By: @Ryan_Humphries on Twitter & LineStar Chat

Top DFS Offers 6/12/24 💸 

Our editors found the top deals in sports-books so you don’t have to! Tapping below links will help support LineStar through an affiliate referral.

• Sleeper DFS - Deposit Match up to $500 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

• Underdog DFS - Deposit Match up to $100 

• Thrive DFS - Deposit Match up to $100 

• Chalkboard DFS - Deposit Match up to $100 

• Parlay Play - Free $5 Entry no Deposit Required 🆕

Must be 18+ (some states may require 21+) and be present in an eligible state; if you or someone you know has a gambling problem, crisis counseling and referral services can be accessed by calling 1-800-GAMBLER.

Tournament & Field 🏆

The world’s best head out to Pinehurst, North Carolina in preparation to compete in the 124th edition of the US Open! The 156-man field is loaded up with talent as 58 of the top 60 ranked golfers in the OWGR are in attendance. The US Open also provides exemptions to many other lower-ranking pros and amateurs alike who punched their tickets via qualifying competitions across the country. Recent Major winners who rank outside the top 60 in the OWGR are also extended an invite along with qualifying amateurs around the world and other players who meet special exemptions as determined by the USGA. This tournament truly provides some of the best storylines every year – not just in golf, but in the world of sports as a whole. There will be no shortage of narratives to back and underdogs to root for. The US Open also implements a unique cut rule where only the top 60 golfers (including ties) after 36 holes will move on to play the weekend. With that in mind, we could end up seeing a very low 6/6 rate this week. Carnage, chaos, jubilation, and exasperation will be ingrained with every shot this week before an eventual winner can be crowned on Father’s Day Sunday.

The Course Preview ⛳

Pinehurst Resort & Country Club (Course No. 2)

Par 70 | 7,543 Yards

Greens: Bermuda

US Open Winners & Winning Scores L5 Years:

2023: Wyndham Clark (-10)

2022: Matt Fitzpatrick (-6)

2021: Jon Rahm (-6)

2020: Bryson DeChambeau (-6)

2019: Gary Woodland (-13)

Pinehurst No. 2 offers a formidable challenge to golfers at a scorecard distance of 7,500+ yards which is loaded onto a traditional par 70 layout. Designed by the renowned Donald Ross in 1907, this course underwent a significant restoration by Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw in 2011, adding modern nuances while preserving Ross's classic design.

Featuring two par 5s and four par 3s, Pinehurst No. 2 demands precision and strategy from players, particularly on its challenging par 4s, where hitting solid mid-to-long iron shots into firm greens is essential. The course's layout encourages players to carefully manage their shots, often opting to club down off the tee to navigate the extensive hazardous areas strategically placed throughout the course.

Pinehurst No. 2 showcases Ross's signature design elements, including expansive greens with bowl-shaped contours that present players with options for creative shot-making. However, these greens also feature treacherous run-off areas, adding an extra layer of difficulty to approach shots and chipping.

In place of traditional rough, Pinehurst No. 2's fairways transition into natural hazard areas, characterized by short wild grass, sandy patches, and occasional gorse bushes. This unique feature eliminates the conventional penalizing rough found in many US Open venues, introducing a higher degree of variability off the tee and rewarding strategic course management over sheer power. If a golfer misses a fairway, there is still a chance that their golf ball will find a fortuitous lie… but it is far from a guarantee.

The course's layout challenges the notion of relying solely on power, favoring players with a strategic approach and adeptness with irons and scoring clubs. In this dynamic environment, success hinges not only on strong iron play but also on astute course management and the ability to navigate Pinehurst's tight lies and unpredictable hazards around the greens. Deviating from the typical US Open player profile and focusing on golfers with a history of excelling in similar challenging conditions may be the pathway to building a successful DFS player pool this week.

Golfers will have to quickly shift from offense to defense throughout their rounds as one slightly wayward shot or bad lie will have players fighting simply to save par or bogey. Realistically, there are maybe four or five holes where birdie (or better) is an expected outcome and, as is the case with most US Open tournaments, a winning score in the single digits under par would not be surprising in the least. Let’s lock in for another thrilling Major week! Best of luck!

Weather & Tee Times ⛅

(Click the images above to view the most up-to-date forecast)

Thursday: Calm winds at or under 10 mph all day. Plenty of sunshine with temps peaking in the upper 80s in the afternoon.

Friday: Just as beautiful as round one with winds hovering only around 5 mph with no significant gusts. Sunny and warm.

Weekend: Outside of a few gusts on Saturday morning, the weekend forecast looks pretty similarly as Thursday/Friday.

⚖️Weather Verdict: Fortunately we have zero reason to worry about the weather this week. Aside from the warmer temperatures, this week will provide ideal golfing conditions. Little to no wind and no significant chance of rain. Needless to say, there is no wave advantage to be had.

U.S. Open Tee Times

Key Stats to Consider 📊

1. SG: Approach | 25%

2. Bogey Avoidance | 15%

3. SG: Off the Tee | 15%

4. Long Iron Accuracy (Proximity from 175+ Yards) | 15%

5. SG: Around the Green | 10%

6. SG: Putting | 10%

7. Scrambling | 10%

PGA Tour Stats Page

Note: Keep in mind that many golfers in this week’s field do not have enough (or any) measured PGA rounds this season needed to qualify for strokes gained data.

U.S. Open DFS Model Standouts 🏅

Below are the top 25 ranked golfers in both my overall model and my key stats model. Below that are the top 25 ranked golfers in recent form (average finish last five starts) and long-term form (average finish last ten starts). The players ranked on these lists do not necessarily mean they are the top golfers I’m targeting for this week's event, but many of these guys should no doubt be favorable DFS options.

Overall Model Rank: A golfer’s ranking (within the current field) in my personal DFS model, which weighs all of the key stats listed above in this newsletter, as well as factors like course history, recent form, recent average fantasy scoring results, and odds to win.

Key Stat Rank: Provides a golfer’s overall rank (within the current field) in my "key stats only" model, which considers only the key stats listed in the section above with the specified percentage weights allocated towards each statistic.

Note: Due to not qualifying for PGA strokes gained data, the LIV Golf players are excluded from the model and key stat rankings. LIV Golf players will be included in the recent form rankings.

U.S. Open DFS Cheat Sheet📑

Click the Cheat Sheet above for the higher-quality direct image link

Alternative Cheat Sheet Direct Image Link

Cheat Sheet QR Code:

U.S. Open Extras 📑

Here are a few additional rankings lists that could come in handy when researching this week’s tournament.

That will do it for our PGA preview! Best of luck this week and, once again, feel free to hit me up in the LineStar chat or on Twitter @Ryan_Humphries with any questions.