The playoffs are here! And the PGA Tour gets its three-tournament dinger started Thursday in Norton, Mass. with The Northern Trust. The top 125 players in the FedExCup standings converge on TPC Boston with the top-70 advancing after the dust settles to the BMW Championship next week. Brooks Koepka, Tommy Fleetwood and Jordan Spieth are just a few players entering this tournament outside the top 70. The point values increase, which is a plus, but you still have to earn them. Bookmaker is offering a generous welcome bonus (limited time only max bonus $1600)
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Despite his post-COVID slump Rory McIlroy emerged as the betting favorite. With such an outstanding field someone had to be at the top and surprisingly it’s Rory, who hasn’t finished better than T11 since the restart. Five players are listed with shorter than 20/1 odds with OWGR No. 1 Jon Rahm the third favorite. Bryson DeChambeau is sandwiched in between with Justin Thomas and Xander Schauffele rounding out the top five favorites. For a complete list of updated odds and matchups, visit BookMaker.eu when you’re ready to place a wager.
The Northern Trust
Dates: Thursday, August 20 - Sunday, August 23, 2020
Location: TPC Boston, Norton, MA
Opening PGA Tour Odds: Rory McIlroy +1103
The Northern Trust TV Coverage: Golf Channel, CBS
Odds Analysis
With a star-packed lineup it’s not surprising to see several players packed together on the odds board. We probably won’t see a longshot like Jim Herman pull off an improbable victory. But Herman does have a chance after playing himself into the field by winning the season-ending Wyndham Championship. He wasn’t even listed at some sportsbooks, that’s how surprising his victory was. Oddsmakers aren’t giving him much of a chance this week with an opening price of +20000.
It’s hard to back an extreme longshot in a field like this. McIlroy has struggled since the restart with his best showing at the Travelers when he tied for 11th. That’s a far cry from before the shutdown when he elevated to world No. 1 with six straight top-5s, including a victory. He’s played the weekend in all six starts since the reboot but hasn’t been able to string the rounds together. You expect him to be on top of his game this week.
TPC Boston is hosting The Northern Trust for the first time, yet it’s hardly new to most players in the field. It was home to the Dell Technologies Championship (formerly the Deutsche Bank Championship) from 2003 to 2018. The last four winners of that event, and nine former champs overall, are competing this week. DeChambeau was the last victor on this layout taking advantage of the length and open fairways to go 16-under. Past winners include Thomas, McIlroy, Rickie Fowler, Webb Simpson, Charley Hoffman, Phil Mickelson, Tiger Woods and Adam Scott.
Odds to Win The Northern Trust at BookMaker.eu
Rory McIlroy +1103
Bryson DeChambeau +1189
Jon Rahm +1291
Justin Thomas +1443
Xander Schauffele +1861
Dustin Johnson +2087
Brooks Koepka +2297
Collin Morikawa +2416
Jason Day +2459
Patrick Cantlay +2767
Patrick Reed +2919
Webb Simpson +3141
Tiger Woods +3317
Is this the week Woods makes a move? He’s been underwhelming since winning the ZOZO Championship last October and we haven’t seen a lot of him this year with the back flare ups and COVID. But it’s Tiger, the most polarizing figure in the sport, and he’s on the big stage. There are encouraging signs to look at when thinking about taking a risk on him. The T37 at the PGA Championship was disappointing, but the finish was strong. His Sunday 67 was the lowest score in his last 18 competitive rounds.
Oh, and the Big Cat has enjoyed a lot of success at TPC Boston. He has a win, two runner-up finishes and a third while never missing the cut in 10 lifetime starts. Also, playing twice in three weeks is kind of a big deal for him. The price is right and probably worth a few bucks.
What does Collin Morikawa do for an encore? He makes his first start since claiming the season’s only major and enters at No. 2 in the standings. There’s no pressure on him since he’s guaranteed a spot in the BMW next week and he will be tested on the fast greens. That’s probably the only issues with his game at this point. I’m leaning toward fading him, though the decision didn’t come easy.
Not much is expected from Phil Mickelson, who hit the board at +17550. He’s a sentimental pick, though he’s probably ready for the Champions Tour. Lefty has made the cut in five straight tournaments and he has a lengthy history at TPC Boston going 11 for 12 with win and four top-10s.
Top -10 Lock: Bryson DeChambeau
Top-20 Lock: Cameron Champ
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- Phil Simon, Gambling911.com
