DFS Dish: Billy Horschel looking to build off Open success at TPC Twin Cities
One of the final regular season stops on the PGA TOUR returns to TPC Twin Cities in Blaine, Minnesota.
For the sixth consecutive summer, the Arnold Palmer original from 2000 will host a field of 156 players trying to move themselves into the top 70 to qualify for the FedExCup Playoffs in August.
Lee Hodges set the tournament scoring record on the par 71, 7,431-yard layout last summer on 24-under-par 260. Winning by seven shots, another tournament record, he is back to defend his title.
Trivia question: The 3M Open has produced a winning total of 15-under or better in each of the five editions. Who produced the highest winning total?
DraftKings – Top of the Board
Tony Finau ($10,500): Never missing the cut in five previous visits, the Minnesota stop in July is always on his calendar. The 2022 winner by two shots also cashed T7 in defense and ran T3 in 2020. The familiarity of the layout plus his ability to overpower the 7,431 yards, will make him a popular selection, rightfully so, this week.
Sahith Theegala ($10,300): Leaving Scotland early like Finau, the 2023 Fortinet Championship winner from last September had time to acclimate over the weekend. Looking to add to his pair of runner-up finishes and sixth total top-10 paydays, he’s making his first appearance at TPC Twin Cities. Sturdy throughout his well-rounded bag, he should be able to handle the challenges tee-to-green plus the Bentgrass greens running 12.5 feet on the Stimpmeter.
Overvalued or undervalued?
Billy Horschel ($9,600): The fifth choice on the DraftKings board this week is coming off a very busy weekend at Royal Troon. Sleeping on the 54-hole lead for the first time in his career in a major championship, he played the final round 3-under 68 and lost by two shots. Grinding through the wind and rain of the Scottish summer and coming up just short should be taxing emotionally and physically. I will leave him to my competitors this week.
Cam Davis ($8,900): After winning the Rocket Mortgage Classic in Detroit, he leaped into the top 50 in the Official World Golf Ranking. Sadly, for the Australian, he missed the cut-off for that deadline to qualify for The Open. Making his sixth consecutive start in Minnesota, he has played the weekend in the previous four years and shared 10th last season, his fourth T28 or better payday running.
Rico Hoey ($7,500): After missing the cut in a streak of five events, the former USC Trojan is matching the summer mercury recently. Cashing T6 in Detroit to end the drought, the Filipino signed for T26 at the JDC, lost a five-man playoff at the ISCO Championship, and scored 40 points to share eighth last weekend at the Barracuda Championship. Making his 3M Open debut, I’ll ride the heat at an affordable price.
Makers or breakers
Sam Burns ($10,000): An easy third choice on the board, the five-time winner will not have any demons to face if he’s in contention on Sunday. Cashing T7 and T32 from two previous starts, he’s posted plenty of rounds in the red, including four at 66 or better.
Taylor Pendrith ($8,700): A first-time winner on TOUR at the shootout at TPC Craig Ranch last May, the big-hitting Canadian has not slowed down. Cashing T10 the following week at the Wells Fargo Championship, he posted T33 or better in five of his last seven events, including T21 at his national open and T16 at the U.S. Open. Taking two weeks off after T72 in Detroit, he returned to Lake Tahoe last weekend and shared fifth, his fifth top-10 result of the season.
Keith Mitchell ($9,400): The results at TPC Twin Cities T5 and fifth over the last two editions, are not the issue. Missing the cut in three of his last four on TOUR is the concern. At this price point, I need converging trends.
Tom Hoge ($8,800): The 2009 and 2010 Minnesota Amateur Champion grew up in neighboring North Dakota but loves to visit. Posting 25-under aggregate over the last two editions, the 2022 Pebble Beach champion has cashed T20 and T4. Missing the cut at The Genesis Scottish Open and finishing T72 at The Open doesn’t eliminate his T4 payday at the Travelers the last time he competed on U.S. soil.
Mac Meissner ($7,600): Making his fourth consecutive start in July, I am hooking my wagon to the trending 25-year-old. The clues were evident in May when he shared 13th in Myrtle Beach and followed it with T5 two weeks later at Colonial. After T57-MC-MC in June, he’s posted T20 at JDC, T16 at the ISCO Championship, and was the 54-hole leader at Barracuda last week before cashing solo fourth.
Cameron Champ ($7,000): The 2021 winner on 15-under took home T16 money in defense in 2022 on his last visit. If you’re curious about this price tag remember he just broke a streak of seven missed cuts with T50 at Barracuda last week. Caution.
Justin Suh ($6,700): Making his third start after cashing in his first two 3M Opens, I don’t have to worry about mindset or learning the course. The 2024 season has not been one to remember for the former USC Trojan, but he’s has flashed recently. Missing the cut in Kentucky, he opened with 65 before crashing out with 74 on Friday. At the Barracuda, he posted minus one point on Thursday before racking up 40 points over the last three rounds for T11, his best finish this year. Finding some heat with low ownership rarely hurts in this format.
Trivia answer: Cameron Champ has posted the highest winning total, 15-under, of the previous five 3M Opens.
The lineup
Here’s a look at how I would devise a six-team roster this week while staying below the $50,000 salary cap offered for DraftKings contests:
Tony Finau ($10,500)
Cam Davis ($8,900)
Taylor Pendrith ($8,700)
Mac Meissner ($7,600)
Rico Hoey ($7,500)
Justin Suh ($6,700)