2023 Memorial Tournament: Dark Horses for Muirfield Village
By Derek Helm
Each week I will provide my favorite chalk and Dark Horse plays for the upcoming DraftKings DFS slate. This week I will highlight my favorite DraftKings plays for the 2023 Memorial Tournament at Muirfield Village.
A value play is determined by a golfer being underpriced or coming in at lower ownership. I’ll also establish who will be the most rostered on the slate; also known as the “chalk”.
We always want to play the best plays but need leverage as well. Determining the difference between good “chalk” (highly owned) and bad “chalk” is essential.
I’ll list which of the high-owned golfers I like the most this week. Pairing those plays with lower-owned and lower-priced golfers (Dark Horses) is the optimal way to build and gives us the best route to winning a DraftKings contest.
*Ownership projections are estimates and will vary from contest to contest. The percentage provided is in regard to guaranteed prize pools on DraftKings.
2023 Memorial Tournament: Favorite Chalk Plays
Xander Schauffele ($10,200)
DK Ownership: 17-19% – Xander has five straight top 20 finishes coming in. Two of which were top 4 finishes. His worst finish at the Memorial Tournament over the last four years is 18th place.
The irons have been dialed in. He’s gained strokes on approach in 12 of his last 13 tournaments. The only tournament where he lost strokes over that stretch was the Arnold Palmer Invitational, and he only lost .2 strokes on approach.
Over the last 50 rounds, Xander is 5th in strokes gained approach, 3rd in bogey avoidance, 3rd in par five scoring, and 10th on approaches from 150-175 yards.
Hideki Matsuyama ($8,700)
DK Ownership: 16-18% – Matsuyama gained 10.4 strokes tee to green at the PGA Championship and came in 29th place despite losing 5.4 strokes putting.
He’s gained strokes off the tee in nine of his last ten tournaments. He’s definitely a good statistical fit for Muirfield Village considering he’s gained strokes on approach in seven of eight appearances at the Memorial Tournament.
Matsuyama is 2nd in scrambling, 9th around the green, 7th from 150-175 yards, and 10th in par five scoring over the last 50 rounds.
Memorial Tournament Presents Major Test. light. Also
2023 Memorial Tournament: Dark Horse Plays
Sahith Theegala ($8,400)
DK Ownership: 10-12% – Theegala hasn’t missed a cut since October 2nd of last year. He has four top 10 finishes this year.
Theegala has played the Memorial twice before, finishing 32nd in 2021, and 5th last year when he gained over 10 strokes from tee to green. He also gained strokes on approach, around the green, and putting in both years.
Si Woo Kim ($8,000)
DK Ownership: 14-16% – Si Woo has only lost strokes off the tee once in his last 15 tournaments.
He’s made the cut in all six appearances at the Memorial. He’s finished no worse than 18th here over the last three years.
Over the last 50 rounds, Si Woo is 1st on approaches from 150-175 yards, 7th on par fours from 450-500 yards, 9th in sand saves, and 20th on approach.
Byeong Hun An ($7,400)
DK Ownership: 9-11% – An has gained an average of 9.25 strokes from tee to green over his last two tournaments. He’s gained strokes off the tee in five straight tournaments.
He’s missed the cut his last two times playing at Muirfield Village but had previously played well here coming 17th in 2019, losing in a playoff in 2018, and coming 25th and 11th the previous two years.
He’s 3rd around the green, 3rd on par fours from 450-500 yards, 4th in sand saves, and 5th in scrambling over the last 50 rounds.
Next. 2023 Memorial Tournament Power Rankings. dark
Ryan Fox ($7,100)
DK Ownership: 7-9% – Fox has played incredibly well this year making five of six cuts. His worst finish is a 27th-place result at the PLAYERS Championship.
He’s gained strokes off the tee in five straight tournaments. He’s 1st on par fours from 450-500 yards over the last 24 rounds.