As the race for the FedEx cup continues, the world’s best players will head to Scotland for the highly anticipated 147th British Open. This year, the Open rota makes its way to Carnoustie Golf Links, a course that is universally referred to as the toughest championship venue in all of golf. The last Open Championship was played here in 2007 when a score of 7 under par was good enough to get Padraig Harrington and Sergio Garcia into a playoff, Padraig Harrington emerging victorious. Characterized by narrow fairways, deep bunkers, and strong crosswinds, the 7,400 yard, Par 71 “Carnastie” will be a brutal test of skill, creativity, and perseverance.
This week, we focus in on certain players’ tendencies and statistics that we believe will provide the best chance at hoisting the coveted Claret Jug come Sunday. Some of these key stats include, but are not limited to: Strokes Gained- Approach, Par 4 Performance, Driving Accuracy, and Bogey Avoidance. The pros who are accustomed to hitting high trajectory shots to receptive greens with controlled spin will struggle to make the cut unless they can quickly adapt to the style of play this course demands. This style revolves around hitting low fairway “stingers” and being able to judge up to 3-club winds precisely. For many of these reasons, we have selected players from each salary tier that you should consider when making your DraftKings lineup.
Top Tier ($11,300 – $9,000)
Rickie Fowler ($9,700) – Coming off a T6 finish at the Scottish Open last week, Fowler will look to finally join the winner’s circle at a Major Championship. He ranks #8 in Par 4 Performance and 10th in scoring average. Rickie stated last week that he absolutely loves links golf and felt as though he hits more solid shots when playing courses that he is required to focus on where he starts the ball as well as the trajectory. Keep an eye out for Rickie to be in contention on Sunday.
Justin Rose ($10,200) – Similar to Rickie, a Britain native, and world’s No. 3 golfer, Justin Rose decided to play in the Scottish Open the week before the British Open, putting up a solid T9 finish. Rose has not missed a single cut this year and has 12 Top-10 finishes. He is 2nd in scoring average and has all of the tools necessary to win at Carnoustie, spending countless hours preparing on similar courses in weeks leading up to the big event.
Middle Tier ($9,000 – $7,500)
Francesco Molinari ($8,600) – Arguably one of the hottest players in professional golf, Francesco Molinari has been lights out as of late. His last few notable finishes include 1st place at the BMW Championship, 2nd at the Italian Open, 1st at the Quicken Loans National, and 2nd at the John Deere Classic. With a win in both Europe and on the PGA tour in the past few months, Molinari is definitely worth considering.
Alex Noren ($8,300) – With a T6 in last year’s British Open, Alex Noren is a sneaky mid-tier pick that could very well be a top contender in this year’s 147th Open Championship. More recently, he has consistently finished in the top 25, finishing 3rd at the BMW PGA Championship at the end of May and finishing 1st in the HNA Open de France. Ranking 9th in strokes gained: putting and 14th in strokes gained: approach-the-green, Noren poses as a threat that many have put on the back-burner.
Russell Knox ($7,700) – Another player that has played exceptional golf lately is Russell Knox. Not only does he have a 1st and 2nd place finish in the past month, but they were also both achieved on the European Tour where he rarely plays. Born in Scotland, Knox ranks 6th in GIR % and will ride the momentum he has gathered to take home his first Major Championship.
Low Tier/Sleepers ($7,500 – $6,000)
Tony Finau ($7,200) – One of the best value picks in The Open field this week is Tony Finau. Coming into this tournament, Finau ranks 13th in Scoring Average and 2nd in Driving Distance, a statistic that could be a key factor in having success at Carnoustie due to the “baked out” fairways that will surrender plenty of roll. If Finau can keep the ball in the short grass, he will have scoring clubs in his hands which will give him a great chance on Sunday.
Andy Sullivan ($7,200) – One player we like to have a strong performance and who may be mistakenly overlooked this week is Andy Sullivan. Sullivan has been nothing short of steady this season, finishing in the Top-10 in 5 of his last 8 starts on the European Tour. He has made 18 of 20 cuts on the season, all of which have been played on the European Tour. These trends indicate that his game is suitable for the ruthlessness of this course and he will be eager to make a name for himself on the big stage.

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