Carlos Ortiz draws Yuta Sugiura and Matthew Jordan in what Rouslin calls one of the most uneven group of the round. Jordan is a solid DP World Tour pro but lacks elite upside, while Sugiura has struggled since missing the Sony Open cut. Ortiz’s recent LIV performances make him a 9/13 confidence pick.

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.

Rick Gehman admitted Carlos Ortiz’s 0-for-9 top-50 major record is scary but still endorsed him at $6,400 because current form is too good to ignore. Ortiz owns finishes of 4th, 16th, 7th, and 10th in his last four LIV starts and also won a separate Asian Tour event in Macau. Gehman noted Ortiz’s 303-yard carry distance and streaky putter fit the all-or-nothing profile needed to spike a cheap ceiling. With DFS gamers likely to fixate on the poor major resume, Ortiz projects for sub-5 percent ownership, making him a leverage play where a simple made cut pays off the salary.