Connecting the dots. That’s the challenge West Virginia bettors embrace every week with the lucrative, unpredictable, and competitive PGA Tour. This week, it’s the Memorial Tournament, on a course designed by Jack Nicklaus, running Thursday-Sunday.
Where’s the money?
Some may view it as backing a playoff, which the tour has experienced for two straight weeks via Sam Burns at the Charles Schwab and Justin Thomas at the PGA. Throw in this 2021 tourney result with Patrick Cantlay winning in a playoff.
There’s also the hot-golfer angle, with Patrick Reed coming off two straight top 20 finishes and perhaps being a value on the win at +6500, or in the top 20 at +200, through DraftKings WV Sportsbook.
There’s the familiarity angle, with Cantlay defending his title. WV sportsbooks are all over that one, though. He’ll be good value but won’t be able to sneak up on anyone.
How to watch the 2022 Memorial Tournament
- Thursday-Friday: 2-6 p.m. (Golf Channel)
- Saturday-Sunday: 12:30-2:30 p.m. (Golf Channel), 2:30-6 p.m. (CBS)
Memorial Tournament odds at WV sportsbooks
Here are the original favorites at DraftKings:
- Jon Rahm +800
- Patrick Cantlay +1000
- Rory McIlroy +1100
- Xander Schauffele +1600
- Collin Morikawa +1800
- Jordan Spieth +2200
Johnny Avello, the director of race and sportsbook operations at DraftKings, reminds West Virginia bettors about two important trends:
- Scour the board for value. Legitimate winners lurk in the +2000 to +4000 range.
- Adjust on the fly. It’s rare that a golfer can match Joaquín Niemann’s wire-to-wire feat from earlier this year. Avello believes some excellent value still abounds after rounds two and three.
We outlined here last week the scoring opportunities on the first couple of holes at the Charles Schwab. That came into play both in the final round and in the playoff.
Sam Burns, who made a miraculous seven-stroke rally against Scottie Scheffler, birdied the first hole Sunday. He went on to post a final round -5 and tie Scheffler, forcing the playoff.
He repeated the birdie touch in the extra session, draining a 38-footer for the victory.
Scheffler could not find a rhythm all day. Nonetheless, the world’s top player was an excellent value after the opening round. Scheffler was a couple of strokes back and had odds of +500.
Bettors who took that thought they had it cashed on Sunday, because Scheffler had gotten the lead and had a two-stroke edge heading to the final round. It wasn’t meant to be, but playing Scheffler before Friday was still a great angle.
Odds were much shorter after the Friday and Saturday rounds.
Evaluating Muirfield Village Golf Club
The best scoring chances this week loom on the front nine, with two par 5s considered among the easiest to play.
This includes the seventh hole, which is a 592-yard par 5. This one will be straightforward positioning, with some players aggressively seeking the green in two shots to set up an eagle chance. Most will be putting for at least a birdie.
The fifth is a 547-yard par 5, also with an excellent birdie chance. It’s a little trickier because of a creek that splits the area leading up to the green. This will make many players contemplate whether the reward of a potential eagle by trying to hit the green in two shots is worth the risk of blowing up if the ball finds the water.
The back has one tantalizing score chance.
The par-5, 561-yard 15th is reachable in two if players want to flirt with the creek on the right and the terrain leading to it. Those who play it safe should have a benign chip to the green.
As for difficulty, the 10th and 18th are considered the two hardest holes.
On the 10th, most of the green is guarded by large traps, and the space of the landing area is not ideal.
The 18th fashions a 480-yard dogleg right and requires players to avoid the creek on the left, along with the bunkers at the corner on the tee shot. The approach shot must not fall into the labyrinth of bunkers leading to the hole. It is a take-no-prisoners finale.
PGA Tour betting with BetMGM WV
Rahm shoppers will prefer BetMGM Sportsbook WV this week, as he was +1000 late Monday. He was tied for the top spot with McIlroy.
Other notables include Cantlay at +1600, a nice price for a defending champion.
Xander Schauffele is +1800, while both Jordan Spieth and Collin Morikawa are next at +2000.
The book will be getting more bets up closer to the start of the tournament.
Here’s an intriguing prop: Will there be a playoff? Yes is +333; no is -450. Bettors must decide whether the law of averages dictates that this will be the first tourney in the last three to be decided in regulation, or whether unusual developments, like a tie after 72 holes, happen in waves.
