Category: PGA Tour

Brooks Koepka Undervalued, Ludvig Aberg Overvalued in PGA Championship Odds
6 May 24 Jimm Sallivan

Brooks Koepka Undervalued, Ludvig Aberg Overvalued in PGA Championship Odds

The golf season's second major is two weeks away and we’re already seeing some interesting odds movement ahead of the PGA Championship at Valhalla Golf Club on May 16-19.

PGA Tour rookie Ludvig Aberg has shot up the odds board this year and somehow has shorter odds than multiple major champions who are playing as well, if not better than him currently.

One of those players is reigning PGA Championship winner Brooks Koepka. A three-time winner of this event coming off an impressive performance that led to victory on the LIV Tour, Koepka is somehow sitting behind Aberg in odds to win, which seems insane considering his form and history at this event. But here we are.

Koepka is currently the fifth-betting favorite with odds of +1600 at FanDuel Sportsbook to hoist his fourth Wanamaker Trophy.

Aberg is +1500 at FanDuel to win the title. That’s tied with two-time major champion Jon Rahm for the third-shortest odds. Only Scottie Scheffler (+400) and Rory McIlroy (+1100) have shorter odds at FanDuel than Aberg.

Directly behind Aberg in the FanDuel odds are Xander Schauffele (+2100), Wyndham Clark (+2400), Collin Morikawa (+2900), and Cameron Smith (+2900), among others. Clark, Morikawa and Smith have all won majors and Schauffele has three-times more top fives in majors (6) than Aberg has appearances.

This is Aberg's second major championship appearance and first PGA Championship. Since its inception in 1916, only nine players have won the PGA Championship in their first appearance. Morikawa was the most recent in 2020. Before that it was Keegan Bradley in 2011 and Shaun Micheel in 2003.

Not impossible, but not likely either.

Aberg finished second at the Masters and T-10 at the RBC Heritage the week after. He’s playing in the PGA Tour’s Wells Fargo this week and his performance will be worth monitoring. Those odds still seem high given his lack of experience playing in majors.

Koepka, meanwhile, has rounded into form after a disappointing T-45 finish at the Masters. He admitted he felt “embarrassed” by his performance at Augusta and has a greater focus since, which has led to better results on LIV.

He won the LIV Golf tournament in Singapore this past weekend and shot a three-round 14-under to finish 10th in Australia the week before. His putter was on fire in Singapore and he continues to be one of the best ball strikers in the game.

Koepka won back-to-back PGA Championships in 2018-2019. He also won back-to-back U.S. Open titles in 2017-2018. Clearly, he knows how to string together major wins in the same event.

While he hasn’t played well at the most recent two majors (T-64 at the British Open last year to go along with his T-45 at Augusta), putting Koepka behind Aberg in the odds seems wild. Even DraftKings having Koepka and Aberg tied at +1600 is surprising.

Aberg has proven he can play with the most elite players in the world. But he’s yet to prove he can beat them. His lone PGA Tour win was a fall event last year where the top competitor was Mackenzie Hughes at four strokes behind him.

Not exactly a pressure-packed moment.

Aberg faced that pressure at Augusta on the back nine Sunday and pulled his approach shot into the water on 11 and made a double bogey. He rebounded with two birdies on 13 and 14, but he was so far behind Scheffler at that point there the pressure was gone.

This is not to say Aberg won’t contend at the PGA Championship or win a major in the future, maybe even this year. This is more of a note on the odds being off based on experience and historical performance.

Koepka should be ahead of Aberg in the odds, not behind or tied with him. That’s a bet worth considering.

Odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.

If you or someone you know has a gambling problem and wants help, call 1-800-GAMBLER.

Brooks Koepka, Golf, Ludvig Aberg, PGA Championship, PGA Tour
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16-Year-Old Kris Kim Makes PGA Tour History by Making Cut at CJ Cup Byron Nelson
4 May 24 Jimm Sallivan

16-Year-Old Kris Kim Makes PGA Tour History by Making Cut at CJ Cup Byron Nelson

16-year-old golfer Kris Kim is going to have to cancel his weekend plans.

In his PGA Tour debut, Kim shot a four-under 67 on Friday at the CJ Cup Byron Nelson to push his two-day total to seven-under 135, making the cut by one stroke. He'll be playing on Saturday and Sunday at TPC Craig Ranch in McKinney, Texas.

Kim now is the fifth-youngest player in PGA Tour history to make a tournament cut, and the youngest since 16-year-old Kyle Suppa made the cut at the Sony Open in Hawaii in 2015.

Kim, the son of former LPGA Tour player Ji-Hyun Suh, made five birdies and an eagle Thursday to shoot a three-under-par 69 to start the tournament.

He'll be chasing the tournament's front-runner Jake Knapp, who enters the weekend wiith the lead after shooting a 14-under 128 across Thursday and Friday.

CJ Cup Byron Nelson, Kris Kim, PGA Tour
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Jordan Spieth Landed the Luckiest Bounce Off a Fan's Elbow Into Fairway
3 May 24 Jimm Sallivan

Jordan Spieth Landed the Luckiest Bounce Off a Fan’s Elbow Into Fairway

Watching a Jordan Spieth round nowadays is like being on a roller coaster.

For one golf fan during Friday's second round at the CJ Cup Byron Nelson, watching Spieth also came with a surprise bruise.

As the Texas native teed off on the 16th hole, his tee shot went so far right that he hit a spectator directly on the elbow. Luckily for Spieth, the ball bounced off the fan's elbow right onto the green.

The spectator was thankfully O.K., even though he is walking away from the tournament with a huge welt near his elbow. Spieth gave him a signed ball and glove to apologize for the injury but also thanking him for help on the shot.

The fan appeared to be in good spirits despite the unfortunate injury.

Spieth ended up bogeying the 16th hole even with the fan's help to put him on the green. He missed the cut for this week's tournament after finishing four-under par.

Golf, Jordan Spieth, PGA Tour
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Fact or Fiction: Boosting the Zurich Classic, Predicting Rory McIlroy’s Career Wins
1 May 24 Jimm Sallivan

Fact or Fiction: Boosting the Zurich Classic, Predicting Rory McIlroy’s Career Wins

Welcome back to SI Golf’s Fact or Fiction, where we’d love to play some alternate shot with friends but hope they’d still be our friends afterward.

Once again, we’re here to debate a series of statements for writers and editors to declare as “Fact” or “Fiction” along with a brief explanation. Responses may also occasionally be “Neutral” since there's a lot of gray area in golf.

Do you agree or disagree? Let us know on the SI Golf X account.

In the wake of Rory McIlroy and Shane Lowry’s popular win at the Zurich Classic, the PGA Tour should get more serious about the event (and team golf) by making it a signature event, therefore luring more of the Tour’s top players.

Bob Harig: FACT. By making this a signature event, not only do you assure more of the top players competing, but you can limit the field. The idea of 80 teams starting and so many players involved really defeats the purpose. Lean into this event and make it bigger.

John Pluym: FACT. The PGA Tour needs more events like Zurich, but with the fields limited to the best players in the world. And if the Tour can mandate that the winners get up in front of a raucous crowd and sing, “Don’t Stop Believin,’” all the better. 

Shane Lowry hugs Rory McIlroy after winning the 2024 Zurich Classic.

The entire panel thinks the PGA Tour should lift the Zurich Classic, which enjoyed its greatest week as a team event when Rory McIlroy and Shane Lowry won.

Stephen Lew-USA TODAY Sports

Jeff Ritter: FACT. These signature events are supposed to be rotating a bit, are they not? Time for Zurich to get in the mix so we can see more Ryder Cup-caliber pairings. 

John Schwarb: FACT. The Zurich’s format is such a treat in the sea of sameness on the Tour schedule, yet its field hardly gets fans excited. Signature events are largely a function of sponsors and schedules, but no excuses—it’s time to get many more top players to New Orleans. 

Speaking of McIlroy, the Zurich was his 25th PGA Tour win, moving him into a tie for 23rd all time. To get to 15th requires 31 wins (tying Jimmy Demaret), and at 34 years old that’s as far as the Ulsterman will get.

Bob Harig: FICTION. Assuming good health, Rory should have 10 good years left. He’ll need some good fortune but even one win a year gets him to 35 victories. Rory is due for a couple of multiple-victory seasons. Getting to 40, while a stretch, is not out of the question..

John Pluym: FICTION. McIlroy will need a lot of good fortune to get to 31 wins, especially with Scottie Scheffler winning week to week or every other week (can he keep it up?). There are so many incredible players out there. But with 10-plus years left in his career, McIlroy should land somewhere between 30 to 35 wins.

Jeff Ritter: FICTION. So many variables with this kind of prediction, but assuming good health and continued drive, McIlroy should play well into his 40s. I’d guess he lands somewhere between Demaret’s 31 and Tom Watson’s 39.  

John Schwarb: FACT. The tendency with these questions is to overestimate right after a win, but his iron game and putting aren’t among the Tour’s best every week and he mostly plays elite events where he has to beat the best. He can absolutely grab six more wins in what will be a long career but I’m not willing to go overboard.

LIV Golf’s Adelaide event was a smash for the second consecutive year. Half of LIV Golf’s regular-season events are in North America but the Saudi-backed circuit needs to play the majority of its schedule overseas to better connect with nations starved for pro golf.

Bob Harig: FICTION. LIV Golf should definitely consider adding a second Australian event in a different state. It should go to South Africa, Spain, the U.K., South America, Japan or South Korea. But establishing a presence in the U.S. is imperative. It’s where most of the corporate support resides, and where the TV rights deals can potentially be the greatest. It’s a tough road without America.

John Pluym: FACT. LIV Golf Adelaide saw the biggest crowds of the dozen LIV events played over two seasons, so why not go there more often along with the PGA Tour and DP World Tour? It’s no different than the NFL playing more and more games overseas. Do it!

Cameron Smith plays a shot at the 2024 LIV Golf Adelaide event.

Cameron Smith played in front of huge crowds in his native Australia.

Courtesy LIV Golf

Jeff Ritter: FICTION. LIV is getting some traction overseas, but to become a bigger player in pro golf it needs to connect here in the U.S. I assume that’ll happen through the negotiated partnership that’s been in the works for nearly a year, but …

John Schwarb: FACT. A second Australian event seems like a no-brainer, and Asia is likely underserved with just two events on the LIV schedule. The league could also create wild-card spots for local players, boosting interest. If a LIV–PGA Tour merger of sorts remains far away, then LIV should stop trying to compete as hard for U.S. eyeballs and go where the Tour can’t. Or won’t.  

A Golf Digest story about NBC Sports said the network is still unsure who will be in the lead analyst’s chair in the U.S. Open, which is less than two months away. The chaos shows NBC should never have let Paul Azinger go. 

Bob Harig: FACT. I’m partial to Azinger. I don’t necessarily have a problem with rotating analysts, but we’d never know about it if Azinger were retained. And the way that went down sure seems curious. Having already dispensed with Roger Maltbie and Gary Koch, moving on from another comfortable voice seems too much..

John Pluym: FICTION. I don’t care who sits in the chair as long as they’re interesting. Who do golf fans want analyzing the action? Who do the players want? Let’s stir the pot instead of always trying to make things comfortable. Let’s also get the players mic’d up at events. In fact, that would be more interesting than who’s sitting in the lead analyst’s chair.  

Jeff Ritter: FICTION. I like Azinger, but rotating the chair has added some juice to the broadcasts so far this year. Also: do we need a “lead analyst” at the USO, or could NBC continue some sort of hybrid-rotation that week? I’m open to seeing what they come up with. 

John Schwarb: NEUTRAL. I was receptive to NBC’s plan to rotate the chair early in the year but no one has stuck yet and it’s fair to ask if these were actual tryouts or just a cheap way to run a booth. The U.S. Open deserves an analyst with gravitas and right now I feel like I’ll wish Azinger was there. But NBC still has time to get this right. 

LIV Golf, PGA Tour, Rory McIlroy
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CJ Cup Byron Nelson Odds and Betting Picks: Will a Longshot Win This Week?
1 May 24 Jimm Sallivan

CJ Cup Byron Nelson Odds and Betting Picks: Will a Longshot Win This Week?

This week’s PGA Tour event is sure to provide plenty of fireworks as the low-scoring CJ Cup Byron Nelson tournament gets underway Thursday at the TPC Craig Ranch, arguably the easiest course on tour each year. 

The field is light on superstars—Jordan Spieth is the biggest name and has the lowest odds to win—but rife with opportunity to win some money as everyone has +1400 odds or higher. 

Jason Day won this tournament last year with a final score of 23 under and K.H. Lee won it the previous year at 26 under. The fairways on this course are wide, there can be favorable wind for the players, and most of the time this tournament turns into a bit of a pitch and putt where approach shots and putting become the key to winning. 

Based on that, below are a few picks to consider betting on. All odds are from FanDuel Sportsbook.  

CJ Cup Byron Nelson Odds 

Jordan Spieth +1400

Si Woo Kim +1600

Jason Day +2000

Adam Scott +2000

Alex Noren +2200

Byeong Hun An +2500

Stephan Jaeger +2500

Sungjae Im +2500

Min Woo Lee +2500

Tom Kim +2800

Tom Hoge +2800

CJ Cup Byron Nelson Betting Picks 

Byron Nelson Top 10 Finish Pick – Jordan Spieth +190 

It’s been an inauspicious year for Spieth, who has as many missed cuts as Top 10 finishes (3). He’s been erratic with his approach shots (100th on tour in Shots Gained: Approach), which has resulted in him bogeying over 15% of his holes. 

The good news is the putting woes that have cost him in the past seem to be a thing of the past (14th in SG: Putting), his driving has been consistent this season (39th SG: Off-the-Tee) and he’s eighth on tour in birdie percentage (26.3%). He also birdies par 5s ​​56.76% of the time.

Those metrics point to high performance at this tournament. 

Spieth finished second at this tournament in 2022 and T-9 in 2021. He did not play last year. 

At plus odds against a weaker field on a course he’s had success at previously, this feels like a good buy-low spot on Spieth to finish in the Top 10. 

Byron Nelson Player to Fade – Jason Day +1800

Like Spieth, Day has been inconsistent this year, finishing in the Top 10 in three tournaments, but missing two cuts and finishing outside the Top 30 in three others, not including his T-30 at the Masters. 

The stats unearth other troubling signs, most notably being 152nd on Tour in SG: Approach, 133rd in Green in Regulation % (63.62), and 180th in proximity to hole (42’ 11”).

That’s not going to get it done on a birdie bonanza course like this. 

Byron Nelson Outright Winner Picks – Tom Hoge +2800 & Thomas Detry +4000

Hoge and Detry fill the primary buckets that tend to lead to a great performance at this tournament -- good putters and birdie machines.

Hoge is second on tour in SG: Approach, sixth in scoring average, ninth in total birdie average (4.58 per round), 13th in Par 5 scoring and 30th in SG: Putting. 

While he’s 136th in SG: Off-The-Tee and isn’t a long hitter, that won’t matter as much at a course with some of the widest fairways on tour. Plus, he’s 11th on tour on approaches from outside 200 yards and accurate with most of his long irons overall.  

He did just miss the cut at the Zurich, but that’s a team event. Outside of that, he’s had three Top 20s in his last four events and two Top 10s at the Pebble Beach Pro-Am and Genesis Invitational this year. He also shot 21-under at the American Express, proving he can go low. 

Detry is just behind Hoge in birdie average per round (4.56) and an even better putter, ranking 18th in SG: Putting. Putting is always key at this event and could be the point of differentiation for him. 

While he has been inconsistent with his approach shot (137 SG: Approach), he’s 55th on Tour in driving distance, which could offset his struggles with the irons on this long course. He also ranks 19th in birdie or better % on Par 5s (55.74%). 

Detry shot 14-nder at Pebble Beach and finished T2 at the Houston Open with an 11-under score. He also just finished T8 at the Zurich, which is good momentum even though it was a team event. 

Detry has the firepower to go low, and at +4000 is worth a sprinkle ahead of the tournament.

Odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.

If you or someone you know has a gambling problem and wants help, call 1-800-GAMBLER.

Byron Nelson, PGA Tour, Sports Betting
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TV Times: How to Watch CJ Cup Byron Nelson and LIV Golf Singapore
1 May 24 Jimm Sallivan

TV Times: How to Watch CJ Cup Byron Nelson and LIV Golf Singapore

PGA Tour: The CJ Cup Byron Nelson

Site: McKinney, Texas.

Course: TPC Craig Ranch. Yardage: 7,414. Par: 71.

Prize money: $9.5 million. Winner’s share: $1,710,000.

Full Field: 156 players.

Television: Thursday-Friday, 4-7 p.m. (Golf Channel); Saturday-Sunday, 1-3 p.m. (Golf Channel), 3-6 p.m. (CBS).

Defending champion: Jason Day.

FedEx Cup leader: Scottie Scheffler.

Last week: Shane Lowry and Rory McIlroy won the Zurich Classic of New Orleans.

Notes: Jordan Spieth, Will Zalatoris and Tom Kim lead the contingent of Dallas-area residents playing the tournament. ... CJ Cup takes over as title sponsor after AT&T ended its sponsorship after nine years. CJ Cup started out with a tournament in South Korea, then moved to Las Vegas and South Carolina during the COVID-19 pandemic. ... The field features only 10 of the top 50 in the world ranking. Spieth is the highest-ranked player in the field at No. 20. ... Scottie Scheffler is missing the tournament as his wife is expecting their first child. ... Adam Scott is playing the tournament for the third straight year. He won the Byron Nelson in 2008. ... This is the final week to finish among the top 70 in the PGA Championship points list to assure a spot at Valhalla in two weeks. The points list is PGA Tour earnings the last 12 months. ... Spieth now has gone 43 starts over two years on the PGA Tour since his last victory.

GCSAA Fact Sheet: Click here.

Next week: Wells Fargo Championship.

Online: https://www.pgatour.com/

LIV Golf League: LIV Golf Singapore

Site: Singapore.

Course: Sentosa GC (Serapong). Yardage: 7,406. Par: 71.

Prize money: $20 million. Winner’s share: $4 million.

Television: Thursday-Saturday, 9 p.m. to 2 a.m. (CW app); Saturday-Sunday, 1-6 p.m. (The CW Network-Tape Delay).

Defending champion: Talor Gooch.

Points leader: Joaquin Niemann.

Last week: Brendan Steele won LIV Golf Adelaide.

Notes: Brendan Steele last week became the third straight first-time winner on LIV Golf, matching the longest such streak since the league launched in June 2022. ... Jon Rahm has yet to win since joining LIV this year, but he is the only player in 2024 to have finished in the top 10 in all six events. ... Ian Poulter and Hudson Swafford were the only players who did not have a round under par last week in Australia. ... Poulter in 2009 and Sergio Garcia in 2018 won the Singapore Open when it was played at Sentosa. ... With the PGA Championship approaching, LIV has three players in the top 100 who are not already eligible—Adrian Meronk, Lucas Herbert and Patrick Reed. ... LIV already has 10 players in the PGA Championship field at Valhalla. ... After back-to-back weeks in Australia and Asia, LIV Golf is off for a month until a week before the U.S. Open.

Next tournament: LIV Golf Houston on June 7-9.

Online: https://www.livgolf.com/

DP World Tour: Volvo China Open

Site: Shenzhen, China.

Course: Hidden Grace GC. Yards: 7,147. Par: 72.

Prize money: $2.25 million. Winner’s share: $375,000.

Television: Thursday-Friday, 12-5 a.m. (Golf Channel); Saturday, 12-4:30 a.m. (Golf Channel); Saturday, 11:30 p.m. to 4:30 a.m. (Golf Channel).

Previous winner: Sarit Suwannarut.

Race to Dubai leader: Rory McIlroy.

Last week: Yuto Katsuragawa won the ISPS Handa Championship.

Notes: The China Open returns to the European tour schedule for the first time since 2019 because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The tournament was held last year co-sanctioned by the Asian Tour and the China Tour. ... This is the final event that counts toward the Asian Swing on the European. The top three players get exemptions into the PGA Championship next month at Valhalla. Sebastian Soderberg, Keita Nakajima and Jesper Svensson are currently holding down the top three spots. ... Thriston Lawrence leads the European tour this season with five finishes in the top 10. ... Katsuragawa is the fourth player from Japan in the last seven months to win on the European tour. The others were Ryo Hisatsune, Rikuya Hoshino and Nakajima. ... The tour is off until the PGA Championship on May 16-19. After that begins a stretch in which 17 consecutive events (outside the majors) are staged in European countries.

Next tournament: PGA Championship on May 16-19.

Online: https://www.europeantour.com/dpworld-tour/

PGA Tour Champions: Insperity Invitational

Site: The Woodlands, Texas.

Course: The Woodlands CC (Tournament). Yards: 7,002. Par: 72.

Prize money: $2.7 million. Winner’s share: $405,000.

Television: Friday, 12:30-3:30 p.m. (Golf Channel); Saturday-Sunday, 3-6 p.m. (Golf Channel).

Defending champion: Steven Alker.

Charles Schwab Cup leader: Stephen Ames.

Last week: Stephen Ames won the Mitsubishi Electric Classic.

Notes: Bernhard Langer returns to competition after injuring his Achilles tendon while playing pickleball on Feb. 1. The injury caused him to miss the Masters. ... Langer has won every year since first becoming eligible for the PGA Tour Champions in 2007. He is a four-time winner of the Insperity Invitational. ... Stephen Ames took over the Charles Schwab Cup lead over Steven Alker by winning at the TPC Sugarloaf last week. It was his second win this season. ... Alker is the two-time defending champion at The Woodlands. ... Ames is the only multiple winner on the PGA Tour Champions in 2024. ... The field includes Steve Stricker, who missed the cut last week in New Orleans on the PGA Tour. ... Paul Broadhurst of England has won and finished runner-up in his last two starts. ... This is the last regular event before the first of five majors on the PGA Tour Champions schedule.

GCSAA Fact Sheet: Click here.

Next week: Regions Tradition.

Online: https://www.pgatour.com/pgatour-champions

LPGA Tour

Last week: Hannah Green won the JM Eagle LA Championship.

Next week: Cognizant Founders Cup.

Race to CME Globe leader: Nelly Korda.

Online: https://www.lpga.com/

Korn Ferry Tour

Last week: Tim Widing won the Veritex Bank Championship.

Next tournament: AdventHealth Championship on May 16-19.

Points leader: Tim Widing.

Online: https://www.pgatour.com/korn-ferry-tour

Other Tours

Epson Tour: Casino Del Sol Golf Classic, Sewailo GC, Tucson, Ariz. Defending champion: Gigi Stoll. Online: https://www.epsontour.com/

PGA of America: PGA Professional Championship, Fields Ranch at PGA (East and West), Frisco, Texas. Defending champion: Braden Shattuck. Television: Tuesday, 5-8 p.m. (Golf Channel); Wednesday, 4-7 p.m. (Golf Channel). Online: https://www.pga.com/

Japan Golf Tour: The Crowns, Nagoya GC (Wago), Aichi, Japan. Defending champion: Hiroshi Iwata. Online: https://www.jgto.org/en/

Asian Tour: GS Caltex Maekyung Open, Namseoul CC, Seongnam, South Korea. Defending champion: Chanmin Jung. Online: https://asiantour.com/

Legends Tour: Barbados Leges, Apes Hills Barbados, Saint James, Barbados. Defending champion: New tournament. Online: https://www.legendstour.com/

Japan LPGA: World Ladies Championship Salonpas Cup, Ibaraki GC (East), Ibaraki, Japan. Defending champion: Yuri Yoshida. Online: https://www.lpga.or.jp/en/

Korea LPGA: Kyochon 1991 Ladies Open, Sunsan CC, Gumi South Korea. Defending champion: Bokyeom Park. Online: https://klpga.co.kr/

Golf on TV, LIV Golf, PGA Tour, TV Times
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