Golf best bets: Outright picks for the RBC Canadian Open

The PGA Tour heads north of the border this week for the RBC Canadian Open at Hamilton Golf and Country Club, and it's no surprise to see Rory McIlroy (+400) on top of the odds board. McIlroy is the reigning champion at the RBC Canadian Open, and he won this tournament the last time it was held at Hamilton in 2019.

We can't justify a bet on McIlroy at those odds, so let's aim farther down the board for the three outright bets we're targeting this week.

Sahith Theegala (+2000 BetMGM)

This is our favorite bet near the top of the board. Sahith Theegala is coming off a T12 finish at the PGA Championship, and he already has five top-10 finishes in 13 stroke-play starts this season.

Theegala has the all-round game to compete with McIlroy over a four-day stretch. The Californian ranks fifth on Tour this season in total strokes gained, fourth in strokes gained from putting and 19th in approaches over 200 yards. He also ranks 10th in par 3 scoring average, which will be crucial this week on Hamilton's long, challenging par 3s. 

McIlroy's gravitational pull on this odds board is creating a valuable price on Theegala, so we're jumping on it.

Sam Burns (+2800 BetMGM)

Sam Burns was on fire to start the season, but he's flying a bit under the radar this week because he has three missed cuts in his last five starts. We're buying the dip on a talented player who has as much win equity as anyone in this field not named McIlroy. 

Burns has gained strokes on approach in nine of his last 10 starts. His best approach range is 125-150 yards, which will be a popular distance approaching these 10 par 5s. The American had his worst putting week of the season at the PGA Championship, but he still ranks fourth on the PGA Tour in birdie or better conversion percentage and ninth in putting average.

Nicolai Hojgaard (+9000 BetMGM)

This is strictly a bet on talent at a juicy price.

Nicolai Hojgaard has three missed cuts in his last four starts, but he was contending at the Masters for two rounds right before this mini-slump. The 23-year-old won on the DP World Tour in November and nearly won the Farmers Insurance Open in January. His first win on the PGA Tour is coming. 

Hojgaard has been struggling on the greens, but he finishes well when he gains strokes from putting because of how well he drives the ball and hits his long irons. We'll sprinkle the 90/1 and hope for a good putting week from the Dane.