Welcome to Virtual Insanity for OTB, where we spend virtual money to try and win virtual money on golf betting. It's that simple!
The virtual pot is at €1053 from €1000 for 2021 entering this week's tournament of focus, the Wyndham Championship on the PGA Tour in North Carolina.
This tournament is played at Sedgefield Country Club, a par 70 parkland golf course that tends to yield plenty of birdies for those who putt well. The greens are small, so a decent short game is required. Momentum and the right kind of aggressiveness are important factors - Jim Herman won with a total of 21 under par last year.
The event starts at Noon Thursday, Irish time.
Be sure to shop around, with bookmakers such as Paddy Power, SKY Bet, William Hill, Betfred and Betfair offering 1/5 the odds for your pick to get into the top eight places.
Our headline selection is Hideki Matsuyama for €4 each way at 14/1. (1/5 the odds the first 8 places, Paddy Power, Betfair, William Hill, SKY Bet).
Masters champion Hideki Matsuyama missed the Open Championship due to Covid-19 related issues, before finishing in a tie for fourth in the Olympic competition in his native Japan. The disappointment of missing out on a medal wasn't felt at last week's FedEx St Jude Invitational, when Matsuyama closed with rounds of 64 and 63 before losing in a play off. One thing about Hideki is - he rides hot streaks - and tends to put good finishes together. The difference this year is that he is now a major golf champion, a national sporting hero in Japan with nothing to prove even if he never wins another golf tournament. A record of three top 15 finishes from six starts at the Wyndham Championship signals that he's more likely to win this week than face a barren career in the remainder of the 'Roaring Twenties'. He's the headliner.
Our second selection is Rory Sabbatini for €2 each way at 80/1. (1/5 the odds the first 8 places, Betfred, Paddy Power, Betfair, William Hill, SKY Bet).
How high must adopted Slovakian Rory Sabbatini be feeling right now after shooting a final round 61 to win the silver medal in the golf tournament at the Olympic Games. The 45-year-old married a Slovakian, Martina, and earned Slovakian citizenship in tandem with his US citizenship. Sabbatini grew up in South Africa. Still following me? After an indifferent year, Sabbatini decided to enjoy himself in the final round in Tokyo and that freedom earned him a medal. He's a six time PGA Tour winner who has form on Donald Ross designed courses, of which Sedgefield Country Club is one. On his last five appearances at the Wyndham, he has finished in the top ten on three occasions. Sabbatini may have more vintage golf left in him.
Our third selection is Harold Varner III for €2 each way at 80/1. (1/5 the odds the first 8 places, Paddy Power, Betfair).
American Harold Varner III is still searching for his first PGA Tour win. It's hard. As the saying goes, 'These Guys Are Good'. Varner went close at the Heritage golf tournament in April, ending in a tie for second. An excellent ball striker, the dance floor is where Varner is challenged. He needs everything to go right on the greens. He did grow up in the state - North Carolina - finished in a tie for 15th at the Barracuda Championship last week and holds two top tens in five starts on his resumé at the Wyndham Championship. If the stars align...
Our fourth selection is Doc Redman for €2 each way at 100/1. (1/5 the odds the first 8 places, SKY Bet, William Hill, Betfred).
Another native of North Carolina is 23-year-old Doc Redman, an enigmatic player who disappoints when you hope he contends and surprises you when you write him off. He's a hard man to catch right, but after wrapping up his PGA Tour card with four top tens this season, the former US Amateur champion has the ability to have a say on home turf. Redman's recent form is bang average, but he did post a tie for third in this event last year. One would be sick if he won while not part of calculations, so we'll trade the sick bag for the risk of virtual losses.
Our fifth selection is Patrick Rodgers for €2 each way at 100/1. (1/5 the odds the first 8 places, Paddy Power, William Hill, Betfair).
One of the lessons of Seamus Power's win at the Barbasol Championship was that recent form trumped moderate course form. Patrick Rodgers' past exploits at the Wyndham Championship have been patchy, but he did card a 63 there in 2019 and his tie for 24th back in 2018 included four rounds in the sixties. Big hitting, smooth putting Rodgers is playing well, with three top 25s in his last four starts. Once as good a college golf star as Tiger Woods, maybe this is the week that his natural talent delivers a trip to the winner's enclosure.
Our final selection is Denny McCarthy for €2 each way at 250/1. (1/5 the odds the first 8 places, Paddy Power, William Hill, Betfair, Betfred).
Of the longshots, it stuck in my mind that crack putter Denny McCarthy carded a 63 in the final round of this event last year to finish in a tie for ninth. That was the third progressive result at the Wyndham by American McCarthy, who putts well on fast Bermuda greens, which he will encounter this week. Three top tens on tour this year are likely to guarantee him his card for next season, as he looks for a breakthrough victory. If one examines the strokes gained putting golf stats for 2019 and 2020 you will see 1st beside McCarthy's name for both years. He'll have to bolt from the blue to win, but I think he's over priced as an each way bet.
So that's €28 wagered virtually on this week's golf. Make sure you bet less at home!
Please gamble responsibly, never bet more than you can afford, and good luck!
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