DraftKings PGA DFS Picks: U.S. Open Picks

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Updated on June 16, 2015 12:57PM EST

U.S. Open

Purse: $9.0M
Winner's Share: $1,620,000
FedEx Cup Points: 600 to the Winner
Location: University Place, Washington
Course: Chambers Bay GC
Yardage: 7,742
Par: 70
Defending Champion: Martin Kaymer

Tournament Preview

Alas, the long anticipated U.S. Open at untested Chambers Bay is upon us. Opened for play just eight short years ago, the British-style links layout in Washington will be the youngest U.S. Open course in history and will debunk the typical U.S. Open course setup. Forget the tight fairways and thick rough; Chambers Bay is an all-fescue golf course with fairways as wide as 100 yards, unprecedented undulation and just one tree on the property. It has more parallels to St. Andrews than eight-time U.S. Open host Oakmont Country Club. In addition, there will be holes changing par throughout the tournament; the first and 18th holes will shift tee boxes to transform between par-4s and par-5s depending on the day. The field is set at 156 players, with the likes of World No. 1 Rory McIlroy and all of golf's top stars vying for the coveted U.S. Open trophy. With so many unknowns about the new course, scores will be a complete question mark but the challenge will be predictably daunting.

Key Stats to winning at Chambers Bay

Driving Distance
Strokes Gained: Total
Scrambling

Last Decade of Champions

2014 – Martin Kaymer
2013 – Justin Rose
2012 – Webb Simpson
2011 – Rory McIlroy
2010 – Graeme McDowell
2009 – Lucas Glover
2008 – Tiger Woods
2007 – Angel Cabrera
2006 – Geoff Ogilvy
2005 – Michael Campbell

Champion's Profile

Though no professional event has ever been staged at the young Chambers Bay, it did host the U.S. Amateur in 2010. The outcome was stroke play qualifying scores averaging nearly 80, but ultimately the final match produced the top-ranked amateurs in the world in Peter Uihlein and David Chung. This is telling because very difficult courses such as Chambers Bay tend to bring the best players to the top of the leaderboard. With immense length up to 7,800 yards and punishing undulation around the property, expect top-ranked players with length and creativity around the greens to succeed at this U.S. Open. Rory McIlroy, Phil Mickelson and Bubba Watson immediately stand out as fitting the profile.

DraftKings Value Picks (Based on Standard $50K Salary Cap)

Tier 1 Values
Rory McIlroy - $13,000 (Odds: 5/1)
Jordan Spieth - $12,600 (7/1)
Dustin Johnson - $11,300 (16/1)
Rickie Fowler - $10,800 (18/1)
Phil Mickelson - $10,200 (18/1)

Tier 2 Values
Jason Day - $9,900 (Odds: 22/1)
Bubba Watson - $9,400 (28/1)
Hideki Matsuyama - $8,900 (33/1)
Patrick Reed - $8,500 (33/1)

Tier 3 Values
Brooks Koepka - $7,800 (Odds: 50/1)
Keegan Bradley - $7,700 (55/1)
Ryan Moore - $7,500 (66/1)
J.B Holmes - $7,500 (66/1)
Webb Simpson - $7,500 (66/1)

Long-Shot Values
Gary Woodland - $7,300 (Odds: 100/1)
Charley Hoffman - $7,000 (80/1)
Jamie Donaldson - $7,000 (100/1)
Victory Dubuisson - $7,000 (100/1)
Marc Leishman - $7,000 (100/1)

My Picks This Week

Lower-Risk Cash Game Lineup ($50K Salary Cap)

Phil Mickelson - $10,200
Bubba Watson - $9,400
Patrick Reed - $8,500
Ryan Moore - $7,500
J.B Holmes - $7,500
Angel Cabrera - $6,800

The fact Phil Mickelson has finished second six times without winning a U.S. Open is a travesty, but if there's a course that would get the monkey off his back, it's Chambers Bay. Bubba Watson has a spotty record at the U.S. Open, but this course feeds into his incredible length and creativity making him a fantastic pick. Patrick Reed played the 2010 U.S. Amateur at Chambers Bay and posted a 68 in stroke play qualifying so he has had some success on this course and is primed to contend in a major. Ryan Moore is the hometown favorite hailing from nearby Tacoma and plenty capable of riding the supportive crowd to a great finish. Lastly, Cabrera is a two-time major champion and, along with Holmes, shares the necessary length off the tee to compete on a major golf course.

Higher-Risk Tournament Lineup ($50K Salary Cap)

Rory McIlroy - $13,000
Patrick Reed - $8,500
Brooks Koepka - $7,800
Charley Hoffman - $7,000
Marc Leishman - $7,000
Retief Goosen - $6,300

There's no need to justify world No.1 Rory McIlroy, and when it's a links course that demands length and high ball flight, this could be another runaway major title for the Northern Irishman. Reed offers plenty of upside with an incredible short game and self-confidence to compete on a course he played as an amateur in 2010. Koepka is coming off a great tournament last week in Memphis, has the incredible advantage of length, and posted a top-5 finish at the U.S. Open last year. Charley Hoffmann is enjoying a career year after winning the OHL Classic and contending at the Masters in April. Leishman has a sneaky good iron game and short game to contend as a lower-priced option. Finally, Goosen may not have the length to win at this layout, but he's no stranger to U.S. Open success as a two-time champion; he could certainly make the cut and surprise with a solid finish.

The author(s) of this article may play in daily fantasy contests including – but not limited to – games that they have provided recommendations or advice on in this article. In the course of playing in these games using their personal accounts, it's possible that they will use players in their lineups or other strategies that differ from the recommendations they have provided above. The recommendations in this article do not necessarily reflect the views of RotoWire. Michael Riek plays in daily fantasy contests using the following accounts: FanDuel: mriek25.