The season’s first Major is officially in the books as “The Scientist”, Bryson DeChambeau, claimed his first career Major title at the U.S. Open in New York. It was a dominating performance for the 27-year-old, who won the tournament by six strokes and finished the event as the only golfer under par. Winged Foot certainly lived up to its challenging reputation, but DeChambeau had both his strong off the tee and short game clicking on all cylinders.
Next up on the schedule is the third ever Corales Championship hosted in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic. This tournament may have one of the weakest fields due to the fact it is coming the week after a Major and is an overseas event, but nonetheless there are some intriguing storylines to follow. For the first time, this event will reward full FedEx Cup Points to the winner (500).
Graeme McDowell is in the field to defend the title this week, while Korn Ferry Points leader Will Zalatoris makes the trip following a very impressive week at the U.S. Open. Zalatoris is the highest priced golfer on DraftKings this week at $10,900 after finishing T6 at Winged Foot and making a hole-in-one in his opening round. Canadians Corey Conners ($10,600) and Mackenzie Hughes ($10,200) are the next two highest priced golfers, while Sam Burns ($10,100) and Adam Long ($9,900) round out the top-five.
Here are the past two winners of the event:
- 2019 Graeme McDowell (-18)
- 2018 Brice Garnett (-18)
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Course Preview
This event will be played at the beautiful Corales Golf Club, located on the Caribbean Oceanside, the course offers stunning views for the golfers. This golf course has played host to two PGA Tour events (2019, 2018) and two Korn Ferry events (2017, 2016). On paper, it plays as one of the longest courses on Tour at 7,668 yards, but due to high heat and humidity, the ball travels much further than usual. This coastal course will play as a par 72 and golfers will be making the change to Paspalum greens.
Unlike Winged Foot last week, we should see plenty of birdies at Corales. While wind can become a big factor, the wide fairways are very generous for the golfers and you are almost always in play off the tee out here. Many agree that this is a second-shot golf course, and strong approach play combined with good putting should be the recipe for success. Scoring well on the four Par 5s at Corales will be crucial to stay level with the field.
Key Stats
- Strokes Gained: Approach
- Par 5 Scoring
- Opportunities Gained
- Performance on Paspalum Greens
Recommended Plays
Sam Burns ($10,100)
With ownership expected to flock towards Zalatoris and Hughes up top, I will be starting a lot of lineups with Burns. Long off the tee, good with the putter, and an elite Par 5 scorer, Burns should go well this week at Corales. In his first start of 2020/21, Burns carded a T7 Finish at the Safeway Open. He played at Corales in 2019 and placed T12 after a final round of six-under-par.
Adam Long ($9,900)
Long performed extremely well at one of the most difficult courses the Tour has seen in a long time last week. He should be carrying plenty of confidence in Punta Cana after his T13 showing at the U.S. Open. In a very weak field, why not take a proven winner on Tour who had two runner-up finishes last season. Possible fatigue setting in after a long week at the U.S. Open is a possibility, but the price is too good to pass up.
Kristoffer Ventura ($9,200)
The Norweigan has been playing some excellent golf of late. T7 at the Safeway Open, 37th at the Wyndham Championship, and 19th at the Barracuda Championship over his past three starts, Ventura will be a highly touted play this week. In my rolling stats model, he ranks fourth in strokes gained: off-the-tee, and fifth in strokes gained: putting. Also consider Pat Perez in this range who is an excellent Paspulum putter and is showing good form.
Xinjun Zhang ($8,400)
Zhang got his new season off to a great start with a 14th place finish at the Safeway Open. He put up 95 DraftKings points in easy scoring conditions that week and I am expecting another birdie-fest at Corales. Zhang put up a T5 showing at this event in 2018, so he knows the course well and should feed off of his experience.
Patrick Rodgers ($8,000)
If this week turns into a putting fest, then Rodgers surely has a chance. He is brilliant with the flatstick and also one of the longest drivers in this field. In my rolling stats model, he ranks third in strokes gained: putting. Rodgers saw this course before in 2018 where he posted a very respectable T22 finish.
Chris Baker ($7,500)
Baker is a hidden gem at a very nice price this week. In my rolling stats model, he is first in both strokes gained: ball-striking and strokes gained: approach. At the Wyndham Championship last month, he fired rounds of 63 and 65 en route to a T20 finish. In favorable scoring conditions where approach play is crucial, Baker makes plenty of sense.
Seamus Power ($7,500)
This is another nice price for a high upside guy in Power who already placed fifth at the event in 2018. He sneakily ranked sixth in the entire PGA last year in birdie-or-better percentage. Power made had a very nice end to his 2019/20 season with a T9, T27, T12, in three of his final four events.
J.J. Spaun ($7,000)
Spaun is another player trending nicely in my rolling stats model. Ninth in strokes gained: tee-to-green and 15th in strokes gained: approach, getting him at this price seems like a steal. He failed to record a single top-20 finish in 2019/20 but started his new season with a T9 at the Safeway Open.
Nate Lashley ($6,900)
A prior winner at this course in 2017 (Korn Ferry Tour), Lashley has fond memories of the place and has since won on the professional circuit. He has struggled to find his game of late but is only a couple years removed from ranking 24th in strokes gained: approach and 40th in strokes gained: putting, in 2018.
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Nic Turner is a featured writer at FantasyPros. For more from Nic, check out his archive and follow him @sportzbandit.
