2020 PGA Championship Predictions with Odds and Expert Betting Picks
In a year where few things have made sense, it fits perfectly that the first major golf championship happens in August, and it’s the PGA Championship.
Trying to make sense of almost anything is an exercise in futility. What doesn’t have to be futile is figuring out how to cash on this golf event. As compared to many aspects in our current life, in which we have little or no relatable information, we have a large volume of info to work through on all the golfers in this tournament and golf odds to study.
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TPC Harding Park golf course is about a half-mile from the Pacific Ocean in the Bay Area. The course will be at 7,251 yards on the scorecard, with a Par of 70, which only tells a part of the story.
Because this is a major, the fairways were narrowed (just 22 yards across on some holes) and the rough was let to grow. Because of the proximity to the ocean, the ball will not travel as far (thicker marine air), and the rough will have more density and not be trampled as normal because of no spectators.
Another feature indicative of courses in this region is large Cypress trees that line the fairways. These trees have been known to swallow up golf balls -- and sometimes they don't spit them back out -- and this could make some of the professionals think twice about always grabbing the driver. Tigers Woods probably said it best; “……do not hit the ball in these trees. You may not be seeing it again."
While this sounds very difficult, this layout is not impossible as the greens are large, on average about 7,000 square feet and the amount of slope is limited.
The Cream at the Top of Stacked Field
If this week’s field of top golfers looks very similar to last week’s at Memphis, it is not a coincidence. The St. Jude’s had a top-notch field in preparation for this tourney, and generally the main difference of the Top 12 is the placement. Here are the odds:
Brooks Koepka +1000 - Justin Thomas +1000 - Jon Rahm +1400 - Rory McIlroy +1400
Bryson DeChambeau +1600 - Xander Schauffele +1600 - Dustin Johnson +2200 - Patrick Cantlay +2500
Webb Simpson +2800 - Tiger Woods +3000 - Collin Morikawa +3300 - Daniel Berger +3300
Brooks Koepka has reminded anyone within earshot that he is the two-time defending champion of this event and is trying to (with great desire) become the seventh player in the 160-year history of the major championships to win any of them three consecutive times. Koepka’s knee was fine last week in finishing tied for second.
Justin Thomas won last week, and he’s well-known for playing his best golf on the toughest tracks. Definitely a major (pun purely intended) threat. He won this tourney in 2017.
John Rahm thirsts for his first major to validate his place in the sport, and Webb Simpson has two wins and six Top 10s in his 10 PGA Tour starts in 2020.
Dustin Johnson and Patrick Cantlay have the distance and accuracy to overpower this course on particular holes, giving them real birdie chances to move up the leaderboard.
This is Tiger’s second start in five months. And while any golf fan would love to see him win another major, that seems unlikely. Bryson DeChambeau is not keeping those long drives in the fairway and has lost 13 shots to the stat, Shots Gained – Approach, in his last six rounds and he has never had a top 10 finish in a major.
Lastly, how can anyone overlook Daniel Berger? In his last six tournaments, FIVE Top 5’s, with a victory at the Charles Schwab Challenge!
Golf Picks: Major Hunters
Koepka, Thomas and Rahm are all smart choices for the outright win. This contingent also offers positive odds for Top 5 and Top 10 golf picks. You might not win a ton. However, the idea is to win and make money.
Berger (+400 and +135) has good possibilities for Top 10s and Top 20s based on our previous reporting. Don’t sleep on Rickie Fowler for a Top 20 at +150, with three Top 22 finishes in his last four outings.
For a different wager, consider Justin Rose for – Missed Cut – at +150. Normally, Rose is a player you would look to for a Top 10 or Top 20 in a major, but he’s missed three straight cuts and five of seven.
In the tournament head to head’s, based on the matchups we’ve uncovered, playing against Woods and Henrik Stenson seems prudent.
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Doug Upstone of Doc’s Sports has 21 documented No. 1 titles and finished in the Top Ten 80+ other times in a distinguished career. Doug as a professional handicapper/writer has written for various well-known sports betting websites and several of the football newsletters you have read before.
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