This article is part of our DraftKings PGA DFS Picks series.
CIMB CLASSIC
Purse: $7M
Winner's Share: $1,260,000
FedEx Cup Points: 500 to the Winner
Location: Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Course: TPC Kuala Lumpur
Yardage: 7,005
Par: 72
2015 champion: Justin Thomas
Tournament Preview
We have an interesting and unique scenario this week, as there are two tournament histories to consider. The CIMB Classic has been at TPC Kuala Lumpur the past three years and the course also was home of the Malaysian Open on the European Tour from 2010-15. Some golfers played the track twice a year, though those generally were not the top names in this limited, no-cut field. The 78 golfers combine 60 from the PGA Tour's top-125 last season, the current top-10 on the Asian Tour Order of Merit and eight sponsor's exemptions. This field is the best in tournament history, with five of the top-15 in the OWGR: No. 6 Adam Scott, No. 7 Patrick Reed, No. 12 Paul Casey, No. 13 Sergio Garcia and No. 14 Branden Grace. Ryan Moore won in 2013-14, and Justin Thomas emerged atop last year's birdie-fest at a whopping 26-under, one stroke better than Scott. The course is tiny by modern standards at roughly 7,000 yards -- five par-4s are under 400 yards -- though it usually has a few more teeth that it displayed last year, with plenty of undulations, uneven fairways, and water trouble. Weather has been a factor in the hot, humid, and rainy conditions of Malaysia. Ten of the 12 rounds in the prior three CIMBs were played with preferred lies, and the early starters on Thursday have scored better than the afternoon wave three years running. That may not be the case this year, as there's not a lot of rain, relatively speaking, in the forecast this time around. There's also little wind expected, but the hot/humid conditions will be on full display.
Key Stats to Winning at TPC Kuala Lumpur
• Driving accuracy
• Greens in regulation
• Proximity to the hole
• One-putt percentage (putts per GIR)
Past Champions
2015 - Justin Thomas
2014 - Ryan Moore
2013 - Ryan Moore
2012 - Nick Watney
2011 - Bo Van Pelt
2010 - Ben Crane
Champion's Profile:
With four rounds guaranteed, the best players have tended to gravitate to the top of the leaderboard by Sunday. Long hitters have less of an advantage here, and some would argue that there's little penalty for missing the fairway. But driving accuracy makes our list of key stats, as quality ball strikers and strong tee-to-green games flourish here. To see Thomas' 26-under again this go-round would be a surprise; the course was defenseless last year and he putted out of his mind. Scrambling skills, so often critical, should not be high on your list this week; the top performers will not be missing greens with many short approach shots. Thomas won by being first in one-putt percentage, while Moore was fourth two years ago and second the year before that. Those numbers were a result of precision approach shots as much as deftness with their putters.
DRAFTKINGS VALUE PICKS (Based on Standard $50K Salary Cap)
DraftKings Tier 1 Values
Hideki Matsuyama - $11,300 (Winning odds at golfodds.com: 12-1)
It's a tough call at the top of the DraftKings board. We reluctantly omitted top choice Paul Casey ($11,600), wondering how long his hot streak can continue, and No. 3 Patrick Reed ($11,200), wondering whether this will be a bit of a letdown after the adrenaline rush of the Ryder Cup. So we start with No. 2 choice Matsuyama, a superior ball striker coming off a victory last week. Yes, it was in the Japan Open Golf Championship in a weak field. He's steadily improved at the CIMB, from 25th three years ago to 21st to fifth last year.
Adam Scott - $10,900 (12-1)
Scott is a tee-to-green machine. To shoot 25-under, which he did last year, and not be a top putter is remarkable. Scott led the tour in proximity to the hole last season and was third in GIR. "Nuff said.
Ryan Moore - $10,600 (15-1)
He won the CIMB twice in a row, then finished 10th last year. Sometimes, a course just suits a guy and that means we don't have to overthink things.
Sergio Garcia - $10,100 (15-1)
Another top-level golfer tee-to-green, Garcia "slipped" to 24th last year. He was runner-up to Moore in 2015 and 11th the year before that. If it turns into a putting contest, he's in trouble, but the Spaniard should be in the mix on Sunday. Garcia was T6 in GIR on tour last season.
DraftKings Tier 2 Values
Kevin Na - $9,900 (20-1)
Na was third last year and runner-up the year before. He was seventh last week at the Safeway Open. He plays his best golf in the fall, for whatever reason. We reluctantly included Na here. We do like him, but we'd like him better if here were $500-$800 cheaper.
Byeong-Hun An - $9,400 (30-1)
An, making his debut as a PGA Tour member, has no course history here. Since finishing second in New Orleans last spring to climb to No. 24 in the world, the South Korean experienced a rough patch, a really rough patch, but he's steadied of late. He finished third in the Euro Tour's KLM Open last month.
Rafael Cabrera-Bello - $9,200 (30-1)
Another PGA Tour "rookie," Cabrera Bello was the breakout star for the European Ryder Cup team, giving him enhanced prominence in the golf world. He has never played the CIMB, but was third in the Malaysian Open in 2012 and fourth in 2011.
Emiliano Grillo - $8,600 (30-1)
Grillo has never played the CIMB, but was 36th in the Malaysian Open last year, previously missing two cuts there. He's a far more established golfer now. A strong, smart tee-to-green player who was 27th on tour in GIR last season.
DraftKings Tier 3 Values
Russell Knox - $8,200 (30-1)
Almost any time there's a course that keeps the shorter hitters in the conversation, we like Knox. And so do the oddsmakers, leveling him with An and Cabrera-Bello at 30-1 and placing him ahead of world No. 14 Branden Grace (40-1). Knox finished 21st the CIMB last year. He was T11 on tour in proximity to the hole last season and ninth in GIR.
Tony Finau - $8,100 (50-1)
One of the sweetest swingers around, Finau obviously is among the game's biggest bombers. But he's shown the ability to take his foot off the pedal, as he did last year when cashing 9th in his CIMB debut.
Ryo Ishikawa - $7,500 (60-1)
Ishikawa has become an afterthought on the American tour, never realizing his potential and then being slowed by injury. But he's climbed from 203rd in the world in mid-2015 to 102nd now. He last played on the PGA Tour in Phoenix in February and missed the cut. He then took five months off and has been playing in Japan. He was T7 last week in the tournament Matsuyama won, but before that, was 3-T2-1 in his three prior starts. Most remarkable stat of all: He just turned 25.
Younghan Song - $7,300 (100-1)
Song's name may sound familiar. He represented himself nicely with a T21 at the Bridgestone and a T56 at the PGA Championship. But he was most impressive in fending off then-No. 1 Jordan Spieth to capture the Singapore Open last January. Before slipping last week at the Japan Open, Song had five straight top-10s in Asia, and is up to 94th in the world.
DraftKings Long-Shot Values
James Hahn - $7,200 (100-1)
By now, we are really reaching. The cream has almost always risen to the top of the CIMB, but we have to pick some long shots, and Hahn seems like a good place to start after finishing sixth in the tournament last year. Afterward, he said, "I love playing this golf course." That counts for something.
Aaron Baddeley - $7,100 (150-1)
See: Knox. Baddeley isn't in the Scot's class, but on a shorter course where putting can mask a lot of deficiencies, Baddeley remains among the best putters in the world. He played the course only once, impressively cashing 5th at the 2013 CIMB.
Billy Hurley III - $7,100 (100-1)
Hurley was eighth at the CIMB two years ago in his lone start on this course. The former Navy man should have the stamina to withstand the hot and humid conditions more than most in the field. Also importantly, Hurley was T13 on tour last year in proximity to the hole.
Marcus Fraser - $6,400 (150-1)
Fraser shined at the Olympics, leading for much of the tournament before tying for fifth. This is his CIMB debut, though he was 25th last year in the Malaysian Open. Fraser also played in Malaysia back in February. He played in the Euro Tour's Maybank Championship Malaysia on a different course, and he won, defeating the likes of Louis Oosthuizen, Joost Luiten and Danny Willett.
