Well, off-the-course issues in the golf world are in news again this week as a group of players sought legal intervention so they could participate this weekend. That was to no avail but nevertheless, we should have a strong field for this first PGA playoff event.
Getting back on the course Rory McIlroy is the favorite this week. There is nothing wrong with that, but when you look below you will see some other players I am hot on.
The purse is bigger this week than others, but just as important will be the culling of the field down to 70 golfers for next week's event, the BMW Championship.
There are probably some other storylines but in this wacky season that is the stage we are operating from to see who the best golfer in the world is. If the PGA still determines that.
FYI - This event used to be called the Northern Trust Open.
PS - I am focusing on the odds of the outcome for this weekend's event only. The way the PGA Tour runs its playoffs can be a little confusing in terms of declaring the ultimate champ, but I am sure you can find some expert articles on that.
Dates: Aug 11-14, 2022
Course: TPPC Southwind, Shelby County, Tennessee
Purse: $15,000,000
Will Zalatoris +2500
Changing your caddie midseason is not generally recommended but Zalatoris got a bump after doing so and has been knocking on the door all season long. This looks like a course on which he should thrive, so that first Tour victory seems very possible.
Cam Smith +1600
He played really well at both events on this course last season and this season has seen his game grow more and more. The odds gap between him and Rory feels a little off making Smith one of the best values among the favorites.
Jon Rahm +2000
Rahm has cooled as the season has gone on and with that, his odds have been going up each week. Now he is not quite the underdog but no longer among the heavy favorites. He generally plays well when the stakes are higher so there is no reason to think he is going to shrink this week.
Corey Conners +6000
The Canadian has shown he can compete with the best players on the Tour. His lone win was a few years back from his second-best outing was earlier this season. Finishing sixth at the Masters turned some heads too. That was back to back top tens at Augusta. Why not give him a shot here?
Stephen Jaeger Top Ten +1200
Jaeger is off the regular contender list but he has finished in the Top 15 in the last two events. He finished especially strong last week too. A little extra confidence can go a long way and this is a great payoff for just a top-10 finish.
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