Rick Gehman offered a positive perspective regarding Hideki Matsuyama at Augusta despite concerns about recent form. Gehman emphasized Matsuyama's underrated elite short game skillset, noting he led the PGA Tour in scrambling last season and remains near the top again this year. Gehman pointed to Matsuyama's exceptional scrambling results specifically at Augusta National over recent tournaments, ranking top among all players since 2020. He further highlighted Matsuyama's success on courses featuring challenging elevation changes, referencing his record-breaking performance at the Sentry Tournament of Champions earlier this year. Though Gehman's enthusiasm was tempered by Matsuyama's lack of a single top-10 finish outside of his Masters victory, he still suggested Matsuyama's proven short-game excellence at Augusta makes him an intriguing undervalued play warranting some exposure.

Brady Kannon points out Hideki Matsuyama as a strong Masters betting consideration, noting his past Masters win (2021) and solid correlated course results, including victories at Riviera and Kapalua. Kannon emphasizes Matsuyama's statistical strengths over the last 36 rounds: 13th in SG: Tee to Green, 5th in Scrambling, and 5th on par-5s. With experience, consistency, and solid current form, Matsuyama holds excellent value at his odds.

Bo McBrayer considers Hideki Matsuyama a strong value ahead of the 2025 Masters due to his Masters-winning pedigree and skill fit for Augusta. Highlighting Matsuyama's emotional past win, McBrayer argues Matsuyama possesses precisely the skillset tailored for Augusta, with outstanding iron play and a sharp short game. He notes Matsuyama's proven ability to score low even under difficult conditions. At +3000 odds, McBrayer sees excellent potential in Matsuyama to join the small group of repeat Masters champions.

Dave Tindall identifies Hideki Matsuyama as a risky fantasy or betting play for the 2025 Masters, citing his recent poor form—a marked decline after his brilliant early-season win at The Sentry. Matsuyama missed cuts at both The Players Championship and Texas Open leading into Augusta, presenting serious red flags despite his historical success, including winning in 2021 and multiple near-top-10 finishes at The Masters. Given this sudden slump, Tindall advises caution in trusting Matsuyama to reproduce past Augusta performances.

Cam Stewart highlighted Hideki Matsuyama's potential to thrive in wet conditions at Augusta, referencing his dominant performance in 2021 when rain delays led to softer conditions. Despite Matsuyama having only three top-ten finishes total in majors since 2018, Stewart strongly believes that softer conditions favor Matsuyama's aggressive iron play, allowing him to aggressively attack pins—exactly how he won the Masters previously. Stewart clearly stated the wetter Augusta gets, the better chance Hideki has of contending due to his elite iron game.

Skylar Hoke suggested strategically targeting Hideki Matsuyama in DFS specifically when he's flying under the radar due to poor form. Matsuyama's recent back-to-back missed cuts (Players and Valero Texas Open) mirror his pre-2021 Masters-winning run, where he broke every recent-form trend entering Augusta. Though Hoke admitted Matsuyama's current form is concerning—especially his disappointing showing at Valero—he believes Hideki's volatility provides exceptional DFS upside since his best days can beat the world's elites. However, Hoke warned DFS players to be attentive early Thursday, as Matsuyama carries an unusually high withdrawal risk given persistent injury concerns, making him high-risk, high-reward at Augusta.

Pat Fitzmaurice strongly endorsed Hideki Matsuyama in the mid-range betting odds for the 2025 Masters, noting his past champion status and strategic alignment with Augusta National's demands. Matsuyama has historically excelled at Augusta, combining consistent iron play, disciplined shot-shaping, and an underrated short game, including his impressive Masters win in 2021. Fitzmaurice indicated Matsuyama's strengths match Augusta particularly well, calling him an optimal betting target given the reasonable odds relative to the top-tier betting favorites.

Brandon Gdula recognized Hideki Matsuyama for his remarkable Augusta consistency, with 12 made cuts in 13 appearances, a victory four years ago, and five recent finishes of 1st, 13th, 14th, 16th, and 38th. Despite this impressive history, Matsuyama's recent decline in putting performance and potential rib injury raises minor concerns this year. However, Gdula indicated Matsuyama could still be valuable for DFS lineups considering his proven Augusta National success and consistent cut-making reliability.

Robby Kalland pointed out Hideki Matsuyama as another potentially lucrative dark horse in the 2025 Masters. Matsuyama previously won at Augusta and frequently showcases comfort on the storied course. At odds of 33-1, Matsuyama represents a strong bet based purely on his proficiency at Augusta National, presenting excellent value as a longshot contender.

Pat Mayo clearly advised fading Hideki Matsuyama at the Masters after Matsuyama's disappointing recent performances. Matsuyama did win the season opener at the Sentry Tournament of Champions, but aside from that, his form has been alarmingly poor. Most notably, he just missed the cut at the Valero Texas Open, an ominous historical trend working against players looking to win the Masters. Mayo specifically pointed out that since Angel Cabrera in 2009, no golfer has won the Masters after missing the cut in their event immediately preceding Augusta. Based on these critical negative trends and his current poor form, Mayo strongly recommends crossing Hideki off betting cards and fantasy lineups this year.

Mike McClure expressed no concerns about Hideki Matsuyama's recent missed cut, emphasizing that Matsuyama remains a strong candidate to succeed at Augusta National due to his outstanding short game. Although Matsuyama enters the Masters coming off disappointing recent form, McClure explained that Augusta significantly rewards elite around-the-green play—something Matsuyama possesses at an elite level. He implied Matsuyama's DFS ownership could be lower due to recent struggles, creating strong leverage potential in tournaments.

Pat Mayo expressed strong skepticism toward betting on Hideki Matsuyama at the Masters due to his concerning recent iron play. Despite Matsuyama's win earlier in the season and historically strong Augusta performances, Mayo pointed out Matsuyama has not gained strokes on approach since the Waste Management Phoenix Open in January. Mayo noted Matsuyama briefly improved driving accuracy at the Players Championship but completely lost sharpness with his irons over the previous month and appeared somewhat disheveled and possibly injured at Sawgrass. While Matsuyama has remained afloat by gaining nearly five strokes around the greens weekly, Mayo emphasized it's unsustainable to rely solely on a hot short game to maintain consistent results. He advised bettors would need to see considerable improvement in ball striking at the Valero Texas Open to consider Matsuyama viable; otherwise, he strongly viewed Hideki as a definite outright betting fade for the Masters.

Pat Mayo expressed uncertainty about Hideki Matsuyama for the Masters, specifically identifying recent issues with iron play as a major concern. Mayo stressed that unless Matsuyama significantly improves his iron striking this week, trusting him at his price would be problematic. Mayo warns DFS players to tread carefully given recent disappointing form.

Matt Gannon acknowledged the value on Hideki Matsuyama around 22-1 odds for the Valero Texas Open but expressed concern over Hideki's recent approach play declining. Noting that if Hideki's iron play had been trending positively, his odds would be much shorter, Matt believes betting Hideki in these weaker fields at this price point historically has been profitable. He supports Hideki as a solid top-20 market bet but remains cautious about outright betting given the recent fluctuations in Matsuyama's ball-striking form.

Dom Cintorino sees great value on Hideki Matsuyama at around 22-1 odds for the Valero Texas Open. He pointed out a clear pricing disparity, with Matsuyama currently listed at 28-1 for next week's Masters, a far stronger field. Dom highlighted Hideki's recent success at Valero, including a T7 last year and a T15 in 2023, along with Hideki's consistency—having his first missed cut in seven months at the Players Championship. Considering Hideki's talent level, rank as the sixth-best golfer in the world, and recent tournament history at Valero TPC San Antonio, Dom considers him an excellent value bet for this tournament.

Brandon Gdula raised doubts about Hideki Matsuyama at his current DFS price ($11,400 on FanDuel) because of recent disappointing iron play, a skill typically central to Matsuyama's performance. While Matsuyama is still impressive with wedge play, Gdula viewed relying primarily on wedges rather than sustained iron excellence as less bankable long-term. Given the DFS salary is quite premium, he cautioned against heavy investment in Matsuyama unless iron form improves significantly in upcoming events.

Derek Farnsworth sees tremendous DFS value in Hideki Matsuyama at $9,900 this week at the Valero Texas Open. Matsuyama ranks second overall in Farnsworth's model and boasts the highest top-5% finish rate in this week's field. Farnsworth acknowledges Matsuyama's recent form has been somewhat inconsistent but pointed out he's delivered back-to-back top 15 finishes at this specific event, adding confidence in his suitability and upside for DFS lineups this week.

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.

Byron Lindeque expressed skepticism toward Hideki Matsuyama's current form, noting he has failed to consistently produce finishes in lower variance markets like top-20 lately. Given these struggles, Byron suggested that if betting Matsuyama this week, choose the top-five at roughly 40-to-1 odds to minimize capital exposure while retaining upside. Byron explicitly stated he personally isn't betting Matsuyama at all, clearly indicating concerns around his form and inconsistency suitable for cautionary betting only.

John Haslbauer positively endorses Hideki Matsuyama as an elite play at the Valero Texas Open, supported by Matsuyama's consistent performance in Texas and outstanding statistics in windy conditions. Matsuyama holds multiple top-15 finishes at TPC San Antonio over recent years and rates exceptionally in core areas like strokes gained: approach, around-the-green short game, and avoiding bogeys—critical skills at this venue. Haslbauer's analysis identifies Matsuyama as one of only eleven players in the field that rate above-average on all crucial statistics such as Driving Accuracy, SG: Approach, and SG: ARG, making him a robust DFS and betting pick.

Rick Gehman identified Hideki Matsuyama as an intriguing high-risk, high-reward DFS play at the Valero Texas Open, pointing out his volatility provides tournament-winning upside. Matsuyama began 2025 hot, including a victory at the Sentry Tournament and top-15 finishes at elite events despite shaky ball striking at times. Matsuyama's course record at TPC San Antonio is impressive, with top-15 finishes each of the last two years (T7, T15). Gehman expressed confidence that if Matsuyama brings even his A-minus game this week, his ceiling is a tournament victory, arguing the player's current price ($9,900) does not fully reflect that elite upside. Despite some inconsistencies, Hideki's proven win equity makes him too enticing to pass up in DFS contests.

Jason Sobel endorsed Hideki Matsuyama for THE PLAYERS Championship, highlighting Matsuyama’s underrated short game advantage. Matsuyama ranked first in strokes gained around the green last year and held a similar position until the previous event this season. Matsuyama has consistently top-tier results at TPC Sawgrass, including seven top-25 finishes in nine career starts and four top-10 finishes, notably in the past two seasons. Also referenced was Matsuyama's exceptional 63 shot five years prior during the COVID-shortened event, suggesting that Matsuyama may be owed some good fortune this week as an added narrative.

Neil Parker recommends Hideki Matsuyama to finish top 20 (+140 odds), highlighting Matsuyama’s excellent recent consistency and impressive history at Sawgrass. Matsuyama claimed three notable victories in stacked fields over the past 13 months and enters THE PLAYERS Championship off three consecutive top-25 finishes. Furthermore, he secured solo-fifth and T6 placements over the past two editions of THE PLAYERS Championship. Parker also noted Matsuyama's exceptional long-term event history—in all 10 appearances at TPC Sawgrass, he has gained strokes off-the-tee, and achieved positive strokes gained on approach in nine of 10. Matsuyama’s scrambling percentage (second), bogey avoidance (14th), and adjusted scoring average (10th) this season solidify Parker's conviction in another rewarding Matsuyama performance this week.

Ben Coley strongly backed Hideki Matsuyama to contend at THE PLAYERS Championship noting Matsuyama's exceptional course history at TPC Sawgrass highlighted by seven top-25 finishes in nine appearances, including four top-10s, as well as setting the course record with a nine-under 63 in the abandoned 2020 edition. Coley emphasized Matsuyama's elite iron play and touch around the greens, crucial at Sawgrass, where driving accuracy is somewhat less significant. While Matsuyama's putting can be inconsistent, Coley pointed out he's become increasingly streaky, winning three premier events at comparable stages when putting well (Southwind, The Sentry, Riviera). Additionally, Matsuyama excelled at another stadium-style course at Le Golf National during the Olympics, indicating his suitability to the unique demands of Sawgrass. Matsuyama enters after finishing impressively with a fifth-best strokes-gained tee-to-green performance on Sunday at Bay Hill. Given this compelling statistical and historical evidence, Coley recommended Matsuyama at attractive odds of 28/1.

Matthew Wiley recommended betting Hideki Matsuyama over Justin Thomas due to better betting value at current odds (+3300). Wiley compared Matsuyama (+3300) directly with Thomas (+2500), pointing out they represent the same betting opportunity profile—both aggressive golfers who have shown the capacity to excel at TPC Sawgrass. He stated explicitly he would prefer Matsuyama at the longer odds, noting Thomas' betting at shorter odds has become increasingly frustrating, further supporting Matsuyama as the smarter, value-based play.

Matthew Wiley strongly advocated for playing Hideki Matsuyama at THE PLAYERS Championship, pointing out his consistent elite performance at elite venues. Wiley highlighted Matsuyama's aggression as a key benefit at TPC Sawgrass, as the course tends to reward attacking players like Matsuyama. Wiley cited Matsuyama's robust track record here, including top-ten finishes and a memorable course-record-tying round prior to the event cancellation during COVID. With projected ownership around a low 7%, Wiley sees high leverage, asserting that despite recent quiet results, Matsuyama maintains the talent and course fit to significantly outperform expectations this week.

Ben Everill is bullish on Hideki Matsuyama (+3300) due to his underrated historical performances at TPC Sawgrass, despite having never sealed a win here. Matsuyama's season victory puts him within a key trend—each of the past three PLAYERS champions had a win earlier in their winning season—giving further confidence in this pick.

Byron Lindeque expressed serious consideration for Hideki Matsuyama outright at odds of 33-to-1 for THE PLAYERS Championship, citing Matsuyama’s impressive historical record at TPC Sawgrass. Lindeque noted Matsuyama's track record has been 'incredible', making him appealing once the tee times are announced—demonstrating belief in Matsuyama’s ability to contend strongly at this venue at the current odds.

Brandon Gdula recommended Hideki Matsuyama as a high-quality DFS selection at THE PLAYERS Championship based on Matsuyama's outstanding course history at TPC Sawgrass. Hideki has four top-10 finishes and seven top-25 finishes in nine appearances, including a 6th place last year, plus additional recent finishes of fifth and eighth in prior years. Gdula credited Matsuyama’s consistent Sawgrass performances despite noting a slight dip in his iron play and accuracy lately. Matsuyama’s elite historical performance at this course makes him a strong DFS target given the course’s overall volatility.

Ginger Joe strongly recommends Hideki Matsuyama at 30/1 for THE PLAYERS Championship due to recent form and historical performance at this specific venue. Matsuyama has already won this season convincingly at the Sentry Tournament of Champions, finishing at 30 under par, and is entering in form after a tied 13th finish at the Genesis. Despite previously stating he doesn't put emphasis on course form, Joe acknowledges the unique nature of THE PLAYERS Championship layout, pointing out Matsuyama's successful past performances at this venue. Matsuyama's ability to shape his shots both ways—primarily a soft fade but also the ability to draw when necessary—is critical on this unique course. Joe highlights Matsuyama's strong consistency and refined touch on and around the greens, emphasizing his high class and suitability to peak exactly at this event.

Dave Tindall backs Hideki Matsuyama due to his stellar consistency at THE PLAYERS Championship, a critical indicator given the volatility of results typically seen from top players at this event. Matsuyama has secured seven top-25 finishes in nine attempts at Sawgrass, significantly standing out with four top-ten finishes overall. Recently, his Sawgrass form has been excellent, posting finishes of 6th in 2024, 5th in 2023, and 8th in 2019. Of special note, Matsuyama led the 2020 event after an opening round of 63, a potentially winning position when the tournament was prematurely halted due to COVID-19. His underlying statistical performance at Sawgrass is equally impressive, being top-15 for SG: Tee To Green in six separate visits, and three times among the top eight performers for SG: Approach. Matsuyama enters in good current form as well, having already won once this year at the Sentry Championship, and arrives with three consecutive top-25 finishes. Tindall references Matsuyama's history of decisive wins (twice in 2024, Genesis and St Jude, and his Masters victory in 2021), giving him confidence in the player's proven ability to separate himself in elite fields. Additionally, Matsuyama benefits from an advantageous early tee-time that statistically provides a course advantage. Given this array of supporting factors, Tindall confidently recommends Matsuyama each-way at current odds of 25/1.

Eric Polzin is confidently backing Hideki Matsuyama as a reliable DFS selection for THE PLAYERS Championship, noting his excellent track record, highlighted by a 5th and 6th place finish previously, and 12 consecutive made cuts, including a recent win. While Matsuyama's recent performances of 22nd, 13th, and 25th aren't elite finishes, Polzin believes these steady results make Matsuyama a safe and affordable DFS play. Polzin points out minor concerns about Matsuyama's overall statistical fit for this event and weekly rumors about injury-withdrawal risks, but feels this event sets up ideally for everything to come together, justifying him as a key DFS target.

Byron Lindeque recommends targeting Hideki Matsuyama heavily at TPC Sawgrass, noting undervalued ownership despite stellar course history. Matsuyama's proximity numbers from 150-200 yards are outstanding and match the approach demands of THE PLAYERS Championship. Lindeque believes the market's concerns are unjustified and that Matsuyama's strong track record and iron play present an excellent opportunity to gain leverage over the field in tournaments this week.

Brian Kirschner advised against betting on Hideki Matsuyama this week despite Matsuyama's consistently solid history at THE PLAYERS Championship. Kirschner expressed skepticism toward overly consistent performance trends at this notoriously volatile tournament, believing that Matsuyama is 'due' for regression and a possible missed cut, purely based on the historical anomaly of continually exceptional performances here. Kirschner also noted Matsuyama's recent underwhelming form, particularly with his iron play since his last victory, further supporting the case to fade Hideki this week.

Andy Lack highlighted value in betting Hideki Matsuyama at 30-to-1 odds for THE PLAYERS Championship, emphasizing Matsuyama's historically excellent performance at TPC Sawgrass. Despite limited detail in his analysis, Lack specifically called out Hideki's outstanding course history at Sawgrass, stating Matsuyama has performed exceptionally well there in past editions. His comments clearly indicate Matsuyama is severely undervalued at current odds, given proven historical success on this particular course.

John Haslbauer pinpointed Hideki Matsuyama as his top-ranked player in the modeling for THE PLAYERS Championship at TPC Sawgrass. Matsuyama leads the field in course history metrics despite lacking a previous tournament victory, highlighting his consistent, top-tier performance at this event historically. Matsuyama has already demonstrated winning form in the current year, notably capturing The Sentry Tournament of Champions in record-breaking fashion. While his ball-striking has shown slight regression relative to historical standards, Matsuyama's greatly improved putter and better health have compensated significantly. Given Matsuyama's elite history at Sawgrass, combined with excellent recent performances, Haslbauer considers him a primary target for betting and DFS lineups.

Mike McClure's model identifies Hideki Matsuyama as a high-value longshot at 30-1 odds for the 2025 THE PLAYERS Championship. Matsuyama thrives at TPC Sawgrass, finishing T-6 or better in his past two appearances in this event. The model highlights Matsuyama's impressive 2025 statistics, such as ranking sixth in strokes gained total (1.641), 12th in strokes gained tee-to-green (1.167), and 13th in one-putt percentage (44.21%). Combined with a recent victory at The Sentry in January and his notable history of excelling in elite fields, Matsuyama offers tremendous betting upside and strong DFS appeal at his current price.