2023 3M Open: Sleeper Picks and Dark Horses for Minnesota

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 3M Open at TPC Twin Cities.

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/or 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 3M Open: Favorite Chalk Plays

Sepp Straka ($9,500)

DK Ownership: 20-22% – Straka has been on fire recently, finishing T-2 last week at the Open Championship, and winning the John Deere Classic a couple of weeks ago.

He’s gained strokes off the tee in nine straight tournaments. He came 18th here in 2020 and missed the cut in his other two appearances. He looks to be a good statistical fit for TPC Twin Cities.

Over the last 50 rounds, he’s 3rd in birdies or better, 4th in good drives gained, 5th in par four scoring, and 8th in strokes gained approach.

Lucas Glover ($8,200)

DK Ownership: 20-22% – Glover has been terrific recently. He’s finished 4th at the Rocket Mortgage Classic, 6th at the John Deere, and 5th at the Barbasol Championship.

Glover is 2nd in good drives gained, 3rd in opportunities gained, 3rd in strokes gained approach, and 16th off the tee over the last 50 rounds.

He’s switched putters and has been putting much better recently as well.

2023 3M Open: Dark Horse Plays

Cam Young ($10,900)

DK Ownership: 12-14% – As of writing this it looks as though Cam’s high salary is keeping his ownership down. He had a bit of a rough patch this year where he really couldn’t put it all together. He’s definitely turned it around over the last couple of weeks. He finished 6th place at the John Deere and played very well at the Open this past week finishing in 8th place.

On a course where you can gain an advantage off the tee, Young has gained strokes in that category in all but one tournament dating back to the Open Championship last year.

Over the last 50 rounds, he’s 3rd in strokes gained off the tee, 3rd in opportunities gained, 6th in birdies or better, and top 20 on shots from both 175-200 yards and over 200 yards.

Gary Woodland ($9,200)

DK Ownership: 10-13% – Woodland finished 11th at the 3M Open in 2021. He gained over four strokes tee to green and almost four strokes putting that week.

Woodland has gained strokes off the tee in every tournament since September of last year. He’s been great from 175-200 yards and over which is very prevalent at TPC Twin Cities.

Over the last 50 rounds, he’s 2nd in strokes gained approach, 5th off the tee, and 7th in par four scoring.

Austin Eckroat ($7,500)

DK Ownership: 14-15% – Eckroat has cooled off a bit recently finishing 65th at the Scottish Open and missing the cut at the Rocket Mortgage. He had finished top 25 in four of his previous five tournaments including a 10th place at the US Open and 2nd at the Byron Nelson. He gained strokes off the tee in all of those tournaments.

Eckroat is 7th in opportunities gained, 13th in good drives gained, and 17th in strokes gained off the tee over the last 50 rounds.

He finished 16th here in 2021 when he gained over five strokes on approach.

Chez Reavie ($7,300)

DK Ownership: 12-14% – Reavie has played the 3M Open twice and finished 49th place last year and 11th in 2021.

Reavie has made six straight cuts coming in and has gained strokes on approach in four straight tournaments.

Over the last 50 rounds, Reavie is 3rd in good drives gained, 4th in opportunities gained, 5th in strokes gained approach, and 2nd from 175-200 yards, which is one of the key proximity ranges at TPC Twin Cities.