If it’s a given that money equals power, then assuredly, no one can be surprised by Tuesday’s golf news. Human beings go to extreme lengths to acquire influence over others. The future of humanity may be as bleak as ever, but all is not lost. There is still one currency that trumps the almighty dollar, a precious gemstone or Scrooge McDuck’s pool of doubloons: goodness.
As weird as it may seem, not every monetary transaction is malicious or laden with sinister motives. Wealth can enrich anyone, whether or not they are pure of heart. The Saudi Public Investment Fund (PIF) is largely cushioned with oil profits. Yes, that immense wealth is overseen by religious zealots who have sponsored (directly or not) some of the most heinous atrocities in the history of humanity. That does not mean that everyone they pay is evil.
Professional golfers are independent contractors. Their wealth is predominantly determined by their performance within their chosen craft. Achieving PGA Tour stardom is a road paved over with the failure of countless others. For every Tiger Woods or Rory McIlroy, there are a thousand penniless washouts. Although many of us looked inward and determined ourselves to not be the type who would accept an abundance of blood-tinged money from PIF, it certainly wouldn’t be unanimous.
Golf is the only game where the players call penalties on themselves, so let us not judge those who broke no rules when considering their respective futures. The game will persist, regardless of the governing bodies at the professional level.
PGA DFS: RBC Canadian Open 2023 Breakdown
The RBC Canadian Open uses a course rota, which means that there is a new venue for this year’s event. Oakdale Golf & Country Club in Toronto, Ont. is a unique par-72 course, stretching just over 7,200 yards. What sets it apart from most par-72 tracks is a front nine that contains seven par-4s and only one par-3 and par-5 apiece. The back nine is the traditional two-five-two setup.
The ample fairways are treelined, and the rough has grown long. The greens are a bent/poa blend, which will prove to be bumpy and unpredictable as they dry in the afternoon sun. Compared to last week’s trudge around Muirfield Village, this will be a cakewalk. The key to winning here will be to convert as many birdies as possible.
Winning at PGA DFS carries plenty of caveats. Naturally, all six golfers on your roster should make the cut. The RBC Canadian Open requires a bit more risk-taking with bated breath.
You’ll hear me say the word ‘leverage’ a lot when speaking about PGA DFS. Leverage is about positioning. It isn’t so much who you play but rather who you don’t. Rostering a golfer who is also rostered heavily by opposing lineups is risky. There’s almost no reward when that player succeeds, par at best, to use a golf analogy. To make money playing DFS, it requires taking chances and making birdies when others are settling for par.
A popular player is deemed ‘chalky.’ Good chalk is a popular player who is nearly certain to succeed. Bad chalk is a risky player that too many people have hitched their wagons to. A profitable DFS lineup will have a nice blend of good chalk and successful leverage. A good play that isn’t rostered by many is considered a leverage play… “lifting” it above the field. Here’s how I’m attacking PGA DFS for the RBC Canadian Open.
PGA DFS: RBC Canadian Open 2023 Picks
(Prices courtesy of DraftKings)
High-Priced ($9,000 & Higher)
Good Chalk: Tyrrell Hatton, Rory McIlroy, Justin Rose
Bad Chalk: Cameron Young, Matthew Fitzpatrick, Shane Lowry
Leverage: Corey Conners, Matt Kuchar, Sahith Theegala, Tommy Fleetwood, Sam Burns
Mid-Priced ($7,600 – $8,900)
Good Chalk: Adrian Meronk, Adam Hadwin, Nick Taylor
Bad Chalk: Keith Mitchell, Eric Cole, Harry Hall
Leverage: Ludvig Aberg, Adam Svensson, Taylor Pendrith
Value-Priced ($7,500 & Lower)
Good Chalk: Mark Hubbard, Will Gordon, Akshay Bhatia
Bad Chalk: Vincent Norrman, Ben Griffin, SH Kim, Dylan Wu
Leverage: Ben Martin, Carson Young, David Lipsky
Thanks for checking out my PGA DFS picks for the RBC Canadian Open 2023! Find all my work on Twitter, @Bo_McBigTime, and check out my huge collection of decadence at BigTime FlavorCo.