Call it what you want: Whether The Players Championship is the fifth major or not, betting operators are treating the PGA Tour’s flagship event like a major with the plethora of prop bets and other markets available. Golf bettors are spoiled this week with a ton to bet on. We’re here to help you navigate which bets will make you some money.
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Here are our nine favorite prop bets to lock in before the action starts at TPC Sawgrass on Thursday.
Grab Si Woo Kim for a top 10 on Thursday (+600, Bet Rivers)
Orlando Ramirez
The 2017 Players champion loves TPC Sawgrass. Si Woo Kim was the fourth-best ball-striker at API last week. And in six starts at The Players, his Thursday scoring average is under 70 (69.7)! I know he’ll continue to flush it, and I expect the putter to heat up when Kim comes back to the site of his career-defining victory. —Keith Stewart, CEO of Read The Line
Si Woo Kim, first-round leader (55-1, DraftKings)
Let’s go one step further. I’m putting blind faith in our boy Keith Stewart, who told us on our bonus episode of The Loop podcast Tuesday that SWK was a stripe show on the range. If that’s the case, the Pete Dye specialist could be very dangerous this week as he eyes a second Players Championship. Let’s go for the FRL here, though, which I feel even better about with Kim’s early Thursday morning tee time. —Christopher Powers, staff writer
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Tom Hoge (+150) to be closest to the hole at the 17th hole over Camilo Villegas and Lee Hodges, Round 1 (DraftKings)
Brennan Asplen
My guy @pennycheck, who’s got sharp stock picks in addition to golf bets (we took his Taylor Montgomery matchup to the bank at the ’22 U.S. Open), spotted a nice edge here. Tom Hoge birdied the 17th hole in all four rounds last year (en route to his T-3), and put it pretty dang close each time—with proximities of 11, 15, 16 and 24 feet. Hoge’s form remains, ranking first in strokes gained on par 3s over his last 24 rounds. He’s also tops for SG/approach and seventh on tour on par 3s under 150 yards. Hodges has played the 17th hole six times and on four of those occasions, he hasn’t hit it inside 40 feet. Villegas rates out as one of the worst par-3 players on tour and hasn’t played TPC Sawgrass in eight years. I’m thinking our friend’s edge is a good one here. –Stephen Hennessey, deputy managing editor
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Corey Conners (+165) to be closest to the hole at the 17th hole over Davis Riley and J.J. Spaun, Round 1 (DraftKings)
Cliff Hawkins
Let’s keep the theme going here. Conners ranks first for strokes gained at the famous island hole, whereas Riley is literally the worst par-3 player in this field. Spaun isn’t that much better. Shout out to @pennycheck for some sharp edges here! —SH
Viktor Hovland, end-of-round top 10 (+400, DraftKings)
As our friend Joe Idone (@TourPicks) pointed out on Twitter, Vik has the best career stroke average of any player in the field at TPC Sawgrass (minimum of eight rounds). Like my FRL pick, Hov is also off early Thursday. I expect a fast start, and a couple under might be all we need to cash here. –CP
Brice Garnett (+245) in a three-ball, Round 1 matchup over Russell Henley and Steve Stricker (DraftKings)
I’m getting a little cute with this one, but I noticed something interesting: Henley and Garnett have the same Round 1 stroke average at TPC Sawgrass in their careers. This will be Garnett’s sixth appearance at The Players, so while he doesn’t have the same level of experience of Henley or Stricker, he is coming in hot off the win in Puerto Rico, and nothing to lose now after securing his card for the next two years. –SH
Yes, Hole-in-one at the 17th hole (+250, DraftKings)
Icon Sportswire
The trend is your friend in betting. There have been five holes-in-one in the past four years on the famous island green at TPC Sawgrass. With four days of wind forecasted under 12 mph, the best in the world will have a wedge-fest on 17 with little to question their confidence. Take the plus money payout and bet “yes” on another iconic moment at The Players. —KS
Hole-in-one in Round 3 (+750, DraftKings)
I’ll take this one a step further. This has happened too often over the past few years to continue missing out on it. That Saturday pin position on 17 is one that produces plenty of excitement around the hole. The beauty of this bet, though, is the hole-in-one could come on any of the other par 3s, too. But we all know which one it’s going to happen on. –CP
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Take Scottie Scheffler to finish Top 5 (+150 bet365)
The Scottie Scheffler strategy is simple, start by taking him to finish in the top 5. Once the tournament begins, follow his odds to win live. Anytime you can increase your outright advantage on the favorite you live bet him knowing you have this wager to cover you. We all know he’ll finish top 5, and this prop bet will give you piece of mind if you chase the win. —KS
We elaborated on the strategy below:
We discussed our favorite bets on a bonus episode of The Loop’s podcast this week:
This article was originally published on golfdigest.com
