by The PGA finally appears to be in full swing with the Waste Management Phoenix Open taking place on Thursday at TPC Scottsdale in Arizona. Calling for an outright is fun, but these types of bets are more volatile than head to head matches in a full tournament. I’m dipping my toes in the head-to-head market now that the NFL is nearing the end of the season with the Super Bowl on deck.
Here are three head-to-head matches to bet on for the Phoenix Open. Odds via BetMGM.
Morikawa is one of the best ball forwards on the tour. Over the final 36 rounds, Morikawa is fourth on the court for both hard earned shots via approaches and ball strikes. Since October 2021, he has only twice missed shots with his shoes. Morikawa is one of the best because he is consistent. Thomas, on the other hand, has missed tee shots in back-to-back events, while missing shots with his iron game in three of his last six tournaments. Since both players are volatile putters, this is where the risk lies. However, this is a Thomas fade. Missing four ball-striking shots at the Sentry Tournament of Champions in a part of his game that should be his strength creates problems.
Love Kim this week as a potential overall winner.
Over the last 36 rounds, Kim has been an excellent and more consistent striker, fifth on the pitch behind well-known players like Rory McIlroy and Morikawa. Additionally, Kim is seventh in the field in total earned hits, which lead to a T6 in the American Express. I’m counting on the complete all-round player to show up. Not only was Kim a solid iron player, but compared to Hovland, he’s also the best short game player, both around the green and putting. Like any golfer, Kim can struggle with the flat club, missing six strokes in two of his last eight events, but he has shown a propensity to bounce back. The only caveat, Kim did not play TPC Scottsdale. However, the in-game balance of him bodes well for the layout.
The most awaited match in golf this week. I will gladly bet a plus-money option for the player I think will win this tournament. McIlroy has crushed the European tour to close out the 2022 year, including winning the Dubai Desert Classic last month. McIlroy earned shots in every single category in five consecutive events. Though he competes in softer fields, his data points are lush with green stats. You can argue that Rahm was just as impressive, winning American Express and finishing T7 at the Farmers Insurance Open, but this is Rory’s year.
