The next stop in the FedEx Cup playoff race is the BMW Championship, which features the top 70 players on the PGA Tour.
Tony Finau took the first playoff event, winning his first tournament in five years. He shot to the top of the FedEx Cup rankings, but the likes of Jon Rahm, Jordan Spieth and Xander Schauffele are close.
The BMW Championship is always one of the most exciting tournaments, as players scrap to make the Tour Championship next week.
It Pays to Overlook Comments
We think Jordan Spieth has a leading chance to win the BMW Championship, but we’re choosing to ignore his recent comments about the Tour Championship and the Ryder Cup.
Spieth said he would rather play better at the Ryder Cup than the Tour Championship, but that doesn’t mean he’s not trying his best to win the BMW Championship.
“I’d rather play better at the Ryder Cup than in the Tour Championship,” Spieth told Golf.com. “… We never get team sports, so to be able to have team sports – when you win a championship in team sports you get your parade, right? For us, that’s the Sunday afternoon after winning a Ryder Cup on U.S. soil, where everyone sticks around and you get to kind of party with everybody. That’s our parade. That’s what we look forward to.”
It'd be more surprising if @JordanSpieth 𝘥𝘪𝘥𝘯'𝘵 hole-out every week. pic.twitter.com/79RlJDAFnS
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) August 20, 2021
We get where Spieth is coming from, but it’s not what you want to hear when placing your hard-earning money on the American. However, he is a proud winner and he should come out firing at Caves Valley Golf Club on Thursday.
He was disappointed with his inconsistent play at The Northern Trust, which saw him fall to 73rd. However, we’re basing our pick on his effort for second at The Open in July, which was a terrific result.
Spieth has also recorded top finishes in the U.S. Open and The Memorial, so he’s a big-game player who must be respected. Golf betting markets have Spieth at +2000 to win, which is well worth taking.
Pick: Jordan Spieth +2000
Can Rahm Recover?
It’s unlike the new and improved Jon Rahm to choke on the back nine. He hit poor drives and didn’t make the most of his early birdie opportunities, but he’s capable of bouncing back.
The online sportsbook believes he will. Rahm is the current +650 favorite to win the BMW Championship and reclaim the top FedEx Cup spot, which is a fair assessment of his chances.
His mental game has improved and we think he has a good chance at rebounding with a win. The limited field makes it easier and he’s striking his irons better than most on the PGA Tour.
Bettors get +130 for a top-five finish by Rahm, which is where we would put our money. He is always around the top of the leaderboard, and anything above +100 is good shopping.
Pick: Jon Rahm Top Five (+130)
Sticking with Rory
Rory McIlroy has dropped out of the top 15 in the world rankings for the first time since 2009, which is a remarkable run.
The Northern Irishman hasn’t been consistent enough to keep his ranking, but there’s little doubt about his ability to win golf tournaments. The four-time major winner is always lurking and luring bettors in, and we have taken the bait.
Shades of @McIlroyRory's pocket drive.
Only golf. 🙃 #TOURVault pic.twitter.com/hivOfRQWcY
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) August 20, 2021
If McIlroy could putt, we could be talking about one of the most dominant players of our generation. As it stands, McIlroy still has plenty to prove and the 2019 FedEx Cup winner could make a late run.
McIlroy is paying +2500 to win the BMW Championship, but there is better value in the exotic markets. He is +150 to be the top Great Britain and Ireland golfer, which includes Paul Casey, Shane Lowry and Lee Westwood.
It’s a hot group, but McIlroy has something to prove and we’re backing him in.
Pick: Rory McIlroy +150
Davis Worth the Risk
Cameron Davis is a PGA Tour winner this season and he wasn’t far away when finishing T-31 last week.
The Australian is paying astronomical odds of +12500, which is excellent value in a limited field of 70 players. We’re more than happy to take a saver bet at those odds, especially for the 2021 Rocket Mortgage Classic winner.
The 2017 Australian Open winner has come a long way since beating Jonas Blixt and Matt Jones by one shot in Sydney, and it’s only a matter of time before he wins his second PGA Tour title.
Winning the BMW Championship isn’t easy, but bettors could do a lot worse at those odds.
