The top-5 ranked golfers in the Official World Golf Rankings will all be playing at the Charles Schwab Challenge at Colonial Country Club, but that doesn’t mean one of them is going to win. Especially since nobody has played a round of PGA Tour golf since March 12.
World No. 1 Rory McIlroy is the 8/1 favorite this week, but he’s never played in this event. Still, Mcllroy has twice posted wins (2010 Wells Fargo Championship, 2019 RBC Canadian Open) in events where he’s playing the course for the first time.
Odds to Win Charles Schwab Challenge
| Rory McIlroy | 8/1 |
| Jon Rahm | 12/1 |
| Justin Thomas | 16/1 |
| Webb Simpson | 22/1 |
| Bryson Dechambeau | 25/1 |
| Brooks Koepka | 25/1 |
| Dustin Johnson | 30/1 |
| Patrick Reed | 30/1 |
| Xander Schauffele | 30/1 |
| Rickie Fowler | 35/1 |
| Scottie Scheffler | 35/1 |
| Sungjae Im | 35/1 |
Source: DraftKings
Kevin Na, who has odds of 55/1, is the defending champion, but only has one top-10 finish in seven events in 2020. Na spent his off time teaching his 3-year-old daughter the alphabet.
“We had fun, but at the same time, it wasn’t easy, “Na said. “I learned that teachers have a very difficult job at having patience with kids.â€
So who should gamblers back this week’s Charles Schwab Challenge? Good question. Here are some golfers we believe should be in the mix on Sunday, and others who might not make the cut.
Golfers to Consider
Jon Rahm (12/1)
The game’s No. 2 player has a good history at the Charles Schwab Challenge. The Spaniard has played the event three times, twice earning a top-5 finish. In 2017, he finished second. Rahm isn’t sure what to expect this week, but told reporters his goal is the same as always.
“I haven’t competed in three months, which is basically the longest break I’ve ever had since I started playing golf competitively, and I can’t really say much about it,†Rahm said. “Obviously every time I tee it up, the goal is to win, so I’m here to play and to win hopefully.â€
Sungjae Im (35/1)
Im is probably the best long shot bet in the field this week. Originally from South Korea, he’s having a strong second season playing in the US. Im won at the Honda Classic in the first week in March and followed that up with a third-place finish at the Arnold Palmer Invitational.
“It’s been about three months since I haven’t been in competitive mode because of the coronavirus, but even through all of the tough circumstances I’m so happy to be back competing,†Im said. “I’m so thankful that we have the chance to compete here on the PGA Tour, so I’m really looking forward to this week.â€
Golfers to Avoid
Justin Thomas (16/1)
Thomas is ranked No. 4 in the world, and while the attention has been focused on the top three of McIlroy, Rahm, and Brooks Koepka, Thomas could easily win at Colonial.
This, however, is his first time playing the course, so we’re going to skip him this week.
Jordan Spieth (40/1)
If Spieth is going to win this year, this event may present his best chance. This is a home match for him, and the Dallas resident won here in 2016.
That said, we’re not convinced that he has his A-game back yet. He had some poor finishes before the break, and we want to see a strong performance before we back him.
