Patrick McDonald listed Davis Thompson on his "can’t-win" sheet, pointing to Thompson’s dismal putting performance all season. McDonald said the former Georgia Bulldog has been "so bad" with the flat stick that it derailed what he once thought could be a Ryder Cup campaign. Until Thompson reverses the trend—he ranks near the bottom of the PGA Tour in strokes gained putting—McDonald is fading him in outright and top-20 markets at the John Deere Classic.

Rick Gehman advised steering clear of Davis Thompson in DFS despite the Georgia product’s title defense. Thompson has lost strokes with the flatstick in six straight events and in eight of his last nine, including −2.5 at Detroit and a brutal −7.0 at TPC River Highlands. Gehman said, “You just cannot outhit that bulky of a putter,” adding that Thompson’s ball-striking is merely average right now, giving him no ceiling if the putter stays broken. With plenty of similarly priced options in better form, Gehman is moving on without the defending champ.

Byron Lindeque warned that Davis Thompson’s projected 20 %-plus ownership is fool’s gold for DFS. While Thompson’s ball-striking has been ‘sensational,’ he has gained strokes with the putter in only one of his last nine tournaments and sits 153rd in this field in SG-Putting. Lindeque pointed out that Thompson arrived at last year’s Deere on a short-game hot streak before finishing T-2, but that safety net is gone now. On a track where the cut was –5 last summer, Lindeque prefers to dodge a chalky player whose flat-stick variance trends hard toward negative and instead target lower-owned putters who can convert the requisite birdies.

Brian Kirschner fired on Davis Thompson at +4000 as his outright. Thompson finished runner-up here last year, and Kirschner called him an elite driver tailor-made for Detroit’s bomber-friendly setup. Although 2024 has been inconsistent, Thompson flashed upside at Genesis, THE PLAYERS and the Travelers, where he gained nearly seven strokes on approach. With the irons suddenly scorching and proof he can close (2023 John Deere win), Kirschner sees Thompson ready to contend again on forgiving fairways.

Brady Kannon rounded out his card with Davis Thompson at 125-1, leaning on both course-correlated results and a strong recent stat sheet. Thompson won the John Deere and posted 12th at the Wyndham last year, then grabbed 10th at this season’s Players—three of Kannon’s key comp stops for TPC River Highlands. Over the last 24 rounds, Thompson sits in the top half of this elite field in SG: Off the Tee, SG: Approach, performance on 400-450-yard par 4s, and proximity from 125-150 yards—the exact buckets Kannon weighted most. With only 72 players in the field and Thompson’s metrics aligning, Kannon believes the young bomber offers genuine win equity at a triple-digit price.

Gannon recommended Davis Thompson for a Top-20 finish at +335. Thompson won last year’s 26-under John Deere Classic and showed life at Oakmont, gaining strokes off the tee on a brutal setup. Gannon believes the former Georgia Bulldog’s ability to generate streaky birdie runs and spike irons makes him dangerous on River Highlands’ gettable par-70. A softer scoring environment and guaranteed four rounds provide the perfect backdrop for Thompson’s volatility, turning +335 into what Gannon called “a ceiling outcome that cashes more often than the odds imply.”

Calling him his "first click," Gannon argued Davis Thompson is an ideal upside stab in the mid-6K tier. Thompson won last season at TPC Deere Run and owns a similar skill set for River Highlands—pounding fairways and dialing in wedges. Despite two missed cuts here, Gannon pointed to the rookie gaining three strokes off the tee in just two rounds at Oakmont and ranking top-25 in Driving Distance this year. With form trending and ownership depressed, Gannon sees Thompson as a classic contrarian play who could top-10 if the irons cooperate.

Gannon loves Thompson as a tournament dart because ownership should stay under 12%. He described Thompson’s physical tools and modern power-plus-iron combo as that of ‘a future top-10 player in the world.’ Blindly playing him over the next few years will pay off more often than not, and Colonial sets up well for his high launch mid-irons. The low ownership makes him an ideal contrarian pivot at the very top of the 8K range.

Pat Mayo highlighted Davis Thompson as the next-best example of a player who pairs distance with precision— exactly the profile he wants to sprinkle in Top-40/Top-20 markets. Thompson ranks 44th in this field in driving distance but an impressive 29th in fairway percentage, a distance-to-accuracy ratio Mayo called "almost unheard-of outside the elite tier." With Quail Hollow’s ryegrass rough allowing clean gouges and four par-5s expected to play as birdie holes, Mayo believes Thompson’s ability to keep driver in play gives him multiple scoring chances that shorter, less accurate players will not see. Add in a neutral putter and improving 200-plus-yard proximity numbers, and Mayo sees Thompson as a perfect low-owned DFS dart (5–8 % exposure) and a plus-money Top-40 wager with legitimate back-door Top-20 upside if the putter cooperates.

Matt Gannon echoes Dom Cintorino's enthusiasm on Davis Thompson, betting him outright at 70-to-1 RBC Heritage odds. Matt supports this stance emphasizing Thompson's positional advantage, length off the tee, and ability to rack up birdies in bursts. His debut performance at the Masters featured solid ball striking but poor putting, expected from a rookie appearance at Augusta. Matt praises Thompson's comfort in this geographic area (having attended Georgia), robust statistics ranking fifth in his betting model, and underscores his motivation to earn Ryder Cup consideration, which should enhance his mental approach for this event.

Dom Cintorino strongly favors Davis Thompson at RBC Heritage due to his performances on comparable par-71 layouts previously, mentioning a T2 finish at Myrtle Beach Classic and T5 finish at Shriners Children's Open, both similar courses. Dom highlighted Thompson's par-71 success, including a recent win at John Deere Classic. Thompson was notably fifth in birdies at the Masters despite debuting at Augusta, demonstrating confidence and ability to score. Dom sees substantial value in betting Thompson at 70-to-1 odds given his form, model projection (ranking fifth), familiarity with courses in this region, and motivation stemming from Ryder Cup aspirations for the US team.

Ben Coley believes Davis Thompson is a compelling bet to be the top debutant at the Masters because of his familiarity and roots near Augusta. Thompson grew up near Atlanta, attended college at University of Georgia, and currently lives at Sea Island, making Augusta effectively a home game. His form recently picked up at The PLAYERS Championship, where his approach play improved, and he followed that by finishing 27th in Houston. Coley sees Thompson's impressive long-game skillset as particularly suitable to Augusta, reminiscent of Thompson's breakout win following a strong ninth-place showing at last summer’s US Open. Coley argues these factors give Thompson a distinct edge over other debutants.

Geoff Ulrich flags Davis Thompson as a sleeper DFS pick and betting value at the 2025 Masters. Thompson is a powerful player off the tee, boasting a recent PGA win at a birdie-fest (-28 at the John Deere 2024) and a significant major performance (T9 U.S. Open 2024). Although making his Augusta debut, Thompson's game profile—big hitter with strong recent iron performances (gaining 6.6 and 3.0 strokes on approach in his last two starts)—fits ideal course trends for Augusta, which has increasingly favored length and off-the-tee prowess. Ulrich argues that Thompson's relative lack of course experience will keep DFS ownership low, enhancing his tournament appeal. Thompson also offers appealing betting value at +275 for a top-20 finish and attractive odds of +600 to earn the top debutant honors on DraftKings Sportsbook.

Pat Mayo advised selecting Davis Thompson in majors-only fantasy drafts due to his quiet value stemming from multiple guaranteed major entries. Thompson is currently qualified for three of the year's majors (Masters, PGA Championship, and U.S. Open), providing valuable volume across events. Mayo supported Thompson's selection as a smart pick in the later rounds, particularly highlighting how having multiple secure major entries provides roster flexibility and scoring opportunities. This stability in qualifying status makes him more appealing compared to riskier or less secure picks available at similar draft positions.

Byron Lindeque noted Davis Thompson's standout driving game at Memorial Golf Park specifically, where he gains more than one stroke per round off the tee across his eight career rounds there. Although Thompson's short game and putting has been subpar, his off-the-tee and around-the-green play combined has averaged a gain of 0.7 strokes per round, supplemented by a slight positive iron game. Thompson recently showed strong signs at The Players Championship, suggesting upward trajectory. Despite not recording a top-five finish since the Shriners last year, Lindeque considers Thompson a solid playable option in DFS due to his elite driving against weaker short game metrics.

Matt Brown named Davis Thompson as his one-and-done selection for the Houston Open, reasoning strongly based on practicality—little likelihood of using Thompson in future events—and his strong alignment with Memorial Park's course needs. Brown originally considered Alex Smalley but realized he'd already used him previously, thus seeing Thompson as the next optimal mid-range option. Thompson's described strengths off-the-tee and short-game stats align well with the course's demands, making him a logical, strategic selection in a one-and-done format, especially as higher-profile options may be reserved for majors or bigger events.

Kelley Bydlon has taken Davis Thompson at +160 for a top-20 finish, citing his excellent fit for Memorial Park, despite concerns about inconsistent approach numbers. Kelley highlighted Thompson's strengths as top 15 in both strokes gained off-the-tee and around-the-green, crucial at this venue. Thompson finished T-21 at this event last year, providing positive course history to reinforce Kelley's confidence despite unease around his shorter-than-hoped odds.

Andy Lack company picks Davis Thompson (35-1), believing Memorial Park is tailored for Thompson's off-the-tee dominance, citing his university-level pedigree at University of Georgia and his performance at last year's event (21st place). During that tournament, Thompson excelled significantly off the tee and around the greens, a proven sustainable formula for success at Memorial Park designed by Tom Doak. Lack reminded readers he previously backed Thompson in his breakthrough win at John Deere and sees a similar alignment with this venue.

Christopher Powers selects Davis Thompson (35-1), referencing a major uptick in Thompson's recent performance, notably gaining strokes tee-to-green and putting during the Players Championship to secure a top-10 result. He also cited Thompson’s strong play at another demanding off-the-tee setup, Torrey Pines (13th at Genesis Invitational). Powers emphasized Memorial Park's forgiving nature off the tee as an ideal scenario for Thompson to capitalize on his power and driving accuracy, backing his chances strongly to achieve his second PGA Tour win.

Zach Thompson pegged Davis Thompson ($9,400) as an excellent leverage play in DFS tournaments based on his driving ability, critical at the Memorial Golf Club course in Houston. Thompson ranks in the top 10 in Strokes Gained: Off-the-Tee and top 20 Tee-to-Green over his last 30 rounds. Although he's made six cuts in nine starts this season, he's turned in only two top-25s highlighted by a T10 finish at THE PLAYERS. Previous missed cuts at Cognizant and Arnold Palmer Invitational were largely attributable to putting woes, but he showed recent improvement at TPC Sawgrass. Thompson has already shown improvement at this course, finishing T21 last year after a T43 the year prior. His low-ownership projection due to inconsistent recent results makes him a compelling high-upside DFS choice.

Wes Reynolds liked Davis Thompson at this week's Houston Open after his recent 10th-place finish at The Players Championship, indicating a return to form. He praised Thompson's driver skills, noting he ranks in the top 10 in Total Driving and Strokes Gained: Off The Tee on the PGA Tour. Reynolds expects his scrambling ability, also within the field's top 15, to help navigate difficult greens and conditions at Memorial Park.

Brian Kirschner picked Davis Thompson at +3500, emphasizing a strong fit with Memorial Park’s demands. Thompson has demonstrated above-average driving distance and strong short-game skills, an ideal blend for this course. He recently won the John Deere Classic and is coming off an impressive 12th-place showing at The Players Championship, gaining seven strokes ball striking. Thompson's clear course affinity was evidenced by his 21st-place finish in his last visit here, signaling this tournament as a prime opportunity for another win.

Derek Farnsworth predicts success for Davis Thompson at the Houston Open, highlighting that Memorial Park's layout is ideal for Thompson, whose strengths lie with driving the golf ball and around-the-green play. The course heavily requires driver use, and the greens are tough to hit in regulation. Thompson has previously made cuts in both appearances here, including a T21 finish last year. While his recent results have varied, Thompson has secured impressive finishes with a T10 at The Players Championship and a T13 at the Genesis Invitational, suggesting he's capable of contending with tough competition on courses suited to his playing style.

Byron Lindeque endorses Davis Thompson as a compelling DFS option due to improving ball-striking trends and strong play at comparable venues. Byron notes Thompson's recent success at tournaments on similarly long and difficult courses like Torrey Pines and Riviera during the Genesis Invitational. Given Thompson's impressive long game and rising ball-striking consistency, Byron expects him to handle Memorial Park effectively, making him an ideal mid-range DFS target.

Although Geoff Fienberg briefly considered Davis Thompson, ultimately he warned bettors against backing him this week due to recent inconsistent play, particularly with his iron game. Fienberg acknowledged Thompson's overall talent and noted he had shown strong iron play in the past but emphasized that recent struggles and unreliability with this crucial skill set make Thompson a risky option, even though the odds are relatively appealing.

Eric Polzin called Davis Thompson a compelling high-risk option for DFS tournaments given his solid statistical profile, ranking top-25 or better in key metrics needed at this venue. However, Polzin noted Thompson's recent performance has exhibited notable inconsistency, punctuated by several poor outings. This mixed recent form emphasizes Thompson's appeal mainly for GPP contests where risk tolerance is higher, rather than safer cash-game formats.

Matt Gannon recommended continuing to include Davis Thompson in DFS lineups, despite recent struggles on the greens. Gannon emphasized Thompson's excellent ball striking makes him worth rostering, expressing strong belief Thompson could deliver significant DFS returns if he can improve even slightly with his putter at THE PLAYERS Championship.