Matt Gannon recommended Chris Kirk at +400 for a Top-20, pointing to the veteran’s elite driving accuracy and rock-solid iron play that nearly netted him a win in Detroit. Kirk ranks top-10 on TOUR in fairways hit and has gained strokes on approach in five of his last six starts, traits tailor-made for Portrush’s penal rough and tiny landing zones. Gannon views Kirk as a safe cut-maker with realistic back-door top-10 potential if the putter cooperates.

Matt Gannon called Daniel Berger’s triple-digit number "comedy" after the Floridian gained nine strokes on approach last week while losing nine combined putting and around the green. Berger’s tee-to-green dominance is trending back to pre-injury levels, and Portrush rewards exactly that profile—fairways, crisp long-irons, and a hot week on unpredictable greens. Gannon is willing to live with the short-game volatility at 100-1, viewing Berger as a top-20 floor with legit winner’s upside if the putter flips.

Matt Gannon circled Northern Irishman Tom McKibbin as his favorite triple-digit stab, grabbing 170-1 on a player who nearly won at Valderrama earlier in the day. A local caddie told Gannon that McKibbin has logged countless rounds at Portrush and feels completely comfortable shaping shots around the course’s quirky sight-lines. Recent form backs it up—McKibbin’s top-3 at Valderrama featured +5.2 strokes gained approach—and Gannon believes home-course familiarity plus peaking ball-striking create real top-five equity at a lottery ticket price.

Matt Gannon warned against chasing Justin Rose at a short 80-1 outright number, saying the Englishman will be popular after a lights-out final-round 64 at the Scottish. Gannon stressed Rose is laser-focused on majors—"that’s what he cares about"—but the market is baking that in, leaving little win equity at this price. Still, Rose’s ability to hit fairways and flush mid-irons on linksy setups keeps him firmly in play for DFS, where ownership might not catch up to the betting steam. Gannon suggested fading Rose in outright markets while using him as a steady cut-maker in DraftKings builds.

Matt Gannon highlighted Ryan Fox at 90-1 as a sneaky outright. Fox owns two PGA-Tour wins in 2025, and Gannon said the Kiwi’s hot putter combined with years of DP World Tour reps on wind-swept links makes him tailor-made for Portrush. Although Fox was mediocre at last week’s Scottish Open, his overall season form features consistent ball-striking and spike putting weeks. Gannon added that Fox’s shot-shaping off the tee should play nicely with Portrush’s doglegs and cross-winds, making 90-1 a price worth anchoring into outright cards or long-shot DFS builds.

Dom Cintorino backed Hideki Matsuyama at 70-1, arguing Portrush’s demand for precision over power neutralizes the Japanese star’s current driver issues. Cintorino noted Matsuyama can safely club down off the tee, pepper fairways and lean on the iron play that ranked first in strokes-gained approach at both the U.S. Open and Rocket Mortgage. Those same events showed he is still flushing it despite losing strokes off the tee. With Matsuyama gaining nearly eight strokes on approach in Detroit and historically thriving in difficult majors, Cintorino believes the number is too long for a player who could easily contend if he simply keeps the ball in play.

Matt Gannon advised fading Tommy Fleetwood at his current 25-1 outright number. While Fleetwood checks every statistical box—accurate driver, elite long-iron play, proven links résumé—Gannon stressed that betting him at this price "in perpetuity" leads to perpetual frustration. Fleetwood has piled up near-misses (runner-up here in 2019 and the recent collapse at TPC River Highlands) but owns zero PGA-Tour wins since 2018, indicating low win equity relative to the odds. Gannon added that Portrush’s penal rough and hidden hazards offer plenty of new ways for Fleetwood to kick away a lead. Until the market drifts well north of 30-1, Gannon is keeping the Englishman off his outright card and limiting exposure to DFS lineups only.

Dom Cintorino pegged Viktor Hovland as the best buy in the 30-1 tier. Over the past three events Hovland ranks near the top of the PGA Tour in strokes-gained approach, numbers Cintorino called “absurd” when you sort by the last few weeks. Hovland looked fully healthy while making a Sunday charge at the Scottish Open, and Cintorino noted that the Norwegian would not be teeing it up during major season unless his back and hip were 100 percent. Portrush rewards elite iron control more than raw power, and Hovland’s ball-striking is peaking right now. Given that form, a 30-1 outright (with an each-way kicker) or anchoring him in DFS builds is Cintorino’s favorite way to attack the mid-tier market.

Matt Gannon said Jon Rahm is the lone member of the Big-4 worth betting at his current 12-1 number. Rahm has finished T11 or better in four of the last five Open Championships, with the "worst" showing a T34, so he has never missed a cut in that span. Gannon also pointed to Rahm’s comfort on wind-swept, linksy setups—citing his 2017 Irish Open win and multiple DP World Tour starts—as proof that the Spaniard thrives when the ball has to be kept under the wind. Current form is trending: Rahm lost by just a stroke to Talor Gooch at Valderrama last week, and afterward told reporters he’s “hitting it as good as I ever have.” Add in Portrush’s demand for both precision off the tee and creativity around the greens—traits Rahm brings in spades—and Gannon believes a 12-1 outright (or shorter each-way) is still a +EV position before the market moves closer to tee-off.

Matt Gannon acknowledged Kristoffer Reitan will likely be the most popular DP World Tour call-up at $6,900 but still labeled him a ‘stud.’ The Norwegian fired rounds of 61 and 63 in consecutive weeks recently, winning once and finishing runner-up the next start thanks to elite distance plus iron play. Gannon warned of ownership concerns yet maintained Reitan's ceiling—a legitimate ability to go 8-under in a single round—makes him viable if gamers embrace chalk or pair him with contrarian builds elsewhere.

Matt Gannon said if you absolutely must dip to $6,100, Darius Van Driel is the name. The Dutch veteran is extremely positional—top-10 in fairways hit on the DP World Tour—and keeps doubles off the card when conditions toughen. Gannon only recommends Van Driel in stars-and-scrubs constructions, but argued that a gusty weekend could push Vandriel’s fairway-first profile into a surprise top-40, which is more than enough for his near-minimum salary.

Matt Gannon circled Sam Bairstow at $6,600 as his favorite ‘low Sam B’ market play. Bairstow is among the longest hitters on the Challenge Tour and simultaneously ranks near the top in putting average, a combination Gannon compared to Sam Burns. Because the Renaissance Club rewards both length and hot streaks on the greens, Gannon believes Bairstow can outscore his salary, especially in showdown slates, and is worth outright consideration in any ‘top left-hander’ side markets.

Matt Gannon preferred Martin Couvra over the chalky Wrighton at $6,900. The 20-year-old Frenchman already owns a DP World Tour victory and has finished T8 or better in four of his last six starts. Gannon noted that Koeuvre’s crisp ball striking mirrors Luke Clanton’s breakout profile and predicted the youngster will hold PGA Tour status next season. With strong recent form, polished tee-to-green game, and slightly depressed ownership compared to other Euro fliers, Koeuvre rates as a high-upside salary-saver.

Matt Gannon is ‘definitely down’ for Jacob Bridgeman at $6,900 despite the rookie’s first trip across the pond. Bridgman owns quietly strong recent numbers—gaining 0.7 strokes per round tee-to-green over his last five PGA Tour events—and carries a reputation for streaky, birdie-friendly putting. Gannon conceded there’s travel risk but argued that sub-7K price tags rarely package this level of ball striking with Bridgman’s ability to pour in putts, making him a high-leverage roster filler in large-field GPPs.

Matt Gannon highlighted Nilklas Norgaard Moller as a $7,000-range ceiling play. Moller just recorded the best ball-striking week of his PGA Tour season, and Gannon reminded listeners that last year at the Scottish Open he produced the best tee-to-green performance of his entire career. The ‘dots are connecting,’ Gannon said—Moller’s length off the tee (320-yard average) and comfort in windy coastal setups give him true top-10 upside. The only concern is streaky putting, but Gannon is willing to gamble on another spike week with irons and driver at sub-5% ownership.

Matt Gannon reiterated faith in David Ford at just $6,200. Ford flashed his upside by leading after round one of January’s Dubai Desert Classic before fading to T70. The UNC amateur is top-5 in collegiate ball-speed metrics and already comfortable competing against Tour fields. Gannon views Ford as a lotto ticket who can leverage length to create eagle looks and believes a spike week with the wedges could deliver a shock top-25, freeing salary for multiple elites up top.

Matt Gannon tagged Alejandro Del Rey at $6,400 as the quintessential high-variance play. Del Rey leads the DP World Tour in driving distance and owns multiple rounds of 60 or lower in his professional career. Gannon specifically likes betting Del Rey in ‘low round of the week’ props and using him in large-field DFS where an 8-under day can propel line-ups. While he could just as easily miss the cut, the ceiling is unmatched in the low-6K pool.

Matt Gannon touted hometown Scot Connor Syme in the low-6K range. Syme recently grabbed a DP World Tour win and, per Gannon, profiles as ‘old-school Morikawa’—elite with his mid-irons yet a streaky putter. Over the last 12 rounds Syme ranks top-10 in strokes-gained approach on the Euro circuit. Gannon thinks Syme’s familiarity with links wind, combined with a crowd boost, could propel him to another surprise top-20 while keeping salary and ownership minimal.

Matt Gannon pegged Keita Nakajima (mispronounced ‘Kiyotanaki Jima’ in the clip) as a mid-6K gem. Nakajima is renowned for extreme accuracy—top-5 on the Japan Tour in fairways hit—and can lean on irons that spike for elite gains when dialed. Gannon values that profile at the Renaissance Club, where positional play off the tee sets up attackable approach numbers. If Nakajima drops a neutral putting week, Gannon believes a made cut with top-30 upside is firmly in play and gives DFS line-ups flexibility to pay for Scheffler up top.

Matt Gannon grouped Ryan Gerard with Berger as a sneaky $7,000 option. Gerard ranks top-25 on the PGA Tour in strokes-gained approach over the past eight weeks but sits outside the top-150 in putting during that span. Gannon argued that unpredictable fescue greens at the Renaissance Club level the playing field and make Gerard’s flat-stick woes less punishing. Because most builds will skip the bottom of the 7K range, Gannon sees Gerard as an ownership lever who can pepper greens, post a made cut, and back-door a top-20 if the putter cooperates.

Matt Gannon liked Daniel Berger at $7,400, calling him a perfect buy-low for DFS line-ups. Berger is ‘striping the ball’—gaining strokes both off-the-tee and on approach over his last four worldwide starts—yet remains virtually unowned because he ranks 118th in strokes-gained putting this season. Gannon trusts Berger’s proven pedigree on links layouts, noting he routinely elevates in windy, firm conditions and that a change to fescue greens could spark enough putting regression to unlock a top-10 ceiling. With ownership expected to lag far behind other mid-7K names, Gannon saw Berger as an ideal tournament pivot who offers cut-making safety and win equity if the putter even breaks even.

Gannon notes that Thomas Detry has gained strokes on approach every single time he has teed it up at the Renaissance Club—remarkable because approach play is usually his weakness. Detry lost a playoff here in 2022, proving the ceiling is intact. At $7,800 he’s a strong GPP target if you need mid-range savings with upside.

At $7,500 Gannon loves Nicolai Hojgaard as a ceiling play. The former Ryder Cupper finished T6 here previously, is striking it great right now, and owns multiple DP World Tour wins. Volatile, yes, but Gannon sees top-five and even win equity that few in the mid-$7k range possess.

Gannon is completely fading Matt Fitzpatrick despite strong course history. Fitz has only one good week all season yet is somehow projected as the chalk of the week. Gannon quipped that getting married on the Jersey Shore ‘made him forget how to play golf’ and sees no statistical justification for paying up into that ownership.

Gannon is back in on Corey Conners at $8,700. The buzz has cooled because of recent WDs, but Conners is healthy and the archetypal fairway-green machine. Gannon thinks a top-15 is realistic if the putter cooperates, which is plenty at sub-9k ownership.

Wyndham Clark has multiple strong finishes at the Renaissance Club, and Gannon sees the layout as perfect for Clark’s ‘bomb-and-putt’ profile. The $8,200 salary lets you grab proven course form and upside without eating top-tier chalk.

Gannon highlighted Aaron Rai at $8,300. Rai won at the Renaissance Club when it was a DP World Tour stop and has repeatedly gained strokes here. Although he is coming off a poor approach week, Gannon expects the irons to rebound, making Rai a strong single-entry option.

Gannon likes Harry Hall at $8,400 because Hall is doing two things elite at the moment—hitting irons and rolling putts. Gannon said Hall is "playing his best self at the right time," making him a solid mid-tier target even if that’s *all* he does well.

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.

Hovland is coming off his best approach week of the season but withdrew with a neck injury immediately afterward. Gannon does not want to pay premium prices only to have Hovland re-aggravate the issue, noting he would be ‘mad at himself’ if he ignored the warning signs.

Sam Burns checks form boxes but Gannon is out because the $9,100 price tag will attract heavy ownership. With Burns projected as one of the week’s most popular plays, Gannon prefers differentiating elsewhere rather than riding a chalky third-highest-priced golfer in volatile links conditions.

Gannon likes Justin Thomas at $9,300, calling this a "true litmus-test" week. JT has never gained on approach at the Renaissance Club, an oddity for a generational iron player, yet he is in the midst of an excellent 2025 approach season and gained across the board at the Travelers. Gannon believes the price bakes in past course struggles and sees a ceiling if JT finally flips his irons here.

Gannon tagged Ludvig Aberg as his favorite $9k play. Aberg nearly won here last year, gaining strokes in every category, and he enters on the best four-week iron run of his 2025 season. Because most DFS chatter is on Collin Morikawa, Gannon expects Aberg’s ownership to stay manageable, making him a strong tournament pivot with legit win equity.

Despite Fleetwood’s excellent Renaissance Club history, Gannon is out at $9,900 because he projects to be heavy chalk. Gannon pegs Fleetwood’s realistic floor at about T11, which rarely pays off as the fourth-highest salary. With wind and links volatility, he prefers lower-owned pivots in the same range.

Gannon advised fading Xander Schauffele. Last time out Schauffele suffered his worst strokes-gained approach performance "in forever" and even lost strokes off the tee, an uncharacteristic double dip. With no clear sign the iron play has rebounded, Gannon prefers to pay up for Scheffler or drop down in salary instead of gambling on Xander’s uncertain form.

Gannon warned that Rory McIlroy himself framed the Scottish Open as a warm-up. In his pre-tournament interview McIlroy said he "has an eye ahead on Royal Portrush" and mainly wants to shake off rust after a layoff. Gannon expects Rory to treat the week as a tune-up rather than a must-win, lowering his fantasy ceiling relative to the hefty price tag.

Matt Gannon said Scottie Scheffler is the one elite you should lock in at the Renaissance Club. Scheffler told reporters that, despite the Open next week, *this* tournament "means a lot" and he wants to win it. Gannon contrasted that with Rory McIlroy admitting he is mainly here to knock off rust before Royal Portrush and with Xander Schauffele coming off his worst approach week in years. Scheffler never coasts, keeps the pedal down every start, and has gained in every strokes-gained category most of 2025. Gannon called him the safest ceiling-plus-floor play even at the highest DraftKings salary.

Matt Gannon fired on Ugo Coussaud for a Top-20 finish at 9-to-1. Gannon stressed that Coussaud does "two things well—sends it 10 trillion yards off the tee and can get hot with the putter," exactly the profile he wants in a Scottish Open flyer. Coussaud is coming off a T-19 at last week’s BMW International, which Gannon called "not an easy golf course," suggesting the Frenchman’s form is trending. Given the expected firm conditions that amplify driving distance and the volatility of links golf, Gannon believes Coussaud’s boom-or-bust skill set has genuine Top-20 equity and pays off handsomely at 9-1.

Gannon recommended a Top-20 ticket on Sam Bairstow at 7-to-1 odds. He highlighted two key weapons: Bairstow "launches it off the tee" and is "one of the best putters in the world," a profile that plays up when Renaissance Club’s wide fairways reward length and its undulating greens demand a confident flat-stick. Gannon likes Bairstow’s streaky scoring ability in volatile Scottish coastal conditions, arguing that the combination of distance and short-game spike potential offers richer equity than the 7-1 price implies.

Matt Gannon said he is betting Chris Gotterup for a Top-20 finish at the Scottish Open, pointing out that Gotterup is "a more complete golfer than he was last year" and is currently "playing very well." Gannon views the across-the-board improvement—particularly in approach play and overall consistency—as enough to justify a placement ticket in the 4-to-1 range often posted for a player of Gotterup’s skill set. He framed it as a simple form play: Gotterup’s ceiling as a long hitter on a course expected to play firm gives him the upside to bank a Top-20 while the rapid year-over-year growth reduces downside risk.

Dom Cintorino circled Haotong Li as a high-ceiling dart: he will hammer the plus-140 top-40 and sprinkle the 150-to-1 outright. Li has not missed a cut in 14 DP World Tour starts this season, captured the Qatar Masters, and added three more top-5 finishes. Cintorino recalled Li’s track record of popping at big events—36-hole leader at the 2020 PGA Championship—and loves his volatility for positional markets. With Li’s comfort in wind, ability to gain strokes both off the tee and on the greens, and current heater, Cintorino expects him to cash placement tickets and potentially contend if he brings the A-game.

Dom Cintorino tabbed Rasmus Neergaard-Petersen at 90-to-1 as one of his favorite deep shots. The Danish rookie has pieced together a strong 2025: T-14 at last week’s BMW, a runner-up at the Qatar Masters, and a live final-round charge in Puerto Rico. Cintorino emphasized that Neergaard-Petersen grew up almost exclusively on links tracks and is now on the verge of earning a PGA Tour card, so motivation is sky-high. With wind talent, a reliable long-iron game, and recent form all trending up, Cintorino thinks 90-to-1 underrates his win equity and likes him for top-20 and top-40 ladders as well.

Matt Gannon highlighted Aaron Rai around 60-to-1, noting that Rai already owns a victory at Renaissance Club—beating Tommy Fleetwood in a playoff when the event was a DP World Tour stop—and added a top-5 here last season. Rai’s steady tee-to-green profile and proven links pedigree make him a strong fit, even if Gannon prefers him more in placement markets. Still, the outright ticket is worth a sprinkle in the 50-to-100 range because Rai’s combination of fairway accuracy and historically solid mid-iron numbers mitigates the bomber bias some analysts see at this venue.

Dom Cintorino warned listeners not to bite on Viktor Hovland at 40-to-1. Hovland withdrew from his last start with a neck injury immediately after logging his best approach week of the season, and Cintorino doubts the health has fully rebounded. He called the 40-1 price a "bait number" designed to trap bettors who see the statistics without accounting for the medical red flag. With Hovland’s status uncertain and several similarly priced players healthy, Cintorino prefers allocating bankroll elsewhere or attacking Hovland in head-to-head fades.

Matt Gannon backed Ludvig Aberg at 30-to-1, calling it a bet that will "work out for you" if made every week. Gannon noted that Aberg has posted his best four-event iron numbers of the 2025 season, gained strokes on approach in each start, and should have won this tournament last year before a brutal final-round collapse. Renaissance Club rewards bombers, and with this week’s dry forecast adding rollout, Aberg’s elite driver becomes an even bigger weapon. Gannon added that Aberg’s links comfort and ability to win with either the big stick or precise irons make the 30-1 number a clear buy in both outright and DFS pools.

Dom Cintorino fired on Collin Morikawa at 25-to-1, spotlighting several course-fit angles. Morikawa ranks 3rd on the PGA Tour in par-3 birdie-or-better rate—crucial at Renaissance Club, which features five par-3s on its par-70 card. He was top-5 in both ball-striking and approach at the Rocket Mortgage Classic, suggesting his irons are rounding into form. Morikawa placed T-4 here last year, and Matt Gannon added that veteran looper Billy Foster—who won the 2021 Scottish Open with Matt Fitzpatrick—has just taken Morikawa’s bag, giving him proven links expertise. With dry weather expected to add roll in the fairways and shorten the course, Cintorino believes Morikawa’s elite iron play and improved putting make him the best value in the 20-to-35-to-1 tier.

Citing the same ‘look-ahead’ concerns he has for Rory, Dom Cintorino is fading Scottie Scheffler despite the world No. 1’s sterling form. Scheffler opened around +450 and has drifted only slightly, and Cintorino believes that number leaves zero room for error in a field that blends elite PGA Tour stars with high-end DP World Tour regulars. With Scheffler likely focusing on fine-tuning for Royal Troon rather than maximizing win equity this week, Cintorino prefers deploying bankroll on longer prices and taking Scheffler on in head-to-head markets.

Dom Cintorino plans to bet against Rory McIlroy at the Scottish Open, arguing that the 8-to-1 price is too short in a loaded field and that McIlroy’s primary focus is clearly next week’s Open Championship. Cintorino expects McIlroy to treat Renaissance Club as a tune-up—possibly experimenting with equipment or shot shapes—rather than going all-out to win. With several attractive mid-tier numbers available on other contenders, he prefers to fade McIlroy in outright markets and look for plus-money matchups against him.

Gannon endorsed Adam Schenk in the 6K tier, pointing to the Purdue product’s regional ties and repeat success at Deere Run—six starts, two T-6 finishes and only one missed cut. Schenk’s profile (accurate driver, birdie-maker when wedges cooperate) mirrors past winners and his pricing allows balanced builds. Gannon expects sub-5% ownership because of lukewarm recent form, framing Schenk as a low-risk floor play that still carries Top-20 upside.

Gannon planted a flag on $6,000 Kaito Onishi, labeling the Korn Ferry winner a perfect salary-saver. Onishi is accuracy-first off the tee—exactly what Deere Run demands—and just logged his first PGA cut of the season at Rocket Mortgage, giving him confidence. Gannon compared this week’s set-up to a "Corn Ferry event on a Corn Ferry course," noting Onishi already handled similar birdie-fest pressure with a T-42 at Valspar. If he simply plays the weekend, line-ups gain massive flexibility to jam in high-priced studs like Ben Griffin and Denny McCarthy.