US Open Predictions: 2 Underdog DFS Slips for Round 2 (June 13)

As the second round of the U.S. Open tees off at Oakmont Country Club, players are still reeling from a demanding Thursday that reminded the golf world why this venue is one of golf’s toughest tests.

Thursday’s opening round saw just ten players break par, with the scoring average hovering well over 74. As discussed in our previous articles this week, the winner may hover around par this week! J.J. Spaun set the early pace with a bogey-free 66, and no one was able to meet his pace. Sungjae Im and Brooks Koepka were among the few others to navigate the course with relative success, finishing under par and looking to make more noise on Friday.

Unfortunately, the story for many top players was struggle and frustration. Scottie Scheffler and Bryson DeChambeau both finished at +3, while Rory McIlroy came home at +4 after a rough back nine. Precision off the tee and a strong mental game proved to be critical, as errant shots were severely punished and the greens were unrelenting.

Round 2 DFS Best Bets

With conditions expected to firm up and no signs of a scoring-friendly setup, value in DFS and player prop markets hinges on finding steady drivers and consistent birdie makers.

These picks below found players that had success not only in round 1 at Oakmont but also rank very high on tour for the season. Here are two slips played for Round 2 on Underdog Fantasy:

4-Leg Flex Slip – 4.13x (or 1.03x) Payout

Colin Morikawa – Higher than 9.5 Fairways Hit

Morikawa leads the PGA Tour in fairways hit percentage and proved it on Thursday by hitting 10/14 fairways. His elite control off the tee gives him a clear edge on Oakmont’s narrow landing zones. He averages 72% this season and he hit 71.4% in round 1.

Aaron Rai – Higher than 9.5 Fairways Hit

Rai ranks second on tour in fairways hit percentage and matched Morikawa with 10(71%) hit fairways in Round 1. His driver remains one of the most accurate in the field as he also averages 72% for the season.

Harris English – Higher than 8.5 Fairways Hit

English ranks 46th on tour in driving accuracy, averaging 62% fairways hit. He hit 9 fairways on Thursday, good for 64% and he now has the blueprint to hit 9 again, or even 10. He showed enough control yesterday to trust the veteran to do it again.|

Shane Lowry – Higher than 8.5 Fairways Hit

Lowry is currently 23rd on tour in fairways hit percentage, sitting at 64.4% and found 10 fairways in Round 1, going well over his season percentage. If he lands on 9 in round 2 that will match his season average.

3-Leg Standard Slip – 2.42x Payout

Viktor Hovland – Higher than 2.5 Birdies or Better

Hovland sits 20th on tour in birdie-or-better percentage and made 5 birdies on Thursday! His ball striking is sharp, and when he has the putter rolling, he can certainly go low. He sits T20 right now and should give himself 4-5 looks again in round 2!

Colin Morikawa – Higher than 2.5 Birdies or Better

Morikawa ranks 4th on the PGA Tour in birdie-or-better rate. He posted 3 birdies in Round 1, and with his irons dialed in, he’s well positioned to add more in Round 2. Hitting 10/14 fairways will give him a higher percentage chance to find greens in regulation with better proximity.

Scottie Scheffler – Higher than 3.5 Birdies or Better

Despite battling through a tough opening round, Scheffler still managed 3 birdies. I believe he will take what he learned from round 1 and at least find 1 more birdie better in round 2. Ranked 3rd on tour in birdie-or-better percentage, he’s more than capable of bouncing back and putting up a solid Friday round. His putter needs to heat up and he could storm back up the leaderboard!