At the Wells Fargo Championship, only seven of the 68 golfers who made it through to the weekend had a worse than par round on Friday at the Quail Hollow Club. As the tournament began, I predicted that the total winning score for the 72 holes would be under 271.5, meaning the winner would have to be 13 under par or better. With ideal weather conditions and the golfers above the cut line playing well, it seems likely that my bet will pay off.
Nonetheless, 36 holes remain before we declare a winner, and golf is unpredictable.
Though rain was anticipated on Saturday in Charlotte, it appears that it might fall on Monday or Tuesday instead. The temperature is expected to remain in the 70s with little wind.
Despite the favorable weather conditions, Quail Hollow remains a difficult course. The leaderboard is a mix of top-ranked players such as Tyrrell Hatton, Xander Schauffele, Justin Thomas, and Sungjae Im, along with lower-ranked players like Nate Lashley and Michael Kim. Additionally, J.J. Spaun, Adam Svensson, and Wyndham Clark, who has been performing well in recent tournaments, are also up there. Max Homa, a two-time champion, is further down the leaderboard at 5 under par, while Patrick Cantlay and Gary Woodland are tied at 4 under par.
Updated odds to win (via BetMGM Sportsbook)
+650: Tyrrell Hatton, Xander Shcaufelee
+700: Justin Thomas
+800: Sungjae Im
+1000: Wyndham Clark
+1800: Max Homa
+2000: Adam Scott, Patrick Cantlay, Tommy Fleetwood
+2200: J.J. Spaun, Adam Svensson
+2500: Nate Lashley
As the weekend approaches, there are a few golf players who are expected to perform well and others who may not. Among the players who are likely to do well.
Draws
Wyndham Clark (+1000)
Wyndham Clark is one to watch out for. He has been playing consistently and has shown great form in recent games. Clark missed his chance at his first TOUR win in New Orleans a few weeks ago, but the experience may have taught him a valuable lesson. He is also comfortable playing on Fazio-designed courses. He has been playing well in all aspects of the game, including putting, driving distance, and hitting greens in regulation. Although his driving accuracy has been shaky, he has been able to overcome it so far. If he improves his driver accuracy just a bit, he may have even more chances at birdies.
J.J. Spaun (+2200)
Another player to watch out for is J.J. Spaun. Like Clark, Spaun has been playing consistently and has been improving his putting game each day. He is currently ranked number one in driving accuracy and sixth in greens in regulation. Despite being only one shot behind the leader, his odds are still not as high as some other players who are further behind him in the leaderboard.
Gary Woodland (+6600)
If you are looking for a long-shot bet, Gary Woodland could be a good choice. Although his accuracy off the tee could be better, he has been performing well in SG: Tee to Green and SG Approach. His putting game needs some improvement, but this aspect of the game is also quite volatile and can change rapidly. Woodland has finished in the Top 5 in this tournament twice in the past, and it is possible that he could do it again this year.
On the other hand, there are a couple of players that you may want to avoid betting on.
Xander Schauffele (+650)
Xander Schauffele, although only one shot behind the leader, is not a great value bet. His odds are the same as Tyrrell Hatton’s, who is currently in the lead and ranked 18th in the Official World Golf Rankings. Schauffele’s game has been a bit erratic, and he has not been performing consistently in all aspects of the game.
Patrick Cantlay (+2000)
Another player to avoid betting on is Patrick Cantlay. His game has also been shaky, with poor performance in SG: Off the Tee and Greens in Regulation. Although his putting has been fine, his scrambling has been below average. Like Schauffele, he is priced shorter than many other players who are currently performing better than him.
Finally, the PGA TOUR reminds its fans that they are committed to protecting them. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, there is a confidential toll-free hotline operated by the National Council on Problem Gambling that you can reach by phone or text at 1-800-522-4700.
