Fantasy Advice

World Wide Technology Championship DFS picks 2024: Is Matt Kuchar in Mexico an auto-play?

November 05, 2024
Al Chang/ISI Photos
NAPA, CALIFORNIA - SEPTEMBER 15: Matt Kuchar of the United States waves to fans on the 17th hole during the final round of the Procore Championship 2024 at Silverado Resort on September 15, 2024 in Napa, California. (Photo by Al Chang/ISI Photos/Getty Images)

After a one-week break, the PGA Tour returns to action at the World Wide Technologies Championship in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico. For many years, this event was hosted at the Greg Norman designed Mayakoba, but last year El Cardonal took over. As part of the Diamante Dunes community, El Cardonal was designed in 2014 by Tiger Woods. The playbook Woods followed was not dissimilar to any typical resort course, and El Cardonal features incredibly wide fairways and expansive Paspalum greens. Last year, it featured the highest driving accuracy percentage on the PGA Tour, and Erik Van Rooyen triumphed at 27-under par over Matt Kuchar and Camilo Villegas.

I would expect easy scoring conditions at El Cardonal once again, and despite measuring 7,452 yards on the scorecard, pure length no longer adequately challenges modern professional golfers. Wind, as well as firm and fast conditions, would play a major role in realizing El Cardonal’s potential as a test of pro golf, but little wind appears to be in the forecast again, and Paspalum is an incredibly slow and sticky surface. Van Rooyen will return to defend his title, and Cameron Young will be making his first start of the Fall Swing. Let’s dive into the DFS slate.

$10,000 range

Play: Max Greyserman, $10,400:

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David Jensen

There are only two players in the $10,000 range this week, and Max Greyserman would certainly be my preference over Cameron Young. The former Duke standout remains one of the best pure putters in this field, and he is coming off a runner-up finish at the Zozo Championship where he also gained over a stroke in both ball-striking categories.

Fade: Cameron Young, $10,200:

This will be Cameron Young’s first start since the BMW Championship in August, and I simply have far more trust in players with a few more Fall Swing reps under their belt. Outside of the lack of form, El Cardonal will rely Young to rely heavily on his putter to keep up, and I would prefer to deploy him on more challenging tee to greens courses.

$9,000 range

Play: Ben Griffin, $9,900:

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Ian Maule

Over the past three years, Ben Griffin ranks first in this field in strokes gained/total in easy scoring conditions, and he always deserves a look on wide-open resort courses. Griffin finished 23rd at El Cardonal last year, and he also recorded top-15 finishes this year at Corales and TPC Craig Ranch. My official pick to win this week, the Tiger Woods design is the perfect venue for Griffin to collect his first PGA Tour victory.

Fade: Maverick McNealy, $9,300:

I believe I have now faded Maverick McNealy in every column this Fall Swing, and I see no reason to stop now. McNealy is coming off a confusing withdrawal from the Zozo Championship, and while his inclusion in the field this week signifies that his health is okay, I refuse to pay up for this shaky of an approach player.

$8,000 range

Play: Matt Kuchar, $8,500:

I always have interest in Matt Kuchar on wide-open, easy resort courses, and the nine-time PGA Tour winner nearly won this event last year in his debut performance. Kuchar remains one of the best pure putters in this field, and he raises his baseline even further on slower surfaces. It is far from a coincidence that the 46-year-old ranks top-12 in this field in strokes gained total on resort courses and Paspalum courses, and I expect him to continue his success at El Cardonal this year.

Fade: Patrick Fishburn, $8,000:

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Raj Mehta

While Patrick Fishburn’s upside is hard to ignore, I worry he is on the wrong side of a good run. Since finishing third at the Procore Championship to open the Fall Swing, the Utah native has failed to finish top 30 in his past four starts. This will also be Fishburn’s first appearance at El Cardonal, and his track record on Paspalum leaves a lot to be desired.

$7,000 range

Play: Justin Lower, $7,500:

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Yong Teck Lim

Justin Lower is another player that quite obviously raises his baseline on easy Paspalum resort courses. Outside of a 23rd-place finish at El Cardonal last year, Lower also has recorded top-five finishes at both Vidanta Vallarta and Corales Punta Cana. One of the best birdie-makers and putters in the field, I expect Lower to fill it up this week in a familiar setting.

Fade: Jacob Bridgeman, $7,800:

While Jacob Bridgeman also possesses a ton of putting upside, he lacks the requisite Paspalum experience—and this will be the Canadian’s first appearance at El Cardonal. Putting is still a strong aspect of his game, but Bridgeman has now lost strokes on approach in four straight starts this Fall Swing.

Flier: Alex Smalley, $7,200:

Something about Paspalum resort courses just really seems to jive with Alex Smalley, and over the last three years, he actually ranks first in this field in both strokes gained total on Paspalum and strokes gained total on resort courses. Much of this is due to a stellar track record at both Vidanta Vallarta and Corales Punta, and I would expect his comfortability there that to translate nicely to El Cardonal.

$6,000 range

Play: Joel Dahmen, $6,800:

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Eakin Howard

The $6,000 range is certainly a challenge this week, but let’s roll with Joel Dahmen, who may be the best pure approach player of this entire tier, ranking sixth in recent approach play, second in proximity 150-175 yards and 12th in proximity 175-200 yards. Dahmen has also won previously on Paspalum at the Corales Punta Cana Resort and Club Championship and should feel right at home with the laidback atmosphere of Diamante Dunes.

Andy Lack is a PGA Tour writer and podcaster from New York City who now resides in Los Angeles. He hosts Inside Golf, a twice weekly podcast focused on the PGA Tour, betting, daily fantasy, golf course architecture, and interviews, as part of the BlueWire podcast network. He came to Golf Digest’s betting panel after previously writing for Run Pure Sports, RickRunGood.com, the Score and GolfWRX. In his free time, Andy can likely be found on a golf course. Follow him on Twitter: @adplacksports