Paulie’s Picks: 2020 U.S. Open

Who would have thought we’d be talking about the second major of 2020 at this time of year? Well, here we are: a September U.S. Open at Winged Foot Golf Club.

This should be one of the more intriguing U.S. Opens in recent memory. The West Course at Winged Foot is one of the most difficult championship venues in the world. It will play long and firm, with narrow fairways, thick rough, and lightning-fast, undulating greens. To contend this week, a player will need all facets of his game to be sharp. Any and all weaknesses will be exposed.

Here’s who you should consider targeting this week in fantasy:

DraftKings

Xander Schauffele $10,100

Schauffele shows up in big events, whether majors, WGCs, or the FedEx Cup Playoffs. In each of his three U.S. Open appearances, he has finished sixth or better. In his 12 total major appearances, he has six top 10s and three top threes. Two weeks ago, Schauffele had the low 72-hole score at the Tour Championship. His game is predicated on elite off-the-tee performance and a streaky short game—a combination that fits Winged Foot perfectly.

Will Zalatoris $6,700

Zalatoris is the best value on the board this week. I’m sure you’ve heard his name before, as he has been shouted out frequently in Fried Egg newsletters and podcasts over the past year. He is a Korn Ferry Tour member and has finished 34th or better in all 16 events in 2020 and sixth or better in nine of them. Basically, he’s a lesser-known version of Collin Morikawa: elite with his irons and crazy consistent. He leads the KFT in greens in regulation, hitting over 81% of his greens, which is 4% higher than next best (a huge margin for that stat). On a course that rewards great ball-strikers, $6,700 is a bargain.

One-and-Done

With the U.S. Open and the Masters as the two biggest events left in 2020, selections in your one-and-done league this week are highly dependent on where you are in the standings.

• If you’re near the top, look at the top two players you haven’t used. Play one of them at the Masters and the other this week.
• If you’re not near the top, see which players the leaders in your league have already chosen and select from that list this week. In order to catch up, you’ll need something different than what the people ahead of you have.