At Today’s Lines, golf bettor Craig Edwards (@EdwardsTips) dives into what he believes are the Top 20 PGA Golf Tournaments to bet on at the main betting sites!
1. The Players Championship
The Players Championship is back to its original slot of March and has always been my favorite at the TPC Sawgrass. Known as professional golf’s “unofficial fifth major” the prestigious week brings together all the top players at a quirky unique track that has never been overpowered. The wagering beauty of the Players Championship is that all the sport’s top players enter but unusually many of them find the course too difficult.
2. The Masters Tournament
The Masters Tournament is always the golfing year’s first major championship played in April at Augusta National. An elite limited field event with an iconic back-9 and importantly for a major, they play the same course every year. Course form has a stronger look than any other major championship
3. The Heritage Classic
The Heritage Classic follows the Masters Tournament in April at the Hilton Head Golf Links at Sea Island. Like the Players Championship, the track has many quirks, none more so than the smallest greens on the PGA Tour. Tight tree-lined fairways mean accuracy tee-to-green is a precious commodity but as a coastal track it can be susceptible to deceptive gusty winds that swirl between the tree line.
4. The Genesis Invitational
The Genesis Invitational is played at the Riviera Country Club, Los Angeles in February. The course is a major test that is often seen on US Open or US PGA rosters. A really difficult test with the ground often firm to make things even harder than a normal week. A course specialists track, just ask homeboy Max Homa!
5. The Texas Open
The Texas Open at the TPC San Antonio is a very fair test in often windy conditions where course specialists like Charly Hoffman excel. Being long and accurate off the tee has often been the key at the Texas Open.
6. The American Express
The Californian Swing starts with the American Express at a rotation of courses for the opening three days followed by a cut and final round at PGA West. The courses play easy for what is the third event of the year and players need to be able to go low. Many outsiders have been known to win or outplay their odds.
7. The St. Jude Invitational
TPC Southwind in Tennessee is always a tough but fair test every August. Course and recent form are the perfect combination to be trusted in Memphis and has often worked out perfectly for bettors.
8. The AT&T Byron Nelson
Recent years have seen the long-standing event in Texas move to TPC Craig Ranch. With Kyoung Hoon-Lee winning the opening two years course form and players in good nick looks like a strong formula.
9. The Open Championship
The Open Championship over in Great Britain is often a test of endurance given many of the courses are coastal links and exposed to the elements. Check the weather forecast, it can give you an edge at the Open Championship.
10. The U.S. Open
The U.S. Open is historically the hardest test in professional golf with a difficult course rotation and challenging course set up by the USGA. A brutal event and your golfer will need huge patience to win.
11. The Charles Schwab Challenge
The Charles Schwab Challenge is hosted in Texas at Fort Worth, Ben Hogan’s spiritual home. A short tree-lined test for creative players like Jordan Spieth who know how to go low!
12. The Travelers Championship
TPC River Highlands hosts this event that has an exciting closing stretch of risk-reward holes surrounded by water hazards. Not for the faint-hearted, just ask Bubba Watson, he was the expert.
13. The PGA Championship
May’s Major Championship has a course rotation and fair set up, not as difficult as a U.S. Open, and one to be confident in your read of conditions and golfers suited to them.
14. The Shriners
The Shriners is always in the fall in Las Vegas. A low-scoring test and course form plays strong at TPC Summerlin.
15. The Ryder Cup
The team event with Europe bi-annually. Europe is always underrated and often values underdogs, especially when it is their turn for home advantage
16. The RSM Classic
We know the end of the year is drawing close at the RSM Classic, but golf bettors need to focus because course specialists go particularly well in Sea Island, Georgia. Much amateur to form at the course from historic collegiate events at the Georgia track.
17. The Sony Open
The Sony Open is always the second event of the PGA Tour year at the quirky Waialae in Hawaii. We have the week before and results at the Sentry Tournament of Champions for players who have shaken off the rust at a course specialists track.
18. The Farmers Insurance Open
The Farmers Insurance Open is at the historic Torrey Pines set on the coastal cliff tops in California. A really difficult test, especially given Torrey Pines is a regular course on the U.S. Open course rota.
19. The Memorial Tournament
The annual visit to “Jack’s Place” (Jack Nicklaus) is not to be missed. Muirfield Village sets a stout test of ball-striking and always has its fair share of drama
20. The Pebble Beach Pro-am
The pro-celebrity event to end the Californian Swing on the Monterey Peninsula. A course specialists delight in the small greens if they don’t mind their amateur partner.
Conclusion
There was the odd notable casualty that were unlucky to miss out like the Wells Fargo at Quail Hollow or the Phoenix Open at the Stadium Course. Overall, though each of the top 20 has strong credentials to make the list and aid your golf betting portfolio.
