We are back! It’s time for PGA DFS at DraftKings for the first time in 2016. And I’m back to lead The Fantasy Fix’s PGA Daily Fantasy golf coverage.

We fly off to Kapalua on the island of Maui in beautiful Hawaii. The Plantation Course at Kapalua hosts the Hyundai Tournament of Champions again this year.

It’s a great week to check out DraftKings as they have some top notch contests. And it’s a great way to try out DraftKings’ PGA games as every player makes the cut this week. You don’t have to sweat the cut line.

Come on over and take a look.

Tour Stop

This week we head to we have a no-cut event to kick off the calendar year for all of the winners from calendar year 2015. Not every winner is here, but each of the 32 golfers here won last year so the field is certainly deep and full of golfers of all shapes and sizes (and eyebrows).

The tour stops at the Plantation Course at Kapalua, a 7,452 yards, par 73-course (the only par 73 on the PGA tour) that usually plays easy. It’s considered a resort course by many of the pros on tour. And a resort course to them means there should be birdie opportunities galore.

The course can get tough if the winds pick up as they do from time to time on this exposed track. There are only three par-3s on the entire course so length will be important, but the course gives you many downhill tee shots so even you might be a big hitter if you tee it up.

The weather looks like it will be pleasant with nothing in the way of wind to worry anyone. Check back Wednesday to see if wind comes into play.

Scorecard breakdown: It’s the only par-73 on Tour and it has just three par 3s, four par 5sand 11 par 4s.

Field

Everyone who is here is a winner – tournament winner that is. All 32 entrants in this no-cut event won tournaments in the 2015 calendar year. Not every winner from 2015 is here as Rory McIlroy, Justin Rose, Shane Lowry and Jim Furyk won’t be teeing it up for various reasons.

The full field can be found here.

Also, thanks to GolfOdds.com for the odds this week. If you’d like to see a second set of odds, check out the Betting Zone’s odds here – just click on this week’s tournament on the left hand pane.

Past Tournament Results

The tournament has been played in Kapalua on the Plantation Course since 1999 though under a few different sponsors. The Plantation course hasn’t changed significantly since 2006 when about 200 yards were added.

Prior to last year, the four previous winners had played the tournament at least three times prior to winning here. Patrick Reed won last year in his second try at the course. The last first time winner was Daniel Chopra in 2008 so experience seems to matter.

The 2013 event was shortened to 54 holes due to weather delays. The tournament didn’t get started until Sunday and finished up on Tuesday. We don’t look to be in danger of any weather delays currently.

We will also consider results at the Sony Open which is also held in Hawaii under similar conditions.

Statistical Review

This is an easy course, and as an easy course it’s all about scoring. We aren’t concerned about driving distance at all as both short and long hitters can do well here. The key is scoring. And the first key is:

Par 5 Scoring: Our friend Timothy Frank noted that eight of the last 11 winners of the Hyundai finished the season ranked 33rd or better in Par 5 Scoring Average. And in looking at the winners, Patrick Reed led the field in par 5 scoring last year on his way to victory and the top par 4 scorer in 2014 was Webb Simpson who finished T3.

Par 4 Scoring: We’ve got 11 of them on the course, so we’re going to need golfers who can handle par 4s as well.

GIR% – Finally, we’ll look at GIR – it’s not the best stat in the world as it depends on a lot of things, but we’ll consider it as tiebreaker perhaps this week and nothing more. In order to score, you have to get to the green in a timely fashion. Some do that by crushing the ball, others do it by scrambling well. The manner by which a player does so doesn’t matter much this week as the course is so easy.

Driving Distance – With such a long course, there is something to be said for driving distance. However, I won’t focus too much on it as we’ve seen players like Zach Johnson, Davis Love III and Brandt Snedeker have success here in the past.

I also always examine Strokes Gained: Putting (SG:P) and Strokes Gained: Tee to Green (SG:T2G) every week.

I will also take experience on the course into account as there seems to be at least a one-year penalty that a player has to pay before they can a serious contender.

DraftKings Expert Picks

Before we get started, I wanted to address the big equipment change that occurred with five PGA Tour pros signing on with relative newcomer Parsons Xtreme Golf (PXG) this week. Ryan Moore was the first to switch to PXG and he did it just last year along with Rocco Mediate. Now, PXG announced this week that Zach Johnson, Billy Horschel, Chris Kirk, James Hahn and Charles Howell III have switched to PXG to start 2016. Johnson, Kirk and Hahn are all in the field this week.

Now, it is possible that this equipment will have deleterious effects on the players as they adjust. I’m not too concerned with it this week as it’s a no-cut event, but it’s something to watch as the season progresses.

Now, on to the golfers….

Jordan Spieth | $12,500 – Best golfer in the world. Highest priced golfer on the week. Seems about right. He led the PGA Tour in par 4 scoring last year and finished 19th in par 5 scoring. But, it’s going to be tough to put a lineup together with Spieth in it that can contend. He made his debut here in 2014 and finished solo second so it seems (like with most things and Spieth), he doesn’t play by the rules. So, he can and will certainly contend, but you’ll need to hit on some of the lower priced guys to make it work.

Jason Day | $11,800 – We all hope that Day’s wife Ellie has recovered from getting crushed by LeBron James. Day has had a loooooooooong layoff (hasn’t played since the end of September 2015) and that gives me pause at this high a salary altitude. His profile works (but it works everywhere). His price is high (and it usually is), but in a tourney like this I’m going to look further for my anchor even if he’s finished in the top 10 in his only two trips.

Dustin Johnson | $10,600 – DJ finished in the top 10 in his last three starts at Kapalua. With a course that won’t penalize his wayward drives, Johnson can probably score as he finished third in par 5 scoring and 18th in par 4s. He’s profile works and he’s succeeded here year after year.

Bubba Watson | $10,300 – Watson led the tour in par 5 scoring last year and finished seventh in par 4 scoring and 19th in GIR%. Plus, he bombs the ball so his game fits quite nicely if you want to lean on that fact as well. He’s played here four times and has finished in the top 10 the last two times with a T4 in 2013 and a T10 last year. I’m a big fan of Bubba this week.

Rickie Fowler | $10,000 – Fowler finished third at the Hero Challenge in his last time out. Fowler can score on par 5s (19th last year), but isn’t great on par 4s (74th) and only 106th in GIR%. I think a lot of players will be on him and his T6 in his 2013 debut means he can score here. The profile doesn’t quite fit and I’ll probably fade him a bit in GPPs.

Patrick Reed | $9,900 – Won here last year and is probably the hottest golfer on the planet coming in with six straight top 10 finishes. The profile works. There really isn’t much else to say. He’ll be a core player for me this week.

Zach Johnson | $9,500 – Johnson has the most experience at this course of the players in the field. He’s competed eight times and he also has back to back top 10s. The equipment change might give a bit of pause to some DFSers, but I’ll keep him in my core based on his history here.

Kevin Kisner | $9,200 – Kisner is the most expensive player to make his debut, so there is that risk this week. And his best finish in four tries at the Sony Open was his 84th place finish last year. He finished 28th in par 5 scoring last year, 50th in par 4 and 95th in GIR%. He ended 2015 with a second at the WGC-HSBC Champions and a win at the RSM Classic. He’s in excellent form and has a profile that should work. But, his record in Hawaii makes me a bit nervous on going all in.

Brooks Koepka | $8,900 – Koepka has also switched equipment (he’s a Nike guy now) so that gives me a little pause. However, his profile is great (seventh in par 5 scoring, tenth in par 4 scoring and 17 th in GIR%). He’s also a bomber. He finished seventh at the Hero Challenge at the start of December. He makes his debut here this week and I think many will be on him, but I’d like to see what he can do at Kapalua before I dive in fully with Koepka. I’ll have him in a few lineups, but he’s not a core guy for me this week.

Justin Thomas | $8,700 – Par 5 scoring? Check. Par 4 scoring? Check. And a top 30 finish in GIR% last year puts Thomas near the top of my list even if he’s making his debut this week. In fact his statistical profile from last year is just about what Bubba Watson’s was and he’s $1,600 cheaper.

Graeme McDowell | $8,500 – I’m going to make the gamble that the real Graeme McDowell is back. He had back to back top five finishes in his last two tourneys of 2015 including a win. He’s played here once (2011) and finished third and shot the course record. All of that adds up to a core player for me this week.

J.B. Holmes | $8,400 – If driving distance were king we’d see Holmes all over the leaderboard on this tournament. He’s played here three times and debuted with a T4 in 2007. He followed that up with a T29 (2009) and solo 33rd last year. No thanks.

Russell Knox | $8,100 – Knox makes his debut at Kapalua coming in playing very well with a win and second place finish in his last five tournaments (all made cuts). Knox’s 145th finish in par 5 scoring makes me worry a bit, though he was seventh in par 4 scoring and seventh in GIR% so he can make it work this week. He missed his first three cuts at the Sony, but finished T13 last year. He makes an interesting pivot from Jimmy Walker or McDowell.

Jimmy Walker | $8,000 – Walker’s first shot here was two years ago and he finished T21. Then, he finished second last year. He’s also won the Sony Open the last two years. He’s not just a horse for the course, he’s a horse for the group of islands that make up Hawaii. I dig him this week at only $8,000.

Emiliano Grillo | $7,900 – Grillo won the Web.com Tour Championship in early October and then backed that up with a win at the Frys.com Open two weeks later. He finished 2015 in an excellent form and can score (especially on par 5s) so he’s worth a flyer in his debut at Kapalua.

Brandt Snedeker | $7,700 – Sneds has played here three times (2008, 2013, and 2014) and finished T10, third and T11. His profile also works – 28th in par 5 scoring and 26th in par 4 scoring even in what was seen as a down season. He’s a GPP-only option for me as his results are just too volatile for cash games for me.

Danny Lee | $7,500 – Lee’s breakout season was led by his excellent work on par 4s (26th last year). The rest of his profile doesn’t work. He’s also missed three of four cuts at the Sony (though his made cut was a T13 in 2013). In his debut, he might be too risky, but he’s seen playing conditions like this previously.

Bill Haas | $7,400 – Haas’ profile surprised me with how nicely it lines up this week. He finished 52nd in par 5 scoring, 50th in par 4 scoring and 31st in GIR%. So, nothing spectacular, but he certainly could make it work this week. Oddly, he debuted well in 2011 with an eighth place finish, but in his three subsequent trips he’s finished 20th, T23 and T24. So, he has the experience we like, but the results aren’t there. I like him in GPPs this week as he should be better, but don’t go crazy with him in lineups.

Chris Kirk | $7,300 – Kirk has played here three of the last four years (including the last two) and finished T7, T16 and T14. He’s also had success at the Sony Open making the cut in all five trips with two top 10 finishes. At this price point, that’s probably enough to recommend him.

David Lingmerth | $7,200 – Lingmerth doesn’t seem to offer too much (finished 52nd in par 5 scoring and 50th in par 4 scoring and a distant 130th in GIR%). But, if you are looking for something to hang your hat on, he did finish T9 in early December at the Australian PGA Championship. The APGA Championship is played on a resort course on the Gold Coast of Australia. A tournament also won by Geoff Ogilvy in 2008 prior to going on to win back to back Hyundai TOCs in 2009 and 2010. It’s a reach, but it’s something.

Scott Piercy | $7,100 – If you are going stars and scrubs, Piercy is a must own. He’s played here twice and finished T13 and T12 (2013 and 2012). You won’t find that type of historical profile in anyone else at this price point.

Alex Cejka | $7,000 – Cejka’s a short hitter, but he’s done well at seaside/ocean courses like his T6 at the RSM earlier his season and his win in Puerto Rico last season. He’s put up three top 20s in his four starts in the early 2016 season though he missed the cut at the OHL Classic in Mayakoba where he was expected to do well. Part of his work at those courses has to do with the greens and this week we see Bermudagrass which isn’t what is on those other courses.

Smylie Kaufman | $7,000 – Kaufman debuts here this week and he doesn’t have much of a PGA Tour resume to go on. But, what we saw on the Web.com Tour gives some hope as he finished top 10 in driving distance and top 25 in par 4 scoring. Gamers who’ve missed the first part of the current PGA season won’t recognize the name and will likely ignore it.

James Hahn | $6,900 – Hahn makes his debut at Kapalua (as most guys down here in the basement of salaries are). Hahn’s been off for two and a half months, but his last tournament saw him finish solo sixth at the CIMB. His profile doesn’t work though he’s improved each time out at the Sony Open culminating with a T26 last year. I’d wait a year on Hahn, but he might be worth a couple of lineups with him in them.

Peter Malnati | $6,900 – Malnati makes his debut at Kapalua this week. And his Web.com stats give us some hope. He’s not long off the tee, but finished 45th in GIR%, 36th in par 4 scoring and 63rd in par 5 scoring on the Web.com Tour.

Davis Love III | $6,800 – DL III is an interesting punt play this week. He’s had five top 10 finishes in his seven trips to the island including his last start here in 2009 (T2). His profile isn’t the best (161st in par 5 scoring, 114th in par 4 scoring and 64th in GIR%). But, I’ll take that with a grain of salt as he wasn’t healthy for much of the year. He also has seven top 10s in 15 starts at the Sony Open in Waialae though none since 2011. His win at the Wyndham showed he can reach back and find his old game from time to time. He’s a nice option for a stars and scrubs lineup.

Padraig Harrington | $6,800 – If it weren’t for Matt Every, Paddy would have the worst profile of all the golfers in the field. He’s also never teed it up here. Nah.

Steven Bowditch | $6,800 – Our friend Timothy Frank shared a little tidbit on Bowditch which makes you believe you just can’t predict when Bowditch will be naughty or nice. He’s a scorer (61st in par scoring and 26th in par 4 scoring) so if he’s on, he could go low. He’s missed four of his last six cuts, but did finish 30th at the Nedbank in South Africa in his last time out on Tour.

J.J. Henry | $6,700 – Henry has played here in 2007 (T8) and 2013 (T13) so he’s got a bit of course pedigree. He had his best finish at the Sony last year (T30) which is also played in Hawaii. His only standout stat is his 13th spot in GIR%. He’s mediocre to bad in the two scoring categories. If you roster him this week, you’re banking on the course history trumping a poor profile.

Fabian Gomez | $6,700 – Nothing in Gomez’s profile says he should do anything here this week in his debut. And he’s not playing particularly well coming in either. He’s played the Sony Open and has made the cut all three times – and never placed better than T67. A player with his pedigree in his debut isn’t worth much consideration.

Matt Every | $6,600 – Literally has the worst profile of all qualified golfers using last year’s stats. He finished T27 last year in his debut. He also enjoys withdrawing from tournaments which is a dagger in no-cut events.

Troy Merritt | $6,600 – Probably a nice guy. Probably not much of a chance to do anything this week in his debut.

Good luck this week! Head over to DraftKings to choose your squad for this week.

DraftKings Scoring

Roster size: 6 Golfers

POINT SCORING

Golfers on each team will accumulate points as follows:

• Per Hole Scoring
  • Double Eagle (DBL EAG): +20 PTs
  • Eagle (EAG): +8 PTs
  • Birdie (BIR): +3 PTs
  • Par (PAR): +0.5 PTs
  • Bogey (BOG): -0.5 PTs
  • Double Bogey (DBL BOG): -1 PT
  • Worse than Double Bogey (WORSE DBL BOG): -1 PT
• Tournament Finish Scoring
  • 1st: 30 PTs
  • 2nd: 20 PTs
  • 3rd: 18 PTs
  • 4th: 16 PTs
  • 5th: 14 PTs
  • 6th: 12 PTs
  • 7th: 10 PTs
  • 8th: 9 PTs
  • 9th: 8 PTs
  • 10th: 7 PTs
  • 11th–15th: 6 PTs
  • 16th–20th: 5 PTs
  • 21st–25th: 4 PTs
  • 26th–30th: 3 PTs
  • 31st–40th: 2 PTs
  • 41st-50th: 1 PTs
• Streaks and Bonuses
  • Streak of 3 Birdies of Better (MAX 1 Per Round) (3+ BIR STRK): +3 PTs
  • Bogey Free Round (BOG FREE RD): +3 PTs
  • All 4 Rounds Under 70 Strokes (ALL 4 RDS UND 70): +5 PTs
  • Hole in One (HOLE IN ONE): +10 PTs

Scoring Notes: Ties for a finishing position will not reduce or average down points. For example, if 2 golfers tie for 3rd place, each will receive the 18 fantasy points for the 3rd place finish result. Playoff Holes will not count towards final scoring, with the exception of the “finishing position” scoring. For example, the golfer who wins the tournament will receive the sole award of 1st place points, but will not accrue points for their scoring result in the individual playoff holes.

Player Lock Notes: All golfers lock at the time the first golfer tees off on day 1 of an event.

Full rules are located here for DraftKings Daily Fantasy golf.