It might be difficult for this week's PGA Tour field to top the drama of last week's PGA Championship — but there are still plenty of chances for golf betting fans to either build on their weekend wins or make up for their losses.
The Charles Schwab Challenge tees off Thursday at Colonial Country Club in Fort Worth, Texas on the heels of an incredible showing by 50-year-old Phil Mickelson, who fended off the greatest tournament field in history to become the oldest-ever men's major champion.
And while the challenges presented here might not be on par with what golfers faced at The Ocean Course at Kiawah, steady breezes and occasionally difficult course conditions should keep scoring reasonable.
We preview the field, break down the course and give our PGA betting picks, predictions and best bets for the Charles Schwab Challenge.
Colonial betting stats that matter
Bettors might be tempted to reference past history at Colonial but while doglegs were once kryptonite for long hitters, today's players can simply drive right over them. So while it's still smart to target players with high driving accuracy rates, it is no longer good form to ignore the heavy hitters, making SG: Off the Tee a great metric — regardless of whether the player in question hits it long or hits it straight.
With winds expected to be persistent throughout the tournament, SG: Around the Green becomes the next most important statistic of the week. The GIR success rate at Colonial is among the lowest on tour when those Texas winds start blowing, which will place a great deal of emphasis on scrambling and short iron play in general. Players who are regularly getting up and down are going to litter the top of the leaderboard this week.
Charles Schwab Challenge outright winner bets
It's a Texas tournament, which means the oddsmakers love local hero Jordan Spieth. He's the tournament favorite at +1,000, despite scuffling at last week's PGA Championship. Justin Thomas is next at +1,400, looking to build off a 10th-place showing at last year's event. Collin Morikawa (+1,400) is the last player in the top tier of favorites and should be one of the more popular plays of the week following his impressive T8 at Kiawah.
Who will win the Charles Schwab Challenge? Here are our best picks:
Jordan Spieth (+1,000)
It takes a certain style of golfer to consistently put up low numbers in the Lone Star State — and the fit doesn't get much better than Spieth. He has six Top 10s in eight career tournaments on this course, including a win at the Dean & Deluca Invitational in 2016 and runner-up finishes in 2015 and 2017.
Having rediscovered his elite form this season, Spieth is a threat to win any tourney on the schedule — but he's doubly dangerous here.
Tony Finau (+2,200)
Finau's uneven performances in recent months (four Top 20s and three missed cuts in his last eight events) should probably be prefaced by the fact that he opted to spend quality time with his family to break up what would have been a grueling stretch of tournaments.
He looked invigorated en route to a T8 at the PGA Championship and has a strong history here, highlighted by a second-place finish in 2019. Finau's game translates well to Texas courses, making him a favorite here.
Charles Schwab Challenge matchup predictions
Abraham Ancer Over Daniel Berger (-110)
Mickelson stole the show at last week's PGA Championship, but let's not ignore Ancer's incredible final-round 65 that vaulted him into a tie for eighth — marking his third consecutive Top-10 result.
And while that stretch is impressive, it has hardly come out of nowhere, with Ancer having finished in the Top 25 in nine straight events. He's one of the hottest players on tour right now, and that instills a little more confidence than Berger, who won this tournament last year but stumbled to a T75 at Kiawah.
Corey Conners Over Joaquin Niemann (-120)
A promising start gave way to a rough finish for Conners, who opened the PGA Championship with a 67 but followed that up with a 75-73-73 finish with a T17. Still, it's an impressive showing on the heels of a T8 at the Masters, and his No. 9 ranking in SG: Off the Tee and fourth-place showing in SG: Approach make him dangerous on a weekly basis.
He also has finishes of eighth, 31st and 19th at this course, making him a strong play in what should be an entertaining matchup.
Charles Schwab Challenge prop bets
Will Zalatoris Top-20 Finish (+100)
Plenty got lost in Lefty's stunning win at Kiawah, including Zalatoris posting yet another impressive showing at a major. His T8 at the PGA Championship piggy-backs nicely against his runner-up finish at the Masters, and his sixth-place SG: Tee to Green ranking serves notice that he's capable of contending anywhere.
This will be his first appearance at Colonial Country Club, but he posted a T17 at the PGA Tour's previous Texas stop and is more than capable of duplicating that result here.
Phil Mickelson to Miss Cut (+150)
We hate to rain on Lefty's parade (and who are we kidding, he's going to be on a cloud for weeks after this latest victory), but coming off one of the most emotional tournaments of his incredible career, would it really be that surprising to see Mickelson come out a little flat?
He has still made just nine of 15 cuts on the season and has struggled mightily with driving accuracy. He has also played this course just three times since 2010 — and missed the cut twice.
Charles Schwab Challenge betting card
- Jordan Spieth Outright (+1,000)
- Tony Finau Outright (+2,200)
- Abraham Ancer Over Daniel Berger (-110)
- Corey Conners Over Joaquin Niemann (-120)
- Will Zalatoris Top-20 Finish (+100)
- Phil Mickelson to Miss Cut (+150)
Where can I bet on the PGA?
You can bet on PGA odds at many online and casino sportsbooks, including PGA outrights, matchup bets, and other golf props. Head over to our best golf betting sites for the top spots to bet on PGA odds in your area.
