masters picks

Best Course History Masters Picks

Pepole PDFS Month April 1, 2017

The 2017 Masters tournament is just around the corner and for most golf fans and fantasy players this is the tournament of the year. Every year the Masters is played on the gorgeous Augusta National golf course with it's famous Amen's corner and azalea flowers scattered about. One of the most important factors to consider when drafting a fantasy golf team for the Masters is course history. Every year this major is played at Augusta National so course history is a major stat to consider for the players you draft. When you look at the top ten players every year at the Masters more often then not they have a long history of playing well in this tournament.

We have compiled our list of the best Course History Masters Picks from the past five years. We cut off our stats at the five year mark because going too far back into a player's history can become irrelevant. Tiger Woods for example is not the same player today as he was 7 years ago so his course history from then is useless to look at.  We find 5 years as a nice sweet spot for taking course history into account.

1) Jordan Spieth

  • Course History - 3 Years
  • Cuts Made - 3 for 3
  • Average Finish - 1.7
  • Best Finish - 1st (2015)
  • Last Year - 2nd
  • All Rounds Played Avg Score - 69.9 

Well no surprise here,  Jordan Spieth so far in his career has absolutely owned the Augusta National golf course. The stats are off the charts in 3 short years including one win and two second place finishes. He was well on his way to another green jacket before an epic collapse on the back nine in 2016 where he let a 5 stroke lead disappear after he plopped 2 balls into the 12th hole drink. This year he is on fire with 7 events played and 7 cuts made with no finish worse than 22nd place.

Play or FadeThis totally depends on your philosophy. On one hand how can you fade a guy that has never finished worse than 2nd, on the other he’s going to be highly, highly owned across all daily fantasy sites. If you have the bankroll for multiple lineups then he should be in at least 50% but if you are just going for glory with one lineup, then yeah I can see the case for a total fade.

2) Dustin Johnson

  • Course History - 4 Years
  • Cuts Made - 3 for 4
  • Average Finish - 7.7
  • Best Finish - 4th (2016)
  • Last Year - 4th
  • All Rounds Played Avg Score - 72.2

DJ comes into the 2017 Masters as the consensus #1 player to beat, even Jordan Spieth said so earlier in the week. Why you ask? Well let’s just take a look at his last 4 events - 3rd, 1st, 1st and 1st - ya I’d say he’s kind of in the zone right now. On top of that he has played great at Augusta in the last 4 years. He missed the cut in 2014 but since then he finished 6th in 2015 and improved to 4th last year. While a huge drive isn’t that much of an asset at the Masters, players coming in with a good GIR percentage should be on your radar, DJ is 2nd on the tour at 75%.

Play or Fade - Everything I just said about Spieth can be applied to Johnson as well. How can you fade him? If you plan on fading both Spieth and Dustin you are a brave soldier this year. You likely won’t be able to fit both Spieth or DJ in one lineup so for many DFS players it will be a choice of one or the other. I’m playing DJ in a ton of lineups, if I had 10 lineups going for example he’s easily in 7 of them.

3) Justin Rose

  • Course History - 5 Years
  • Cuts Made - 5 for 5
  • Average Finish - 11.8
  • Best Finish - 2nd (2015)
  • Last Year - 10th
  • All Rounds Played Avg Score - 71.3

There’s only one question when it’s comes to Justin Rose, can he actually win this thing? Every year he’s there floating around the top 15 but he just can’t seem to shoot a spectacular 4th round to clinch the Green Jacket. That being said Rose’s consistency at the Masters is rock solid and he’s a pretty safe pick for your 2017 Masters lineups. He has made the cut for 5 straight years and has never finished worse than 25th. If you are playing Fanduel golf this year he is a good fit for your round 3 and 4 player pool.

Play or Fade - He’s a play for me, having a decent year so far and has been converting birdies at a high rate. He’s the safe, boring pick but I have a feeling he’s going to come through with a major soon.

4) Lee Westwood

  • Course History - 5 Years
  • Cuts Made - 5 for 5
  • Average Finish - 13
  • Best Finish - 2nd (2016)
  • Last Year - 2nd
  • All Rounds Played Avg Score - 71.4

It’s crazy how similar a course history Westwood has to Rose at the Masters. In fact, there is not much separating these two you can easily rank Westwood slightly ahead of Rose. He has also not missed a cut in 5 straight years and outside of a 2015 45th place finish, Westwood has not finished outside the top 10. He was 2nd last year, 7th in 2014, 8th in 2013 and 3rd in 2012, that’s one hell of a consistent player at Augusta. On DK he is at quite a discount to Justin Rose at $7200 and for that reason I can see him being heavily owned.

Play or Fade - This may come back to haunt me but I’m going to fade Westwood this year just because I’d rather pay up for Rose who I think will be less owned. Now if I’m playing more than 5 lineups I’m going to for sure have Westwood on a couple teams but if I’m taking a shot on just one lineup then I’m going to try and separate myself from the crowd and fade him.

5) Paul Casey

  • Course History - 3 Years
  • Cuts Made - 2 for 3
  • Average Finish - 5
  • Best Finish - 4th (2016)
  • Last Year - 4th
  • All Rounds Played Avg Score - 72.3

I’m putting Casey in the #5 spot but there are certainly a few others that could have slid right in here with a longer course history like Jason Day or Louis Oosthuizen. With Casey I’m mainly looking at the last two years as he missed the cut a while back in 2012. Back to back great final rounds shooting a 68 in 2015 and a 67 in 2016 finishing 6th and 4th respectively.  He’s slightly improving each year and the final round pressure doesn’t seem to get to him so if he’s in the hunt again this year going into Sunday he might be the one that can close on a Spieth or Johnson if the scores are close.

Play or Fade - Casey is a play for me especially on DK in that 3rd tier kinda pricing at $7800. I like him over the likes of defending 2016 Masters champion Danny Willet and Jimmy Walker who are in likewise price ranges.

Other Course History Players To Consider

Rory McIlroy

  • Cuts Made - 5 for 5
  • Average Finish - 17.4
  • Best Finish - 4th (2015)

Notes - When you look at Rory he honestly should be in the top 5 players at Augusta if you throw out 2012 and 2013. He has 3 straight years of top 10 finishes at the Masters and I expect him to be in the hunt again this year. You are basically going to have to choose one of the top 3 for your lineups either Spieth, DJ, or Rory. I don’t think you can go wrong with any of them.

Jason Day

  • Cuts Made - 4 for 5
  • Average Finish - 15.3
  • Best Finish - 3rd (2013)

Notes - Tough call here with Jason as he is going through a tough personal struggle with his Mom recently being diagnosed with cancer. If he plays it can go either way but I’m fading Jason Day this year.

Louis Oosthuizen

  • Cuts Made - 4 for 5
  • Average Finish - 15.3
  • Best Finish - 2nd (2012)

Notes - Hasn’t had a top 10 finish since 2012 but is one of those safe consistent Masters picks. He’s a good draft pick for Fanduel in rounds 3 and 4.

Matt Kuchar

  • Cuts Made - 5 for 5
  • Average Finish - 17
  • Best Finish - 3rd (2012)

Notes - He was lights out for 3 years from 2012 to 2014 with 3 straight top 10 finishes. In the last two years he has faded a bit finishing 45th and 24th. I’m going to fade Kuchar as I don’t think he gets back into the top ten this year.

Adam Scott

  • Cuts Made - 5 for 5
  • Average Finish - 20.4
  • Best Finish - 1st (2013)

Notes - The 2013 Masters Champion Adam Scott is usually a safe bet to make the cut at Augusta. His last two years are bit concerning as he finished 37th and 42nd last year. Before that however, he was a top pick every year and always in the hunt.  He’s playing well this year but I don’t trust him at the Masters anymore, I’m fading.

One Hit Masters Wonders

These are the players with a short course history of one to two years but have come through with clutch performances. Can they keep it up is the question?

Matthew Fitzpatrick

  • Course History - 2 years
  • 2014 - Missed Cut
  • 2016 - 7th Place

Notes - Sleeper pick anyone? Three top 20’s coming into the 2017 Masters and a 7th place finish last year. Could be high owned as he isn’t a secret anymore.

Soren Kjeldsen

  • Course History - 1 year
  • 2016 - 7th Place

Notes - Not playing well this year but has made the cut in his last 3 events. Can he repeat last year’s performance at the Masters - I doubt it.

Daniel Berger

  • Course History - 1 year
  • 2016 - 10th Place

Notes - Having an up and down year, either gets cut or finishes in the top 15. Not a bad player to take a chance on in your DFS lineups.

Emiliano Grillo

  • Course History - 1 year
  • 2016 - 17th Place

Notes - I love Grillo’s game, he has a shot at being among the best players on the tour. I think he has the potential to put together some nice birdie streak’s at Augusta so he will be in a few of my lineups.

Danny Willet

  • Course History - 2 years
  • 2015 - 37th Place
  • 2016 - 1st

Notes - Have to talk about the defending champion Danny Willet. He won last year but finished 37th the year before. I don’t like the way he’s playing this year and unless your name is Spieth or Tiger you are not repeating at Augusta. Fade in my books.

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