Match Play week! Sadly enough, it may be the last running of this event as the PGA Tour is doing away with it for the foreseeable future. In terms of DFS, it is super important to set up your lineups with a path for every player in each lineup to get to the elite eight. This is the most important aspect this week rather than handicapping the golf. Giving yourself an opportunity to set yourself up for the maximum amount of points is a must.
2023 WGC-Match Play DFS: Best Plays in Each Price Range
2023 WGC-Match Play DFS – $9,000+
Jon Rahm $11,000
John Rahm makes his return to golf after his WD before round two of the players. Rahm WD due to stomach issues and should be back and ready to perform at the match play. Before he withdrew, he was sitting under par, gaining over two strokes on approach, which was excellent to see.
Rahm has great success at the match play, advancing out of his pool and into the 16-man bracket on each trip. The majority of ownership will go to Scottie Scheffler, as he has done very well in his chances of defending tournaments. Hd has a near-perfect record at the match play. If we are getting an ownership discount on Rahm, hammer him in your lineups.
Patrick Cantlay $10,700
You can’t ask for a better path if you’re Patrick Cantlay. Grouped with Brian Harman, Lee Kyoung-hoon, and Nick Taylor, Cantlay, Cantlay should be ashamed if he does not make it out of this group. Besides the favorable group, Cantlay has been amazing in terms of strokes gained over the last two months.
He has gained 7+, 8+, and 10+ strokes in ball striking in his last three starts, which is truly not how he tends to go about things. Cantlay is usually a slightly above average ball striker and elite putter, but these ball striking numbers are some of the best in the world. If he continues to hit the ball like this, a win is near. Look for Cantlay to cruise through his group and give himself a chance to contend over the weekend.
Viktor Hovland $9,600
Viktor Hovland is playing amazing golf at the moment and is trending in the right direction. Since his win at the Hero World Challenge, he has not missed a cut and has his ball striking back to top-of-the-world form. In his last two starts, he has gained over nine strokes in the ball striking categories.
Hovland has played this event twice but has not done too well. This event is tough to look back on course history because of the luck aspect of the group draws. We know Hovland can succeed in match play as he won the 2018 US Amateur at Pebble Beach. Insert Hovland in your 2023 WGC Match play lineups.
2023 WGC-Match Play DFS – Middle Tier
Tommy Fleetwood $8,300
I am expecting Fleetwood to be fairly popular this week. He is coming off a great showing at the Valspar with a third-place finish. Everyone loves to play Europeans in match play, especially ones who are elite at getting up and down. Fleetwood made it to the quarterfinals in the 2021 WGC Match Play and ended up losing to eventual champion Billy Horschel. He has had some success here and is playing well. If you decide to run out Fleetwood this week, play him heavily.
2023 WGC-Match Play DFS – <$7,000
Denny McCarthy $6,900
Denny McCarthy has never played in this event but could be in line for a great week. Match play is a format where the best scramblers and best putters can rise to the top. No matter how good or bad the ball striking is, the ability to get up and down can keep you in the match.
McCarthy is coming off a start at Valspar, gaining 4.26 strokes on approach, which was the fifth-best iron week in his career. If he is dialed from tee to green, that will give him plenty of looks on the Austin CC Bermuda Grass Greens. McCarthy is arguably the best Bermuda putter in the world, which gives him multiple avenues to succeed in this event. Play Denny McCarthy in your 2023 WGC-Matchplay DFS lineups.
