Exiting a two-week stretch at “Jack’s Place”, the PGA Tour heads to Blaine, Minnesota and the 3M Open at TPC Twin Cities. This is just the second time on the PGA schedule for the tournament, meaning the historical data will be limited. Also limited will be the number of top players in the OWGR, as most of the game’s best participated in the last few tournaments at Muirfield. With fewer stars in play, the PGA DFS 2020 3M Open picks and predictions will be a heftier challenge to make.
As always, there are key factors and course traits to consider when analyzing the slate. It all depends on where you want your focus to be. I’ll list out a few of my favorites – pick and choose as you may.
In this week’s case, let’s outline it in the form of a Honey Do List that doesn’t feature chores like taking out the trash, painting the bathroom or fixing the light fixture in the hallway.
This will instead be a Honey Do List for your PGA DFS 2020 3M Open lineups. It’s certain to be a list that THE WIFE will hate by the end of the weekend, especially if you’re suffering from a case of the “cut sweats” on Friday evening or screaming at your TV on Sunday afternoon. I’ll keep this one brief.
PGA DFS 2020 3M Open: Honey Do List of Stats and Player Options on DraftKings
DO Focus more on SG: Ball Striking
Sure, it’s one year of data to track, but among top ten finishers from 2019, the numbers on Fantasy National do show a significant advantage in SG: Ball Striking as compared to SG: Short Game. That honestly makes sense, considering ball striking combines off the tee and approach. Players will need to be strong off the tee, avoiding the many water hazards, while also being effective in approach, too.
Higher-Profile Players that fit the mold (Last 36 rounds, via Fantasy National):
- Paul Casey ($10,100 – 1st)
- Erik Van Rooyen ($8,800 – 2nd)
- Doc Redman ($8,700 – 3rd)
DO Focus on Three Putt Avoidance
This may come across as an off-the-wall stat for some. But in a 2019 article from the Star Tribune, TPC Twin Cities co-designer Tom Lehman discussed the changes made on the course prior to it landing on the PGA schedule. He stated the course was “originally built featuring wide fairways and big greens to counter the winds that regularly blow across the former sod farm”. The big greens pointed me in the direction of proximity and three-putt avoidance. If not hitting it close, the players will need to be strong lag putters and not lose strokes on the greens. The article later explains that the greens “have been largely untouched”, leaving me to consider this stat in my tournament models.
Higher-Profile Players that fit the mold (Last 36 Rounds, via Fantasy National):
- Charles Howell III ($7,400 – 5th)
- Harris English ($9,000 – 6th)
- Sam Burns ($8,500 – 7th)
- Bubba Watson ($9,900 – 14th)
DO Focus on SG: Par 5’s
The Par 5’s at TPC Twin Cities were torched by the players last year. The typical Par 71 course may instead leave DFS players to focus on Par 4’s, because well… there are only three Par 5’s. In this case, each Par 5 last season yielded a birdie or better more than 40% of the time. Hole #12 yielded a birdie or an eagle a shade under 56% of the time. On a course that saw winner Matthew Wolff post a score of 21-under, there will be a lot of birdies posted. Look no further than the Par 5’s to be the key.
Higher-Profile Players that fit the mold (Last 36 Rounds, via Fantasy National):
- Paul Casey ($10,100 – 2nd)
- Sam Burns ($8,500 – 4th)
- Erik Van Rooyen ($8,800 – 7th)
- Tony Finau ($10,900 – 17th)
- Brooks Koepka ($11,200 – 20th)
Who do you have as your favorite plays for the PGA DFS 2020 3M Open? How about for your favorite stats to consider? Chime in with your favorite picks and plays below. Finally, this is a new format I’m testing out, so if you like this concept, let me know.
Best of luck and as always, thank you for visiting The Wife Hates Sports!
All stats and data via PGATour.com and FantasyNational.com
SEE ALSO: PGA DFS 2020 3M Open Sleepers
