60 | 6 | 37 | 0/0 | 500 | 500 | 500 | 500 | 500 |
| Anirban Lahiri | $6,100 | 66 | 226 | 57 | 9 | 50 | 1/1 | 49 | 500 | 500 | 500 | 500 |
| Davis Love III | $6,100 | 66 | 526 | 75 | -9 | 159 | 2/3 | 500 | 500 | 500 | 500 | 92 |
| Smylie Kaufman | $6,000 | 69 | 257 | 61 | 8 | 51 | 0/0 | 500 | 500 | 500 | 500 | 500 |
| Jim Herman | $6,000 | 69 | 316 | 67 | 2 | 191 | 0/0 | 500 | 500 | 500 | 500 | 500 |
| Scott Piercy | $5,900 | 71 | 236 | 59 | 12 | 48 | 1/1 | 500 | 500 | 54 | 500 | 500 |
| Fabian Gomez | $5,900 | 71 | 471 | 73 | -2 | 60 | 0/0 | 500 | 500 | 500 | 500 | 500 |
| Trevor Immelman | $5,800 | 73 | 1013 | 79 | -6 | 6/10 | 89 | 80 | 50 | 60 | 15 | |
| Steven Bowditch | $5,800 | 73 | 579 | 76 | -3 | 84 | 1/1 | 500 | 26 | 500 | 500 | 500 |
| Vijay Singh | $5,700 | 75 | 461 | 72 | 3 | 208 | 8/10 | 54 | 37 | 38 | 27 | 95 |
| Darren Clarke | $5,700 | 75 | 1013 | 79 | -4 | 612 | 3/5 | 52 | 44 | 500 | 81 | 500 |
| Troy Merritt | $5,600 | 77 | 355 | 68 | 9 | 83 | 0/0 | 500 | 500 | 500 | 500 | 500 |
| Bernhard Langer | $5,500 | 78 | 500 | 74 | 4 | 1064 | 2/9 | 56 | 8 | 25 | 72 | 500 |
| Tom Watson | $5,500 | 78 | 1329 | 81 | -3 | 1/10 | 87 | 93 | 86 | 65 | 88 | |
| Jin Cheng | $5,400 | 80 | 624 | 77 | 3 | 0/0 | 500 | 500 | 500 | 500 | 500 | |
| Ian Woosnam | $5,400 | 80 | 3039 | 87 | -7 | 1/9 | 73 | 63 | 88 | 81 | 96 | |
| Sandy Lyle | $5,300 | 82 | 3789 | 88 | -6 | 5/10 | 77 | 44 | 54 | 93 | 94 | |
| Romain Langasque | $5,200 | 83 | 834 | 78 | 5 | 0/0 | 500 | 500 | 500 | 500 | 500 | |
| Paul Chaplet | $5,200 | 83 | 1553 | 83 | 0 | 0/0 | 500 | 500 | 500 | 500 | 500 | |
| Derek Bard | $5,100 | 85 | 1526 | 82 | 3 | 0/0 | 500 | 500 | 500 | 500 | 500 | |
| Mark O’Meara | $5,100 | 85 | 1789 | 84 | 1 | 871 | 1/9 | 22 | 72 | 72 | 500 | 82 |
| Mike Weir | $5,000 | 87 | 2368 | 86 | 1 | 1040 | 6/10 | 96 | 44 | 72 | 65 | 96 |
| Sammy Schmitz | $5,000 | 87 | 1947 | 85 | 2 | 0/0 | 500 | 500 | 500 | 500 | 500 | |
| Larry Mize | $5,000 | 87 | 4842 | 89 | -2 | 3/10 | 80 | 51 | 62 | 65 | 82 |
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 ten seasons. |
| 2011 – 2015 Columns | Course history at this event over the last five seasons. |