Jim Sannes advised fading J.J. Spaun at $10,100 despite his U.S. Open victory. Spaun’s strokes-gained-to-stabilization metric (1.64) is solid but not elite and trails similarly priced options like Ben Griffin and Jordan Spieth. Sannes doubts Spaun will feel compelled to grind a week after his biggest career win and views the salary jump as unjustified given his comparables. He is leaving Spaun off DFS rosters until the market corrects lower.

Jim Sannes said that although he cannot pull the trigger on a Jordan Spieth outright, he still plans to roster Spieth in DFS at a mid-$10K salary. Sannes pointed out that Spieth’s tee-to-green profile is volatile but still carries massive birdie potential, and pairing him with Scottie Scheffler and Russell Henley is feasible if gamers mine value in the low-8K range. Sannes treats DFS as the cheaper way to access Spieth’s ceiling without sweating his erratic driver for a full-tournament ticket, noting that Spieth’s creativity around tiny greens can rack up DraftKings bonuses even when the long irons do not cooperate. In lineup constructions that fade the chalky $11K tier, Spieth becomes Sannes’ preferred pivot for tournament leverage.

Jim Sannes tabbed Ryan Fox as a core GPP option at $8,300. Fox has posted at least 1.69 True Strokes Gained in five straight events, highlighted by two recent worldwide wins and a T19 at the U.S. Open where he barely had time to prep after getting a late tee-time. Over that stretch his irons are fire—gaining 1.2 per round—while the short game is neutral to slightly positive. Sannes conceded Fox is mediocre in driving accuracy, but believes the blazing approach numbers give him multiple birdie sprees on a wedge-heavy layout. The salary relief lets gamers roster both Scottie Scheffler and another five-figure stud while still capturing ceiling that most players in the low-8k range simply do not possess.

Jim Sannes declared Scottie Scheffler’s $13,600 FanDuel salary “too low” and plans to roster him in nearly every lineup. Scheffler leads the field in strokes-gained approach over the past six months by 0.3 per round, sits 7th in putting, and is top-10 off the tee—dominance Sannes calls “borderline unfair.” Starting builds with Scheffler still leaves $9,280 per slot, plenty given the soft mid-tier. In a no-cut setting he expects four rounds of birdies and sees no reason to fade the defending champ.

Jim Sannes recommended Harris English for a top-20 at +180, calling him “a much better golfer than people realize.” English finished runner-up at the PGA Championship by gaining with his irons and followed with a top-10 at Memorial where the putter carried, proving multiple scoring paths. He rarely loses strokes off the tee or around the green and ranks above average in driving accuracy—critical on the wedge-heavy TPC River Highlands. English also won this event in 2021, so Sannes is comfortable betting on his 35% implied top-20 probability in a no-cut field.

Jim Sannes also endorsed Daniel Berger at +360 for a top-10, arguing that recent missed cuts are noise tied almost entirely to a cold putter. Berger’s flatstick finally perked up at Pinehurst while the predictive ball-striking stats were already green: he gained off the tee and on approach at the U.S. Open. Sannes noted Berger ranks 14th in his ceiling model and called the wedges the only short-term concern—something he expects to rebound on a layout loaded with 125-to-175-yard shots. With two previous top-5s at TPC River Highlands and elite driving accuracy, Sannes believes the 3.6-to-1 price is a strong risk-reward play for bettors and a viable high-exposure DFS piece.

Jim Sannes called Ben Griffin a "stud" and locked in an outright at 50-1. Using his strokes-gained-to-stabilization model (30-round off-the-tee, 40-round approach, 50-round short game), Griffin ranks 4th in the field—trailing only Scheffler, McIlroy and Cantlay. He has gained at least 0.61 strokes per round on approach and 0.32 off the tee in four straight starts, converting that form into a T8 at the PGA and T10 at the U.S. Open. Griffin’s accuracy is above average, and his balanced profile mitigates volatility in a no-cut event. Sannes acknowledged mild fatigue concerns but argued the Ryder Cup carrot should keep him sharp. He is comfortable chasing ceiling at 50-1 and suggests a top-10 at +360 for risk-averse bettors, but his primary play is the outright ticket.

Jim Sannes advised passing on Jordan Spieth at 50-1 this week. Although Spieth owns a win here from 2017, Sannes pointed out that even in his better years the rest of his Travelers record is mediocre. He called Spieth’s current form "chaotic," noting wide dispersion off the tee and an up-and-down putter that does not mesh with River Highlands’ precision demands. With another, more trustworthy golfer available at the same 50-1 price (later revealed to be Ben Griffin), Sannes prefers to wait for a course where Spieth’s creative recovery game is a feature rather than a bug. He placed Spieth on a watch-list for the Open Championship but recommended no bets or DFS exposure this week.

Jim Sannes acknowledged Viktor Hovland’s eye-catching short-game spike at the U.S. Open — gaining 1.7 to 6 strokes around the green and chipping in for eagle — but still advised passing on him this week. Although Hovland’s irons remain “awesome” and the 30-1 number is tempting, Sannes noted this was the first time in Hovland’s career he gained more than one stroke per round around the green, calling it likely variance rather than a solved weakness. He is monitoring Hovland closely, yet feels the Norwegian needs another start or two of sustained short-game competence before becoming an outright or DFS anchor. For now, Sannes is keeping Hovland in a “watch-list” bucket instead of committing betting units or high-exposure DFS shares.

Jim Sannes argued that Scottie Scheffler’s +300 outright price is actually fair—maybe even cheap—given how absurd his recent profile is. Over the past six months Scheffler leads this field in approach by nearly 0.3 strokes per round, ranks seventh in putting (+0.53 per round), and sits top-10 off the tee. Sannes added that the Texan is a 90th-percentile putter inside 15 feet this season, quashing the old narrative that Scheffler can’t close with the flatstick. Toss in a defending-champion bump, a no-cut event, and a field where the five names directly behind him all carry win-equity concerns, and Sannes believes Scheffler’s implied 25% win probability accurately reflects reality—making him a viable cornerstone in DFS and a rare mega-favorite still bettable for single-unit outright exposure.

Jim Sannes pushed back on the Harman hype, noting that the lefty’s recent strokes-gained profile is "a little red" across the board. Harman has lost strokes on approach in three of his last four measured starts and enters with negative total strokes gained since the Masters. Sannes cautioned that, even in a no-cut event, paying $8,700 for a golfer whose baseline tee-to-green numbers have cratered could burn lineups when similarly priced options in the low-8k range carry both better long-term ball-striking metrics and higher birdie rates. While he respects the course history, Sannes said he cannot give Harman "the firm thumbs-up" for DFS or outrights this week.

Jim Sannes labeled Andrew Novak a "love" at the absolute minimum $7,000 salary. Novak grades out among the top names in Sannes’ stabilization metric—an 81 score that places him in the same ball-striking neighborhood as much pricier mid-tier options. Because jamming both Scheffler (12.8K) and DeChambeau (12.5K) leaves only $8,425 per slot, Sannes views Novak as the critical plug that makes those top-heavy constructions possible without diving all the way into sub-7K dart throws. The goal is simple: bank on Novak’s steady tee-to-green profile to reach the weekend, then let the two studs bury the field over 72 holes. Sannes cautioned that you should not use Novak in every lineup for portfolio diversification, but he will be in heavy rotation whenever Sannes double-spends at the top.

Jim Sannes pushed Bud Cauley as his favorite punt in the $7K range on FanDuel. Sannes pointed out that Cauley quietly sits at 1.05 True Strokes Gained over the last six months and a stellar 1.34 in Sannes’ stabilization model—numbers that would normally price him at least a full tier higher. The recent résumé backs it up: solo 2nd at the Charles Schwab, a made cut at the PGA Championship, and a T39 at Memorial that was derailed only by a Saturday 79 caused by short-game hiccups. Sannes believes Cauley’s steady ball-striking gives him a realistic chance to survive Oakmont’s brutal cut line, which is all you need when you are jamming Scottie Scheffler and Bryson DeChambeau at the top of the roster. He plans to rotate Cauley through stars-and-scrubs builds as a low-rostered path to six-of-six lineups.

Jim Sannes moved Sam Burns squarely onto his DFS radar at $9,200 after noticing a quiet but meaningful turnaround with the irons. Burns has gained strokes on approach in back-to-back starts for the first time since early spring, a huge development because his driver (317-yard average carry) and elite Bermuda putting have never been in doubt. Sannes argued that if the improved approach play holds for four rounds, Burns’ distance will help him advance shots from Oakmont’s five-inch rough while the hot putter can mask around-the-green blemishes. At a mid-9k salary, Burns fits perfectly as an upside second golfer in stars-and-scrubs builds anchored by Scottie Scheffler or Bryson DeChambeau, providing tournament-winning ceiling without the five-figure price tag.

Jim Sannes endorsed jamming Bryson DeChambeau alongside Scottie Scheffler—even in single-entry contests—because the combined roster rate of the two studs will be far lower than each player individually while preserving massive win equity. At $12,500, DeChambeau is only $300 less than Scheffler, but Sannes showed that plugging both leaves $8,425 per remaining spot and still works once you drop to Andrew Novak at the $7,000 min salary. He envisions a realistic outcome where one of the two posts –4 and the other –2 while the rest of the field sits at +2, producing an insurmountable birdie/bonus gap in FanDuel scoring. DeChambeau’s recent major résumé—wins at Winged Foot and Pinehurst, plus T5 at Augusta and runner-up at Valhalla—coupled with top-tier ball speed that can advance approaches 180-plus yards from Oakmont’s penal rough, makes him the only golfer close enough to Scheffler’s ceiling that Sannes is willing to eat two five-figure salaries. The plan: Bryson + Scotty, punt Novak, then hunt for mid-range ball-strikers to round out every lineup.

Jim Sannes said you simply cannot build FanDuel lineups without Scottie Scheffler this week. Scheffler is +280 to win—an implied 26% win probability in a 156-man major field—and Sannes argued that number is actually fair given Scheffler’s current floor/ceiling combo. He noted Scheffler ranks first in True Strokes Gained the past three months, owns three wins and a T4 in his last four starts, and combines elite distance with above-average accuracy that neutralises Oakmont’s 28-yard fairways and five-inch rough. Sannes believes the $12,800 salary gap is largely irrelevant because Bryson DeChambeau is only $300 cheaper and everyone else is at least $800 below. Fading Scheffler, in his view, is effectively betting on multiple bad breaks or a rare quad in the rough, outcomes he is unwilling to assume. Sannes plans to lock Scheffler into the vast majority of his DFS builds and look for differentiation further down the roster rather than gamble on the field catching the world No. 1.

Jim Sannes added Justin Thomas at 40-to-1, dismissing back-to-back negative approach weeks as noise rather than injury because Thomas still gained 0.7 strokes off the tee at Memorial. Over the last six months Thomas ranks fourth on TOUR in True Strokes Gained—trailing only Scheffler, McIlroy and DeChambeau—thanks to a win at RBC Heritage and a runner-up at the Truist. Using Sannes’ stabilization windows (30 recent rounds OTT, 40 APP, 50 short game), JT sits seventh overall in the Oakmont field yet is priced behind two dozen players. Sannes trusts Thomas’s major pedigree and ‘intestinal fortitude’ more than comparable long-shots, even laying a finishing-position side bet against Tommy Fleetwood to back up the call.

Jim Sannes acknowledged Joaquin Niemann’s major history is ‘more puppy whimper than dog bark,’ yet still grabbed the 30-to-1 outright because the underlying data scream upside. Niemann gained 2.03 strokes on approach and 0.96 with the flat stick during his T8 at this year’s PGA Championship, then immediately won LIV-Virginia despite losing 1.41 strokes per round putting—evidence the tee-to-green ceiling is enormous. Over the past five majors he owns finishes of 22nd, 29th and 8th while ranking top-15 in both driving distance and approach in DataGolf’s true strokes-gained splits. Sannes concedes the short game can implode, but thinks Oakmont rewards his elite driving more than it punishes shaky chipping. At a number longer than Collin Morikawa or Ludvig Aberg, Sannes is willing to look silly if the putter goes cold.

Jim Sannes said he will keep Carlos Ortiz exposure "minimal" despite the tempting $8,500 salary. Sannes acknowledged Ortiz’s recent form—an Asian Tour win in March plus three top-10s in his last LIV starts—but stressed those results came in far weaker fields than a U.S. Open. Ortiz owns zero top-30 finishes in three career U.S. Open appearances and has teed it up in only one major since 2022, leaving Sannes unconvinced he can handle Oakmont’s five-inch rough and 14.5-stimp greens. With plenty of proven cut-makers in the same price tier, Sannes prefers to punt elsewhere and reserve salary for elite studs.

Jim Sannes views Sepp Straka as a live bet in finishing position markets even though he will likely fade him in DFS because of a loftier salary. Straka consistently gains strokes off the tee through a balanced profile—above-average distance paired with solid accuracy—traits Sannes believes are crucial when Oakmont’s five-inch rough and lightning-fast 14.5–15 stimp greens penalize misses. Sannes plans to look at Top-30 or Top-40 markets on Straka once odds post Tuesday, anticipating that his accuracy-plus-distance combo will mitigate Oakmont’s punishing setup.

Jim Sannes said Corey Conners fits Oakmont perfectly because the course rewards elite placement more than raw power. Oakmont’s 28-yard average fairway width, five-inch rough, and 168 bunkers will punish errant drives. Conners is neutral in distance but top-tier in fairway hit rate and still gains strokes off the tee through accuracy. Sannes expects that combination of precision plus acceptable length to keep Conners in contention and make him a viable DFS option and a strong top-20/Make-the-Cut bet even if outright odds become too short.

Sannes highlighted Max McGreevy at $7,900 as his preferred punt when forcing both Rory McIlroy and Shane Lowry into the same DFS roster. McGreevy’s tee-to-green numbers remain positive—solid off the tee, slight negative around the greens—and his ball striking impressed during early Korn Ferry call-ups. The putter has been "awful" in a limited sample, but Sannes views that as a volatility tax worth paying: if the flat stick merely cooperates, McGreevy’s baseline ball striking can produce a made cut and top-25 upside, exactly what’s needed from a sub-$8K salary saver.

Jim Sannes endorsed Nicolai Hojgaard at $8,900 as an aggressive salary-saver. Hojgaard’s calling card is elite length and overall ball striking—both off-the-tee and approach numbers grade out well relative to price. Around-the-green play is "terrible," but Sannes is willing to downplay that weakness on a first-time venue where there’s no evidence scrambling will be pivotal. If the young Dane can simply avoid disaster in tight lies and enjoy one of his spike putting weeks, the power profile fits a wet, long par-70 layout and provides tournament-winning upside at sub-$9K ownership levels.

Sannes slotted Ryan Fox directly behind Smalley in his mid-tier rankings, citing scorching iron play: Fox sits 14th in strokes-gained approach over the last six months and 15th over the last three. Even in the smaller, more recent sample Fox continues to gain, with only a single blow-up at the Valero blemishing his record. At $9,400, Fox offers major-caliber ball striking at a discount, and Sannes refuses to let "one bad event" scare him off. The New Zealander’s high birdie rate and improved putting make him a tournament upside piece for DFS line-ups anchored by pricier studs.

Jim Sannes tabbed Alex Smalley as his favorite mid-range play on FanDuel at just $9,400. Sannes admitted Smalley’s irons cratered at the Charles Schwab, but pointed out they had been solid in the previous handful of starts and remain the backbone of his profile. Smalley combines that improving approach play with both distance and accuracy off the tee—traits Sannes believes will translate on a brand-new, 7,389-yard TPC Toronto track featuring wide fairways. With a bounce-back expectation after “one bad event,” Smalley offers ceiling rarely found in the $9K range, making him Sannes’ preferred pivot when building Rory McIlroy–Shane Lowry cores.

Jim Sannes recommended Keith Mitchell at 2-to-1 for a top-20 finish. Over the past six months Mitchell ranks seventh off the tee, 18th in approach, and fourth overall in true strokes gained, per DataGolf. That elite ball-striking has produced runner-up at Corrales, 12th at Valero, 18th in Houston, and seventh at Zurich, suggesting his profile pops in weaker fields like this one. Sannes believes TPC Toronto’s generous fairways will accentuate Mitchell’s driving advantage while minimizing his below-average short game—a flaw already baked into his strokes-gained baseline. With shallower competition than a major and odds longer than players he outranks statistically, Mitchell offers a strong risk-reward balance for top-20 bettors.

Jim Sannes targeted Corey Conners for a top-10 finish at +220 instead of an outright. Conners has delivered five top-10s and eight top-20s in 14 starts since January 1, underscoring the week-to-week consistency Sannes values in this market. Even after an uncharacteristic poor iron week at the Memorial, Conners still ranks third in the entire field in true strokes gained over the past six months—trailing only Rory McIlroy and Shane Lowry—and has gained strokes in all four categories across that span. His putter has stabilized, the around-the-green play is passable, and Canadian hometown motivation does not hurt. Because he shows fewer spike weeks than Pendrith or Lowry, Sannes prefers the safety of the top-10 ticket while still capturing Conners’ elite ball-striking profile.

Jim Sannes backed fellow Canadian Taylor Pendrith at 28-1 to win the RBC Canadian Open, arguing the ceiling finally matches the number. Pendrith’s notorious short-game weakness is showing signs of life: he has gained strokes around the green in three straight starts and posted a positive putting week at the PGA Championship, where those short-game gains contributed to a fifth-place finish. Crucially, the ball-striking never left—Pendrith gained 2.1 strokes per round on approach at the Memorial while still ranking top-10 in driving distance. Sannes noted TPC Toronto’s long, wide fairways could play like a bomber’s paradise, turning Pendrith’s length and solid accuracy into a decisive edge. The "Canada bump" and a shallow field behind Rory McIlroy further strengthen the case, making 28-1 an attractive outright despite the lingering risk that the putter regresses.

Jim Sannes pegged Eric Cole at $9,300 as another strong DFS option. Cole’s off-the-tee numbers are pedestrian, but he compensates with sharp irons and a plus short game, gaining strokes both on approach and with the putter in five of his last seven measured events. In a field lacking elite depth, that all-around profile and steady cut-making record (83% since January) provide high floor and sneaky upside. Wide fairways at TPC Toronto mitigate his distance deficiency, allowing his approach play to shine on the 6,500-sq-ft greens.

Sannes highlighted Ryo Hisatsune as a favorite mid-range DFS play at just $9,000. Hisatsune owns four top-6 finishes in his last seven starts (6th Charles Schwab, 5th Valero, 4th Valspar, 6th CJ Cup Byron Nelson) and has missed only one cut since February. Although he lacks elite distance, he makes up for it with crisp irons and a reliably positive putter—two skills Sannes deems pivotal on TPC Toronto’s bunker-guarded, bent-grass greens. In a weak field, Hisatsune’s recent +1.3 true strokes gained per round makes him under-priced relative to peers in the low-$9K range.

Jim Sannes is going back to Shane Lowry at 22-1 to win. Lowry ranks second in this field in strokes-gained approach over the past six months and sits third in total ball-striking, per DataGolf. TPC Toronto’s long par-70 setup with generous fairways should reward his elite irons while minimizing his middling length off the tee. With wet, receptive bent-grass greens expected after mid-week rain, Sannes believes precise iron play will separate contenders, making Lowry a premium value in the second odds tier behind Rory McIlroy and Ludvig Aberg.

Sannes still wants plenty of Rory McIlroy in DFS line-ups, calling him ‘a bit under-salary’ relative to his ceiling. Even with some driver concerns, McIlroy is the only golfer in the field gaining more than two strokes per round over the last three months and he brings elite distance that should play up on the long but wide TPC Toronto layout. Because DFS prices do not fully reflect that separation—and salary relief is available deeper in the mid-$9K range—Sannes plans to lock Rory into tournament builds rather than fade him.

Jim Sannes advised passing on Rory McIlroy in the outright betting market at the RBC Canadian Open. McIlroy’s +450 price is dramatically shorter than the +280 number Sannes was willing to lay on Scottie Scheffler last week, despite this week’s weaker field. Sannes noted that Rory’s recent form—+2.44 true strokes gained per round over the past three months—is strong but not Scheffler-level, and there are persistent questions about his driver after an inconsistent PGA Championship showing. With no historical data on the new, 7,389-yard TPC Toronto track, Sannes believes bettors are better off targeting the 14-to-22/1 tier where comparable ball-strikers like Ludvig Aberg, Corey Conners, and Shane Lowry reside.

Jim Sannes pointed out that Scottie Scheffler has lengthened from +280 to 3-1 in the outright market since the Monday open. Sannes said the lack of early steam on Scheffler is "kind of annoying" after he grabbed +280, but it only makes the wager more attractive for listeners. He reiterated the same core case—defending champion, field-leading true strokes-gained at Muirfield Village, elite off-the-tee and iron splits, and a 72-man field with no Rory—but emphasized that a slightly longer number offers a few extra percentage points of expected value. If he were forced to make win picks, Sannes would still start with Scheffler at 3-1 alongside Daniel Berger at 40-1, confident that Scheffler’s statistical dominance offsets the short but now improved price.

Jim Sannes recommended Nick Taylor as an alternative $7,300 punt for DFS players who want to jam two studs up top. Taylor owns a similar profile to Glover—accurate driver and solid irons—but brings a markedly better putter and a track record of gaining with the approach game at Muirfield Village. That combination makes him slightly less volatile than Glover while still freeing the salary needed for Scheffler-plus-Thomas or Scheffler-plus-two-10K builds. Sannes views Taylor as a viable one-lineup inclusion when chasing ceiling without sacrificing too much cut-making safety.