Collin Morikawa ($11,100) is another fade for Andrade, who said the two-time major winner appears "all over the place mentally" and lacks the recent consistency required to navigate Portrush’s demanding second-shot test. Andrade prefers using that salary on steadier tee-to-green options in the same range.

Andrade is avoiding Bryson DeChambeau at $11,300, arguing that his power-centric game has historically failed to translate to links golf. With Portrush punishing errant tee shots via internal OB and pot bunkers, Andrade views the bomber as overpriced risk compared to similarly salaried options.

Kristoffer Reitan ($7,700) earned Andrade’s endorsement after a T13 at the Scottish Open marked his sixth top-15 in eight starts. Andrade emphasized Reitan’s strength off the tee—valuable given Portrush’s internal OB—and a recently hot putter. That combination gives the Norwegian cut-making safety with upside for GPP dart throws.

Andrade called Nick Taylor his top bargain at $8,200. The Canadian has seven top-25s in his last eight events, including a solo 4th at the Memorial. Taylor has gained on approach in every start over that stretch and sits 11th in SG: Approach, 12th in GIR%, 22nd in driving accuracy, and 50th in scrambling on the season— a stat mix Andrade thinks translates beautifully to Portrush’s demanding tee shots and small targets.

At $9,000, Harry Hall made Andrade’s mid-tier because he’s on a run of seven straight top-25s and 12 straight cuts. Hall ranks 15th in SG: Around-the-Green, 8th in scrambling, 3rd in SG: Putting, 1st in putts per hole, 3rd in birdie average, 8th in bogey avoidance, and 3rd in par-4 scoring. Andrade believes that scoring profile is perfect for leveraging Portrush’s raised greens and potential rain-softened conditions.

Andrade recommended Matt Fitzpatrick at $9,900 after a T4 in Scotland marked his third top-10 and fifth top-25 in seven starts. The Englishman’s recent run features improved driving accuracy, tighter irons, and trademark scrambling. He’s made five consecutive Open cuts and was T20 the last time Royal Portrush hosted in 2019, giving Andrade confidence in both cash and single-entry builds.

Calling $10,200 "too cheap," Andrade pointed to Russell Henley’s top-15 ranks in driving accuracy, SG: Approach, GIR%, proximity, and SG: Around-the-Green. Henley rides finishes of T5-T10-T2 and already has eight top-10s in 2025. He placed solo 5th at last year’s Open, and Andrade expects the same fairway-first formula to thrive on Portrush’s 60 strategic bunkers and elevated greens.

Andrade touted Viktor Hovland at $10,700 because he sits 2nd to Scheffler in SG: Approach and leads the PGA Tour in approach shots outside 100 yards, a key yardage range on the long Portrush par-4s. Despite an inconsistent short game, Hovland has made eight straight cuts, winning the Valspar, finishing solo 3rd at the U.S. Open, and T11 last week in Scotland. He owns three top-15s in four Open appearances, reinforcing his ceiling for GPPs.

Andrade backed Tommy Fleetwood as a core play, noting he ranks 9th in SG: Approach, 17th in SG: Around-the-Green, and keeps it straight off the tee—critical on Portrush’s narrow corridors and internal OB. Fleetwood has four top-7s in his last eight worldwide starts and four top-12s in his past six Opens. Andrade highlighted the Englishman’s seven DP World Tour wins and historically high DFS floor as reasons to lock him in at $11,500.

Ryan Andrade said Scottie Scheffler is still worth the $13,900 FanDuel tag even though his ownership could dip on a links track. Scheffler has stacked ten straight top-10 finishes, owns four solid Open results (T8-T21-T23-T7), and pairs elite driving accuracy with the tour’s best irons and deft touch around the greens—traits Andrade believes counter Portrush’s penal fairway bunkers and raised greens.

Ranked 10th, Spieth drew praise from Hochberg for impeccable Open consistency: 11 starts, zero missed cuts, three top-5s and eight top-25s, including runner-up to Morikawa in 2021. This season Spieth sits 19th in SG: Tee-to-Green and 18th in SG: Total, plus two major top-25s. Hochberg believes his creativity suits Portrush’s run-offs and unpredictable winds, making Spieth a strong ‘make the cut’ prop, top-20 wager, and mid-range DFS core piece whose ownership often lags the elite trio above him.

Hochberg dropped last year’s Champion Golfer to ninth, citing a January side injury that cost two months and cratered key strokes-gained categories. Schauffele now sits outside the top-100 in SG: Off-the-Tee, Around-the-Green and Putting, with only Approach (20th) offering hope. His major line—T8 (Masters), T28, T12—would please most but marks a steep fall from his 2024 two-major season. Without a single top-10 since Augusta, Hochberg advises fading Schauffele in matchup bets and limiting DFS exposure to contrarian builds only.

Hochberg dropped Morikawa to No. 6 and suggested gamers proceed with caution. While Morikawa still ranks second on Tour tee-to-green, the tout pointed to four different caddies used this season, repeated failures to close events, and increasing friction with media as red-flag distractions. Since winning the 2021 Open, his results read MC-MC-T16, reinforcing volatility on links. Hochberg implied those off-course issues are filtering into late-round execution, making the Californian overpriced in outrights and better suited to GPP fades than cash-game locks.

Len Hochberg slotted McIlroy No. 1 in his Portrush power rankings, arguing the Northern Irishman is primed to erase memories of the 2019 MC. McIlroy owns six career Open top-5s and two Claret Jugs (2012, 2014). Hochberg noted that last time at Royal Portrush the pressure led to a quadruple-bogey opening tee shot and a 79, but McIlroy still followed with a 65 and missed by only one. With a far calmer build-up, a par-71 layout essentially unchanged from 2019, and no need to be the betting favorite for DFS impact, Hochberg expects a cleaner start and sees McIlroy as the safest anchor for outright tickets and high-salary DraftKings cores.

Harry Hall costs $6,400 yet ranks 9th in SG:Total on the PGA Tour thanks to being 2nd in Putting and 14th Around-the-Green. Hall has seven straight top-25s, capped by T17 at the Scottish Open, and tied for 19th in his PGA Championship debut. Hochberg views the Englishman’s short-game skill set as ideal for Portrush run-offs and a perfect salary-saver for stars-and-scrubs builds.

Returning to the Open for the first time since 2022, Sergio Garcia is only $6,700 with +17000 odds. Hochberg reminded readers that Garcia has played 25 Opens, missed just five cuts, and logged ten top-10s (five top-5s). He qualified via LIV standings and, despite mediocre showings at the Masters and PGA, brings a ceiling unmatched at this salary for DFS punts.

At $7,100 and +9000, Ryan Fox ranks just 28th in DraftKings pricing, but Hochberg views him as borderline top-25. The Kiwi owns two PGA Tour victories this season, a top-20 at the U.S. Open, a T25 in last year’s Open, and a T16 at Portrush in 2019. That combination of recent wins and course history makes Fox a strong contrarian play in large-field GPPs.

Hochberg highlighted Cameron Young at $7,200 (+8000). After missing six cuts in his first 11 starts, Young has made eight straight with four top-25s, including T4 at the U.S. Open. He owns runner-up (2022) and T8 (2023) finishes in his first two Opens and was T31 last year. The improved consistency plus proven links success offers massive upside for a near-bottom-tier salary.

Jordan Spieth costs $7,700 with +5500 odds, and Hochberg pointed out that since winning at Royal Birkdale in 2017 he has finished top-25 in every subsequent Open, even last year while nursing a wrist injury that later required surgery. DataGolf currently ranks him 22nd worldwide, ahead of Ludvig Aberg and Shane Lowry. That track record and price make Spieth a core play for DFS lineups seeking a safe cut-maker who can contend.

Hochberg flagged Matt Fitzpatrick as a value at $7,800 and now-shortening 55-1 odds. Over his past six starts Fitzpatrick has made every cut, produced four top-25s and two top-10s (T8 PGA Championship, T4 Scottish Open). He’s made 17 of his last 19 major cuts and five straight Opens, including T20 at Portrush. Hochberg believes Fitzpatrick can win outright, separating him from similarly priced names with lower ceilings.

Viktor Hovland checks in at just $8,300 with +3000 odds, and Hochberg called that "incredibly cheap" for a player who finished T12-T4-T13 in his first three Opens, won the Valspar earlier this year, and placed T3 at last month’s U.S. Open. While his wedge game remains shaky, Hovland’s ball-striking ceiling makes him a tournament winner candidate at a mid-tier price.

Hochberg likes Tyrrell Hatton at $8,900 (+3000) despite LIV-induced uncertainty. DataGolf still ranks him 9th in the world, and his Open history includes 6th at Portrush (2019) and 4th at this year’s U.S. Open, offset by seven missed cuts in 12 Opens. Hochberg framed Hatton as a classic GPP play: volatile temperament but clear win equity at a suppressed salary.

Hochberg recommended Tommy Fleetwood at $9,500 and +2800, citing his third-ranked SG:Tee-to-Green, 8th in SG:Approach, 17th Around-the-Green and 33rd Putting on the PGA Tour. Fleetwood was runner-up to Lowry at Portrush in 2019 and followed with 4th (2022) and 10th (2023) in subsequent Opens. He has five top-10s in 15 starts this season and has made the cut in six of his last seven Opens, reinforcing both floor and ceiling for DFS cash and GPP builds.

Hochberg labeled Jon Rahm a strong DraftKings buy at $10,400 and +1200 odds, noting that the ‘LIV rust’ narrative ended when Rahm rattled off T7, T14, T8 and T7 finishes in the last four majors. Rahm was co-runner-up and T3 in past Opens and T11 at Portrush in 2019, proving he can handle links tests. With Scheffler priced a full $3,800 higher, Hochberg sees Rahm as the optimal high-end pivot who is now "back to his old self" and capable of winning multiple Claret Jugs.

Len Hochberg said Rory McIlroy deserves top billing on DraftKings at $11,500 even with Scottie Scheffler sitting $2,700 higher. McIlroy owns the Royal Portrush course record (61 as a 16-year-old), finished runner-up at last week’s Scottish Open, and has one of the best lifetime Open résumés in the field. Hochberg argued the pressure that wrecked McIlroy in 2019 should be lower six years later, especially after completing the career Grand Slam at Augusta this spring. He prefers McIlroy over Scheffler because the latter must justify a $14,200 salary that blows up roster construction, while McIlroy offers elite win equity at a manageable price and +700 outright odds.

Ryan Pohle advised passing on Justin Thomas, noting the two-time major champ has never finished top-10 in eight Open starts despite routinely contending at the other three majors. Thomas has been erratic off the tee in each of his last five tournaments, a red flag with Portrush’s penal fescue looming. Pohle added that gamers still have three playoff events to deploy JT, and he historically excels at East Lake, making it senseless to waste him on a venue that magnifies his current weakness.

Bryce Danielson listed Justin Rose as a poor value play after the veteran surged to No. 7 in projected OAD ownership following a flashy Sunday in Scotland. Danielson reminded readers that, before that round, Rose had surrendered more than 14 cumulative strokes tee-to-green over his previous four starts, exposing shaky ball-striking. At 44 years old Rose carries limited win equity, so Danielson would rather bet the 80/1 outright ticket than eat double-digit ownership in OADs where the downside is amplified.

Greg Vara urged gamers not to chase Tony Finau’s T3 from the 2019 Portrush Open. Finau has been "off his game all season," last teeing it up in mid-June, and returns with zero competitive reps in a month. Worse, he has missed the cut in each of the last two Open Championships, hinting the rust is not limited to 2025. Given the lack of current form and uncertain touch required around Portrush’s greens, Vara believes managers should keep Finau holstered until he shows signs of life during the FedExCup Playoffs.

Len Hochberg labeled Bryson DeChambeau a clear OAD fade. In seven Open appearances DeChambeau owns just one finish inside the top-30 (T8 in 2021) and three missed cuts. Hochberg argued that Bryson’s U.S. Open-style power assault is blunted on links layouts that demand creativity, flight control, and nuanced short-game shots—qualities the big hitter is still developing, much like his gradual learning curve at Augusta. Without the ability to overpower Royal Portrush and with a poor track record, Hochberg sees little reason to take on the high ownership and high volatility.

Ryan Andrade advised fading Shane Lowry in OAD despite the romantic 2019 Portrush win storyline. Lowry is still driving it straight and solid on approach, but the rest of his bag has cratered: he has lost strokes around the green in four of his last five starts and ranks 136th on Tour this season in SG: Putting. Andrade noted the defending venue champ will draw heightened attention, so burning him now both eats ownership and risks minimal payout. He would rather stash Lowry for a potential playoff rebound once the short-game funk subsides.

Ryan Pohle tabbed Collin Morikawa as his OAD pick, emphasizing the Californian’s elite fairway-finding and laser-sharp irons—exact weapons for a Portrush setup that punishes errant drives and rewards precise approach play. Although he skipped the 2019 edition here, Pohle sees no course-fit issues for a former Champion Golfer of the Year. Morikawa lands on the preferred Thursday morning side of the weather draw, another edge. Pohle downplayed last week’s missed cut in Scotland, blaming a rare short-game implosion during his first event with new caddie Billy Foster. He expects suppressed ownership because that stumble is fresh in gamers’ minds.

Bryce Danielson called Tyrrell Hatton a "viable" OAD alternative for managers who already spent Bryson DeChambeau or Jon Rahm. He pointed to Hatton’s T4 at the U.S. Open where he ranked 4th in Strokes Gained: Approach, plus a T6 at Royal Portrush in the 2019 Open. On the LIV circuit this year Hatton is 9th or better in SG: Around-the-Green and SG: Putting, metrics Danielson believes translate directly to Portrush’s raised greens and tricky runoffs. The combination of major-championship form, course history, and short-game excellence makes Hatton a strong, moderately owned pivot.

Greg Vara elected to burn Tyrrell Hatton now because LIV golfers become unusable in OAD once the FedExCup Playoffs start. His decision came down to Hatton versus Jon Rahm; Vara passed on Rahm due to expected sky-high selection rates and opted for Hatton’s comparable upside with far lower ownership. The goal is to gain ground late in the year, and Hatton supplies that leverage while still offering realistic win equity on a course where precision off the tee and short-game touch matter more than pure length.

Len Hochberg recommended Matt Fitzpatrick for gamers chasing the pack because he projects to be lightly owned compared to Rahm and the other headliners. Hochberg noted the Englishman is in his best stretch since winning the U.S. Open three years ago, citing a T8 at the PGA Championship and a T4 at last week’s Scottish Open. A home-soil narrative (UK player, UK major) adds comfort on links, and Fitzpatrick’s all-around game travels regardless of Portrush’s penal rough. Hochberg framed it as the right blend of win equity and differentiation for OAD managers who cannot afford chalk this late in the season.

Ryan Andrade said Jordan Spieth is the perfect high-upside OAD bullet when you have nothing to lose (he sits 26th in his pool). Andrade acknowledged two red flags – a lingering neck issue and the birth of Spieth’s third child last week that likely trimmed prep time – but argued the Texan’s Open resume outweighs them. Spieth has made the cut in all 11 Open starts, piling up five top-10s, eight top-25s and the 2017 Claret Jug at Royal Birkdale. Current form is better than people think: four top-10s and eight top-25s in 15 starts this season. Andrade highlighted that Spieth is “driving it exceptionally well,” his irons are trending up, and his short-game remains elite – the exact skill set needed for Royal Portrush’s raised greens and tight runoffs.