Vidanta Vallarta pays for putting and approach play more than for length, and Wyndham Clark fits both. He anchors my cash builds at $10,900, and at +1300 he is also my pick to win. Austin Eckroat at $7,200 is the slate's best value, and Kevin Roy at $7,500 has played the weekend in each of his last eight starts with the same odds as a golfer who costs $1,400 more. Friday afternoon is the only windy window of the first two days, so the Thursday afternoon and Friday morning draw gets a small edge, nothing more. Nobody is out, Tom Kim is back after five missed events, and the Top Plays table near the bottom lays out every role.
High Impact Injuries
| Player | Salary | Flag | DFS read |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brian Campbell | $6,500 | 83 days off, 8 events missed, 2 WDs in 18 months | Defending champion here, but the longest layoff in the field, GPP dart only |
| Ben Griffin | $9,800 | 69 days off, 6 events missed | T4 here in 2025, still keep him out of cash |
| Tom Kim | $10,100 | 62 days off, 5 events missed | Priciest flagged name, GPP only |
| Rasmus Højgaard | $7,500 | WD at the Biltmore in September, then a missed cut in Utah | Tournament dart at most |
| Blades Brown, Karl Vilips | $9,000 and $6,900 | 41 days off, 4 events missed | GPP only |
Nobody in this field has two withdrawals inside six months. Max Greyserman pulled out of Bermuda last week, Rasmus Neergaard-Petersen and Vince Whaley left the Bank of Utah early, and Pierceson Coody, Aaron Wise, Patrick Rodgers, Patton Kizzire and Jimmy Stanger each have one summer withdrawal. Coody and Wise also have a second one inside 18 months, so I want neither of them near a cash lineup.
The Course
Vidanta Vallarta measures 7,456 yards, par 71, which sounds like a bomber's week until you see the fairways. They average about 36 yards across, so a loose drive tends to find short grass, and length off the tee buys less than the card suggests. The forecast keeps it warm, in the 80s every afternoon.
This is a birdie course. The last four winners here finished between 17 and 24 under par. Two of them are in this field: Tony Finau's 24-under win came in 2023, and Brian Campbell won last year at 20 under, beating Aldrich Potgieter in a playoff.
The shot-by-shot numbers from past editions here point one way. Putting separated the leaderboard most, approach was a close second, and the driver and the chipping trailed both. So putting and approach get my attention this week, in that order, and I will lean on iron players who can also roll it.
Weather to Watch
Round 1 | Partly cloudy, rain chance up to 58%, 75 to 87F | Wind: 2 to 5 mph, gusts 15
Thursday is hot and close to still. The late groups carry the best chance of a storm, and a shower would only soften the greens for them.
Round 2 | Mostly sunny, 75 to 86F | Wind: 2 to 8 mph, gusts 21
Friday morning is the calmest stretch of the week, under 4 mph. The breeze picks up to about 8 mph after noon, with gusts near 21.
Over the two days, the golfers who go out Thursday afternoon and Friday morning see roughly 4 mph less wind than the other side of the draw. I put that at about a third of a stroke over 36 holes. I use it as a tie-breaker and leave my builds alone otherwise. The weekend stays light at 3 to 6 mph with gusts in the high teens.
Course History
1. Isaiah Salinda ($6,900; best finish: 3rd in 2025)
Last year Salinda took 3rd here at 19 under, and he beat the field by 3.27 strokes a round that week. Last week he added a T11 in Bermuda, so the course record and the latest result agree. You rarely get that combination at $6,900.
2. Patrick Rodgers ($7,100; best finishes: T6, T10, 10th)
Four trips, four weekends: 10th in 2022, T10 in 2023, T6 in 2024 and T25 last year. Nobody in this field has a steadier record here. The problem is the form, minus 1.52 a round over his last eight starts, and he pulled out of the Rocket Classic this summer. I like him in tournaments only.
3. Tony Finau ($7,300; best finishes: won in 2023, T2 in 2022)
Finau won here at 24 under, finished T2 the year before and tied for 13th in 2024. That is the best Vidanta record in this field. His 2026 looks nothing like that, though: minus 1.39 a round over his last four, and an average finish of 51st in that stretch. At $7,300 I'm buying the course record and nothing else.
4. Joel Dahmen ($6,800; best finish: T6 in 2025)
Dahmen tied for 6th here last year at 17 under, his only start at Vidanta. He gains 0.475 a round on approach this season, which fits a course that rewards irons, and the putter is the risk.
The Board
Elite ($9,500+)
Six players sit here, and the field will spread out among them, with Clark the most popular of the group.
Wyndham Clark ($10,900 | +1300 | Cash) A T63 in Japan in his last start will scare a few people off, and that suits me. Clark took the BMW title in August, a week after his T5 at the St. Jude. His 1.15 season total in strokes gained is the best in this field among players with tour numbers, and it comes from the right places: 0.43 on approach and 0.38 putting. He has made six of his last eight cuts. His two trips here went T67 in 2022 and T24 in 2023, so I am not paying for the course history. He is my cash anchor anyway, and he starts on the calmer side of the draw.
Benjamin James ($10,200 | +1600 | GPP) He missed the cut in Bermuda last week. Before that he went T5 in Utah, 2nd at the Biltmore and 3rd at the Wyndham, and he is plus 1.87 a round against the field across his last four events. He has no tour strokes gained splits yet, so whether that came from the putter or the irons is a mystery to me. The board makes him the second choice. I would rather pay up for Clark in cash and use James in tournaments, where the missed cut keeps a few people away.
Johnny Keefer ($9,500 | +2200 | GPP) Plus 1.12 a round over his last four. Keefer posted a T7 at the Biltmore and a T10 in Utah before a T33 at the Baycurrent, and he gains 0.55 a round off the tee. The putter is the worry, minus 0.25 a round this season, on a course that rewards putting more than anything else. He is the cheapest name in this range, and I think the field leans a little more toward Kim and James. That is a GPP edge I want.
Tom Kim ($10,100 | +1600 | GPP) Kim has not played in 62 days and has missed five events, which caps how much I trust the floor. When he last played, he was good: T5 at the Wyndham, T12 at the St. Jude, then T14 at the Tour Championship, and his approach play at 0.65 a round leads this field. If he is sharp, he can win. I will hold a few shares of him in large tournaments and none in cash.
High ($8,500-$9,400)
This is where my cash builds get their strength. The field will spread out here too, with David Ford and Ghim drawing the most attention.
Doug Ghim ($9,400 | +2000 | Cash) Nobody in this field comes in hotter. Ghim finished 2nd in Utah, then T17 at the Baycurrent, and over his last four starts he is plus 1.88 a round, the best four-event mark in the field. His season total of 1.14 is second only to Clark here, and he gains 0.64 off the tee. His best finish here is a T8 in 2024, with a missed cut in 2023. He also has shorter odds than Keefer, Penge and Griffin, who all cost more. I'm taking him in cash.
Corey Conners ($9,300 | +2700 | Cash) Eight straight weekends for Conners, the latest a T3 in Bermuda. Conners gains 0.41 a round on approach, which fits here. The putting is the catch at minus 0.30, and he starts on the windier side of the draw. I will still use him in cash, since nobody else at this price comes with that kind of floor.
Jordan L. Smith ($8,600 | +4000 | Cash) Smith gives you the Conners cut streak for $700 less. He tied for 4th at the Baycurrent three weeks ago, he has made all eight of his last eight cuts and is plus 1.03 a round over that stretch, with 0.52 off the tee and 0.30 on approach this season. He is in my cash core for the floor, and a win would be a bonus.
Zachary Bauchou ($8,900 | +4500 | GPP) Bauchou has finished T9, T13, T24 and T14 in his last four weekends, and he is plus 1.19 a round over his last eight starts. His season total sits at 0.58. He missed the cut in his only trip here in 2023, and the board has him at the same number as Kevin Roy, who costs $1,400 less. I will not force him into cash. In tournaments I like him more than the field will.
Mid ($7,200-$8,400)
Value is easier to find here than anywhere else on the board, and the field will bunch up on Roy and Eckroat.
Kevin Roy ($7,500 | +4500 | Cash) Roy's case is a cut streak. He has made eight cuts in a row, with finishes from T13 at the Baycurrent to T64 in Bermuda last week, and he is plus 0.84 a round over his last eight. He tied for 17th here last year and for 18th in 2023. Bauchou has the same odds at $8,900. Roy goes out on the windier side of the draw, and I will take that small cost.
Austin Eckroat ($7,200 | +6500 | Cash) Seven of his last eight cuts, at a price that makes him the slate's best value. Eckroat gains 0.35 a round on approach and is plus 0.69 over his last four. The summer finishes were steady, if quiet. He pays for Clark and Ghim. You won't see him on a winning ticket often, but cash is about the floor, and he has one.
Kevin Yu ($8,000 | +5500 | GPP) I know, he missed the cut last week and finished T59 in Japan before that. Yu finished 4th at the Wyndham in August, though, and he is still plus 0.60 a round over his last eight, with seven made cuts in that window. Those last two results will keep people off him, and that is when I want a golfer with his ceiling.
Kris Ventura ($7,900 | +4000 | GPP) Ventura has the same odds as Smith, Suber, Hoey and Ford, who all cost $8,400 or more. He has made seven of his last eight cuts and is plus 0.73 a round over that window. The finishes have been quiet, T34 in Bermuda and T41 at the Baycurrent. I like the price more than the golfer, and that is enough for GPPs.
Cheap (under $7,200)
Most of this range is a coin flip to make the weekend. I am only taking a few.
Chad Ramey ($6,900 | +12500 | Cash) Four straight weekends: T38 at the Wyndham, T33 at the Biltmore, T40 in Utah and T59 in Bermuda. Ramey gains 0.33 a round putting, the category this course pays for most, and he is plus 0.44 over his last four. He has made six of his last eight cuts, and he made the weekend here in 2024 and 2025. If you need the salary to fit Clark and Ghim, this is where I go.
Zecheng Dou ($7,000 | +8000 | GPP) His season total of 0.38 is better than most of the golfers priced above him, which surprised me. Dou took a T7 at the Biltmore in September and gains 0.34 a round on approach. The catch is five made cuts in his last eight starts. I want him in GPPs only.
Isaiah Salinda ($6,900 | +8000 | GPP) He took 3rd at Vidanta last year, and last week's T11 in Bermuda was his best finish in months. He has made five of his last eight cuts, and he has two withdrawals inside 18 months, at the Wyndham and the RBC Canadian Open last summer. That makes his floor shaky. Few people will pick him, and with that course record, he is one of my favorite tournament plays on the board.
Joel Dahmen ($6,800 | +17500 | GPP) The irons are real. Dahmen gains 0.475 a round on approach in 2026, one of the best numbers in the field, and he has made six of his last eight cuts. He tied for 6th here last year. The putter costs him 0.50 a round, and on this course that is a big problem. He is a GPP dart for when the putts drop.
Bets
To Win
Wyndham Clark (+1300) has the best season numbers in the field among tour regulars, and the BMW title is only two months old. His approach and putting fit a course that pays for both. That makes him my pick to win. I feel uncomfortably confident about it, and +1300 is a fair way in.
Johnny Keefer (+2200) is plus 1.12 a round over his last four with two top-10s in that run. The price is longer than his form deserves.
Kevin Roy (+4500) has made eight straight cuts and keeps getting closer. A golfer this steady at this price is worth a small bet.
Long Shots
Kevin Yu (+5500) finished 4th at the Wyndham in August. He has to find that form again, and the last two results have pushed his price up.
Emiliano Grillo (+10000) has a T5 here from 2023 and has made the cut in all four of his trips. He posted a T7 at July's 3M and sits at plus 0.72 a round over his last eight. Call it a lottery ticket.
Isaiah Salinda (+8000) took 3rd at Vidanta in 2025 and is coming off a T11 in Bermuda. Treat it as a small, fun bet and nothing more.
Not financial advice. These are model leans, not guarantees. Only bet what you can afford to lose. 21+. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call 1-800-GAMBLER.
Top Plays
| Player | Role | Salary | FanDuel win | Why |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wyndham Clark | Cash anchor | $10,900 | +1300 | Best season total here, my pick to win |
| Doug Ghim | Cash core | $9,400 | +2000 | Runner-up in Utah, plus 1.88 over his last four |
| Corey Conners | Cash core | $9,300 | +2700 | Eight for eight, T3 last week |
| Jordan L. Smith | Cash core | $8,600 | +4000 | Eight straight cuts, T4 at the Baycurrent |
| Kevin Roy | Cash value | $7,500 | +4500 | Eight straight cuts, T17 and T18 here |
| Austin Eckroat | Cash value | $7,200 | +6500 | Best value on the slate, seven cuts in eight |
| Chad Ramey | Cash or GPP | $6,900 | +12500 | Four straight weekends, putts well |
| Benjamin James | GPP | $10,200 | +1600 | T5, 2nd and 3rd before last week |
| Johnny Keefer | GPP | $9,500 | +2200 | Hot form, the field will look past him |
| Isaiah Salinda | GPP leverage | $6,900 | +8000 | 3rd here in 2025, T11 last week |
| Kevin Yu | GPP | $8,000 | +5500 | 4th at the Wyndham, people will skip him |
| Joel Dahmen | GPP dart | $6,800 | +17500 | T6 here in 2025, strong irons |
Final Thoughts
Cash starts with Clark and Ghim. Roy, Eckroat and Ramey pay for them, and Conners or Smith take the last spot, whichever fits the salary. Every one of those golfers has made at least six of his last eight cuts, which is the floor I want on a course where a cold putter can sink a week.
In GPPs, the field should spread across the top six names, with Clark the most popular. I am going a different way with Keefer and James up top, then Yu and Ventura in the middle, where recent results will scare people away. At the bottom I want the course horses, Salinda and Dahmen first, with Finau and Rodgers as the bigger swings. Tom Kim is the big swing. After 62 days off I keep him small, but if he is sharp, he can win at $10,100.
Before lock, check the Thursday afternoon storm chance. If storms push the late groups off the course, the small draw edge could flip, and I would move a few GPP builds back toward the morning players.
Tools used for this week
Every number in this playbook comes off the free BankrollSZN tools: this week's PGA DFS projections, PGA strokes gained by category, PGA course history, tee time weather by wave, and the free PGA lineup optimizer.