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The coronavirus has thrown the 2020 golf schedule for a loop. Did you know that the PGA Championship, one of the sport’s four major tournaments, is happening this week at San Francisco’s Harding Park?
Tiger Woods is in the loaded field and he will undoubtedly be the most talked-about golfer leading up to and during the PGA Championship. If you’re in Colorado then you can bet on the tournament without leaving the cozy confines of your home, but don’t throw away your hard-earned money believing Woods will win the 16th major of his illustrious career.
Let’s take a closer look as to why Mr. Woods is a bad bet this week.
Tiger is Always Overvalued
One of the biggest reasons why Woods isn’t worth the investment is because he always comes with an inflated price tag. What does that mean? We’ll let a professional oddsmaker answer that question:
“Because Tiger Woods is one of the most iconic figures in sports history, he generates more betting interest than any other golfer,” Scott Cooley, an odds consultant for SportsBetting.com, said. “We know that everyone is going to bet on Tiger no matter what his odds are. So for a tournament like this, Tiger is listed at 16/1 to win, but in reality, his odds should be more like 25/1.”
Woods is listed among the favorites to win the 2020 PGA Championship – or relatively near the top of the board – but his recent track record doesn’t suggest he’s deserving of being in that upper echelon. Woods is currently on the board at +1600 (or 16/1) while the favorites (Rory McIlroy and Bryson DeChambeau) aren’t too far in front with +1000 odds.
Woods finished 40th at the Memorial Tournament in his last PGA start, and he finished 68th at the Genesis Invitational way back in February. To end the 2019 season, Woods didn’t finish better than 10th in his final five events while averaging a result of 18.4.
Woods hasn’t won the PGA Championship since 2007, and he’s missed the cut in three of his last six starts at this event.
The name, popularity and excitement of Woods being in the field will prompt many gamblers to place a bet on Woods this week, but when his odds are shaded toward the favorites there just isn’t much value in backing him to win.
Tiger’s Back and Health are Concerns
While Woods is healthier than he was in 2016 and 2017, when a back injury sidelined him indefinitely, there are always lingering concerns with Woods’ durability.
Woods admitted his back was giving him problems at the Memorial a couple of weeks ago, and he was forced to skip the PLAYERS Championship earlier this year because of an ailing back (the tournament was canceled during the first round due to the coronavirus).
Woods is now 44 years old, and his swing and workout regimen from early in his career took a toll on his body. While the COVID-19 hiatus may have helped him in terms of rest and load management, we’re just never quite sure how healthy Woods is from week to week.
2020 PGA Championship Best Bet - Bryson DeChambeau
If you’re looking at a good bet for the PGA Championship, someone like Bryson DeChambeau makes much more sense than Woods.
Is it true that Woods has won many more majors and tournaments than DeChambeau? Of course. However, to handicap and pick a winner for this year’s event you have to target at players who are currently performing well.
If we take a look at DeChambeau’s track record this season, we’ll see that he has finished in the Top 10 in seven of his last eight starts. While he missed the cut at the Memorial, DeChambeau won the Rocket Mortgage Classic and was in the Top 5 in five of six tournaments before that.
DeChambeau has been crushing the ball off the tee since the season restart, setting modern day records for distance categories. If he can drive it well at Harding Park (hit the fairway instead of the rough), he’ll be in good position to contend for his first-ever major.
SportsBetting.com is a licensed sportsbook in the state of Colorado. Customers 21 years and older within Colorado state lines can wager legally through the website or mobile app beginning September 1. The information above is for solely educational purposes and does not guarantee future winnings.
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