Jim Sannes singled out J.J. Spaun at $10.4K as the only mid-range golfer he “kind of wants to use.” Pairing Scheffler with Spaun still leaves roughly $8.9K per remaining slot, letting you grab another top-end ceiling such as Viktor Hovland while avoiding a stars-and-scrubs build. Sannes noted that the rest of the $10K tier lacks upside relative to salary, whereas Spaun’s recent ball-striking surge (gaining strokes on approach in five of his last six measured events) gives him realistic top-5 equity and keeps roster builds balanced in the small-field GPP environment.

Jim Sannes said Harry Hall is worth a Top-10 wager at +220 on FanDuel because Hall’s world-class short game has stayed red-hot over a large sample and the metrics finally back it up. Hall ranks fifth in Sannes’s ‘relevant strokes-gained’ model after adjusting for the slower stabilization of short-game stats. He also flashed upside with the irons last week, gaining 0.69 strokes on approach at the BMW Championship on the way to a Top-10 finish. East Lake should accentuate Hall’s strengths: accuracy matters more than raw distance, so his lack of length is less of a liability, and putting has historically carried winners here. The only red flag Sannes noted is that this is Hall’s first Tour Championship start, but he is willing to overlook the inexperience at this number because Hall grades out as the best putter in the field and still pops statistically once the noisy short-game data are accounted for.

Jim Sannes embraced volatility by backing Harry Hall at +220 for a top-ten finish. Hall ranks fifth in Sannes’s "relevant strokes gained" metric once stabilization is accounted for, driven by a dominant putter and short game that has stayed hot over a large sample. Sannes admitted Hall lacks prototypical ball-striking but noted he continues to gain strokes putting week after week—enough to carry him in a 30-player field. Sannes said he has "given up doubting" Hall’s sustainability and believes the elite short-game ceiling makes +220 an attractive price.

Jim Sannes went back to the well on Harris English, recommending a +190 top-ten ticket. DataGolf shows English has gained at least 0.16 true strokes in all four categories over the past six months and sits at +0.36 or better everywhere except around-the-green, the least predictive stat. Even with cooler ball-striking the last two events, English finished 12th at the BMW thanks to an elite putter, underscoring multiple routes to a top-ten. In a 30-man field Sannes believes English’s balanced game and recent form warrant the short number.

Jim Sannes reiterated that Russell Henley is the lone outright ticket in his account this week at 20-to-1. Citing DataGolf, Sannes noted Henley ranks fourth in true strokes gained and is tied for third in strokes gained at stabilization over the last six months. East Lake deemphasizes distance and rewards fairways, a combination that has already produced strong Henley finishes, including last year’s T4. Even after the odds shortened, Sannes still sees value, arguing Henley checks every box except needing an average putting week to threaten Scottie Scheffler.

Jim Sannes said he is willing to break his long-standing "no Tommy Fleetwood outright" rule because the Englishman’s metrics have fundamentally shifted. After switching putters, Fleetwood is gaining nearly a stroke per round with the flat stick (+0.92), eighth in this 30-man field, while still ranking fourth in ball-striking over the last 50 rounds. Sannes’ model now gives Fleetwood the fourth-highest overall ceiling and the third-highest tee-to-green ceiling at East Lake, with a floor that also ranks third. That combination of safety and upside makes the 14-to-1 outright number attractive; Sannes believes Fleetwood can win if Scheffler regresses to field-average on the greens and Fleetwood finds the upper end of his newly steady putting.

Jim Sannes was willing to roll the dice on Daniel Berger at the stone-minimum FanDuel salary for the BMW Championship. Over his last 36 rounds Berger ranks second in the entire field in ball-striking (+1.57 strokes gained off-the-tee plus approach), trailing only Scottie Scheffler (+2.69). The catch is a brutal short game (-0.49 putting, ‑0.53 around the green), but Sannes argued a punt like this lets DFS players jam Scheffler, McIlroy and even Ludvig Aberg in the same lineup. If Berger’s flat stick is merely average for one week, the ball-striking could propel him into a slate-breaking top finish.

Jim Sannes said Ludvig Aberg is his preferred consolation play at $10,600 if roster construction forces him off Rory McIlroy. Aberg brings elite distance and has jumped to 13th in ball-striking over the last 36 rounds, yet is the cheapest golfer in FanDuel’s second-tier pricing cluster. Sannes acknowledged some short-game volatility but believes the combination of raw power, trending approach play and discounted salary gives Aberg the upside needed to compete in GPPs.

Jim Sannes called Scottie Scheffler a must-start in DFS at $13,100, describing the price as a “bargain” given Scheffler’s week-to-week consistency. In a 49-man BMW field Sannes thinks Scheffler would have to finish outside the top 10 for a fade to pay off, something his ball-striking profile makes unlikely. Sannes plans to pair Scheffler with Rory McIlroy and back-fill value plays such as Harris English or Harry Hall, confident that Scheffler’s floor and ceiling justify squeezing every dollar around him.

Jim Sannes singled out Harris English at +300 for a top-10 as the bet he would place if forced to choose only one this week. He argued English is longer than people realize—roughly tour-average off the tee—while pairing that distance with “sick” irons and an elite putter. English already showed he can handle Olympia Fields with a strong performance at the 2021 BMW. In a reduced 49-player field those traits, plus his proven ability to rise in stronger fields, make 3-to-1 far too generous in Sannes’ model.

Jim Sannes said Russell Henley is a strong +230 top-10 wager at the BMW Championship. Sannes acknowledged Henley’s lack of elite distance kept him off the outright card, but he pointed to Henley’s 17th-place finish last week with a cold putter, a driver that gained strokes and a ranking of third in the entire field in his proprietary “relevant strokes-gained” metric. With only 49 players teeing it up, Sannes believes Henley’s current tee-to-green form and accuracy give him more than enough ceiling to cash the top-10 ticket despite a few longer holes at Olympia Fields.

Jim Sannes bet Russell Henley for a Top-10 despite the obvious distance deficiency (48th of 49 in driving distance, losing ~12 yards per drive). Henley counters with elite precision: 10th in approach, 3rd around the green and 20th in putting over the last 50 rounds, numbers strong enough to rank him 30th in SG:OTT even while short. He is eighth in strokes-gained per shot from 150+ yards and fourth in strokes-gained ceiling across the same span, and Sannes pointed to Henley’s reliable record on demanding US Open-style setups as proof he can survive lengthier layouts. The all-around consistency makes a Top-10 ticket attractive, even if Sannes passed on the outright because he questions whether Henley can keep pace on the par-5s.

Jim Sannes prefers Matt Fitzpatrick at 40-1 over the shorter options because his recent profile is sneaky-elite. Using his "relevant strokes-gained" blend (last 24 OTT, 36 APP, 50 short-game), Fitzpatrick ranks fourth in the BMW field behind only Scheffler, Fleetwood and Henley, yet he is priced longer than all three. The distance surge Fitz showed in the spring has settled into a comfortable, sustainable level, helping fuel consistent ball-striking numbers all summer except for one off week. Short-game excellence is a career constant. Sannes argued bettors "just forgot about Fitz" after a couple middling finishes, creating value on a player whose ceiling, form and putting all check the heater boxes the hosts are chasing this week.

Jim Sannes called the 8-to-1 number on Rory McIlroy “forgetting how special this guy is” and urged bettors to grab it before it shortens. McIlroy has finished 6th, 2nd, and 7th in his last three starts despite gaining as little as 0.07 strokes per round off the tee, a club Sannes expects to rebound on a course where distance proved decisive in 2021. McIlroy posted a 4th-place finish that year at Caves Valley. With no LIV players and only 49 golfers in the field, Sannes believes Rory would be closer to +600 had he logged another top-10 last week. The combination of elite long-term ball-striking, resurgent putting, and limited competition makes McIlroy a must-bet outright at FanDuel.

Jim Sannes is backing Harris English in every format. English owns a 1.76 true strokes gained average the past three months, ranking top-15 both on approach and with the putter. He finished T-26 the last time this course hosted (2021) and, according to Sannes, is "longer than perception" off the tee, making him a sneaky fit for a setup that rewards distance. At $8,100 on FanDuel and 50-1 to win, English is one of Sannes’ favorite mid-tier clicks.

Jim Sannes explained that Chris Gotterup’s outright number was slashed from 50-1 at open to 35-1 overnight—too short for a ticket—but he still loves the bomber in DFS. Gotterup averages 1.73 true strokes gained per round across the last three months, is the third-longest hitter in the field, and costs only $9,100. Sannes will pass on the condensed outright but plans to keep Gotterup in his DFS pool because the length advantage supplies a week-winning ceiling if the irons rebound.

Jim Sannes said he is still willing to roster Tommy Fleetwood at an $11.1k DFS salary but cannot stomach another outright ticket until Fleetwood proves he can close. Fleetwood ranks second in true strokes gained over the last three months (+2.24) and third over six months (+2.02), trailing only Scheffler and McIlroy, thanks to elite tee-to-green play (3rd) and a hot putter (9th) since switching flat sticks. Despite that form he has twice fallen short when holding late leads, most recently a T3 heartbreaker last week. Sannes worries the near-misses are “starting to feel different” mentally, preferring Fleetwood in a chase position rather than front-running. The statistical floor and consistent top-10s make him a solid GPP target, but without a demonstrated closing gear Sannes is passing on the outright number and focusing exposure on DFS.

Jim Sannes called Justin Rose a “ceiling player” at the flat $8K mark. Rose still flashes top-five upside when the putter cooperates and sits eighth in the European Ryder Cup standings, giving him extra incentive to perform. For line-ups that jam both Scheffler and Schauffele, Rose provides legitimate win equity without forcing a sub-7K punt, making him one of Sannes’ favorite plays below $8.5K.

Jim Sannes “loves” JJ Spaun at $8.8K, arguing the market treats him like a tier-below talent. Spaun’s ball-striking has been strong all season, he’s a positive putter, finished 23rd at The Open after a missed Scottish cut, and even flirted with the U.S. Open lead. Sannes believes that resume makes Spaun a better play than similarly-priced names such as Matt McNeely or JT Poston, giving him both floor and ceiling in GPPs.

Harris English is a “love” for Jim Sannes at $9.4K. English has a history of spiking in strong fields, and Sannes likes that he’s gaining with both irons and putter, the combination most predictive of upside at Southwind. Compared with Hideki Matsuyama and Keegan Bradley in the same range, English offers similar win probability at a slightly lower salary, making him one of Sannes’ preferred tournament leverage plays.

Jim Sannes called Corey Conners “first” among the $9.7K–$9.9K group. Conners leads that range in strokes-gained approach over the past 50 rounds and carries higher implied win odds than Ben Griffin or Sepp Straka. Sannes likes using Conners as a mid-tier anchor when line-ups cannot reach the $10K names, trusting the Canadian’s consistent ball-striking and recent top-25 finishes to deliver both floor and ceiling.

Jim Sannes said Russell Henley is the “ideal pairing” with Scottie Scheffler for DFS at TPC Southwind. Slotting Henley at $10.8K alongside Scheffler’s $13.4K still leaves an $8.95K average for the final four golfers, the exact range Sannes thinks “rules this week.” Henley’s recent iron play and reliable putting fit the host’s strategy of down-weighting driver distance, while Scheffler supplies unmatched floor/ceiling. Sannes plans to build a large share of lineups around this core because it provides top-tier win equity without forcing uncomfortable punts.

Jim Sannes is starting his FanDuel builds with Scotty Scheffler even at a $13.4K tag, noting he would have paid $14K. Scheffler has not finished outside the top-10 since March’s PLAYERS, giving him an unmatched floor in a no-cut playoff field while still owning tournament-winning upside. Sannes showed that pairing mid-8K options with Scheffler still leaves $9.3K per remaining slot, making roster construction easy. He plans to use Scheffler in at least four of his first five lineups, arguing that fading him means you must nail the outright winner to keep up.

Jim Sannes bet Chris Gotterup +360 for a top-10 and wants DFS shares as well. Since May, Gotterup’s irons have flipped positive over a 30-round sample; Sannes’ own research shows approach stabilizes around 36 rounds, so the trend looks sticky. Pair that with what he called a “sick driver” plus an improving short game—74th-percentile putting inside 15 ft—and the ceiling pops. When Sannes filtered the field for golfers 45-to-1 or longer, Gotterup ranked number-one in projected ceiling. At +360 he sees a mis-priced, high-beta play worth chasing.

Applying his “who’s actually done it” filter, Jim Sannes bet Harris English +330 for a top-10. English owns podium finishes in stacked fields—2nd at The Open, 2nd at the PGA Championship, 4th at the Travelers, 12th at the Memorial—powered by elite irons and a hot putter. TPC Southwind minimizes his meh driver and is clearly comfortable: 4th in 2021, 10th in 2017, and a win in 2013. Sannes noted English’s strokes-gained stabilization numbers look “really, really good” and plans to add DFS exposure at a $9.4K salary.

Jim Sannes argued that the smarter way to back Corey Connors at TPC Southwind is the finishing-position market. With Scotty Scheffler fully capable of “wrecking everyone,” Sannes grabbed Connors at +300 for a top-10 while still sprinkling a 40-to-1 outright ticket. The smaller FedEx St. Jude field means fewer bodies to leap, and Connors’ week-in-week-out ball-striking keeps him on leaderboards even when he does not win. Sannes framed the bet as inexpensive exposure to Connors’ profile without asking him to beat Scheffler head-to-head.

Jim Sannes agreed on the Henley love but prefers the +550 top-5 market to protect against a potential Scottie Scheffler runaway. Henley has five top-10s in nine starts since winning the Arnold Palmer Invitational and has gained strokes in 14 of the last 16 individual SG buckets. Over his past 50 rounds he ranks top-17 in approach, around-the-green and putting while sitting 12th in driving accuracy—traits Sannes feels perfectly match Southwind’s narrow fairways and tiny greens. With two career top-10s at this course already, Sannes views +550 as a ‘good number’ that captures Henley’s high floor without needing him to beat Scheffler outright.

Jim Sannes is steering clear of Ben Griffin at 40-ish to 1 in the outright market despite a respectable $9,700 salary. Griffin skipped two of the last four weeks but still logged heavy mileage earlier in the year chasing a Masters berth, and Sannes worries the accumulated schedule could mirror Michael Kim’s late-spring fade. Griffin’s 11th-place finish last week came almost entirely via the putter; his ball-striking actually lost strokes, suggesting underlying form remains shaky. With Corey Conners, Harris English, and Keegan Bradley sitting in the same pricing neighborhood, Sannes prefers those steadier statistical profiles and will keep Griffin exposure limited to low-owned DFS sprinkles rather than bets.

Jim Sannes explained why he may add Xander Schauffele to his outright card at 18-to-1. Schauffele enters off back-to-back top-8s at the Scottish Open and Open Championship and owns two top-6s here in the last five years, including a runner-up in 2023. Ball-striking is back to elite levels post-injury, but putting remains quirky: 63rd-percentile from inside 15 feet yet first-percentile from outside that range this season. Sannes noted that if Xander had stayed healthy and nabbed even one win this year, books would probably list him near 12-to-1 in a field missing Rory and the LIV stars. The current 18-to-1 number therefore bakes in the putting risk and offers enough ceiling for an outright swing.

Jim Sannes said bettors need a Scheffler contingency plan. At +280 to win on FanDuel, Scheffler is "looming large" and has already piled up four wins in his last eight starts. Sannes admitted he built his entire card around the possibility that Scheffler does what he has done all season – separate with tee-to-green dominance and stomp the field late. His solution was to pair every outright he placed on other golfers with finishing-position bets (top-10s, top-20s or each-ways) so a “second-by-six-strokes” scenario still cashes. The takeaway: if you fade Scottie for the outright price, protect yourself with placement markets because his median finish projects inside the top five at accuracy-driven TPC Southwind.

Jim Sannes cautioned listeners not to chase Harry Hall at $11,000. Hall’s recent top-25 finishes have been almost entirely putter-driven—he ranks top-5 in SG:Putting over the past 50 rounds but is still losing strokes on approach in four of his last six ShotLink starts. Sannes contrasted Hall with Denny McCarthy, noting McCarthy’s irons have been positive for six straight months whereas Hall has regressed in two consecutive events (both overseas) once the greens cooled off. Given Hall’s price tag and projected double-digit ownership, Sannes prefers saving the $1,000 for McCarthy or dropping to Lucas Glover, whose ball-striking is far more bankable. He called Hall a classic trap play that “needs another nuclear putting week just to pay off salary,” making him a fade in DFS and off the outright card entirely.

Jim Sannes said Jackson Koivun is worth a swing in the top-10 market at +750. Koivun has already flashed on Tour with an 11th at the John Deere, a 6th at the ISCO Championship, and made cuts at the Arnold Palmer and Farmers despite still coming straight from the college ranks. In the limited ShotLink events we have, the Auburn star has been accurate off the tee and positive with the putter; the irons have lagged, but Sannes is fine embracing that variance in an upside-only bet. He prefers the wager to DFS exposure because the smaller stake lets him capture Koivun’s ceiling while acknowledging the projection risk that comes with a collegiate sample. In a Wyndham field light on elite talent, Sannes feels Koivun has a realistic path to hang around the first page of the leaderboard and reward the long number.

Jim Sannes pounced on Jordan Spieth at the same 33-to-1 number as Hideki, arguing the market is overweighting a single mediocre finish after the neck injury. Spieth told Kay Adams he is now fully healthy, and Sannes pointed out the driver looked sharp at Royal Portrush while the irons were ‘bananas’ prior to the WD in June. Accuracy off the tee is better than Spieth’s reputation suggests, a trait Sannes prioritizes at Sedgefield. With health clarity, acceptable accuracy and top-end approach upside, Sannes views 33-to-1 as a clear discount and prefers Spieth to Matsuyama at equal odds.

Jim Sannes pushed Tom Kim as the clear value pivot in the $9K tier. Sannes noted Kim’s price is the lowest of the trio he and Brandon debated (Max Homa $9.3K, Sungjae Im $9.6K) yet Kim owns the best course résumé of the group—he won in his only Wyndham start back in 2022. Despite two straight missed cuts, Kim still gained at least 0.8 strokes per round on approach at both The Open and the 3M, which tells Sannes the irons are heating up again. Accuracy off the tee and solid mid-iron play are the two traits Sannes prioritizes at Sedgefield, and Kim grades out well in both. With an 80-to-1 outright tag on FanDuel Sportsbook and a low DFS salary that lets gamers jam a second stud, Sannes recommended plugging Kim into core builds and sprinkling top-20 and outright tickets in hopes the former champ rekindles his Sedgefield magic.

Jim Sannes slotted Andrew Putnam into his core at $8,400, stressing that Twin Cities deemphasizes driving power— Putnam’s biggest flaw. The veteran ranks top-25 in both irons and short game over his last 50 rounds and has already finished 11th and 19th in two career 3M appearances. Sannes noted that betting markets steamed Putnam’s outright price too far, but the DFS salary never moved, creating value. With birdies required to contend, Putnam’s 77th-percentile make rate inside 15 feet gives him a sneaky ceiling, and his reliable wedge play should keep blow-up holes off the card. Sannes views him as an ideal second or third golfer in balanced builds.

Jim Sannes flagged Hao Tong Li as his lone must-have in the $9K bucket on FanDuel. Sannes said Li has been piling up top finishes on the DP World Tour thanks to a rare combo of positive strokes-gained approach and above-average bent-grass putting. DataGolf’s true SG has him trending up over the past 20 rounds, which Sannes trusts because it bakes in both European and PGA data. At $9,400, Li grades out better than more expensive options like Matt Wallace and Sam Stevens while still letting you jam in one of the $10K studs up top. Sannes conceded the Open Championship run may carry a slight fatigue risk but noted Li’s stateside prep time was longer than most after missing the weekend, minimizing jet-lag concerns. Bottom line: Li checks the course-fit boxes (long-iron proximity, birdie conversion) and gives roster flexibility in a range the hosts largely hate.

Sannes earmarked Sam Stevens for a top-10 at 6-1 after the number drifted from +650. Stevens’ driver has been trending upward— a key improvement behind made cuts at both the PGA Championship and U.S. Open— and his short game is quietly solid. The drawback is wildly inconsistent irons, but Sannes prefers to embrace that volatility in a top-10 market where a spike week pays off handsomely. He acknowledged he would slightly favor Emiliano Grillo at a similar price if both numbers hold, yet still believes the upside justifies Stevens as a secondary top-10 exposure.

Jim Sannes backed Christiaan Bezuidenhout for a top-10 at 6-1, noting that the South African’s iron play— traditionally his weakness— has quietly surged. Bezuidenhout gained +1.12 strokes on approach at the Scottish Open and +0.46 in another elite field at Royal Portrush, showing the uptick is not mere small-field noise. Because his short game has always been a strength, even average irons unlock real ceiling in this watered-down event. With TPC Twin Cities minimizing around-the-green demands and rewarding hot putters on bent grass, Sannes sees Bezuidenhout’s balanced profile as perfect for a placement wager.

Jim Sannes targeted Akshay Bhatia at 35-to-1 for an outright ticket, calling him the prototypical young talent who can steal a weaker-field event. Over the past six months Bhatia ranks second in strokes-gained approach among entrants— trailing only Henrik Norlander— while simultaneously gaining strokes on bent-grass greens and maintaining decent accuracy off the tee. Sannes admitted Bhatia’s around-the-green play is poor but argued TPC Twin Cities deemphasizes scrambling, allowing elite iron-putter combos to shine. Bhatia has nearly doubled his approach impact year-over-year (0.33 → 0.65 SG/round) and sits sixth in this field in birdie-or-better rate plus 12th in strokes gained per shot from 150+ yards during the last 12 months, fitting Brandon Gdula’s course-fit template. Add an 86th-percentile make rate inside 15 feet and Bhatia’s profile screams scoring upside. Sannes noted the left-hander’s Ryder Cup hopes— however remote— add extra motivation. With the number already tightening from 40-1 to 35-1, he advised locking in exposure before further drift.

Jim Sannes reiterated that Sam Burns is the top betting option at the 3M Open even at a relatively short 18-to-1 ticket. Sannes compared data-golf true strokes gained and showed Burns leads the entire field at +1.81 per round over the past 24 measured rounds, +1.81 off-the-tee over the past 24, and continues to grade out positively on approach over the past 36. That puts him ahead of Chris Gotterup (+1.67) and Maverick McNealy (+1.44), the only other players sniffing Burns’ neighborhood. Looking at a wider six-month window, Burns still tops the slate, which Sannes views as proof the recent surge is sustainable rather than a two-tournament blip. Over the last 12 months Burns averages +1.37 true SG— nearly a full shot per round better than McNealy (+1.10) and more than double Gotterup (+0.63). Sannes reminded listeners that those 12-month numbers include Burns’ mid-season lull, so the fact he’s ascended back to field-leading status now is a bullish sign. He added that Burns nearly won the U.S. Open; had he closed that major, his odds here would likely sit near 10-to-1. The Louisiana native’s elite putting (99th-percentile make rate inside 15 feet) provides a built-in floor, so Sannes does not fear regret if the outright does not cash. Bottom line: Burns owns the best long- and short-term profile and should be a primary betting stake despite the modest price.

Jim Sannes admitted he initially planned to fade Christiaan Bezuidenhout, but the data forced a rethink. Bezuidenhout is gaining with his irons in seven of his past nine starts and has cleared +1 stroke per round with approach in four of those, something rarely seen in his profile. Combine that with his trademark short-game prowess and Sannes now views the South African as both a viable outright at 70-1 and a strong DFS play at $8,600. Sannes emphasized that Bezuidenhout’s recent gains are not just putter-driven anymore, giving him legitimate win equity in a watered-down field.

Jim Sannes called Marco Penge a mis-priced steal at $7,800, noting the DP World Tour standout finished solo second at the Genesis Scottish Open while gaining strokes both off the tee and with his irons. Penge sits top-10 on the DPWT in driving distance, a weapon Sannes believes will shorten Portrush’s 7,381 yards if wind stays moderate. The red flag is putting—Penge rates poorly on European Tour stats—but Sannes is willing to embrace that volatility in tournaments where he only needs one hot week. Because DraftKings and FanDuel released salaries before the Scottish result, Sannes expects Penge to be overlooked and will cap exposure around 25% to mitigate putting risk while still capitalizing on the ceiling.

Jim Sannes likes taking a stab on Wyndham Clark at just $8,200, arguing the price bakes in all the downside from his recent iron slump without accounting for a potential rebound. Clark gained on approach at the Travelers and parlayed that into a confidence-building top-10 at the Scottish Open. Sannes expects long-term talent to win out: Clark is historically a neutral iron player with elite distance, traits that translate when Portrush plays firm. At this salary, Clark only needs a median finish to pay off in cash builds and carries legit win equity if the irons pop. Sannes will mix Clark into 10–15% of his GPP lineups and views him as a natural pivot off chalky mid-8K options.

Jim Sannes singled out Maverick McNealy at $8,700 as his favorite sub-$9K ceiling play. McNealy has quietly made all three major cuts this season and posted T22 at the Scottish Open and T17 at the Travelers in his last two starts. Using a ceiling metric that adds one standard deviation to average strokes gained over the last 50 rounds, Sannes ranked McNealy 15th in the entire field despite the modest salary. The upside stems from spike weeks with the putter and a driver that can be both long and straight enough to avoid Portrush’s penal rough. Sannes plans to be overweight in single-entry GPPs, viewing McNealy as the best blend of price, form, and volatility under $9K.

Jim Sannes called Xander Schauffele the single best outright bet for the Open at 25-1 on FanDuel. Sannes highlighted Schauffele’s field-leading +2.38 strokes gained per round on approach at last week’s Scottish Open, where he also ranked 7th in driving accuracy and 3rd in greens-in-regulation en route to a T8. Schauffele sits second only to Scottie Scheffler in Sannes’ cumulative major-performance metrics and historically excels on tough setups that require balanced distance and accuracy. Putting regression is expected: Xander grades in the 63rd percentile inside 15 ft but just the 3rd percentile from long range, suggesting upside if mid-range looks drop. Sannes added a narrative boost—each of the past four Open champions played the Scottish the week before with a solid finish, a trend Schauffele fits perfectly. Price, recent ball-striking spike, and proven major floor make him the cornerstone of Sannes’ betting card.

Jim Sannes pivoted to Sepp Straka as his favorite play in the crowded $9,700–$9,900 tier on FanDuel. Sannes argued Straka offers a “better ceiling and better ball-striking” profile than Matt Fitzpatrick at the same $9,900 salary. Straka’s Open résumé features several solid finishes despite a shaky 2024 major season, giving Sannes added confidence on a links test that rewards precise iron play. Sannes acknowledged Fitzpatrick’s elite 86% make rate inside 15 feet but noted putting is not a core stat in his Portrush model, whereas Straka’s tee-to-green advantage and long-term upside fit both tournament GPP builds and balanced cash constructions.

Jim Sannes will roster Sam Burns at $9,400, preferring him to Ben Griffin in the same price neighborhood. Although Burns lost strokes on approach last week, Sannes pointed out that his irons had been trending upward beforehand while his off-the-tee game remains a weapon. Pair that with Burns’ ability to catch fire with the putter and Sannes sees a higher ceiling than Griffin offers. He is willing to live with the occasional short-game blow-up because Burns’ spike weeks include the ball-striking profile required to contend at Portrush. In GPPs, Burns provides volatile upside without the ownership of the more talked-about Griffin.

Jim Sannes prefers Russell Henley to Jordan Spieth in DFS, calling Henley’s $10,200 salary a perfect blend of floor and value. Henley ranks among the Tour’s most accurate drivers (gaining despite below-average distance) and owns elite tee-to-green splits over the past three months. Sannes acknowledged Portrush rewards total driving but argued Henley’s laser-straight accuracy keeps him neutral off the tee while his approach play and solid putting provide upside. Henley’s consistency—five straight worldwide cuts coming in—makes him a cash-game anchor who still carries top-15 potential in volatile Open conditions.

Jim Sannes identified Viktor Hovland as his preferred ‘next man up’ at $10,700 when he skips the Bryson-through-Lowry tier. Sannes called Hovland’s ceiling massive for the price, citing the Norwegian’s elite long-term approach numbers and three straight Open top-15s as evidence he can thrive on demanding links setups. Using Rory plus Hovland leaves $9,350 per remaining spot, giving line-ups a more balanced feel than a Scheffler build while still capturing elite win equity. Sannes said he expects Hovland to be less rostered than Shane Lowry (priced at $11K largely on 2019 nostalgia) and views the $300 discount as meaningful leverage in both single-entry and GPP formats.

Jim Sannes prefers building line-ups around a Rory McIlroy–Jon Rahm core, calling Rahm’s $11,600 tag a clear bargain relative to his 12-to-1 outright odds and long-term major floor. Pairing the two leaves $9,125 per golfer, allowing access to a deep mid-range without dipping into flimsy $7K dart throws. Sannes said Rahm’s consistency—five straight made Open cuts with four top-12s—offsets the major’s volatility and gives him the nod over similarly priced Xander Schauffele in DFS (even though Sannes likes Xander more at his 25-to-1 betting number). The combination of elite irons, plus Open track record, and manageable salary makes Rahm his second-favorite high-end play behind Rory.