The PGA Tour shifts to Mexico City this week for the World Golf Championships-Mexico Championship. 49 of the top 50 players in the world will make their way down south with Jason Day the only notable absence as he continues to deal with an illness. We looked at the price tags of the players available to determine the best possible lineup for this week’s competitions.
This event is going to be particularly interesting because altitude will be a big factor. Of course, at first glance, the sea level should impact the driving distance and players should like that. A lot of their balls will be going further than expected since they are playing at 7,600 fee higher in elevation (think of Coors Field and the affect it has on baseballs). In golf, those shots could be flying 13-15% further than usual. However, remember that fatigue should be an issue too. Players will have to be in tip-top shape to perform otherwise they’ll wear down as the tournament progresses. These are all things that need to be considered if you’re playing daily fantasy this week. With that in mind, here is a look at the optimal lineup for this week’s DraftKings PGA daily fantasy leagues.
Dustin Johnson, $12,500
There should be no doubt about whom you build your optimal DraftKings lineup around this week with the No. 1 player in the world playing at such a high level right now. Johnson ranks first on the PGA Tour in strokes gained off the tee, first in strokes gained tee to green and third in Greens in Regulation. The fact that he has recorded three wins and six top-10 finishes in his last 11 WGC events should make you feel even more comfortable about locking in Johnson as your top pick.
Gary Woodland, $8,400
Woodland is clearly a tier behind Johnson in terms of fantasy stock for this week but he is still a smart choice based on his skill set and form heading in to this event. Woodland ranks second on the PGA Tour in birdie or better percentage on approach shots from 125 yards or closer so he should be able to navigate his way to a strong finish at the WGC-Mexico Championship this week.
Tyrell Hatton, $8,300
Hatton’s first PGA Tour event of the year was the Honda Classic and it’s hard to ignore the results as he shot three rounds under 69 and finished tied for fourth. The Englishman has now finished in the top-10 in six of his last nine starts overall and he has registered top-10 finishes in each of his last two major events. Hatton has shown he can play at a high level on the big stage so consider him a strong pick this week at a similar price to Woodland.
Alexander Noren, $7,200
Noren flies under the radar but he won four times in 2016 and he is now the 11th-ranked golfer in the world. The fact that we can get such a quality golfer at just over $7K makes Noren an absolute steal in DraftKings competitions so he should be in the majority of lineups this week as a strong sleeper value option.
Thomas Pieters, $6,800
Speaking of value options, Pieters ranks first in birdie or better percentage from 125 yards and he could be another sneaky good play this week. There is some risk taking a player that has two missed cuts in his last four starts but Pieters has outstanding potential at the WGC-Mexico Championship and at under $7K it makes sense to take a chance on him here.
Danny Willett, $6,700
Willett missed the cut at the Honda Classic but that could make it the perfect time to lock him in for a strong bounce back performance while he actually flies under the radar this week. Willett is still the 14th-ranked golfer in the world so the fact that we can lock him in at this price in our final roster spot makes him another excellent value pick for this week’s DraftKings competitions. We’re not asking a ton out of him but if he makes the cut, that would be great.
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