Top Draftkings Values Under $8,000
The 149th rendition of the Open Championship (or as it’s known amongst lay folk, The British Open) will be held this year at The Royal St. George’s Golf Club, located on England’s Southeastern coast. The course dates back to 1887 and this will be the 15th playing of The Open on its hallowed grounds. The elder statesman Darren Clarke won the last time it was played here in 2011 over Dustin Johnson, Phil Mickelson, and Rickie Fowler amongst others. Fans of 007 may also be familiar with the course as it was Sir Ian Fleming’s inspiration for the iconic match between James Bond and Goldfinger in the 1964 classic.
Now, without further adieu, as per usual with majors on Draftkings, here is an ample list of players priced below $8,000 with significant lurk potential this weekend…
*Note: TOMMY FLEETWOOD MAC gets the THOR HAMMER at an even $8,000. That should go without saying, yet here we are…
$7,700-JOACO NIEMANN-coming off a crushing playoff loss in Detroit, the wunderkind of the Chilean peninsula could be ready for a major breakthrough. His ball-striking is reminiscent of The Hawk himself, Mr. Hogan of course. He thrives in windy conditions as seen by his success in Texas and on coastal links tracks overseas due to his low apex piss missiles. Add it all up and I would be surprised if the former top Amateur in the world wasn’t lurking around the top of the leaderboard as he was at the prestigious BMW Championship in Chicago last year.
$7,500-UNCLE LEE WESTWOOD-*HOME DEPOT (HAMMER) SPECIAL*-if you’ve been reading this blog, and/or listening to our “Who’s Your Caddy?” Podcast all season, you’ll know my affinity for backing Uncle Lee. At The Masters, perhaps it was a bit too much heart over head, but he did have back-to-back runner ups at the Arnold Palmer Invitational and The Players Championship leading into Augusta. Then I watched him play in the final pairing back in 2008 at Torrey Pines on Golf Channel and had a fantasy that his time would soon come again...That time is now. The English journeyman has had more close calls in majors than anyone else (even our other British Uncle, Paul Casey). He’s a newlywed to his trusted wife and usual caddy, Helen, and as of writing this was in contention again at the Scottish Open. If not now, then never for old Uncle Lee. One. Fuc*in. Time.
$7.400-CHRISTIAAN “THE BEZ”-the rat poison narrative (whatever that may be) has been talked to nauseam at this point, so let’s talk about this kid’s game instead. The pride of Johannesburg is an elite scrambler, ideal for the fescue laden links he will face this week, as well as a being superb with the flatstick. We’ve seen him poke his head into the Top 10 during the early rounds at all of the year’s majors, whilst sticking around Kiawah for longer than anyone prognosticated he would. This kid is the real deal and if he can just keep it in play off the tee I expect him to “stay done lurking” right into wee hours of the weekend.
$7,300-RICKIE FOWLER-”be still my heart” the only victory that would have me reaching for the Kleenex faster than one for Uncle Lee, would be one for Cousin Rickie. I mean, he was completely written off six months ago by the Twitter vagrants, doing him almost as dirty as they did old Spiethy! Yet here we are, happily betrothed with a kid on the way (God Bless); I think Rickie is at that point in his career, and life, where he’s hit the reset button. Obviously he’s had many close calls with major victories, including sniffing the top of the leaderboard here in 2011 (T5), at other Opens in 2019 (T6), 2014 (T2), along with numerous times at Augusta, just to name a few. Now, it seems like he is back, or close to back in form with an 8th at the PGA and 11th at The Memorial within the last 6 weeks. If a, dare-I-say, Full Force Gale picks up off the English Channel, there’s no one I like better to break out the rain pants and traverse the shitstorm than Mr. Fowler. Ya gotta believe...
$7,300-COUSIN HARRIS ENGLISH-DUH. I mean this guy was an original member of the Family Tree eight years ago, well before his resurgence to a 3rd at the US Open, and an all-time playoff victory at The Travelers. Along with this current torrid stretch, the guy has oodles of coastal links experience hailing from Sea Island, Georgia. Couple that with his stellar record of making cuts at majors over the last 5 years, including success in this one-most notably a 15th at the famed Muirfield. Essentially, he's the same price as he was at Torrey Pines BEFORE he came in third, and then won in Connecticut. Egregious misprice, pure and simple. Grab the nails and hammer away.
$7,200-BRANDEN GRACE-the most prominent player out of the Gary Player Golfing Family Tree in the last decade is primed for yet another run at his first major. It would be a touching ending to a prolonged, Covid-induced break from The Open to crown Branden the Champion Golfer of the Year after his father lost a valiant battle to the wretched virus earlier this year. Grace immediately went on to claim victory in Puerto Rico, and then lurk at the PGA and US Open as he has in the past at Chambers Bay, along with several other prominent big boy events both Stateside and across the Pond. Oh and he shot a record 62 at The Open, good for a 6th place finish in 2017. The stars are aligning for this man, and perhaps that illusive major is eclipsed once and for all at Royal St. George’s...
Other guys to target in the $7K range: THE AUSSIES, BERGER, THE KOKRAKEN, KAYMER, BOBBY MAC, BERND, AND STORMIN’ NOREN.
Sicko Specials-Sub $7K (tread lightly): Uncle Stewey Cink, Kevin Kisner, Ryan Palmer, Old Man Bland, HT-Li, Sammy the Bull (will be high-owned), Jason the Scrivener, VEERMAN, and DEAN THE DREAM.
BOL TO ALL!
*Follow @Blatant_Chief along with the other degens on Twitter (@BlatantGolf, @LiamBlatant, @BlatantLegsBets, and @RomeoTheCaddy) for real-time updates, more sleeper plays, and comical insight throughout the week.