Analyzing the golf betting odds to win the 2020 Masters, with PGA Tour betting odds, picks, predictions and best bets.
The 2020 Masters Tournament will take place Nov. 12-15 under the PGA Tour’s revised 2020 schedule. Below, we break down the 2020 Masters betting odds, with PGA Tour predictions, picks and best bets.
Augusta National Golf Club measures 7,475 yards and plays to a par of 72. The 2020 field has been set at 96 golfers. Anyone who wins an event between mid-June and the 2020 tournament will then qualify for the 2021 Masters to be played next April.
2020 Masters Betting Picks – Tier 1
Mar 12, 2020; Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida, USA; Justin Thomas tees off on the 11th hole during the first round of the 2020 edition of The Players Championship golf tournament at TPC Sawgrass – Stadium Course. (Photo Credit: Adam Hagy – USA TODAY Sports)
Thomas, the 2017 PGA Championship winner, tied for 12th at last year’s Masters for his best result in four appearances. He made the cut in all four career tries at Augusta. Of his 12 career PGA Tour wins, eight have come between August and December. He won twice in 2019, at the BMW Championship and CJ Cup, and he won the 2020 Sentry Tournament of Champions.
Thomas is one of the best-rounded golfers on Tour, and he ranked fifth with 1.958 total strokes gained per round on the 2019-20 season before the season was put on hold.
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Tommy Fleetwood (+2800)
Fleetwood has runner-up results at both the US Open (2018) and Open Championship (2019), but a top showing of just T-17 at the 2018 Masters. A five-time winner on the European Tour, he ranks sixth in the Golfweek/Sagarin world rankings. His putter has often kept him out of the winner’s circle, but he has one of the best approach games in the world.
2020 Masters Betting Picks – Tier 2
Feb 29, 2020; Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, USA; Lee Westwood walks off of the eighth green during the third round of the 2020 Honda Classic golf tournament at PGA National (Champion). (Photo Credit: Reinhold Matay – USA TODAY Sports)
Lee Westwood (+8000)
The soon-to-be 47-year-old Westwood was becoming a popular pick for an April Masters before play was put on pause. The midseason stoppage has allowed for his odds to become more profitable again and will return $800 on a $10 bet.
He earned his 41st career victory at the European Tour’s Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship in January, and he tied for fourth at The Honda Classic in early March.
Sergio Garcia (+8000)
The 2017 Masters champ has missed the cut each of the last two years at Augusta and in seven of his last nine majors. He was returning to better form early in 2020, however, as he had two top 10s on the European Tour before a T-37 showing at The Genesis Invitational.
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2020 Masters Betting Picks – Long shots
Feb 22, 2020; Mexico City, MEX; Danny Willett plays his shot from the second tee during the third round of the WGC – Mexico Championship golf tournament at Club de Golf Chapultepec. (Photo Credit: Orlando Ramirez – USA TODAY Sports)
Danny Willett (+12500)
It was Willett who dressed Garcia in his green jacket as the 2016 Masters champion. Willett has missed the cut each of the past three years, but he tied for sixth at last year’s Open Championship. He won on the European Tour each of the last two years, most recently winning the BMW PGA Championship in September, besting a field including Jon Rahm and Patrick Reed.
Corey Conners (+17500)
Conners is my favorite long-shot bet due to his incredibly strong tee-to-green and approach games. Like Fleetwood, he struggles with the putter, but he’s able to give himself good looks and needs to get hot for only four days. He tied for 46th in his debut last year after gaining a late entry with his win at the Valero Texas Open.
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Analyzing the golf betting odds to win the 2020 US Open, with PGA Tour betting odds, picks, predictions and best bets.
The 2020 US Open is set to take place at Winged Foot Golf Club in Mamaroneck, N.Y. Sept. 17-20 under the PGA Tour’s revised 2020 schedule. Below, we look at the US Open betting odds, with PGA Tour predictions, picks and best bets.
Winged Foot has previously hosted the US Open on five occasions, most recently in 2006 when Geoff Ogilvy outlasted Jim Furyk, Colin Montgomerie and Phil Mickelson. The par-70 West Course measures 7,264 yards in length under major conditions.
2020 US Open Betting Picks – Tier 1
Mar 12, 2020; Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida, USA; Bryson DeChambeau hits a shot on the 2nd hole during the first round of the 2020 edition of The Players Championship golf tournament at TPC Sawgrass – Stadium Course. (Photo Credit: Adam Hagy – USA TODAY Sports)
DeChambeau was in top form before the PGA Tour season came to a halt as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. He tied for fifth at The Genesis Invitational, was the runner-up at the World Golf Championships-Mexico Championship and finished fourth at the Arnold Palmer Invitational.
If he can return to form when the golf season resumes in mid-June, these odds will quickly start to drop.
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Webb Simpson (+3300)
Simpson currently holds top spot in the Golfweek/Sagarin world rankings. The 2012 US Open champ won the Waste Management Phoenix Open in February to cap a stretch of five straight top-10 results. He tied for 16th at the 2019 US Open, 10th at the 2018 US Open and fifth at last year’s Masters Tournament. Fifteen golfers currently have lower odds.
2020 US Open Betting Picks – Tier 2
Feb 29, 2020; Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, USA; Gary Woodland lines up his putt on the 8th hole during the third round of the 2020 Honda Classic golf tournament at PGA National (Champion). (Photo Credit: Reinhold Matay – USA TODAY Sports)
Gary Woodland (+5000)
The defending US Open champ has racked up five other top-10 results in 16 worldwide events since his breakout major victory. He tied for eighth at The Honda Classic in his last event before the season was put on pause.
He’s one of the longest hitters on Tour and he proved last year he can putt on the lightning-quick US Open greens.
Viktor Hovland (+8000)
Hovland was the low amateur at last year’s US Open with a T-12 finish in just his second career major appearance. He earned his first PGA Tour victory earlier this year at the Puerto Rico Open and sits 38th in the Golfweek rankings. He’s exceptionally strong off the tee and few match his success when going for the green.
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2020 US Open Betting Picks – Long shots
Jan 30, 2020; Scottsdale, Arizona, USA; Cameron Smith tees off on the tenth during the first round of the Waste Management Phoenix Open golf tournament at TPC Scottsdale. (Photo Credit: Joe Camporeale – USA TODAY Sports)
Cameron Smith (+10000)
Smith earned his first solo PGA Tour win at the Sony Open in Hawaii early in 2020. He tied for fourth in his US Open debut in 2015, but he has a missed cut and a top finish of just T-59 in three appearances since. He’s one of the Tour’s best putters and was gaining .775 strokes per round with the flat stick early in the 2019-20 season.
Kevin Na (+15000)
Na is a four-time PGA Tour winner, including two victories in 2019 and one in 2018. He finished seventh at the 2016 US Open but followed it up with a T-32 in 2017 and a missed cut last year (he didn’t play in 2018). Only six listed golfers have longer odds.
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Analyzing the golf betting odds to win the 2020 PGA Championship, with PGA Tour betting odds, picks, predictions and best bets.
The PGA Tour will attempt to resume play in mid-June under a revised schedule for the 2020 season. The 2020 PGA Championship is set to take place from Aug. 6-9 at TPC Harding Park in San Francisco. Below, we break down the PGA Championship betting odds, with predictions, picks and PGA Tour best bets.
TPC Harding Park will host a major tournament for the first time. The last PGA Tour event played there was the 2015 World Golf Championships-Cadillac Match Play, won by Rory McIlroy, who currently ranks No. 2 in the Golfweek/Sagarin world rankings. The course measures 7,169 yards and plays to a par of 72.
2020 PGA Championship Betting Picks – Tier 1
Aug 25, 2019; Atlanta, GA, USA; Brooks Koepka lines up his putt on the fifth green during the final round of the Tour Championship golf tournament at East Lake Golf Club. (Photo Credit: Butch Dill – USA TODAY Sports)
Koepka has slipped to No. 9 in Golfweek’s world rankings. He was off to a poor start to 2020 with a missed cut at The Honda Classic, a T-43 at The Genesis Invitational and T-47 at the Arnold Palmer Invitational before play was put on pause.
The four-time major winner, and back-to-back winner of the PGA Championship, finished inside the top five in all four majors in 2019. He’s only the No. 4 betting favorite.
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Sungjae Im (+4000)
Contrary to Koepka, Im was playing the best golf of his career prior to the break. He earned his first PGA Tour victory at The Honda Classic and finished third at the Arnold Palmer Invitational. He has missed the cut in three of four career major appearances, including the PGA Championship and Open Championship last year, but he’s just 22 years old. These odds are much higher than what he was getting early this season.
2020 PGA Championship Betting Picks – Tier 2
Jan 26, 2020; San Diego, California, USA; Marc Leishman kisses the winner’s trophy following the final round of the Farmers Insurance Open golf tournament at Torrey Pines Municipal Golf Course – South Co. (Photo Credit: Orlando Ramirez – USA TODAY Sports)
Marc Leishman (+5000)
Leishman earned a win at the Farmers Insurance Open early this year and finished as the runner-up at the Arnold Palmer Invitational. He has never won a major, but he has five top-10 finishes in 33 events. He also made it to the Round of 16 at the 2015 match play at TPC Harding Park.
Francesco Molinari (+8000)
Few in golf needed a break as badly as Molinari. The former Open champion missed the cut in three straight events to begin his 2020 campaign, and he finished just T-53 at the WGC-Mexico Championship. Majors are a different story, and recent champs should always be backed at these odds.
He tied for second at the 2017 PGA Championship and tied for sixth in 2018 before finishing T-48 in 2019.
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2020 PGA Championship Betting Picks – Long shots
Feb 21, 2020; Mexico City, MEX; Bernd Wiesberger plays his shot from the eighth tee during the second round of the WGC – Mexico Championship golf tournament at Club de Golf Chapultepec. (Photo Credit: Orlando Ramirez – USA TODAY Sports)
Bernd Wiesberger (+10000)
The little-known Austrian won three times on the European Tour last year. He didn’t participate in either of the last two PGA Championships, but he is a bargain at these odds based on his success in Europe as he seeks his first PGA Tour win.
Joaquin Niemann (+15000)
Niemann claimed his first professional victory at A Military Tribute at The Greenbrier to open the 2019-20 PGA Tour season before missing the cut in five of his next 11 events before the break. The 21-year-old has made the cut in just one of three majors in his career, but he’s a value as a winner with only 10 golfers holding longer odds.
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Analyzing the best fantasy golf options for the 2020 Players Championship at TPC Sawgrass. Can world No. 1 Rory McIlroy defend his title?
TPC Sawgrass welcomes the world’s best golfers for the 2020 Players Championship. The 144-man field is annually the strongest of the PGA Tour season, and Tiger Woods is one of just four golfers from the top 50 of the Golfweek/Sagarin world rankings not in attendance this week. Here, we look at the top 30 fantasy golf options for The Players Championship.
TPC Sawgrass measures 7,189 yards and plays to a par of 72. Each of the last 11 winners finished 10-under par or better.
The Players Championship: Fantasy Golf Top 30
Mar 17, 2019; Ponte Vedra Beach, FL, USA; Rory McIlroy lines up his putt on the 18th green during the final round of THE PLAYERS Championship golf tournament at TPC Sawgrass – Stadium Course. (Photo Credit: John David Mercer – USA TODAY Sports)
Here are my top-30 fantasy golf rankings for the 2020 Players Championship at TPC Sawgrass.
30. Viktor Hovland
The Puerto Rico Open winner has struggled since what was expected to be an ice-breaking victory in the alternate event. He missed the cut at the difficult Honda Classic and tied for 42nd last week at the Arnold Palmer Invitational.
Poulter ranks fifth in this field with 58 career rounds played at TPC Sawgrass, according to Data Golf. He has gained an average of 1.33 strokes per round in that time. He was a co-runner-up in 2017 but finished just T-56 last year.
28. Tyrrell Hatton
Hatton picked up his first career PGA Tour win last week while surviving difficult conditions at Bay Hill Club & Lodge, but he missed the cut at Sawgrass each of the last two years.
27. Shane Lowry
The reigning Open champion missed the cut here three of the past five years but will enter as a major champ for the first time. He’s among the best in the field in Strokes Gained: Around the Green.
26. Marc Leishman
The winner of the 2020 Farmers Insurance Open popped back up on the leaderboard last week and finished as the lone runner-up to Hatton. His putter is the only thing that can hold him back, and when it’s been on, he’s been a top finisher.
Mar 6, 2020; Orlando, Florida, USA; Scottie Scheffler hits his tee shot on the 18th hole during the second round of the Arnold Palmer Invitational golf tournament at Bay Hill Club & Lodge. (Photo Credit: Reinhold Matay – USA TODAY Sports)
25. Scottie Scheffler
The PGA Tour rookie debuts at TPC Sawgrass ranked No. 27 in the Golfweek rankings. He tied for 15th last week amid a horrible putting performance while his tee-to-green and approach games were nearly perfect.
24. Abraham Ancer
Ancer’s top finish of 2020 thus far was a runner-up result at The American Express, but he also tied for sixth in a strong field at the European Tour’s Saudi International. He ranks near the top of the field in Proximity from 125-150 Yards, a key distance for second shots at TPC Sawgrass.
23. Collin Morikawa
Morikawa had a disappointing weekend at Bay Hill, but he still finished inside the top 10 for the first time in a full-field event in 2020. He’s now up to 21 consecutively made cuts for the longest active streak on the PGA Tour.
22. Matt Kuchar
Kuch, the 2020 Players champ more recently tied for third in 2016. He hasn’t finished higher than T-17 in the three years since, but he has 50 career rounds played here to rank among the most experienced in the field.
21. Henrik Stenson
Stenson missed the cut last year and in 2016, but he has finishes of T-17 in 2015, T-16 in 2017 and T-23 in 2018. He ranks second in my stat model at Fantasy National in Greens in Regulation Gained over the last 36 rounds played by everyone in the field on courses shorter than 7,200 yards.
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20. Justin Rose
Rose missed the cut at Bay Hill and PGA National in each of his last two events to slip to No. 28 in the Golfweek rankings. He struggled with the flat stick last week and would have at least made it to the weekend with an average putting performance.
19. Tony Finau
Finau missed the cut back-to-back in 2016 and 2017, but he has responded with a T-57 finish in 2018 and a T-22 result in 2019. He missed the cut last week at Bay Hill, but he hasn’t missed the cut in back-to-back weeks since missing three straight from last year’s Memorial Tournament through the Travelers Championship.
18. Gary Woodland
Woodland has strung together consecutive strong results. He tied for 12th at the WGC-Mexico Championship before a T-8 result at the Honda Classic. The US Open winner tied for 30th here last year.
17. Jason Day
Day would be higher in these rankings if not for the back injury which forced his withdrawal at Bay Hill last week. The Aussie won in 2016 and has a T-8 and T-5 finish the last two years. He remains among the best in any field in SG: Around the Green.
16. Sungjae Im
Yet another recent first-time winner in this year’s field, Im missed the cut in his TPC Sawgrass debut last year. His best putting performances have come on Bermuda greens over his career, and he has been extremely strong off the tee the last two weeks.
Mar 7, 2020; Orlando, Florida, USA; Rickie Fowler hits his tee shot on the second hole during the third round of the Arnold Palmer Invitational golf tournament at Bay Hill Club & Lodge. (Photo Credit: Reinhold Matay – USA TODAY Sports)
15. Rickie Fowler
Fowler bounced back from a missed cut at PGA National to finish T-18 last week. He won here in 2015, but he missed the cut two of the last four years.
14. Brooks Koepka
Betting Koepka right now means banking solely on pedigree, which is never a bad idea. His best finish in the last five years was a T-11 in 2018, and he finished just T-56 last year. He hasn’t finished inside the top 10 in any global event since the Tour Championship, but he is Brooks Koepka.
13. Xander Schauffele
Schauffele debuted with a T-2 in 2018 but missed the cut last year. He has made the cut in four of five events to open 2020, but he has a top finish of just T-14 in Mexico.
12. Paul Casey
Casey is one of the top statistical fits by my stat model, but the veteran Englishman has struggled at TPC Sawgrass over his career. He has gained just 0.39 strokes per round across 29 rounds, and he missed the cut last year.
11. Patrick Cantlay
Cantlay returns from an injury absence to play for the first time since a T-17 result at the Genesis Invitational. He missed the cut last year following T-22 and T-23 finishes in 2017 and 2018, respectively.
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10. Patrick Reed
Reed has had a pedestrian run at TPC Sawgrass. While he has made the cut four of the last five years, his top finish was a T-22 in 2017. He’s the most recent winner of a WGC event in a comparable strength of field.
9. Bryson DeChambeau
DeChambeau has strung together three straight top-five finishes in 2020. He’s played here each of the last two years with a T-37 in 2018 and a T-20 last year.
8. Webb Simpson
The 2018 champ has 15 top-10 finishes on the PGA Tour since, including his 2020 win at the Waste Management Phoenix Open.
7. Adam Scott
Scott won here in 2004. He already claimed victory at the Genesis Invitational to start his 2020 campaign, after closing out his 2019 season with a win in the Australian PGA Championship.
6. Hideki Matsuyama
Matsuyama does well in the stadium setting of TPC Sawgrass and TPC Scottsdale. He has a T-7 and T-8 finish in the last four years.
Mar 5, 2020; Orlando, Florida, USA; Tommy Fleetwood hits his drive on the 15th hole during the first round of the Arnold Palmer Invitational golf tournament at Bay Hill Club & Lodge. (Photo Credit: Reinhold Matay – USA TODAY Sports)
5. Tommy Fleetwood
Fleetwood has gained more strokes per round at TPC Sawgrass than anyone else in the field with at least 10 rounds played at 2.34 strokes per round. He tied for fifth last year after a T-7 in 2018 and needs his breakthrough win.
4. Jon Rahm
Rahm tied for 12th last year for his best result in three trips to TPC Sawgrass. He took the last two weeks off for rest following a T-3 in Mexico and T-17 at the Genesis Invitational.
3. Dustin Johnson
Johnson picked up his best result in The Players Championship last year with a T-5. He has been largely unimpressive early in 2020, but he remains an elite scorer on these shorter courses.
2. Justin Thomas
Since finishing T-3 in 2016, Thomas has finished T-75, T-11 and T-35 the last three years. His putter has been shaky early in the year, though he’s a contender anytime it doesn’t cost him strokes.
1. Rory McIlroy
The defending champ has seven straight top-five results in global events and five straight fifth-place finishes on the PGA Tour. His putter cost him again last week; however, he gained 0.7 strokes on these greens last year and he only needs to be average with the flat stick.
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Analyzing the golf betting odds to win the 2020 Players Championship, with PGA Tour betting odds, picks, predictions and best bets.
The top names in golf are in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla., this week for the 2020 Players Championship. Below, we break down the 2020 Players Championship outright odds to win, with betting picks, tips and best bets.
Tiger Woods is one of just four players from the top 50 of the Golfweek/Sagarin world rankings not part of the 144-man field. He’ll finalize his preparations for his Masters defense next month, while world No. 1 Rory McIlroy attempts to hold off the strongest field in golf for the second straight year at TPC Sawgrass.
The key stats for the 7,189-yard, par-72 TPC Sawgrass:
Strokes Gained: Ball Striking
Strokes Gained: Around the Green
Opportunities Gained
Greens in Regulation Gained
Proximity from 120-150 Yards
My model at Fantasy National looks at the most recent 36 rounds for each golfer in the field on courses shorter than 7,200 yards.
The Players Championship Betting Picks – Tier 1
(Photo Credit: Orlando Ramirez – USA TODAY Sports)
One of many former world No. 1’s in the field, Johnson enters the week ranked ninth by the Golfweek rankings, but he shares the sixth-best odds at BetMGM. He tied for fifth last year, following a T-17 in 2018 and a T-12 in 2017.
Johnson leads the field in Opportunities Gained while ranking fourth in SG: Ball Striking and eighth in Greens in Regulation Gained. He won at least twice internationally in each of the last four years and won’t often carry these lofty odds.
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Adam Scott (+3300)
Scott hasn’t finished worse than T-12 in any of the last four years at TPC Sawgrass. His 1.95 strokes gained per round across 66 career rounds on the Stadium Course ranks third in the field, according to Data Golf. He has two worldwide wins since late December after not winning since 2016.
The Players Championship Betting Picks – Tier 2
(Photo Credit: Reinhold Matay – USA TODAY Sports)
Jason Day (+6000)
Day withdrew from the Arnold Palmer Invitational last week due to a back injury, but he remains in the field for an event he has won and dominated in recent years. The 2016 Players champ tied for fifth in 2018 and tied for eighth last year.
He’s one of the best in the field/world around the greens and his odds are inflated solely by last week’s injury. If he’s healthy, he’s an incredible bargain.
Scottie Scheffler (+9000)
Scheffler has climbed all the way to No. 27 early in his rookie season on the PGA Tour. He finished T-15 in a strong field at the API last week and has shown he can be a regular contender. He ranks 18th in the field in Opportunities Gained and has the ability to score low on these shorter courses.
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The Players Championship Betting Picks – Longshots
(Photo Credit: Orlando Ramirez – USA TODAY Sports)
Corey Conners (+15000)
Conners tied for 41st last year ahead of his breakout win at the Valero Texas Open. He missed the cut in three of his last four events and each of his past two, but he’s an expert ball striker and low scorer. He gained 7.8 strokes tee-to-green and 4.4 strokes on approach here last year and just needs a decent putting week.
Jim Furyk (+15000)
Furyk will be eligible for the PGA Tour Champions circuit in May, but will give it another go at TPC Sawgrass following his runner-up finish last year. It was his second second-place result since 2014, losing both times by just a single stroke. He entered in better form last year, but he’s well-versed on a course designed by Pete Dye to level the playing field.
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Analyzing the best fantasy golf options for the 2020 Arnold Palmer Invitational at Bay Hill Club and Lodge.
Bay Hill Club and Lodge in Orlando, Fla., hosts a field of 121 golfers for this week’s Arnold Palmer Invitational. Rory McIlroy, the 2018 champion, highlights those in attendance as the No. 1 golfer in the Golfweek/Sagarin world rankings. Below, we look at the top fantasy golf options for the 2020 Arnold Palmer Invitational.
Bay Hill measures 7,454 yards and plays to a par of 72. Each of the last eight winners finished 11-under par or better.
Arnold Palmer Invitational: Fantasy Golf Top 30
Mar 1, 2020; Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, USA; Tommy Fleetwood lines up his drive on the ninth hole during the final round of the 2020 Honda Classic golf tournament at PGA National (Champion). (Photo Credit: Reinhold Matay – USA TODAY Sports)
Here are my top-30 fantasy golf rankings for the 2020 Arnold Palmer Invitational at Bay Hill Club and Lodge.
30. Vijay Singh
Vijay ranks second to Davis Love III in this week’s field with 94 career rounds played at Bay Hill and he has gained an average of 1.79 strokes per round to lead all golfers with a minimum of 70 rounds played, according to Data Golf. He missed the cut each of the last four years, but he was a three-time winner on the PGA Tour Champions circuit in 2018.
29. Brendan Steele
Steele is coming off a fourth-place finish at the Honda Classic at PGA National. He had a dominant tee-to-green game at the more difficult course. He tied for 17th here last year.
28. Sebastian Munoz
Munoz leads this field in opportunities gained over everyone’s last 36 rounds. He’s also fifth in the field in scoring on long par 3s ranging from 200-225 yards which are featured at Bay Hill.
27. Joaquin Niemann
Niemann is coming off missed cuts at the Genesis Invitational and the Honda Classic. He’s now six months removed from his first career win at A Military Tribute at The Greenbrier in September. He’s still giving himself scoring opportunities but has suffered from some awful putting performances.
26. Abraham Ancer
Ancer missed the cut here in his debut last year. He enters the week ranked 37th in the Golfweek rankings, and he had a strong 12th-place finish at the WGC-Mexico Championship two weeks ago. He can compete in these elevated status fields.
25. Billy Horschel
Horschel has made the cut here each of the last seven years, albeit with a top finish of T-13 in 2017. He’s a good putter on Bermuda greens and tee-to-green play has been a strength in his last three events.
Feb 23, 2020; Mexico City, MEX; Rafa Cabrera Bello plays his shot from the 16th tee during the final round of the WGC – Mexico Championship golf tournament at Club de Golf Chapultepec. (Photo Credit: Orlando Ramirez – USA TODAY Sports)
24. Rafa Cabrera Bello
Bello tied for third last year in his Bay Hill debut. He tied for 17th in a strong field at the Genesis Invitational and tied for 16th in Mexico.
23. Bubba Watson
Watson has made the cut here each of the last three years but without a considerable amount of success. His best finish in that time was a T-17 showing last year. He opened 2020 with two top 10s but has slipped in his last two outings.
22. Tyrrell Hatton
Hatton tied for fourth in 2017 but has had more middling finishes the last two years. He tied for sixth in Mexico and will play his first event in the USA of 2020.
21. Francesco Molinari
The defending champ is one of my favorite betting picks this week at inflated odds of +9000. He has been horribly out of form with three straight missed cuts leading into a T-53 result in Mexico, but the former Open champion can turn it around at any time and he has the course history.
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20. Matthew Fitzpatrick
Fitzpatrick was the lone runner-up here a year ago following a missed cut in 2018. He’s one of the top putters on Tour in Strokes Gained: Putting on Bermuda grass, and he has been dominant from tee-to-green since this time last year.
19. Viktor Hovland
The Puerto Rico Open champ missed the cut last week, but he’s statistically a much better fit to Bay Hill than PGA National. He shares the field lead in Opportunities Gained and ranks sixth in the class in SG: Tee-to-Green.
Mar 1, 2020; Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, USA; Lee Westwood hits his drive on the first hole during the final round of the 2020 Honda Classic golf tournament at PGA National (Champion). (Photo Credit: Reinhold Matay – USA TODAY Sports)
18. Lee Westwood
Westwood gave it a go at PGA National last week and gained 7.0 strokes putting. He has gained an average of 0.87 total strokes per round at Bay Hill for his career, but he hasn’t played here any of the last five years.
17. Justin Rose
Rose finished as the runner-up to Tiger Woods in 2013 for his best career finish at Bay Hill. He tied for ninth in 2016 and finished alone in third in 2018 before a T-63 result last year. He can score, and he’s good from the sand.
16. Marc Leishman
The 2017 champ of Bay Hill picked up his first win of 2020 at the Farmers Insurance Open. He struggled at the Genesis Invitational and the WGC event, but he’s a much better putter on Bermuda grass and could return to form.
15. Tony Finau
Finau skipped this event each of the last two years, but he’s a good fit with a strong tee-to-green game. He has been off since a 51st-place result at the Genesis, but he has two top 10s already this season at the Farmers and Waste Management Phoenix Open.
14. Henrik Stenson
Stenson is one of four golfers in this field averaging at least 2.15 strokes gained per round at Bay Hill for their career. He has plenty of experience here, with 42 career rounds under his belt near his North American home. He has three top-five results in the last five years.
13. Rickie Fowler
Fowler was one of the many notable names to miss the cut last week at PGA National. It was his second MC in his last three events, now matching his number of top-10 showings in 2020.
February 13, 2020; Pacific Palisades, California, USA; Jason Day hits from the fourth hole tee box during the first round of the The Genesis Invitational golf tournament at Riviera Country Club. (Photo Credit: Gary A. Vasquez – USA TODAY Sports)
12. Jason Day
Day continues to play sporadically. He’s coming off a missed cut at the Genesis on the heels of a fourth-place result at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am. The 2016 champion was forced to withdraw last year.
11. Collin Morikawa
Morikawa remains the safest bet on Tour to make the cut, always propping up his fantasy value. He’s fifth in this field in SG: Tee-to-Green, and he enters the week seventh in the Golfweek world rankings.
10. Sungjae Im
Last week’s winner captured his first PGA Tour title while gaining just a single stroke on the greens. He led the field with 3.07 strokes gained per round tee-to-green and can rely on that strength once again at Bay Hill.
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9. Byeong Hun An
An tied for fourth last week to continue what has been a strong season to date. He remains in search of his first PGA Tour win, but he has made the cut in four straight events, all in strong fields. Like Im, his tee-to-green game has been doing the heavy lifting, and he’s one of the best on Tour around the greens, except for putting.
8. Patrick Reed
The WGC-Mexico champ tied for seventh at Bay Hill in 2018 before a T-50 result last year. Putting was his main reason for success in Mexico, and he’s much worse on Bermuda grass than Poa Annua.
7. Brooks Koepka
Having slipped to No. 17 in the Golfweek rankings, it’s tough to remember Koepka being in as poor of form as he’s been in since finishing fourth at the Tour Championship. He has two missed cuts and a withdrawal in his last six events, and he has poor course history here. Still, he can turn it on whenever he wants.
6. Adam Scott
The Genesis Invitational champ followed it up with a 26th-place result in Mexico before taking last week off. His best showing here in the last five years was a T-12 in 2016, but he’ll look to follow the prior success of fellow Aussies Leishman and Day.
Feb 23, 2020; Mexico City, MEX; Bryson DeChambeau walks to the 17th green during the final round of the WGC – Mexico Championship golf tournament at Club de Golf Chapultepec. (Photo Credit: Orlando Ramirez – USA TODAY Sports)
5. Bryson DeChambeau
DeChambeau was the runner-up in Mexico following a T-5 showing at the Genesis. Tee-to-Green has been the best part of his game, but he’s also a great sand player and can escape the trouble of Bay Hill.
4. Hideki Matsuyama
Matsuyama ranks second in the field in SG: Tee-to-Green over everyone’s last 36 rounds, and he’s fourth in Opportunities Gained. His best result here was a T-6 in 2016.
3. Xander Schauffele
Schauffele has surprisingly not played here as a professional. He’s a natural course fit, however, with a strong tee-to-green game and he was excellent on approach while finishing T-14 in Mexico.
2. Tommy Fleetwood
Fleetwood again came close to his first career PGA Tour win last week, as he finished solo third at PGA National. He tied for third at Bay Hill last year, and he gained 9.0 strokes tee-to-green last week.
1. Rory McIlroy
McIlroy’s 2.78 strokes gained per round are more than anyone else in the field with a minimum of five rounds played at Bay Hill. He hasn’t finished worse than last year’s T-6 in the last three years at this event and he has finished in the top five at each of his last six worldwide events.
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Analyzing the golf betting odds to win the 2020 Arnold Palmer Invitational, with PGA Tour betting odds, picks, predictions and best bets.
Five of the top 10 golfers in the Golfweek/Sagarin world rankings are in the field this week at Bay Hill Club and Lodge in Orlando, Fla., for the Arnold Palmer Invitational. Eight-time champion and 11th-ranked golfer Tiger Woods won’t be on hand, as he ensures his body is in peak shape for next month’s Masters. Below, we look at the golf betting odds and make our picks to win the 2020 Arnold Palmer Invitational.
The key stats for the 7,454-yard, par-72 Bay Hill Club and Lodge are:
Strokes Gained: Tee-to-Green
Opportunities Gained
Sand Saves Gained
Par 3 Efficiency: 200-225 Yards
Proximity from 200-plus Yards
My model at Fantasy National looks at the most recent 36 rounds for each golfer in the field.
Arnold Palmer Invitational Betting Picks – Tier 1
(Photo Credit: Orlando Ramirez – USA TODAY Sports)
No one in the field with a minimum of 10 rounds played at Bay Hill has gained more strokes per round than McIlroy’s 2.78, according to Data Golf. The 2018 champ followed it up with a T-6 finish last year, and he tied for fourth in 2017.
He has finished in the top five in each of his last six worldwide events, including a win at the WGC-HSBC Champions. He’ll defend his 2019 Players Championship crown next week.
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Brooks Koepka (+2800)
The books seem to be toying with us by continuing to offer these lofty odds on the former world No. 1. He missed the cut at last week’s Honda Classic following a T-43 at the Genesis Invitational, and has had poor results here with a missed cut in 2017 and 2019. Auto-betting him at these odds is just a good overall strategy because as soon as he wins again, he’s back down to less than 10/1.
Arnold Palmer Invitational Betting Picks – Tier 2
(Photo Credit: Kyle Terada – USA TODAY Sports)
Joaquin Niemann (+8000)
Niemann ranks second to only McIlroy in my stat model. He’s fifth in the field in opportunities gained and 11th in Proximity from the key distance. He tied for 46th last year, but has since picked up his first PGA Tour win.
Francesco Molinari (+9000)
A $10 bet on the defending champ would return a profit of $900 if he were to go back-to-back. The last golfer to win at Bay Hill in consecutive years was Matt Every in 2014 and 2015, and needless to say, Molinari is the far more accomplished golfer. He ranks second to McIlroy with 2.21 strokes gained per round at this venue in 28 career rounds played.
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Arnold Palmer Invitational Betting Picks – Longshots
(Photo Credit: Kyle Terada – USA TODAY Sports)
Charles Howell III (+10000)
Howell has played 72 career rounds at Bay Hill to rank fourth in the field. He’s coming off a T-53 finish at the WGC-Mexico Championship following a T-59 at the Genesis Invitational, but his experience is worth a shot at these long odds.
Sebastian Munoz (+10000)
Like Niemann, Munoz has a win already in the 2019-20 PGA Tour season. He comes into the week ranked third in my stat model and 76th in the Golfweek rankings. He leads the field in Opportunities Gained and ranks fifth in scoring on the long par 3s.
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Analyzing the best fantasy golf options for the 2020 Honda Classic at PGA National.
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PGA National hosts The Honda Classic for a 14th straight year to begin the PGA Tour’s annual Florida swing. The 7,125-yard, par-70 venue has long been one of the most difficult courses on the Tour’s circuit. Below, we make our fantasy golf picks for the 2020 Honda Classic at PGA National.
Honda Classic: Fantasy Golf Top 30
Aug 25, 2019; Atlanta, GA, USA; Tommy Fleetwood chips on the third hole during the final round of the Tour Championship golf tournament at East Lake Golf Club. (Photo Credit: Butch Dill – USA TODAY Sports)
Here are my top-30 fantasy golf rankings for the 2020 Honda Classic at PGA National.
30. Tom Hoge
Hoge has a great approach game, and he’s good from the sand, which all golfers need to be at PGA National. He has missed two straight cuts at this event, but he finished fifth at the Farmers Insurance Open a month ago.
29. Matthew NeSmith
NeSmith has been steadily improving over his last three events leading to a T-6 finish in Puerto Rico last week. He has been solid in all areas and has been putting extremely well.
Palmer tied for fourth last year after missing the cut in 2018. He plays well in the wind, and his best putting surface is the Bermuda grass featured at PGA National.
27. Vaughn Taylor
Taylor comes into 2020 with back-to-back T-59 finishes at PGA National. He scores low on these shorter courses and is another expert putter on Bermuda grass.
Aug 15, 2019; Medinah, IL, USA; Ian Poulter hits his tee shot on the first hole during the first round of the BMW Championship golf tournament at Medinah Country Club – No. 3. (Photo Credit: Brian Spurlock – USA TODAY Sports)
26. Ian Poulter
Poulter will play his first event in North America since the fall’s BMW Championship, where he was eliminated from the FedExCup Playoffs. He tied for third here in 2015 but missed the cut in 2018 and skipped last year’s event.
25. Keith Mitchell
The 2019 champion of the Honda Classic won the event after missing the cut in 2018. He hasn’t played since a T-32 finish at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am, and he doesn’t have a top-10 finish since last season’s Wells Fargo Championship.
24. Matthew Wolff
Wolff is coming off back-to-back missed cuts for the first time in his young career. His putter was one of his biggest weaknesses in those events, but he’s been much better on Bermuda grass as a pro.
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23. Jim Furyk
Furyk remains one of the best ball strikers and approach artists in the game when playing these shorter courses where he’s not penalized for his lack of distance. He tied for ninth last year.
22. Lucas Glover
Glover has had a good three-year stretch at this event with a T-21 in 2017, T-17 in 2018 and a T-4 last year.
January 11, 2020; Honolulu, Hawaii, USA; Rory Sabbatini acknowledges the crowd after making his putt on the 13th hole during the third round of the Sony Open in Hawaii golf tournament at Waialae Country Club. (Photo Credit: Kyle Terada – USA TODAY Sports)
21. Rory Sabbatini
The 2011 champion has made the cut in three of his last five appearances at PGA National with two top-20 results in that time. He’s good on par 4s and he has been playing great around the greens.
20. Kyle Stanley
Stanley is one of the best in the field in Strokes Gained: Approach and Par 4 Efficiency on holes ranging from 400-450 yards.
19. Brian Harman
Harman is a great ball striker who can go low with his scores at shorter venues. He has made the cut in six-straight events dating back to last year’s Houston Open.
18. Luke List
Typically long off the tee but struggles closer to the greens, List doesn’t seem like a great course fit, but he has had success at PGA National with a runner-up finish in 2018 and a T-10 in 2016. He missed the cut last year, but he has played well while making three straight cuts coming into this week.
17. Corey Conners
The expert ball striker also ranks among the field’s best in SG: Approach. He sat out last year’s tournament following a T-59 finish in 2018.
16. Emiliano Grillo
Grillo is coming off a T-3 finish at the Puerto Rico Open to snap a spell of three straight missed cuts. He leads the field in SG: Ball Striking and SG: Approach on courses shorter than 7,200 yards, according to my model at Fantasy National.
15. Byeong Hun An
An tied for fifth here in 2018 before a T-36 result last year. Putting was again his lone weakness in a 29th-place finish at the WGC-Mexico Championship last week.
14. Sungjae Im
Im finished just T-51 last year, but he enters the week in top form on par 4s and in scoring on short courses. Bermuda grass is his best putting surface.
Jul 13, 2019; Silvis, IL, USA; Daniel Berger hits his tee shot on the second hole during the third round of the John Deere Classic golf tournament at TPC Deere Run. (Photo Credit: Brian Spurlock – USA TODAY Sports)
13. Daniel Berger
Berger is among the best in the field in both Sand Saves Gained and Strokes Gained: Scrambling. He also plays well in the wind, and the former PGA Tour Rookie of the Year is coming off back-to-back top-10 finishes.
12. Joaquin Niemann
Niemann scores low on short courses on the back of his ball-striking strength.
11. Erik Van Rooyen
Van Rooyen picked up a T-3 finish in the loaded WGC field last week in Mexico, as he hung around the leaderboard for the entire tournament. He’ll make his debut at this event and it comes at a great time.
10. Lee Westwood
No one has gained more strokes per round at PGA National than Westwood’s 1.93 over 24 career rounds. He’s little more than a month removed from his win at the European Tour’s Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship, and he finished T-22 last week in Mexico.
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9. Viktor Hovland
Hovland rose to No. 22 in the Golfweek/Sagarin world rankings with his breakthrough win in Puerto Rico last week. While he struggles from the sand and can get into trouble with the water covering PGA National, his play from tee-to-green is nearly unrivaled right now.
Jan 31, 2020; Scottsdale, Arizona, USA; Billy Horschel tees off on the ninth during the second round of the Waste Management Phoenix Open golf tournament at TPC Scottsdale. (Photo Credit: Joe Camporeale – USA TODAY Sports)
8. Billy Horschel
Horschel missed the cut in two of his last five appearances at this event, but his other trips to PGA National resulted in finishes of T-8, T-4 and T-16. He tied for ninth in each of his last two events.
7. Shane Lowry
Lowry tied for 29th last week in his first North American appearance of the 2019-20 season. He’s a great sand player and one of the best in the field at scrambling.
6. Louis Oosthuizen
Another great sand player, Oosthuizen was lights out with the putter last week despite struggling desperately from tee-to-green and everywhere in between. He tied for 24th in 2018 and 21st in 2017.
5. Gary Woodland
Woodland has made four straight cuts at this event, including a co-runner-up finish in 2017.
4. Justin Rose
Rose hasn’t played the Honda Classic since missing the cut in 2015. He avoids trouble and can get out of it when he needs to. He trails only Westwood and Rickie Fowler in total strokes gained per round at PGA National.
February 13, 2020; Pacific Palisades, California, USA; Brooks Koepka hits from the fourth hole tee box during the first round of the The Genesis Invitational golf tournament at Riviera Country Club. (Photo Credit: Gary A. Vasquez – USA TODAY Sports)
3. Brooks Koepka
Koepka skipped out on Mexico following a T-43 finish at the Genesis Invitational. He tied for second here last year and is the best in the field at Birdies or Better Gained on courses shorter than 7,200 yards.
2. Rickie Fowler
Fowler, the 2017 champion, tied with Koepka last year following a missed cut in 2018. He also tied for sixth in 2016 and trails only Westwood in strokes gained at this event.
1. Tommy Fleetwood
Fleetwood’s lone appearance here was a fourth-place result in 2018. He tied for 18th in Mexico last week and is the betting favorite at BetMGM.
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Analyzing the golf betting odds to win the 2020 Honda Classic, with PGA Tour betting odds, picks, predictions and best bets.
The PGA Tour begins its four-event Florida swing with this week’s Honda Classic. Just three of the top 10 players in the world, according to the Golfweek/Sagarin rankings are in the field this week. Many of the world’s top golfers are taking the week off ahead of next week’s Arnold Palmer Invitational and The Players Championship the following week.
The key stats for the 7,125-yard, par-70 PGA National are:
Strokes Gained: Ball Striking
SG: Approach
Birdies or Better Gained
Sand Saves Gained
Par 4 Efficiency: 400-450 Yards
Strokes Gained: Scrambling
My model at Fantasy National looks at the most recent 36 rounds for each golfer in the field on courses shorter than 7,200 yards.
Honda Classic – Tier 1
Feb 20, 2020; Mexico City, MEX; Tommy Fleetwood reacts after playing his shot from the 14th tee during the first round of the WGC – Mexico Championship golf tournament at Club de Golf Chapultepec. (Photo Credit: Orlando Ramirez – USA TODAY Sports)
At No. 5 in the Golfweek rankings, Fleetwood is the top golfer in attendance. He also leads my stat model for the week on his strengths in SG: Ball Striking and Par 4 Efficiency. He finished fourth here in 2018 before skipping last year’s event.
Fleetwood is one of the more precise and accurate golfers in the world, and the forced layups off the tees at PGA National will play to his advantage as golfers need to navigate their way around the course. He’s a chalky play as the tournament favorite, but it worked for us last week with Viktor Hovland at the Puerto Rico Open.
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Billy Horschel (+2800)
Horschel has finished T-9 at each of his last two events – last week’s WGC-Mexico Championship and the Waste Management Phoenix Open. He tied for 16th at last year’s tournament following a missed cut in 2018. He finished T-4 and T-8 in 2017 and 2016, respectively. Like Fleetwood, he’s a great irons player.
Honda Classic – Tier 2
Jan 24, 2020; San Diego, California, USA; Matthew Wolff plays his shot from the 18th tee during the second round of the Farmers Insurance Open golf tournament at Torrey Pines Municipal Golf Course – North Course. (Photo Credit: Orlando Ramirez – USA TODAY Sports)
Matthew Wolff (+8000)
Wolff took last week off following a missed cut at the Genesis Invitational. He had previously missed the cut at the WMPO. While he ranks just 72nd overall by the stat model, he’s 18th in Birdies or Better Gained on shorter courses.
Luke List (+9000)
List’s advantage in length is largely negated at PGA National due to the forced layups off the tee. He was the runner-up to Rickie Fowler in 2018 and he tied for 10th in 2016. He’s on a streak of three straight made cuts.
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Honda Classic – Longshots
Apr 21, 2019; Hilton Head, SC, USA; Sam Burns tees off on the second hole during the final round of the RBC Heritage golf tournament at Harbour Town Golf Links. (Photo Credit: Joshua S. Kelly – USA TODAY Sports)
Sam Burns (+10000)
Burns’ odds are attractive following a T-8 finish in 2018. He followed it up with a T-73 last year, but he’s coming off a T-23 result in a much stronger field at the Genesis Invitational. He can score low on shorter courses.
Dylan Frittelli (+15000)
Frittelli excels on par 4’s ranging from 400-450 yards. He missed the cut last year on the heels of an 11th-place finish in 2018. He hasn’t found top form since his breakthrough win at last year’s John Deere Classic, but he picked up top-10 finishes at the Sanderson Farms Championship and Safeway Open earlier in the 2019-20 season. These odds are far too high for someone with a Masters invite already secured.
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Analyzing the best fantasy golf options for the 2020 WGC-Mexico Championship at Club de Golf Chapultepec.
Club de Golf Chapultepec hosts the World Golf Championships-Mexico Championship for the fourth straight year and eight of the top-10 golfers in the Golfweek/Sagarin world rankings are in attendance. All 72 members of the field will play all four rounds, barring withdrawal, at the no-cut event. Here, we break down the best fantasy golf picks for the WGC-Mexico Championship.
WGC-Mexico Championship: Fantasy Golf Top 30
February 13, 2020; Pacific Palisades, California, USA; Dustin Johnson hits from the fourth hole tee box during the first round of The Genesis Invitational golf tournament at Riviera Country Club. (Photo Credit: Gary A. Vasquez – USA TODAY Sports)
Here are my top-30 fantasy golf rankings for the 2020 WGC-Mexico Championship at Club de Golf Chapultepec.
30. Jordan Spieth
Spieth was T-12 in 2017 and T-14 in 2018 before slipping to T-54 last year. He was coming off a great all-around performance at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am before a dismal tee-to-green display at the Genesis Invitational resulted in a T-59th-place finish.
29. Cameron Smith
Six weeks removed from his win at the Sony Open in Hawaii, Smith returns to Mexico following a T-6 last year. He has missed the cut in each of his last two events, but he at least gained 1.9 strokes on approach last week.
28. Danny Willett
Ignore Willett’s T-3 at “this event” in 2016, as it came at Doral Golf Resort in Florida when the tournament was known as the WGC-Cadillac Championship. He also missed the cut last week, but he won the BMW PGA Championship in September to remind people he can still compete in strong fields.
27. Rafa Cabrera Bello
RCB tied for third in 2018 and 19th last year. He had a strong T-17 showing last week after missing the cut at Pebble Beach in his 2020 North American debut.
26. Sungjae Im
Im’s missed cut last week snapped a worldwide streak of 15 straight events in which he played all four rounds dating back to the Open Championship. He’s assured four rounds this week.
Jan 19, 2020; La Quinta, California, USA; Abraham Ancer gestures after finishing his final round of The American Express golf tournament at Stadium course at PGA West. (Photo Credit: Orlando Ramirez – USA TODAY Sports)
25. Abraham Ancer
The top golfer in the field from Mexico, Ancer has disappointing results of a T-52 and T-39 in the last two years at this event. He’s coming off of back-to-back strong putting performances, and he has a great approach game.
24. Byeong Hun An
An has been off since a ninth-place finish at the Waste Manage Phoenix Open. Putting, like usual, was his problem, as he ranked among the best in the field in Strokes Gained: Tee-to-Green and SG: Around-the-Green. He’s a great scrambler and is well-equipped for the tight fairways of Chapultepec.
23. Bubba Watson
Watson picked up second- and third-place finishes in the last two years this event was held at Doral. His best showing in three years in Mexico was a T-9 in 2018. He’s coming off a rare missed cut at the Genesis, but it was almost entirely the result of a horrid and uncharacteristic putting performance.
22. Chez Reavie
Reavie is one of the best in the field on SG: Approach, and he’s good from this week’s key proximity distance of 150-175 yards. He has put together back-to-back strong performances to snap a skid of three straight missed cuts.
21. Corey Conners
Conners will make his debut in Mexico following his win at last year’s Valero Texas Open. He’s second in the field in Opportunities Gained and is an expert ball-striker.
20. Kevin Kisner
Kisner’s lone career WGC win was at the 2019 Match Play. He has finished outside the top 25 each of the last two years here following an 11th-place finish in Mexico in 2017.
19. Brandt Snedeker
Snedeker has skipped this event each of the last two years following a T-7 finish in 2017. He missed the cut at Pebble Beach and Phoenix following a third-place result at the Farmers Insurance Open. His approach game and play around the greens has remained strong.
Jul 19, 2019; Portrush, IRL; Tyrrell Hatton reacts to his tee shot on the 11th hole during the second round of The Open Championship golf tournament at Royal Portrush Golf Club – Dunluce Course. (Photo Credit: Ian Rutherford – USA TODAY Sports)
18. Tyrrell Hatton
Hatton will play an event in North America for the first time since The Northern Trust in mid-August. He has since won the Turkish Airlines Open for his fourth career victory and he’ll return to competitive play for the first time since late November.
17. Collin Morikawa
Morikawa has made the cut in all 18 of his PGA Tour events as a professional. He’ll participate in his first WGC event this week, after his first career win came at the alternate Barracuda Championship running the same week as the WGC-FedEx St. Jude Invitational.
16. Sergio Garcia
Sergio tied for sixth last year following a T-7 in 2018 and a T-12 in 2017. The 2017 Masters champion has never won a WGC event, but he has been a frequent top-10 finisher in no-cut tournaments.
15. Marc Leishman
The Farmers Insurance Open champ returned to competitive play last week and again dominated on approach, gaining 5.3 strokes. He has lost strokes putting in two of his last three events but needs just to be average for a top finish.
14. Matt Kuchar
A co-leader entering Sunday’s final round of the Genesis, Kuch finished as a co-runner-up and enters this week 24th in the Golfweek/Sagarin rankings. He hasn’t had much success in Mexico, however, finishing 50th last year and T-58 in 2018 after a T-20 debut in 2017.
Aug 22, 2019; Atlanta, GA, USA; Louis Oosthuizen hits his tee shot on the 2nd hole during the first round of the Tour Championship golf tournament at East Lake Golf Club. (Photo Credit: Adam Hagy – USA TODAY Sports)
13. Louis Oosthuizen
Oosthuizen has been playing very well on the European and Australasian Tours and will play in North America for the first time since the 2019 Tour Championship. He finished T-25 last year for his best result in three appearances in Mexico.
12. Patrick Reed
Reed’s best result at Chapultepec also came last year with a T-14 result. He’s an average putter on the Poa Annua surface, but his approach game has been excellent of late.
11. Bryson DeChambeau
DeChambeau’s debut at this event last year ended with a T-56 result. He tied for fifth last week while gaining 10.6 strokes from tee-to-green and 3.5 strokes on approach.
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10. Paul Casey
Casey tied for third here in 2019 for his best result in this event. He’s generally a poor putter on Poa Annua, but it hasn’t held him back here, and he gained 5.6 strokes on approach last week.
9. Tommy Fleetwood
Fleetwood was the runner-up at this event in 2017, but he slipped to T-14 and T-19 in each of the last two years, respectively. He’ll participate in his first PGA Tour event since a T-53 result at the WGC-HSBC Champions. He has since won the Nedbank Golf Challenge and finished second at both the DP World Tour Championship, Dubai and Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship.
February 13, 2020; Pacific Palisades, California, USA; Xander Schauffele hits from the tenth hole tee box during the first round of The Genesis Invitational golf tournament at Riviera Country Club. (Photo Credit: Gary A. Vasquez – USA TODAY Sports)
8. Xander Schauffele
Schauffele improved on a T-18 result in 2018 to finish T-14 in 2019. His best putting surface has historically been Poa Annua, and he has gained strokes off the tee in seven straight measured events.
7. Hideki Matsuyama
Matsuyama enters the week ninth in the Golfweek/Sagarin rankings. He has two career wins in WGC events and finished T-19 here last year in his second appearance in Mexico.
6. Webb Simpson
Simpson benefits from the elevation of Chapultepec making it play much shorter than its 7,345-yard measurement. He has finished outside the top 35 each of the last two years, but he hasn’t finished worse than T-30 in 17 stroke-play events since missing the cut at last year’s Valspar Championship.
5. Justin Thomas
Thomas has strangely missed the cut in two of his last three events, but he still has more wins (3) than missed cuts since the US Open. He has finished inside the top 10 in all three years this event has been held in Mexico.
Feb 16, 2020; Pacific Palisades, California, USA; Adam Scott poses with the winner’s trophy following his victory of the The Genesis Invitational golf tournament at Riviera Country Club. (Photo Credit: Gary A. Vasquez – USA TODAY Sports)
4. Adam Scott
Scott’s lone Mexico appearance was a T-45 in 2017. He’ll return this week off his win at the Genesis Invitational. His last WGC win – the 2016 Cadillac Championship – came the week after he claimed victory at the Honda Classic.
3. Jon Rahm
Rahm tied for third in 2017, but he slipped to T-20 in 2018 and T-45 last year. He’s a great putter on Poa Annua, but he has struggled around the greens in each of his last two events.
2. Rory McIlroy
McIlroy was the runner-up last year, and he tied for seventh in 2017 but skipped the 2018 event. He’s a top scrambler and is able to escape the trouble of the tight fairways.
1. Dustin Johnson
Johnson has won this event two of the last three years since it moved to Mexico. He has six career WGC titles, including the 2017 Match Play.
