DraftKings PGA DFS Lineup Advice: AT&T Byron Nelson (2021)

Rory McIlroy overcame an underwhelming start to finish as the 2021 Wells Fargo champion last weekend. The 32-year-old won his second title at Quail Hollow, finishing -10 to narrowly defeat Abraham Ancer (-9) and reclaim the title over a decade after his first win in 2010.

McIlroy was among the favorites (+1800) along with Xander Schauffele (+1800) to round out the top five heading into the Wells Fargo Championship. This proves that a player’s familiarity and past success on a course are valuable points to consider, as McIlroy had missed two cuts in his last three tournaments before Sunday’s win.

The PGA Tour heads southwest to AT&T Byron Nelson near Dallas, Texas, and finds itself on a new host course at TPC Craig Ranch. The storied tournament provides a new course, challenging golfers who had previously succeeding while providing great opportunities for newcomers to contend.

There are numerous players to target this year based on a new course layout and strong play across the Tour in recent tournaments. I’ve compiled a list of my favorite value additions to help cash your DFS lineups at AT&T Byron Nelson this weekend.

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Previous Winners

2020: Cancelled – COVID-19
2019: Sung Kang (-23)
2018: Aaron Wise (-23)
2017: Billy Horschel (-12)
2016: Sergio Garcia (-15)

Course Preview

TPC Craig Ranch is new to the PGA Tour, but some golfers have practiced on or played the course on the amateur circuit. It features zoysiagrass fairways and a bermudagrass rough, while its smaller greens are comprised of bentgrass. Bentgrass greens will challenge golfers, as it is a unique grass that lays differently and requires players to quickly acclimate in order to remain in contention Sunday.

TPC Craig Ranch is now a 72-hole par at 288, which means someone could reach a score similar to the -23 Sung Kang won with in 2019. Golfers who maintain an edge in strokes gained off-the-tee and tee-to-green will be privy to birdie opportunities, the most valuable metric to hit as a rostered player in DFS. Greens in regulation is another critical statistic to focus on when constructing your DFS lineups at the 2021 AT&T Byron Nelson tournament.

Relevant Betting Stats

Greens in Regulation (GIR)
Driving Accuracy Percentage
SG: Tee-to-Green
SG: Off-the-Tee

Recommended Plays

Ryan Palmer ($9,100)
As a Texan native, 44-year-old Ryan Palmer returns to his home state as one of the hottest golfers on Tour. Palmer hasn’t missed a cut since the opening tournament at the U.S. Open back in September, making him arguably the safest golfer to roster in lineups. His salary is a bit reduced compared to his skillset and statistics in strokes gained categories, which can be attributed to finishing T63 at the Valspar Championship in Florida during his last outing.

Palmer boasts an impressive 68.67 GIR% (30th) and a ridiculously high 4.38 birdie average (14th), which both benefit from his ability to crush the driver off the tee. This bodes well for Palmer’s chances on the various Par 4s and Par 5s found throughout TPC Craig Ranch. He should return great value to help cash your lineups at AT&T Byron Nelson during what is expected to be a warm spring weekend in north Texas.

Matt Kuchar ($8,200)
Matt Kuchar’s strongest asset as a relevant play this weekend is his 67.48 driving accuracy percentage (DAP%), which currently ranks 21st among all PGA Tour golfer this season. The 42-year-old Florida native enters the tournament with momentum, finishing T12 and T18 at the Valero Texas Open (-7) and RBC Heritage (-9), respectively. With nearly a month off to train and prepare for this tournament, Kuchar is positioned to obtain his 3.8 birdies per round average, making him a great addition to lineups. He projects to be a four-day competitor despite ranking poorly in most strokes gained categories.

Sung Kang ($6,500)
I’m tapping into the reigning champion. In 2019, the 33-year old Sung Kang of South Korea scorched the course with a -23 first-place finish. Perhaps the biggest piece of information to focus on when analyzing Kang is that he is a member of TPC Craig Ranch, which propels him way up my board. Three missed cuts in a row have drastically reduced Kang’s cost on DraftKings, making him a great salary-saving option with legitimate upside. He is a flier but should be treated as a must-add to your DFS lineups based on his potential to generate significant production.

Matt Fitzpatrick ($9,500)
The 26-year-old English golfer has dominated since joining the PGA Tour in 2020, finishing in the top 25 or higher in seven of 12 tournament appearances. Fitzpatrick has elite numbers in nearly every strokes gained category but could see his 11th-ranked strokes gained in putting (.698) decline on more difficult bentgrass greens, which are a staple of TPC Craig Ranch. Even if this occurs, Fitzpatrick will provide top-tier production in DFS lineups based on his 4.20 birdie average per round.

While he doesn’t rank among the elite in GIR% (66.25 / 75th), Fitzpatrick is one of the best at controlling his driver. He enters the AT&T Byron Nelson tournament ranked 15th in DAP% (68.53), which is enough for me to buy in despite the higher salary.

Check out the FREE betting guide for the AT&T Byron Nelson at BettingPros

Whether you’re new to daily fantasy golf or a seasoned professional, be sure to check out our Daily Fantasy Golf Glossary. You can get started with The Stats That Matter Most or head to a more advanced strategy — like How To Use Vegas Odds To Generate Your Lineup — to learn more.

Matthew MacKay is a featured writer for FantasyPros. For more from Matthew, check out his archive and follow him @Matt_MacKay_.