In this week’s installment of who NOT to take in DraftKings it’s worth pointing that a trend has emerged. Three weeks ago, I recommended Webb Simpson at the Colonial. He missed the cut, but won the following week! Two weeks ago, I recommended Dustin Johnson at the RBC Heritage. He slapped his way to a T-18, but then this week at the Travelers, he won!
This is a clever way of me pointing out that I’m both good at this, but more that I’m really, really bad at this. (Which is why you shouldn’t follow my betting advice.)
In truth, had you listened to my advice last week, like me you would have won. I put a $3 bet down with the lineup linked above and won $20. That’s pretty sweet stuff! If, however, instead of sticking with Bryson and his absurd body I’d put DJ in the lineup, that $20 would have become $70. So there’s always a downside.
If I was smart, I would roll forward this week by choosing the guys I’ve bet on this week. But here’s the thing – there are really only three candidates for that if we are focused on the top golfers I’ve chosen – Patrick Cantlay, Bryson DeChambeau and Viktor Hovland. But, Cantlay isn’t playing this week. I am going to roll with Bryson “The Body” DeChambeau as well as Viktor Hovland, but because DraftKings ain’t stupid, that leaves my lineup a bit sparse, as those two take up $21,700 of the $50,000 budget which is for six golfers.
As such, that leaves an interesting (and sort of gross) lineup:
BDC: $11,700 – Bryson is more strokes under par since the tour has restarted than any other golfer. He is playing as well as possible right now without winning. No reason to believe this won’t continue, and I’ll keep riding this nutcase until his biceps explode or it’s a major (where I suspect he will absolutely eject.)
Viktor Hovland – $10,000 – Viktor played really well at the Travelers, and if he can start playing his irons halfway decently will have no real flaws in his game. I’m not going to lie, Viktor is a LOT more fun to play when he’s not this expensive, but if I’m going to stick with my ill-formed plan, he’s gotta stay in my lineup.
Tyler Duncan – $7,000 – Hubba Says What? I’ve been riding Duncan for the last few weeks, and I’m not sure why he’s still this cheap. Since the tour came back he has gone T38, T28 and T32 – which is the kind of performance you need from your cheaper entries in your lineup. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.
Harold Varner III – $7,600 – HVIII was on fire at the Colonial, eventually fading to a T19. He missed the cut at the RBC Heritage, but then posted a solid T32 this weekend at the Travelers. Hopefully he’s not going to keep up this pattern and miss the cut, but if he can make the cut and maybe replicate last weekend, that’s great – and anything more is pure gravy.
Scott Stallings – $7,500 – Stallings rallied last week and finished with a T6 after a T48 at the RBC Heritage. While I’ll always associate Stallings with this workout video that resulted in Tron Carter throwing up in a trashcan, I’ll also take the good work.
Zac Blair – $6,000 – Look, I spent all my money, and I like Zac Blair because like me, he’s a golf dork. (Unlike me, he can also really play.) While not designing merchandise for a golf course that doesn’t exist, ZB spends his off days playing bucket list courses and Instagramming the hell out of them. I can get behind this.
I need to be clear – I don’t like this lineup very much at all. It’s a “stars and scrubs” approach and very reliant on Bryson and Viktor and that doesn’t instill me with a HUGE amount of confidence. That either means I’m right, and you should run away from this lineup as the headline suggests – or that my instincts are as off-base as usual and there’s a winner in here. I honestly don’t know. But we’ll find out next week!
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