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🏆 DFS Golf Rankings: The Open Championship 2025 Power Picks

⛳ Welcome to the Big One: The Open Championship

The final major of the year is upon us — and it’s the perfect storm for golf DFS:

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  • Elite field ✔️

  • Links chaos ✔️

  • Weather roulette ✔️

  • Chalk bombs waiting to happen ✔️


We’re heading to Royal Portrush, where the wind doesn’t wait for tee times, and pot bunkers swallow dreams. In 2019, Shane Lowry captured the Claret Jug here with precision and grit. This week? It’s wide open.

Let’s break it all down — with picks powered by our proprietary DFS Golf Rankings Composite Score, value ratings, and ownership projections.


🌦️ The Weather Forecast: Classic Open Carnage

Portrush is living up to the forecast:

  • Winds 15–25 mph from Thursday through Sunday

  • Intermittent showers, especially on Friday/Saturday

  • Firm & fast conditions after early-week sun

✅ Wave Edge

  • Thursday AM / Friday PM likely holds the edge with lower winds and softer greens.

  • Saturday looks brutal. Build with wave stacks in mind for GPPs.


🔝 Tier 1: The Elite Studs (Pay-Up Options Worth Every Penny)

These guys are expensive, popular, and fully justified. Anchor your builds here.


1. Scottie Scheffler – $14,200

  • Composite Score: 24.29 | SG Total: +2.96

  • Tops the board in nearly every stat. His floor is T10; ceiling is a runaway.

  • Low, piercing trajectory + elite irons = links-ready.

  • Don’t get cute in single-entry. Just play him.


2. Jon Rahm – $10,400

  • Composite Score: 17.72 | SG OTT: +0.98

  • Rahm’s Open resume is strong, and his temper seems to cool near the sea.

  • Massive leverage at this price with Scheffler & Rory drawing more eyes.

  • A true GPP hammer.


3. Rory McIlroy – $11,900

  • Composite Score: 13.54 | SG OTT: +1.09

  • 2019 Portrush heartbreak still lingers — but he's ball-striking well.

  • Ownership will be high. If you fade him, have a strong reason.

  • Ideal for cash. GPP? Risk/reward in full effect.


4. Xander Schauffele – $9,800

  • Composite Score: 12.33 | SG Balanced

  • Reigning Open champ. Stable across all categories.

  • Projects well in wind and over 72-hole majors.

  • Chalky? Yes. Deserved? Also yes.


5. Bryson DeChambeau – $10,100

  • Composite Score: 16.20 | SG OTT: +1.38

  • His game has matured: still long, now controlled. Plus, he’s scoring.

  • Low ownership + elite upside = GPP nuke.

  • Perfect for boom/bust lineups.


6. Tommy Fleetwood – $9,500

  • Composite Score: 14.63 | Value Score: 68.10

  • 2019 runner-up at Portrush. Lives for links golf.

  • Elite scrambling and mental game in wind.

  • A near-lock in balanced builds.


💰 Tier 2: Value Picks (High Upside Under $9,000)

This is where the money’s made. These players fit the course, bring high value, and won't bury your cap.


7. Hideki Matsuyama – $8,100

  • Composite Score: 11.64 | Value Score: 60.44

  • Trending in irons and short game. Ownership low.

  • When he putts neutral, he contends.

  • GPP favorite. Underappreciated.


8. Viktor Hovland – $8,800

  • Composite Score: 12.38 | SG Total: +1.53

  • One of the best ball-strikers in the world.

  • Links track record growing.

  • Ceiling play with a safer floor than expected.


9. Tyrrell Hatton – $7,900

  • Composite Score: 8.96 | Value Score: 56.00

  • Gritty Brit who thrives in Open weather.

  • Scrambles, grinds, and putts well when it counts.

  • Strong value in the low $8K range.


10. Tony Finau – $8,400

  • Composite Score: 11.22 | Value Score: 58.30

  • Coming in hot after a strong July run.

  • Low draw suits Portrush setup.

  • Could spike with a sneaky T5.


11. Keegan Bradley – $7,800

  • Composite Score: 8.24 | Value Score: 53.20

  • Quietly in great form. Short game improving.

  • Former major winner with dogged consistency.

  • Ideal for GPPs if wave time cooperates.


💤 Tier 3: Sleeper Picks (Low-Owned, High-Ceiling)

Here’s your leverage — filtered by ownership ≥1.5%, high Value Score, and top-50 rank.

12. Rickie Fowler – $7,700

  • Ownership: 2.4% | Value Score: 50.20

  • Veteran who thrives in links. Emotional fire.

  • Perfect pivot off chalky $7Ks.


13. Tom Kim – $8,200

  • Ownership: 2.7% | Value Score: 49.10

  • Keeps ball low, hits fairways, and putts in streaks.

  • Sleeper with T10 equity.


14. Max Homa – $8,300

  • Ownership: 2.3% | Composite: 10.10

  • Strong on approach, overlooked in DFS.

  • Contrarian core piece.


15. Justin Thomas – $8,600

  • Ownership: 2.9% | Composite: 9.05

  • Wild ride lately, but the irons are heating.

  • Ceiling top 5, floor MC — just what we want.


16. Ryan Fox – $7,600

  • Ownership: 2.1% | Value Score: 47.70

  • New Zealand wind warrior.

  • Underrated for Euro setups.


🧠 Smart Picks (High-Owned, Still Worth It)

Using your tuned Smart Pick formula (Rank ≤12, Value Rank ≤15):

  • Scottie Scheffler

  • Jon Rahm

  • Xander Schauffele

  • Tommy Fleetwood

  • Hideki Matsuyama

  • Viktor Hovland

  • Tyrrell Hatton

  • Keegan Bradley

These guys are chalky — but they check every box.


🌬️ Weather Strategy: Play the Wind Game

☀️ Early Wave Edge

  • Thurs AM / Fri PM tee times likely get softer greens and lighter winds.

  • Stack your studs + sleepers in this window.


🌪️ Weekend Trouble

  • Saturday looks dicey: gusts 20–25 mph, rain risk.

  • Sunday remains firm but playable.


🧩 Strategy Tip:

Use wave stacking in GPPs to capture full-weather advantage. If your whole team gets the better side of the draw — that’s how you win a Milly.


📊 Bonus Tools: Make Your Own Pivot Plays

  • Leverage Score (Value ÷ Ownership):

    • High scores = underplayed, high upside

    • Example: Homa, Hatton, Bradley

  • Ownership Fade Watch:

  • Rory could push 25% — worth a fade in GPPs.

  • Fleetwood rising fast. Stay nimble.


✅ Final Recap: 25+ Picks by Category


🔝 Top-Tier Studs

  • Scheffler, Rahm, Rory, Xander, Bryson


💰 Value Plays

  • Fleetwood, Hideki, Hovland, Hatton, Finau, Bradley


💤 Sleepers

  • Fowler, Tom Kim, Homa, JT, Fox


🧠 Smart Picks

  • Scheffler, Rahm, Xander, Fleetwood, Hideki, Hovland, Hatton, Bradley

(Åberg is also viable in multiple categories — use as needed)


📣 Final Word: It’s Links Week, Baby

Don’t just chase stats. Chase value, ownership leverage, and wave edges. The Open Championship isn’t won on Thursday — but your DraftKings GPP could be.

Use the DFS Golf Rankings table to filter by:

  • Value Score

  • Ownership

  • Rank

  • Sleeper / Smart tags

And remember:Fade the noise. Trust the stats. Play the wind. And pick a guy who can escape a pot bunker in two.


 
 
 

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