The U.S. Open is rapidly approaching, but in the meantime the PGA Tour packs its bags and heads to Canada. The RBC Canadian Open is set to tee off from Oakdale Golf & Country Club, and for PGA betting it is a good time to get in on some early numbers and see who jumps out as a play this week. Let’s take a look at some 2023 Canadian Open odds and find some golfers to target as potential outright winners.
2023 Canadian Open Odds & Bets: Justin Rose Still a Threat
2023 Canadian Open Outright Bet: Justin Rose (20-1, DraftKings)
This week brings a new course since this is a rotational, so bettors have to infer what to look for when targeting outrights this week. At first look, it seems the ability to lean on irons and putting are the main focuses. The course will play pretty easy, and golfers are going to have to convert the birdie chances.
Justin Rose has made six straight cuts, including a ninth at the PGA Championship and a 16th at Augusta. Add in the win earlier this year, and 2023 has shown that Rose still is serious threat. He has the exact formula for success at this course, with ball-striking numbers that jump off the page and no issues with the flat stick. Off the tee has been neutral for Rose, and that’s just fine at this Oakdale layout. If Rose continues to roll it and Rory McIlroy does not blow away the field, then he is worth jumping on at 20-1 in the outright market.
2023 Canadian Open Outright Longshot: Mark Hubbard (110-1, DraftKings)
It is always fun to dream about hitting a ticket at 100-1 or longer, but figuring out which longshot to target is the more difficult task. There are dozens of guys down the board, most of whom realistically have no shot to win the event. However, that does not mean ignore the entire range. Mark Hubbard checks a lot of boxes this week, and although he is a more reasonable top-20 target, he is worth some interest as an outright as well. I got Hubbard at 130-1, though he has already moved to 110-1 on Monday.
Like a lot of players on tour, Hubbard has been close to breaking through but still is searching for that first win. The game is in good shape, and there were moments last week at Memorial when Hubbard threatened to be part of the final chapter of that tournament. He finished 30th but added another made cut to his streak, which now stands at six. More important than finding the weekend is the shape of his game, which is leaning heavily on accuracy with the irons. Hubbard has gained six straight weeks on approach, and like An, he just needs the putter to heat up. This type of putting surface is where Hubbard has the best chance to thrive, and this is a name that could pop up on the leaderboard as heading towards Sunday.
2023 Canadian Open Outright Bet: Byeong Hun An (50-1, DraftKings)
This number jumped off the page, as An was down to mid-30s at other books. This is a guy playing good golf, with a 24th, 21st and 14th over his last three events. Now, that is a far cry from taking down his first PGA Tour win, but the stats also line up. An has gained tee to green in every event since January and currently is really in sync with his approach numbers. There is a clear and obvious issue that is keeping him from breaking through, however, and that is the dreadful putting.
An’s putting has lost him strokes in four straight events, and even more concerning is losing over two strokes on the greens in each. That has to flip if he wants to take this event down, but a bent/poa combo could be the type of surface that helps negate some of the issues. An was a runner-up at this event when it was at Glen Abbey, and he has shown he has the game to compete on tour. Getting An around this 50-1 number is an easy add to the betting card.
UPDATE: Byeong Hun An has withdrawn from the RBC Canadian Open.
