PGA Betting Preview: 2018 Waste Management Phoenix Open

While parts of the country continue to experience cold weather, the same cannot be said for the PGA Tour players who will be heading to Arizona this week to take part in the 2018 Waste Management Phoenix Open. In total, 132 players will tackle the TPC Scottsdale course, and they will all be looking to take down Hideki Matsuyama, once again the PGA betting favorite to win the tournament.If he pulls it off, it will be the first three-peat in the PGA in the last 7 years. Matsuyama seems to love this course, but he is going to have a solid group of players looking to snatch the title away from him. Let’s take a closer look at some of the Golf odds favorites here, and who might end up creeping into the top 5 on the leaderboard on Sunday afternoon.

PGA Betting Preview: 2018 Waste Management Phoenix Open

JT putting on a distance show! @JustinThomas34 @PGATOUR @tpcscottsdale @WasteManagement #WMPO #RESPECT #thepeoplesopen #greenestshow pic.twitter.com/ougOnIdxOi

— WM Phoenix Open (@WMPhoenixOpen) 31 de enero de 2018

Tournament Info

• Location: Scottsdale, Arizona
• Established: 1932, 86 years ago
• Course: TPC Scottsdale
• Par: 71
• Length: 7,266 yards
• Organized by: The Thunderbirds
• Tour: PGA
• Format: Stroke play
• Prize fund: $6.9 million

Top Contenders

Jordan Spieth

• PGA Betting Odds: +750

It doesn’t seem to matter where this young man plays, he always seems to land atop the favorites board prior to the event. The question here, though, is whether he can land atop the leaderboard against a very tough group of pros. Spieth is currently ranked #3 in the world right now but is off to a little bit of a slow start to the 2018 season with just the one top 10 finish. He will eventually come around, though, but has a long way to go to match the 5 tour wins that he picked up in 2015.

Hideki Matsuyama

• PGA Betting Odds: +750

Given that Matsuyama has won this event the last two years, it’s no real surprise that he is favorite to win along with Spieth. Matsuyama is coming off his best season as a pro, picking up 3 wins in 2017. He has yet to win a tournament this season, but he does have a pair of top 5 finishes this year. Matsuyama has made it all the way up to #5 in the world, thanks in large part to his play over the last year, and I like him to get the threepeat this weekend.

Jon Rahm

• PGA Betting Odds: +800

Last season proved to be a breakthrough year for the Spaniard, as he went on a run at the end of 2017 where he was consistently landing in the top 10 in every tournament that he played. That form skyrocketed him up the rankings, taking him to #2 in the world.The 2018 season has also started incredibly well for Rahm, as he already has a win on tour, winning the CareerBuilder Challenge a couple of weeks ago. Rahm is a great pick to land in the top 5 this weekend.

Rickie Fowler

• PGA Betting Odds: +1300

This is an incredibly strong field, with Fowler another player currently in the top 10 in the world at #7. Fowler is another player who has made a strong start to the season, landing a pair of top 5 finishes already. It’s still very early in the season, but Fowler has already barged his way into the top 20 in the FedEx Cup standings. He is another player that should certainly be a solid top 10 bet in this event, but I think he might even crack the top 3.If you are looking for a longshot pick this weekend, I would consider Webb Simpson (+2800). He lost to Matsuyama in a playoff last year, so look for him to take another strong run this year.

Last 10 Winners

• 2017: Hideki Matsuyama
• 2016: Hideki Matsuyama
• 2015: Brooks Koepka
• 2014: Kevin Stadler
• 2013: Phil Mickelson
• 2012: Kyle Stanley
• 2011: Mark Wilson
• 2010: Hunter Mahan
• 2009: Kenny Perry
• 2008: J. B. Holmes