Las Vegas, Nev. (Jan. 21, 2015)—Hot golfers tend to rise to the top in the betting world…just look at this week’s Humana Challenge tournament as a prime example. Patrick Reed, who won the Hyundai Tournament of Champions on Maui two weeks ago, leads the betting odds at 12-1 according to odds released by GolfOdds.com. It will also be the 2015 debut for Phil Mickelson. And at the Commercial Bank Qatar Masters, Sergio Garcia at 7-1 and Justin Rose at 8-1, sit atop the betting board.–By Bill Bowman; Odds by Jeff Sherman
So what do people look for when they are searching for those value bets in the golf world? There’s no sure-fire answer to the question but Jeff Sherman, assistant director of the Westgate Superbook and founder of GolfOdds.com, said there are a few keys to check out. “Early in the season, without a deep field of top golfers, the shorter odds will be on those that performed well in Hawaii or have something to show from recent course experience hence Reed starting as the favorite.”
Other top-names include Matt Kuchar at 15-1 and Keegan Bradley at 20-1. Some of the golfers with Vegas ties may also be worth a look: Ryan Moore is 30-1, Charley Hoffman is 40-1 and Kevin Na is 50-1.
And then there’s the wildcard factor. Mickelson’s debut. How does Sherman look at Mickelson’s chances this week? Not well…he’s at 25-1. “Mickelson mostly uses these as tournaments to tinker with his game these days so his odds are generally equal, if not longer, than his odds for a major such as The Masters where he brings his ‘A’ game.”
Sherman added that Mickelson doesn’t move the betting meter as much as people may think. “Mickelson doesn’t change the wagering barometer like Tiger, (Rory) McIlroy and even (Jordan) Spieth. It generally takes Tiger to alter the landscape of the betting handle for a weekly tournament.”
After Garcia and Rose at Qatar, Henrik Stenson (10-1) and Charl Schwartzel (15-1) are the only other players with odds less than 25-1.
HUMANA CHALLENGE—Odds by GolfOdds.com
PGA WEST (PALMER & NICKLAUS COURSES) / LA QUINTA C C – LA QUINTA, CALIFORNIA
JANUARY 22-25, 2015
ODDS TO WIN:
PATRICK REED 12/1
MATT KUCHAR 15/1
KEEGAN BRADLEY 20/1
PHIL MICKELSON 25/1
CHRIS KIRK 25/1
BILL HAAS 25/1
RYAN PALMER 25/1
ZACH JOHNSON 25/1
HARRIS ENGLISH 25/1
WEBB SIMPSON 30/1
RYAN MOORE 30/1
JASON DUFNER 35/1
BILLY HORSCHEL 35/1
BRANDT SNEDEKER 40/1
CHARLEY HOFFMAN 40/1
BRENDON TODD 40/1
SCOTT PIERCY 50/1
GRAHAM DeLAET 50/1
RUSSELL KNOX 50/1
CHARLES HOWELL III 50/1
KEVIN NA 50/1
JUSTIN THOMAS 50/1
LUKE DONALD 50/1
JASON KOKRAK 50/1
TIM CLARK 60/1
PAUL CASEY 60/1
BRENDON DE JONGE 60/1
MARTIN LAIRD 60/1
SCOTT STALLINGS 60/1
NICK WATNEY 60/1
SHAWN STEFANI 60/1
KEVIN STREELMAN 60/1
FRANCESCO MOLINARI 80/1
JONAS BLIXT 80/1
RORY SABBATINI 80/1
JERRY KELLY 80/1
JASON BOHN 80/1
PAT PEREZ 80/1
TONY FINAU 80/1
CAMERON TRINGALE 80/1
DANIEL SUMMERHAYS 80/1
DAVID HEARN 100/1
SCOTT LANGLEY 100/1
JEFF OVERTON 100/1
ROBERT GARRIGUS 100/1
MATT JONES 100/1
CHESSON HADLEY 100/1
BO VAN PELT 100/1
RYO ISHIKAWA 125/1
FIELD (all others) 5/2
TOURNAMENT MATCHUPS:
KEEGAN BRADLEY +110
MATT KUCHAR -130
BILL HAAS EVEN
RYAN PALMER -120
HARRIS ENGLISH EVEN
CHRIS KIRK -120
ZACH JOHNSON -120
RYAN MOORE EVEN
JASON DUFNER -110
BRANDT SNEDEKER -110
CHARLEY HOFFMAN EVEN
BRENDON TODD -120
LUKE DONALD -125
CHARLES HOWELL III +105
BRENDON DE JONGE -125
MARTIN LAIRD +105
PAUL CASEY -120
FRANCESCO MOLINARI EVEN
JERRY KELLY -110
RORY SABBATINI -110
COMMERCIAL BANK QATAR MASTERS
DOHA GOLF CLUB – DOHA, QATAR
JANUARY 21-24, 2015
ODDS TO WIN:
SERGIO GARCIA 7/1
JUSTIN ROSE 8/1
HENRIK STENSON 10/1
CHARL SCHWARTZEL 15/1
BRANDEN GRACE 25/1
THORBJORN OLESEN 25/1
MIKKO ILONEN 30/1
ALEXANDER LEVY 30/1
ROSS FISHER 30/1
BERND WIESBERGER 30/1
ROBERT KARLSSON 40/1
NICOLAS COLSAERTS 40/1
MARCEL SIEM 40/1
STEPHEN GALLACHER 40/1
GEORGE COETZEE 40/1
RAFAEL CABRERA BELLO 40/1
TYRRELL HATTON 40/1
THONGCHAI JAIDEE 50/1
PETER UIHLEIN 50/1
THOMAS PIETERS 50/1
GARY STAL 50/1
ERNIE ELS 50/1
ANDY SULLIVAN 50/1
PAUL LAWRIE 50/1
ROMAIN WATTEL 60/1
TOMMY FLEETWOOD 60/1
EMILIANO GRILLO 60/1
THOMAS AIKEN 80/1
EDDIE PEPPERELL 80/1
ALVARO QUIROS 80/1
PABLO LARRAZABAL 80/1
ALEX NOREN 80/1
STEVE WEBSTER 80/1
ALEJANDRO CANIZARES 80/1
JAMES MORRISON 80/1
MATTHEW FITZPATRICK 100/1
MORTEN ORUM MADSEN 100/1
ANDERS HANSEN 100/1
RICARDO GONZALEZ 100/1
KIRADECH APHIBARNRAT 100/1
RICHIE RAMSAY 100/1
MARCUS FRASER 100/1
RAPHAEL JACQUELIN 100/1
RICHARD GREEN 100/1
BYEONG-HUN AN 125/1
EDOARDO MOLINARI 125/1
GREGORY BOURDY 125/1
SEVE BENSON 125/1
MATTEO MANASSERO 200/1
FIELD (all others) 4/1