This article is part of our Yahoo PGA DFS Picks series.
THE CJ CUP @ SUMMIT
Las Vegas, Nevada
The Summit Club - Par 72 - 7,431 yards
Field - 78 entrants
Purse - $9.75M
The Preview
Sungjae Im was a par-breaking machine during the final round of the Shriners Children's Open, as he birdied nine of his first 13 holes en route to a four-shot victory over Matthew Wolff at 24-under-par on Sunday. The second leg of the PGA Tour's two-week Las Vegas Swing could summon a similar birdie fest, as the fully private Summit Club features a few drivable par-4s and multiple reachable par-5s as it hosts some of the best players in the world at the CJ Cup. Scenic views of the Strip and surrounding mountains accompany favorable weather conditions for scoring in the desert. Everyone in this limited 78-man field is guaranteed four rounds with the absence of a 36-hole cut, reinforcing the importance of compiling tweeters on the scorecard.
Recent Champions
2020 - Jason Kokrak (Shadow Creek)
2019 - Justin Thomas (Nine Bridges)
2018 - Brooks Koepka (Nine Bridges)
2017 - Justin Thomas (Nine Bridges)
Key Stats to Victory
SG: Approach
SG: Putting (bentgrass)
Birdie or better percentage
Par-5: 550-600 and P4: 350-400 efficiency
Yahoo Value Picks
Based on $200 salary cap
Cream of the Crop
Xander Schauffele - $43
Collin Morikawa is expected to be overwhelmingly rostered as a Summit Club member, who also just so happens to be one of the best ball strikers in the game. He was not himself while possibly dealing with a lingering back injury throughout the FedExCup Playoffs, however, losing 8.7 total strokes from tee to green in three measured starts dating back to the Northern Trust. Morikawa was completely lost with the flat stick during this recent stretch as well, and for DFS purposes, Schauffele might be a better value at a dollar discount with significantly less exposure. Schauffele, who earned runner-up honors at last year's CJ Cup in Vegas, ranks fourth in proximity and seventh in SG: Approach over his last 12 rounds. He's also second in P4: 350-400 efficiency over his past 24 rounds, and he's coming off a 3-1-0 performance in his Ryder Cup debut at Whistling Straits.
Viktor Hovland - $40
Hovland paces this week's field in SG: Approach over his last 12 rounds, and he hasn't lost strokes with his irons since the PLAYERS Championship in mid-March. Additionally, he's second to none in Opportunities Gained throughout his past 24 rounds. Hovland lost an unimaginable 8.9 strokes around the greens last week at the Shriners, which is sure to correct itself, but the casuals may just see the T44 finish and avoid him as a result.
Glue Guys
Cameron Smith - $33
He's rested since the TOUR Championship, but over his last 24 measured rounds, Smith ranks second in P5: 550-600 efficiency, eighth in P4: 350-400 efficiency and first in birdie or better percentage. Smith is fifth in SG: Putting with a 50-round sample size on bentgrass greens, and he's been stellar on his approaches from 100-175 yards since the opening round of the Northern Trust. Overall, Smith is No. 3 in my custom stat model this week behind only Hovland and Sam Burns.
Kevin Na - $31
I doubt Na will see too much exposure in lineups this week after his WD prior to the Shriners Children's Open due to a rib injury. He also missed the cut at the Fortinet Championship to begin the season, but the Las Vegas resident is historically a great putter on bentgrass greens and he could make for a sharp GPP pivot as gamers likely flock to Sungjae Im at $30. Throughout his three starts during the FedExCup Playoffs, Na gained a combined 7.1 strokes on his approaches.
Bargain Bin
Russell Henley - $22
Henley continues to excel with his irons, gaining 5.8 or more strokes on approaches in four of his last seven measured events. In fact, he led the entire field in SG: APP last week en route to a top-25 finish at TPC Summerlin. Henley has lost strokes putting in three consecutive starts, but things are at least trending in the right direction after an especially brutal performance on the greens at the Northern Trust. He's eighth in Opportunities Gained over his last 24 rounds, which is promising for Henley's upside in a DFS setting with 72 guaranteed holes at the CJ Cup.
Aaron Wise - $20
Following a T26 at the Sanderson Farms Championship, Wise collected his first top-10 of the new season this past week at the Shriners Children's Open where he fired a nine-under 62 in Round 2 on the way to 22 total birdies throughout his tournament. Wise is fourth in SG: Tee-to-Green and fifth in proximity over his last 12 rounds. Expanding to a 24-round sample, he's sixth in P4: 350-400 efficiency and 10th in birdie or better percentage.
Talor Gooch - $20
Gooch rattled off three scores of 67 or better at TPC Summerlin on the way to a T11 last week, which was preceded by a T4 at the season opener in Napa. During the first leg of the Las Vegas Swing, Gooch amassed 20 total birdies and an eagle while ranking top-5 among the field in SG: Approach, SG: Around-the-Green and SG: Tee-to-Green. Although his SG: Off-the-Tee metrics are unimpressive, Gooch is 13th in P5: 550-600 efficiency over his past 24 rounds.
