Last Chance to Get In
There are no more second chances. The Wyndham Championship represents the final event of the PGA Tour regular season and the last opportunity for players to fight their way into the FedEx Cup Playoffs. Only the top 70 golfers in the standings will advance to next week’s FedEx St. Jude Championship, which means every shot matters for the players sitting near the cut line. Jackson Koivun currently occupies the 70th and final playoff position, with Mac Meissner, Keegan Bradley, Andrew Putnam, Johnny Keefer, Jason Day, Stephan Jaeger, and Matt Wallace among the golfers chasing him from the outside. Those players cannot afford to simply make the cut and hope everything works itself out. They need birdies, strong finishes, and potentially a run near the top of the leaderboard.
The pressure will also be felt by the golfers sitting just inside the top 70. Players such as Patrick Rodgers, Aldrich Potgieter, Ricky Castillo, Matti Schmid, Jordan Smith, and Steven Fisk may currently control their own destiny, but one poor round could completely change the picture. These golfers do not necessarily need to win the tournament, but they cannot make careless mistakes or allow the players behind them to gain significant ground. Meanwhile, someone like Wallace, Jaeger, Bradley, or Meissner may need to play much more aggressively. That creates a fascinating DraftKings dynamic because several golfers will be forced to chase birdies rather than comfortably protect their position.
The final test before the postseason takes place at Sedgefield Country Club in Greensboro, North Carolina. The Donald Ross design will play as a par 70 measuring approximately 7,131 yards, but this is not a course where golfers can mindlessly pull driver and overpower every hole. Sedgefield Country Club is lined with mature trees, narrow landing areas, sloping fairways, strategic bunkers, creeks, and demanding doglegs. Golfers will regularly club down from the tee, prioritize finding the fairway, and attempt to leave themselves with the proper angle into the green. Distance can still provide an advantage, but control, positioning, and intelligent course management are far more important than raw power.
Water and creeks influence six holes, including the demanding sixth, where a creek crosses the fairway near the primary landing area and forces many golfers to hit a fairway wood or long iron from the tee. The seventh is a lengthy par 3 with a creek surrounding three sides of the hole, while several other tee shots require golfers to carefully choose which section of the fairway they want to attack. That is the genius of a Donald Ross layout. Finding the fairway is important, but finding the correct portion of the fairway can be the difference between an aggressive birdie opportunity and a defensive approach that is simply attempting to hold the green.
The two par 5s will provide the most obvious scoring opportunities. The fifth measures approximately 529 yards and is reachable in two, while the 545 yard 15th hole gives the field another legitimate eagle opportunity. Golfers must take advantage of those two holes because Sedgefield Country Club also features several long and demanding par 4s, including the 486 yard 11th, the 505 yard 14th, and the 507 yard finishing hole. The shorter par 4s at the eighth, 13th, and 17th provide additional birdie chances, making Par 4 Scoring one of the most important statistics to evaluate this week.
Cameron Young completely dismantled Sedgefield Country Club last season, finishing at 22 under par and defeating Mac Meissner by six strokes. Young showed that power can still play here, but only when it is combined with accuracy, elite approach play, and a hot putter. Historically, this course has rewarded golfers who consistently find fairways, attack with short and middle irons, avoid unnecessary bogeys, and convert makeable opportunities on Bermuda greens. With playoff lives on the line and a course that punishes even small mistakes, the Wyndham Championship should provide one of the most pressure packed and strategically interesting DraftKings tournaments of the entire season.
Metrics That Matter
Strokes Gained Tee to Green will always be the foundation of my research because it gives us the clearest picture of how well a golfer is actually playing before the unpredictability of putting enters the equation. This metric combines performance off the tee, on approach, and around the green, allowing us to identify players who are consistently creating opportunities throughout the entire round. At Sedgefield Country Club, golfers cannot rely on one part of their game to carry them because the course demands accuracy, intelligent positioning, sharp iron play, and the ability to recover when they miss. Strong tee to green players should consistently place themselves in position to attack the shorter holes while avoiding major mistakes on the more difficult stretches. I want golfers arriving in Greensboro with complete games rather than players who need an unsustainable putting performance to compete.
Good Drives will be one of the most important metrics to evaluate this week at Sedgefield Country Club. Traditional driving accuracy still matters because of the trees, doglegs, creeks, and narrow landing areas, but good drives provide a more complete picture of how effectively a golfer is controlling the ball from the tee. A player can narrowly miss the fairway and still leave himself with a clean angle into the green, while another golfer can technically find the short grass but end up blocked by trees or positioned on the wrong side. Distance is not required here, but golfers must consistently keep the ball in play and avoid misses that immediately eliminate birdie opportunities. Players who regularly find fairways or produce manageable misses should have a major advantage throughout the week.
Par 4 Scoring will be critical on a par 70 layout that features 12 par 4s. The two par 5s will provide obvious scoring opportunities, but the golfers who separate from the field will be the ones who consistently produce birdies on the shorter par 4s while surviving the longer and more difficult ones. Holes such as the eighth, 13th, and 17th should create realistic birdie opportunities for players who find the proper side of the fairway and attack with confidence. The 11th, 14th, and 18th will require a much more disciplined approach because length, bunkering, and difficult green complexes can quickly bring bogey into play. I want golfers who can capitalize on the scoring holes without becoming overly aggressive on the parts of the course that demand patience.
Approach Proximity from 125 to 175 Yards should play a major role because golfers will frequently club down from the tee to prioritize position over distance. That strategy will leave a large number of short and middle iron approaches into the Bermuda greens. Simply hitting the putting surface will not be enough in a tournament where the winning score can push deep into double digits under par. Golfers must consistently create realistic birdie chances and avoid leaving themselves with difficult downhill or sidehill putts. Strong approach players from this range should be able to attack the shorter par 4s and take advantage of the best scoring sections of the course.
Strokes Gained Putting on Bermuda deserves significant attention because these greens feature grain, subtle movement, and slopes that can make speed control extremely important. Some golfers consistently perform better on Bermuda surfaces because they are more comfortable reading the grain and adjusting to how the ball reacts throughout the day. Overall putting statistics can sometimes hide these surface specific strengths and weaknesses, so narrowing the research to Bermuda performance gives us a more relevant sample. Sedgefield has historically rewarded players who become comfortable on these greens and repeatedly convert opportunities inside birdie range. Golfers who combine strong approach play with proven Bermuda putting should have a legitimate chance to contend.
Putting from Five to 10 Feet will be critical because these are the putts that turn quality approach shots into birdies and prevent small mistakes from becoming bogeys. Players should create plenty of opportunities within this range, especially on the shorter par 4s and reachable par 5s. Missing several of these putts can quickly separate a golfer from the leaders in a tournament where low scoring is expected. This range will also test confidence and touch because many putts will have noticeable movement created by the contours and grain of the greens. The golfers who consistently convert from five to 10 feet should gain a meaningful advantage over four rounds.
Bogey Avoidance may be just as important as birdie production this week. There will be plenty of scoring opportunities, but the longer par 4s, lengthy par 3s, creeks, and tree lined corridors can punish careless mistakes. A golfer who makes five birdies but gives three shots back will struggle to keep pace with players producing clean scorecards. This becomes even more important for the golfers fighting for position inside the top 70 of the FedEx Cup standings, because one double bogey could completely change their tournament and potentially their season. I want players who can attack when the opportunity is available while still limiting the damage when they are forced out of position.
Total Putts per Round will serve as a supporting statistic rather than one of my primary indicators. The number can occasionally be misleading because it is influenced by greens in regulation, proximity, and how often a player chips close before reaching the putting surface. However, it can still help identify golfers who are consistently converting opportunities and avoiding costly three putts. At Sedgefield Country Club, players will need to capitalize on makeable birdie chances while remaining patient on the more difficult holes. I will use total putts alongside Bermuda putting and putting from five to 10 feet rather than evaluating it as a standalone statistic.
Course History will carry more weight than usual because certain golfers repeatedly perform well at Sedgefield Country Club. The layout rewards familiarity with the sightlines, preferred angles, green complexes, and areas where misses remain playable. Golfers who have experienced success here understand when they can attack and when they need to accept par and move forward. Course history should never completely override current form, but repeated success at this property is difficult to ignore. When a golfer checks the statistical boxes and also owns strong results at Sedgefield, he will receive a meaningful boost in my evaluation.
Elite Tier
Cameron Young – $10,400 – Overweight
Cameron Young returns to Sedgefield Country Club after completely dismantling this course and winning by six strokes last season. He also played extremely well at the Open Championship and carried that form into another strong performance at the Rocket Classic last week. We are seeing elite ball striking right now, and I am not sure anyone in this field can stay with him if the putter cooperates. Young has already proven that he can overpower this course while still displaying the accuracy and approach play necessary to create birdie opportunities. I believe he possesses legitimate runaway winning upside once again, and I will be overweight at $10,400.
Jackson Koivun – $10,100 – Overweight
Jackson Koivun is no longer simply the next big thing in golf because he has already established himself as a major force on the PGA Tour. His victory at the 3M Open should be the first of many, and although he was not quite as sharp at the Rocket Classic, he still produced a solid performance. Koivun finished tied for fifth at Sedgefield Country Club last season and returns with a game that has very few identifiable weaknesses. He drives it well, gains strokes with his irons, creates birdie opportunities, and owns the short game necessary to survive when he misses. This type of salary will become normal for Koivun in the future, and I will be overweight at $10,100.
Ryan Gerard – $9,300 – Underweight
Ryan Gerard should attract plenty of ownership because he enters this tournament playing some of the best golf of his career. He has recently been putting every part of his game together, but his history at Sedgefield Country Club raises legitimate concerns after missing the cut in each of his last two appearances. This course requires reliable accuracy and consistent control from the tee, and I am not convinced Gerard will be precise enough to justify this salary. He could absolutely continue his strong form and make the cut, but I do not see enough finishing upside at $9,300 to match what could become elevated ownership. I will still have some exposure, but I plan to remain underweight.
Tom Kim – $9,200 – Overweight
Tom Kim is a previous winner at Sedgefield Country Club and arrives in strong form after winning the Scottish Open and following it with another solid performance at the 3M Open. His ability to consistently hit greens and create manageable birdie opportunities makes him an excellent fit for this layout. Kim does not need to overpower a course because his accuracy and approach game allow him to pick apart shorter, positional tracks. He already understands the sightlines, preferred angles, and Bermuda greens at Sedgefield. At $9,200, I see legitimate winning upside and will be overweight.
Ben Griffin – $9,100 – Overweight
Ben Griffin is another golfer whose overall game appears extremely well suited for Sedgefield Country Club. He has played well here previously, owns an excellent short game, and should be comfortable clubbing down when necessary to prioritize fairways and proper approach angles. Griffin does not need to rely on distance because he can create scoring opportunities through accuracy, iron play, and strong putting. His familiarity with the property provides an additional advantage over golfers seeing these sightlines for the first time. I expect another strong performance and will be overweight at $9,100.
Middle Tier
Aaron Rai – $8,800 – Overweight
There is a lot to like about Aaron Rai at a course that rewards accuracy, patience, and quality tee to green play. I am willing to throw away his results on the two links courses and focus on a golfer who should be far more comfortable returning to Sedgefield Country Club. Rai is relentless, prepared, and capable of repeatedly placing the ball in the correct positions from the tee. This looks like an excellent opportunity for him to get back to doing Aaron Rai things, and I will be overweight at $8,800.
Alex Fitzpatrick – $8,700 – Underweight
Alex Fitzpatrick owns enough ball striking ability to make the cut, but I am concerned about his lack of experience at Sedgefield Country Club and whether his short game is strong enough for this particular test. This layout demands more than simply hitting quality irons because players must also manage difficult green complexes and save pars when they miss their preferred positions. Fitzpatrick could play respectable golf and still finish somewhere around 38th, which would not provide enough DraftKings value at $8,700. I will be underweight and search for more complete course fits in this range.
Brooks Koepka – $8,500 – Underweight
We are far removed from the version of Brooks Koepka who felt like a threat to win every major championship he entered. He played well enough at the Open Championship, but I am not convinced his current game or playing style fits what is required at Sedgefield Country Club. The putter has not been reliable enough, and even if he produces a solid putting week, I still question whether every part of his game can come together for four rounds. I may take a couple of shots because the name and upside will always be tempting, but I will mostly avoid Koepka and remain underweight at $8,500.
Davis Thompson – $8,400 – Greatly Overweight
Davis Thompson represents one of my strongest stances on the entire slate. He enters the week following back to back excellent performances, has already shown that he can play well at Sedgefield Country Club, and possesses the accuracy needed to consistently create clean approach opportunities. The putter has also looked noticeably better over the last couple of weeks, which significantly raises his ceiling when combined with his ball striking. I expect Thompson to generate plenty of birdie chances and believe he carries legitimate top 10 upside at only $8,400.
Mac Meissner – $8,100 – Overweight
Mac Meissner checks nearly every box I am looking for this week. He finished second at Sedgefield Country Club last season, also owns a tied for 12th finish here, and enters the tournament following a respectable showing at the Rocket Classic. His short game fits the property, his current form is encouraging, and he has a tremendous amount to play for while fighting to reach the FedEx Cup Playoffs. Course history, motivation, form, and price all align, making Meissner one of my favorite middle tier options at $8,100.
DFS Outsider Value Plays
Alex Noren – $7,900 – Overweight
Alex Noren finished tied for third at Sedgefield Country Club last season and enters this tournament following another strong performance last week. Distance will not be a major concern on this layout, while his reliable putting and overall course fit give him legitimate top 15 upside. I am willing to overlook the strokes he lost putting at the Open Championship, which presented a completely different challenge, and I will have strong exposure at $7,900.
Blades Brown – $7,800 – Overweight
Blades Brown will be making his first appearance at Sedgefield Country Club, but his complete skill set makes the lack of course experience less concerning. He is accurate, capable with the putter, and simply does nearly everything well. This will be a challenging test for the young golfer, but I want exposure to his upside at $7,800.
Ben Kohles – $7,700 – Overweight
Ben Kohles has missed the cut in his recent appearances here, but this is a completely different golfer from the one who produced those results. He has finished inside the top 26 in each of his last six starts, and his accuracy and elite approach play should create plenty of birdie opportunities. Distance will not hold him back at this course, and even an average putting performance could give Kohles legitimate top 20 upside at $7,700.
Matt Wallace – $7,500 – Overweight
Matt Wallace enters the week knowing he may need to produce something special to qualify for the FedEx Cup Playoffs. He finished tied for fifth last week while gaining strokes across the board, and I am comfortable overlooking his two poor putting performances on the links courses. Wallace appears to be finding his best golf at exactly the right time, and I want exposure to that combination of form, confidence, and motivation at $7,500.
J.T. Poston – $7,400 – Overweight
J.T. Poston has played well at Sedgefield Country Club, and his accurate, controlled game is a natural fit for this layout. I am willing to throw away the missed cut at the Open Championship and focus on the quality golf he displayed leading into that event. Poston is rested, owns an excellent putter, and provides appealing upside at only $7,400.
Michael Kim –$7,300- Overweight
Michael Kim owns a tied for fifth finish at Sedgefield Country Club and appears to be finding his form again after a couple of quieter performances. Most importantly, the putter has been extremely strong over the last few weeks, and I want golfers entering this tournament with confidence on the greens. Kim’s combination of course history and recent putting form makes him a golfer I plan to roster at an overweight position.
Denny McCarthy – $7,200 – Overweight
Denny McCarthy finished tied for 11th here last season and owns one of the strongest short games in the field. His third place finish at the 3M Open displayed the upside we are chasing, and I am not overly concerned about the weaker performance at the Rocket Classic. At only $7,200, McCarthy’s putting ability and course fit provide tremendous value.
DFS Outsider Dart Plays
Billy Horschel – $7,100
I want plenty of exposure to Billy Horschel because of his comfort and history at Sedgefield Country Club. He also finished tied for 13th at the 3M Open, and a similar result here could put him directly into the optimal lineup.
Austin Eckroat – $7,100
Austin Eckroat owns a sixth place finish at this course and has enough short game to contend when the ball striking cooperates. He will be hit or miss, but the course history and finishing upside make him worth taking chances on at this salary.
Kevin Yu – $7,100
Kevin Yu does not bring strong course history into the week, but he has been playing solid golf recently. If the improved putting continues, he has enough ball striking upside to produce a strong finish.
Beau Hossler – $7,000
Beau Hossler brings encouraging course history and a skill set that should translate well to Sedgefield Country Club. He is accurate enough from the tee and remains dangerous whenever the putter gets rolling.
Nicolás Echavarría – $7,000
Nicolás Echavarría has played well here during his recent appearances and owns the short game necessary to navigate these Bermuda greens. He may not have the safest floor, but his course comfort gives him appealing upside at $7,000.
Matt McCarty – $6,900
Matt McCarty interests me primarily because of his putting ability. A confident putter can quickly outperform this salary at a course where converting birdie opportunities and saving par will be critical.
Kris Ventura – $6,800
Kris Ventura is quietly playing some very solid golf right now. He has been striking the ball well, putting effectively, and doing enough in every area to deserve ownership at only $6,800.
Seamus Power – $6,800
Seamus Power brings a reliable short game and has played some encouraging golf recently. At a course where positioning, putting, and saving strokes around the greens matter so much, he has enough of the right tools to outperform this salary.
Patrick Fishburn – $6,700
Patrick Fishburn is one of my favorite dart plays after finishing tied for eighth at Sedgefield Country Club last season. He is extremely accurate, solid enough on the greens, and enters the tournament playing dependable golf.
A.J. Ewart – $6,600
A.J. Ewart has never played at Sedgefield Country Club, but he is a capable putter and gives me one of those strange gut feelings this week. There is not a massive statistical case behind it, but at $6,600, I am curious enough to take a few chances.
Karl Vilips – $6,600
Karl Vilips is the type of inexpensive golfer who is worth taking a few chances on in large field tournaments. The floor is not especially secure, but he owns enough talent and upside to outperform this salary.
Frankie’s Fade of the Week
Rasmus Højgaard – $7,600
Hey, meatballs, Frankie did a little investigating this week. Apparently, Rasmus Højgaard and his twin brother Nicolai Højgaard used to switch classes as kids and fool their teachers. Well, after Rasmus finished fourth last week, I think they may have pulled the old switcheroo again because I am not convinced the golfer showing up at Sedgefield Country Club is worth clicking at $7,600.
This place is tight, tree lined, and designed for golfers who can repeatedly put the ball in the correct position. Rasmus likes to pull out the big stick and let it fly, but accuracy is not exactly the first word Frankie uses when describing his game. One crooked drive at Sedgefield and you are not playing golf anymore. You are taking a nature walk through Greensboro.
Maybe the putter stays hot and maybe he carries over last week’s fourth place finish, but Frankie is not chasing points after they already happened. You can keep Rasmus, Nicolai, or whichever Højgaard brother shows up Thursday morning.
This week, Frankie is fading the entire Højgaard family.
Capisce?
Final Thoughts
This is the last chance to get in, and several golfers enter the Wyndham Championship with their entire FedEx Cup season hanging in the balance. That pressure should create an exciting tournament at a golf course where accuracy, approach play, putting, and course management will separate the contenders from the rest of the field. Certain types of golfers consistently excel at Sedgefield Country Club, and our job is to identify the players whose current form and skill sets align with what this course demands.
I plan to mix and match my exposure while using several different lineup constructions. Some builds will feature a more balanced approach, while others will use stars and scrubs to pair golfers such as Cameron Young and Jackson Koivun with the inexpensive dart plays we believe can outperform their salaries. I will also leave money on the table when necessary because there is no reason to force every lineup to use the entire salary cap if a lower owned combination makes more sense.
There are several golfers I want meaningful exposure to this week. Michael Kim enters with the hot putter I want at this course, while Tom Kim owns the accuracy, approach game, and winning history needed to contend again. Davis Thompson is one of my strongest plays on the slate because of his recent form, course fit, and legitimate top 10 upside. At the top, Cameron Young and Jackson Koivun both possess the talent to completely separate from this field if their games come together for four rounds.
We have produced a lot of strong picks and solid results over the last several weeks, but winning a large field tournament requires every part of the lineup to hit at the same time. The right golfers need to make the cut, the leverage plays need to outperform expectations, and the lineup construction needs to separate from thousands of competitors. I am going to swing for the fences, trust the research, and hope this is the week when all the right magic comes together.
Let’s take down a motherfucking GPP.
It only takes one
