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Tour Championship betting tips
- Viktor Hovland to win - 9/2 at William Hill
- Max Homa top five finish - 11/5 at Bet365
- Xander Schauffele outside pick - 30/1 at Betway
Scottie Scheffler is the big favourite to win the Tour Championship at East Lake this weekend thanks to his two-shot lead carried into the tournament.
The world No 1 may not have had his hands on a major this season but has been in fairly solid form over the summer and looks well-placed here to claim victory.
The American will be up against it though. Chasing him down are two golfers who have doggedly kept up with Scheffler in the PGA rankings all year: Rory McIlroy and Jon Rahm.
What’s more, a lightning finish to his summer has catapulted Viktor Hovland into the mix and UK bookmakers have had to dramatically cut his odds.
The Tour Championship is open to just 30 of the world’s top players and there is no cut here. The golf odds are, naturally, shorter across the outright markets but there are pockets of profit to be had from this competition.
There’s an $18 million bonus at stake here and East Lake is one of those courses that rewards accuracy over everything else. As such, we don’t need to look at sluggers, just those who know how to approach the greens and keep their heads down.
That’s what aided Hovland in his win at the BMW Championship last weekend and it’s something that both McIlroy and Xander Schauffele could benefit from here.
It all begins on Thursday and we’ve taken a look at the latest golf betting markets to provide three picks for the Tour Championship below.
Back Viktor Hovland to win
Perhaps we’re jumping the gun here by picking Hovland, winner of the BMW Championship only a few days ago, to go one extra and claim victory this week but there is good reason behind the selection.
Hovland has flown under the radar this summer but the Norwegian has been posting some steady results. Tied 13th at The Open and the St Jude Championship, he also won the Memorial Tournament back in June. He was two shots off Brooks Koepka at the PGA Championship and placed in the top 10 at the Masters.
Hovland keeps his head down and plays smart golf. His course record 61 in the final round at Olympia Fields on Sunday featured just one putt longer than 15ft on the back nine.
With approach play like this, Hovland has more than a good chance of claiming victory at East Lake. William Hill slashed their odds from 10/1 to 9/2 on Hovland to win after Sunday and he starts Thursday’s first round on -8, two shots off Scheffler.
Tip: Viktor Hovland to win - 9/2 at William Hill
Back Max Homa for a top five finish
Max Homa overcame a heckler who had bet against him at the BMW Championship to finish T5 at Olympia Fields and is in a great position to place again here.
In a short field of just 30 of the world’s top golfers, finding a regular place-finisher isn’t easy. Homa has placed in the top 12 in his last four tournaments – an excellent rebound after failing to make the US Open cut.
Homa had a great 2022 but didn’t impress at the big events. He is only just getting some real consistency under his belt and the Tour Championship has come at just the right time. Indeed, he joins Rahm, Scheffler and McIlroy as the only players to surpass 2,000 FedEx points this season.
Bookmakers have set a pre-tournament price of 28/1 for Homa to win the $18 million top prize. However, shorter odds of 11/5 with Bet365 on a top-five finish look realistic.
Tip: Max Homa top 5 finish - 11/5 at Bet365
Back Xander Schauffele as the outsider
As we mentioned above, East Lake rewards smart, reasoned golfers who keep their heads when approaching the green. Step forward Xander Schauffele who, alongside McIlroy, has the best strokes gained stats on this course. Schauffele’s tee-to-green play is unrivalled at East Lake and he is third for putting.
Combined, the world No 6 is a formidable player and is due a run at a trophy. His T8 finish at the BMW Championship was his first top 10 place since the US Open. He isn’t in great form but East Lake suits his steady game.
He starts on -3 alongside Tommy Fleetwood, Russell Henley, Keegan Bradley and Rickie Fowler. Fleetwood is another form man and could well rival Schauffele for an each-way pick here.
Betway have already nudged Schauffele’s odds down from 33/1 to 30/1 following a steady flow of money backing the American to win. Perhaps the punters know what’s coming this weekend.
Tip: Xander Schauffele outside pick - 30/1 at Betway
Free golf bets: Tour Championship betting
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HeySpin is one such example, with their current welcome package offering new customers a £15 free bet in return for an initial deposit and first bet of £15. This ‘Bet £15, get £15’ offer is a simple way of claiming free bets if you were already planning on wagering on a sporting event.
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That means you could take our advice and back Hovland to win at 9/1 rather than 9/2, for example, and winnings are paid out in cash rather than free bets which gives punters more control over how to make use of potential winnings.
Better yet, Grosvenor will even allow each-way bets to qualify for this offer, which lends itself very well for golf betting. Odds are subject to change. Always read the full terms and conditions when signing up to a promotional offer from a betting operator.
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Last Updated: 14th March 2024, 07:22 AM
