I was only half-joking when I tweeted this while watching the moved-up third round of the Wyndham Championship on Saturday:
Si Woo Kim is the best iron player since back in the days of Collin Morikawa.
— Jason Sobel (@JasonSobelTAN) August 15, 2020
It doesn’t occur very frequently, but when Si Woo Kim gets hot with his irons, he gets particularly hot. The current leader has been fun to watch this week and compiled an outstanding Round 3, as he picked up 6.36 strokes on the field from tee-to-green and 4.12 on approach shots alone.
That’s what happens when you hit 10 approach shots to within 10 feet of the hole, including one hole-in-one and another near-hole-in-one that just missed by a few inches.
The question now, of course, is whether Si Woo, who won this event in 2016 and The Players Championship less than a year later can sustain his torrid ball-striking for one more round to claim his first title in three years — not that he’s counting.
“Yeah, it's been a while, like two years,” he said after his third-round 62. “I don't know, I can't remember.”
It's predictably been a birdie-fest as Kim is 18-under and holds a two-stroke lead over Doc Redman and Rob Oppenheim, three shots on Billy Horschel and four over Jim Herman and Mark Hubbard. Five shots back might be too much, but that’s where we find Webb Simpson, who has a history of going uncommonly low at Sedgefield.
It all comes down to Kim (+125), though.
If he posts another 62, it should be game over. But during a week when we’ve seen so many low scores, even a 65 means he could be passed by one of those contenders in hot pursuit.
Who will it be? Well, I would be remiss if I didn’t continue backing my favorite pre-tournament outright, Doc Redman, who is currently +450. If Kim’s iron game has been blistering, then Redman’s isn’t much further behind. In fact, he’s the only player in the field within a half-stroke of Si Woo tee-to-green over the first three rounds.
If you’re looking for a contender with long odds to offer a big potential payoff, give Hubbard some consideration at +1400.
He’s improved in each round so far this week, posting descending scores of 67-65-64, which could suggest a low one if the pattern holds. Throw in the fact that if we throw out his 80 in the Memorial final round as an outlier, he’s posted scores of 70 or better in three of his other last four rounds.
Odds as of Sunday morning via DraftKings. Get up to a $1,000 sign-up bonus at DraftKings today or see more offers and reviews for the best online sportsbooks.
Wyndham Championship Round 4 Matchup Picks
Zach Johnson (-103) over Harold Varner III
Think ZJ has figured something out? He was -3.38 strokes gained putting on Thursday, +0.85 on Friday and +3.89 on Saturday. The ball-striking has been solid throughout, so if the flatstick is still rolling, this should be a smart play.
[Bet Johnson +107 at DraftKings with a 10% profit boost]
Denny McCarthy (-103) over Luke List
While I do like List’s numbers this week, McCarthy could be due for a really good day. One of the best putters on the PGA TOUR, he actually relied on his ball-striking during a third-round 4-under 66. It’s easy to envision a round where he continues hitting it well and starts making a few more putts.
[Bet McCarthy +107 at DraftKings with a 10% profit boost]
Hank Lebioda (+116) over Chesson Hadley
Prior to the start of the tournament, Hadley is a guy I considered, but backed off of, due to his poor history at this event. He’s played better this week, but his scores have gone up each round, which is a troubling sign. Meanwhile, Lebioda is hitting the ball well and could be in for a big round on Sunday. With both players sitting outside the top-125, don’t be surprised to see some nervy play in this one.
