Arnold Palmer Invitational FanDuel Report

There’s a star-studded field at Bay Hill this week. While we won’t see Tiger at the Arnold Palmer Invitational this year, there will still be plenty of top-25 World Golf Rankings players to choose from. The API is held at Bay Hill Club in Orlando, FL. It’s a Par 72 that measures 7,419 yards with Bermuda greens. This course is filled with bunkers and water hazards, so driving accuracy will be key this week. The top 65 (and ties) of the 121 player field will advance into the weekend after 36 holes. 

So, who makes the cut for me this week? 

$10k+

Cash: Sungjae Im - $11,000: I decided to go with Im here because Rory is the obvious choice and his ownership will probably be ten percent more than what Im will see. Im also saves you $1,200. So, Sungjae is checking all of the boxes for me this week. He’s 29th in SG: App, 27th in SG: Par 5, 20th in SG: P (Bermuda) and Opps Gained, and he’s ninth in Good Drives Gained. He finished first in last week’s Honda Classic and also finished T3 at this tournament last year.

GPP: Matthew Fitzpatrick - $10,200: Fitzpatrick is right behind Im in my model and at about half the projected ownership. Fitzpatrick is top-ten in SG: P (Bermuda), Opps Gained, and Good Drives Gained. He finished second here last year and T13 in 2017.

Pivot: Xander Schauffele - $11,500

$9k+

Cash: Tyrrell Hatton - $9,900: As of now (Tuesday night), Hatton’s projected ownership is around 16 percent, the highest in this price range. I like Hatton here because he finished T6 at the WGC-Mexico a couple of weeks back and he’s been in very good form. He’s ninth in SG: App, 34th in SG: P5, and 30th in Good Drives Gained. While he finished T29 and T69 at Bay Hill over the last two years, he did finish T4 in 2017.

GPP: Kevin Kisner - $9,500: Kisner is flying under the radar this week, or at least according to his projected ownership (under two percent). He’s 17th in SG: P (Bermuda) and Opps Gained, and seventh in Good Drives Gained. Over his last three years at this tournament, he has a T23, a Missed Cut, and a T2. He also finished T18 two weeks ago at the WGC-Mexico.

Pivot: Billy Horschel - $9,800 

$8k+

Cash: Maverick McNealy - $8,800: Just read his name. How could I NOT take him here?! Other than having an awesome name, McNealy has been playing some really nice golf lately. He finished T11 at the Honda Classic last week and T27 at the Puerto Rico Open. He’s 27th in SG: P5 and 13th in Good Drives Gained.

GPP: Brian Harman - $8,200: Other than SG: App, where he ranks 80th in the field, Harman is checking all of the other boxes for me. 12th in SG: P5, 42nd in both SG:P (Bermuda) and Opps Gained, and 27th in Good Drives Gained. He finished T13 here in 2017 and then T17 in 2016.

Pivot: Patrick Rodgers - $8,100

$7k+

Cash: Harry Higgs - $7,900: Higgs made the cut at the Honda Classic last week, and finished T58. He did finish T18 a few weeks ago at the AT&T and then T25 at the Waste Management the week prior. He ranks 17th in SG: P5 and 19th in Good Drives Gained.

GPP: Nate Lashley - $7,500: Lashley is my highest-ranked golfer in this price range. He’s fifth in SG: P5, 20th in both SG: P (Bermuda) and Opps Gained, and top-50 in both SG: App and Good Drives Gained. 

Pivot: Danny Lee - $7,700

Key Stats “Key”:

SG: App = Strokes Gained Approach

SG: P5 = Strokes Gained Par 5 Scoring

SG: P (Bermuda) = Strokes Gained Putting on Bermuda Greens

Opps Gained = Birdie Opportunities inside 15 feet from green/fringe

Good Drives Gained = Player hitting the fairway off the tee, or hits the green in regulation 

* All Stats and Ownership Projections courtesy of Fantasy National