Welcome back PGA and golf fans! It's been too long, and I am excited to get back into the swing of things here. I like to consider the FedEx Cup championship to be the final event of the 2024 event year, and this begins the new season for tracking purposes, even in the same calendar year.
The PGA schedule can be a confusing beast as they play year-round. This tournament, and the next one, ZOZO Championship, are when some of the higher-tiered players start to rejoin the tour. This weekend should be a great tournament, with some weather trying to play a part over the weekend. These have a fairly easy golf course to attack!
The Course
TPC Summerlin, in Las Vegas, has been a PGA tour staple for many years; a lot of these golfers have experience at this course. Some of these golfers even call this course home and have quite an edge over some of the other players. The course is a par 71 that plays 7,255 yards and is a beautiful walk with rocky desert terrain surrounding the green grass.
This course fits well to players who are very good at putting, and iron/wedge play. Players who typically gain strokes putting and on approach on this course stand out over the rest.
This course does lend to the bombers off the tee, but rather players who can keep the ball in the fairway and out of the desert!
2 Names Casual Fans May Not Know
On the first weekend back, I figured I would give out a good number of positions I liked in this tournament, and I still left some off the board.
There are a lot of players and finishing positions I like, and this is always the toughest part about this. I have found 2 players with edges I like this week and included some bonus bets with great odds for the situation!
Summerlin Is Home to Hall
Some may not know who Harry Hall is, but he has been around the tour for a few years, and I believe he is in the best form of his career. Hall is coming off a top 40 last week at Black Desert, and in 5 of his last 6 tournaments he has finished inside the top 40 with; T31, T12, 1, T24, and T35.
He also sits 57th in strokes-gained putting, 48th in strokes-gained total, 24th in scoring average, 7th in birdie average, and has one of the best short games on tour.
Another caveat he has in his back pocket, he went to college at UNLV, and this is his “home course” where he plays most of his golf. He has played this course many times in the past and on tour, his last 3 events here he finished T26, T15, and T8th. He is in great form, in a perfect environment, I'll eat the -125 odds.
Hossler Has Experience at Summerlin & in Terrific Form
Beau Hossler is another name who has been around tour but probably has gone unnoticed to the casual fan. Hossler has been playing some fantastic golf recently finishing with a T11 last week, 2nd, and a T12 in 3 of his last 4 events.
Playing well in the fall is no stranger to Hossler. Last season between July 6th to November 15th, he ripped off 9 top 30 finishes in 10 starts, and it looks like he is gaining that form again. He also happens to have one of the better course histories of all the players in this event.
Over the last 54 rounds played here, he has the 9th-best total strokes gained. Also, over those 24 rounds he has played here, he is above average around the green, putting, strokes-gained, and tee-to-green, while not hurting himself off the tee. He has never missed a cut here and has finished inside the top 30 in 4 of his 6 events, with finishes of T7, T64, T34, T29, T23, and T7
Best Bets:
Harry Hall Top 40 (-125) Bet365
Beau Hossler Top 30 (+105) Bet365
Bonus Bets (4):
Matti Schmid Top 40 (-110) Bet365
Cam Davis Top 30 (+120) Bet365
Matt McCarty Top 30 (+120) Bet365
Tom Kim Top 20 (-110) Bet365