PGA Props Picks: The Players Championship Predictions
We raise an iced tea and lemonade mix to those who were on the #1 ranked golfer in the world to take home the trophy at this past weekend’s Arnold Palmer Invitational. We had Scottie Scheffler at (-135) to beat Rory McIlroy on the moneyline in a matchup bet.
We haven’t seen someone this dominant on the PGA Tour for quite some time. If the 27-year-old from New Jersey can continue at this pace for some time, we could be talking about him as an all-time great.
The 2020 Rookie of the Year once again sits atop the betting board as the favorite this week to win the prized PLAYERS Championship. He is the defending champion here at TPC Sawgrass, finishing 5 shots better than the entire field. Another bet on the best might be the best bet to make.
Another former winner here, the aforementioned McIlroy, is right below him with the who-is-who of the PGA Tour in tow.
THE PLAYERS Championship isn't one of the four Majors, but it remains one of the most coveted titles on Tour. TPC Sawgrass is a very challenging golf course, albeit with typically mild and fair conditions in Florida at this time of the year.
There’s already a bag full of betting odds available for us. Let’s focus today on some interesting props and predictions for the Players Championship.
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Matchup
We were 2/2 on our matchup bets last week with Sungjae Im coming through for us, as well as Scheffler. We only paid a small amount of juice at (-135) for each. Should we try to hit that odds range again or attack some plus money?
Round 1
Rory McIlroy (-130) vs Russell Henley (+110)
Russell Henley has been playing solid golf as of late, and McIlroy hasn't been having the best first rounds recently. That's why we are getting such a good number here on the heavy hitter from Northern Ireland.
At the end of the day, we are getting the far better golfer to play slightly or better golf at reasonable odds. We don’t need to complicate this one.
To Make the Cut Parlay: -115
Scottie Sheffler
Viktor Hovland
Rory McIlroy
Xander Schauffele
I wanted Viktor Hovland and Justin Thomas on the same parlay, but the books have them ready-made for us. That's okay, though. Sheffler obviously isn't a major worry here. It's Xander Schauffele and McIlroy who have missed the cut here a few times in recent starts.
They are both in great form, though, and I think Rory needed a few weeks in a row back on the PGA Tour to get some rhythm. He had a rough round 4 on Sunday, shooting 4 over par after storming back on Saturday.
We are betting on four top 10 golfers to make the cut at nearly even money. I’ll take it.
Scottie Scheffler Bogey Free Round 1: +1000
Hey, the guy has done it on the PGA Tour more than once and even pulled off the feat in a Major tournament at the PGA Championship. This is a long-shot flyer of a bet, but Scheffler is on another level and will accomplish this feat many more times in his career.
He has stated in some interviews that he easily rates the 18th hole here at Sawgrass as the most challenging. For those of you who love the thrill of the bet, this one has your name written all over it.
Top 20 Finish
Shane Lowry: +175
Ireland's Shane Lowry isn't the most consistent golfer on the PGA Tour. However, on his best day, he can compete with and outplay anyone. He tends to play up or down to his level of competition, and I mean the field and the course.
Maybe you remember his 2019 win at the PGA Championship in his home country. At one of the toughest courses in the worst conditions, he beat the field by 6 strokes on his way to his only Major victory.
He is playing incredible golf right now, with finishes of 4th and 3rd over the past two weeks. Lowry's course history here at THE PLAYERS Championship has been solid, with an average finishing position of 15th over the past three years.
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