Welcome to Virtual Insanity for OTB, where we spend virtual money to try and win virtual money on golf betting. It's that simple!
Last week we were a little unlucky, as headline tip Taylor Pendrith (70/1) finished in a tie for second place at the Rocket Mortgage Classic behind winner Tony Finau, while our next selection Cameron Young (18/1) was also tied for second. It meant we made €63 on the week, but it was a missed opportunity to return to profit.
So the virtual pot is at €833 from €1000 for 2022 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. Kevin Kisner is the defending champion and the field this week includes Shane Lowry.
The event starts at 11.50am Thursday, Irish time.
Be sure to shop around, with bookmakers such as Paddy Power, SKY Bet, William Hill, Betfred, Ladbrokes, Coral, Betway and Betfair offering 1/5 the odds for your pick to get into the top eight places.
Our headline selection is Denny McCarthy for €8 each way at 35/1. (1/5 the odds the first 8 places, SKY Bet).
American Denny McCarthy has yet to win on the PGA Tour, but it's been a breakout season for the former Walker Cup player, who contended at the U.S. Open. He has five top ten finishes including three in his last five starts. Yes, he did miss the cut at the Rocket Mortgage Classic, but I do feel that Sedgefield suits his game better - he's a touch player who makes birdies and that's what's required this week. McCarthy is 40th in the FedEx Cup standings and putts very well on Bermuda greens which he will encounter this week. 29 year old McCarthy was statistically the best putter on the PGA Tour in 2019 and 2020 and ranks fourth in that category this season. His long game is much better now and he's not missed a cut in four starts at the Wyndham Championship - on his last two appearances he's been tied for 15th and tied for 9th. He is a confident headline selection by me this week to gain his first PGA Tour victory.
Our second selection is Christiaan Bezuidenhout for €3 each way at 40/1. (1/5 the odds the first 8 places, Betfred, Paddy Power, Betfair, Ladbrokes, Coral, Betway, William Hill, SKY Bet).
South African Christiaan Bezuidenhout is another touch player who has been settling into life on the PGA Tour. The 28 year old has won three times on the DP World Tour and posted his best finish in America three starts ago by finishing in a tie for second place at the John Deere Classic. He ranks inside the top 70 on Tour off the tee and with approach shots and is 22nd in putting. He's a good scrambler and on his only appearance at the Wyndham Championship in 2020, he finished in a tie for 37th, with a 64 among that four round score. Like McCarthy, he's a better player now and can contend for the trophy this weekend.
Our third selection is Adam Svensson for €3 each way at 66/1. (1/5 the odds the first 8 places, SKY Bet).
Canadian Adam Svensson does know how to win, having tasted victory twice on the Korn Ferry Tour last season. He has amassed five finishes inside the top 25 on his last six starts, including a tie for sixth at the Barbasol Championship in Kentucky. He's a good approach player and his ball striking was decent last week at the Rocket Mortgage Classic. He was tied 31st in the Wyndham Championship in 2019 when shooting 61 in one of the rounds and he is much more comfortable on the circuit now. A good each way bet, I feel.
Our final selection is Vince Whaley for €2.50 each way at 175/1. (1/5 the odds the first 8 places, Paddy Power, Betfair, SKY Bet).
American Vince Whaley strikes me as somebody who is overpriced among the longshots - the childhood friend of Scottie Scheffler is likely to keep his card, because he's 99th in the FedEx Cup rankings and playing well. Whaley was tied for 17th in Detroit last week and finished solo fifth at the Barbasol Championship last month. He shot two rounds of 66 at the Wyndham Championship in 2020 and is a decent putter - 28th in the rankings. He could be coming into form at the right time to surprise a few people this week.
So that's €33 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!
Download the brand new OffTheBall App in the Play Store & App Store right now! We've got you covered!
Subscribe to OffTheBall's YouTube channel for more videos, like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter for the latest sporting news and content.
