Finding The Hidden Gems For Masters DFS
The difference between winning big and outright losing Masters DFS contests is finding the diamonds in the rough.
Those that rostered Hideki Matsuyama in 2021 reaped huge rewards. While Scottie Scheffler and Rory McIlroy will undoubtedly be the most-picked players this weekend, those who take home the biggest prizes will find a way to nail a couple mid-level players who finish highly on Sunday.
Golf’s most famous tournament, The Masters, kicks off Major Season this weekend. Each year, a couple surprises mix in the top of leaderboards with the top stars in the game; last year, Max Homa finished T3 among Scheffler and Ludvig Åberg. Each year’s uncertainty brings forth exciting opportunities in DFS.
Let’s dive into some lesser-owned players with high upside you can plug into your Masters DFS lineup this weekend and, hopefully, cash out big. Another plus, DraftKings DFS is offering users a share of millions for the Masters. DraftKings is offering new users a share of millions in prizes. No promo code is needed, simply click on our exclusive links.
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Why Hidden Gems Matter at Augusta
The past few years at Augusta have been the oh-so-close bowl for longshots. In 2023, Brooks Koepka fell just short, as did Phil Mickelson (a 200-1 longshot!) to Jon Rahm; in 2024, Homa and Colin Morikawa came up shy of Scottie Scheffler. But the history of longshots at the Masters is robust, including Matsuyama (2021), Patrick Reed (2018), and Danny Willet (2016) being the most recent examples of longshot winners.
For large Guaranteed Prize Pool (GPP) contests, longshots and low-owned gems are paramount. Try to mix in high-salary workhorses (like Scheffler, Rory, and Rahm) with extremely-high upside golfers at more moderate salaries (more on that below). Differentiation is key!
For the Masters, we’re looking for players that either, (a) have proven success at similar courses or high-pressure tournaments or (b) have a very specific skill (i.e. putting, SG: Approach) that set them aside from the larger pool. Here’s a few golfers who fit the bill:
Top Hidden Gems for 2025 Masters DFS
Mid-Tier Gem: Cam Smith ($8,200)
Smith is 7-for-7 making the cut with two top-10 finishes on LIV this season. Recent Masters have shown that LIV players can and do succeed returning to major championships, notably Rahm at the 2023 Masters and Koepka in the 2023 PGA Championship.
Smith finished inside the top 10 here last year. He also has multiple top-five finishes over the last five Masters and is top 10 in strokes gained at Augusta. His profile fits the upside potential while also delivering a solid and high floor.
Wildcard Pivot: Harris English ($6,500)
Trying to find complete newbies to perform at the Masters is like throwing darts blindly from 100 yards away. Instead, I choose to look for those who have experience playing in high-stakes situations. English played for the Americans in the 2021 Ryder Cup and is positioned to play in it again in September.
Recently, English won the Farmers Insurance Open at Torrey Pines South. That’s no easy feat and neither is tackling Augusta National. He’s 10-for-14 on cuts this season with three top-10 wins – a great profile for his salary.
Roulette Chip: Hiroshi Tai ($6,000)
OK, seriously, hear me out. In order to cram some real top names in your lineup, you’re going to have to punt a spot – or fall victim to a common DFS fallacy where you balance a lineup with six fine players just to save your budget without any real haymakers.
The NCAA Champion, Tai hails from Georgia Tech, an in-state school. He also already played his first major, last year’s U.S. Open (MC). Anybody at this level has no realistic shot at placing inside the top-20, much less winning the thing. At this spot, you’re looking to make the cut or contend on Day 1 (see: Sam Bennett, 2023). So, why not take your shot in an up-and-coming collegiate champion over, say, Freddie Couples?
It’s a true roulette chip that makes room for star power in your lineup and you’re just looking for a made cut.
Building The Best Lineup
Taking into account everything laid out above, this is the lineup I’m entering this weekend:
- Scottie Scheffler ($12,400)
- Joaquin Niemann ($9,300)
- Cam Smith ($8,200)
- Sepp Straka ($7,600)
- Harris English ($6,500)
- Hiroshi Tai ($6,000)
In any DFS contest, finding the right balance of the high-priced studs and hidden gems is the key to big victories. Lean too chalk-heavy and you’re scrambling to fill a full lineup. Go too contrarian and you might find yourself in a big hole with a low floor. Look to combine high-floor players with a couple boom-or-bust additions to create a balanced lineup.
Always check the weather forecast for Augusta as some of the statistical favorite plays may not fare as well in adverse conditions. Conditions for the weekend look overall extremely mild and favorable for good golf; do note breezy conditions Friday afternoon.
Be sure to double-check ownership splits just before first tee to ensure your diamond in the rough didn’t just become everyone else’s by week’s end.
