This article is part of our DraftKings PGA DFS Picks series.
BMW Championship
Purse: $8.25M
Winner's Share: $1.485M
FedEx Cup Points: 2000 to the Winner
Location: Lake Forest, Ill.
Course: Conway Farms Golf Club
Yardage: 7,198
Par: 71
Defending Champion: Billy Horschel
Tournament Preview
After a one-week rest in the schedule, just 70 players remain afloat for the penultimate leg of the FedEx Cup playoffs, the BMW Championship. Following this week will be another hefty cut to 30 for the Tour Championship; those entering outside the bubble will need to take serious advantage to survive, as only two players have earned their way in from outside the top 30 each of the last three seasons. The par-71 Conway Farms layout hosted it's one and only PGA Tour event for the 2013 BMW Championship, where Zach Johnson triumphed over Nick Watney by two strokes. Jason Day and Jordan Spieth are already guaranteed to retain a top-5 spot in the standings, meaning they'll control their own destiny at next week's Tour Championship. All others will fend for themselves including Sergio Garcia, who skipped the first two legs and will need a great finish to edge into the top 30 entering the week in 54th position.
Key Stats to winning at Conway Farms
• Recent Form
• Strokes Gained Total
Past Champions
2014 – Billy Horschel
2013 – Zach Johnson (Conway Farms GC)
2012 – Rory McIlroy
2011 – Justin Rose
2010 – Dustin Johnson
2009 – Tiger Woods
2008 – Camilo Villegas
2007 – Tiger Woods
2006 – Trevor Immelman
2005 – Jim Furyk
Champion's Profile
With little historical baseline to work from this week, stats are heavily muted and recent form amplified at a course that is average length and comprised of just three par-5s. The par-5s are longer at 575+ yards, which usually favors long hitters, but in 2013 it was Zach Johnson's elite wedge play that trumped the field, further reinforcing that recent form is to be trusted most. Though everyone is guaranteed four rounds this week, take a good look at players inside the top 30 who have hit their stride in the FedEx Cup playoffs to rise to the top.
DRAFTKINGS VALUE PICKS (Based on Standard $50K Salary Cap)
DraftKings Tier 1 Values
Jason Day - $12,600 (Odds: 7/1)
Rory McIlroy - $12,100 (9/1)
Jordan Spieth - $11,600 (11/1)
Henrik Stenson - $11,400 (12/1)
DraftKings Tier 2 Values
Rickie Fowler - $10,700 (Odds: 16/1)
Jim Furyk - $10,000 (20/1)
DraftKings Tier 3 Values
Zach Johnson - $9,500 (Odds: 25/1)
Matt Kuchar - $9,200 (33/1)
Hideki Matsuyama - $8,900 (35/1)
DraftKings Long-Shot Values
Louis Oosthuizen - $8,400 (Odds: 45/1)
Kevin Kisner - $8,100 (55/1)
Hunter Mahan - $8,000 (50/1)
Brandt Snedeker - $7,900 (60/1)
Danny Lee - $7,700 (66/1)
MY PICKS THIS WEEK
Lower-Risk Cash Game Lineup ($50K Salary Cap)
Jim Furyk - $10,000
Zach Johnson - $9,500
Hunter Mahan - $8,000
Brandt Snedeker - $7,900
Danny Lee - $7,700
Brendon de Jonge - $6,800
The safe lineup is full of precision players with a strong showing in 2013 at Conway Farms. Johnson, Furyk, Mahan, and Snedeker were top-8 at this venue a couple years ago and de Jonge posted a top-20, all proving that hitting it long wasn't as big an advantage here as it typically is on the PGA Tour. Rounding out the lineup is Danny Lee, who checks all the prerequisites of current form and precision off the tee to contend at Conway Farms.
Higher-Risk Tournament Lineup ($50K Salary Cap)
Jason Day - $12,600
Zach Johnson - $9,500
Ryan Palmer - $7,300
Nick Watney - $7,000
Cameron Tringale - $6,800
Daniel Berger - $6,800
Jason Day is capable of taking down the last two legs of FedEx Cup, and though he'll be sought by many this week, he's just too good now to pass on. Zach Johnson appears in both my lineups because of his win here in 2013 and price tag of just - $9,500. Watney also falls under the umbrella of course history as a runner-up in 2013, while Palmer enters with a recent T6 at The Barclays a few weeks back. Cameron Tringale and rookie Daniel Berger are long shots but have flashed recent signs of good play and will be lower-owned in this week's smaller field.
