This article is part of our Yahoo PGA DFS Picks series.
A Military Tribute at The Greenbrier
White Sulphur Springs, W.V.
The Old White TPC - Par 70 - 7,292 yards
Field - 156 entrants
Purse - $7.5M
The Preview
With the Korn Ferry Tour Finals running through Labor Day and a household name like Paul Casey recently winning overseas at the European Tour's Porsche Open, there was plenty of consumable golf content during the PGA Tour's brief offseason for the avid fan. The 2019-20 campaign already kicks off this week, as a schedule change brings us to a genial setting in White Sulphur Springs, WV for a Military Tribute at the Greenbrier. The Old White TPC has been admirably resurrected since floods wiped out the course back in 2016, when the event was cancelled due to a dangerous amount of rainfall, but the venue has failed to draw in a robust field. All 21 incoming rookies will be in attendance, however, giving us an immediate glimpse at the newest faces on the PGA Tour. Scattered thunderstorms figure to provide drama at some point from Friday to Sunday, so expect weather to play a role in the tiny town of less than 3,000 inhabitants.
Recent Champions
2018 - Kevin Na
2017 - Xander Schauffele
2015 - Danny Lee
2014 - Angel Cabrera
2013 - Jonas Blixt
2012 - Ted Potter, Jr.
2011 - Scott Stallings
2010 - Stuart Appleby
Key Stats to Victory
GIR percentage
SG: Putting
Birdie average
Yahoo Value Picks - based on $200 salary cap
Cream of the Crop
Jason Kokrak - $44
Kokrak, who ranked sixth in SG: Approach and 11th in SG: Off-the-Tee this past season, tied for third at the Greenbrier in 2018, when he hit a whopping 62 of 72 greens in regulation and led the entire field in GIR percentage. The 34-year-old has gained an average of 4.3 strokes from tee to green over his last five events and he even gained more than three strokes with the flat stick recently at both the BMW and Wyndham Championships. Kokrak is coming off the best campaign of his career, racking up 14 top-25s in 24 starts and surpassing the $2-million mark in single-season earnings for the first time ever.
Viktor Hovland - $40
Hovland turned pro just prior to teeing it up at late June's Travelers Championship, and he's already widely considered to be due for a win, stringing together impressive finishes of T13-T13-T16-4 to close out the 2018-19 season. His ball striking has been top notch, with him gaining no less than 8.4 strokes from tee to green in an event dating back to the 3M Open. The Oklahoma State product also gained strokes on approach shots during all eight of his measured starts on the PGA Tour in 2019.
Glue Guys
Tom Lewis - $38
One of the higher-ranked players among the weak field at 61st in the OWGR, Lewis heads to the Old White TPC coming off a dominant five-shot victory at the Korn Ferry Tour Championship. The win earned the European Tour regular a PGA Tour card for the 2019-20 season and rookie status moving forward. The Englishman tied for 11th at the Open Championship this summer and ended his authoritative week at the KFT finale with three consecutive scores of 66 or better to land atop the podium.
Russell Henley - $30
Collecting a trio of top-10 results throughout his last three trips to the Old White TPC, Henley travels back to a familiar site riding a stretch of four straight made cuts beginning with runner-up honors at the John Deere Classic in mid-July. This past season, Henley ranked 21st in proximity and 16th in par-4 birdie or better percentage, and he has gained an average of 2.5 strokes on approach shots over his last five tourneys.
Bargain Bin
Brandon Hagy - $20
Hagy's 2018-19 campaign was just brutal, as he missed the cut in all but one of his 13 starts, in no small part due to a wrist injury that ruined his form. He may have found his groove during the Korn Ferry Tour Finals, however, having finished T2-T5 at the Albertsons Boise Open and Nationwide Children's Hospital Championship. A top-20 during his Greenbrier debut in 2017 also sparks additional intrigue.
Kramer Hickok - $20
After missing the cut at the Barracuda and Wyndham Championships to end the 2018-19 regular season 11 spots shy of the Top 150 in the FedEx Cup standings, Hickok began the Korn Ferry Tour Finals on a more positive note with a T19 at the Nationwide Children's Hospital Championship. He then locked up his PGA Tour card in no-doubt fashion by notching back-to-back top-5s at the Korn Ferry Tour Championship and Albertsons Boise Open. Although he posted only four top-25s in 26 PGA Tour starts this past season, Hickok ranked 38th in SG: Off-the-Tee, 36th in SG: Around-the-Green and 23rd in total driving.
Bronson Burgoon - $20
Burgoon managed to tie for 30th at the 2018 Greenbrier despite a disappointing final-round 74, which was his worst score of the week by six shots after he entered Round 4 in a tie for ninth place. That performance at the Old Whtie TPC came on the heels of a T6 at the Quicken Loans National the week prior, and he's now coming off a T5 at the Albertsons Boise Open. Burgoon also finished fifth late in the season at the Barracuda Championship and has gained strokes from tee to green in four straight starts.
