The next stop in the PGA Tour’s return to action is Muirfield Village. And no, the Memorial Tournament has not been rebranded, instead we have a two-week stay at Jack’s place, starting with the Workday Charity Open…
The details
Venue: Muirfield Village Golf Club, Ohio, USA
Date: July 9-12, 2020
Course stats: Par 72; 7,392 yards
Course summary: The long-time tour venue is a tough test for players, with penal rough and numerous hazards increasing the necessity for accurate driving, while hitting greens in regulation is essential to post a good score round here.
Purse: $6.2 million
Defending champion: N/A (inaugural event)
Workday Charity Open TV coverage
Thursday: Featured groups from 12.30pm, live coverage from 8pm (Sky Sports Golf and Main Event)
Friday: Featured groups from 12.30pm, live coverage from 8pm (Sky Sports Golf and Main Event)
Saturday: Featured groups from 12.45pm, live coverage from 6pm (Sky Sports Golf and Main Event)
Sunday: Featured groups from 12pm, live coverage from 2pm (Sky Sports Golf)
Workday Charity Open betting: Each-way tips
Rickie Fowler (30/1 with bet365) showed glimpses of a return to form at the Rocket Mortgage Classic, and is generously priced for a player of his ability. Fowler ranked T5 for GIR on his way to a T12 finish in Detroit – a key measure for this week’s event. He also has course form at Muirfield, with a T8 finish here in 2018.
Another player who had a strong finish in Detroit was Adam Hadwin (50/1). A Sunday 67 propelled the Canadian into a T4 finish in a tournament where he ranked 2nd for GIR, and 4th in Scrambling. Hadwin ticks all boxes for the key course measures, with his driving accuracy (22nd) allowing him to find the fairways and avoid the rough. When considering he also has some course form to compliment his impressive statistics, Hadwin represents an exciting each-way opportunity this week.
Gary Woodland (55/1) impressed with a 9th-place finish at the Charles Schwab Challenge but slumped to a T62 at the RBC before a missed cut at the Travelers, prompting the World No 18 to skip a week. After an opportunity to recharge and rediscover the form that left him ranked 7th in GIR, Woodland has an opportunity to build on his five top-10 finishes this season so far. As someone who has played this course multiple times in the past, including when T4 in the 2016 Memorial, the US Open champion represents great value here.
Workday Charity Open betting: The long shot
Troy Merritt (150/1) had the opportunity to play his final round with eventual winner Bryson DeChambeau this week, and did not look flustered by the incomparable driving distances. Instead, Merritt went about his business consistently hitting fairways on his way to his best finish of the 2020 season. Over the four days, Merrit hit 77% of GIR and ranked 21st for scrambling. As a strong putter, Merritt will have opportunities to convert his accurate approach shots into birdies. Previous course form from 2019 demonstrates the Iowa-born golfer has plenty to offer at a big price, and hopefully he took inspiration from having the best seat in the house for DeChambeau’s win.
Workday Charity Open: Top tip
After what has been a mediocre restart to the PGA Tour by his standards, Jon Rahm (16/1) looks perfectly suited to this challenge after a week off. The fiery Spaniard possesses surprisingly accurate driving statistics for someone who ranks 32nd in driving distance on tour, and complements this with an accurate approach game. Despite the slow start to the second half of this disjointed season Rahm ranks 18th for GIR, 19th for scrambling, and 19th for SG: Putting. After achieving a PGA Tour win in each of his last three seasons, Rahm will be determined to continue the trend and remain in the group of serial winners. If he can control his temper, and stay focused, he has a great chance of going close come Sunday.
For more prices, visit bet365.
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