GOLF analyst Lewis Blain (@LewisBlainSport) shares his betting thoughts ahead of the Wyndham Championship from the Sedgefield Country Club.
Wyndham Championship | 13th-16th August 2020 | Sky Sports
It's the final regular season event of a very irregular PGA Tour season as we head to Sedgefield Country Club for the Wyndham Championship. Next week, the FedEx Cup play-offs begins.
Quickly dipping back to last week's major. Collin Morikawa was a very worthy winner of the USPGA. The bloke's a stud and there's going to be plenty of more trophies coming his way throughout the rest of his career. We had many in the running but it was only Jason Day that gave us any real legs, coming ever so close to clinching his second major title.
Sedgefield has been a regular jaunt on Tour since 2008 and there's been a typical feel to your winners. It's a typical American birdie fest that requires you to be accurate off the tee and solid with the short irons to nail the smaller-than-usual greens. If you miss, then scrambling will come into play. Par-4 scoring will also be key given its' a par 70.
Other Donald Ross designs – ala Oak Hill, Detroit, Aronimink, East Lake – and TPC Sawgrass seem to be a good course to draw from too.
Justin Rose (22/1 William Hill)
After an impressive showing at TPC Harding Park, it's perhaps a surprise to see Justin Rose (22/1 William Hill) so far back in the betting, though this opens up the fantastic potential to get him onside this week.
The Englishman has only missed out on the playoffs once in the last 10 years and he needs to perform here to make sure it's not going to happen for a second time. He sits 103rd in the FC rankings and to progress past the Northern Trust, he needs to be in that top 70.
His form has been somewhat inconsistent but last week showed there were signs of improvement. Only three players racked up more birdies as he finished solo 9th at the USPGA. It was his first glimpse after three missed cuts, though he was third at the Memorial and T14th at the RBC before that.
Rose was solid with his irons as well as on and around the green at Harding Park, he just needed to be better off the tee. If that happens this week, then he'll more than outplay these odds. He's one that thrives on Ross designs and his best form lately has come on these par 70s. All aboard this week.
Kevin Kisner (33/1 SkyBet)
When we arrive at this sort of test, one name I always look out for is Kevin Kisner (33/1 SkyBet) and despite his price being hit, there's still some juice out there that I'm willing to put a stake to. He's had two top tens in the last three years at East Lake and was 3rd just a few weeks ago in Detroit.
Since then he's picked up a T25 at the WGC and a T19 in last week's major. Perhaps two tests that aren't usually up his street, so he's rounding nicely into form.
Ryan Moore (40/1 SkyBet)
Another name I don't want to miss out on this week is course horse Ryan Moore (40/1 SkyBet). He's finished T12 in his last two outings, two absolute birdie fests at the 3M Open and the Barracuda. He's an accurate sort off the tee, can hit his irons well enough to be consistent in terms of GIR.
He's another one who thrives on Ross designs – 2nd at Aronmink, 3 top-10s at East Lake. And of course, he's a former winner who was T6 on his last outing here in 2018.
Outside Shouts
I want to chance a couple of players who are on the ‘bubble' and need to perform here this week to have a chance of making the Northern Trust, so I'll opt for Aaron Wise (110/1 Skybet) and Fabian Gomez (200/1 William Hill).
Last time out, Wise finished solo eighth, ranking first for GIR, 11th for driving accuracy and sixth for putting average. His only run round here was an average 48th but in two of those rounds he went real low, so the potential is there.
Gomez, on the other hand, finished 13th around here last year and is one who rates out well for driving accuracy and par-4 scoring. When he's on it with the flatstick, he can get real streaky with birdies, which is something we need here. At the Barracuda, he finished T3 yet he's nearly double the odds of wise.
Both need a good showing this week.
Best Bets
Wyndham Championship – Justin Rose (22/1 each-way William Hill)
Wyndham Championship – Kevin Kisner (33/1 each-way SkyBet)
Wyndham Championship – Ryan Moore (40/1 each-way SkyBet)
Wyndham Championship – Aaron Wise (110/1 each-way Skybet)
Wyndham Championship – Fabian Gomez (200/1 each-way William Hill)
