Tag: outright winners

2025 Valspar Championship odds, picks and PGA Tour predictions

Analyzing the golf odds to win the Valspar Championship, with PGA Tour picks, predictions and best bets.

[gambcom-standard rankid=”4141″ ]

The PGA Tour will remain in Florida for one more week before ending this leg of the schedule, capping things off with the 2025 Valspar Championship at Innisbrook Resort’s Copperhead Course in Palm Harbor. The first round begins on Thursday morning.

Below, we look at Valspar Championship odds from BetMGM Sportsbook’s odds and make our PGA Tour picks and predictions.

Xander Schauffele is the highest-ranked player in the field this week, but he’s not the tournament favorite. His odds of +2000 are fourth in the field, behind Tommy Fleetwood at +1200, Justin Thomas (+1400) and Sepp Straka at +1800. Schauffele is still working his way back from injury ahead of the Masters so he’ll be teeing it up at Innisbrook, as he did last year and in 2022.

The Copperhead Course is a par 71 and plays at 7,352 this year. The course was lengthened slightly by moving the tees for the 9th hole to the 11th tee box. It was already a long course, but it’s even more challenging now with this added length. There are 5 par 3s on the scorecard this week, limiting the scoring opportunities for players in the field. The winning score has been between 7-under and 17-under every year since 2010. Peter Malnati (+50000) won last year at 12-under 272.

Valspar Championship – Expert picks

Odds provided by BetMGM Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list. Lines last updated Monday at 6:23 p.m. ET.

Justin Thomas (+1400)

Thomas followed up an opening-round 78 with a second-round 62, a massive 16-shot swing. He faded on the weekend, but he’s still off to a great start this season, ranking 15th in strokes gained: tee-to-green. He finished 13th or better in this event 3 straight years from 2021-23 so his course history at Innisbrook is good, too.

Will Zalatoris (+2800)

Zalatoris seems to play his best when the conditions are toughest, which may not sound accurate after he fell apart on Saturday at Sawgrass. Still, he ranked ninth in SG: approach throughout the week and was even 19th in putting. He just made a few careless mistakes that led to big numbers.

[gambcom-standard rankid=”4132″ ]

Valspar Championship picks – Contenders

Taylor Moore (+4500)

Moore won this event in 2023 and followed it up with a 12th-place finish last year. He ranks 25th on Tour in SG: tee-to-green and actually played well last week at Sawgrass despite an underwhelming 33rd-place finish; he was 22nd in SG: tee-to-green and 13th off the tee.

Lucas Glover (+4500)

With how challenging (and abundant) the par 3s are at Innisbrook, par 3 scoring average is a key stat. Glover ranks third on the PGA Tour in that category, so that should give him an advantage. And he’s coming off a terrific ball-striking week at the Players Championship where he was seventh in SG: tee-to-green.

WATCH: PGA Tour is live on ESPN+! Get ESPN+

Valspar Championship picks – Long shots

Beau Hossler (+8000)

Hossler is good around the greens, which will be important this week given how difficult it’ll be to hit greens in regulation. His track record at Innisbrook is terrible (1 made cut in his last 6 starts), but he’s 15th in par 3 scoring this season and is typically a solid ball striker with a good short game.

Erik van Rooyen (+10000)

van Rooyen has played this event twice, missing the cut once and finishing 10th the other time. He came in ninth at the Cognizant Classic earlier this month and ranks fourth in approaches from 200-plus yards, which is a notable metric this week given the length of the Copperhead Course.

[gambcom-standard rankid=”6305″ ]

Play our free daily Pick’em Challenge and win! Play now!

For more sports betting picks and tips, check out SportsbookWire.com and BetFTW.

Golfweek:

Follow @camdasilva on Twitter/X. Follow SportsbookWire on Twitter/X and like us on Facebook.

[lawrence-newsletter]

[lawrence-auto-related count=3 category=1364]

2025 Players Championship odds, picks and PGA Tour predictions

Analyzing the golf odds to win The Players Championship at TPC Sawgrass, with PGA Tour picks, predictions and best bets.

[gambcom-standard rankid=”4141″ ]

The next big event on the PGA Tour schedule takes place this week with the 2025 Players Championship at TPC Sawgrass. It’s one of the marquee events each year, bringing all of the game’s best players together in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida. Below, we look at The Players Championship odds from BetMGM Sportsbook’s odds and make our PGA Tour picks and predictions.

Scottie Scheffler is seeking to win The Players Championship for the third straight year after becoming the first player to win it in back-to-back seasons. He’s the betting favorite at +500, ahead of the second-favorite, Rory McIlroy (+1000). Collin Morikawa, the runner up at the Arnold Palmer Invitational, has pre-tournament odds of +1400, followed by Ludvig Aberg (+1800). Russell Henley, who won the Palmer on Sunday, opens at +2800.

TPC Sawgrass will play longer this year after 77 yards were added for 2025, according to the PGA Tour. The Pete Dye design is 7,352 yards and plays as a par 72. It’s a challenging layout that requires accuracy off the tee, more so than most other courses because of the angles needed to attack pins in various locations on the greens.

Players Championship – Expert picks

Odds provided by BetMGM Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list. Lines last updated Monday at 7:15 p.m. ET.

Hideki Matsuyama (+2800)

Matsuyama may be flying under the radar a little bit since his win at The Sentry to start the year, and even though he doesn’t have a top 10 since, he’s still playing well and coming off a T-13 in his last start at the Genesis. He also has a great track record here, finishing sixth and fifth in the last 2  Players.

Ludvig Aberg (+1800)

Aberg made his tournament debut last year and came in eighth, showing he didn’t need much time to learn the course. He’s playing even better right now than he was a year ago and could be poised for his second win of the season. His accuracy and high ball flight make him a perfect fit for Sawgrass.

[gambcom-standard rankid=”4132″ ]

Players Championship picks – Contenders

Jason Day (+5000)

Day is ascending at the right time, coming in eighth at the API on Sunday. He hasn’t missed a cut and has 3 top-15 finishes already this season despite being weighed down by some putting struggles (116th in SG: putting). His ball striking is on point and he’s a past champion here, winning in 2016.

Sepp Straka (+4000)

Straka is playing too well to ignore, which is why his odds have shrunk to +4000. It’s reasonable, too. He finished fifth at the Palmer on Sunday with a final-round 69, and he’s played well at Sawgrass in the past (16th in 2024 and ninth in 2022).

WATCH: PGA Tour is live on ESPN+! Get ESPN+

Players Championship picks – Long shots

Denny McCarthy (+8000)

McCarthy fired a final-round 67 to finish 18th at Bay Hill on Sunday, continuing some strong play as of late. That was after also coming in fifth at the Genesis last month. In 5 career starts here, he’s never missed the cut and has a career-best finish of 13th in 2023.

Akshay Bhatia (+10000)

Bhatia struggled on Thursday at Bay Hill, shooting a 9-over 81. He bounced back with a 1-under on Friday but still missed the cut by a lot. He’s playing much better than those scores indicate and his odds shouldn’t be this long at a course where shot shaping is important.

[gambcom-standard rankid=”6305″ ]

Play our free daily Pick’em Challenge and win! Play now!

For more sports betting picks and tips, check out SportsbookWire.com and BetFTW.

Golfweek:

Follow @camdasilva on Twitter/X. Follow SportsbookWire on Twitter/X and like us on Facebook.

[lawrence-newsletter]

[lawrence-auto-related count=3 category=1364]

2025 Arnold Palmer Invitational odds, picks and PGA Tour predictions

Analyzing the golf odds to win the Arnold Palmer Invitational, with PGA Tour picks, predictions and best bets.

[gambcom-standard rankid=”4141″ ]

The PGA Tour has reached the next signature event on the schedule, and it comes just 1 week before the Players Championship. It’s the 2025 Arnold Palmer Invitational at Bay Hill Club and Lodge, a fantastic test for the best golfers in the world. The first round begins on Thursday morning from Orlando.

Below, we look at Arnold Palmer Invitational odds from BetMGM Sportsbook’s odds and make our PGA Tour picks and predictions.

With this being a signature event, the field size is limited to only 72 players. Scottie Scheffler is once again the favorite with pre-tournament odds of +350. Rory McIlroy is +850 to win at Arnie’s place again, with Ludvig Aberg (+1200) and Xander Schauffele (+1800) also vying for the title. Scheffler won last year at 15-under.

Bay Hill is traditionally one of the toughest courses on the schedule, coming in at 7,466 yards and playing as a par 72. It has hosted this event each year since 1979 and is a favorite stop for players on the calendar every season. Water hazards challenge players on several holes, including the iconic 18th hole where the green is protected by water.

Arnold Palmer Invitational – Expert picks

Odds provided by BetMGM Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list. Lines last updated Monday at 4:06 p.m. ET.

Rory McIlroy (+850)

McIlroy has never been shy about how much he loves Bay Hill and his track record shows why he’s such a fan of the course. Since 2017, he’s finished in the top 10 six times, including a win in 2018 and second-place in 2023. He’s a horse for this course and even with 2-time champion Scheffler teeing it up, McIlroy has a great chance to win for the second time this year.

Justin Thomas (+2000)

Thomas returned to Bay Hill in 2023 for the first time since 2015 and he played well both times. He finished 12th last year and 21st in 2023, navigating Arnie’s place like a pro. This is poised to be a big year for Thomas, who has 3 top-10s already this season, including a T-9 at the Genesis Invitational.

[gambcom-standard rankid=”4132″ ]

Arnold Palmer Invitational picks – Contenders

Will Zalatoris (+4000)

Zalatoris finished fourth at this event last year and has made the cut in all 4 starts at Bay Hill – including a 10th-place finish in 2021. He’s a pure ball striker and looks healthy again this year, coming in 26th or better in 3 of 4 starts in 2025.

Keegan Bradley (+5500)

Bradley always has the Arnold Palmer Invitational on his schedule, probably because he’s played so well in it. Since 2016, he’s made the cut every year and finished 10th or 11th in 3 straight years from 2021-23. A signature win leading up to the Ryder Cup would greatly help his chances of making the team as a playing captain.

WATCH: PGA Tour is live on ESPN+! Get ESPN+

Arnold Palmer Invitational picks – Long shots

Matt Fitzpatrick (+6600)

Fitzpatrick has not played well so far this season, but he’s had some close calls at this event in the past. Since 2016, he’s made the cut in 8 of 9 attempts, with 6 top-14 finishes in that span. This could be the week he gets things dialed in before the schedule really ramps up leading into major season.

Akshay Bhatia (+6600)

Bhatia has never played the Arnold Palmer Invitational before, but he’s finished T-32 or better in all 5 starts this season, including T-9 showings in each of his last 2 starts at the Genesis and Mexico Open. It’s a loaded field but it should surprise no one if Bhatia is the guy at the top of the leaderboard on Sunday.

Harris English (+8000)

English’s odds are quite long this week despite A) winning once already this year and B) finishing second here in 2023. He came in 21st last year and has 4 straight top-26 finishes at Bay Hill since 2020.

[gambcom-standard rankid=”6305″ ]

Play our free daily Pick’em Challenge and win! Play now!

For more sports betting picks and tips, check out SportsbookWire.com and BetFTW.

Golfweek:

Follow @camdasilva on Twitter/X. Follow SportsbookWire on Twitter/X and like us on Facebook.

[lawrence-newsletter]

[lawrence-auto-related count=3 category=1364]

2025 WM Phoenix Open odds, picks and PGA Tour predictions

Analyzing the golf odds to win the WM Phoenix Open, with PGA Tour picks, predictions and best bets.

[gambcom-standard rankid=”4141″ ]

Following Rory McIlroy’s win at Pebble Beach on Sunday, the PGA Tour heads to Arizona for the 2025 WM Phoenix Open – a full-field event led by world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler. The party begins on Thursday morning from TPC Scottsdale in Arizona.

Below, we look at WM Phoenix Open odds from BetMGM Sportsbook’s odds and make our PGA Tour picks and predictions.

Scheffler will tee it up for the second consecutive week after finishing T-9 in his season debut at Pebble Beach. He’s the heavy favorite again with pre-tournament odds of +275. Justin Thomas (+1400), Hideki Matsuyama (+1600) and Sungjae Im (+2200) are also in the field, as is defending champion Nick Taylor (+5000).

The Stadium Course at TPC Scottsdale is a par 71 and plays at 7,261 yards, featuring plenty of risk-reward holes that test a player’s aggressiveness throughout the round. Designed by Jay Morrish and Tom Weiskopf, it opened in 1986. The winning score has been between 14-under and 28-under each year since 2010, with Taylor winning at 21-under a year ago.

WM Phoenix Open – Expert picks

Odds provided by BetMGM Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list. Lines last updated Monday at 7:38 p.m. ET.

Tom Kim (+2800)

He might play slow, but Kim is playing well right now, coming off a T-7 at Pebble Beach where he was squarely in contention on Sunday. Despite struggling with his approach shots (35th in SG: approach), he ranked ninth in SG: tee-to-green and ninth in putting, so he put together a strong week. He now heads to Scottsdale where he finished 17th last year.

Hideki Matsuyama (+1600)

Matsuyama won this event in back-to-back years in 2016 and 2017, but those weren’t his only strong finishes in Scottsdale. Excluding a WD in 2018, he has finished 29th or better in 7 of 8 starts in this event since 2016, including 3 top-10 finishes and 5 top 25s. He already won The Sentry this year and could make it 2 early victories in 2025 this week.

[gambcom-standard rankid=”4132″ ]

WM Phoenix Open picks – Contenders

Sahith Theegala (+4500)

Theegala came heartbreakingly close to winning this event in his debut in 2022, finishing third that year. He followed it up with a 39th-place finish in 2023 and a fifth-place showing last year, so his track record at the Stadium Course is excellent. This is the perfect venue for him to get back on track, using the energy from the crowd to get going after 4 straight finishes outside the top 30.

Si Woo Kim (+5500)

Kim surged on Sunday at Pebble Beach with a final-round 67 to finish 12th, bouncing back from a missed cut at Torrey Pines. Though he struggled at TPC Scottsdale earlier in his career, he’s finished 26th, 23rd and 12th in 3 consecutive years here, so he’s beginning to figure it out.

WATCH: PGA Tour is live on ESPN+! Get ESPN+

WM Phoenix Open picks – Long shots

Charley Hoffman (+8000)

Hoffman is known for his WM sponsorship so it should come as no surprise that he typically plays well here. He was the runner-up last year after coming in 14th in 2023, making the cut in 13 of his 18 trips here during his career. He just finished 25th at the Farmers Insurance Open after tying for fifth at PGA West in The American Express, going 3-for-3 in cuts made this year.

Adam Hadwin (+17500)

Hadwin’s odds are just too long to pass up at this number. He’s made the cut 8 times in the 10 times at the WM Phoenix Open, with 3 top-25 finishes. He finished 10th as recently as 2023 prior to missing the cut last year.

[gambcom-standard rankid=”6305″ ]

Play our free daily Pick’em Challenge and win! Play now!

For more sports betting picks and tips, check out SportsbookWire.com and BetFTW.

Golfweek:

Follow @camdasilva on Twitter/X. Follow SportsbookWire on Twitter/X and like us on Facebook.

[lawrence-newsletter]

[lawrence-auto-related count=3 category=1364]

2025 AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am odds, picks and PGA Tour predictions

Analyzing the golf odds to win the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am, with PGA Tour picks, predictions and best bets.

[gambcom-standard rankid=”4141″ ]

The second signature event of the year takes place this week with the 2025 AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am. It will be hosted at the iconic Pebble Beach Golf Links, with players also teeing it up at Spyglass Hill Golf Course. The first round begins on Thursday morning.

Below, we look at AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am odds from BetMGM Sportsbook’s odds and make our PGA Tour picks and predictions.

World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler will make his 2025 debut after missing almost a month with a hand injury suffered at home on Christmas. He’s the favorite to win this week at +500, with Rory McIlroy and Collin Morikawa (+1200) tied as the second favorites. Last year’s champion, Wyndham Clark, is back to defend his title with pre-tournament odds of +4500. As a signature event, the field is limited to 80 players and there is no cut.

Pebble Beach and Spyglass Hill are both challenging courses, with Pebble featuring exceptionally small greens. They’re both par 72 courses and not terribly long, with Pebble playing 6,972 yards and Spyglass at 7,041 yards. The winning score has been between 11-under and 22-under each year since 2010, with Clark’s winning score last year being 17-under after the final round was canceled due to inclement weather.

AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am – Expert picks

Odds provided by BetMGM Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list. Lines last updated Monday at 12:46 p.m. ET.

Patrick Cantlay (+1800)

Cantlay has a strong track record in this event, even going back to when it was a full-field tournament. In his last 4 starts, he’s finished 11th twice, as well as third and fourth. He’s also in great form, coming in 15th at the Sentry and fifth at the American Express. This is a perfect spot to back Cantlay.

Jason Day (+3300)

Day had an up-and-down week at Torrey Pines, opening with a 74 and closing with a 76, with rounds of 69 and 70 in the middle. He ground it out in tough conditions, which is encouraging heading to Pebble Beach where he’s played well in the past. He tied for sixth last year and hasn’t finished worse than 24th in his last 4 starts here.

[gambcom-standard rankid=”4132″ ]

AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am picks – Contenders

Maverick McNealy (+5000)

McNealy tumbled down the leaderboard on Saturday at Torrey Pines with a final round of 77, dropping him to 52nd. He was playing relatively well before then, however. He now heads to Pebble where he came in 39th last year after finishing fifth in 2020, second in 2021 and 33rd in 2022.

Beau Hossler (+5500)

Hossler sustained the difficult conditions at Torrey last week, firing a 1-under on Saturday to finish T-15, his second straight top-15 this season. He’s had 3  straight top-14 finishes at Pebble Beach, coming in 14th last year, 11th the year prior and third in 2022.

WATCH: PGA Tour is live on ESPN+! Get ESPN+

AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am picks – Long shots

Mark Hubbard (+10000)

Hubbard has made the cut in each of his first 3 starts this season, with a pair of top-25 finishes already after posting 7 such finishes in 2024. He’s improved each year at Pebble Beach since 2020, coming in 55th, 33rd, 20th and fourth in the last 4 years. His odds should be shorter than +10000.

Justin Rose (+15000)

Rose made his season debut last week at Torrey Pines and missed the cut, but only because he shot 80 in windy conditions on Thursday. Few players have performed as well as Rose has in this event. He won in 2023 and followed it up with a T-11 last year. He also tied for sixth in his debut in 2016.

[gambcom-standard rankid=”6305″ ]

Play our free daily Pick’em Challenge and win! Play now!

For more sports betting picks and tips, check out SportsbookWire.com and BetFTW.

Golfweek:

Follow @camdasilva on Twitter/X. Follow SportsbookWire on Twitter/X and like us on Facebook.

[lawrence-newsletter]

[lawrence-auto-related count=3 category=1364]

2025 Farmers Insurance Open odds, picks and PGA Tour predictions

Analyzing the golf odds to win the Farmers Insurance Open, with PGA Tour picks, predictions and best bets.

[gambcom-standard rankid=”4141″ ]

The California Swing continues this week with the 2025 Farmers Insurance Open, which begins on Wednesday morning, one day earlier than usual. Torrey Pines Golf Course in La Jolla, California, will once again host this iconic event, with the field playing both the North and South courses in the first 2 days, and the South course for the final 2 rounds.

Below, we look at Farmers Insurance Open odds from BetMGM Sportsbook’s odds and make our PGA Tour picks and predictions.

Collin Morikawa and Xander Schauffele withdrew over the weekend, leaving Ludvig Aberg (+1000) and Hideki Matsuyama (+1100) as the top players in the field and the favorites to win. Sungjae Im, Keegan Bradley, Tony Finau and Will Zalatoris are also teeing it up this week.

The North and South courses are both challenging, but it’s the South that will really test players. It’s 7,765 yards long compared to the 7,258-yard North course, and both will play as par 72 on the scorecard. With the length of the South course, distance off the tee will give players a big advantage. Even for the longest hitters, it’s a challenging week, with the winning score being between 6-under and 21-under since 2010. Matthieu Pavon won at 13-under 275 last year. He’s at +9000 to repeat.

WATCH: PGA Tour is live on ESPN+! Get ESPN+

Farmers Insurance Open – Expert picks

Odds provided by BetMGM Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list. Lines last updated Monday at 3:46 p.m. ET.

Jason Day (+2500)

It’s hard not to like Day every time he tees it up at Torrey. Despite missing the cut last year, he finished seventh in 2023, third in 2022 and was the champion in 2018. Since wininng, he has 4 top-10 finishes and 5 top-20s at this event.

Will Zalatoris (+2200)

This is a great fit for Zalatoris, who has finished 13th, second and seventh in 3 of his 4 starts at Torrey Pines; he did miss the cut in 2023. He looks healthy and improved already this season, posting finishes of T-26 and T-12 in his 2 starts so far.

[gambcom-standard rankid=”4132″ ]

Farmers Insurance Open picks – Contenders

J.J. Spaun (+5500)

Spaun is off to a hot start this season, finishing T-3 at the Sony Open and T-21 in the American Express last week. This is a ball-striker’s course and Spaun ranks 14th in strokes gained: tee-to-green this season. He doesn’t have a good track record here, missing the cut 4 times since 2017, but he did finish ninth in his debut 8 years ago and 23rd in 2018.

Taylor Pendrith (+3300)

Pendrith has the length to win at Torrey and he’s used it to climb the leaderboard in recent years. He finished ninth last year and 16th in 2022, sandwiching a 60th-place showing in 2023. He ranks 30th in SG: tee-to-green this season.

Farmers Insurance Open picks – Long shots

Ryo Hisatsune (+15000)

Hisatsune finished 33rd in his debut here last year and though he hasn’t cracked the top-40 yet this season, he played well at The American Express last week and ranks 48th in SG: tee-to-green – climbing 13 spots with his performance at PGA West.

Ryan Palmer (+40000)

Palmer is an ultra-long shot but he may have found some form last week at PGA West where he finished T-34 despite fading on Sunday with a final-round 73 that dropped him down the leaderboard. He’s been the runner-up here twice in the last 6 times he’s played this event (2018, 2021), and also has 3 other top-25 finishes at Torrey.

[gambcom-standard rankid=”6305″ ]

Play our free daily Pick’em Challenge and win! Play now!

For more sports betting picks and tips, check out SportsbookWire.com and BetFTW.

Golfweek:

Follow @camdasilva on Twitter/X. Follow SportsbookWire on Twitter/X and like us on Facebook.

[lawrence-newsletter]

[lawrence-auto-related count=3 category=1364]

2025 The American Express odds, picks and PGA Tour predictions

Analyzing the golf odds to win The American Express, with PGA Tour picks, predictions and best bets.

[gambcom-standard rankid=”4141″ ]

After two weeks in Hawaii, the PGA Tour moves to its West Coast swing. The American Express will take place this week at PGA West in La Quinta, Calif., the second full-field event of the season. Below, we look at The American Express odds from BetMGM Sportsbook’s odds and make our PGA Tour picks and predictions.

Nick Dunlap (+4500) is back to defend his title at The American Express after winning it as an amateur last year, 1 of 2 victories by the rookie in 2024. He’ll have to contend with a strong field led by Xander Schauffele (+800),  Sungjae Im (+1400), Justin Thomas (+1600) and Patrick Cantlay (+1600).

PGA West is once again hosting this event, which will be played at 3 courses: The Pete Dye Stadium Course, La Quinta Country Club and the Nicklaus Tournament Course. The Stadium Course will be the site of the final round after the field is trimmed following a 54-hole cut. All 3 courses are par 72, with the Stadium Course being the longest at 7,210 yards. This event has had a winning score between 20-under and 29-under each year since 2012. Dunlap won last year at 29-under 259.

The American Express – Expert picks

Odds provided by BetMGM Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list. Lines last updated Monday at 2:41 p.m. ET.

Sungjae Im (+1400)

Im must love PGA West because he always plays well here. In his six starts since 2019, he’s finished no worse than 25th, with 4 finishes between 10th and 12th. He’s a perfect fit for this event because of his ability to rack up birdies in bunches given the easy scoring conditions. He’s fresh off a third-place finish in The Sentry to start the year, too.

Sam Burns (+1800)

Burns has played this event 5 times and only missed the cut once. In the other 4 appearances, he’s finished sixth, 11th, sixth and 18th. His track record at PGA West is among the best of any player in the field and just finished 8th at The Sentry against a strong field.

[gambcom-standard rankid=”4132″ ]

The American Express picks – Contenders

Brian Harman (+5000)

Harman was in contention last week at the Sony Open after rounds of 66, 67, and 66 on the first 3 days, but he faded on Sunday with a final-round 71. Still, he finished T-21, which is a respectable showing in the first full-field event of the year. Though he skipped The American Express last year and missed the cut in 2023, he came in eighth in 2021 and third in 2022, along with a third-place finish in 2017.

Patrick Fishburn (+5500)

This could be a breakout year for the 32-year-old Fishburn. He got steadily better in the fall and had 2 top-12 finishes in his last 2 events before coming in sixth last week at the Sony Open in Hawaii. He missed the cut in his event last year, but we’re taking him for his recent form, not course history.

WATCH: PGA Tour is live on ESPN+! Get ESPN+

The American Express picks – Long shots

Adam Hadwin (+8000)

Hadwin has only missed this event once since 2015 and that was in 2020. In 9 career starts here, he’s had 7 top-25 finishes;  he was the runner-up twice and has 5 top 10s. Just last year, he tied for sixth. He hasn’t shot a round over 69 here since 2022.

Andrew Putnam (+8000)

Putnam turned in a T-30 at the Sony Open last week, which was a good start to the year for him. In this tournament, he’s never missed the cut in 7 starts, with his best finish being a 10th-place showing in 2020.

[gambcom-standard rankid=”6305″ ]

Play our free daily Pick’em Challenge and win! Play now!

For more sports betting picks and tips, check out SportsbookWire.com and BetFTW.

Golfweek:

Follow @camdasilva on Twitter/X. Follow SportsbookWire on Twitter/X and like us on Facebook.

[lawrence-newsletter]

[lawrence-auto-related count=3 category=1364]

2025 Sony Open odds, picks and PGA Tour predictions

Analyzing the golf odds to win the 2025 Sony Open, with PGA Tour picks, predictions and best bets.

[gambcom-standard rankid=”4141″ ]

The PGA Tour will remain in Hawaii for another week for the 2025 Sony Open, which is played at Waialae Country Club in Honolulu. The first round of this full-field event begins on Thursday morning from the island of Oahu and continues through Sunday.

Below, we look at Sony Open odds from BetMGM Sportsbook’s PGA Tour odds and make our PGA Tour picks and predictions.

After winning The Sentry on Sunday with a PGA Tour scoring record of 35-under par, Hideki Matsuyama will tee it up again this week in Oahu. He’s the favorite with pre-tournament odds of +900, ahead of Corey Conners (1600), Tom Kim (+1800) and Russell Henley (2000). Matsuyama is a former champion here, winning in 2022.

Waialae Country Club differs greatly from the Plantation Course at Kapalua where The Sentry was played. This is a tree-lined course with narrow fairways and doglegs, requiring players to be accurate off the tee. It’s only 7,044 yards and plays as a par 70, featuring 83 bunkers spread throughout the property.

Sony Open – Expert picks

Odds provided by BetMGM Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list of PGA Tour odds. Lines last updated Monday at 6:15 p.m. ET.

Byeong Hun An (+2200)

An was the runner-up here last year after also finishing T-12 in 2023, so he’s had success in this event despite only playing it twice in his career. He didn’t have the best showing at Kapalua last week where he finished T-32 out of 58 players, but simply playing the first Hawaii event of the year will help him this week.

WATCH: PGA Tour is live on ESPN+! Get ESPN+

Russell Henley (+2000)

At a course that emphasizes accuracy off the tee. Henley is a perfect fit. It’s why he’s finished in the top 32 in each of the last 4 years, including a fourth-place last year and runner-up in 2022. He also played The Sentry, which typically benefits players in the Sony Open.

Keegan Bradley (+2500)

Bradley and his new mustache finished T-15 at The Sentry last week and he’ll try to have another strong showing at Waialae where he’s had success in the past. He lost in a playoff last year and tied for 12th in 2022 and 2020, missing the cut in 2023 and 2021.

[gambcom-standard rankid=”4132″ ]

Sony Open picks – Contenders

Chris Kirk (+5000)

Kirk has quietly played some good golf in Hawaii, winning The Sentry last year and finishing 27th or better in each of the last 4 editions of the Sony Open. He’s had second- and third-place finishes in the last 4 years. He’ll try to get on track after a disappointing T-44 last week.

Tom Hoge (+5500)

Hoge fired an opening-round 64 at The Sentry last week before shooting 68-68-69 in the final 3 rounds to fade down the leaderboard, but he still came in eighth. Though he’s missed the cut in 3 of the last 4 years here, he does have finishes of third and 12th since 2018.

Sony Open picks – Long shots

Patton Kizzire (+15000)

Kizzire has played this tournament every year since 2018, which was the year he won it. He’s only missed the cut once in that span, notching 3 other top-13 finishes in addition to that win.

Nick Taylor (+10000)

Taylor is a regular at this event and he’s really figured out how to navigate Waialae over the years. In his last 3 starts here, he’s recorded 3 straight top-11 performances (11th and seventh twice).

[gambcom-standard rankid=”6305″ ]

Play our free daily Pick’em Challenge and win! Play now!

For more sports betting picks and tips, check out SportsbookWire.com and BetFTW.

Golfweek:

Follow @camdasilva on Twitter/X. Follow SportsbookWire on Twitter/X and like us on Facebook.

[lawrence-newsletter]

[lawrence-auto-related count=3 category=1364]

2025 The Sentry odds, picks and PGA Tour predictions

Analyzing the golf odds to win the 2025 The Sentry, with PGA Tour picks, predictions and best bets.

[gambcom-standard rankid=”4141″ ]

The 2025 PGA Tour season kicks off this week with The Sentry, the first event of the new calendar. It’s once again being held at the Plantation Course at Kapalua on Maui, opening the season in beautiful Hawaii. The first round begins on Thursday.

Below, we look at The Sentry odds from BetMGM Sportsbook’s PGA Tour odds and make our PGA Tour picks and predictions.

It’s an exclusive field at The Sentry, with only 60 players making up the list of competitors in Hawaii. It’s comprised of winners from last season, as well as the top 50 in the 2024 FedExCup standings. Scottie Scheffler is notably absent due to a recent hand injury suffered on Christmas, which required surgery and will sideline him 4-5 weeks. Xander Schauffele, Justin Thomas, Collin Morikawa and Ludvig Aberg are among the other stars teeing it up.

The Plantation Course is a par 73, the only such course on the PGA Tour schedule, and plays at 7,596 yards long. There are huge elevation changes throughout this venue, with steep drop-offs from tee to green on several holes. It’s why some of the longest drives of the year are often hit here. The event has been played at the Plantation Course since 1999, with the winning score being 20-under or better in 12 of the last 15 years. Chris Kirk won last year at 29-under 263.

The Sentry – Expert picks

Odds provided by BetMGM Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list of PGA Tour odds. Lines last updated Monday at 3:37 p.m. ET.

Collin Morikawa (+1100)

With it being the first event of the year, we don’t have much recent form to go off of. That’s the case for Morikawa, who hasn’t played since the ZOZO in late October. Instead, we’ll look at his course history, which is unbelievably good at Kapalua. He’s finished T-7 or better in each of his 5 career starts at The Sentry, including a second-place finish in 2023 when he blew a 7-shot final-round lead to Jon Rahm. He’s bound to win this event at some point in his career.

WATCH: PGA Tour is live on ESPN+! Get ESPN+

Sungjae Im (+1800)

Im should always be a popular pick at courses where birdies come in bunches, as they do at Kapalua. He’s finished fifth, eighth, 13th and fifh in 4 career starts here. He could be in better form than other players, too, considering he played in the Hero World Challenge earlier this month and finished T-9.

Justin Thomas (+1000)

Thomas loves the Plantation Course. Or at least, his scores suggest he does. Since 2016, he’s only finished outside the top 5 three times, which was in 2023 (25th), 2018 (22nd) and 2016 (21st). He excels at this venue, using his shot-shaping ability to hit the necessary approaches into Kapalua’s big greens.

[gambcom-standard rankid=”4132″ ]

The Sentry picks – Contenders

Matt Fitzpatrick (+5000)

Fitzpatrick’s odds are simply too long for a player of his caliber. He’s plenty long off the tee and his approach play is among the best in the world when he’s on. In 2 appearances at The Sentry in the last 2 years he’s finished T-7 and T-14.

J.T. Poston (+4000)

Poston has played this event 3 times in his career, finishing 11th in his debut in 2020, 21st in 2023 and fifth last year. With how good he is as a putter, he can contend anywhere, and his shorter length off the tee won’t be as much of a disadvantage this week with how far the ball is going to roll out on some of the downhill holes.

The Sentry picks – Long shots

Cam Davis (+10000)

This just feels like an event Davis can win with his sporadic tee shots on a course where inaccuracy with the driver isn’t as penalizing. If he can dial in his wedges and putt better than he has in the past, he’ll have a real shot this week. He finished T-10 in 2022 before coming in T-52 last year, his only 2 appearances at The Sentry.

Nico Echavarria (+10000)

Echavarria just won the ZOZO Championship in October against a strong field and he’ll try to stun the world’s best again this week at Kapalua. In his tournament debut last year, he finished T-25, so he should be more comfortable than he was in his first start a year ago.

[gambcom-standard rankid=”6305″ ]

Play our free daily Pick’em Challenge and win! Play now!

For more sports betting picks and tips, check out SportsbookWire.com and BetFTW.

Golfweek:

Follow @camdasilva on Twitter/X. Follow SportsbookWire on Twitter/X and like us on Facebook.

[lawrence-newsletter]

[lawrence-auto-related count=3 category=1364]

2024 Grant Thornton Invitational odds, picks and PGA Tour predictions

Analyzing the golf odds to win the 2024 Grant Thornton Invitational, with PGA Tour picks, predictions and best bets.

[gambcom-standard rankid=”4141″ ]

It’ll be another limited field in this week’s featured event, the 2024 Grant Thornton Invitational, which is a special mixed-team event at Tiburon Golf Club in Naples, Fla. The first of 3 rounds begins on Friday, with the tournament concluding on Sunday.

Below, we look at Grant Thornton Invitational odds from BetMGM Sportsbook’s PGA Tour odds and make our PGA Tour picks and predictions.

There are only 16 teams competing in this week’s event, each of which has a PGA Tour and LPGA Tour player on it. The first round is a scramble and the second round is alternate shot, with the tournament concluding on Sunday with a round of modified fourball. Among the notable teams competing are Tony Finau and Nelly Korda, Jason Day and Lydia Ko, and Rickie Fowler and Lexi Thompson.

Day and Ko won the event last year, the inaugural playing of this tournament, with a 54-hole score of 190. The course will play as a par 72 for both the men and women, but it’ll be 7,382 yards for the men and 6,788 yards for the women.

WATCH: PGA Tour is live on ESPN+! Get ESPN+

Grant Thornton Invitational – Expert pick

Odds provided by BetMGM Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list of PGA Tour odds. Lines last updated Monday at 7:26 p.m. ET.

Tom Kim/Jeeno Thitikul (+550)

Kim lit it up on the weekend at the Hero World Challenge, finishing second behind Scottie Scheffler thanks to rounds of 62 and 68. Thitikul just won at Tiburon last month when she took home the CME Group Tour Championship, so she should be familiar with this layout. And with Kim’s accuracy off the tee, they shouldn’t be in trouble much.

[gambcom-standard rankid=”4132″ ]

Grant Thornton Invitational picks – Contender

Akshay Bhatia/Jennifer Kupcho (+1200)

Bhatia looked great at the Hero World Challenge, finishing fourth with a score of 15-under par. He’s a long hitter who should set their team up with good looks into the greens, especially in alternate shot formats. Kupcho didn’t win this season, but she had 6 top-10s in 26 starts.

J.T. Poston/Maja Stark (+1600)

Oftentimes, team events come down to who makes the most putts and Poston is one of the best putters on tour. Stark has finished top-3 in 3 events this season.

[gambcom-standard rankid=”6305″ ]

Play our free daily Pick’em Challenge and win! Play now!

For more sports betting picks and tips, check out SportsbookWire.com and BetFTW.

Golfweek:

Follow @camdasilva on Twitter/X. Follow SportsbookWire on Twitter/X and like us on Facebook.

[lawrence-newsletter]

[lawrence-auto-related count=3 category=1364]