The PGA Tour will travel across the northern border for the RBC Canadian Open in Toronto, Canada. This is not a great spot to be on the PGA schedule. The tour traveled to “Jack’s Place” for a signature event last week at the Memorial, and then it is off to the U.S. Open for the third major of the season next week. The field consists of 14 of the top-50 golfers in the World Golf Rankings. There should be plenty of decent choices for us to build some DFS lineups this week.
COURSE BREAKDOWN
The RBC Canadian Open rotates its courses each year, the same way the U.S. Open and the Open Championship rotates their courses for each tournament. The host course this year will be the TPC Toronto at Osprey Valley (North Course). It is a par 70 which plays 7,390 yards in length.
TPC Toronto should be a good test for the field this week as many of the golfers prepare for the U.S. Open. The rough is expected to be thick and deep. There are many bunkers strategically placed around the course to ensure accuracy off-the-tee and elite approach shots. The course also has a lot of elevations changes that will make the course play longer than listed on the scorecard. The sixth hole is a 250-yard par 3. It will test the players long iron game. There are only two par 5’s on the course, so that will reduce the scoring opportunities. The golfers will have to bring their top game in order to win the Canadian Open in Toronto.
Click here to see the course: TPC Toronto Osprey Valley (North Course)
CANADAIA OPEN KEY STATS
– Total Driving (Driving Length+ Driving Accuracy)
– Shots Gained Approach (175+ Yards)
-Par 4 Scoring (400 – 450 Yards)
– Shots Gained Putting (Bentgrass)
Here is the recent form and course history for each golfer this week: History & Form
TOP 30 GOLFERS
CORE GOLFERS FOR CANADIAN OPEN
CANADIAN OPEN STRATEGY
I went with a stars and scrubs approach last week and if backfired big time. The highest priced golfers did not show up at the top of the leaderboard the way I thought they would. So, will it be the same this week?
I like Sam Burns, Tommy Fleetwood and Wyndham Clark a lot this week. But I also like many of the golfers in the $8K price range that seem to be mispriced. I am building more of a balanced approach, but I will still have 35% ownership of my top three golfers (Burns, Fleetwood and Clark).
DRAFTKINGS CASH CONTEST
WYNDHAM CLARK ($9,700): Clark is one of the streakiest golfers on the PGA Tour and he is on a heater right now. Clark finished 16th in the Signature Event at the RBC Heritage, won the C.J. Cup and finished 3rd last week at the Memorial. This is a long course and Clark has an advantage off the tee. He is my pick to win and the golfer I will start my Cash Contest with in Canada.
KRISTOFFER REITAN ($8,800): This Norwegian is playing some of the best golf on the PGA Tour. Reitan finished 14th at the Cadillac Classic (Signature Event), Won the Truist (Signature Event) and he finished 6th at the Memorial (Signature Event). He should have no problem finishing in the top-10 in a weaker field this week.
ALEX FITZPATRICK ($8,700): You could actually make an argument that Alex should be the highest-priced golfer on DraftKings and not Matthew Fitzpatrick. Alex has proven that he belongs on the PGA Tour. Over the past two months, Alex won the Indian Open (DP World Tour), won the Zurich Classic, finished 9th at the Cadillac Classic (Signature Event), 4th at the Truist (Signature Event) and 6th at the Memorial (Signature Event). He ranks No. 1 in the field in recent form. I see no reason for Fitzpatrick to slow down across the border.
ERIC COLE ($8,000): I have been playing Cole a lot in DFS this year and unlike many of my other picks, Cole has not let me down. He is one of the best golfers on the PGA Tour after the tee-shot. Cole ranks No. 94 is Shots Off-the-Tee and then he lights up the stat sheet. Cole ranks No. 3 in SG Approach, No. 7 in Scrambling, No. 2 in SG Putting and No. 4 overall in the Key Stats. The fairways are wide this week, so his weakness off-the-tee should be reduced and then he can attack the pins and roll in putts all weekend long.
DOUG GHIM ($7,500): I thought about many golfers for this spot, but I decided to roll with ‘The Ghim Reaper”. Ghim is in good form. He finished 30th at the Valero, 19th at Myrtle Beach, 31st at the C.J. Cup and 28th at the Charles Schwab. Ghim ranks No. 3 in the field in SG Tee-to-Green, No. 4 in Ball-Striking and No. 12 overall in the Key Stats. Ghim has had some success in Canada before, so I will take chance with him in my Cash Contest lineup.
ZACHARY BAUCHOU ($7,300): No golfer jumped off the page as much as Bauchou when I ran the key stats for the Canadian Open. Bauchou ranks No. 5 in SG Tee-to-Green, No. 9 in SG Approach, No. 16 in Scrambling, No. 27 in SG Putting and No. 6 overall in the Key Stats. He has finished his last four tournaments in the top-28. His recent form is just too good to fade this week. Bauchou gets a spot at the bottom of my Cash Contest lineup this week.
DRAFTKINGS TOURNAMENT CONTEST
TOMMY FLEETWOOD ($10,300): I typically do not play Fleetwood because he does not win and I am finding out that is a mistake. Fleetwood may not win, but he does finish in the top-five a lot. He finished 5th at the Truist and 4th at the Memorial, so his form is good. He also finished 6th in 2018 and 2nd in 2023, so Fleetwood has had some success in Canada. Fleetwood ranks No. 5 in my Key Stats this week. I am not sure he will win, but Fleetwood has a good chance to add another top-five finish to his 2026 resume.
BROOKS KOEPKA ($9,500): I would have never played Koepka in this spot before he left for the LIV Tour. Pre-LIV Koepka would have shown up with his “I do not give a shit” attitude and finished 60th. Post-LIV Tour Koepka cares. He needs to stack solid finishes in order to get into the Signature Events. Koepka is one of the best tee-to-green players in the field. He has a good chance to win if he can putt this week.
AARON RAI ($8,300): It is hard to fade Rai right now. He finished 5th at Myrtle Beach, won the PGA Championship and he finished 19th last week at the Memorial. Rai has played the Canadian Open three times. He finished 14th, 3rd and 13th. Rai has the recent form and the tournament history to win the Canadian Open Sunday.
NICK TAYLOR ($8,000): You almost cannot play a DFS Contest this week without a Canadian in your lineup, right. The golfers from Canada get really excited for this tournament. Taylor won the Canadian Open in dramatic fashion when he rolled in a 72-foot eagle putt to beat Tommy Fleetwood in a playoff in 2023. I would love to see Fleetwood and Taylor in a playoff again this week.
MACKENZIE HUGHES ($7,200): The only thing better than having one Canadian in your DFS lineup this week is having two golfers from North of the boarder. Hughes is coming off a 10th-place finish the Charles Schwab. He is going to be extra motivated to win the Open in his home country. His short game is outstanding right now. He just needs to dial in his off-the-tee game and Hughes should be near the first page of the leaderboard Sunday.
TOM HOGE ($6,600): This play is more of a gut feeling than anything else. Hoge has popped up on the first page of the leaderboard a few times this year. He finished 14th at Pebble Beach, 26th at the PGA Championship and 6th in the C.J. Cup. I do not need a lot out of Hoge this week in order for this lineup to Cash. His accuracy off-the-tee and on his approach shots should allow Hoge to make the cut. Anything after that is gravy on your poutine (google it, if you do not know what poutine is).
Here is my Multi-Entry Tournament Contests Lineups: (Multi Entry Lineups)
FANDUEL CASH CONTEST
FANDUEL TOURNAMENT CONTEST
PGATOUR.COM FANTASY PICKS
* This is the first tournament in Segment 3. This is the toughest Segment to navigate. We have the U.S. Open, the Open Championship and the FedEx Playoff Tournaments. Use your golfers wisely in this Segment.
FANTASY GOLF CHAMPIONSHIP ONE & DONE PICK: WYNDHAM CLARK (CANADIAN OPEN)
Players in Fantasy Golf Championship One & Done so far: Patrick Cantlay (17th), Rickie Fowler (MC), Jordan Spieth (19th), Bryson DeChambeau (MC), Cameron Young (10TH), Scottie Scheffler (2ND), Matthew Fitzpatrick (WIN), Jon Rahm (38th), Keith Mitchell (M/C), Brooks Koepka (M/C), Jacob Bridgeman (14th), Collin Morikawa (W/D), Rory McIlroy (W/D), Shane Lowry (2nd), Tommy Fleetwood (7th), Russell Henley (12th), Si Woo Kim (3rd), Jason Day (38th), Ben Griffin (24TH), Hideki Matsuyama (13th)
SEASON-LONG ONE & DONE PICK: SAM BURNS (CANADIAN OPEN)
– One & Done picks used so far this season: Alex Smalley (MC), Rickie Fowler (MC), Eric Cole (31st), Xander Schauffele (7th), Rory McIlory (19th), Scottie Scheffler (2nd), Sahith Theegala (24TH), Patrick Cantlay (8TH), Bryson DeChambeau (M/C), Jordan Spieth (63RD), Min Woo Lee (3RD), Jacob Bridgeman (14th), Collin Morikawa (W/D), Rory McIlroy (W/D), Shane Lowry (2nd), Hideki Matsuyama (28th), Justin Rose (37th), Cameron Young (41st), Maverick McNealy (10th), Si Woo Kim (6TH), Russell Henley (19th), Michael Thorbjornsen (7th), Nico Echavarria (46TH), Garrett Higgo (15th), Alex Noren (23rd), Davis Thompson (21st)
BEST BETS FOR THE CANADIAN OPEN
WYNDHAM CLARK 24-1
BROOKS KOEPKA 29-1
AARON RAI 41-1
ALEX FITZPATRICK 42-1
NICK TAYLOR 47-1
ERIC COLE 48-1
Good Luck This Week!!!!
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