Quail Hollow Championship Preview/Predictions
Imagine what the Kentucky Derby odds would be like if the entire field was comprised of Barbaro clones and you’d get the equivalent of this week’s Quail Hollow Championship odds in golf betting. The field is so strong – among the best you’ll ever see for a non-major – that it should come down to a photo finish.Among the many accomplished competitors playing in the tourney once known as the Wachovia Championship are Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson, Geoff Ogilvy, Sergio Garcia, Jim Furyk, Vijah Singh and Anthony Kim. It seems everyone wants a tuneup for next weekend’s Players Championship odds.
Tiger Woods (+250) is the sportsbook favorite this week: this is a recording. Anyone betting online can’t really argue with the oddsmakers, as Tiger won this tournament the last time he played it (2007) and has 13 straight top-10s in stroke-play tournaments. He’s an extremely safe play as usual and should be hungry for a win after coming so close at the Masters.
We can’t talk about Tiger Woods odds without exploring Phil Mickelson. He has three top-10s at Quail Hollow and has scored fairly well this season, so it’s understandable that he’s the No. 2 golf betting favorite at +900. However, his short game has been surprisingly erratic this season, so bet on Mickelson at your own risk.
Geoff Ogilvy clocks in at +1800 and his fantastic putting this season sets him up for success at Quail Hollow. However, he’s never been particularly strong at this event, so a vault into the top five would be a “win” for him. He’s not a bad pick but isn’t a shoo-in either.
Anthony Kim and Jim Furyk (both +2800) may be the hottest golf betting picks this week. Both are former champs at this tournament and Kim is the reigning winner. There’s no doubting his success at Quail Hollow but this will be his first career title defense and he hasn’t been at his best in 2009 PGA betting. Furyk, the 2006 champ, has been all over the map and carries some risk for those betting online, but his short game has been extremely strong this season, so he’s an intriguing guy to watch.
Just like you should avoid Ricky Hatton in boxing odds this weekend, do the same for Vijay Singh and Sergio Garcia in the Quail Hollow odds. It’s no coincidence that PGA lines have Vijay buried at +5000; he hasn’t looked like himself since returning from knee surgery. Is he rusty or past his prime? Sergio has been just as bad, with four finishes of 38th or worse in five starts this season. He’s done nothing to justify his +3300 golf odds this week.
OTHER NAMES TO CONSIDER
Rory Sabbatini (+4000) doesn’t own Quail Hollow but his great play on the green in 2009 golf betting makes him worth considering. 2003 champ David Toms (+5000) is hit-miss at Quail Hollow but his peripherals – great driving accuracy and putts per greens in regulation – set him up to make a run this week. Charles Howell III (+4000) finished second at last week’s Zurich Classic and really seems due to bust out but hasn’t cracked the top 10 in the Quail Hollow Championship over his last five starts there.
BETTING ONLINE PICK: Jim Furyk. The course has been kind to him in the past and his tough around the greens has been superb, so he’ll win a tightly contested golf betting event this week. If you want a sportsbook sleeper instead, go with Howell.
2 replies on “2009 Quail Hollow Championship Preview/Picks”
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DJ thanks for the comment, we like to think we’ve got you covered each week with our PGA Articles.