Rory McIlroy, Brooks Koepka, and 9 other favorites to win the Charles Schwab Challenge — the first PGA tournament since the COVID-19 pandemic began
Tyler Lauletta
- This weekend, golf is back.
- An absolutely stacked field will play at Colonial Country Club in Fort Worth, Texas to compete in the Charles Schwab Challenge.
- Rory McIlroy leads the field as the 10/1 favorite, but there are plenty of other great golfers available to bettors looking to get in on the action.
After a three month hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic, this weekend, golf is back.
At the Charles Schwab Challenge contested at Colonial Country Club in Fort Worth, Texas, some of the biggest stars in golf will take to the course to compete in the first tournament since play was suspended back in March.
Given the specific circumstances of this year's tournament, the field is absolutely stacked, with the likes of Rory McIlroy, Brooks Koepka, Jon Rahm, and more of golf's biggest names set to contest for their share of the $7.5 million purse and begin to get back into shape before the majors begin with the PGA Championship in August.
For golf bettors, the Charles Schwab Challenge presents a unique opportunity — rather than backing whichever golfers have been playing hot in recent weeks, this weekend's tournament will be all about picking golfers you can trust, either through talent, experience, or past success.
Rory McIlroy leads the field as the 10/1 favorite, but a slew of talented golfers are just behind him, including a few impressive players available at prices you'd be hard-pressed to find any other weekend.
Take a look below at the 11 favorites to win this year's Charles Schwab Challenge. All odds courtesy of GolfOdds.com.
Rory McIlroy
Current odds: 10/1
World ranking: No. 1
One thing to know: Rory McIlroy is one of the few players in this field that has recently played competitive televised golf, having teamed up with Dustin Johnson to take down Rickie Fowler and Matthew Wolff at the TaylorMade Driving Relief event at Seminole Golf Club in May. McIlroy hit the clinching shot in that match, so there's an argument to be made that he's the hottest golfer in the field entering this weekend's tournament.
Jon Rahm
Current odds: 12/1
World ranking: No. 2
One thing to know: Jon Rahm was on a tear to start the year, finishing in the top 10 of four of the five tournaments he's played in 2020 and never finishing outside of the top 20. The world No. 2 also finished second at the Colonial National Invitation in 2017, so he knows how to put up numbers at this course.
Justin Thomas
Current odds: 16/1
World ranking: No. 4
One thing to know: Justin Thomas is already one of the top players in golf, and should become even more of a household name as the cover athlete for "PGA Tour 2K21" when the game is released this August. A great all-around player that can fit his game to any shot, this course should play well to him.
Webb Simpson
Current odds: 25/1
World ranking: No. 9
One thing to know: Webb Simpson won the Phoenix Open and placed second in the Sony Open earlier in the season. If he can keep that consistency as he heads into the weekend, he's a strong pick to be in contention come Sunday.
Bryson DeChambeau
Current odds: 25/1
World ranking: No. 13
One thing to know: Bryson DeChambeau is known, for better or worse, as one of the most meticulous golfers on the Tour. Given that the entire field will be working to shake off the rust this weekend, DeChambeau's exacting style of play could reward bettors looking to back whoever is going to make the fewest mistakes on the course.
Xander Schauffele
Current odds: 25/1
World ranking: No. 12
One thing to know: Xander Schauffele finished in the top 25 of the past four tournaments he played before the COVID-19 pandemic put the season on pause. A stellar performer at the majors over the past two years, he could be set for another big weekend given the impressive field playing at Colonial.
Dustin Johnson
Current odds: 30/1
World ranking: No. 5
One thing to know: Few golfers have been as dominant as Dustin Johnson over the past few years, with 11 wins to his name dating back to the 2016 season. While 30/1 aren't the longest odds you'll find while betting golf, it's not often you get the chance to bet a player like Johnson at that number.
Brooks Koepka
Current odds: 30/1
World ranking: No. 3
One thing to know: Brooks Koepka's big-time play at majors over the past three seasons has set him apart from the rest of the golfing world even though he has admitted that he doesn't really practice. "I just practice before the majors. Regular tournaments I don't practice," Koepka told reporters in 2019. "When you see me on TV, that's when I play golf."
While it's tough to believe Koepka wasn't playing a few rounds to stay loose while sitting through quarantine, if he comes out looking a bit off-balance, there might be a reason.
Rickie Fowler
Current odds: 35/1
World ranking: No. 27
One thing to know: Rickie Fowler is a make-it-work kind of golfer. He's well-rounded, and plays with a consistency puts him near the top of leaderboards in tournament after tournament. In a tournament that promises chaotic golf, Fowler is a guy it's easy to imagine taking advantage of the moment.
Sungjae Im
Current odds: 35/1
World ranking: No. 23
One thing to know: Before the COVID-19 pandemic put the golf season on hold, you would have a tough time finding a hotter player than Sungjae Im, who won the Honda Classic as late February turned to March and finished third at the Arnold Palmer Invitational just a week before the season was suspended. Three months is a long time for a hot streak to carry over, but don't count out the possibility.
Patrick Reed
Current odds: 35/1
World ranking: No. 7
One thing to know: With the world celebrating the return of golf, what better time to bet the sport's greatest villain to win?
READ MORE ARTICLES ON
Popular Right Now
Popular Keywords
Advertisement