GOLF

Weekend Daily Fantasy Golf Helper: The Masters

Which golfers are in a position to score fantasy points this weekend at Augusta?

If you missed out on this week's initial offering of golf on FanDuel, there's no need to fret. You can still get in on the PGA Tour action because FanDuel is now offering weekend contests.

Building a weekend-only lineup is the same as it is for the standard FanDuel golf contests, and the scoring system is the same -- aside from finishing position bonuses. Plus, if you did play the four-round format, you'll see that the pricing is identical for weekend contests.

So the goal is simple: find golfers who will make birdies and avoid bogeys whether they climb to the top of the actual leaderboard or not.

With all that in mind, let's take a look at some golfers to target this weekend -- and be sure to consider our golf projections, which include weekend-only projections.

Best of the Best

Dustin Johnson (FanDuel Price: $12,000) - DJ started 73-68 and has more birdies (6) than bogeys (5). That doesn't even account for his eagle, giving him a still-lower-than-you'd-like birdie or better rate of 19.4%. Johnson has hit 68.3% of greens in regulation (a top-20 mark) and averaged 2.465 putts per GIR (also top 20).

Jordan Spieth ($11,000) - Spieth struggled on Friday, posting a 74 after a first-round 66, but he's within a few strokes of the lead and has notched one of the few eagles there were to be had so far. In all, he's broken par on 10 of his first 36 holes (a 27.8% birdie or better rate) to push for the lead in that category. With so much experience at Augusta, Spieth looks like a safe weekend bet.

Justin Rose ($11,400) - Rose hit 72.2% of greens in regulation (a top-five rate) and did well to convert (2.357 putts per GIR). Getting to the greens with the chance to make birdie is really all we're hoping for from the high-end studs. We don't even need a win -- just scoring. Rose's 25.0% birdie rate through 36 indicates he has the stuff to score fantasy points, even if he can't successfully surge toward the top of the leaderboard.

Rory McIlroy ($11,700) - En route to a career grand slam, McIlroy has hit 63.9% of greens in regulation through 36 holes, placing him roughly 20th among this week's 87 golfers. His putter, though, remains hotter than the rest of his game, as he's ranked top-15 in putts per GIR. McIlroy has racked up just four bogeys, for an elite 11.1% bogey rate.

Mid-Range Options

Patrick Reed ($10,000) - Reed's hot start could lead to high ownership given his price, but it's hard to knock the birdie-friendly play he's given us so far. Reed has notched a birdie on 14 of 36 holes so far and hit 66.7% of greens in regulation. Reed is dialed in, and his first major is within reach after a T2 at last year's PGA Championship.

Marc Leishman ($10,000) - Leishman has avoided bogeys through 36 holes, going over par on just 2 holes. But he's also scored well -- with eight birdies and an eagle on the 15th. Leishman is doing it all: hitting fairways and greens in regulation, plus putting well.

Tony Finau ($9,900) - Finau birdied 7 of his first 36 holes and hit 57.1% of possible fairways through two rounds. With a 61.5% greens in regulation percentage, he's had success getting to these tricky greens. He's also converted on them (2.509 putts per GIR). Finau also avoided posting any double bogeys or worse through the first 36.

Matt Kuchar ($9,500) - Kuchar struggled with a second-round 75 but still sits within striking distance for a classic backdoor top-10. Kuchar's seven birdies gives him a usable 19.4% birdie or better rate through 36 holes, but there's room to improve on his 2.840 putts per GIR (it was 2.486 last year for Kuchar at Augusta).

Russell Henley ($8,900) - Henley finished his first 36 just one shot over par with a 73 and 72 to open. Doesn't sound like much, but he's generated an eagle and eight birdies to pair with nine bogeys or worse. Despite ultimately sitting over par, the up-and-down scoring helps generate fantasy points more than simple pars do. Henley is putting well (2.558 putts per GIR) and has hit 82.1% of possible fairways and 69.4% of possible greens in regulation. But the differential in greens in regulation and putts per GIR indicate some positive regression could be on the way for Henley on the weekend while everyone looks to the bigger names above him.

Low-Priced Picks

Bernd Wiesberger ($8,400) - Bernd has hit 75.0% of greens in regulation and converted those into eight birdie chances, for a birdie or better rate of 22.2%. Not only has he reached greens in regulation at a top-five rate, but he has also putted at a top-10 rate in terms of putts per GIR. He's putting himself into position to score fantasy points via birdies.

Haotong Li ($8,300) - Li birdied nine holes (25.0%) despite hitting just 52.8% of greens in regulation and not putting overly well (3.122 putts per GIR). That included a chip-in, but Li has a lot of room to improve in the greens in regulation and putting departments. He's risky, as he's not a great baseline putter, but he finished third at the Open last summer and won in Dubai this year. The pressure shouldn't be an issue for him.

Rafael Cabrera Bello ($7,400) - Cabrera Bello's low price helped out a lot when building four-day lineups, but he's going to be a source of salary relief for the weekend again. After an opening 69, he went +4 for a 76 on Friday. But he still has 10 birdies and has hit 68.5% of greens in regulation.

Vijay Singh ($7,200) - Singh slipped in the standings on Friday despite sitting at even par. He made 9 birdies through 36, though, meaning that he scored well from a fantasy standpoint. He's hit 70.5% of greens in regulation, so he could put himself in a spot to make more birdies.