Major season might have come to an end but there’s a top quality WGC event to keep the blues away. Steve Carroll considers his WGC FedEx St Jude Invitational betting tips
Got end of Open blues? Don’t despair. We’re right back in business with a fantastic field lining up in Memphis. Here’s our WGC-FedEx St Jude Invitational betting tips…
The details
The venue: TPC Southwind, Memphis, Tennessee, USA
Date: July 25-28, 2019
Course stats: Par 70, 7,244 yards
Course summary: Narrow fairways, and small, fast greens requires accuracy and good scrambling skills. Water predominates here and comes into play on 10 of the hole.
Purse: $10.25 million
Defending champion: Dustin Johnson (-19)
TV coverage
Thursday: Sky Sports Golf, 7pm; Sky Sports Main Event, 10pm
Friday: Sky Sports Golf, 7pm; Sky Sports Main Event, 10pm
Saturday: Sky Sports Golf, 7pm; Sky Sports Main Event, 10pm
Sunday: Sky Sports Golf, 7pm; Sky Sports Main Event, 9pm
WGC-FedEx St Jude Invitational betting tips: Steve’s players to follow
I believe the price has been bigger but, even so, Danny Willett’s name still leaps off the page to me at 66/1 with bet365.
After an opening 74, the Englishman played some of the best golf in the field over the next two days, shooting 67 and 65 to get into the fringes of contention last week at Royal Portrush.
Unless you were there, it’s hard to describe just how difficult conditions were on the final day, but Willett’s 73 in the worst of the wind and rain was mightily impressive and he should come here in very good heart.
Willett finished tied-6th at the Open and that came on the back of T12 at the US Open and T8 at the Canadian Open. Having made the decision at the start of the year to move to America and establish himself on the PGA Tour, the settling time appears to have finished and he looks ready to challenge again Stateside.
Andrew Putnam’s tied-32nd at Portrush would have been a lot better had it not been for a closing 78 on a day when many bigger names also struggled to break 80.
If he can chalk that down to one of those things – and not focus on the many thousands in prize money that frittered away with each shot dropped – then there’s no reason why he can’t contend at TPC Southwind at 55/1.
One of the best putters on tour – he’s ranked 4th in strokes gained – he’s also pretty solid in approaching the green as well.
Hot at the start of the year, he played pretty well at the Travelers Championship and, again, was unable to finish off before four excellent days at Renaissance brought a top-5.
The elevation of this tournament to WGC status has brought a much stronger field than usual and there’s plenty lacking a run out in Memphis.
Putnam, though, found only DJ too good when this tournament was last played 14 months ago.
After his season was stalled by a wrist injury that kept him out for several weeks, Justin Thomas (16/1) appears close to hitting top gear again.
The road back hasn’t been short – he missed the cut at the US Open and laboured at the Travelers. But he looked much more like his old self at the Scottish Open, finishing tied 9th, and followed that up by being just outside the top 10 at Portrush.
I was struck with his 72 on the last day there, which would have been a whole host better but for a triple at the 17th and it seems to me that his best is not too far away.
I’d like to get on at a price that still feels a little generous for someone we’re normally used to seeing in single figures.
I’ll finally have a peek at the 60/1 available on Matt Fitzpatrick. The Sheffield star never really dominated television coverage at the Open but still finished tied for 20th.
That also followed top 20s at the Scottish Open and US Open and second at the BMW International Open in June.
You’d like to think this course would set up well for him. Top 20 in strokes gained off the tee and 27th from tee to green, Southwind could be right up his street.
For the latest prices, visit bet365
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