The PGA TOUR will embark on its first-ever "Vegas Swing" with the 2020 Shriners Hospitals for Children Open at TPC Summerlin.
Bryson DeChambeau headlines this field and, unsurprisingly, is the clear tournament favorite at +750 ($10 bet wins $75). This is DeChambeau’s first start since he captured his first major at the U.S. Open on Sept. 20. DeChambeau, who won this event in 2018, is the only golfer in single-digit odds at the moment, just ahead of 2013 champion Webb Simpson at +1000.
There are plenty of other big names in the field including Patrick Cantlay (+2000), Hideki Matsuyama (+2200) and Rickie Fowler (+3500). Golf's next generation is also well represented with Collin Morikawa (+2000), Scottie Scheffler (+2800) and Matthew Wolff (+2800) all inside the top-7 on the oddsboard.
The top players have typically been tough to beat at TPC Summerlin, but this tournament is no stranger to a longshot. With that in mind, here are our favorite sleepers at the 2020 Shriners Hospitals for Children Open:
Jason Sobel
Maverick McNealy (+14000)
I listed him as my favorite outright in my preview this week, but I’ll downgrade McNealy to simply favorite sleeper for the sake of this conversation.
It’s been a minute since I last picked a player with triple-digit odds to win a tourney, but that’s how well McNealy rolled his rock last week, leading the Sanderson Farms field in putting – and how much of a factor that could be this week.
If anything, we can at least conclude that he’s underpriced for his potential upside. Even if you don’t want to hop aboard this outright play, McNealy should work for props and in DFS lineups, as well.
[Bet McNealy at DraftKings and get a $1,000 sign-up bonus.]
Josh Perry
MJ Daffue (+25000)
Daffue is used to playing his way into PGA TOUR events via Monday qualifiers, but a sponsor's exemption takes that pressure off this week.
The South African finished fourth in Strokes Gained: Tee-to-Green at last week's Sanderson Farms but he struggled to finish off holes on the Bermuda greens. The Bentgrass putting surfaces at TPC Summerlin should suit Daffue better as he tries to string together some good results and lock up his TOUR card.
[Bet Daffue at bet365. NJ only.]
Chris Murphy
Denny McCarthy (+9000)
McCarthy has a tendency to be streaky with his ball-striking and he is trending in the right direction after his sixth-place finish at the Sanderson Farms. He’s also had good success at TPC Summerlin with a 15th and a 9th the last two years.
This tournament has a tendency to turn into a putting contest, as evidenced by Kevin Na’s win last year where he gained 0 strokes on the field tee-to-green, but gained 14 strokes with his putter. I wouldn’t expect anything that drastic again, but McCarthy was the best putter on TOUR last season and with his ball-striking in form, the stars seem to be aligned for this longshot.
[Bet McCarthy at DraftKings and get a $1,000 sign-up bonus.]
Matt Vincenzi
Matt Kuchar (+8500)
When betting guys towards the bottom of the board, I like to target win equity. Outright bets only pay out if the guy wins. It doesn’t matter if he comes in second or 100th. Kuchar has nine wins on the PGA TOUR and has started to play better with his irons. Although he missed the cut at Winged Foot, he did so while gaining 4.6 on approach; which was his best performance in that category in over a calendar year.
Kuch plays well in the desert — he is a staple on the leaderboard at Waste Management (TPC Scottsdale) — and is a great putter on bentgrass.
Kuchar is a good fit for a tournament that may turn out to be a putting contest.
