Kenny Kim believes Scottie Scheffler is trending toward a strong performance at The Masters following his recent showings. At the last tournament, Scheffler made an impressive comeback effort, nearly converting a critical eagle putt, although faltering slightly on a late approach shot at hole 18. Kim stated Scheffler's form and rust removal look evident and indicated he's ready to compete at Augusta, a course where he's tasted victory twice already and suits his game particularly well. Kim suggested a strong positive outlook for Scheffler's Masters chances, advising backing him either in outright bets or DFS.

Kenny Kim highlighted Si Woo Kim as a smart strategic international DFS option at the Valero Texas Open in scenarios where DFS leagues have constraints on international players. Kenny noted that Si Woo is not the worst option in this context, indicating that he is a solid solution for DFS players faced with limited availability of high-quality international talent throughout the year.

Kenny Kim discussed strategy considerations around using Corey Conners in DFS lineups for Valero, emphasizing how international player shortages in certain formats affect roster decisions. Kim recalled previous difficulties running short of international stars late in the season, such as Viktor Hovland and Sungjae Im. He explicitly reflected upon whether saving Conners for a later tournament would be wiser than expending him this week, underscoring strategic long-term considerations.

Kenny Kim expressed reservations about DFS ownership and pricing with Akshay Bhatia despite Akshay's strong history at TPC San Antonio. Kenny initially liked Akshay as a potential DFS play this week, specifically noting this might be the only ideal spot to use him during the year. However, upon reflection, Kenny candidly admitted he doesn't like Akshay's potentially elevated price tag and ownership, suggesting caution given those DFS concerns, and offered Callum Tarren as a possible alternative.

Kenny Kim indicated interest in Callum Tarren as a DFS pivot if Akshay Bhatia ends up too highly rostered or overpriced. While Kenny initially leaned toward playing Akshay due to great course history, he noted potential reservations over Bhatia's pricing and popularity. Tarren emerged as Kenny's comfortable pivot option, stating clearly he doesn't mind using Tarren this week if Akshay's ownership or salary becomes concerning.

Kenny Kim recommends playing Jordan Spieth in DFS this week rather than next week at The Masters. Kenny explained that Spieth will likely be super low-owned despite his excellent course history at the Valero Texas Open, as most DFS players typically hold Spieth back for popular usage during Masters week. Kenny sees a clear advantage using Spieth this week as a contrarian play leveraged against future high ownership at Augusta.

Kenny Kim recommended Brice Garnett as a valuable low-owned DFS sleeper at Valero Texas Open. Kim illustrated Garnett's ideal course fit based on strong good-drive percentage and proficiency from critical approach yardages (150-175 yards). Citing past examples of short hitters succeeding at this event (e.g., Ryan Moore, Kevin Streelman), Kim views Garnett’s accurate, controlled strategy as uniquely suited for this test and endorsed Garnett confidently at projected minimal ownership.

Kenny Kim expressed DFS interest in Danny Walker, praising the resilience and determination he displayed last week at a course less suited to his skill set. Specifically, Walker rebounded impressively after a poor opening round, shooting notably low (-6 or better) on day two. Given his standout performance at THE PLAYERS Championship two weeks prior and demonstrated ability to recover after adversity, Kim considers Walker an intriguing lower-priced DFS option this week for potential sleeper value.

Kenny Kim spotlighted Henrik Norlander as the statistical standout in the 6K DFS range at Valero Texas Open. Norlander currently ranks first in approach play and within the top 10 for key iron distance ranges essential at TPC San Antonio (150-200 yards). Kenny explicitly endorsed Norlander as a strong DFS value play due to exceptional model rankings compared to expectations for low ownership—a valuable combination for potential tournament success.

Kenny Kim's Hustler Play of the Week is Andrew Putnam, primarily due to his historically strong course performance at Valero Texas Open despite two recent missed cuts. Kenny clarified those missed cuts occurred at events (Players Championship and Valspar) where Putnam historically struggles. Highlighting Putnam’s strengths in good drive percentage, iron play from key yardages (150-200 yards), and past proven results at this specific course, Kim expects his ownership to remain below double digits, therefore representing significant DFS leverage potential.

Kenny Kim strongly recommended Eric Cole for DFS this week, emphasizing Cole's resurgence in elite ball-striking rounds recently. With the public falling off Cole amid decreased hype compared to earlier in the year, Kenny noted that Cole is precisely now arriving at excellent form. Kim specifically pointed out Cole’s weakest part of the game (off-the-tee) is less penalized at TPC San Antonio, aligning perfectly with his recent strong iron play. Kim confidently sees Cole’s improved form and decreased DFS public enthusiasm as a prime combination for tournament upside.

Kenny Kim highlighted Chris Kirk as a favorable DFS pivot off higher-owned players like Charley Hoffman due to similarly solid course history at Valero Texas Open. Kirk possesses an appealing track record here combined with proven win equity, making him an intriguing option at lower ownership levels. Kim explicitly stated Kirk could provide similar upside to golfers like Hoffman but at potentially lower DFS exposure, adding valuable tournament leverage opportunities.

Kenny Kim is high on Si Woo Kim in DFS this week despite his missed cut last event. Kenny mentioned Si Woo's reliably excellent short game as a key factor at TPC San Antonio. He also emphasized Si Woo’s Texas residency, pointing out that he’s familiar with the local windy conditions—a crucial point for the Valero Texas Open. Given Si Woo's historical success at this venue and the ability to adapt to unpredictable winds, Kenny sees strong DFS upside at potentially lower ownership following last week's missed cut.

Kenny Kim identified Hideki Matsuyama as an appealing game theory option in DFS due to anticipated low ownership. Despite Hideki's recent poor form, Kenny cited the success of expert DFS player Tyler 'Tambo' Tamboline's approach, which involves targeting Matsuyama exclusively in situations where he's unpopular and priced under 10K. Kenny noted Hideki's strong history at TPC San Antonio—three top-30 finishes over his last four appearances—as additional justification to deploy him in GPPs at potentially under 10% owned, gaining leveraged tournament-winning upside over the field.

Kenny Kim highlighted Denny McCarthy as an exciting DFS target at Valero, noting McCarthy is currently experiencing by far the best iron-play of his career. While he is renowned for elite putting, McCarthy has recently elevated his approach game significantly. Kenny believes that it's only a matter of time before McCarthy's peak iron performance aligns with his traditionally elite putting abilities to produce a breakthrough win. Although Kenny hesitated to bet outright at shorter odds (25-to-1), he confidently recommended exposure to McCarthy at his current 9K DFS price.

Kenny Kim sees Jordan Spieth as a smart DFS tournament play due to the Valero Texas Open specifically neutralizing Spieth's primary weakness—strokes gained off-the-tee. He explained that this event traditionally shows the winner gaining fewer strokes off-the-tee relative to most PGA Tour courses, reducing the negative impact of Spieth's inconsistent driver. With Spieth recently showing flashes of strong performances—including top finishes at events like Waste Management (4th) and Cognizant (9th)—Kenny believes this week provides optimal DFS exposure to Spieth before potentially high popularity heading into Masters week.

Kenny Kim strongly endorsed Patrick Cantlay in DFS formats at Valero this week, highlighting Cantlay's consistently outstanding recent iron play. Kim specifically noted that Cantlay has gained significant strokes on approach shots consistently over his last four events—including AT&T Pebble Beach, Genesis Invitational, Arnold Palmer, and The Players Championship. Despite missing course history at Valero, Kim sees Cantlay's current form and elite iron game presenting substantial DFS value, enthusiastically recommending him as a top-tier DFS option.

Kenny Kim recommended betting Ryan Gerard at 66-to-1 with eight places at the Valero Texas Open, highlighting Gerard’s consistently elite ball striking performances throughout the season. Gerard's mid-iron skills particularly align with requirements at TPC San Antonio. Kim also liked Gerard’s ability to produce birdies plentifully if scoring gets low, as it did last year at -20 under. Gerard’s recent top-10 finish further reinforces Kenny’s confidence that Gerard is undervalued and a highly attractive option at these odds.

Kenny Kim strongly endorsed betting Gary Woodland at 45-to-1 with eight places for the Valero Texas Open. Kim spoke enthusiastically about Woodland's solid recent performance where he again found himself in contention, particularly highlighting an exceptional approach shot on the 72nd hole under pressure. Kim also noted Woodland's familiarity and previous consistent play at TPC San Antonio, pointing out he's never lost strokes at this event and has multiple strong finishes here. Kim believes Woodland's reliable ball striking and improving putting make him ready to capture a win again, especially coming off recent momentum.

Kenny Kim is backing Daniel Berger at 25-to-1 odds with eight places, despite Berger's unimpressive history at TPC San Antonio. Kim emphasized Berger's consistency and versatility lately, citing seven top-25 finishes in his last nine events, including strong showings at diverse courses like Torrey Pines, Honda Classic, Bay Hill, The Players Championship, and waste management events. Kim sees this event, with a modest field strength, as an ideal spot where Berger can break through for an overdue victory.

Kenny Kim recommended betting Corey Conners at 25-to-1 odds with three places at the Valero Texas Open, highlighting multiple factors supporting this selection. Conners enters with excellent form, recording three consecutive top-10 finishes where he's gained almost 24 strokes tee-to-green in those events. Additionally, he's already demonstrated the ability to win at TPC San Antonio twice previously, providing confidence in his suitability to the course. Kim noted Conners’ strong recent play and specifically cited his statistical prowess from tee-to-green as clear indicators of potential success here.

Kenny Kim expressed strong support for Eric Cole in a direct head-to-head matchup betting scenario against Justin Rose at the Valero Texas Open. Kenny highlighted Cole's odds and matchup as appealing, selecting Cole deliberately in opposition to Byron Lindeque's choice of Rose. The matchup begins at even money and allows Kenny and Byron to compete directly, with Kenny displaying enough confidence in Cole's recent form and skillset to publicly stake his selection against a seasoned player like Rose.

Kenny Kim highlighted Ben Griffin as an intriguing betting candidate at the Valero Texas Open, noting that Griffin narrowly missed qualifying automatically for the Masters by just 0.001 points in the World Golf Rankings. Griffin, ranked 51st after narrowly missing out due to Michael Kim at 50th, must now secure victory at Valero to earn a Masters invitation. Kim also mentioned the historical trend in which seven of the past thirteen Valero winners have qualified for the Masters by winning there, making Griffin's added motivation potentially crucial this week for betting purposes.

Kenny Kim identified Joe Highsmith as an attractive DFS option at $7,800 due to remarkable improvements in his iron game and excellent recent putting. Kim praised Highsmith’s impressive recent play, especially strong performances on par-3s, a critical factor at Memorial Park. Given Highsmith's noticeable improvement and strong statistical alignment with course demands, Kim confidently recommended including him as a DFS selection emphasizing his fantasy scoring upside this week.

Kenny Kim identifies Taylor Pendrith as a potential DFS sleeper in the 8K price range likely to be overlooked by most players. Kenny highlights Pendrith's above-average long iron skills and driving distance as crucial advantages on Memorial Park's set-up this week. Citing his ability to reach more greens in regulation and his substantial power, Kenny positions Pendrith as an intriguing GPP risk-reward option, expected to have low DFS ownership promising significant payoff potential.

Kenny Kim recommends pivoting to Max Greyserman in DFS lineups seeking lower ownership leverage. Kenny highlights Greyserman's exceptional long iron play, strong putting performance, and successful prior history at Memorial Park. He anticipates Greyserman serving as a useful pivot away from the more popular Alex Smalley, offering DFS contestants a valuable leverage opportunity in tournaments given Greyserman's specific course fit and projected lower roster percentage.

Kenny Kim identifies Alex Smalley as a strong DFS option, citing his impressive Tee-to-Green consistency, highlighting that Smalley ranks fourth on tour in Strokes Gained Total this season. Although Kenny acknowledges Smalley will likely carry significant DFS attention, he believes Smalley's steady ball-striking and solid all-around performance strongly justify his popularity. Kenny further suggests pivoting to Max Greyserman, whose quality iron play and stellar short-game could offer lower-owned DFS differentiation if Smalley becomes too highly rostered.

Kenny Kim views Wyndham Clark as a high-leverage DFS opportunity due to projected low single-digit ownership driven by injury concerns. He explains that Clark's powerful driving, strong short game, and ability to experience periodic impressive putting make him ideally suited to Memorial Park's softer conditions. Despite acknowledging the substantial risk of withdrawal or poor performance due to recent injury rumors—highlighted by Clark's earlier withdrawal from the TGL event—Kim believes Clark's upside in GPP contests makes him worth consideration for contrarian DFS players, provided they accept the inherent volatility.

Kenny Kim recommends caution with DFS selection Stephen Jaeger this week due to potential difficulties associated with being a first-time defending champion. Kenny elaborates that the responsibilities of defending champions include sponsor obligations, extra media appearances, and other off-course duties, which might prove overwhelming for Jaeger who hasn't faced this scenario before. Kenny notes these added pressures could negatively impact Jaeger's performance and urges DFS players to account for this risk, despite otherwise strong statistical profile and course fit.

Kenny Kim highlighted Isaiah Salinda as valuable betting prospect at 110-to-1 odds due to his combination of exceptional driving distance and a skilled short game, both critical strengths for this week's Memorial Park Golf Course. Kenny pointed out Salinda's encouraging recent form making five straight cuts—the longest successful stretch of his young professional career—highlighted by a third-place finish at the Mexico Open, a course Kenny explicitly identified as comparable given its long-iron emphasis and challenging approach shots. Considering these specific statistical fits and improving recent performance, Kenny confidently recommended investing in Salinda this week as a long-odds value with upside.

Kenny Kim advises betting Nicolai Hojgaard at 80-to-1 odds, despite Hojgaard's recent collapse on the back nine on Friday last week. Kenny acknowledges the meltdown but emphasizes key stats tailored for Memorial Park Golf Course that position Hojgaard fourth overall in his model. Specifically, Hojgaard ranks best in the field with his long irons (shots from 175 yards and longer), excels significantly on par-3 opportunities (which Kenny highlights as critical given the presence of five challenging short holes at Memorial Park), and generally avoids costly bogeys outside of the unusual recent collapse. Kenny believes it's worth overlooking an aberrant half-round performance due to this solid statistical fit and compelling odds, recommending gambling again on Hojgaard this week.

Kenny Kim highlighted Mackenzie Hughes as a value betting option at 75-to-1 odds for the Texas Children's Houston Open, primarily emphasizing his strong historical performance on difficult courses and particularly at this venue. While acknowledging Hughes may struggle statistically in general models, Kim argued that predictive metrics rarely apply accurately to Hughes, who consistently outperforms statistical expectations at challenging tracks that demand short-game expertise and resilience. Hughes' solid history at Memorial Park Golf Course, especially in tough economic conditions, increases Kim's confidence in backing Hughes as an under-the-radar outright and placement bet.

Kenny Kim strongly endorses Rory McIlroy as a valuable betting candidate to win this year's Texas Children's Houston Open. The expected soft and rainy course conditions heavily favor McIlroy's traditional strengths in distance off the tee, allowing him to exploit his elite driving carry distance advantage against the field. Kim noted Rory's historically strong results on soft, long golf courses and his recent exceptional form—having top-fived in the majority of his last 15 starts, including a notable victory at The Players Championship a couple of weeks earlier. Additionally, Rory has displayed elite-level putting performance over the past six months, gaining strokes putting in 11 of his last 12 events. Given this combination of elite driving, current form, and putting consistency, Kenny Kim considers Rory McIlroy a top betting pick this week.

Kenny Kim firmly advises the DFS community to fade Aaron Rai due to his anticipated extremely high ownership. Kenny acknowledges Rye's strong course history, precision off the tee, and elite long iron play, which justify the high ownership. However, Kenny strongly cautions that at 20%-plus projected ownership, such a pick greatly reduces DFS leverage and upside in tournament contexts. He explicitly refuses to roster Rai, encouraging fantasy players to consider other lower-owned options for a better competitive edge.

Kenny Kim praised Jacob Bridgeman's impressive third-place finish recently, noting specifically his elite short-game skills. Bridgeman's confidence was evident as he consistently delivered precision iron shots late in the tournament. Kim highlighted Bridgeman's exceptional chipping and putting, stating that even if Bridgeman misses the green he's "always in it," due to his putting talent. Byron emphasized Bridgeman's iron shots were confidently "flushed," maintaining exceptional composure under final-round pressure, aside from a single costly short putt miss. Given these attributes, both Kenny & Byron considers Bridgeman a legitimate contender moving forward and recommended paying close fantasy attention to him in upcoming DFS events.

Kenny Kim highlighted Aaron Rai as an appealing DFS option at a $7,100 price point due to his accuracy off the tee, creating a strong course fit at TPC Sawgrass, a shorter, positional course. Rai's recent form has also been consistently good, showing improved ball-striking and accurate play that fit this week’s venue, making him a valuable sleeper option and affordable DFS pick.

Kenny Kim strongly recommends Si Woo Kim, praising his increasingly consistent form compared to previous seasons. Kim has transitioned from volatile player to reliable performer, consistently achieving solid finishes recently while Sungjae Im has become the more erratic golfer. Kenny emphasized Si Woo's status as a former THE PLAYERS Championship winner and believes his improved game and strong consistency provide excellent DFS value.

Kenny Kim named Denny McCarthy as his 'hustler play of the week,' highlighting exceptional recent iron play and strong putting. McCarthy, priced at $7,700, comes off an explosive putting performance and for the first time in his career has gained two or more strokes on approach in consecutive events. Kenny emphasized McCarthy's strong historical putting performance on overseeded greens at Sawgrass alongside expected lower ownership of around 8-10%. Combining hot irons, proven putting success, and attractive roster percentage, Kenny anticipates a potential top-10 finish.

Kenny Kim recommends fading Ludvig Aberg at THE PLAYERS Championship, highlighting specific concerns in Aberg's wedge play from 125-175 yards, an area critical at this course. Aberg has consistently struggled with three-putt avoidance, ranking among the worst in the field in recent rounds. Kim believes that early in Aberg's career, these deficiencies make him less suited for TPC Sawgrass than course setups rewarding longer iron play. Despite acknowledging Aberg's overall talent, Kim plans to avoid him this week due to these performance red flags.

Kenny Kim likes Justin Thomas at THE PLAYERS Championship, emphasizing Thomas' elite recent ball striking where he ranked top five in the field last week. Kim predicts inevitable positive regression with Thomas' putter, insisting it is only a matter of time before Thomas wins by a significant margin when his putting catches up to his strong tee-to-green play.

Kenny Kim highlights Xander Schauffele as a strong DFS tournament option due to significantly lower expected ownership around 12-13%. Despite a quiet 40th-place finish recently, Schauffele demonstrated strong ball-striking after a two-month break, losing approximately six strokes strictly due to struggling in the short game. Given Xander's historically exceptional short game, Kim expects positive regression in this area. Kim believes selecting Schauffele at reduced ownership could be a differentiating factor capable of winning large field DFS tournaments.

Kenny Kim sees Nick Taylor at 125-1 with 8 places as exceptional value due to his elite iron play. He emphasized that Taylor's iron game has ascended to a truly elite tier starting from the onset of the fall swing, sustained through now. Taylor has accumulated three wins in the last 20 months, lending credibility to his likelihood of contending. He previously finished as high as 16th at THE PLAYERS Championship with another solid 26th last year. Kim emphasized Taylor as genuine value given his recent track record and current form, highlighting the depth of his iron performance metrics.

Kenny Kim recommended Sepp Straka at 45 to 1 odds, citing his excellent iron play and scoring metrics. Straka ranks third in Kim's analytic model overall but notably first in birdie creation over the last 24 rounds, indicating high upside especially if Sawgrass plays softer with more receptive greens, as it has previously. Moreover, Straka's proven ability in difficult, firm conditions—evident in his past PGA National victory and his impressive performance of going 12-under across the final three rounds at notoriously challenging Bay Hill last week—positions him strongly regardless of how conditions unfold during tournament play.

Kenny Kim is backing Tommy Fleetwood at 28 to 1, praising his outstanding recent consistency—12 straight top-25 finishes including 6 finishes within the top 6. Fleetwood's tee-to-green performance has been particularly impressive, averaging approximately 4.7 strokes gained in his last 10 PGA Tour events. Highlighted by a strong weekend rally at Bay Hill (going from barely making the cut to finishing 11th), Kim believes Fleetwood's form aligns well with previous long-overdue winners like Russell Henley, positioning Fleetwood as a prime candidate to break through at TPC Sawgrass, especially with favorable each-way terms paying eight spots.

Kenny Kim is betting Collin Morikawa outright this week at 22 to 1, highlighting his recent elite ball-striking metrics and significantly improved short game and putting from the last 12 months. Kim referenced Morikawa's surge in strokes gained (30% increase compared to earlier stages of his career) yet a surprising lack of corresponding victories, emphasizing that a win is overdue given Morikawa's ability to string together strong finishes. Historically, Morikawa tends to bunch high finishes together, demonstrated in consistent top fives and runner-ups across major stretches in recent years, strengthening Kim's case that a breakthrough victory appears imminent at TPC Sawgrass.