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PGA DFS: Top Cash Game Picks for the Valero Texas Open

Before we head to Augusta National for the Masters next week, the PGA TOUR is hosting the Valero Texas Open this week. The Oaks Course of TPC San Antonio (par 72, 7,438 yards, POA Trivialis greens) is where this event will be played, and this Greg Norman design has hosted every Valero Texas Open since 2010. Akshay Bhatia (-20) is the defending champion of this event after beating Denny McCarthy in a playoff last season. This week’s field consists of 150 golfers, and there will be a standard top-65 and ties cut following the first two rounds.

The PGA DFS Breakdown offers data-driven analysis for each week’s slate, using the FantasyLabs Tools and metrics to highlight notable golfers.

I’ll be highlighting the best cash game/single-entry plays on the DraftKings main slate, but these players are often great options in any contest.

My analysis will frequently reference Strokes Gained, a set of proprietary metrics generated by the PGA TOUR using millions of data points to calculate how many shots, on average, it takes a player to get the ball in the hole from every distance and situation.

Strokes Gained is now available in the FantasyLabs PGA Models.

There are a variety of Strokes Gained-related metrics, but the six main categories you need to know include:

  • Strokes Gained: Off-the-Tee (SG: Off-the-Tee)
  • Strokes Gained: Approach (SG: Approach)
  • Strokes Gained: Around-the-Green (SG: Around-the-Green)
  • Strokes Gained: Putting (SG: Putting)
  • Strokes Gained: Ball-Striking (SG: Ball-Striking), which is SG: Off-the-Tee + SG: Approach
  • Strokes Gained: Tee-to-Green (SG: Tee-to-Green), which is SG: Ball-Striking + SG: Around-the-Green

Don’t forget to check out two key metrics in our models — Perfect% and SimLeverage. You can find an explainer on those metrics here.

The CliffsNotes version is that you can use SimLeverage to quickly find leverage plays in tournaments, while Perfect% is great for finding the best price-considered plays for cash games.

And don’t forget to utilize our various PGA DFS tools like our Lineup Optimizer, Lineup Builder, PGA Correlation Dashboard, and our Trends tool.

The following players listed are based on DraftKings scoring and pricing.

Become an All-Access Member Today

Lineup builder and optimizer

Real-time DFS models & projections

Data-driven analysis & tutorials
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PGA DFS Cash Game Thoughts

Note: FantasyLabs has partnered with Betsperts Golf and the Rabbit Hole! Sign up for the biggest database of golf stats available on the internet and get 25% off a yearly sub with our link! 

Unless otherwise noted, all Strokes Gained metrics referenced in this article come via the Rabbit Hole.

Tool Highlights

  • Build unlimited custom stat models with official PGA TOUR data.
  • Hundreds of filters to find the exact data split you’re looking for.
  • Save custom reports and run them again with next week’s field.
  • Download anything you want to your computer with the click of a button.
  • See expert models each week.

DraftKings $10,000+ Range

Corey Conners ($10,100)

Conners is the best value of the four players in the $10,000 range this week, and he is a great building block for cash game lineups. The Canadian professional has won twice on the PGA TOUR, and both those victories came at TPC San Antonio. Conners has never finished worse than T26th in six starts at the Texas venue, and his 17th-place average career finish at TPC San Antonio is the best among the players in this week’s field that have competed at this par 72 more than twice. Conners returns to TPC San Antonio this week in awesome form, and he should contend for his third win at the track. Conners has finished T3rd, T6th, and T8th in his last three starts, and he gained strokes in every major category at all these events.

Now available: our PGA DFS SimLabs Lineup Generator that creates advanced DFS lineups using the power of simulation.

DraftKings $9,000 Range

Jordan Spieth ($9,700)

Spieth boasts an outstanding resume at TPC San Antonio. The Texas native won at this course by two strokes in 2021, which is just one of his four top-10 finishes in his last six starts at TPC San Antonio. Spieth has two career wins in the Lone Star State, and when we compare this field’s histories in Texas, the 31-year-old ranks second in Strokes Gained per round. Spieth has carded a pair of top-10s in six starts this season, and he is coming off a T28 at the Valspar Championship, in which Spieth gained 7.6 strokes on approach, which is the most he has gained in the category since his win at TPC San Antonio in 2021. If Spieth can continue to strike the ball at a high level this week, he should find himself right in the mix for a win come Sunday afternoon.

Akshay Bhatia ($9,300)

Bhatia is an excellent spend in his title defense this week. The 23-year-old has finished inside the top-10 in three of his last four starts, most notably with a T3 at THE PLAYERS Championship his last time out. Despite this being just his second attempt at TPC Sawgrass, Bhatia gained strokes across the board at the challenging Florida venue. The budding star ranks third in Total Strokes Gained when we analyze this field’s last 24 rounds, and he ranks fifth in Total Strokes Gained when we compare this field’s resumes in Texas.

DraftKings $8,000 Range

J.T. Poston ($8,500)

Poston has only missed one cut in his last 13 starts, and 11 of his finishes during this stretch have been results of T40 or better, including a win at the Shriners Children’s Open in October. Poston has gained strokes on approach at seven events in a row, and he ranks 14th in par-5 performance. Three of the past five winners at TPC San Antonio have led their fields in par-5 efficiency, and Poston is a safe target in his return to the Texas track. The 31-year-old has never missed a cut at TPC San Antonio in four starts, and two of these finishes have been top-30 results.

Bud Cauley ($8,300)

Cauley has made 4-of-6 cuts at TPC San Antonio – including two top-20 finishes – and he is coming off an impressive Florida swing. After finishing T6th at THE PLAYERS Championship, Cauley finished T4th at the Valspar Championship. This season, the 35-year-old ranks fifth in Total Strokes Gained. Furthermore, Cauley ranks 20th in SG: Approach and 13th in proximity to the hole on approach shots from 175-200 yards, setting him up perfectly for his return to TPC San Antonio. For the last five Valero Texas Opens at TPC San Antonio, 20.7% of approach shots have come from 175-200 yards out, and four of the last five winners at this par 72 have finished the week top five in SG: Approach.

DraftKings $7,000 Range

Gary Woodland ($7,800)

Woodland caught fire at the Texas Children’s Houston Open last week, finishing runner-up to Min Woo Lee by one shot. Woodland made a huge move up the leaderboard during the final round with an 8-under 62, which tied the course record at Memorial Park. The former major champion also finished in a tie with Lee for the most Strokes Gained: Putting for the event, which is a great sign for Woodland, as his Achilles heel has always been putting. Woodland will now look to carry this momentum over to TPC San Antonio, where he has finished T26th, T6th, and T8th in his last three starts at the venue. If Woodland can stay hot with his flat stick, he has a real chance of contending this week.

Rico Hoey ($7,600)

Fresh off a T11 at the Texas Children’s Houston Open last week, Hoey has finished T33rd or better in three of his last four starts. Leading the PGA TOUR in total driving this season, Hoey has been brilliant with his driver, and his expertise in this department bodes extremely well for the long TPC San Antonio, where four of the last five winners have finished the tournament top-12 in SG: Off-the-Tee. Hoey impressed with a T14 finish in his Valero debut last season, and he could be in store for an even better performance this week. Currently, Hoey sits 45 spots higher in the world golf rankings than when he competed at TPC San Antonio last season.

Charley Hoffman ($7,400)

Hoffman checks all the boxes this week and is an easy choice at this cheap salary. The 48-year-old has been outstanding at TPC San Antonio throughout his career, making 13 of 14 cuts, with eight of these finishes being results of T13 or better, including a win and a pair of runner-up finishes. Hoffman is gaining 1.99 strokes per round at TPC San Antonio – which ranks fifth among the players in this field that have competed at the course more than once – and he has made 6-of-8 cuts this season. Hoffman has finished inside the top top 25 three times, and his ball striking has been his backbone this season, with him ranking top 30 in both SG: Tee-to-Green and SG: Approach.

Chris Kirk ($7,400)

Kirk was priced up to $9,200 for last year’s Valero Texas Open, and he is a steal at only $7,400 this week. The 39-year-old went on to finish T10th at last year’s edition of this event, which marked his fifth finish of T13 or better in nine starts at TPC San Antonio. Kirk has made 14 of his last 17 cuts entering this week, and he ranks 27th in par-5 performance this season.

Mac Meissner ($7,000)

Meissner shined in his debut at TPC San Antonio last year, finishing T10th, and he now returns to the course 138 spots higher in the world golf rankings. Meissner just finished T39th at the Texas Children’s Houston Open last week, which was his third made cut in a row and the second straight event that he has gained strokes on approach at. Meissner has shot under par in eight of his 12 rounds during this cut streak, and the 26-year-old is way underpriced at only $7,000.

Be sure to check out all the pick’ems Sleeper has to offer with Sleeper promo code FL55. 

DraftKings $6,000 and Below Range

Ricky Castillo ($6,900)

While Castillo missed the cut at the Texas Children’s Houston Open last week, he only did so by one shot, and he gained strokes in every major category at Memorial Park aside from with his putter. This season, Castillo has made 6-of-9 cuts with two top-15 finishes. Additionally, the 24-year-old ranks 20th in total driving and 32nd in par-5 performance, making him a great match for TPC San Antonio. This will be Castillo’s debut at the track, but he has the tools to thrive at this par 72 and is a sharp target at this cheap salary.

Chandler Phillips ($6,600)

Phillips has made 1-of-2 cuts at TPC San Antonio, and he is on the heels of a T32 finish at the Texas Children’s Houston Open last week. Phillips shot under par in all four of his rounds at Memorial Park, and he has advanced through the cut in six of his last seven starts. Phillips has gained strokes on approach at three straight tournaments, and he has a great chance to make the cut in this type of form.

Interested in more PGA action? Check out the pick’ems on Underdog Fantasy with Underdog promo code LABS.

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Before we head to Augusta National for the Masters next week, the PGA TOUR is hosting the Valero Texas Open this week. The Oaks Course of TPC San Antonio (par 72, 7,438 yards, POA Trivialis greens) is where this event will be played, and this Greg Norman design has hosted every Valero Texas Open since 2010. Akshay Bhatia (-20) is the defending champion of this event after beating Denny McCarthy in a playoff last season. This week’s field consists of 150 golfers, and there will be a standard top-65 and ties cut following the first two rounds.

The PGA DFS Breakdown offers data-driven analysis for each week’s slate, using the FantasyLabs Tools and metrics to highlight notable golfers.

I’ll be highlighting the best cash game/single-entry plays on the DraftKings main slate, but these players are often great options in any contest.

My analysis will frequently reference Strokes Gained, a set of proprietary metrics generated by the PGA TOUR using millions of data points to calculate how many shots, on average, it takes a player to get the ball in the hole from every distance and situation.

Strokes Gained is now available in the FantasyLabs PGA Models.

There are a variety of Strokes Gained-related metrics, but the six main categories you need to know include:

  • Strokes Gained: Off-the-Tee (SG: Off-the-Tee)
  • Strokes Gained: Approach (SG: Approach)
  • Strokes Gained: Around-the-Green (SG: Around-the-Green)
  • Strokes Gained: Putting (SG: Putting)
  • Strokes Gained: Ball-Striking (SG: Ball-Striking), which is SG: Off-the-Tee + SG: Approach
  • Strokes Gained: Tee-to-Green (SG: Tee-to-Green), which is SG: Ball-Striking + SG: Around-the-Green

Don’t forget to check out two key metrics in our models — Perfect% and SimLeverage. You can find an explainer on those metrics here.

The CliffsNotes version is that you can use SimLeverage to quickly find leverage plays in tournaments, while Perfect% is great for finding the best price-considered plays for cash games.

And don’t forget to utilize our various PGA DFS tools like our Lineup Optimizer, Lineup Builder, PGA Correlation Dashboard, and our Trends tool.

The following players listed are based on DraftKings scoring and pricing.

Become an All-Access Member Today

Lineup builder and optimizer

Real-time DFS models & projections

Data-driven analysis & tutorials
Become a PRO Member
 

PGA DFS Cash Game Thoughts

Note: FantasyLabs has partnered with Betsperts Golf and the Rabbit Hole! Sign up for the biggest database of golf stats available on the internet and get 25% off a yearly sub with our link! 

Unless otherwise noted, all Strokes Gained metrics referenced in this article come via the Rabbit Hole.

Tool Highlights

  • Build unlimited custom stat models with official PGA TOUR data.
  • Hundreds of filters to find the exact data split you’re looking for.
  • Save custom reports and run them again with next week’s field.
  • Download anything you want to your computer with the click of a button.
  • See expert models each week.

DraftKings $10,000+ Range

Corey Conners ($10,100)

Conners is the best value of the four players in the $10,000 range this week, and he is a great building block for cash game lineups. The Canadian professional has won twice on the PGA TOUR, and both those victories came at TPC San Antonio. Conners has never finished worse than T26th in six starts at the Texas venue, and his 17th-place average career finish at TPC San Antonio is the best among the players in this week’s field that have competed at this par 72 more than twice. Conners returns to TPC San Antonio this week in awesome form, and he should contend for his third win at the track. Conners has finished T3rd, T6th, and T8th in his last three starts, and he gained strokes in every major category at all these events.

Now available: our PGA DFS SimLabs Lineup Generator that creates advanced DFS lineups using the power of simulation.

DraftKings $9,000 Range

Jordan Spieth ($9,700)

Spieth boasts an outstanding resume at TPC San Antonio. The Texas native won at this course by two strokes in 2021, which is just one of his four top-10 finishes in his last six starts at TPC San Antonio. Spieth has two career wins in the Lone Star State, and when we compare this field’s histories in Texas, the 31-year-old ranks second in Strokes Gained per round. Spieth has carded a pair of top-10s in six starts this season, and he is coming off a T28 at the Valspar Championship, in which Spieth gained 7.6 strokes on approach, which is the most he has gained in the category since his win at TPC San Antonio in 2021. If Spieth can continue to strike the ball at a high level this week, he should find himself right in the mix for a win come Sunday afternoon.

Akshay Bhatia ($9,300)

Bhatia is an excellent spend in his title defense this week. The 23-year-old has finished inside the top-10 in three of his last four starts, most notably with a T3 at THE PLAYERS Championship his last time out. Despite this being just his second attempt at TPC Sawgrass, Bhatia gained strokes across the board at the challenging Florida venue. The budding star ranks third in Total Strokes Gained when we analyze this field’s last 24 rounds, and he ranks fifth in Total Strokes Gained when we compare this field’s resumes in Texas.

DraftKings $8,000 Range

J.T. Poston ($8,500)

Poston has only missed one cut in his last 13 starts, and 11 of his finishes during this stretch have been results of T40 or better, including a win at the Shriners Children’s Open in October. Poston has gained strokes on approach at seven events in a row, and he ranks 14th in par-5 performance. Three of the past five winners at TPC San Antonio have led their fields in par-5 efficiency, and Poston is a safe target in his return to the Texas track. The 31-year-old has never missed a cut at TPC San Antonio in four starts, and two of these finishes have been top-30 results.

Bud Cauley ($8,300)

Cauley has made 4-of-6 cuts at TPC San Antonio – including two top-20 finishes – and he is coming off an impressive Florida swing. After finishing T6th at THE PLAYERS Championship, Cauley finished T4th at the Valspar Championship. This season, the 35-year-old ranks fifth in Total Strokes Gained. Furthermore, Cauley ranks 20th in SG: Approach and 13th in proximity to the hole on approach shots from 175-200 yards, setting him up perfectly for his return to TPC San Antonio. For the last five Valero Texas Opens at TPC San Antonio, 20.7% of approach shots have come from 175-200 yards out, and four of the last five winners at this par 72 have finished the week top five in SG: Approach.

DraftKings $7,000 Range

Gary Woodland ($7,800)

Woodland caught fire at the Texas Children’s Houston Open last week, finishing runner-up to Min Woo Lee by one shot. Woodland made a huge move up the leaderboard during the final round with an 8-under 62, which tied the course record at Memorial Park. The former major champion also finished in a tie with Lee for the most Strokes Gained: Putting for the event, which is a great sign for Woodland, as his Achilles heel has always been putting. Woodland will now look to carry this momentum over to TPC San Antonio, where he has finished T26th, T6th, and T8th in his last three starts at the venue. If Woodland can stay hot with his flat stick, he has a real chance of contending this week.

Rico Hoey ($7,600)

Fresh off a T11 at the Texas Children’s Houston Open last week, Hoey has finished T33rd or better in three of his last four starts. Leading the PGA TOUR in total driving this season, Hoey has been brilliant with his driver, and his expertise in this department bodes extremely well for the long TPC San Antonio, where four of the last five winners have finished the tournament top-12 in SG: Off-the-Tee. Hoey impressed with a T14 finish in his Valero debut last season, and he could be in store for an even better performance this week. Currently, Hoey sits 45 spots higher in the world golf rankings than when he competed at TPC San Antonio last season.

Charley Hoffman ($7,400)

Hoffman checks all the boxes this week and is an easy choice at this cheap salary. The 48-year-old has been outstanding at TPC San Antonio throughout his career, making 13 of 14 cuts, with eight of these finishes being results of T13 or better, including a win and a pair of runner-up finishes. Hoffman is gaining 1.99 strokes per round at TPC San Antonio – which ranks fifth among the players in this field that have competed at the course more than once – and he has made 6-of-8 cuts this season. Hoffman has finished inside the top top 25 three times, and his ball striking has been his backbone this season, with him ranking top 30 in both SG: Tee-to-Green and SG: Approach.

Chris Kirk ($7,400)

Kirk was priced up to $9,200 for last year’s Valero Texas Open, and he is a steal at only $7,400 this week. The 39-year-old went on to finish T10th at last year’s edition of this event, which marked his fifth finish of T13 or better in nine starts at TPC San Antonio. Kirk has made 14 of his last 17 cuts entering this week, and he ranks 27th in par-5 performance this season.

Mac Meissner ($7,000)

Meissner shined in his debut at TPC San Antonio last year, finishing T10th, and he now returns to the course 138 spots higher in the world golf rankings. Meissner just finished T39th at the Texas Children’s Houston Open last week, which was his third made cut in a row and the second straight event that he has gained strokes on approach at. Meissner has shot under par in eight of his 12 rounds during this cut streak, and the 26-year-old is way underpriced at only $7,000.

Be sure to check out all the pick’ems Sleeper has to offer with Sleeper promo code FL55. 

DraftKings $6,000 and Below Range

Ricky Castillo ($6,900)

While Castillo missed the cut at the Texas Children’s Houston Open last week, he only did so by one shot, and he gained strokes in every major category at Memorial Park aside from with his putter. This season, Castillo has made 6-of-9 cuts with two top-15 finishes. Additionally, the 24-year-old ranks 20th in total driving and 32nd in par-5 performance, making him a great match for TPC San Antonio. This will be Castillo’s debut at the track, but he has the tools to thrive at this par 72 and is a sharp target at this cheap salary.

Chandler Phillips ($6,600)

Phillips has made 1-of-2 cuts at TPC San Antonio, and he is on the heels of a T32 finish at the Texas Children’s Houston Open last week. Phillips shot under par in all four of his rounds at Memorial Park, and he has advanced through the cut in six of his last seven starts. Phillips has gained strokes on approach at three straight tournaments, and he has a great chance to make the cut in this type of form.

Interested in more PGA action? Check out the pick’ems on Underdog Fantasy with Underdog promo code LABS.

YOU MAY ALSO LIKE

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About the Author

Alex Hunter is an avid DFS player who produces NFL and NBA content for FantasyLabs. He has been playing DFS for nearly a decade, dating back to the DraftStreet days and has been in the fantasy/betting content business for over eight years. Alex earned his bachelor’s degree in communications at Worcester State University and has contributed content for some of the biggest outlets in the industry, such as DraftKings Network, Stokastic (formerly Awesemo) and RotoWire, covering NBA, NFL and PGA. Alex is a data-driven analyst that has multiple wins and high finishes in GPPs on his DFS resume, as well as years of being a successful cash-game player. If you have any questions or need any lineup advice, Alex can be found @Hunta512 on Twitter.