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Fantasy Lookahead: Lengthy break bringing early returns for Graham DeLaet

Sam Greenwood / Getty Images Sport / Getty

Since the tweet sent back on June 1, after consecutive missed cuts at The Players Championship and the AT&T Byron Nelson, DeLaet placed 52nd at the Barracuda Championship and a far more impressive eighth at the Barbasol Championship.

It should be noted these events were played in the weeks of the marquee WGC-Bridgestone Invitational and the Open Championship, respectively, therefore with significantly lower strengths of field. Still, DeLaet posted three rounds in the 60s this past week, finishing at 14-under par. He picked up his third top-10 result of the year

Course History

DeLaet opened last year's RBC Canadian Open at Glen Abbey Golf Club with an even-par round of 72, but he withdrew early in his second round. He missed the cut in the 2013 tournament hosted by Glen Abbey, and he finished 46th in the 2009 event.

His best result in a Canadian Open came in 2014, when he finished seventh at Royal Montreal Golf Club. While it was a different course, the strength of field is usually consistent for the event, as it is typically one of two tournaments sandwiched between the year's final two majors.

Statistical Breakdown

Per FantasyInsiders, the following stats have been strengths of previous winners at Glen Abbey Golf Club:

Scrambling Percentage (SCR)
Par 5 Scoring Average (P5S)
Birdie or Better Percentage (BoB)

Here's how DeLaet has fared in the selected statistics so far this season:

SCR P5S BoB
167 132 13

DeLaet's poor rank in scrambling percentage can be attributed to the self-proclaimed issues whilst chipping and putting. Even in last week's impressive finish, he lost .285 strokes to the field with the putter. Luckily for him, he ranked 16th in the field in ball striking, and he hit over 76 percent of greens in regulation, limiting his chipping requirements.

Along with DeLaet's quality rank in BoB, he ranks 10th in birdie average, scoring four per round. Even with all the birdies, he still ranks just 60th in Scoring Average. Bogeys have been a problem.

DeLaet's poor showing on Par 5s is somewhat compensated by good performances on Par 4s. He ranks fourth in Par 4 Scoring Average and second in BoB on Par 4s.

Daily Fantasy

DeLaet's salary comes right in the middle of the mid-tier. It's likely too high for his performance thus far in 2016, but his ownership is always inflated at the Canadian Open.

His poor short game all season makes him a risk, with a victory likely being out of the question. Still, he has been able to score this year and birdies are weighted stronger than bogeys negatively impact DFS scoring. DeLaet's ownership would be low if it weren't for the tournament occurring in his home country.

A strong candidate to make the cut in a weak field, he's better used as a cash-game play than in tournaments.

Season-Long Fantasy

DeLaet is situated within a B-List which doesn't include many of its regular names. The second and third rounds have been his highest scoring rounds this season. He can be left on the bench to begin the week and inserted should he have a quality start to the tournament.

Owners will want to consider subbing him out for Sunday, should they have a better option available for the final round.

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