PGA DFS Picks for the Travelers Championship: 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 the Travelers Championship at TPC River Highlands?

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 Travelers Championship

PGA DFS Studs

Scottie Scheffler ($13,600)

When I was a kid, the Travelers was always seen as an opportunity. Tiger never won it in six tries. Unfortunately, this now being a signature event means the field has to go through Scottie Scheffler.

Scheffler won last year's event here after a playoff with Tom Kim, and his surgical approach play is going to keep him in the mix most years.

While it felt in real time that Scheffler struggled to hit fairways and make crucial putts in last week's U.S. Open, he gained strokes in all four areas en route a T8 finish. That was his ninth straight top-10 finish, and he's now posted positive strokes gained: approach per round (SG: APP) in 15 consecutive starts.

In theory, there is a world where Scheffler doesn't make enough putts, justifying a build with alternate top golfers that contend for the win. But I can't fade him -- especially in cash games -- at a layout that values accuracy so immensely.

Collin Morikawa ($11,600)

datagolf's course fit tool and I both agree that this should be an extremely positive track for Collin Morikawa.

A look at his Travelers Championship course history and past results says otherwise. He missed two consecutive cuts here before a T13 finish last year.

Still, if I'm valuing accuracy, it doesn't get much more precise than a guy who sits fourth on the PGA Tour in SG: APP (0.86 per round) and third in driving accuracy (72.4%). Historically, Morikawa's downfall has been the flat stick, but he's posted neutral or positive strokes gained: putting (SG: PUTT) in six of his last nine starts.

Oakmont was always a stylistic challenge for his game, so a T23 finish wasn't shabby. At a TPC River Highlands venue that is the opposite of a bomber's delight, I expect Morikawa to be a factor. With two runner-up finishes this season, he's my pick to win this weekend.

Sepp Straka ($10,900)

Some golfers just don't perform well in majors. That's becoming a trend for Sepp Straka, whose only three missed cuts since the start of March have come in those championships.

Nonetheless, the Austrian sets up well for a bounce-back start in Hartford. His iron game really was still excellent at Oakmont (+0.69 SG: APP per round) but losing 2.34 strokes per round around the green (or putting on it) was a death sentence. He had gained strokes per round putting in six of nine starts before that, so one of the Tour's best approach players can compete here.

Straka is no stranger to winning at these tournaments that require birdies. He posted -25 to win The American Express in January and -16 to win the Truist Championship last month, sitting second on the PGA Tour in birdie-or-better percentage from the fairway (28.5%) behind Justin Thomas ($11,200).

J.T.'s irons are fading just a bit as we enter these summer birdiefests, but as long as Straka's are sharp, he'll be a factor.

PGA DFS Mid-Range Picks

Russell Henley ($10,600)

I'm extremely happy that Russell Henley's game has turned back around before three straight courses that should suit him well.

Henley was in my U.S. Open DFS picks because of his accuracy off the tee and tremendous efforts with long irons, and that -- plus a hot putter -- was his path to a T10 finish at Oakmont. This venue is much more in his wheelhouse to contend, per a 66.7% driving accuracy (17th on Tour) and 26.3% birdie-or-better rate from the fairway (14th).

It's astounding a golfer with his track record is anywhere close to the mid-range. Henley has gained on approach in 11 of his last 12 starts, and he's 14th in SG: APP per round (0.596) this season. He has 6 top-10 finishes in his last 12 starts.

He's made four straight cuts here and posted a decent +0.78 strokes gained per round at TPC River Highlands in his career. We've yet to see him truly in contention to win, but similar to Morikawa, it should surprise no one if he's finally in the mix this year.

Ben Griffin ($9,700)

There are only two golfers in the entire field who have gained at least 2.50 strokes per round on the field in each of their last four starts. One is Scheffler, and the other is a white-hot Ben Griffin.

Sitting fifth in the standings, Griffin is tossing his name in the mix to potentially win the FedEx Cup. He's posted five top-eight finishes in his last eight starts.

This isn't an amazing course fit for Griffin just because, for the entire season, he hasn't hit a ton of fairways (58.9% accuracy). His SG: APP per round (0.354) and birdie-or-better rate from the fairway (23.8%) are still positives relative to most in this range.

Griffin's appeal might be dimmer to those who prefer long-term approach data, but this is a continuous breakout dating back to a T7 at The American Express and a T4 at the Cognizant. I just think he's playing too well to be outside the five-digit-salary tier at the moment.

Daniel Berger ($9,600)

I am surprised Daniel Berger hasn't played here since the start of 2020.

It might keep him off the radar of many who target extensive course history because he's an excellent fit now that his game has rounded back into form. Berger is somewhat short off the tee but makes up for it with the PGA Tour's 12th-best rate of hitting fairways (68.0%).

He's also 21st in SG: APP per round (0.478) and has gained on approach in 12 of his last 13 starts. During this stretch, he's recorded eight top-25 finishes.

Someone who plays doesn't play well out of structure was never an ideal fit for Oakmont, but it was a positive to see him record a T46 (and made cut) after a dismal showing at The Memorial.

Berger only has a 23.1% birdie-or-better rate from the fairway (77th on Tour), so I don't know if he's got the firepower to win, but he can hit a ton of fairways and greens. Harbour Town Golf Links, where he recorded a T3 finish at the RBC Heritage, requires a similar formula.

PGA DFS Value Plays

Andrew Novak ($8,200)

FanDuel's salary-makers counted Andrew Novak out at a poor course for his game. They made him minimum salary, but he still managed a made cut (and T42) at Oakmont.

TPC River Highlands should be a much better for datagolf's 48th-ranked golfer in the world. His average distance (299.1 yards) nor accuracy (57.0%) with the driver are amazing, but he's gained strokes on approach in seven of his last nine starts, and he's gained strokes with the putter in six of his last nine.

Novak's game just isn't suited for some of these longer courses we've seen at recent majors and The Memorial. Last we saw him at more receptive venues, he finished T2 at the Valero and T3 at the RBC Heritage. He also won the team event at TPC Louisiana with Ben Griffin at the Zurich Classic.

Like his duo partner in that one, Novak's game might not be a perfect fit for the Travelers, but he's undersalaried relative to his current overall form.

Nick Taylor ($8,000)

Don't look now, but Nick Taylor has recaptured some of the magic that made him a winner at January's Sony Open.

The Canadian has gained on approach in six straight events, leading to five top-25 finishes in this time. As one of the shortest players on tour (160th in driving distance), it was kind of shocking to see him among the final 10 groups at Oakmont on Sunday, where he shot a 74 to finish T23 in the U.S. Open.

Sitting 19th in driving accuracy with good irons, Taylor is another player whose results in Hartford don't really match what should be a solid course fit. His best finish since the start of 2020 was last year's T42, and he's lost 0.91 strokes per round to the field here in that time.

Gaining strokes with the putter in seven of his last eight starts, I think he's the best combination of finding fairways, hitting quality wedge shots, and making putts in the value tier.

Ryan Gerard ($7,700)

Looking for his first PGA Tour victory, Ryan Gerard is continuing to prove he can put quality results together.

Gerard has made 17 of 19 cuts since returning from the Korn Ferry Tour, and there really is only one element of his game keeping him from routinely finding the top 20 on the leaderboard. He's 29th in SG: APP per round (0.437) and sits above the tour average in driving distance (302.0 yards) and accuracy (60.9%). He's also a positive in scrambling (60.8%).

The problem? Putting. He's now lost strokes in six of his last seven events, but these are his four recent results with positive SG: PUTT per round at a given event: T42, T27, 2nd, and 9th.

If Gerard can hole a few putts, his tee-to-green game sets up really well for this salary.

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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.