PGA DFS Picks for the 3M Open: Top Studs and Value Plays on FanDuel

Building a PGA DFS lineup requires plentiful considerations: course fit, cut rules, current form, and much more.

After weighing all those factors, which golfers stand out on FanDuel this week for this weekend's 3M Open at TPC Twin Cities?

Let's dig into the field, using FanDuel Sportsbook's golf betting odds as a guide for our lineups.

Top Golfers for PGA DFS at the 3M Open

PGA DFS Studs

Sam Burns ($12,000)

I'm definitely interested in all three golfers at the top of this week's pool with a pretty substantial drop behind them. Sam Burns leads the way.

At his best, Burns' game is a perfect fit for this course. He's still a plus 76th on the PGA Tour in strokes gained: off the tee per round (+0.134 SG: OTT) while having perhaps the most dangerous flat stick in golf. It's not a huge surprise his 3M Open course history and past results shows three starts resulting in T7, T32, and T12 last year.

Maybe he's learned a thing or two off longtime friend Scottie Scheffler as his irons have stabilized, too. He's posted positive strokes gained: approach per round (SG: APP) in five of his last six starts.

Burns is datagolf's DFS projections' fourth-best point-per-dollar option even when accounting for his slate-high salary.

Maverick McNealy ($11,800)

Though Burns has the highest salary, the well-rounded game of Maverick McNealy is my pick to win on Sunday.

McNealy has been tracking down a second career win on the PGA Tour, posting 6 top-25 finishes in his last 11 starts. Some of these have been in brutal fields when he's finished T35 or better in all four majors, too.

He's a well-rounded beast. Mav is 38th on Tour in SG: OTT, 43rd in SG: APP, and 31st in strokes gained: putting per round (SG: PUTT) this season.

It's kind of amazing that Burns, McNealy, and Chris Gotterup ($11,900) are all vying for a potential Ryder Cup spot and also sit as this weekend's favorites to win. Gotterup's red-hot putter might cool down, and he's missing a few too many fairways for comfort at TPC Twin Cities, but I'll have exposure to all of these dudes in tournaments.

Tony Finau ($11,100)

I'm learning to give some golfers the benefit of the doubt at certain venues if there's a pulse of life in their game. Among the final eight groups on Sunday at The Open, Tony Finau gave me the pulse I needed to trust him at his best track.

Finau stumbled with a 75 to fall out of contention at Royal Portrush, but it was his eighth start in nine tries gaining strokes with his irons. At his best, Finau was one of the game's best ball-strikers with hit-and-miss putting (136th in SG:PUTT) and driver accuracy (114th), so it's nice to see the approach play back.

TPC Twin Cities just suits his eye. He leads the field in total SG here (49.83) in the last five years while managing these finishes: T3, T28, 1st, T7, T12. He's never finished worse than T28 here.

Sitting 59th in the FedEx Cup points, he could really use a solid week to lock himself into Memphis, too.

PGA DFS Mid-Range Picks

Akshay Bhatia ($10,300)

This feels like a bit of a discount for Akshay Bhatia since he was among last year's favorites here. That didn't go super well with a T64, but this should still be a good track for him.

While Bhatia is just 102nd on Tour in SG: OTT, he's 49th in accuracy. That's good enough when his approach (21st in SG: APP) and putting (16th in SG: PUTT) are among the best in this weaker field.

With no expectations for him overseas, Akshay skipped the Scottish Open and posted a T30 at Portrush anyway. That was his fourth top-30 finish in his last six starts despite gaining strokes on the greens in just one of these events. It's only a matter of time before the broomstick is back and hot.

I'm not supremely colder on Bhatia's form right now than I was last year. In fact, the irons -- having gained strokes with them in six straight -- might be better. At 35-to-1, he'll make my betting card as an outright with McNealy.

Emiliano Grillo ($10,200)

Emiliano Grillo didn't head to the U.K. with the most of the tour, and it was probably a good thing for my bankroll. He managed just a T40 and MC in two alternate fields.

Still, Grillo has been on fire in these featured fields to think he can have a better week. Last we saw him on the main slate, he lost in a playoff at the John Deere Classic. That was one of five top-25 finishes in his last eight starts, including at the U.S. Open (T19).

This hasn't been a bad venue for him, either, with three top-10 finishes in his last five starts.

The Argentinian's more accurate (17th) than powerful (98th in distance) off the tee, which should set up his approach play and putter quite nicely. He's top-50 on the PGA Tour in both SG categories.

Alex Smalley ($9,700)

It's bizarre to me that Alex Smalley doesn't finish better in golf tournaments.

If there's a "weakness" to his game, it's a 77th-ranked SG: APP (+0.122) that is still a positive mark compared to the PGA Tour average. He's otherwise a top-30 player off the tee, around the green, and putting. Smalley also is 46th in birdie-or-better rate (32.8%), yet he's missed 7 of 18 cuts this year, including both weaker fields at the Rocket Classic and John Deere Classic.

This might be Einstein's definition of insanity, but I've got to fire him up again here. He was T12 last year in his first 3M Open start.

Smalley finished T5 at the Myrtle Beach Classic the last time he tied all of these individual elements together as net positives. It's within his range of outcomes in this trip to Minneapolis.

PGA DFS Value Plays

Matt McCarty ($8,800)

At any course where length isn't a requirement, Matt McCarty will be dangerous.

McCarty bombed the John Deere with his flat stack (-1.33 SG: PUTT) before an inaugural links trip that was okay. He finished T22 at the Scottish before missing the cut at The Open while struggling with its unique approach requirements (-0.76 SG: APP).

At a more traditional layout, the rookie's 25th-ranked driving accuracy, 23rd-ranked putter (+0.358 SG: PUTT), and 61st-ranked birdie-or-better rate (31.8%) will all work.

I've said before his profile is sort of along the lines of a lesser version of Burns or Denny McCarthy, and both have made every cut they've played here.

Victor Perez ($8,500)

Victor Perez is another golfer with the type of game to succeed here.

The Frenchman is should get a bump when this course values accuracy (34th) over distance (89th) off the tee, but Perez's isn't awful to start. He's also top 45 in SG: APP (+0.477) and SG: PUTT (+0.230).

Perez is playing well, making 10 of his last 14 cuts. He's got six top-25 finishes in this time, as well.

He's not a true organic fit for the summer birdiefests with a 28.7% birdie-or-better rate (155th on PGA Tour). You've needed at least -15 to par each of the last five years at TPC Twin Cities to snag the trophy, so I don't think he'll threaten to win. However, this venue's scoring is dialed back just enough to trust him in the bargain bin. The average cut line at the 3M Open during this time has been -2.

Andrew Putnam ($8,400)

We'll flip a coin on Andrew Putnam this week. He's been T12 or better in three of his last five starts but missed the cut in the other two.

Putnam got smashed off the tee for -1.00 SG: OTT or worse at both the Rocket Classic and John Deere Classic, and that can be the case at those bomb-and-gouge venues with the second-worst average driving distance on tour (282.5 yards).

The driver is much more passable at a course prioritizing accuracy. He's actually finished T19 and T11 in his last two starts at the 3M Open to validate that theory.

The American is otherwise 6th in driving accuracy, 15th in SG: PUTT, and 38th in SG: APP. If he's playing from the fairways at TPC Twin Cities, there's a decent chance we'll see him on the first couple pages of the leaderboard again.

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The above author is a FanDuel employee and is not eligible to compete in public daily fantasy contests or place sports betting wagers on FanDuel. The advice provided by the author does not necessarily represent the views of FanDuel. Taking the author's advice will not guarantee a successful outcome. You should use your own judgment when participating in daily fantasy contests or placing sports wagers.