Shriners Children’s Open Betting Analysis & Best Bets | October 17-20

PGA Tour – Shriners Children’s Open

Where: TPC Summerlin (Las Vegas, NV)

When: October 17th to 20th

Watch: The Golf Channel, NBC Sports App

Shriners Children’s Open Betting Preview

The PGA Tour will continue this Thursday as we stick to the desert golf theme, coming off an exciting tournament at Black Desert Resort. The field will head to Las Vegas, Nevada, to take on the famous TPC Summerlin track that has played relatively docile in recent years. The field for this tournament is much deeper than the field we saw last weekend, and while there are only a handful of household names, the betting odds prove that we are in for a wild ride. Headlined by Tom Kim, Rickie Fowler, Gary Woodland, and Harris English, these golfers are sure to give viewers their money’s worth over the four-day open.

TPC Summerlin is a par 71 course that plays just a hair over 7,250 yards. The fairways are much wider than the tour average, but since we are staying in the desert, the penalty on missed fairways and shots out of bounds will be much more extreme. The course at Summerlin also features some large greens and short par 5s, meaning that risks off the tee can yield high rewards but also dramatic losses. There will be a big emphasis on shot-to-shot strategy in a tournament that should see some really low scores. There will also be some unpredictability in play this weekend, as we can expect to see some swirling winds in the forecast. On a course that does not favor scrambling over precise approach shots, golfers will need to factor the movement in their ball flight into each shot. In the Shriners Open, I am looking for golfers in the field who can first and foremost hit the ball far, but accurately, off the tee. As a secondary measuring stick, approach play will be absolutely crucial to success. Above-average putting is always an advantage, but it may not prove to be a differentiator in this one. Let’s take a look at some of the major contenders in the field and see who I am laying my money on in Las Vegas this weekend.

The Betting Odds to Win

• Tom Kim +1200
• Taylor Pendrith +2000
• Beau Hossler +2500
• Davis Thompson +2500
• Eric Cole +3000
• Kurt Kitayama +3000
• Cam Davis +3500
• Harris English +4500
• Rickie Fowler +6000
• Gary Woodland +9000

There are a lot of long odds to win the Shriners Children’s Open, which is indicative of the fact that the door is wide open for anybody to take home the hardware and a PGA Tour victory. Unpredictability will make this a must-watch event, but there is a clear-cut recipe for success as I have previously laid out. Take a look below at my best bets and enjoy your profits come Sunday afternoon.

This Week’s Top Bets

My Pick: Taylor Pendrith – Top 10 Finish (+175)

Pendrith has not played in a PGA Tour event since September 1st at the Tour Championship. While some may view that length of time on the shelf as a negative, I do not. In his last six events, Pendrith finished in the top 5 twice and added a T14 and T13 in his most recent two performances. His accuracy off the tee box leaves a little to be desired, but with wider fairways, I think he will be able to lean on his distance advantage over the field. He has been trending upwards recently, and I expect that trend to continue at TPC Summerlin. His prolific putting is poised to put him in a position to contend, and I don’t see a scenario where he finds himself outside of the top 10.

My Pick: Harris English – To Win +4500

I love Harris English in this spot. English played a near-perfect tournament last weekend at Black Desert and found himself in a tie for 6th when all was said and done. He excels in desert conditions and having the luxury of playing two similar courses in a row should allow him to carry his momentum over. English’s game is not one that emphasizes distance, but his accuracy is unparalleled in this field. He will need to hone in his approach game, but the 35-year-old American will not hurt himself and he will set himself apart with his ability to execute in short yardage play.

My Pick: Adam Svensson – Top 20 Finish (+180)

Svensson is another golfer who played last weekend at Black Desert. He possesses an accurate drive off the tee box and an ability to hit greens in regulation at an alarming rate. He finished 25th last weekend, but the repetition in these conditions should allow him to move up the leaderboard even with a bit of a stronger field. In tournaments where he has placed in the top 20, including the Procore and Wyndham Championships, his putter has been dialed. That will be a key indication in his early rounds, but I expect that he will continue his upward trajectory.