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PGA GOLF DFS: Charles Schwab Challenge Breakdown

With the return of the PGA Tour, SI Fantasy golf expert Mark Farris provides his DFS picks, values & power fade for this weekend's Charles Schwab Challenge.

Mark Farris

The Power Fade

  • Tournament: Charles Schwab Challenge
  • Course: Colonial CC (Par 70, 7200 yards)
  • Location: Fort Worth, TX
  • Greens: Bentgrass
  • Defending Champion: Kevin Na
  • Corollary Courses: TPC Potomac at Avenel Farms; The Old White TPC (Greenbrier)

Finally! Golf DFS is returning. This week will be exciting for several reasons:

  • The event takes place with no fans
  • It’s June and zero majors have played
  • Most, if not all, of these guys have not played a competitive round since March

I'm sure the players have been practicing and training. They have access, unlike many of us amateur golfers, where the COVID-19 course closings varied by state. 

I messed around with the Outlaw Tour a bit, but I lacked any enthusiasm for it when I noticed the scores. I genuinely think I could beat some of those guys!

Colonial only has two Par 5s. One is over 600 yards but still plays as one of the easiest holes on the course. The other is the easiest hole. So, taking advantage of the Par 5s this week carries a little more weight than normal because (1) they are historically easy and (2) they are limited.

The fairways are relatively narrow, which will help the shorter hitters somewhat. But we all know the bombers may take the approach of "let it fly," especially since the rough isn't too penalizing. Still, positioning is critical, so even that concept may be limited.

Given the fact that Par 4s are the majority of the holes – and the Par 3s aren't easy – Par 4 scoring will be one of the significant stats to monitor. Additionally, since the greens are bentgrass, putting on that surface can also be used in your analysis.

Now, for those of you that have read my articles before, you know I'm a current form, course history, and "gut" player. Golf has so many variables, and while statistics do matter, I've always found that the way a guy has been playing can flip a statistic on its head. Don't worry! Unless he has changed his approach, my partner in crime, Alex White, will give you a tremendous statistical breakdown with his "The Burning Edge" article.

With my current time constraints, I'm going to try to keep this article as straightforward as I can for you. I'll give you three to five players in each salary range that I pick (it may vary by week depending on pricing). This may be broken down into Tier 1 & 2 in the top price range because, on any given week, any of these guys are capable of winning. I'll also give you my

  • Pick to Win
  • Gut Pick to Win
  • Salary Relief
  • Power Fade

These groupings are based on DK pricing. Future articles will show ranges used from both DK & FD:

$9,000 & Up

$7,500 to $8,900

$7,000 to $7,400

  • Abraham Ancer, Cameron Smith, Ian Poulter, Adam Hadwin and Phil Mickelson (only because he has played in The Match)

Salary Relief

These guys fall at the lower end of the salary scale that I think will offer you a strong likelihood of making the cut and a productive number of points. In the past, I think I've even picked some of these guys as my "Gut Pick to Win." This week, I'm looking at:

  1. Christiaan Bezuidenhout ($7,300 DK; $9,100 FD)
  2. Branden Grace - ($7,100 DK; $8,400 FD)
  3. Lanto Griffin - ($6,900 DK; $8,200 FD)
  4. Sung Kang - ($6,800 DK; $7,800 FD)
  5. Xinjun Zhang - ($6,400 DK; $7,200 FD)
  6. Doc Redman - ($6,300 DK; $7,000 FD)

Pick to Win: Jon Rahm

Gut Pick to Win: Ian Poulter

Power Fade: Justin Rose ($9,000 DK; $11,000 FD)

My reason for fading Justin Rose is simply that he was struggling before the layoff. I could just as easily put Jordan Spieth here for his weekend inconsistencies, but he's priced $1,000 less, and his ROI may be better if he has worked out the kinks during the layoff.

Premium Guidance

While I’ve listed several guys in the various price ranges, I want to provide a few more names for you guys that enjoy the site.

Bryson DeChambeau ($10,100 DK; $11,500 FD)

He's The Scientist. This can fall one of two ways. Either he has been able to further "hone" his game during the layoff, or he's done some much thinking that he may try to use the grip end of the club for more "precise" contact.

Collin Morikawa ($9,100 DK; $10,400 FD)

This guy hasn't missed a cut, well maybe, since he was born. He is at the lower end of the upper price range, and he is a solid play. I don't think he will win, but the first page of the leaderboard is a good bet.

Christiaan Bezuidenhout ($7,300 DK; $9,100 FD)

I know I mentioned him above, but for the FullTime Fantasy members, I like to give a little more perspective why. Yes, the name is AWESOME!! But, this guy is a good player and, in his last four tournaments both in Europe and here, his worst finish is a T29.

Tony Finau ($8,700 DK; $10,600 FD)

He's a long hitter that isn't afraid to play position golf. He reminds me a lot of a young Ernie Els where the swing is controlled and effortless, yet the ball goes a long way. His control and willingness to go 3-wood or long iron instead of the driver can make him a valuable asset.

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Mark Farris
MARK FARRIS

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