Shinnecock Hills Golf Club is the site for the upcoming 2026 U.S. Open this week. The third major of the PGA Tour season means all of the world’s top golfers will be on display, teeing it up on one of the most infamous par-70 courses on the planet.
To win at Shinnecock, golfers have to be able to recover from bad lies, as these inevitable scenarios will occur with wind as the primary defense. 155 bunkers, five-inch fescue rough, and undulations in fairways and greens, which measure close to 9,000 square feet on average, will likely produce another winning scorecard over-par like Brooks Koepka did during his 2018 victory at Shinnecock.
My PGA DFS Lineup Advice: Top Golfers (2026 RBC Canadian Open) plays were largely unsuccessful at TPC Toronto last week. Both Tier 1 prospects returned value with Wyndham Clark (T11) and Sam Burns both cracking the top 20. However, three of my final four golfers missed the cut, while A.J. Ewart from Tier 3 managed a T29 finish.
Scottie Scheffler, Rory McIlroy, Jon Rahm, Xander Schauffele, and Cameron Young are some of the most expensive golfers to roster in DFS lineups this week. Let’s hunt for the value plays to elevate our lineups into contention for top prizes ahead of Thursday’s opening round at the 2026 U.S. Open.
Follow me on X at Matt_MacKay_ for more DFS picks and insight during the remainder of the PGA Tour season.
Shinnecock Hills Golf Club is the site for the upcoming 2026 U.S. Open this week. The third major of the PGA Tour season means all of the world’s top golfers will be on display, teeing it up on one of the most infamous par-70 courses on the planet.
To win at Shinnecock, golfers have to be able to recover from bad lies, as these inevitable scenarios will occur with wind as the primary defense. 155 bunkers, five-inch fescue rough, and undulations in fairways and greens, which measure close to 9,000 square feet on average, will likely produce another winning scorecard over-par like Brooks Koepka did during his 2018 victory at Shinnecock.
My PGA DFS Lineup Advice: Top Golfers (2026 RBC Canadian Open) plays were largely unsuccessful at TPC Toronto last week. Both Tier 1 prospects returned value with Wyndham Clark (T11) and Sam Burns both cracking the top 20. However, three of my final four golfers missed the cut, while A.J. Ewart from Tier 3 managed a T29 finish.
Scottie Scheffler, Rory McIlroy, Jon Rahm, Xander Schauffele, and Cameron Young are some of the most expensive golfers to roster in DFS lineups this week. Let’s hunt for the value plays to elevate our lineups into contention for top prizes ahead of Thursday’s opening round at the 2026 U.S. Open.
Follow me on X at Matt_MacKay_ for more DFS picks and insight during the remainder of the PGA Tour season.
PGA DFS: Top Golfers (2026 U.S. Open)
DraftKings Salary: $50,000 | FanDuel Salary: $60,000
TIER 1
| Golfer |
DK $ |
FD $ |
| Xander Schauffele |
$10,100 |
$11,600 |
| Matt Fitzpatrick |
$8,900 |
$11,200 |
I’m willing to take on Xander Schauffele as the most expensive golfer in lineups this week. Schauffele hasn’t disappointed in any of his last U.S. Open appearances, carding nine straight top 20 finishes, including a T12 at Oakmont and a T6 at Shinnecock back in 2018.
Schauffele ranks high in many metrics that align with Shinnecock’s hazards. This includes 27th in SG: Approach, 12th in scrambling, and top-40 for greens in regulation and 200+ yard approach shots.
Matt Fitzpatrick is the other golfer I’m comfortable playing at a premium salary. The Englishman has a U.S. Open title to his name, won in 2022, while winning three times on the PGA Tour this season.
Fitzpatrick ranks third in total strokes gained, including fourth in SG: Approach and 10th in driving accuracy. He’s 18th in proximity and fourth at finding greens in regulation. While putting is a weakness, all other areas are primed for a run up the leaderboard at Shinnecock.
TIER 2
| Golfer |
DK $ |
FD $ |
| Russell Henley |
$8,000 |
$10,600 |
| Patrick Cantlay |
$7,300 |
$10,100 |
We’re landing a good price on Russell Henley, particularly on DraftKings, as the six-time PGA Tour winner looks to continue his stellar play at U.S. Open majors.
Henley has posted a top-20 finish in three straight U.S. Open appearances, while also collecting four top-10 finishes and a recent comeback win at the Charles Schwab Challenge in late May.
Notable ranks for Henley include 12th in total strokes gained, 33rd in SG: Putting, and first for driving accuracy and scrambling this season. Also 22nd in proximity and 10th on par-4 scoring.
Patrick Cantlay is my other Tier 2 golfer who should return value this week. Cantlay missed his first-ever cut at this major at Oakmont last year. Now, with a T17 finish at the Memorial in his last outing, Cantlay is trending up for a strong showing at Shinnecock.
Cantlay ranks 30th in SG: Approach, 21st for greens in regulation, 29th in SG: Off-the-Tee, and top-30 marks in sand save rate, scrambling, and scoring average this season.
TIER 3
| Golfer |
DK $ |
FD $ |
| J.T. Poston |
$6,300 |
$8,300 |
| Brian Harman |
$6,200 |
$8,200 |
In Tier 3, we’ve got J.T. Poston, freshly minted winner at the Memorial Tournament. Poston has yet to log a top 20 finish in six U.S. Open appearances. It could be different this time around.
Poston ranks 60th in SG: Approach, 52nd in driving accuracy, and 46th for greens in regulation hit in 2026. He’s a volatile golfer, which is why he’s available at such a reduced salary. However, if he can find fairways and greens in regulation while two-putting, there’s a chance we see top 20 production during Poston’s debut at Shinnecock.
Brian Harman shocked the world with his Open Championship win back in 2023. The Georgia native has won an event, including that major in the U.K., in two of the past three PGA Tour seasons.
In 2026, Harman has yet to find a top 10 finish. However, he’s still ranked 39th in driving accuracy, 65th in scrambling, and 53rd in one-putt rate. He logged a T36 finish at Shinnecock back in 2018.
If we can get a T25 finish from Harman at this salary, I’d consider it a win. Let’s bet on him to settle into a rhythm tee-to-green as our biggest bargain bin golfer this week.
Matthew MacKay is a featured writer for BettingPros and FantasyPros. For more from Matthew, check out his archive and follow him @Matt_MacKay_.
PGA DFS Lineup Advice: Top Golfers (2026 Masters)
