The tour tees it up in the state of Texas for the second consecutive week. This is the last event before the first major of the year, The Masters. That brings me to my 2023 PGA DFS: Valero Texas Open DraftKings Preview.
Last week Sam Burns bested sixty three of the best players in the world to win the WGC Match Play Championship. This week the tour will be at TPC San Antonio for the Valero Texas Open. Many of the top players will not tee it up in this non-elevated event. For the players who have not qualified for The Masters this is the last chance to qualify.
The players who have found success at TPC San Antonio are fairly accurate off the tee and excel on second-shot courses. You want to target top-tier iron players and those playing well tee to green in recent weeks. Below is my DraftKings preview for this event.
You can find me on Twitter @KeithFlemming to keep the conversation going!
2023 PGA DFS: Valero Texas Open DraftKings Preview
Field for next week’s Valero Texas Open: pic.twitter.com/ChWTODS7G7
— PGA TOUR Communications (@PGATOURComms) March 25, 2023
The Venue (TPC San Antonio)
The Oaks at TPC San Antonio was designed by Greg Norman with Sergio Garcia as a consultant. This course is in the top ten for the longest courses on tour. The Par 72 plays at 7,438 yards and features the standard breakout of ten par-4s, four par-5s, and four par-3s.
Like Augusta next week, the Oaks course features some of the least penal rough on tour. It's a heavy tree-lined venue that relies on wind and firm conditions as its only real defense.
The elements have determined scoring at TPC San Antonio over the years. It's been warmer than normal in February and Match in San Antonio this year. Meaning we should expect a firmer and more difficult course. I think the winning score will be in the -12 to -15 range.
Course Comps
- Detroit Golf Club
- Colonial CC
- Memorial Park
- PGA National
- TPC Twin Cities
Key Stats
- SG: Approach
- SG: Total (High Winds)
- Bogey Avoidance
- Par 5 Scoring
- Good Drives Gained/Fairways Gained
- Course and Comp Course History
As you can imagine, with this eclectic group of winners and longshots, there are no strong trends that stand out for the Valero this week. But oh boy, we will be back next week with the strongest collection of trends at the most predictive course in the world - Augusta National… https://t.co/4Ipq1drfFx
— Ron Klos (@PGASplits101) March 27, 2023
My 2023 PGA DFS: Valero Texas Open DraftKings Preview (Lineup)
Tyrrell Hatton ($10,900)
Happiest we’ve ever seen @TyrrellHatton 😂
(🎥: @DPWorldTour, @GolfonCBS) pic.twitter.com/1KW6iDQ2Yi
— Caddie Network (@CaddieNetwork) March 27, 2023
Hatton is second in the field in strokes gained tee to green, fourth in ball striking, and eighth in approach. He plays well in the wind and is in great form. I normally shy away from taking the most expensive player in the field, but I would be shocked if Hatton isn't in contention Sunday.
Another option in this price range: Rickie Fowler $10,200
Ben Griffin ($8,700)
After stint as a loan officer, Ben Griffin has found a home on the PGA Tour https://t.co/sBu0x2bk5q
— Golfweek (@golfweek) March 21, 2023
Griffin is having a stellar season and has been in my lineup for this article several times. He's gaining an absurd 4.5 strokes around the greens and 2.5 strokes putting over his last three tournaments. He's also gained strokes off the tee and on approach in six of his last eight events. Earlier this year I said I think Griffin has a great chance to pick up his first win in 2023. Maybe it will be this week.
Another option in this price range: Si Woo Kim $9,700
Matt Wallace ($8,500)
Matt Wallace is the definition of what tempo town looks like, he swings it so pure.
This move gave him 5 wins in 5 starts on the Alps tour, 3 wins in a year on the European Tour and now he finally has his first PGA Tour win 👏🏴@mattsjwallace
— Flushing It (@flushingitgolf) March 26, 2023
Wallace will be a popular pick this week and I don't care. I have him in my DK lineup and on my betting board this week. It's rare for a player to win back-to-back on the PGA Tour, but Wallace is such a good iron player in the wind. In his last four events, he's gained an average of 4.3 strokes on the field on approach.
Coming off his win and back-to-back top tens I expect Wallace to continue his recent stellar play. He finished T3 at this event in 2021.
Brandon Wu ($7,500)
We are pleased to announce the signing of PGA Tour star, Brandon Wu 🖋
Welcome to the Hambric Sports family, @BWu97!
Read the full press release below ⬇️https://t.co/9IKQd2tVIX
— Hambric Sports (@Hambric_Sports) February 16, 2023
Brandon Wu played well at two tough venues in The Players and The Honda. He finished inside the top 20 at both of those events. He's gaining 1.4 strokes on the field tee to green and on approach over his last 5 starts. His ball striking and ability to play in the wind make him a sneaky play that I like a lot this week.
Another option in this price range: Byeong Hun An $7,400
Lanto Griffin ($7,200)
PGA Tour Injury Report | 2023 Valero Texas Open (29 Golfers)
Powered by @NUCLRGOLF
Full Breakdowns ---> https://t.co/P8qd00cLtL
Hideki Matsuyama *D* (Neck/Back)
Tyrrell Hatton *Q* (Hand)
Cam Davis *P* (illness)
Lanto Griffin *Q* (Back/Ribs)
Mark Hubbard *P* (Toe)
Patrick… pic.twitter.com/3ztD57pUse— GOLF INJURY REPORT (@InjuryReportPGA) March 27, 2023
Be sure to check if Griffin is playing Wednesday night or Thursday morning due to his battling a rib injury. Considering he teed it up on the Korn Ferry Tour and came out of the event saying he felt good. I expect him to be ready to go this week.
He's playing at an event where he is three for three in cuts made. He played well last week at the Korn Ferry event finishing 16th. Griffin is a player I use a lot on venues like TPC San Antonio where second shots are a big part of a player finding success. In this event, he's gained over five strokes on the field tee to green the last two years.
Erik Van Rooyen ($7,200)
Rooyen rounds out my DraftKings lineup this week and not just for his amazing mustache. He is one of the better ball strikers on tour. EVR is gaining over a stroke on the field tee to green and on approach over his last twenty events. He has two top tens in the last seven events and finished T14 in his last start at this event in 2021.
Another option in this price range: Ben Martin $7,100
Be sure to check out the rest of our golf content, including my show Two off the Tee on the Fantasy Six Pack YouTube Channel Tuesday night. Each week, my cohost Allen and I will break down the tournament for that week and give betting/DFS plays.
