Memorial value down odds list
Golf gurus offer up Rahm (22-1), Horschel (85-1)
For the first time since 1957, the PGA Tour will have two consecutive events on the same course when the Memorial tees off Thursday at Muirfield Village, site of last week’s Workday Charity Open.
However, the course is expected to play tougher for the event hosted by Jack Nicklaus and the field also will be much stronger, with Tiger Woods joining 17 of the top 20 players and 57 of the top 64 in the Official World Golf Ranking.
Bryson Dechambeau, the 2018 Memorial winner who’s coming off a win at the Rocket Mortgage Classic, is the 9-1 favorite. He’s followed by Justin Thomas (12-1), Rory Mcilroy (14-1) and Patrick Cantlay (14-1), who won the 2019 Memorial and tied for seventh at the Workday.
“I like Cantlay but being the defending champion, you’re not going to catch anyone off guard,” Westgate sportsbook vice president of risk Jeff Sherman said. “His odds are reflected, especially after he finished (seventh) last week. We opened him at 16-1 and now he’s 14-1.
“I’m looking deeper down the list at guys who have the capability to win but don’t have the name recognition to find value this week.”
Sherman (@golfodds) said he played Joaquin Niemann and Billy Horschel each at 80-1 (though their odds have since moved).
Joaquin Niemann, 66-1 Billy Horschel, 85-1
Horschel tied for seventh at the Workday while Niemann finished fifth at the RBC Heritage in June.
“Niemann has been playing some decent golf and can build on that,” Sherman said. “Horschel has had some success at the Memorial before and his game fits this course.”
Handicapper Wes Reynolds, co-host of VSIN’S “Long Shots” golf betting show, also shared his selections:
Jon Rahm, 22-1
The world No. 2 is off to a rocky restart but the Spaniard does carry a little momentum into this week after shooting an 8-under 64 Sunday, which was tied for the low round of the Workday.
“The recent form indicates that his price should be drifting higher,” said Reynolds (@Wesreynolds1). “But keep in mind this man has won nine times worldwide in just 3½ years.”
Viktor Hovland, 25-1
He finished third last week and has shown progressively better form in each of the last five weeks (23-21-1112-3).
“This isn’t exactly a price bargain considering he was the same price in a weaker field last week,” Reynolds said. “However, Hovland has now led the field in strokes gained: tee to green in three consecutive events.”
Abraham Ancer, 40-1
Ancer shot 65 in the final round of the RBC Heritage and finished 21 under. But Webb Simpson birdied five of the last seven holes to take the victory from his grasp.
“We get a fair price here with a player who has been off for two weeks,” Reynolds said. “He’s on the cusp of his breakthrough win.”
Gary Woodland, 45-1
Woodand has three top-10 finishes in his last five starts.
“Woodland was tipped here last week but got off to a bad start as he was 3-over through his first 13 holes,” Reynolds said. “After the tough beginning, he shot 15-under for his last 59 holes
to end up tied for fifth.”
Jason Day, 55-1
“Although Day is from Australia, this week is a home game for him,” Reynolds said. “He lives in nearby Westerville, Ohio.”
Day tied for seventh at the Workday and also has three top-five finishes at Augusta National, which Reynolds said “was Jack’s inspiration to design Muirfield Village.”
Tony Finau, 65-1
“If there’s a list of most disappointing PGA Tour players, Finau is certainly near the top of the list,”
At Westgate Winning score prop
Top-five finish
Tiger Woods +550/-800 Bryson Dechambeau +250/-300 Rory Mcilroy +300/-360 Justin Thomas +275/-335 Dustin Johnson +500/-700 Brooks Koepka +500/-700 Patrick Cantlay +300/-360 Collin Morikawa +500/-700 Viktor Hovland +550/-800
Reynolds said. “Nonetheless, a world top-20 player at this big price is worth a stab.”
Sergio Garcia, 80-1
Since the PGA Tour restart, Garcia has been the best player on the tour in strokes gained: tee to green.
Danny Willett, 150-1
“Another former Masters champion who should fit this track,” Reynolds said.
Contact reporter Todd Dewey at tdewey@ reviewjournal.com. Follow @tdewey33 on Twitter.