DraftKings Daily Fantasy Golf Helper: WGC-HSBC Champions

Daily fantasy golf requires a new approach for each and every event.

The course and field change week after week, making no two contests alike. That means you need to refine your approach for each PGA Tour event to try to find golfers who are primed to excel for your daily fantasy golf lineups.

Each week, we have a course primer, and our daily fantasy golf projections and lineup builder can help you get started, but these golfers stand out specifically on DraftKings for the World Golf Championships-HSBC Champions.

Key Stats

Let's get to the picks. For details on why these stats stand out this week, check out the course primer.

Stats are from Fantasy National Golf Club and are for golfers in the field over the last 50 rounds, unless otherwise noted.

High-Priced Studs

Rory McIlroy (DraftKings Price: $11,600 | FanDuel Sportsbook Win Odds +600) - After stumbling to an even par first round, McIlroy caught fire over the weekend in Japan to climb all the way up to a tie for third place. Another top 10 for Rory is easy to take for granted -- especially in a week where you-know-who got the win -- but the stretch that McIlroy is on right now is about as good as it gets. Including the FedEx Cup Playoffs and a stint on the European circuit since then, the reigning Player of the Year has put together six top 10s in his last eight events. Over the last 50 rounds, he is first in this field in strokes gained: tee to green, birdies or better gained, bogeys avoided, and strokes gained on par 5s. He is fourth in strokes gained: approach and sixth in scrambling gained and had six top-11 finishes at Sheshan International before a T54 last year.

Xander Schauffele ($10,800 | +1400) - Schauffele's stats are finally catching up with the perception among sharp golf fans that he is one of the best players in the world. In this field he is fifth in strokes gained: tee to green, sixth in birdies or better gained, and ninth in both strokes gained: approach and strokes gained: par 5s. He is the defending champion here and finished T10 last week in Japan. His reputation as a big-game hunter who performs his best in strong fields is well-earned, and this could be the year he finally takes home a major championship. A repeat victory at Sheshan would put the rest of the Tour on notice.

Mid-Priced Options

Adam Scott - ($9,300 | +2700) - Scott could not find consistency last week and could not overcome a poor start en route to a T33 finish. On the heels of a T42 at the Shriners, it is just the second time in the past year he's missed out on a top 20 in consecutive events. He hasn't finished worse than T20 in three straight events since June 2018. Suffice to say, he is due to bounce back. He knows Sheshan well, having played here seven times, including each of the past five years. His approach play should separate him this week, as the course held golfers to the fourth lowest greens in regulation percentage on Tour last year, and Scott is second in strokes gained: approach and third in greens in regulation gained. He can get up and down when he misses, as well, ranking third in scrambling gained.

Tyrrell Hatton ($8,600 | +3400) - Hatton boasts three straight top-18 finishes worldwide, but with those finishes coming on the European Tour and off hours in the United States, his stellar recent form could go under the radar this week. Those finishes won't factor into the stats, but he's been solid in his last 50 rounds on the PGA Tour and ranks 5th in greens in regulation gained, 14th in strokes gained: tee to green, and 29th in strokes gained: approach. He's played here each of the last four years, with finishes of T22, T11, T23, and T54.

Corey Conners ($8,200 | +4200) - Might this actually be for real? What seemed like lightning in a bottle last season that led to his breakout victory at the Valero Texas Open now looks like a glimpse into what might be. The Canadian made it all the way to the TOUR CHAMPIONSHIP and, a missed cut in Mississippi to start the season, has been stellar this fall including a T6 last week in Japan. All told, he has seven finishes of T27 or better in his last eight events, and he's doing it with smoking hot wedges and irons that translate into birdie chances. He is first in greens in regulation gained, and seventh in strokes gained: tee to green and strokes gained: approach.

Low Priced Options

Andrew Putnam ($7,800 | +6500) - Putnam has been on our radar for the past few events, and with a T4 finish at the HSBC Champions last year, there is no reason to shy away now. Before a disappointing T59 last week, he posted top 20s at both the CJ CUP and the Shriners, His lack of distance off the tee should be mitigated at Sheshan, and he otherwise lines up quite well -- 12th in strokes gained: par 5s, 14th in birdies or better gained, 17th in strokes gained: approach, and 18th in scrambling gained.

Ian Poulter ($7,700 | +5500) - The Englishman closed strong with rounds of 64-66 to finish in a tie for 13th in Japan. He is the type of well-rounded player we can target at these courses without a ton of stats to lean on, and he's shown well here in the past with 21, T30, T6, 2, T13, T13, and T45. Coming off top 20s in both Asian events and with strong history, Poulter is a great play this week and is backed up by strong showings in our key stats. He is 7th in birdies or better gained, 8th on par 5s, and 33rd in strokes gained: approach.

Adam Hadwin ($7,500 | +6500) - Hadwin has made the trip to Japan each of the past two years with improvement in his second try albeit only meager success (T30 last year and T65 the year prior). Over the long term, Hadwin boasts solid numbers and ranks 10th in birdies or better gained, 18th in strokes gained: approach, 23rd in scrambling gained, and 28th in strokes gained: tee to green. A ZOZO washout aside, he's been on fire recently. Hadwin racked up back-to-back top-five finishes at the Safeway Open and the Shriners, dominating with his approach game and putter. If those two things keep clicking, he can contend anywhere.

Erik Van Rooyen ($7,500 | +5000) - Van Rooyen picked up a win on the European Tour at the Scandinavian Invitational back in August and has maintained an exciting stretch of golf going back even further. Since March, EVR has 11 finishes of T15 or better, including a T8 at the PGA Championship at Bethpage. More recently, he followed up his win with finishes of T12, T14, MC, T10, and MC. With no risk of a missed cut this week, Van Rooyen offers some major upside at this price and could be a very popular play given the value relative to his Vegas odds. His PGA rounds are few and far between, but he rates out well enough at 4th in birdies or better gained, 16th in approach, and 17th tee to green.

Bargain Basement

Xin-Jun Zhang ($6,900 | +8000) - Zhang has been terrific the last three times out, finishing T4 at the Houston Open, T16 at the Shriners, and T7 at the Safeway Open. He's a proven winner with two victories last year on the Korn Ferry Tour and another on PGA Tour China in 2018. He's been clicking in all facets of his game over that stretch, ranking 2nd in strokes gained: tee to green over his last 12 rounds (6th off the tee, 12th on approach, and 5th around the green).

Jason Kokrak ($6,700 | +8000) - Kokrak put together a terrific season but is mired in an awful stretch this fall, with finishes of MC, T63, and 71 to start the year. Many doubted he could sustain the form over the full season, and while this type of downturn was expected, he is still worth a sprinkle at this low price given how well he played in 2018-19. He ranks 11th in strokes gained: tee to green, 12th in approach, 19th on par 5s, and 30th in scrambling gained.

Mike Rodden is not a FanDuel employee. In addition to providing DFS gameplay advice, Mike Rodden also participates in DFS contests on FanDuel using his personal account, username mike_rodden. While the strategies and player selections recommended in his articles are his personal views, he may deploy different strategies and player selections when entering contests with his personal account. The views expressed in his articles are the author's alone and do not necessarily reflect the views of FanDuel.