GOLF DFS: U.S. OPEN 2026 DRAFTKINGS PICKS, TARGETS, AND LINEUP STRATEGY

COURSE OVERVIEW

The 2026 U.S. Open returns to Oakmont Country Club in Oakmont, Pennsylvania, one of the most demanding and historically significant venues in major championship golf. Oakmont is renowned for its lightning-fast, undulating greens — widely considered the most difficult putting surfaces in championship golf — along with its deep Church Pew bunkers, narrow tree-lined fairways, and unforgiving rough that punishes even the slightest miss. The USGA setup here rewards ball-strikers who prioritize precision over power, particularly those who excel in Strokes Gained: Approach and Strokes Gained: Off-the-Tee accuracy. Putting will be pivotal, as even a well-struck approach left in the wrong tier of a green can result in a three-putt nightmare. Players who fade the ball tend to have an edge at Oakmont given the natural layout, and scrambling ability becomes paramount when the rough is up. Expect scoring to be well above par, making pars feel like birdies and every bogey-free round a genuine feat.

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TOP TARGETS THIS WEEK

Scottie Scheffler — $12,400

The world No. 1 is always a pillar of consistency in DFS majors, and Oakmont suits his complete game. Scheffler's elite approach play and steady ball-striking give him the floor every GPP needs at the top of a lineup. He made the cut comfortably here in 2016 as an amateur and has since become the gold standard for major performance. Ownership: High

Xander Schauffele — $11,200

Schauffele thrives at U.S. Opens, carrying elite SG: Approach numbers and a calm mental game built for grinding par-saver after par-saver. He's one of the best major championship players in the world and a reliable DFS anchor. Don't overthink it. Ownership: High

Russell Henley — $9,100

Henley has been quietly elite in ball-striking metrics over the past 18 months and his precision off the tee makes him a sneaky fit at Oakmont. At a mid-range salary, he provides strong upside without breaking the bank. A player who rarely blows up in a round, which is gold at a U.S. Open venue. Ownership: Mid

Keegan Bradley — $8,600

The U.S. Ryder Cup captain and long-standing PGA Tour veteran has tremendous experience on demanding northeastern courses. Bradley's gritty, grind-it-out style is tailor-made for U.S. Open setups. He brings legitimate cut-making consistency at a salary that leaves room for upside elsewhere. Ownership: Low-Mid

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VALUE PLAYS

Nick Hardy — $7,400

Hardy has shown flashes of serious potential on tough tracks. His long-iron game is underrated, and Oakmont puts a premium on exactly that. At under $7,500, he's a GPP-friendly dart worth sprinkling into a handful of lineups.

Taylor Pendrith — $7,200

Pendrith generates elite ball speed and has quietly improved his approach game. He fits the power-with-accuracy profile that Oakmont occasionally rewards. Low ownership makes him a high-upside tournament differentiator.

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FADES

Rory McIlroy — $11,800

Rory's U.S. Open demons are well-documented. Despite elite talent and always-high chalk ownership, his scoring inconsistency on demanding USGA setups makes him a risky DFS investment, especially at near-max salary.

Jon Rahm — $10,500

Rahm's LIV-related rust and sporadic form heading into the week make him a fade despite name recognition driving ownership upward. The price doesn't match the current performance data.

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LINEUP CONSTRUCTION

At Oakmont, survival is the strategy. Build your core around two elite ball-strikers — Scheffler and Schauffele as a pairing works if you can stomach the chalk. From there, attack mid-tier value with Russell Henley and Keegan Bradley, then