The PGA Tour season has finally reached the final stage. Thirty golfers remain in the FedEx Cup playoffs, which means a Tour Champion will be crowned and a ton of cash will be distributed. This week is unique for several reasons, one of which is the starting strokes with which players begin the tournament. The leader is Scottie Scheffler, who starts at -10, and the others start anywhere from -8 to even, depending on their standings. This makes finding an outright winner much tougher but at the same time changes the betting board. Let’s dive into 2023 Tour Championship odds and find some players worth adding to betting cards this week.
2023 Tour Championship Odds, Bets & Expert Predictions
2023 Tour Championship Outright Bet: Jon Rahm (+850, Caesars)
Starting in Fourth at -6
Scheffler is the man to beat this week, but it is not going to be that easy, even with the -10 starting point. Guys like Rory McIlroy are lurking, and the top of the board is loaded with big names. It is not to say that Jon Rahm is not a big name, but it is clear he has not brought his A-game to the FedEx Cup so far. Coming off a 31st last week at the BMW, Rahm now finds himself in fourth at -6 coming into Thursday. Despite the form, the market overreacted by making him almost 9-1. Rahm showed earlier in the year how dominant he can be, and he can flip the switch this week.
This is about blindly backing the talent in relation to the number. The big thing that jumps off the page is Rahm has lost strokes off the tee in two straight events, which is extremely atypical. If he can correct that, it should set the stage for Rahm to make a charge. Plus, only being 4 shots back is a perfect spot to be in, so +850 is a solid buy.
2023 Tour Championship Outright Bet: Xander Schauffele (+3500, FanDuel)
Starting Tied for 11th at -3
With this format, the chances of winning the event dramatically drop further down the odds board. First off, golfers are generally worse and are upwards of 5 to 10 shots back of Scheffler and McIlroy. However, that does not mean it is impossible for some of these guys to make a charge, and the best guy down the board is Xander Schauffele. Sitting at just -3 to start means there is no time to waste, but it is also an opportunity to get to the weekend in striking distance.
One thing that is not a concern is Schauffele liking East Lake, as he has plenty of success at the Tour Championship. Since 2017 his worst finish was seventh, and even with a small field, the number of quality of golfers is impressive. Schauffele’s ball striking being on point will set him up for plenty of looks on greens where he has gained strokes putting in five of his six appearances here.
In terms of recent form, Schauffele was eighth place last week at the BMW, with both the ball striking and putter seemingly on point. Given Schauffele is 7 back, he needs both things working right from the jump, but his number is generous at 35-1. A quick start will get Schauffele immediately in range, and he could be the guy from further down the board to make a charge.
2023 Tour Championship Bet: Sungjae Im Top 10 (+230, FanDuel)
Starting Tied for 17th at -2
I have backed Sungjae Im two straight weeks, and although he is playing great, he did not cash an outright ticket. Still, a seventh and a sixth place in the FedEx Cup proves Im is peaking as the season draws to a close, and he is north of 2-1 for a top-10 here. Last week he gained strokes across the board, and it would not be a surprise to see that again here. Like everything about Im, he proved last year he can handle this track, with a runner-up finish. Although winning from -2 is probably a stretch, he is worth adding to the card in the top-10 market.
