FREE 05/08 PGA Cheat Sheet: Truist Championship DFS Plays

The Truist Championship kicks off this week at the Philadelphia Cricket Club’s Wissahickon Course, a fresh test for the PGA Tour with a small 71-player no-cut field. With an average DFS salary around $7,470 and only two players expected to be highly owned (20%+), this slate demands careful roster construction. The course is short but tricky, emphasizing precision over power, so look for golfers who excel in accuracy and approach play. Unlike typical events, there aren’t any clear value plays hitting 12x value which means stacking stars and mid-tier players with strong form and course fit will be key.

Rory McIlroy leads the field as the favorite but comes at a reasonable $12K price point, offering solid upside given his history of winning similar events. Other top contenders like Justin Thomas and Xander Schauffele are in play while mid-range options like Russell Henley and Tommy Fleetwood offer reliable floor thanks to their accuracy and approach stats. The tough greens and strategic bunkering put a premium on wedges and putting, so prioritize those skills when building lineups. Let’s dive into our top plays for this slate.

Premium Plays ($10,000+)

Top Play: Rory McIlroy ($12,000)

Rory McIlroy enters the Truist Championship coming off solid recent form, including a T12 finish while defending his title at the Zurich Classic and a major win at The Masters earlier this year. His driving has been reliable, which suits this course’s emphasis on ball-striking and positioning off the tee. With a value of 7.22x at $12,000, McIlroy offers a strong floor combined with upside given his proven ability to contend in similar conditions.

His projected ownership is high at 26.5%, well above the field average, but that chalk seems justified considering his consistent scoring and course fit. The combination of steady results and course history supports rostership in cash games and tournaments alike. While he won’t provide much leverage, McIlroy’s blend of form, cut equity, and scoring potential makes him an essential core play for the Truist Championship slate.

Other Premium Options

• Xander Schauffele ($10,200, MakeCut: 63.9%, Own: 19.7%)
• Collin Morikawa ($10,500, MakeCut: 68.0%, Own: 22.9%)

Mid-Range Plays ($8,000-$9,999)

Top Play: Patrick Cantlay ($9,500)

Patrick Cantlay’s strong driving makes him a natural fit for the Truist Championship, where off-the-tee performance is key. He led the field in SG: Off-the-tee at the RBC Heritage, showing he can generate distance and accuracy in similar conditions. While he hasn’t cracked a top-10 in his last five starts, his ability to gain strokes off the tee should keep him competitive on this course’s layout.

Cantlay’s $9,500 salary offers good value at 8.18x, which supports his appeal despite near-20% ownership that puts him among the chalkier options. That ownership is understandable given his consistent ball-striking and course fit here. For tournaments where you want exposure to top-tier drivers without sacrificing scoring potential, Cantlay is a reliable choice who balances upside with enough consistency to justify his price and popularity.

Other Mid-Range Options

• Russell Henley ($9,400, MakeCut: 59.4%, Own: 17.3%)
• Daniel Berger ($8,600, MakeCut: 56.5%, Own: 18.3%)

Value Plays ($7,000-$7,999)

First Value Play: Wyndham Clark ($7,900)

Wyndham Clark offers solid value at $7,900. His recent form shows promise, especially considering his T5 finish at Houston following a neck injury and a respectable T27 at Harbour Town where he struggled off the tee but made up for it with strong putting. The Truist Championship’s setup should reward his putting strengths and ability to scramble, which helps offset some inconsistency in driving accuracy.

Clark’s moderate ownership around 12% is reasonable given his salary and scoring upside. His value rating above 9x suggests he can outperform his price if he finds fairways more consistently than at Harbour Town. While not the safest cash play, his combination of recent results and course fit makes him an appealing mid-range option, especially in tournaments where you want exposure to players who can score well without commanding top salaries.

Second Value Play: Michael Kim ($7,000)

Michael Kim’s recent approach play has been strong, gaining strokes in 10 straight events, which suits the Philadelphia Cricket Club’s demanding layout at the Truist Championship. His solid ball-striking combined with a top-10 tournament rank and second-best cash rank signals he can produce consistent finishes here. At $7,000, Kim offers excellent value with a 10.15x value and a solid floor for DFS lineups.

Ownership around 11% is reasonable given his form and salary, sitting just above field average without pushing him into chalk territory. Considering his steady scoring and fit for this course, Kim represents a balanced option to anchor lineups or differentiate slightly while maintaining upside. His absence last week and return this week may keep some players cautious, but the underlying metrics support paying attention to him in all formats.

Other Value Options

• Akshay Bhatia ($7,100, MakeCut: 45.6%, Own: 8.1%)
• Si Woo Kim ($7,600, MakeCut: 49.9%, Own: 10.1%)
• Keith Mitchell ($7,400, MakeCut: 50.7%, Own: 15.1%)

Good luck! Make sure to check the Lineup Optimizer for latest updates before lock. Visit DFS Hero for our full suite of DFS tools including the Lineup Optimizer, Contest Simulator, Player Projections, and Ownership Projections. Use code HEROPLAY15 to get 15% off your first month!