Reynolds grabbed Maverick McNealy at 28-1 (BetMGM) citing both form and narrative juice. McNealy was on the short list for Keegan Bradley’s Ryder Cup captain’s picks, so Reynolds expects the slight to serve as fuel. The Stanford product already owns a runner-up finish at Silverado (2021) and is comfortable on the bumpy West-Coast bent/poa mix. He broke through for his maiden Tour win at last year’s RSM Classic and flashed upside this season with a runner-up at the Genesis Invitational plus two additional podiums. Reynolds believes the combination of course history, wedge-heavy scoring profile and extra motivation makes McNealy a strong outright and top-10 play.

Brady Kannon made McNealy his first outright play at 29-1, pointing to a profile tailor-made for Silverado’s 7,100-yard, tree-lined North Course. Kannon stressed that Strokes Gained: Off the Tee, wedge play from 100-150 yards, scrambling and putting on the Bent/Poa mix rank as the four most predictive stats this week; McNealy grades out top-10 in the field in three of the four, including No. 1 in SG: Putting over the past 24 rounds. Course and regional familiarity are additional edges: the Stanford grad grew up at Pebble Beach, has twice finished runner-up on Northern California Poa (Napa and Pebble in 2021) and owns top-10s on both other correlated tracks, TPC Summerlin and Detroit Golf Club. Kannon added that missing the U.S. Ryder Cup roster could supply the intangible ‘prove-it’ motivation he likes to see in an early-fall swing start.

Harrison recommended betting Maverick McNealy at +2500, noting the American will be looking to prove a point after being left off the U.S. Ryder Cup roster. McNealy has logged six top-25s in his last nine starts and was solo third at the BMW Championship two tournaments ago, giving him seven top-10s on the year. He also finished runner-up at Silverado in 2021, so he can lean on positive memories while chasing his second PGA Tour victory.

Perry floated Maverick ("Mav") at +150 as a top-10 sleeper. McNealy is "playing really well" even though he lacks recent East Lake reps, and Perry thinks that current form alone can get him on the first page of the leaderboard.

Gannon likes Maverick McNealy at $7,500 as a Rory-comp corollary play. Courses that fit McIlroy’s driver-and-putter blueprint often see McNealy pop as well. With a hot putter and plenty of length off the tee, McNealy offers upside leverage in large-field GPPs.

Kim took a gut-feel shot on Maverick McNealy at 40-1 (eight places), stressing McNealy’s historical ability to torch birdie-fest setups. When Kim toggled his model to the last 24 rounds on easy-scoring courses, McNealy vaulted from 38th to 5th. Kim pointed out the Stanford product’s most recent easy-course start was the Sentry Tournament of Champions, where he finished 8th. Known for length off the tee and a long-term plus putter, McNealy has been merely average of late, but Kim expects the friendlier scoring environment to reignite confidence on the greens and unlock upside. He notes bettors might shop for a better number but has already locked in the wager.

Gannon likes Maverick McNealy at 45-50-1, drawing a direct comp to Rory’s "driver-putter" blueprint that historically thrives at Caves Valley. The course is Northeast bentgrass—an agronomy profile where McNealy has putted lights-out—and this is one of his last chances to vault into the Presidents Cup picture after compiling points all year. Gannon trusts McNealy’s seasoning and believes the pressure will be manageable compared to less-experienced longshots. In a short field that rewards distance and hot putting, McNealy offers upside at a number that will rarely be available if the putter cooperates.

Kannon pegged Maverick McNealy at 50-1 as a live outright. McNealy grabbed his first PGA Tour win at last year’s RSM Classic and has since piled up four top-5 finishes while making the cut in every major of 2025. He owns elite course-comp results: Pebble Beach contention, Sony success, a seventh at Hamilton, and a 12th at Southwind in 2024. That history plus steady form leads Kannon to project McNealy’s well-rounded game—accurate tee ball, solid scrambling, above-average Bermuda putting—to thrive in the no-cut playoff opener.

Gannon prefers Maverick McNealy to Jordan Spieth or Wyndham Clark in the mid-7K range. He cited McNealy’s recent iron improvement, consistently strong driving, and a history of blooming when both click. Despite only a T12 career best at Southwind, Gannon believes McNealy’s untapped ceiling makes him an ideal tournament differentiator this week.

Patrick McDonald grabbed Maverick McNeely at 20-1 to win the 3M Open, pointing to a T3 here last year plus a 2025 stat surge. McNeely has become a top-tier driver—distance without the wild misses—and his approach play has finally caught up, gaining on the field in five of his last six starts. Pair those ball-striking gains with the putter that has always been his calling card and McDonald sees a complete profile ready to win. He believes a victory would essentially clinch a Ryder Cup spot, adding motivational juice. In a birdie-fest where 20-under usually wins, McNeely’s improved tee-to-green numbers give him the ceiling McDonald wants at a still-palatable price.

Gannon suggested skipping Maverick McNealy at $10,600, noting that most rosters will lock in one of the three 10K options. With massive water in play on half the holes, he thinks paying a premium for McNealy’s streaky driver is unnecessary risk when equally strong ceiling plays exist in the mid-9K tier. Fading McNealy creates immediate lineup differentiation without sacrificing upside.

Derek Farnsworth said Maverick McNealy sits number-one in his 3M Open model and is the ideal DFS starting point. McNealy is coming off a strong Sunday at the Open Championship and finished T3 at TPC Twin Cities last year. Farnsworth loves him on this driver-heavy layout (71 % driver usage in 2023) because McNealy is long enough to attack the three lengthy par-5s yet accurate enough to avoid the 13 water-laden holes that create two-stroke penalties when missed. With calm winds forecast and a potentially soft course after Wednesday rain, scoring should be low—another spot where McNealy’s “no real weakness” profile shines. Farnsworth sees him as cash-game safe with tournament-winning upside.

Kenny Kim will be heavy on Maverick McNealy in both the betting and DFS streets. On Profit X he is targeting McNealy at even money or better for a Top-20, noting the market often settles around +100 but peer-to-peer books sometimes drift 30-40 cents higher. Motivation is huge—McNealy sits 10th in Ryder Cup points and a win would vault him into the automatic top-6. Kim loves how the bomber-plus-putter profile sets up at TPC Twin Cities: McNealy is top-15 in driving distance and Bentgrass putting over the last 24 rounds. He reminded listeners that raw strokes-gained approach can underrate big hitters; McNealy’s nine-iron from 190 leaves longer putts but his elite putting neutralizes that deficit. Recent results back it up—multiple Top-25s in his past five starts—and Kim named him his first Cash-Game Cornerstone on DraftKings.

Eric Polzin said Maverick McNealy is his first click for the 3M Open because the Stanford product grades out across every data point he tracks. McNealy lands in the site’s “possible outright bet” tier, which kicks in at the 70th-percentile or better for past PGA Tour winners. The 9-to-5 model assigns him a 7% win probability while DraftKings is still hanging 20-to-1, creating roughly a 2% edge versus the market. McNealy ranks near the top of the custom model’s ‘many water hazards in play’ filter, and he’s also inside the top quartile for par-5 scoring, birdie-or-better percentage, strokes-gained approach and overall ball-striking— the four stats Polzin emphasized as most predictive at TPC Twin Cities. Recent form backs it up as well; McNealy has 8 made cuts in his last 9 worldwide starts with three top-25s. Polzin plans to anchor DFS cores around McNealy and is betting the outright number before it shortens.

Gehman highlighted Maverick McNealy as a strong spend-up alternative. Now healthy, McNealy has paired his trademark putting with top-tier driving, finishing 17th at the Travelers, 22nd at the Scottish Open and 23rd at The Open—three elite-field events. He also owns positive history at the 3M Open and is pushing for a late-season Ryder Cup berth, giving him extra incentive. Rick expects the well-rounded profile to translate to birdie streaks and sees McNealy as a core play if projected ownership stays reasonable.

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.

At exactly $8,000, Gannon calls Maverick McNeely a great play even if modestly chalky. The Renaissance Club lets him let loose with the driver and showcase his creative short game. McNeely already logged a T16 here and tends to thrive on tracks where Rory plays well, another course-fit data point.

Kirschner’s long-shot is Maverick McNealy at +8000. McNealy historically pops on seaside venues like Pebble and Torrey and logged a T16 here in 2022. He comes in off finishes of T5, 37th and T17 while gaining both off-the-tee and with the putter in all three starts. Kirschner believes that driver-putter combination is exactly what wins at Renaissance.

Martin Matthews said Maverick McNealy checks every Renaissance-Club box and should be on outright and DFS short lists. Matthews highlighted McNealy’s long-standing ‘water-in-sight’ success—wins or top-5s at Pebble Beach, Hilton Head, Torrey Pines and last year’s RSM Classic—plus the fact the Californian actually grew up with a house on Pebble, so coastal wind never bothers him. McNealy finished T15 in his only prior Scottish Open start and arrives fresh after skipping everything since the U.S. Open and Travelers. Matthews framed motivation as the key word this week: McNealy still lacks a 2024 victory and wants to crash the Ryder Cup conversation, making this tune-up a perfect stage. A neat-and-tidy iron game paired with a top-tier putter fits the forecasted benign conditions where birdies decide things. Matthews is betting the 60-1 outright and building DFS cores around him.

Rick Gehman highlighted Maverick McNeely as a sneaky upside play at $8,100. Since returning from his spring injury layoff, McNeely has gained strokes tee-to-green in every start but one, something Gehman noted has never been the strength of McNeely’s profile—historically it’s the putter (career +0.47 SG: Putting). The recent ball-striking jump paired with a hot flat stick makes the Stanford product dangerous on fescue greens he already likes; his lone Scottish Open appearance produced a T16 while gaining in three of four categories despite a slight approach deficit. Gehman called that finish the floor given McNeely’s sharper iron play of late and thinks the industry will overlook him because his ceiling rounds have come outside national TV windows. In large-field DFS Gehman wants McNeely exposure before the inevitable ownership catch-up.

Kirschner’s other longshot is Maverick McNealy at 110-1. McNealy enters off a T5 at the Memorial—his sixth Top-10 of 2025—and is chasing a Ryder Cup berth. Kirschner noted that McNealy is one of the best putters on earth and has recently gained strokes off the tee in both distance and accuracy. He trusts Mav to decipher Oakmont’s brutal greens and sees legitimate ceiling if the ball-striking holds.

McNealy was tipped each-way at 55/1 thanks to a dramatic leap with his approach play—now 43rd in SG: Approach after ranking 119th-159th the previous three seasons. Already elite off-the-tee and on bentgrass greens, McNealy has parlayed the all-around upgrade into five top-10s in 14 starts, including runner-up at the Genesis Invitational, 3rds at both the Texas Open and RBC Heritage, plus a respectable 32nd on his Masters debut. He sits top-25 in GIR while simultaneously gaining both length and accuracy with the driver. Although he missed cuts here as a rookie in 2020 (Workday and Memorial), Worsley argues the 2025 version’s polished short game and newly sharpened long irons mirror his Texas Open form—one of the analyst’s key corollary events. That package, at big odds, could deliver a first Signature Event podium.

Gannon tabbed McNealy as the most dependable alternative if you fade the very top. Although historically a weak iron player, McNealy has surprisingly gained with his irons whenever he tees it up in Texas. Combine that with a breakout 2025 season that already includes multiple close calls and his best ball-striking year on record, and Matt sees a floor/ceiling profile nearly identical to Fleetwood, Berger, or Spieth but at a slightly cheaper salary and lower ownership. Confidence level is high because of the Texas iron splits and current form.

Reynolds grabbed Maverick McNealy at +3600, citing both scorching form and added motivation. Since winning his maiden PGA Tour title at the 2024 RSM Classic, McNealy has posted five top-10 finishes—three of them podiums—and sits just outside the automatic U.S. Ryder Cup qualifying spots. Colonial rewards hot putters and precise wedges, two McNealy calling cards (69.02% GIR, 0.51 SG: Putting on Bentgrass). With confidence high and extra incentive to impress captain Tiger Woods, Reynolds believes McNealy can replicate the breakthrough runs of recent youthful winners like Sam Burns and Daniel Berger on this track.

Kannon wagered on Maverick McNealy at 40-1 for an outright and a top-20, noting the Stanford product already proved his Colonial ceiling with two prior top-20s and a win on a near-identical layout at Sea Island’s RSM Classic last November (where he edged Berger). Recent form is peaking: two third-place finishes in his last five starts, including solo third at the RBC Heritage one month ago. Over the past 24 rounds McNealy ranks 4th in Greens in Regulation Gained and 15th in Good Drives Gained, ideal traits for a par-70 track featuring 12 dog-legged par-4s. Add top-10 finishes at Waialae and a putter that historically heats up on Bentgrass, and Kannon believes McNealy offers premium win equity at mid-tier odds.

Geoff Ulrich snapped up Maverick McNealy in the 60-to-80-to-1 range and compared him to his successful Berger ticket at Valhalla. Ulrich thinks McNealy’s combination of creative short game, proven wind play, and recent flashes with the irons sets up perfectly for a weekend forecast calling for "all wind all the time." McNealy has been positive on approach in consecutive starts, and Ulrich trusts the Stanford product’s putter to heat when Colonial’s small greens force a scramble-fest. With ownership likely modest and the outright number still long, Ulrich likes McNealy for both each-way bets and as a differentiated DFS core piece in Scheffler-anchored builds.

Geoff Ulrich snapped up Maverick McNealy in the 60-to-80-to-1 range and compared him to his successful Berger ticket at Valhalla. Ulrich thinks McNealy’s combination of creative short game, proven wind play, and recent flashes with the irons sets up perfectly for a weekend forecast calling for "all wind all the time." McNealy has been positive on approach in consecutive starts, and Ulrich trusts the Stanford product’s putter to heat when Colonial’s small greens force a scramble-fest. With ownership likely modest and the outright number still long, Ulrich likes McNealy for both each-way bets and as a differentiated DFS core piece in Scheffler-anchored builds.

Geoff Ulrich snapped up Maverick McNealy in the 60-to-80-to-1 range and compared him to his successful Berger ticket at Valhalla. Ulrich thinks McNealy’s combination of creative short game, proven wind play, and recent flashes with the irons sets up perfectly for a weekend forecast calling for "all wind all the time." McNealy has been positive on approach in consecutive starts, and Ulrich trusts the Stanford product’s putter to heat when Colonial’s small greens force a scramble-fest. With ownership likely modest and the outright number still long, Ulrich likes McNealy for both each-way bets and as a differentiated DFS core piece in Scheffler-anchored builds.

Geoff Ulrich snapped up Maverick McNealy in the 60-to-80-to-1 range and compared him to his successful Berger ticket at Valhalla. Ulrich thinks McNealy’s combination of creative short game, proven wind play, and recent flashes with the irons sets up perfectly for a weekend forecast calling for "all wind all the time." McNealy has been positive on approach in consecutive starts, and Ulrich trusts the Stanford product’s putter to heat when Colonial’s small greens force a scramble-fest. With ownership likely modest and the outright number still long, Ulrich likes McNealy for both each-way bets and as a differentiated DFS core piece in Scheffler-anchored builds.

Matt Gannon locked in Maverick McNealy +100 over Hideki Matsuyama in a full-tournament matchup. Gannon was on-site at Quail Hollow last week and reported Matsuyama was "swinging out of his shoes" in a Bryson-style speed-training session, then proceeded to spray drivers and irons all over the property. He called Hideki’s current ball-flight "off the planet" and believes the former Masters champ is searching rather than competing. Conversely, McNealy ranks 11th in this field in SG:Total on Texas tracks and has gained strokes both off-the-tee and on approach in four straight starts since returning from a shoulder injury. Colonial’s positional layout accentuates McNealy’s accurate driver and tidy short game, while punishing Hideki’s current two-way miss. Gannon sees the even-money price as a short-term form hedge that “should be closer to -130 in McNealy’s favor.”

Bo McBrayer called Maverick McNealy the first legit value on the board at +3000. McNealy has ridden a season-long top-10 streak into the OWGR top-10, and Bo highlighted two keys for Colonial: the Stanford grad is one of the Tour’s best putters on firm, fast bentgrass, and his ball-striking has finally caught up with eight straight events gaining on approach. McNealy finished T-17 here last year despite losing strokes off the tee—an area Bo says has improved markedly—so with everyone clubbing down on Colonial’s 27-yard fairways, he sees real win equity at 30-1 and is firing an outright ticket.

Polzin advised passing on Maverick McNealy in DFS despite acknowledging solid recent finishes (3rd, 32nd, 3rd) and adequate Colonial history. McNealy sits in the low-$9K range, but Polzin said the price is "a little bit overpriced," especially when fair-and-balanced roster builds offer safer profiles. McNealy grades only 13th on the specialist sheet and lacks top-tier ball-striking metrics that typically separate winners at Colonial. Polzin would not be shocked if McNealy plays well, yet feels the salary-adjusted ceiling is modest compared with similarly priced Si Woo Kim or Tommy Fleetwood. He plans to be underweight unless projected ownership collapses.

Brandon Gdula spotlighted Maverick McNealy as the best sub-$8k salary saver on the slate. At just $7,700, McNealy owns plus distance, a putter that gains 0.46 strokes per round, and irons trending sharply upward—his 2025 season-to-date approach numbers are the best of his career. Gdula noted McNealy has logged 1.11 true strokes gained per round over the last six months and checks in at 1.07 in Sannes’ Stabilization metric, giving him both a reliable floor and a realistic ceiling. Plugging McNealy into a lineup allows gamers to jam Rory McIlroy, Bryson DeChambeau, and Justin Thomas together while still averaging $8,800 for the final two spots. Gdula said he is willing to play McNealy even in single-entry GPPs and would not be surprised if the Stanford grad sneaks a top-25 finish.

Matt Gannon flagged Maverick McNealy in the mid-40/50-1 range as his favorite play inside the second tier. Gannon said Philly Cricket Club plays materially longer than the carded yardage because soft fairways kill rollout and several tee shots force players to lay back for angle. That puts a premium on long-and-straight, McNealy’s calling card. He compared the visuals to Torrey Pines—where McNealy has gained over a stroke per round in his career—and noted the medium-to-small bentgrass greens mirror what Maverick grew up on in northern California and routinely sees at Bethpage, a future major site he wants to prep for. With wedges in hand on half the par-4s and confidence in mid- and long-iron play trending up, Gannon thinks this week sets up as McNealy’s best chance to contend since his Pebble Beach runner-up two seasons ago.

Pat Perry highlighted Maverick McNealy as a sneaky outright at 45-1, noting only a handful of PGA Tour players can match McNealy’s five top-10 finishes this season. Although BTN’s model underrates him because carry-distance and bunker-carry buckets are mediocre, Perry pointed out McNealy’s recent uptick in club-head speed that has boosted his average drive to 302 yards while keeping his elite short-game intact. McNealy ranks 6th in Strokes Gained: Putting on bent/poa mixes over the last 50 rounds and has gained strokes on approach in six straight starts since switching to a shortened 8-iron shaft. Perry thinks that blend of improved distance and trademark flat-stick prowess will play nicely on receptive Bethpage greens and is buying at 45-1 before the market notices the quiet heater.

Matt Gannon likes Maverick McNealy at RBC Heritage at appealing odds of 66-to-1. He emphasized McNealy's consistent form over the past eight months, strong putting history at this event, and aspiration to qualify for the Ryder Cup. Winning an event like the RBC Heritage could propel McNealy into Ryder Cup consideration, potentially driving heightened motivation. Gannon pointed out parallels to McNealy's previous win at the RSM Classic, which is stylistically similar to Harbour Town. Gannon sees McNealy as undervalued in this field, highlighting his ability to compete with elite golfers like Rory McIlroy and Scottie Scheffler despite modest model projections, due to a balanced skillset and strong mental drive.

Matt Gannon pinpointed Maverick McNealy as a strong DFS value play, noting his recent form and positive course-type correlation. McNealy previously won the RSM Classic at Sea Island, a similarly strategic, precision-demanding coastal layout. Gannon explained that success at courses like RSM typically translates well to Harbour Town, enhancing McNealy's suitability. Given strong recent form and mid-range price, he described McNealy as a savvy DFS pick, particularly since Daniel Berger might attract substantial chalk (high ownership).

Ben Coley strongly recommends betting Maverick McNealy as top debutant at the Masters. He highlights McNealy's excellent recent form, including winning the RSM Classic, finishing runner-up in a Signature Event to Ludvig Aberg, and coming third at last week's event in Texas. Coley notes McNealy's strong driving distance, significantly improved iron play, and confident putting. He also believes returning to Georgia, where McNealy recently earned his first PGA Tour victory, will boost his confidence. Coley views McNealy as clearly the best newcomer, even suggesting he has a fighting chance to become the first debut winner at Augusta since Fuzzy Zoeller in 1979.

Derek Farnsworth prefers Maverick McNealy as a DFS pivot play for Augusta among first-time participants, especially if Taylor Pendrith becomes popular. Farnsworth explains McNealy possesses a similar statistical profile to Pendrith but offers notably better performance around the greens, granting him potential edge and differentiation if DFS field ownership heavily targets Pendrith instead.

Rick Gehman pointed to Maverick McNealy as emblematic of the type of unexpected winner increasingly possible at Augusta due to the landscape of modern golf. Gehman noted that although surprising winners at Augusta have historically required top players collapsing (such as Jordan Spieth in Danny Willett's 2016 victory), recent tour trends show a rising frequency of lower-profile talents claiming victories in big tournaments. Gehman remarked how McNealy's emergence into a top-10 ranked player illustrates the depth of the PGA Tour and raised the possibility that Augusta could again witness a champion who, at first glance, might seem like an outsider. While Gehman did not specifically advocate directly betting heavily on McNealy, he used his example explicitly to illustrate potential upside lower down the betting board outside the immediate favorites.

Matt Every recommended Maverick McNealy as a longshot pick despite recent missed cuts. Every revealed insights from McNealy's swing coach, Scott Hamilton, who reassured him that McNealy was striking the ball extremely well despite poor recent results. Hamilton's confidence was validated as McNealy rebounded to finish tied third at the Valero Texas Open right before Augusta, indicating strong underlying form. Every encouraged bettors not to be fooled by recent cuts, emphasizing McNealy's quality play to peak at the right time for a strong Masters outing.

Derek Farnsworth highlights Maverick McNealy (+5000 odds) as a solid bet due to his significant improvements in iron play, ranking 12th in strokes gained approach within this field in 2025. McNealy displayed strong recent form, gaining 3.2 strokes via approach last week and over four strokes in three other events this season. Farnsworth notes that combined with McNealy's steady driving and elite putting ability, he is fully capable of contending this weekend. Additionally, McNealy has impressive recent form—with one win and three additional top-10 finishes over his last 10 starts—along with a consistent record in Texas, including two made cuts at this tournament.

Matt Gannon decided on Maverick McNealy for an outright bet at Valero despite his recent putting issues in Texas events. Gannon emphasized McNealy's historical strength as an elite putter, believing the putting struggles must eventually revert positively. Betting on regression toward his career putting strengths, Gannon sees value in backing McNealy outright at his current odds.

While Matt Gannon agrees that Maverick McNealy's ball striking in Texas is ideal for Valero, he expressed strong caution due to persistent short game struggles. Matt recalled betting McNealy last week and watching him consistently miss simple 3-foot putts. He pointed out that McNealy's putting woes have become typical in Texas events, a serious issue that significantly hamstrings his chances to win. Matt's prior experience with McNealy's putting difficulties and recent troubling trends with short putts in competition make him skeptical to back McNealy outright at current odds.

Dom Cintorino sees value in betting Maverick McNealy at around 35-1 odds for the Valero Texas Open, highlighting his consistently strong approach play with wedges. Dom believes market enthusiasm around McNealy has faded unjustifiably since early year hype, bringing his odds to an attractive level. With McNealy gaining over five strokes ball-striking recently in Houston and having historically excellent ball striking performances specifically in Texas events, Dom believes this is a great opportunity at his current odds despite recent poor short-game results, including missing multiple short putts last week.

Sean Miniter recommended Maverick McNealy as a high-value bet at 40/1 odds for the 2025 Valero Texas Open, citing McNealy's continued maturity and recent successes. Though he has yet to show significant results in his previous appearances at this event, he's coming into the tournament following his maiden PGA Tour victory at the RSM Classic during the FedEx Fall Series. McNealy has maintained strong form with three Top-10 finishes from nine starts this year, notably placing runner-up at the prestigious Genesis Invitational. Displaying solid all-around skills without any glaring weaknesses, McNealy ranks 10th in Miniter's statistical analysis of the field, placing a notable 22nd in birdie average on the Tour. Miniter believes McNealy's sharp recent play suggests his peak performance is near, providing excellent betting value.

Ben Coley believes Maverick McNealy is significantly undervalued at 50/1 odds for the Valero Texas Open. Coley highlights McNealy's recent strong showing in Houston where he finished 32nd but notably ranked 11th in strokes-gained tee-to-green despite subpar putting. Given McNealy's history of bounce-back performances with the putter, Coley sees potential for positive regression on San Antonio greens. Additionally, McNealy demonstrated strong ball-striking in two previous events at TPC San Antonio and nearly won at Silverado—another venue that showcases similar skillset demands—underscoring his suitability this week.

Matt Gannon highlighted Maverick McNealy as a great DFS value at $8,100, far better priced versus the surrounding golfers. Despite recent short game struggles, McNealy flashed impressive ball-striking at Houston, gaining over five strokes. While wary of his shaky putting record in Texas historically, Gannon feels the price discount on McNealy's proven high ceiling presents a compelling play, particularly given expected high chalk on golfers priced above him.

Rick Gehman sees Maverick McNealy as a strong DFS candidate despite lukewarm past results at TPC San Antonio. Listed in Gehman's model's top-ten, McNealy stood out in fantasy scoring metrics, bonus putting, and high-level wedge play. Gehman suggested these strong statistics sufficiently outweigh prior average results at this course and make McNealy an appealing DFS target.

Byron Lindeque expressed serious concerns about Maverick McNealy ahead of the Houston Open, highlighting two recent catastrophic rounds that significantly skew his strokes-gained metrics. Despite strong earlier results—finishing second at the Genesis Invitational, ninth at the Waste Management, and winning the RSM Classic—McNealy suffered severe single-round meltdowns at both the Players Championship and the Arnold Palmer Invitational. At Arnold Palmer, he lost a staggering 6.5 strokes largely due to short game struggles, and at the Players, he lost 8.5 strokes ball striking in just one round. Lindeque described these rounds as evidence of possible 'mental demons' and advised caution or outright fading McNealy until these erratic performances cease.

Derek Farnsworth strongly recommends Maverick McNealy priced at $8,300, citing several contextual factors signaling confidence. Despite recent struggles on Florida courses, McNealy had previously made 10 consecutive cuts, including a win and multiple top-10 finishes elsewhere. Additionally, he possesses an impressive track record at Memorial Park, consistently finishing top 30 each of his three appearances thus far. Farnsworth emphasized that McNealy is consistently among the best performers per round in windy Texas conditions, an essential skill set fitting this event. Due to these strong course fit and historical performance metrics, Farnsworth tagged McNealy as a high-value DFS target this week.