Shriners Hospital for Children Classic Preview

The Tour heads to Vegas this week for the Shriners Hospital for Children Classic. The course for all the action is the TPC Summerlin, a par 71 layout measuring 7,255 yards. Defending champion Ben Martin will be in the field, as well as many other stars, including Rickie Fowler, Brooks Koepka, Kevin Na and Brandt Snedeker. With so much course history here at TPC Summerlin, past results definitely play a role in my decision making this week. There are 11 of the top 50 players in the world in attendance, as well as nine former champions at the Shriners. The highest ranked player in the field, world no. 5 Rickie Fowler, makes his first appearance at the Shriners since 2010. He's coming off a fantastic season on Tour, including a win at the Players Championship.

Key Stats for TPC Summerlin

Par 4 scoring dominance has been a consistent predictor of success at TPC Summerlin, especially in the last three tournaments. in 2012, all three players who finished in the top three also finished that season in the top 20 in P4S, with Ryan Moore and Jonas Blixt in the top 4. Although last years winner Ben Martin wasn't in the top 50, Kevin Streelman and Russell Knox who finished 2nd and 3rd, did finish in the top 50. Strokes gained tee to green is a stat I look at every tournament, as it's the best way to evaluate a players' total game, but it's also been shown to predict some success at the Shriners. The aforementioned Streelman and Knox were also in the top 50 in T2G, as was 213 champion Webb Simpson. Finally, birdie or better % was the final key stat I looked at, as we are all looking for players who convert birdies and eagles in fantasy. Four of the past five winners have finished in the top 40 in their respective years, as well as dozens of others who placed inside the top 10. Some secondary stats that I also used in my decision making were strokes gained putting and greens in regulation.

Top Pin Seekers

Brooks Koepka

DK Salary P4S T2G BoB%
$10,900 17 34 10

4th here last year, up and down last weekend but still scored well - four top six finishes in his last nine starts GPP Ownership Guess: 17-22%


Kevin Na

DK Salary P4S T2G BoB%
$10,400 26 28 33

Lost in playoff last week, showing a very well-rounded game - Won here in 2011, and five top 20s in his last seven starts GPP Ownership Guess: 8-13%


Emiliano Grillo

Didn't play enough PGA Tour rounds in 2015 to qualify for the stats, but he started this season off with a win last week at the Frys.com over Kevin Na in a playoff. We told you to take him last week, even when many thought his price was too high, but he's got the game to back it up. This week, I'm still on him, but he's the fourth highest priced player on Draftkings at $10,400, so he will need another great performance to pay off his price this week. What he does have working for himself right now is some serious confidence, with back-to-back wins in his last two starts. To no surprise, he led the field in strokes gained tee to green at the Frys.com, and looks to continue his hot start to his rookie season.


Ryan Moore

DK Salary P4S T2G BoB%
$10,000 43 78 38

Moore is in solid form right now, with two top-10 finishes in his last five starts - Won here in 2012 and has two other top-10 finishes in his last five appearances GPP Ownership Guess: 5-10%

Middle Tee Plays

Jason Bohn – DK Salary $9,500 - three top-10 finishes in last six starts and five straight made cuts here with two top 10s - top 40 in 3 key stats

Webb Simpson – DK Salary $9,400 – top 4 in last three appearances – 7th in T2G

Charley Hoffman - DK Salary $9,300 – three top 6 finishes here – top 30 in BoB% & P4S

Patrick Rodgers - DK Salary $9,200 – great current form, 6th LW – top 29 in BoB% & P4S

Brendan Steele - DK Salary $9,100 – four straight made cuts here – top 14 in 3 key stats

Will Wilcox - DK Salary $8,200 – 10th LW – top 20 in 3 key stats

Russell Henley - DK Salary $8,100 – top 50 in BoB% & P4S

Ben Martin – DK Salary $7,500 – Defending Champion40th in BoB%

Hudson Swafford - DK Salary $7,400 – two top-30 finishes here – top 50 in BoB% & P4S


GPP Dart Board Dreams

Spencer Levin - DK Salary $7,400 – three top-10 finishes here – 26th in P4S

Steven Bowditch - DK Salary $7,200 – expect low ownership after burning people last week – 26th P4S

David Hearn – DK Salary $7,100 – two top-7 finishes here – 26th P4S

Stewart Cink - DK Salary $6,900 – good form and two made cuts here – top 56 in T2G & P4S

Ollie Schniederjans - DK Salary $6,800 – under-priced for skill set, up and coming star

Pat Perez - DK Salary $6,600 – 10th in P4S & 18th in BoB%

Shawn Stefani – DK Salary $6,000 - way under-priced, but not in good form – top 42 in 3 key stats



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