Hewlett Packard Enterprise Houston Open: PGA Tour preview with strokes gained data, players to watch and more

+430 on our bets last week – let’s keep that rolling in Houston

Enjoy it, folks. Breathe it in because, in a few weeks, the PGA Tour is going on a nearly month-long hiatus.

In the meantime, it’s time to go down to Texas for the Hewlett Packard Enterprise Houston Open. Defending champion Carlos Ortiz, just a week after Viktor Hovland defended his title in Mexico, was hoping to do the same in Houston. However, he withdrew from the event Tuesday due to a left shoulder injury. He came into the week in good form grabbing a solo runner-up in his home country of Mexico last week.

Brooks Koepka may be the biggest name in the field, but the world No. 15 is struggling to begin this season and will look to turn that around in Houston. Last year, Koepka tied for fifth at this golf course.

Golf course

Memorial Park Golf Course
Par 70
7,412 yards
Bermuda greens

Weather

Day Conditions Percent chance of rain Wind & Direction
Tuesday Partly Cloudy 6 percent 9 MPH (SE)
Wednesday Partly Cloudy 24 percent 13 MPH (SSE)
Thursday Partly Cloudy 24 percent 11 MPH (NNW)
Friday Sunny 8 percent 8 MPH (NNE)
Saturday Sunny 0 percent 9 MPH (N)
Sunday Mostly Sunny 9 percent 11 MPH (S)

Key stats

Driving distance: Data Golf has driving distance as the second-most important stat for the week (behind Strokes Gained: Approach). Recent champions, though, don’t quite reflect that. Carlos Ortiz and Lanto Griffin, both not known for the long ball, are the two winners at Memorial Park. However, at a par 70 golf course measuring over 7,400 yards, distance off the tee doesn’t hurt.

Bermuda putting: I say it every week the guys are on Bermuda greens – some players love ’em, some hate ’em. Look for players who thrive on lightning Bermuda.

Data Golf information

Course Fit (compares golf courses based on the degree to which different golfer attributes — such as driving distance — to predict who performs well at each course – DataGolf): 1. Albany (home to Tiger Woods’ Hero World Challenge), 2. Detroit Golf Club (home to the Rocket Mortgage Classic), 3. Southern Hills CC

Trending (among the players in the field): 1. Sungjae Im (last three starts: T-13, 1, T-9), 2. Cameron Smith (T-34, T-14, T-9), 3. Sam Burns (1, T-14, T-5)

Percent chance to win (based on course history, fit, trending, etc.): 1. Sam Burns (4.7 percent), 2. Scottie Scheffler (4 percent), 3. Sungjae Im (3.9 percent)

Betting odds

Odds provided by Tipico Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds a full list.

Sam Burns (+1300) Cameron Smith (+2000)
Scottie Scheffler (+2000)b Sungjae Im (+2000)
Adam Scott (+3000) Tony Finau (+3000)
Tyrrell Hatton (+3000) Brooks Koepka (+3000)
Talor Gooch (+3000) Aaron Wise (+3000)

Betting card for the Hewlett Packard Enterprise Houston Open

(Last week at the World Wide Technology Championship at Mayakoba: 3-5 record, +430, or +4.3 units)

Talor Gooch – Top 20 (+170)

Talor Gooch plays his shot from the eighth tee during the third round of the Houston Open at the Golf Club of Houston on October 12, 2019 in Humble, Texas. (Sam Greenwood/Getty Images)

Gooooooch. Is his name fun to say? Yes. Is that why he’s on the card this week? No, but it is one reason. Gooch has played well this season: T-4, T-11, T-5, T-11. He’s not overpowering golf courses, but he’s getting it out there far enough, 306 yards on average, while finding the short grass 75.69 percent of the time, good enough for 15th on Tour.

The last two seasons at Memorial Park, Gooch was fantastic: T-4 (2019), 4th (2020).

Aaron Wise – Top 20 (+165)

Aaron Wise lines up a putt on the 2nd green during the third round of the 2019 U.S. Open golf tournament at Pebble Beach Golf Links. (Photo: Rob Schumacher-USA TODAY Sports)

Have to ride with the hot hand. Wise’s only win came in Texas back in 2018 at the AT&T Byron Nelson, so he’ll be comfortable in Houston. Last season at this event, he finished T-11. Over his last three events, Wise has finished T-8, T-5, and T-15.

Russell Henley – Top 20 (+220)

Russell Henley
Russell Henley (Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports)

This is my value pick for the week. One bad round in Mexico cost him a chance of a high finish, a Saturday 76. His other two starts this season? T-21 and T-25. He’s on the verge of a great start, and it may just be in the city in which he got his last win. He’s driving it nearly 300 yards on average, long enough to get around Memorial Park. He’s hitting 78.7 percent of fairways, which ranks third on Tour, while ranking first in SG: Approach.

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World Wide Technology Championship at Mayakoba odds, picks and PGA Tour predictions

Feeling lucky? Here are several players to watch this week in Mexico.

The PGA Tour is back in Mexico this week for the World Wide Technology at Mayakoba. The young Norweigan Viktor Hovland is the defending champion, as he was able to bring down Aaron Wise by a single shot last December. A few of the biggest names in golf will be looking to take the hardware away from the former Oklahoma State star, including two former world No. 1s.

Justin Thomas will make his second-straight start at this event looking to build on a T-12 performance last season. He’s made just one start on Tour since the new season got underway which resulted in a top 20 (T-18) performance at the CJ Cup. Brooks Koepka will be making his third start of the new season, as he’s still searching for his first top 30. He missed the cut at this event in 2020.

El Camaleón Golf Course will play as a par 71, hovering around 7,017 yards throughout the week as the yardage is subject to change.

Odds provided by Tipico Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds a full list.

2021 World Wide Technology Championship at Mayakoba picks – Favorite

Abraham Ancer (+1500)

Ancer has loved playing in front of his home country of Mexico over the last few years, especially at this event where he finished T-12 in 2020, T-8 in 2019, and T-21 in 2018.

He finished last season with three top 10 finishes in his final four starts, including a win at the WGC FedEx St. Jude. Despite missing the cut at his first event of the new season, he came right back the next week and posted a top 15 at the CJ Cup.

Over Ancer’s last 24 rounds on the PGA Tour at venues measuring under 7,200 yards, he ranks inside the top 35 in Strokes Gained: Off the Tee, Ball-Striking, Tee to Green, and Total.

2021 World Wide Technology Championship at Mayakoba picks – Contender

Maverick McNealy (+5000)

Fortinet Championship
Maverick McNealy hits his tee shot on the first hole during the final round of the Fortinet Championship at Silverado Resort and Spa on September 19, 2021 in Napa, California. (Photo by Meg Oliphant/Getty Images)

The first several events of the young season have been a mixed bag for McNealy with a solo runner-up to Max Homa at the Fortinet Championship thanks to a late shank, and a missed cut at the Shriners. However, he posted a top 25 in his last start over in Japan at the Zozo Championship.

He’s played in this event the last two seasons with a T-26 back in 2019, and improved on that in 2020 with a T-12 performance.

So far this season McNealy ranks 20th in scoring average, important at an event where the winning score will be around 20 under. He’s been great off the tee ranking inside the top 30 in both distance and SG: Off the Tee.

2021 World Wide Technology Championship at Mayakoba picks – Long shot

Danny Lee (+10000)

After his final round 71 last week at the Butterfield Bermuda Championship, many may forget how great Lee played despite finishing T-2. Three holes on the back nine cost him, as he played 12-14 4 over.

Lee didn’t play here in 2020, but has a great track record from 2017-2019 with finishes of T-25, solo 2nd, and T-26 respectively.

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In-depth look at the Sanderson Farms Championship including key stats, Data Golf information, strokes gained data, players to watch

There’s a good chance the champion could be a first-time Tour winner

Well, I’m going to be honest with you, this week might be rough.

The Sanderson Farms Championship is the first tournament removed from the Ryder Cup, the second event of the young season and many of the best players in the world are not making the trip to Mississippi.

Sergio Garcia, who is defending his title at the Sanderson Farms Championship this week, is the only Ryder Cup player in the field. To go even further, there isn’t a player ranked inside the top 20 in the world teeing it up this week (Sam Burns, the highest ranked player, is No. 25).

On the other hand, a weak field doesn’t mean we can’t win any money. Let’s dive in and see if we can find some nice value plays on the board.

Golf course

Country Club of Jackson

Par 72

7,461 yards

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A 2008 redesign is reflected in the greens. Many were shaped to what legendary course architect Donald Ross liked to see in putting surfaces: run-off areas and angulation, among other things.

Tree-lined fairways make driving accuracy an advantage. Even though past winners hit just over 50% of fairways, finding the short grass will give better sight lines into greens.

Weather

Day Conditions Percent chance of rain Wind & Direction
Tuesday Scattered Thunderstorms 52% 7 MPH (S)
Wednesday Thunderstorms 69% 7 MPH (SSE)
Thursday Showers 57% 7 MPH (SE)
Friday Partly Cloudy 24% 8 MPH (SE)
Saturday Partly Cloudy 13% 9 MPH (SSE)
Sunday Scattered Thunderstorms 57% 7 MPH (S)

Key stats

Total driving: At this course, it’s about marrying driving distance and driving accuracy. Players will need to have an overall great performance off the tee to find their way into contention.

SG: Putting: Data Golf calculates what Strokes Gained category causes the most variation in scores at each event, or each golf course. At the Sanderson Farms in 2020, SG: Putting caused 40.6% of the scoring variation. For reference, the Tour average last season was 35.7%. So, to be in the mix come Sunday, players will have to roll the rock.

Data Golf information

Course Fit (compares golf courses based off the degree to which different golfer attributes — such as driving distance — predict who performs well at each course – DataGolf): 1. Atunyote GC, 2. Torrey Pines (North), 3. Accordia Golf Narashino

Trending (among the players in the field): 1. Sam Burns (last three starts: T-18, 8, T-21), Sungjae Im (T-20, 3 T-16), 3. Sergio Garcia (T-14, T-6, MC)

Percent chance to win (based on course history, fit, trending, etc.): Sam Burns (4.7%), 2. Sergio Garcia (4.3%), 3. Will Zalatoris (4.3%)

Betting odds

Odds provided by Tipico Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds a full list.

Sam Burns (+1500) Will Zalatoris (+2000)
Sergio Garcia (+2000) Corey Connors (+2000)
Sungjae Im (+2000) Charley Hoffman (+3000)
Cameron Tringale (+3000) Mito Pereira (+3000)
Seamus Power (+4000) Kevin Streelman (+4000)

Players to watch

Will Zalatoris – One of these weeks, I’m going to be right about this. Will Zalatoris needs to win at some point, and I think this is a great opportunity for him to do so. Six of the last eight winners at the Sanderson Farms were first-time Tour winners.

He’s coming off a solid T-11 performance in Napa. He was 5th in the field in SG: Tee to Green, but his putter was a bit frigid. His putting stroke makes me borderline uncomfortable, but he will have to get it going if he wants any chance to win.

He was inside the top 25 in driving distance last season on Tour, only hitting 56% of fairways, but remember that’s right around the number the winner has hit at this golf course over the last several years.

+2000 to win.

Will Zalatoris hits his tee shot on the first hole during round two of the Fortinet Championship at Silverado Resort and Spa on September 17, 2021 in Napa, California. (Photo by Meg Oliphant/Getty Images)

Corey Connors – I made a lot of money on this guy during the Florida stretch (and on up the coast) last year as he finished third at Arnold Palmer Invitational, seventh at the Players, eighth at Augusta, and fourth at the RGC Heritage. He cooled off a bit after that, but had a solid finish to his season, with five top-25 finishes in his last six starts (that includes the Tour Championship and Olympics). 

He only averaged 295 off the box last year, but was eighth in SG: Off the Tee. On top of that, he was ninth in SG: Approach last year – his tee-to-green performance was one of the best on Tour.

His tournament history is great, with a top 20 last season and a solo runner-up in 2018.

+2000 to win

Mito Pereira – Another young player looking for his first win on Tour. Last season, he had three straight top 10s in weaker field events. There’s also a lot to like about his performance a few weeks ago in Napa: third-place finish, led the field in SG: Tee to Green, sixth in driving accuracy and averaged 318 off the tee.

+3000 to win

Harold Varner III – I’m not saying Varner is going to win, but he’s a great target for a top-20 or top-30 play.

He’s finished inside the top 20 in five of his last seven starts, including T-16 or better in his last three (T-16 in Napa a few weeks ago). He struggled hitting fairways in California, but he rolled it, gaining nearly five strokes on the field over the week.

He joined the Tour at the start of the 2015-16 season, and is still looking for his first win. He’s only played in this event twice, with his best finish coming back in 2015 (T-39).

+4000 to win.

Northern Trust
Harold Varner III at the 2021 Northern Trust at Liberty National Golf Course in Jersey City, New Jersey. Photo by John Minchillo)/Associated Press

And finally, a quick note on the defending champion…

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In-depth preview for this week’s Ryder Cup with key stats, strokes gained data, and picks

It’s time for the U.S. side to come for revenge

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After three years, it’s finally here. It’s finally time for the intercontinental showdown between the United States and Europe. For the Americans, it’s time for revenge.

To put in bluntly, the U.S. team got their butts kicked in Paris, the last host of the Ryder Cup. The 2018 beatdown was led by Francesco Molinari, who became the first European Ryder Cupper to earn the maximum amount of points with a record of 5-0-0. His partner was just as responsible for the win. Tommy Fleetwood was 4-1-0 in his first Ryder Cup appearance, with his only loss coming in Sunday singles.

Europe took back the trophy, which the United States won at Hazeltine in 2016, with a 17½ to 10½ win.

Overall, Europe has won seven of the last nine Cups.

Golf course

Whistling Straits is built directly into the shores of Lake Michigan. Pete Dye perfectly designed this track to play challenging for all golfers, regardless of skill level, including the best players in the world.

Most recently, it was home to the 2015 PGA Championship won by Jason Day, his lone major victory.

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It’s a par 71, playing around 7,400 yards, although that number will change day-to-day depending on how captain Stricker wants to set up the golf course. We’ve already seen videos showcasing the lack of rough.

This comes as no surprise, as the United States will want to take advantage of their length.

Check the yardage book: Whistling Straits for the Ryder Cup

Weather

We’re going to experience major fall vibes in Wisconsin this week, as temperatures should hover in the upper 50s and low 60s. Watch out for USA and Europe beanies on display in the morning fourball sessions.

Key stats

Driving distance: It’s no secret this is a big golf course, and we now know the rough has been cut down to a point it’ll make minimum impact (aside from drives off the map). Because of this, players have to be willing to take off head-covers on almost every par 4 and 5.

RYDER CUP: Live updates | How to watch

Greens in regulation: Hazards lurk around every green at Whistling Straits, some of which you might as well bring a sleeping bag. Prioritizing hitting greens in regulation, sometimes over proximity, will be key.

Birdie or better percentage: In most cases, matches are won by making birdies. These guys can’t play scared, and may need to take some risks to match their opponents.

Data Golf information

Course Fit (compares golf courses based off the degree to which different golfer attributes — such as driving distance — predict who performs well at each course – DataGolf): 1. Torrey Pines, South (home of the Farmers Insurance Open, and the 2021 U.S. Open), 2. Accordia Golf Narashino CC, 3. Corales Golf Club

Trending (players ranked in accordance to recent finishes):

Team USA: 1. Bryson DeChambeau (last 3 starts: T31, 2, 7), 2. Patrick Cantlay (T11, 1, 1), 3. Daniel Berger (T56, T26, T11)

Team Europe: 1. Jon Rahm (3, T9, 2), 2. Rory McIlroy (T43, 4, T14), 3. Paul Casey (T5, T64, T38)

Ranking of important stats at Whistling Straits

DataGolf.com

As you can tell, driving distance matters around this track. Taking a look at the 2015 PGA Championship leaderboard – Brooks Koepka, Dustin Johnson, Tony Finau, and of course the winner Jason Day, finished in the top 10. Common denominator of those players: They can move it.

Full 2015 PGA Championship results of those playing in this year’s Ryder Cup*

Finishing position Player
2 Jordan Spieth
T-5 Brooks Koepka
T-7 Dustin Johnson
T-10 Tony Finau
17 Rory McIlroy
T-18 Justin Thomas
T-25 Tyrrell Hatton
T-30 Paul Casey
T-43 Lee Westwood
T-48 Harris English
T-54 Sergio Garcia

*players who made the cut.

Strokes Gained rankings of all players on Team USA and Team Europe

These are over each player’s last 36 holes on the PGA Tour.

Team USA

Player SG: OTT SG: APP SG: T2G SG: ATG SG: Putting
Daniel Berger 64 1 4 70 116
Patrick Cantlay 6 23 1 40 26
Bryson DeChambeau 1 75 29 147 24
Harris English 65 58 31 16 7
Tony Finau 51 60 34 27 86
Dustin Johnson 23 92 64 97 1
Brooks Koepka 3 25 7 92 99
Collin Morikawa 32 2 5 89 140
Xander Schauffele 58 17 43 119 74
Scottie Scheffler 20 42 14 36 89
Jordan Spieth 87 73 49 14 37
Justin Thomas 28 11 8 62 102

Team Europe

Player SG: OTT SG: APP SG: T2G SG: ATG SG: Putting
Paul Casey 30 3 2 64 118
Matthew Fitzpatrick 5 134 68 93 27
Tommy Fleetwood 99 66 59 35 121
Sergio Garcia 7 37 13 88 123
Tyrrell Hatton 40 19 16 48 85
Viktor Hovland 17 13 23 134 98
Shane Lowry 112 5 10 19 110
Rory McIlroy 25 25 15 60 76
Ian Poulter 133 81 69 6 5
Jon Rahm 2 41 3 53 34
Bernd Wiesberger
Lee Westwood 71 61 84 111 90

Favorite betting plays for the week

Odds provided by Tipico Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds a full list.

United States to win the Ryder Cup (-200)

Do I love this pick? No. Will I put money on it? Of course. I’m American, it would be unpatriotic for me not to bet on the boys.

There’s still some worry remaining with the locker room camaraderie of this group, but a phone call from Tiger Woods coming later this week may change all of that.

Plus, don’t these two look like best friends now?

The last time the Ryder Cup was played on home soil, the U.S. hoisted the trophy. The time before, it took an absolute meltdown from the Americans during Sunday singles for them not to win.

I like them state-side.

Xander Schauffele – Top USA points scorer (+650)

It seems as though Schauffele will be paired with his good buddy Patrick Cantlay. At the 2019 Presidents Cup, the pair was 2-2-0. Due to other big names on the U.S. side, they will more than likely play a weaker tandem on the European team. The way Cantlay finished out the 2021 season, along with Schauffele’s ability to flip a switch, I’d look for Schauffele to have a big week.

Although this will be his first Ryder Cup, he’s seen some success in representing the USA – *cough cough*- the gold medal hanging from his neck.

Day 1 Foursomes, USA to win (+100)

Early morning, first Ryder Cup on home soil since 2016, with a crowd made up of nearly all Americans. Everything points to a quick start for the U.S..

At Hazeltine, the Americans swept the morning foursomes, 4-0.

Be on the look-out for more picks as the week goes on, especially when we know all 12 Sunday matches.

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2021 Ryder Cup prop bets, picks, predictions

The Ryder Cup presents an endless amount of potential prop bets, let’s dive into some of the best.

After being postponed a year, Ryder Cup weekend is finally here. Team Europe will look to retain the cup on American soil at Whistling Straits in Haven, Wisconsin, while Team USA will attempt to win this historic event for just the third time since 2002. Below, we look at the top 2021 Ryder cup prop bets, with PGA Tour picks and predictions.

There are stars on both sides, led by the likes of Jon Rahm, Rory McIlroy, Bryson DeChambeau and Brooks Koepka. The Americans have six Ryder Cup rookies on their team this year, while Europe has just three first-timers.

Also see: Ryder cup teams, odds, picks and predictions to win

We’ve picked our favorite prop bets for the 2021 Ryder Cup.

Odds provided by Tipico Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list. Lines last updated Wednesday at 11:40 a.m. ET.

PLAY: Our new free daily Pick’em Challenge and win! Play now!

Top USA points scorer: Bryson DeChambeau (+900)

There are a lot of intriguing options for this prop because there’s a ton of talent and firepower on the American side but with DeChambeau being only the sixth-favorite to lead his team in points, that feels like a value too good to pass up.

When it comes to the four-ball format, DeChambeau can really play aggressively, knowing he has a partner to fall back on. His match play record isn’t good and he lost his two foursome matches at the 2018 Ryder Cup 5 and 4, but that was before his transformation.

I like DeChambeau’s length and birdie average to lead to a good weekend for him.

Top rookie: Patrick Cantlay (+450)

It’s hard to believe that at 29 years old, Cantlay is a Ryder Cup rookie. But because he is, that makes him a good bet to finish with the most points of any player making their Ryder Cup debut this weekend.

He finished the PGA Tour season red hot, winning the FedEx Cup after beating DeChambeau in a wild playoff the week prior. He’s an excellent putter, has a calm demeanor and never gets rattled under pressure. I love his chances to win at least a few matches at Whistling Straits, showing the poise and clutch gene that was on display in the playoffs.

Top European points scorer: Rory McIlroy (+500)

McIlroy isn’t the favorite to lead Team Europe in points. That title goes to Rahm, and deservingly so. He’s No. 1 in the Golfweek/Sagarin rankings and should thrive in this environment. However, McIlroy is excellent in match play and completely embraced the raucous U.S. crowd in 2016 at Hazeltine National Golf Club.

The fans will be loud and heckling, which McIlroy loves. He’s a calm player on tour but when it comes to team golf, he flips a switch. Assuming he plays every match, he’ll be the most important player for Europe and will lead the team in points. The only minor concern is his putting, which has to be sharp in this format.

Top wild card (captain’s pick): Sergio Garcia (+750)

No player from Europe has earned more points in Ryder Cup history than Garcia. He’s the all-time leader with 25.5 points and he’s back for a 10th appearance this weekend. While his singles record is only 4-4-1, he’s 18-8-6 all-time in Ryder Cup doubles matches: 8-4-3 in four-ball and 10-4-3 in foursomes.

Whether he’s the top captain’s pick could come down to how often Padraig Harrington plays him in these matches. Garcia was playing well toward the end of the season and should be in good form, and everyone knows how much he loves this event. American Jordan Spieth at +400 is another solid pick here if you want a safer bet.

ATS picks for every game on the Big Ten schedule this weekend

Follow @benzkenney and @alow_33 as they pick every Big Ten football game this year against the spread:

Week 1 of Big Ten football is here, and the BadgersWire team is ready to pick winners. Will there be Big Ten bias? Of course. Should you fade us or back us? Do either at your own risk. Is there major Badger bias? In the words of the great Lee Corso, “not so fast my friend.”

The lines are set across the country, with Wisconsin seen as a slight favorite over Penn State. It all gets underway Thursday night when Ohio State, a massive favorite, travels to Minnesota.

Every week here at BadgersWire we are going to pick every single Big Ten game against the spread, starting with Week 1. Here is a look at our picks for every matchup across the conference this week:

All betting lines are courtesy of Tipico Sportsbook.

Record to date:

Ben: 0-1

Asher: 1-0

2021 BMW Championship odds, picks and PGA Tour predictions

Feeling lucky this week? Keep an eye on these bets for the BMW Championship.

The top 70 golfers in the season-long FedEx Cup standings following Tony Finau‘s win at the Northern Trust move on to Caves Valley Golf Club in Owings Mills, Maryland for the BMW Championship. Finau moved to No. 1 in the standings with his first win in more than five years. Below, we look at the 2021 BMW Championship odds and make our PGA Tour picks and predictions to win.

Caves Valley Golf Club is a new venue for the penultimate event of the FedEx Cup Playoffs. The Tom Fazio design measures 7,542 yards and plays to a par of 72. Jon Rahm, who remains atop the Golfweek/Sagarin rankings, won this event last year but at Olympia Fields Country Club.

The top 30 in the standings after this week will advance to the Tour Championship at East Lake Golf Club for the playoff finale. Some big names beginning this week outside of the top 30 include Kevin Kisner (31), Keegan Bradley (32), Sergio Garcia (44), Webb Simpson (52), Paul Casey (54) and Phil Mickelson (70).

Odds provided by Tipico Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds a full list. Lines last updated Tuesday at 4:40 p.m. ET.

Favorite

Bryson DeChambeau (+2000)

DeChambeau was the first two-time winner on the 2020-21 PGA Tour season but he has no victories and just three top-10 finishes in his last 13 events. He’s coming off a lackluster T-31 finish last week and enters the second-to-last event of the season ninth in the FedEx Cup standings.

Despite his recent (relative) struggles, and media silence, DeChambeau still leads all qualified golfers and players in this field with 1.14 Strokes Gained: Off-the-Tee per round. The length and wide landing areas of Caves Valley are well-suited to his game and he recently tied for eighth at the WGC-FedEx St. Jude Invitational while gaining 0.85 strokes per round with the putter.

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Contender

Sam Burns (+5000)

Burns broke out in early May with his first career PGA Tour win at the Valspar Championship and followed it up with a runner-up finish two weeks later at the AT&T Byron Nelson. He returned to the front page of the leaderboard at the WGC-Invitational event with a T-2 finish before tying for 21st last week.

He comes into the BMW Championship 12th in the season-long standings but shares just the 24th-best odds to win. He’s averaging 0.67 SG: Approach and 0.52 SG: Putting for the season on top of 0.27 SG: Off-the-Tee per round.

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Long shot

Sergio Garcia (+9000)

The 41-year-old former Masters champ has struggled with the putter all season and missed the cut last week but Caves Valley sets up as a strong course fit. He trails only DeChambeau and Rahm among qualified golfers in SG: Off-the-Tee.

He should also be highly motivated this week while in need of a strong finish in order to advance to the Tour Championship. He begins the week at No. 44 in the season-long standings with his only win of the 2020-21 campaign coming at the Sanderson Farms Championship last fall.

If you’re looking for more sports betting picks and tips, access all of our content at SportsbookWire.com. Please gamble responsibly.

Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services. Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage. This information is for entertainment purposes only. We make no representations or warranties as to the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of any content.

Rocket Mortgage Classic predictions, odds and PGA Tour picks

Feeling lucky this week? We’ve got some picks.

The PGA Tour returns to Detroit Golf Club as it hosts the third running of the Rocket Mortgage Classic. Bryson DeChambeau returns as the defending champion and 2021 betting favorite. Below, we look at the 2021 Rocket Mortgage Classic odds and make our PGA Tour picks and predictions to win.

Detroit Golf Club measures 7,370 yards and plays to a par of 72. The Donald Ross design puts an emphasis on accuracy off the tee on the front nine, but the back nine is considerably more open and allows for plenty of scoring opportunities.

The two previous events have seen rather different fields and leaderboards. The inaugural 2019 tournament was won by Nate Lashley with Doc Redman as the runner-up. Last year’s edition was one of the Tour’s first events back from the COVID-19 pandemic with DeChambeau winning over Matthew Wolff.

Odds provided by BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list. Lines last updated Monday at 12:10 p.m. ET.

Favorite

Will Zalatoris (+2500)

Zalatoris, 24, is 15th in the Golfweek/Sagarin world rankings but remains in need of a win for full PGA Tour status and eligibility for the FedExCup Playoffs.

His missed cut at the U.S. Open was just his second through 15 events in 2021. That and a prior missed cut at the Wells Fargo Championship, have boosted his odds for this week. He’s third in this field by the Golfweek rankings but shares the fifth-best odds to win as a quality value play.

Zalatoris has a runner-up finish at the Masters and three other top-10 finishes on the year, including a T-8 at the PGA Championship. He’s still averaging 1.51 Strokes Gained: Tee-to-Green and 1.00 SG: Approach per round for the 2020-21 season.

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Contender

Doc Redman (+5500)

Redman has fallen to No. 131 in the Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR) with six missed cuts through 15 events this year, but he tied for second against a weaker field at the Palmetto Championship and for 61st at last week’s Travelers Championship.

Course history is on his side with his runner-up finish in 2019 and a T-21 in the stronger field last year.

His approach game has been sharp this season, and he has been better with the putter of late. He also averaged 1.23 SG: Around-the-Green per round at the Palmetto as a considerable improvement on the weakest part of his game.

Long shot

Mackenzie Hughes (+15000)

Hughes tied for 76th last week following his Sunday collapse and T-15 finish at the U.S. Open. He lost a woeful 0.84 strokes per round off the tee last week; however, he remained strong around the greens and has been one of the Tour’s most consistent putters this season.

He didn’t play this event last year after a T-21 finish in 2019. He averaged 1.26 SG: Tee-to-Green and 0.84 SG: Approach per round in that appearance.

Mainly, this number is far too high for someone who was recently in the top 50 of the OWGR and has begun showing signs of old form after a stretch of five straight missed cuts.

Get some action on the 2021 Rocket Mortgage Classic by signing up and betting at BetMGM. If you’re looking for more sports betting picks and tips, access all of our content at SportsbookWire.com. Please gamble responsibly.

Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services. Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage. This information is for entertainment purposes only. We make no representations or warranties as to the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of any content.

U.S. Open picks for matchups, prop bets and placings at Torrey Pines

Feeling lucky this week?

The 121st U.S. Open starts Thursday morning at Torrey Pines in San Diego California.

Groups and tee times for the first two rounds were released Tuesday, and with those come U.S. Open prop bets and matchups. Below, we look at the top 18- and 72-hole matchups for the third men’s major championship of the year, as well as the best value prop bets.

Jon Rahm, ranked No. 1 in the Golfweek/Sagarin men’s ranking, is the betting favorite this week in his first event since being forced to withdraw from the Memorial Tournament due to a positive test for COVID-19.

Odds provided by BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list. Lines last updated Wednesday at 8:15 a.m. ET.

First-round matchups

Collin Morikawa (+188) vs. Justin Thomas (+175) vs. Brooks Koepka (+163)

MORIKAWA (+188) is the pick in this early morning (10:29 a.m. ET) grouping. He leads the PGA Tour in Strokes Gained: Approach and Tee-to-Green for the 2020-21 season and will be able to stick his iron shots close in the softer, easier morning conditions.

He also has the best Round 1 scoring average of the three at 69.93 for the season.

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Max Homa (+250) vs. Xander Schauffele (+110) vs. Phil Mickelson (+200)

Three California natives are grouped together for the opening two rounds. Mickelson is coming off his historic PGA Championship win, Homa won the Genesis Invitational in February and Schauffele is the highest-ranked of the three at No. 2 in the Golfweek/Sagarin ranking.

Back MICKELSON (+200) with his edge in experience on Torrey Pines’ South Course. His 45 rounds played are the most in this field. He also opened last month’s Wells Fargo Championship with the first-round lead with a 7-under-par 64.

Jordan Spieth (+138) vs. Scottie Scheffler (+200) vs. Will Zalatoris (+200)

SCHEFFLER (+200) has a considerable distance advantage over both Spieth and Zalatoris to make him the pick in this afternoon (4:25 p.m. ET) group. The soon-to-be 25-year-old had to withdraw from last year’s U.S. Open, but he tied for eighth at the PGA Championship last month. He leads the Tour in total driving this season.

Matchups (72 holes)

Jon Rahm (-175) vs. Dustin Johnson (+140)

This tournament matchup pits Golfweek’s top-ranked player in Rahm against Johnson, who’s still No. 1 in the Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR). Rahm is my pick to win this week as the U.S. Open betting favorite but the value on JOHNSON (+140) is far too great to pass up.

Johnson is a two-time major winner while Rahm seeks his first. This should be much closer to a pick ’em.

Place your legal, online 2021 U.S. Open bets in CO, IA, IN, MI, NJ, PA, TN, VA, WV and Washington D.C., at BetMGM. Risk-free first bet! Terms and conditions apply. Bet now!

Bryson DeChambeau (-125) vs. Brooks Koepka (+100)

We won’t get to see the Twitter rivals play together until Saturday at the earliest, but bettors can still get action via the 72-hole matchup.

Take the value with KOEPKA (+100), a four-time major champ, at even money. He has the advantage in SG: Approach and experience at Torrey Pines against the Tour’s SG: Off-the-Tee leader.

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Jordan Spieth (-110) vs. Justin Thomas (-110)

Back THOMAS (-110) with his advantages in driving accuracy and iron play over Spieth. He comes into the week at No. 2 in the OWGR, as well. The thick rough of Torrey Pines and the U.S. Open could cause troubles for Spieth’s reliance on scrambling if he continues to spray his drives.

Placings

Top 5: Jon Rahm (+190)

In a major or any strong-field event, it’s a good idea to hedge your outright bets with a top-5 or top-10 wager. Especially when still getting a plus-money payout for the placing bet.

Rahm is the favorite to win the US Open at +900 with those odds returning a profit of $900 on a $100 bet. Put a similar-sized bet on the top-5 finish to recoup your potential losses in case he comes up short. If he wins outright you cash both tickets.

Top 10: Marc Leishman (+600)

Leishman won the Farmers Insurance Open at Torrey Pines in 2020 and tied for second in both 2010 and 2014. He won the Zurich Classic of New Orleans team event with partner Cameron Smith earlier this year, and his putting and iron play has been in excellent form. He also tied for fifth at the Masters in April.

Top player

Top English: Matt Wallace (+1100)

Wallace shares just the sixth-best odds in this nationality pool. He’s a strong fit for the course and the U.S. Open conditions while 19th on Tour in par 4 efficiency: 450-500 yards and averaging 0.78 Strokes Gained: Tee-to-Green per round.

Place your legal, online 2021 U.S. Open bets in CO, IA, IN, MI, NJ, PA, TN, VA, WV and Washington D.C., at BetMGM. Risk-free first bet! Terms and conditions apply. Bet now!

Top Rest of the World: Cameron Smith (+1000)

Smith is averaging 0.85 SG: Tee-to-Green and 0.62 SG: Putting per round. He has also averaged 0.97 strokes gained on the field per round over 15 career rounds on the South Course at the Farmers Insurance Open.

First-round leader

Patrick Reed (+4000)

Reed isn’t a bad bet to win the U.S. Open at +2500, but he offers a higher payout for the first-round lead when conditions at Torrey Pines will be most similar to the Farmers Insurance Open. He’s fourth on Tour this season in Round 1 scoring average.

Get some action on the 2021 U.S. Open by signing up and betting at BetMGM. If you’re looking for more sports betting picks and tips, access all of our content at SportsbookWire.com. Please gamble responsibly.

Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services. Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage. This information is for entertainment purposes only. We make no representations or warranties as to the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of any content.

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PGA Championship odds, predictions and picks

We take a look at the 2021 PGA Championship odds and make our PGA Tour picks and predictions to win.

The PGA Championship returns to The Ocean Course at Kiawah Island for the first time since Rory McIlroy’s eight-stroke victory in 2012. The second major of 2021 is the fourth of the 2020-21 season. Collin Morikawa looks to defend his first major win from last summer at TPC Harding Park. Below, we look at the 2021 PGA Championship odds and make our PGA Tour picks and predictions to win.

McIlroy’s returning to the site of his second career major victory. After a poor stretch of play earlier this year which included missed cuts at The Players Championship and the Masters, he returned to form with victory at the Wells Fargo Championship.

The Ocean Course is a par 72 measuring 7,849 yards with large Paspalum greens.

HOW TO WATCHTV, streaming info for PGA Championship

2021 PGA Championship picks – Favorite

Odds provided by BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list. Lines last updated Monday at 6:20 a.m. ET.

Rory McIlroy (+1100)

McIlroy was the only player to finish double digits under par amid poor weather conditions in 2012. As such, he was long priced as one of the favorites to win the 2021 PGA Championship by the PGA Tour futures odds, but he peaked at +1600 following his missed cut at the Masters.

Those who missed out on those odds are getting a lower return on investment, but are certainly getting the better version of the former world No. 1.

McIlroy was top 10 in the field in Strokes Gained: Tee-to-Green and SG: Approach at the Wells Fargo. He was third in SG: Putting and had several key sand saves over the weekend.

Place your legal, online 2021 PGA Championship bets in CO, IA, IN, MI, NJ, PA, TN, VA and WV at BetMGM. Risk-free first bet! Terms and conditions apply. Bet now!

2021 PGA Championship picks – Contender

Joaquin Niemann (+6600)

Niemann enters the week at No. 8 in the Golfweek/Sagarin world rankings but shares just the 26th-best odds to win. The 22-year-old missed the cut in each of the last two playings of the PGA Championship, but he tied for 23rd at last fall’s US Open. He posted back-to-back runner-up finishes in Hawaii to begin the calendar year and tied for 40th at April’s Masters.

The Chilean is an excellent iron player who’s also averaging 0.76 SG: Off-the-Tee per round through 51 measured rounds this season.

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2021 PGA Championship picks – Long shot

Dylan Frittelli (+25000)

The PGA Championship has produced many long-shot winners over the years and Frittelli is worthy of a small wager with a $10 bet returning a profit of $2,500.

The toughest tests posed by The Ocean Course (other than weather) are the sand bunkers and dunes surrounding nearly every putting surface. The South African is 56th on Tour in sand save percentage and third in SG: Around-the-Green.

He tied for 33rd at last year’s PGA Championship ahead of a surprising T-5 finish at the November Masters.

Get some action on the 2021 PGA Championship by signing up and betting at BetMGM. If you’re looking for more sports betting picks and tips, access all of our content at SportsbookWire.com. Please gamble responsibly.

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Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services. Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage. This information is for entertainment purposes only. We make no representations or warranties as to the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of any content.

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