More Stars at WGC Mexico, but Puerto Rico Open Might Have Better Betting Opportunities

This week gives golf bettors two PGA Tour events to wager on with the elite World Golf Championships Mexico Championship and the alternate event the Puerto Rico Open. While the WGC event has 47 of the top 50 players in the world, the Puerto Rico Open will have few recognizable names that will be further down the betting board.

The WGC has two favorites, Dustin Johnson and Justin Thomas. Both are at 10/1, and a case could be made for either one to win this event. An equally compelling argument could be made for them not to.

Johnson is the No. 3 ranked golfer, according to the Official World Golf Rankings. The 34-year-old won this event two years ago, and placed seventh last year. He also has a victory this year in Saudi Arabia, against a similarly strong field.

“It’s a definitely very nice to get the first win of the year and my first European Tour victory,” Johnson said. “I’m very pleased with it, especially since we had a great field here this week.”

Since that event, though, Johnson had a tie for 45th at the Pebble Beach Pro-Am, a tournament he has won twice. Last week at Riviera in the Genesis Open, he opened with a 73 and was never a factor, tying for ninth.

Collapse Concerns Thomas

Thomas, however, had a much worse tournament than Johnson did in Southern California. He entered the final wound with a four-stroke lead and watched helplessly as his putter deserted him. He made two three-putts, a four-putt, and ended up with a final round 75 .The second-place finish frustrated him.

“It will bother me the rest of my life, 100 percent it will,” Thomas said. “There are tournaments I didn’t win my rookie year that still bother me and [the Genesis Open] was a lot worse than that, so I’m sure that will bother me.”

Thomas has unfinished business this week as he finished second to Phil Mickelson in Mexico. He said he has to try and forget Riviera and concentrate on this event.

“In terms of teeing it up this week, it’s not like I’m going to be putting my tee in the ground on Thursday and still be pissed off that I didn’t win on Sunday,” Thomas said. “But in terms of little things like whether it’s being on a flight or just sitting at home, yeah, it will bother me forever.”

Who’s Who in Puerto Rico

The golfers playing in Puerto Rico are probably not familiar, and the ones that are, should probably be stayed away from as far as betting. The favorite is Daniel Berger at 12/1, with Peter Uihlein at 16/1.

A couple of notable international players are at 20/1 in Graeme McDowell and Charl Schwartzel. McDowell has not won since 2016, and the last top 10 the Northern Irishman had was in 2017 at the Shriners Hospital for Children Open.

Schwartzel, who is from South Africa, won the Masters in 2011, and won the 2016 Valspar Championship. He is probably the better bet over McDowell.