The Match 8 odds, predictions and golf picks for Curry-Thompson vs. Mahomes-Kelce

Analyzing the odds for The Match 8 between Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson vs. Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce.

The 8th edition of “The Match” will be played Thursday night from the Wynn Golf Club in Las Vegas, pitting 2 NFL stars against 2 NBA champions. Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce of the Kansas City Chiefs will take on Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson of the Golden State Warriors in a 12-hole scramble.

Typically, there’s a PGA Tour player who tees it up with a celebrity or athlete, but this year’s match will be a battle between 4 amateur golfers with championship pedigree in their respective sports.

The Match will begin at 6:30 p.m. ET and will be televised on TNT.

Below, we list the best wagers to make for Thursday’s event, adding to SportsbookWire’s best golf picks and predictions.

[gambcom-standard rankid=”3011″ ]

[gambcom-standard rankid=”3012″ ]

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

The Match 8 odds to win

Odds provided by DraftKings Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a slate of events. Lines last updated Wednesday at 2 p.m. ET.

Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson: -230 (bet $230 to win $100)

Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce: +195 (bet $100 to win $195)

The Match 8 prop bets

Team to lead first: Curry/Thompson (-150)

All four of these guys have played on the biggest stages. However, there will absolutely be plenty of 1st-tee jitters among all of them – except for maybe Curry. He’s by far the best golfer of the bunch and has played Korn Ferry Tour events before, so he knows all about the nerves a golf tournament brings.

It might only take a par on the 1st hole to grab an early lead for Curry and Thompson if Mahomes and Kelce can’t settle their nerves on the opening tee.

Most par-3 winners: Curry/Thompson (-145)

There are probably going to be a bunch of par winners on the par 3s because it only takes 1 good tee shot by each team to 2-putt for a 3. But with the par 3s at Wynn requiring mid-to-long iron shots, Curry will have the edge.

There’s a good chance Mahomes and Kelce will both miss the green on at least 1 or 2 of the par 3s, and it’s reasonable to think Curry can hit all of them.

The Match 8 picks and predictions

The scramble format definitely levels the playing field for all 4 players. In an alternate shot format, the weaker player can get exposed – badly. But in a scramble, mishits by either player won’t be costly if their partner can pick them up with a quality shot.

I expect Curry to carry his team, particularly when it comes to approaches into the greens. When he and Thompson have makeable birdie looks, the edge goes to Team Warriors. If Curry can get a good look at the read from his partner on the 1st putt, he’s going to make at least a few mid-range putts.

The odds are juiced, but I definitely like CURRY and THOMPSON (-230) to win.

[gambcom-standard rankid=”5″ ]

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. Follow SportsbookWire on Twitter and like us on Facebook.

[lawrence-newsletter]

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

2023 Rocket Mortgage Classic prop bet picks and PGA Tour predictions

Analyzing the odds for the 2023 Rocket Mortgage Classic with PGA Tour picks and predictions for the top prop bets.

The 2023 Rocket Mortgage Classic is being held at Detroit Golf Club once again, the 5th edition of the tournament. The 1st round will begin on Thursday morning as Tony Finau looks to defend his title.

Below, we search for the best value prop bets among the 2023 Rocket Mortgage Classic odds and make our PGA Tour picks and predictions.

Finau is No. 6 in this week’s Golfweek/Sagarin rankings, making him the highest-ranked player in the field in Detroit. Rickie Fowler, the tournament co-favorite with Finau (+1200), is ranked 9th. With this only being the 5th edition of the Rocket Mortgage Classic, there’s not a lot of course or tournament history, but Finau, Cam Davis and Nate Lashley are all past winners who will compete this week.

Detroit Golf Club is a par 72 and 7,370 yards, considerably longer than last week’s Travelers Championship at TPC River Highlands, which was only 6,841 yards. Detroit Golf Club is the flattest course on the PGA Tour schedule and is a traditional tree-lined venue without much trouble. Hence, the winning score of 26-under from Finau last year.

[gambcom-standard rankid=”3011″ ]

[gambcom-standard rankid=”3012″ ]

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

Rocket Mortgage Classic – Top-5 picks

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

Sungjae Im (+350)

Im played relatively well at the Travelers Championship last week after missing the cut in 3 of his previous 4 events. I love his chances this week with birdies coming in bunches, typically the style of tournament Im excels in.

Tom Kim (+400)

Kim had two excellent rounds at the Travelers last week, shooting 64 and 65 in the 2nd and 4th rounds. He’s still not in perfect form, but the youngster is playing well enough to contend this week after finishing 7th here last year.

Rocket Mortgage Classic – Top-10 picks

Cam Davis (+275)

Davis won here in 2021 and came back with a T-14 last year, showing Detroit Golf Club is a good fit for his game. He’s been hot and cold this season but he’s coming off a final-round 63 at the Travelers so perhaps he can carry some of that momentum into this week.

Rickie Fowler (+125)

Fowler is due for a win. I don’t know if he gets there this week as the favorite, but I like him for another top 10, which would be his 8th of the season already. He’s playing some of his best golf right now no matter the course.

Austin Eckroat (+375)

Eckroat backed up his top 10 at the U.S. Open with a T-24 at the Travelers Championship last week, continuing some stellar play from the rookie. He already has 3 top 10s and 6 top 25s this season.

Other T10 contenders (in order from longest odds to shortest):

  • Ludvig Aberg (+333)
  • Max Homa (+170)

Rocket Mortgage Classic – Top-20 picks

Ludvig Aberg (+150)

We’re going back to Aberg again this week. This is his 3rd start as a PGA Tour pro after notching 2 top-25s in his first 2 starts. No course is too long or tricky for this budding star and he’s going to break through with a win sooner rather than later. For now, I’ll take him again for a top 20.

Nate Lashley (+350)

We’re betting on course history with this pick. Lashley won here in the first edition of the tournament in 2019 and while he’s only made the cut once since then, he has 3 top-30s in his last 5 starts overall this year.

Justin Suh (+275)

Suh is a cut-maker and with 6 top-25s this season, he’s also been in contention. He has finishes of T-16, T-26 and T-27 in his last 5 starts, continuing to play well this year.

Rocket Mortgage Classic – Matchups

Suggested play is golfer in bold.

Cam Davis (+115) vs. Keegan Bradley (-145)

Bradley came up with an emotional win at the Travelers Championship last week and he may not be 100% focused in Detroit as a result. It’s perfectly understandable, too. There are many celebrations to be had. I’ll go with the guy who has won here before at plus-money.

Tom Kim (+105) vs. Hideki Matsuyama (-130)

Matsuyama has been so steady as of late, finishing between 13th and 32nd in his last 5 starts. However, I think Kim has more upside this week, especially after finishing 7th here a year ago.

Austin Eckroat (-105) vs. Alex Smalley (-120)

Both Eckroat and Smalley are playing well right now but Eckroat hasn’t finished worse than 30th in his last 5 starts, while Smalley has 1 missed cut and a 40th-place finish in his last 5.

Rocket Mortgage Classic – Top Swedish

Ludvig Aberg (+150)

Alex Noren and Vincent Norrman are the two Swedes with the best odds after Aberg, with Henrik Norlander and David Lingmerth also in the field. Aberg looks more than comfortable as a pro so I’ll take him to beat out these 4 other players.

Rocket Mortgage Classic – Top Australian

Cam Davis (-150)

It might be a little risky to bet Davis, who’s missed the cut twice here, at -150, but there isn’t a lot of competition here. Aaron Baddeley is the 2nd-favorite at +300 so it might only take a made cut for Davis to cash this bet.

Rocket Mortgage Classic – First-round leader

Max Homa (+3300)

Homa is 6th on tour in 1st-round scoring average this season and has played well here in the past, finishing 24th and 25th the last 2 years.

Sungjae Im (+3300)

Im is 22nd in 1st-round scoring average and already has a top-10 and top-25 on this course.

More expert prop bet predictions

Group B winner: Tom Kim (+333)

Kim gets Matsuyama (+280), Homa (+280), Bradley (+400) and Davis (+500) in this group, making him the 3rd-favorite. Though he hasn’t won here like Davis, I think he’ll contend this week and beat out the other 4.

[gambcom-standard rankid=”5″ ]

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. Follow SportsbookWire on Twitter and like us on Facebook.

[lawrence-newsletter]

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

2023 Rocket Mortgage Classic odds, picks and PGA Tour predictions

Analyzing the golf odds to win the 2023 Rocket Mortgage Classic, with PGA Tour picks, predictions and best bets.

It may not be a designated event like last week’s Travelers Championship, but the 2023 Rocket Mortgage Classic in Detroit will feature its strongest field ever this week. The 1st round at Detroit Golf Club begins Thursday morning

Below, we look at the 2023 Rocket Mortgage Classic odds and make our PGA Tour picks and predictions.

This is just the 5th year of the Rocket Mortgage Classic since it was added to the PGA Tour schedule in 2019. Nate Lashley won the 1st edition of it, followed by Bryson DeChambeau, Cameron Davis and Tony Finau. In addition to Finau, Max Homa, Justin Thomas, Collin Morikawa, Sungjae Im and Tom Kim are all teeing it up in Detroit.

Detroit Golf Club will play significantly longer than TPC River Highlands did last week, coming in at 7,370 yards as a par 72 course. The club features a pair of 18-hole courses, but the majority of the tournament will be played on the North Course, with just 1 hole coming on the South Course, according to the PGA Tour. It’s a tree-lined venue that ranks as the flattest course on the PGA Tour calendar, without much in the way of hazards, either. Finau holds the 72-hole scoring record of 262, set in 2022.

[gambcom-standard rankid=”3011″ ]

[gambcom-standard rankid=”3012″ ]

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

Rocket Mortgage Classic – 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 1:15 p.m. ET.

Sungjae Im (+1800)

Im has been a bit off for the last 6 weeks or so, finishing no better than T-29 in his last 5 starts, including 3 missed cuts. However, he appeared to regain some form at the Travelers Championship, a birdie fest similar to the one we’ll see this week in Detroit. This event fits Im perfectly, finishing in the top 21 in 2 of his 3 starts here – including a T-8 two years ago.

Tom Kim (+2000)

Kim looked uncertain at times during the Travelers Championship and absolutely dialed in at others. He tied for 38th after finishing 8th at the U.S. Open, firing rounds of 64 and 65 on Friday and Sunday to stay in contention. He came in 7th here last year so the course obviously suits his eye pretty well.

Cam Davis (+3300)

Davis fired a final round 63 at the Travelers to tie for 33rd, a nice bounce-back from 3 straight missed cuts. He now comes to an event that he won in 2021 and tied for 14th last year. He’s been excellent off the tee this season (9th in strokes gained), which should give him an edge this week, but he needs to dial in his irons.

Rocket Mortgage Classic picks – Contenders

Ludvig Aberg (+5000)

I’ll keep betting Aberg as long as he keeps playing the way he has. He already has 3 top-25 finishes in 4 starts this season, going T-25 and T-24 in his first 2 events as a pro. He has a complete game from tee to green, with his only real weakness being his play around the greens. I expect him to have another good week in Detroit.

Austin Eckroat (+6600)

Eckroat has made the cut in 7 straight starts this season and is currently playing some of his best golf after tying for 10th at the U.S. Open and 24th at the Travelers last week. With 3 top-10s and 1 runner-up already this season, Eckroat could be in line for his 1st victory.

Rocket Mortgage Classic picks – Long shots

Nate Lashley (+9000)

Lashley won the 1st edition of the Rocket Mortgage Classic in 2019. He’s been somewhat of a mixed bag lately, with 2 missed cuts and a 17th-place finish in his last 3 starts, but he knows this course well.

[gambcom-standard rankid=”5″ ]

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. Follow SportsbookWire on Twitter and like us on Facebook.

[lawrence-newsletter]

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

2023 Travelers Championship prop bet picks and PGA Tour predictions

Analyzing the odds for the 2023 Travelers Championship with PGA Tour picks and predictions for the top prop bets.

The PGA Tour is heading across the country from Los Angeles to Cromwell, Conn., for the 2023 Travelers Championship this week, the next designated event on the 2023 schedule. Many of the top players in the world, including Scottie Scheffler and Jon Rahm, will take on TPC River Highlands in this always-popular event on the East Coast.

Below, we search for the best value prop bets among the 2023 Travelers Championship odds and make our PGA Tour picks and predictions.

While Scheffler is the World No. 1, Rahm comes into this event as the top player in the latest Golfweek/Sagarin rankings. He’s followed by Scheffler, Xander Schauffele, Patrick Cantlay and Rory McIlroy, all of whom are teeing it up this week. Schauffele won by 2 shots over J.T. Poston and Sahith Theegala last year so he’ll be looking to defend his title.

TPC River Highlands is a shorter course, playing just 6,852 yards as a par 70. The course was renovated before the 2016 Travelers Championship, with bunkers, greens and some greens being redesigned to make the course a bit tougher. It’s not a venue that bombers can fully take advantage of, instead emphasizing iron play and positioning off the tee.

[gambcom-standard rankid=”3011″ ]

[gambcom-standard rankid=”3012″ ]

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

Travelers Championship – Top-5 picks

Odds provided by BetMGM Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list. Lines last updated Wednesday at 10:55 a.m. ET.

Rory McIlroy (+200)

McIlroy has an impressive history here, finishing in the top 20 in all 4 of his starts since 2017. He’s coming off a runner-up showing at the U.S. Open and gets a much easier layout this week at TPC River Highlands compared to Los Angeles Country Club. I could see him winning this week, but the safer bet is a 2nd straight top 5 and 5th consecutive top 10 this season.

Xander Schauffele (+280)

Schauffele is looking for back-to-back wins in Cromwell at a tournament where he’s finished in the top 20 three times in his last 4 trips. He tied for 10th at the U.S. Open, but was in contention all week after shooting a 1st-round 62.

Collin Morikawa (+450)

Morikawa showed improved form with a T-14 at the U.S. Open and he now comes to a course where his ball-striking will be an advantage. He’ll just need to hole some putts, which is often the issue for Collin.

Travelers Championship – Top-10 picks

Patrick Cantlay (+110)

Cantlay hasn’t won here (yet), but he does have 5 straight top-15 finishes in the Travelers Championship. Surprisingly, none were a top-10 but this course obviously suits his game very well. Getting him at plus-money for a top-10 feels like a bargain.

Viktor Hovland (+160)

Hovland has only played this tournament twice and not since 2020, but he’s playing as well as anyone not named Scottie Scheffler right now. This course suits a fade, which Hovland plays, and gives pure ball-strikers like him an advantage. He finished 11th here in 2020.

Tom Kim (+375)

Kim’s lack of length off the tee won’t hurt him here on a shorter course. It’s his tournament debut, but a couple of practice rounds will have him ready to roll; it’s not a particularly tricky course off the tee. What you see is what you get, for the most part. His 8th-place finish at LACC was a nice way to bounce back from 2 missed cuts.

Other T10 contenders (in order from longest odds to shortest):

  • Brian Harman (+500)
  • Tommy Fleetwood (+240)

Travelers Championship – Top-20 picks

Brian Harman (+240)

You’re telling me a guy with 5 top-10s in the last 8 years here is +240 for a top-20? Harman loves this place and is an absolute steal at +240 for a top-20 finish. He wasn’t great off the tee at the U.S. Open, which sank him to T-43 after being in contention, but this is an easier driving course.

Harris English (+188)

English faded down the stretch at the U.S. Open, but he won this tournament in 2021 and finished 19th last year, so he’s come in the top 20 in back-to-back years. He has 3 top-20s in his last 5 starts this season.

Sahith Theegala (+170)

Theegala feels like another good value at +170 for a top-20. He’s only missed 1 cut all season and that came way back in October, and although he doesn’t have a top-20 since April, he just came in 27th at the U.S. Open after a solid 66 on Friday and 69 on Sunday.

Other T20 contenders (in order from longest odds to shortest):

  • Ludvig Aberg (+350)
  • Russell Henley (+150)

Travelers Championship – Matchups

Suggested play is golfer in bold.

Patrick Cantlay (-110) vs. Jon Rahm (-110)

It feels wrong to bet against Rahm, but Cantlay is too good to pass up on this course. Rahm has only played here 3 times since 2015 and his best finish is T-25, while Cantlay has started here in each of the last 5 years and finished no worse than T-15.

Xander Schauffele (-125) vs. Viktor Hovland (+100)

Though I like Schauffele and Hovland both this week, I lean toward Xander a bit more because of his course history. He has 3 top-20s, including a win, while Hovland has just 2 appearances here in his career.

Rory McIlroy (+125) vs. Scottie Scheffler (-160)

Betting against the World No. 2 and 1 this week? Seems dicey, especially considering Scheffler doesn’t know how to finish outside the top 10 lately. McIlroy seems to like the layout of this course and with potentially rainy conditions, his length and ball flight will be advantageous.

Travelers Championship – Top English

Tommy Fleetwood (+170)

Fleetwood is the favorite to cash this bet over Matt Fitzpatrick (+175), Aaron Rai (+450) and others. Fleetwood just fired a final-round 63 at the U.S. Open and has been playing well all season, particularly as of late.

Travelers Championship – Top Swedish

Ludvig Aberg (-120)

Vincent Norrman (+190) and David Lingmerth (+400) are the only other Swedish players in the field, and while Aberg is a rookie, he’s looked comfortable in his few starts on the PGA Tour this season, including a T-25 at the RBC Canadian Open.

Travelers Championship – First-round leader

Xander Schauffele (+2200)

Schauffele wasn’t the 1st-round leader at the Travelers last year despite shooting a 63 on Thursday, but he did fire another 63 on Friday and went on to win. He was the 1st-round leader last week at LACC when he tied a U.S. Open record with a 62 on Thursday.

Rory McIlroy (+2000)

McIlroy shot 63 in the 1st round here in 2020 and he was tied for the lead after firing a 62 in Round 1 last year. He tees off at 12:50 p.m. ET on Thursday, which might be the better draw with the forecast calling for more rain in the morning.

Travelers Championship – To make the cut

Patrick Cantlay, Xander Schauffele and Viktor Hovland to make the cut (-150)

This one is pretty straightforward. I like all of these players to contend this week, starting with making the cut on Friday. They all made the cut here in their most recent start and I expect them to again.

More expert prop bet predictions

Group D winner: Sahith Theegala (+450)

I’m honestly surprised Theegala is the long shot in this group. He has Sungjae Im (+300), Jason Day (+333), Cameron Young (+350) and Justin Thomas (+350) in his group. Young and Theegala were the only ones to make the cut last week at the U.S. Open, and all 4 besides Theegala have struggled as of late.

Will there be a playoff? Yes: (+350)

TPC River Highlands has a knack for the dramatic. In 16 years under the title as Travelers Championship, there have been 6 playoffs, including 4 since 2013. Let’s hope for another this year.

[gambcom-standard rankid=”5″ ]

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. Follow SportsbookWire on Twitter and like us on Facebook.

[lawrence-newsletter]

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

2023 Travelers Championship odds, picks and PGA Tour predictions

Analyzing the golf odds to win the 2023 Travelers Championship, with PGA Tour picks, predictions and best bets.

There will be no break for the game’s top players after the year’s toughest test. Following the U.S. Open, the PGA Tour is heading to Cromwell, Conn., for the 2023 Travelers Championship – a designated event with a loaded field, led by world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler and U.S. Open champion  Wyndham Clark.

Below, we look at the 2023 Travelers Championship odds and make our PGA Tour picks and predictions.

Scheffler (+650) leads a star-studded field that also features Jon Rahm, Rory McIlroy, Xander Schauffele, Patrick Cantlay and Viktor Hovland. Schauffele won this tournament last year by 2 shots over J.T. Poston. The Travelers Championship has often drawn some of the biggest names but there’s never been a field as strong as this one at TPC River Highlands.

The course isn’t a very long one. It’s a par 70 and plays at 6,841 yards and was designed by Pete Dye, featuring some iconic finishing holes – including the driveable par-4 15th and the par-4 17th hole that bends around a pond. The course reopened in 2016 after a renovation, including reworked bunkers, tees and greens around the venue, which is cut between homes and condos.

[gambcom-standard rankid=”3011″ ]

[gambcom-standard rankid=”3012″ ]

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

Travelers 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 9:35 a.m. ET.

Collin Morikawa (+2500)

This is a good course for Morikawa. It’s a 2nd-shot track that requires players to be in the right position off the tee and to be accurate into relatively small greens protected by bunkers. He missed the cut here in 2020, but he tied for 36th in 2019. He’s fresh off a T-14 at the U.S. Open and has put to rest concerns about his back spasms.

Xander Schauffele (+1400)

Schauffele won this tournament last year and tied for 20th in 2020, skipping the event in between in 2021. Though he disappointed on the weekend at Los Angeles Country Club, he fired a tournament-record 62 on Thursday and gained strokes in every category except around the greens (-0.17). He’s a strong candidate to win this event in back-to-back years.

Tommy Fleetwood (+3300)

Fleetwood ranks 72nd on tour in driving distance but you don’t have to be terribly long to win on this course. Fleetwood can flight the ball high and low, which helps with some of the elevation change throughout this course. He fired a 63 on Sunday at LACC and could carry that momentum into this week’s designated event.

Travelers Championship picks – Contenders

Tom Kim (+5000)

Kim showed a lot of poise and skill at the U.S. Open, finishing T-8 after shooting 3-over 73 in the 1st round. He ranked 4th in SG: approach, according to Data Golf, and now heading into an event where strong iron play is essential, he makes a lot of sense to contend at TPC River Highlands. I’m not worried about this being his tournament debut. That hasn’t bothered him in the past and it won’t this week.

Sahith Theegala (+5500)

Theegala had a very good chance to win the Travelers last year, but a drive into the fairway bunker on 18, followed by a thin shot into the lip, doomed his chances. He finished T-2 after doubling the last hole, losing by 2 shots to Schauffele. He hasn’t missed a cut since last October and finished T-27 at the U.S. Open, and this type of event suits him much better as he leads the tour in birdies this season (332).

Russell Henley (+4000)

Henley is the most accurate driver on tour, ranking 1st in fairway percentage (72.68%). On a course that emphasizes accuracy more than length off the tee, Henley is a great fit, especially with how well he hits his irons. He tied for 19th here in 2021, which is the last time he played this event. He’s quietly finished in the top 20 in his last 3 starts, including a T-14 at the U.S. Open.

Travelers Championship picks – Long shots

Brian Harman (+8000)

Harman is an absolute horse for this course. He has 4 top-10s in his last 5 starts here, including a T-8 last year. It’s a venue that seems to fit lefties well, with Bubba Watson winning here 3 times and Phil Mickelson winning twice. Harman is a long shot but his odds shouldn’t be as long as they are, especially after he played relatively well at the U.S. Open.

Harris English (+6600)

English won here in 2021 and enters in good form after tying for 8th at the U.S. Open, finding himself in contention on Saturday and early on Sunday. His odds certainly shortened after his U.S. Open performance, but he’s still worth betting given his course history.

Ludvig Aberg (+12500)

The rookie made his debut as a pro a couple of weeks ago at the RBC Canadian Open and looked more than comfortable en route to a T-25 finish. Now that he’s got the first-start jitters out of the way, he can play more freely and fly under the radar a little more in Cromwell. He has a complete game from tee to green.

[gambcom-standard rankid=”5″ ]

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. Follow SportsbookWire on Twitter and like us on Facebook.

[lawrence-newsletter]

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

2023 U.S. Open prop bet picks and PGA Tour predictions

Analyzing the odds for the 2023 U.S. Open with PGA Tour picks and predictions for the top prop bets.

Los Angeles Country Club is hosting a major championship for the 1st time  this week, bringing the best players in the world together for the 2023 U.S. Open. Matt Fitzpatrick’s title defense begins on Thursday morning with Round 1 from Beverly Hills.

Below, we search for the best value prop bets among the 2023 U.S. Open odds and make our PGA Tour picks and predictions.

Jon Rahm and Scottie Scheffler continue to battle for the title of World No. 1, with Scheffler entering the week atop the Official World Golf Ranking. Rahm, however, is the top golfer in the latest Golfweek/Sagarin rankings, followed by Scheffler, Xander Schauffele, Patrick Cantlay and Rory McIlroy. Fitzpatrick, who won the U.S. Open last year, is ranked 25th.

Players will be taking on the North Course at Los Angeles Country Club this week, a par 70 playing 7,423 yards. Two of the par 3s will be at least 280 yards, making them 2 of the longest in tournament history. The course opened in 1928 and was restored in 2010 by Gil Hanse, Jim Wagner and Geoff Shackelford. The fairways will be wider than most U.S. Open courses,  but several greens are narrow and will be protected by unmanicured bunkers.

2023 U.S. Open Championship

Follow the 2023 U.S. Open Championship leaderboard, scores, news, groupings, course details and more from Golfweek and USA TODAY. Catch the tournament June 15-18.

[gambcom-standard rankid=”3011″ ]

[gambcom-standard rankid=”3012″ ]

U.S. Open – Top-5 picks

Odds provided by BetMGM Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list. Lines last updated Tuesday at 3:35 p.m. ET.

Brooks Koepka (+250)

After winning the PGA Championship, Koepka now has 14 top-5 finishes in 36 major championships, including 2 this year. At +250, he’s still a very good value to come in the top 5, especially considering both Scheffler (+150) and Rahm (+225) have shorter odds.

Viktor Hovland (+350)

Hovland tied for 7th at the Masters and 2nd at the PGA Championship, which are 2 of his 7 top-10 finishes already this season. It’s by far the best year of his career and I fully expect him to continue with another high finish at LACC this week, a course that demands top-level ball striking.

Cameron Smith (+500)

Smith continued his impressive major track record this year with a T-34 at the Masters and T-9 at the PGA Championship. LACC sets up well for him with his recovery skills around the greens and putting ability on these tricky, undulating surfaces. He already has 5 top-5 finishes in majors in his career.

Other T5 contenders (in order from longest odds to shortest):

  • Tony Finau (+650)
  • Xander Schauffele (+350)

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

U.S. Open – Top-10 picks

Xander Schauffele (+175)

When it comes to the majors, and specifically the U.S. Open, bet Schauffele for a top-10 finish. He has 10 of them in his major championship career, with 5 of those coming in his 6 U.S. Open starts. His only finish outside the top 10 in the U.S. Open was in 2022 when he tied for 14th.

Max Homa (+240)

Homa has not played well in the majors. That’s well-documented. But this is a U.S. Open in his home state and at a venue where his 61 is the course record, set in college for Cal at the Pac-12 Championship. He has 8 top-10s in 16 starts this season; he just needs to break through and do it in a major.

Tyrrell Hatton (+275)

The fiery and often frustrated Hatton doesn’t seem like a good match for a difficult U.S. Open, but he’s one of the hottest players on the planet right now – and I’m not talking about his temper. He hasn’t finished worse than T-19 in his last 6 starts, a stretch that includes 3 top-5s. His U.S. Open record isn’t great but he’s never played this well in his career.

Other T10 contenders (in order from longest odds to shortest):

  • Justin Thomas (+350)
  • Dustin Johnson (+350)

U.S. Open – Top-20 picks

Rickie Fowler (+140)

Fowler has been a top-20 machine this season, notching 11 such finishes in 17 starts. He has 4 top-20 finishes in his U.S. Open career, so he’s played well in this challenging championship before, but this week is an excellent shot for him to claim his 1st major title in his home state.

Tommy Fleetwood (+150)

Fleetwood has been trending up for a little while now, peaking with a runner-up finish on Sunday at the RBC Canadian Open, losing to Nick Taylor in a playoff. He tied for 18th at the PGA last month, a similarly difficult test to the U.S. Open. He finished 4th and 2nd in the U.S. Open in 2017 and 2018, too.

Eric Cole (+450)

One of my long shots this week is Cole, whose only real weakness is driving the ball. In most U.S. Opens, fairways are narrow and penalizing when you miss them. But LACC features wider fairways than usual, which helps Cole, who has 5 top-25s in his last 7 starts. He tied for 15th at the PGA and 27th at the Players, 2 of the biggest tournaments he played this year.

Other T20 contenders (in order from longest odds to shortest):

  • Min Woo Lee (+350)
  • Justin Rose (+140)

U.S. Open – Matchups

Suggested play is golfer in bold.

Dustin Johnson (-120) vs. Bryson DeChambeau (-105)

This isn’t a bomb-and-gouge golf course or one that necessarily sets up for big hitters. Obviously, both DJ and Bryson are long off the tee, but Johnson typically has better control over his driver. As well as DeChambeau played in the PGA Championship, I favor Johnson’s game this week.

Min Woo Lee (-105) vs. Joaquin Niemann (-120)

Lee missed the cut at the Masters, but he was in contention at the Players (T-6) and finished T-18 at the PGA Championship. Niemann missed the cut at the PGA Championship and may not be in the type of form that Lee is.

Rickie Fowler (-135) vs. Cameron Young (+110)

Young’s sophomore slump has been shocking and disappointing after a fantastic rookie season. He hasn’t finished better than T-51 since the Masters and only has 6 top-25s in 15 starts. Fowler, on the other hand, has been as steady and consistent as anyone.

U.S. Open – Top Scandinavian

Viktor Hovland (-225)

Yes, the odds are very short for this bet. However, Alex Noren (+500) and Vincent Norman (+550) are the only other Scandinavian players with odds shorter than +1200 to win this bet. As long as Hovland makes the cut, this bet should cash because neither Noren nor Norman are legitimate threats to win at LACC.

U.S. Open – Top debutant

Cam Davis (+600)

It’s somewhat surprising that Davis has never played a U.S. Open before, but after seeing the way he played at Oak Hill in last month’s PGA Championship, I have no doubt he can succeed on this course in these conditions. Taylor Moore (+750) and Adam Svensson (+1000) are among the others vying to be the top debutant.

U.S. Open – First-round leader

Viktor Hovland (+2800)

Hovland had a share of the lead at the Masters after Round 1 after shooting 65. At the PGA Championship, he was 2 off the lead with a 1st-round 68. Why not go back to him in the U.S. Open after he just won his last start at the Memorial Tournament?

Max Homa (+4000)

Can the hometown kid come out and fire a low number at LACC where he has more experience than just about anyone in the field? Homa ranks 6th in 1st-round scoring average this season, too, so he’s played well on Thursdays all year.

More expert prop bet predictions

Group D winner: Tommy Fleetwood (+333)

This is a strong group with DeChambeau, Rose, Thomas and Johnson, all of whom are legitimate contenders to win this week, along with Fleetwood. Fleetwood comes in with arguably the best form after his runner-up finish last week and he deservingly has the 2nd-best odds in this group.

Fitzpatrick, Morikawa and Fleetwood to make the cut (+138)

Fitzpatrick got back on track after missing the cut at the PGA Championship, Morikawa is a pure ball striker who should excel on this course and I’ve already detailed my backing of Fleetwood this week. All three are good bets to make the cut.

Will there be a hole in one? No (+125)

Call me the no-fun guy, but I like the odds for there to be no aces this week. Even with 5 par-3s, these are no bargain. Two of them are 280-plus, another is 228 and the fourth is 171 yards. The most gettable one is a short 124-yard shot on the 15th, which could play as short as under 100 yards.

[gambcom-standard rankid=”5″ ]

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. Follow SportsbookWire on Twitter and like us on Facebook.

[lawrence-newsletter]

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

2023 U.S. Open odds, picks and PGA Tour predictions

Analyzing the golf odds to win the 2023 U.S. Open, with PGA Tour picks, predictions and best bets.

The 3rd major of the year will be held in Southern California this week as the world’s best players take on Los Angeles Country Club in the 2023 U.S. Open. It’s the toughest test in golf and LACC is fully expected to uphold that tradition in its debut as a U.S. Open course. The 1st round will begin on Thursday from Beverly Hills.

Below, we look at the 2023 U.S. Open odds and make our PGA Tour picks and predictions.

Scottie Scheffler, the No. 1 player in the world, is once again the betting favorite this week (+700) as he seeks to win his 1st U.S. Open title and 2nd career major. Jon Rahm has the 2nd-best odds to win (+1000), followed by reigning PGA Championship winner Brooks Koepka (+1100) in the 3rd spot. Defending U.S. Open champion Matt Fitzpatrick is +3300 to keep the trophy this week.

Los Angeles Country Club is going to test every aspect of a player’s game, featuring wider-than-usual fairways for a U.S. Open, but also the iconic deep rough around the greens and lengthy layout. This week, it’ll play as a par 70 at 7,421 yards, with just 3 par 5s and 5 par 3s. The par 3s will be a real brute, with 2 of them playing upwards of 280 yards, making them some of the longest in U.S. Open history. There’s also a par 3, the 15th hole, set to play under 100 yards.

2023 U.S. Open Championship

Follow the 2023 U.S. Open Championship leaderboard, scores, news, groupings, course details and more from Golfweek and USA TODAY. Catch the tournament June 15-18.

[gambcom-standard rankid=”3011″ ]

[gambcom-standard rankid=”3012″ ]

U.S. 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 10:50 a.m. ET.

Brooks Koepka (+1100)

Koepka is healthy and still fully motivated to win every major he can, already taking home the Wanamaker Trophy at the PGA Championship last month – after finishing T-2 at the Masters in April. It’s reasonable to consider him the favorite this week in a tournament he’s already won twice, absolutely excelling on courses that are challenging and require players to grind.

Xander Schauffele (+2000)

There probably isn’t a player in the world with a better track record in the U.S. Open without a win than Schauffele. He has 5 top-7 finishes in 6 starts in this tournament, with the only exception being a T-14 last year. He’s due for a major title and with his tee-to-green play, this could be the week he gets it done.

Max Homa (+2800)

You’ll hear it a million times this week: Homa knows this place well and holds the course record after shooting a 9-under 61 at the Pac-12 Championship in 2013 when he was at Cal. His major championship track record is nothing to be enamored by – nothing better than a T-40 in his career – but this is the perfect time for him to break through with a strong week in his home state.

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

U.S. Open picks – Contenders

Rickie Fowler (+6600)

Fowler has 6 top-10 finishes and a whopping 12 top-25s in 17 starts this season, putting together one of the best years of his career despite not having a victory. In his last 11 stroke play events, he has 9 top-20s, has made the cut 10 times and has finished no worse than a T-31 when he has played the weekend. His last 2 starts were T-6 and T-9 so he comes in in great form, too.

Justin Rose (+4000)

Rose knows what it takes to win this tournament, having done so in 2013. He, too, comes in playing some excellent golf, finishing T-9, T-12 and 8th in his last 3 starts, with the T-9 coming in the PGA Championship after tying for 16th at the Masters. He’s been abysmal off the tee (104th in strokes gained) this season, but with wider fairways, his poor accuracy with the driver will be mitigated.

Tommy Fleetwood (+4000)

There are few players I like more than Fleetwood this week. While you could’ve gotten his odds much longer a few months ago, he’s still worth the price at +4000 with the way he’s playing. He lost to Nick Taylor in a playoff at the RBC Canadian Open on Sunday, which was his 4th top-10 of the season and 7th top-25. Only 9 players rank higher than him in SG: tee-to-green and he’s 6th on tour in total strokes gained. He’s the complete package right now.

U.S. Open picks – Long shots

Min Woo Lee (+12500)

In his last 6 major starts, these are Lee’s results: T-14, MC, T-27, T-21, MC and T-18. Add in a T-6 in his Players Championship debut this year and it’s clear he has the game for marquee events. The young Australian finished T-27 in his U.S. Open debut last year and could follow that up with another high finish this week. He’s worth a long-shot bet.

Eric Cole (+20000)

Cole didn’t play the Masters this year but he tied for 15th at the PGA Championship and tied for 27th at the Players. He nearly won the Honda Classic in February when he lost in a playoff and he’s fresh off a T-6 at the RBC Canadian Open after shooting 63 on Sunday. He has 5 top-25 finishes in his last 7 starts so the recent form is there.

Keegan Bradley (+8000)

Bradley has cooled off a little bit after a hot start to the season, but he’s still made the cut in 5 straight starts with no finish worse than T-48. That stretch includes a T-23 at the Masters and T-29 at the PGA, continuing to play well in the majors the last 2 years.

[gambcom-standard rankid=”5″ ]

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. Follow SportsbookWire on Twitter and like us on Facebook.

[lawrence-newsletter]

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

2023 RBC Canadian Open prop bet picks and PGA Tour predictions

Analyzing the odds for the 2023 RBC Canadian Open with PGA Tour picks and predictions for the top prop bets.

The PGA Tour will make 1 more stop before the U.S. Open, heading to Oakdale Golf and Country Club for the 2023 RBC Canadian Open this week. The 1st round will begin on Thursday morning from Toronto, Ontario, with the champion being crowned on Sunday.

Below, we search for the best value prop bets among the 2023 RBC Canadian Open odds and make our PGA Tour picks and predictions.

Rory McIlroy won this event the last 2 times it was played in 2022 and 2019; it was canceled in both 2019 and 2020 due to COVID-19. He’s once again the favorite to win this week, coming in with by far the shortest odds of any player at +450. Tyrrell Hatton, Matt Fitzpatrick and Sam Burns are also among the favorites at Oakdale.

This is the first time Oakdale Golf and Country Club has hosted the RBC Canadian Open, joining the event’s rotation this year with the course set to host again in 2026. It’s a par 72 and will play at 7,264 yards, making it a shorter course. However, the elevation changes make it longer than the listed yardage, and the small greens are difficult to hit.

[gambcom-standard rankid=”3011″ ]

[gambcom-standard rankid=”3012″ ]

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

RBC Canadian Open – Top-5 picks

Odds provided by BetMGM Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list. Lines last updated Tuesday at 12:25 p.m. ET.

Matt Fitzpatrick (+300)

Fitzpatrick missed the cut at the PGA Championship and appeared to be on the verge of a 2nd straight MC when he was 5 over thru 14 holes on Thursday at the Memorial Tournament, but he quickly turned things around. He fired a 2nd-round 68 to make the cut before shooting 70 and 72 on the weekend, finishing T-9. It was an impressive bounce-back and could be a good sign heading into this week.

Justin Rose (+350)

Rose took last week off, but he’s been on a heater lately with 2 top-10s, 5 top-25s and 6 top-36 finishes in his last 6 starts. Those 2 top-10s came at the Players Championship and PGA Championship, too. Though it was at a different course, Rose finished T-4 at the RBC Canadian Open last year.

RBC Canadian Open – Top-10 picks

Tommy Fleetwood (+188)

Fleetwood should be able to navigate this course with his elite ball-striking, currently sitting 10th on tour in strokes gained: tee-to-green. He’ll have an edge on the field with fairways being so important to hit and the greens being as small as they are. He has 3 consecutive top-25 finishes coming into this week.

Matt Kuchar (+333)

Kuchar’s rounds of 79 and 84 at the Memorial Tournament really did him in, otherwise playing well on Friday and Saturday. He has 7 top-25 finishes this season and 4 top-10s, also finishing T-4 in this event in 2019. His odds of +333 feel a bit longer than they should be.

Shane Lowry (+180)

Lowry has finished in the top 12 in this event 3 times in a row, including a runner-up in 2019. He’s hitting the ball really well right now, ranking 16th in SG: tee-to-green, but his putter has failed him; he’s 176th in SG: putting so far this year. If this doesn’t turn into a putting contest, he should be in contention.

RBC Canadian Open – Top-20 picks

Ludvig Aberg (+210)

Aberg may be making his pro debut, but this isn’t his 1st PGA Tour event. He’s played in 5 already over the last 2 years, finishing T-24 and T-61 in his 2 starts this season; the T-24 was at the Arnold Palmer Invitational. I expect him to play well, especially after getting a warm-up day in the U.S. Open qualifier, finishing just 3 shots out of a qualifying spot.

David Lipsky (+250)

Lipsky has finished in the top 20 in back-to-back tournaments, going T-16 at the Charles Schwab Challenge and T-12 a the Memorial – despite shooting 5-over on Sunday. I’ll ride the hot hand with +250 odds for a top-20 finish.

RBC Canadian Open – Matchups

Suggested play is golfer in bold.

Matt Fitzpatrick (-125) vs. Sam Burns (+100)

Fitzpatrick has better recent form with 3 top-10s in his last 5 starts, including a win. Burns is heating up with back-to-back top-16s, but I like Fitzpatrick’s game on this course better.

Justin Rose (-110) vs. Corey Conners (-110)

Conners missed the cut last week, his 2nd MC in his last 5 starts. In that same span, Rose hasn’t finished worse than T-36 and has 3 top-16s. Rose is the pick here at even odds with Conners.

Matt Kuchar (+100) vs. Keith Mitchell (-125)

Mitchell has had mixed results lately, finishing no better than T-48 in his last 5 solo starts. Kuchar has been up and down a little bit, too, but at even money, I like him to finish higher than Mitchell.

RBC Canadian Open – Top Irish

Shane Lowry (+210)

This is one way to fade McIlroy, which may not be a bad idea given the news of the PGA Tour-LIV Golf merger that broke on Tuesday. McIlroy has said recently that he wanted to shift his focus more toward on-course performance instead of defending the PGA Tour, but that might be tough this week. Lowry only has to beat McIlroy and David Carey to cash this bet.

RBC Canadian Open – Top Swedish

Ludvig Aberg (+125)

Aberg is the favorite to finish as the top Swedish player, ahead of Vincent Norman (+188), Henrik Norlander (+500) and David Lingmerth (+600). It might seem risky to bet him in his pro debut, but Aberg is the most talented player of the bunch and this is a lower-risk way to back him this week.

RBC Canadian Open – First-round leader

Justin Rose (+3000)

Rose ranks 13th on tour in 1st-round scoring this season and has broken 70 in 4 straight opening rounds and 5 of his last 6.

More expert prop bet predictions

Group D winner: David Lipsky (+450)

Lipsky has the longest odds of anyone in this group, which consists of Joseph Bramlett (+300), Nick Taylor (+350), Eric Cole (+350) and Michael Kim (+350). With back-to-back top-20s, I like his odds this week in Canada.

[gambcom-standard rankid=”5″ ]

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. Follow SportsbookWire on Twitter and like us on Facebook.

[lawrence-newsletter]

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

2023 RBC Canadian Open odds, picks and PGA Tour predictions

Analyzing the golf odds to win the 2023 RBC Canadian Open, with PGA Tour picks, predictions and best bets.

With just 1 week to go until the golf world descends upon Los Angeles for the 123rd U.S. Open, many of the top players will tee it up at Oakdale Golf and Country Club for the 2023 RBC Canadian Open. The 1st round begins  Thursday morning from Toronto, Ontario.

Below, we look at the 2023 RBC Canadian Open odds and make our PGA Tour picks and predictions.

Rory McIlroy is looking to defend his back-to-back titles this week after winning by 2 shots over Tony Finau last year, the 2nd time he’s won this event since 2019; it was canceled in 2020 and 2021. Finau is taking the week off, but McIlroy (the favorite at +400) will still face some stiff competition from Tyrrell Hatton (+1100), Matt Fitzpatrick (+1400), Sam Burns (+1400), Cameron Young (+1600) and several others.

This tournament changes venues often, though Glen Abbey Golf Course has hosted it the most. This will be the 1st time Oakdale Golf and Country Club hosts the RBC Canadian Open, giving players a new challenge. So it will be difficult to predict this year’s results based on recent finishes by players in the field. Oakdale is a par 72 and plays at 7,264 yards, featuring small greens and plenty of elevation changes.

[gambcom-standard rankid=”3011″ ]

[gambcom-standard rankid=”3012″ ]

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

RBC Canadian Open – Expert pick(s)

Odds provided by BetMGM Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list. Lines last updated Monday at 10:30 a.m. ET.

Tommy Fleetwood (+2000)

Before missing the cut at the Charles Schwab Challenge, Fleetwood notched 3 straight top-20 finishes, including a T-5 at the Wells Fargo Championship. He’s among the best ball strikers on tour, ranking 10th in strokes gained: tee to green, which makes him a terrific fit for a course with small greens.

Justin Rose (+1600)

Like his fellow Englishman Fleetwood, Rose is also trending up with 6 straight top-36 finishes and back-to-back top-12s. Though it was a different course, Rose shot 10-under in the final round of last year’s RBC Canadian Open to finish 4th. I love his chances this week at Oakdale.

RBC Canadian Open picks – Contender(s)

Byeong Hun An (+5000)

An finished T-24 at the Memorial Tournament on Sunday, but he hit the ball much better than that number suggests. He ranked 10th in the field in strokes gained: tee to green, primarily struggling on the greens where he lost 0.61 shots to his competitors. He now has 3 straight top-25 finishes and could keep that up this week in Canada.

Matt Kuchar (+4000)

There were a lot of high scores at Muirfield last week, including a 79 and 84 by Kuchar on Thursday and Sunday, respectively. In-between, he shot impressive rounds of 67 and 69, going into the final round at 1-under par before shooting 12-over. He has 7 top-25 finishes already this season.

RBC Canadian Open picks – Long shot(s)

Ludvig Aberg (+8000)

Could Aberg follow Rose Zhang’s path and win his 1st career start as a pro? Don’t rule it out, especially considering this isn’t his 1st PGA Tour event. Earlier this year, he tied for 24th at the Arnold Palmer Invitational and also made the cut at the Valspar Championship where he finished T-61. He’ll probably feel some pressure in his pro debut, but Aberg has a ton of talent.

David Lipsky (+8000)

Lipsky was in contention at the Memorial before shooting 5-over on Sunday to finish T-12. He didn’t have any major weaknesses in his game, gaining strokes in all the major categories, led by his 1.24 SG: tee to green. He just made a few too many mistakes on Sunday, but I like his odds to bounce back after also finishing T-16 the week prior.

[gambcom-standard rankid=”5″ ]

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. Follow SportsbookWire on Twitter and like us on Facebook.

[lawrence-newsletter]

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

2023 Memorial Tournament prop bet picks and PGA Tour predictions

Analyzing the odds for the 2023 Memorial Tournament with PGA Tour picks and predictions for the top prop bets.

With 2 weeks to go until the U.S. Open, the PGA Tour is in Ohio for the 2023 Memorial Tournament, hosted by Jack Nicklaus at Muirfield Village. The 1st round begins Thursday morning with many of the top players in the world taking on Jack’s place.

Below, we search for the best value prop bets among the 2023 Memorial Tournament odds and make our PGA Tour picks and predictions.

Jon Rahm is in the field this week and comes in as the No. 1 player in the latest Golfweek/Sagarin rankings. Scottie Scheffler isn’t 2nd, however, despite being the favorite to win. The No. 2 spot goes to Xander Schauffele, followed by Scheffler at No. 3, Patrick Cantlay at No. 4 and Tony Finau rounding out the top 5. The defending champion, Billy Horschel, is ranked No. 104 this week.

Muirfield Village is a par 72 and will play at 7,533 yards this week. It was designed by Nicklaus, featuring heavy rough and difficult greenside bunkers that protect the putting surfaces on approach shots.

[gambcom-standard rankid=”3011″ ]

[gambcom-standard rankid=”3012″ ]

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

Memorial Tournament – Top-5 picks

Odds provided by BetMGM Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list. Lines last updated Tuesday at 4:15 p.m. ET.

Jason Day (+450)

Day calls Muirfield home, even if he doesn’t play there very often. It’s a course he knows well and the familiarity should help get him back on track after a rough week at the PGA Championship, which followed his 1st win of the season. He finished 31st here last year and 4th in 2020.

Jon Rahm (+150)

It’s hard to stomach betting any golfer to finish top 5 at +150, but Rahm is worth it. He won in 2020 and had a 54-hole lead in 2021 before being forced to withdraw due to COVID-19. Last year, he finished 10th at the Memorial, his 3rd straight top-10 here – even if the 2nd one was unofficial.

Xander Schauffele (+275)

Schauffele is due for a win this year after notching 8 top-10s already. He has 4 straight top-20 finishes at this event, so he’s played well here in the past. It’s just a matter of him breaking through for a victory at Muirfield Village. He has 5 top-5 finishes this season.

Memorial Tournament – Top-10 picks

Patrick Cantlay (-120)

Cantlay has 4 top-5 finishes in the last 5 years here. Yes, you read that right. He could be poised for another this year, potentially even going on to win it for the 3rd time in a span of 5 years. At -120, his odds might seem a bit rich but he’s playing really well right now and has the best track record of anyone at this event.

Rory McIlroy (+115)

It’s not often you get McIlroy at +115 for a top-10 but given the strong field and his so-so recent form, we get him at a good price. He has 2 top-10s and 4 top-20s here since 2016, often playing well at this Nicklaus-designed course. He has 4 top-10s in 9 starts this season.

Sahith Theegala (+375)

In 19 starts this season, Theegala already has 7 top-10 finishes and though he’s only played this event twice, he’s finished 32nd and 5th. Muirfield seems to suit his game well and I think he’ll have another solid week this time around, too.

Memorial Tournament – Top-20 picks

Rickie Fowler (+125)

Fowler has finished in the top 20 in most of his starts this season, going 11-for-16 with 5 top-10s, as well. Since 2017, he has 4 top-20s at this event, including 2 top-10s and a 2nd-place finish in 2017. Fowler + Muirfield + top-20 = a great recipe.

Tom Kim (+170)

Kim is making his debut in this tournament, but his game travels well, regardless of the type of course. Yes, Muirfield is a little long, but his iron play is strong and he already has 8 top-25s on the year thus far.

Shane Lowry (+170)

Lowry is 50th in total strokes gained and 19th in approach, so he’s been hitting the ball well this season despite only finishing in the top 10 once. In the last 2 years here, he tied for 6th and 32nd.

Other T20 contenders (in order from longest odds to shortest):

  • Justin Suh (+400)
  • Keith Mitchell (+300)

Memorial Tournament – Matchups

Suggested play is golfer in bold.

Rickie Fowler (-125) vs. Matt Fitzpatrick (+100)

Fowler’s track record here was already mentioned, as well as his impressive play this season. Fitzpatrick has been up and down this year and missed the cut here in each of the last 2 years. Give me Fowler, a horse for this course.

Adam Scott (-110) vs. Keegan Bradley (-110)

Scott hasn’t missed the cut here in his last 5 starts and has finished in the top 20 twice, with one of those being a runner-up finish in 2019. Bradley hasn’t been great in this event recently, missing the cut in 2017, 2019 and 2021.

Corey Conners (-105) vs. Cameron Young (-120)

I like Conners’ iron game over Young’s length at Muirfield because this isn’t necessarily a course that bombers can take advantage of. Young did go low with a 67 in the opening round last year, but he also shot 84 on Sunday.

Memorial Tournament – Top Canadian

Corey Conners (+150)

Conners has finished in the top 12 in each of his last 2 starts, including the PGA Championship where he fell out of contention with a 75 on Sunday. There are only 4 other Canadians in the field and Adam Hadwin is the 2nd favorite at +300.

Memorial Tournament – Top Irish

Shane Lowry (+225)

McIlroy is obviously the favorite at -150, and even though I like his chances this week, I’m taking the value with Lowry at +225 with only 3 Irishmen in the field; Seamus Power is the other. All Lowry has to do is beat 2 players to cash this ticket.

Memorial Tournament – First-round leader

Sahith Theegala (+5000)

Theegala shot 68 in the opening round here last year, which was tied for the 2nd-lowest score on Thursday. He wound up finishing 5th in just his 2nd appearance at this event.

Collin Morikawa (+3300)

Morikawa was the 1st-round leader last year when he shot 66, the best round of the opening round by 1. With so much emphasis on iron play this week, he could go low in Round 1 if the putter cooperates.

More expert prop bet predictions

Group C winner: Rickie Fowler (+350)

Let’s go back to Fowler here. His group consists of Sungjae Im (+280), who has missed 2 straight cuts, Cameron Young (+375), Hideki Matsuyama (+375) and Matt Fitzpatrick (+400). Fowler has been so consistent this season and has also played well at Muirfield in the past.

[gambcom-standard rankid=”5″ ]

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. Follow SportsbookWire on Twitter and like us on Facebook.

[lawrence-newsletter]

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