Sungjae Im emerged victorious at the 2020 Honda Classic, a roller coaster ride all the way to the finish.  The Florida swing continues with the 2020 Arnold Palmer Invitational, featuring a hefty number of the world’s best.  With a larger percentage of top players in the mix, the door is open for a wild combination of lineups and player selections on DraftKings.  The question will be what type of lineup is the most comfortable option for you (e.g. stars and scrubs) or whether you want a mixture of options. 

For last week’s Honda Classic, I made four preferred picks in four separate price ranges here at The Wife Hates Sports.  The results were mixed.

To be honest, I’m not sure why Emiliano Grillo landed on my list.  He didn’t really stand out on any of the statistical analysis that I completed.  Maybe it was a pick from the gut, which I will not do again, unless otherwise noted.  I ended up paying for that Grillo pick, along with Tom Hoge, who I did feel confident including for the Honda.

Oh well, that’s golf, people.

Otherwise, my picks of Harris English and Gary Woodland fared well.  I also had tournament winner Sungjae Im in most of my lineups.  Also, for what it’s worth, I’m not in a situation where I play 50-100 lineups like a lot of DFS players.  It is typically fewer than ten.  Whether that changes as I write more about PGA DFS, that remains to be seen.

So let’s shift gears and focus on the 2020 Arnold Palmer Invitational, specifically the players that pop statistically for me this week.  Like last week,  I will focus on one player from a different price range on DraftKings.  Only, this week I’ll add in five players, including someone from the 10K range all the way down to the 6K range.

In the end, you guys don’t need a reason to play Rory ($11,800), you just need the cap space.

Here is my list of top selections for the 2020 Arnold Palmer Invitational  – a list that THE WIFE is certain to hate.

PGA DFS 2020 Arnold Palmer Invitational: Say ‘I Do’ to these Five Players on DraftKings

Bryson DeChambeau ($10,400 – DraftKings)

The options come down to Bryson, Hideki and Xander.  All could have some significant ownership, but Xander sounds like the early favorite to be the most popular.  He just hasn’t put it together for four rounds.  The beefed up Bryson, meanwhile, has steadily been getting better as the season progresses.  There are plenty of reasons to take Hideki, but I’m sticking with Bryson for the following reasons:

  • Three top ten finishes in his last four tournaments
  • Top ten on tour in achieving Birdies or Better from 200+ yards out, a key stat considering the likely approach distances for the majority of holes at Bay Hill
  • While his rank in SG: Approach (94th) isn’t near Xander and Hideki, he makes up for it with his scrambling (top 20) and Sand Save Percentage (3rd), which will be imperative with Bay Hill’s many bunkers and hazards
  • He finished as the runner-up to Rory at Arnie’s tournament back in 2018
  • Third in Birdie to Bogey ratio, a key stat for DraftKings scoring
  • Top 5 on the PGA Tour in both Scoring Average and Round 1 Scoring Average, a key stat to making cuts and finishing strong

Sungjae Im ($9,500 – DraftKings)

Mark my words, the Honda Classic winner won’t go back-to-back.  Still, Im’s really pop when it comes to success at the Arnold Palmer Invitational.  If you are ok with another top 10 or 20 finish at this price range, then I think he’s a wiser pick than the likes of Jason Day or Adam Scott.  Here’s why:

  • My favorite categories for the tournament include SG: Approach (24th), Birdies or Better from 200+ yards (11th) and Par 5 Performance (4th).  So, yes cracking the top 25 on tour in all three of these categories is a sign for success
  • The recent course history is there, including a top five in last year’s tournament at Bay Hill
  • Im cracks the top ten in both Scoring Average and Round 1 Scoring Average, which are signs of early tournament success and making the cut
  • Top 20 in Birdie to Bogey Ratio, a big one when considering DK stats for birdies

Collin Morikawa ($8,400 – DraftKings)

For me, there are a lot of good options in the 8K range on DraftKings.  My favorite is Colin Morikawa for his consistency.  Sure, he is certain to be highly owned on DraftKings, so you could pivot to the likes of Tyrell Hatton, Marc Leishman or Matthew Fitzpatrick.  But if you trust that Morikawa could post a monster performance, why stay away?  Take the following reasons:

  • Plain and simple, he doesn’t miss cuts.  That means a chance over the weekend.
  • As mentioned with Im, my favorite three categories for the tournament include SG: Approach (5th), Birdies or Better from 200+ yards (44th) and Par 5 Performance (8th).  So, yes cracking the top ten in two and the top 50 in the other is a model for consistency

Maverick McNealy ($7,400 – DraftKings)

Like the 8K range, there are a lot of players that I also like in the 7K range.  Ancer, Scheffler, Poulter and Noren are interesting options.  However, the one that jumps out the most to me is McNealy, who checks a lot of boxes when analyzing key areas for this tournament.

  • He hasn’t missed a cut since September 19th at the Sanderson Farms Championship
  • Again, here is how he stands in my favorite three categories for the tournament: SG: Approach (136th – not great, but not terrible either), Birdies or Better from 200+ yards (14th – exceptional) and Par 5 Performance (4th – eye-opening)
  • Top 5 on tour in Sand Save Percentage, and Bay Hill is crawling with traps
  • PGA Tour Top 15 in Birdie to Bogey Ratio – and as we all know, birdies build up the DK points
  • Top 20 in SG: Putting

Sebastian Munoz ($6,900 – DraftKings)

Again, there are a lot of names that intrigue me here.  Cam Champ has improved this season and could surprise people.  Sung Kang had success at Bay Hill last year.  NeSmith and Lanto Griffin are solid options.  Still, I told myself that I’d stick with statistics and Sebastian Munoz jumps out the most in this range, and here are a few reasons why:

  • Returning to the three categories mentioned above: SG: Approach (50th – very steady), Birdies or Better from 200+ yards (12th – deadly with his irons) and Par 5 Performance (3rd – he’ll need to take advantage of this strength)
  • He lands in the Top 20 in Birdie to Bogey Ratio, a good sign for DK point accumulation

Who do you have as your favorite plays for the PGA DFS 2020 Arnold Palmer Invitational?  Chime in with your favorite plays below.

Best of luck and as always, thank you for visiting The Wife Hates Sports!

Image Credit: PGA Tour, Maverick McNealy