How to Win Big at the Wyndham Championship
Betting on These DFS Golf Picks Might Be Less Risky Than Betting on the Weather
- Field: 156 Players
- Cut: Top 65 and ties
- First Tee: Thursday, August 8th
- Defending Wyndham Championship Winner: Lucas Glover
Sedgefield Country Club, located in Greensboro, North Carolina, is a historic private golf course with a rich legacy in the world of golf. Designed by the legendary Donald Ross, the course has been home to the Wyndham Championship since 2008. Playing to a par-70 layout stretching 7,131 yards, Sedgefield is renowned for its classic design emphasizing strategy, precision, and shot-making ability over sheer power. Held annually in August, it is the final regular-season event on the PGA Tour calendar, making Sedgefield a critical stop for players vying to secure their place in the FedExCup Playoffs.
The course features meticulously maintained Bermuda grass fairways and greens, providing a firm and fast playing surface that challenges even the most skilled golfers. The layout is dotted with Ross’s signature undulating greens, deep bunkers, and strategically placed hazards that require careful planning and execution on every shot. Notable holes include the demanding par-4 5th, the picturesque par-3 12th, and the challenging par-4 18th, which tests players with a narrow fairway and a green guarded by water.
The course hasn’t been renovated since 2007, so recent changes aren’t a factor. More crucially, Tropical Storm Debby is expected to bring over 2 inches of rain to Greensboro from Thursday afternoon to Friday morning, along with winds of 15-19 mph and gusts up to 35 mph. ‘Preferred Lies’ will likely be in effect on Thursday and Friday, and delays are possible, leading to longer rounds and days for players with PM/AM tee times. Be aware of these conditions as they could impact play. Below are key stats to watch for this week at the Wyndham Championship, including insights on how the weather might affect the tournament.
Driving Accuracy
Like last week at Le Golf National, accuracy off the tee at Sedgefield is crucial. The course’s narrow fairways and 2.5-inch thick Bermuda rough, which become even more challenging in heavy rain, make accuracy a key stat to watch. The course features six holes with water in play and around 52 bunkers, though not all of them are a factor for the average Tour golfer. Ultimately, only six holes are considered true ‘driver’ holes, according to Bet The Number. The reason fewer than 50% of the holes are true driver holes is that hitting a driver on certain holes often means bringing trees into play or risking poor angles into the greens. This course, therefore, favors strategic players who can consistently hit to a distance they are comfortable with for approach shots.
SG: Putting
I will start by saying this: I was tempted to list SG: Ball Striking as the second stat, but after further consideration, I believe putting could play a significant role in this week’s tournament. This is another Donald Ross course design, which means that although the greens are listed as a medium size of 6,000 square feet, they tend to play smaller than average due to their relative ‘turtleback’ design. Other green complexes on tour with a similar design include Pinehurst No. 2 and Detroit Golf Club, both of which were also designed by Ross. I’m not suggesting that this course is anywhere near as challenging as Pinehurst, but we can use the difficulty of reading and putting on those greens as a reference. Spike putting weeks have been a common denominator for recent winners at this event, most recently Lucas Glover at the 2023 Wyndham Championship.
SG: Wet Conditions
The situation facing the golfers at Sedgefield this week is unique, and if the weather is as bad as expected, delays may render this completely irrelevant. However, I believe the PGA will try to complete the event on time. Every golfer ranked between 60 and 100 in the FedEx Cup standings is at this event trying to make it into the top 70 and extend their season. As a result, golfers will play in wet conditions during parts of the first two rounds, and while it may not rain on Saturday or Sunday, the conditions will remain soggy if the course receives as much rain as expected. Look at golfers who performed well in similar wet and windy conditions, such as those in Scotland or at the Waste Management event in February. I truly believe the weather will have just as big an impact this week as it did at the Open two weeks ago.
Now that we’ve covered essential DFS Golf stats for the 2024 Wyndham Championship, it’s time to dive into the specifics. Identifying the right players to include in your daily fantasy golf lineup is crucial for success. My value picks have demonstrated promising results over the past two weeks, so I’ll continue using this method for weaker or smaller field events. In this section, we’ll explore some of my favorite value DFS golfers on DraftKings for this week’s tournament. By applying the strategies we’ve discussed, you’ll be better equipped to make informed decisions and maximize your chances of winning. Here are the key players to consider for your DFS Golf lineup this week:
$8.0K – Harris English
I contemplated for a while whether or not English should be a pick. His recent history at this course isn’t the best, with finishes of T23, MC, and T33. However, a deeper look at his stats shows a golfer who should succeed here. He is above the tour average in driving accuracy, hitting 64% of fairways this season. He has lost strokes putting only three times this year and has been very good at avoiding 3-putts (only 2.33%). I also feel that English is a grinder when conditions get tough. Considering how he stacks up against this field in terms of stats and his ability to grind through the expected weather, English seems primed for a solid finish this week.
$7.7 – Eric Cole
Remember earlier in the season when everyone wanted to play Cole? I remember it; he rewarded everyone with multiple missed cuts and poor finishes from the Arnold Palmer Invitational to the Travelers Championship. However, starting at the Rocket Mortgage Classic, he compiled two top-10s and two respectable finishes at links-style courses that don’t even fit his game. His driving accuracy is slightly below average, hitting only 59% of fairways, but his putting, approach, and around-the-green game are all really strong. His 3-putt avoidance is actually better than English’s, with a 3-putt rate of only 2.25%. Sitting at 54th in the FedEx Cup standings, a solid finish this week could help him advance to at least the second round of the playoffs and qualify for all the signature events next year. I expect Eric Cole to go out and grind his way to a top DFS performance this weekend.
$7.0K – Brendon Todd
Brendon Todd is on the bubble, currently sitting at 70th in the FedEx Cup standings. His current spot won’t hold, so he needs a good finish to secure his place in the playoffs. Luckily for Todd, they are playing on a short, positional course. His accuracy off the tee ranks him 6th on the PGA Tour this year, hitting a staggering 69.4% of fairways. Normally a strong putter, he is prone to bad putting weeks, but he seems to have figured out this course in recent years. With two top-10 finishes in the last three years at Sedgefield and positive putting weeks in all three, I’ve seen enough from Todd to back him at $7.0K flat on DraftKings.
$6.9K – Ben Kohles
This is a flier on a guy I think can play this course well and has something to prove. Kohles sits at 81st in the FedEx Cup standings, where a solid finish this week could see him make the playoffs and keep his Tour card for next season. Kohles is actually the second-most accurate golfer on tour this year, hitting a staggering 72% of fairways (out of 819). Starting with his second-place finish at the CJ Cup, Kohles has been a positive putter at every event except the Wells Fargo, where he only lost 0.1 strokes. He has played this event three times, but two of those appearances were back in 2012-2013, so I am willing to ignore his course history. Nevertheless, at only $6.9K, we don’t need him to win; we just need him to finish T30 or better to pay off his price.
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