Tomorrow is the final round of the PGA Tour’s Rocket Mortgage Classic in Detroit, Michigan. We’ve seen an extremely low scoring tournament so far, mostly due to the ideal weather conditions throughout the midwest. Detroit Golf Club is not known as a difficult course to begin with, so we’ll be targeting golfers that we know can go low tomorrow.
Placement points will matter a lot because of the round 4 showdown scoring rules on Draftkings. Fantasy points are awarded based on tournament finish, just as they would be for a full 4-day PGA DFS slate. The picks in this write-up greatly consider placement points, but I also try to give one option from each price range.
Finau has been lights out since the tournament started early Thursday morning. He’s averaging a score of 65 through three rounds of play and is currently tied for the lead. Most impressive of all is that he hasn’t recorded a single bogey so far.
DFS players like to fade the leaders going into the final round, but this is a situation where you can’t. Finau is clearly playing at the top of his game, and he’s a must play in terms of placement points. If the trend continues tomorrow, he’s liable to shoot at least 5-under and record a bogey free round.
Given his current play and a 4-stroke lead, it’s likely that Finau will finish in the top 5 and be optimal in terms of DFS. Although the most expensive golfer on the slate tomorrow, he presents a consistent upside that we feel comfortable with.
Taylor Pendrith - $8,900 DK
The Canadian Taylor Pendrith is largely in the same boat as Tony Finau. He sits at 21-under par for the tournament and tied for the lead. Considering his price tag and place on the leaderboard, it’s hard not to lock in Pendrith. He’s averaging a 65 throughout three rounds of play, and another 65 tomorrow would certainly make him optimal after factoring in placement points.
There’s always the chance that Pendrith comes out and chokes under pressure, but we have three rounds indicating elite play. His overall play hasn’t been as clean as Tony Finau’s, but he’s hit more than 8 birdies in each round which is great for showdown. I expect Pendrith to go low again tomorrow and finish within the top 5 at the end of the day.
Stephen Jaeger - $7,400 DK
Detroit Golf Club is the type of course Stephen Jaeger dominates, especially in easy conditions. He fired off a 65 today and managed to birdie three out of his last four holes. He sits in solo 4th right now, and it’s crazy how low of a price tag he has on Draftkings for the final round. If he can manage to have another low scoring round tomorrow, he’ll be a key piece to building great lineups.
Jaeger could use a high finish to garner more FedEx Cup points prior to the end of the season. Luckily, the conditions are supposed to be very mild again tomorrow, so he should be able to capitalize. Expect Stephen Jaeger to be highly owned, but a valuable piece in tournaments.
Henrik Norlander - $6,300 DK
The $6,000 dollar range is always sketchy, but Henrik Norlander deserves to be a lot more expensive. Today he shot 6-under while posting his second bogey-free round of the tournament. He closed today’s round with an eagle on the 17th hole, which I see as a confidence boost going into tomorrow.
Norlander is worth a chance because relatively clean play throughout three rounds. He seems to have a good feel for the course, and he also has the luxury of an early tee time. Wind gusts are not expected to exceed 5 MPH in the morning – conditions similar to the ones he took advantage of today. Norlander remains one of the higher upside plays in the bottom tiers of pricing.
Closing Remarks
Conditions will be mild tomorrow at the Rocket Mortgage Classic. It’ll be important to prioritize golfers that you know can go low on easy courses. My best piece of advice is to lock in a few golfers that have shown low scoring consistency through three rounds. From here, you can build your lineups around the couple golfers that are a must in every lineup. This strategy won’t usually apply to final round showdowns on Draftkings, but on an easy course with mild conditions, it’s a safe bet. Best of luck in your tournaments tomorrow!
