Fowler The Solid Favorite at Valero Texas Open

Rory McIlroy and Dustin Johnson have decided to skip this week’s PGA Tournament, the Valero Texas Open in San Antonio. Lacking Rory and DJ’s sticks, the BetAmerica oddsmakers have made Rickie Fowler the favorite. Does Rickie offer the most value among the favorites? Check out thoughts on the PGA Valero Texas Open!

Favorites

Rickie Fowler	+975
Tony Finau	+1500
Matt Kuchar	+1550
Jordan Spieth	+1900

 

At +975, Fowler qualifies for a wager if you believe he can win this week. A good rule of thumb is to never put money behind a golfer offering odds less than +1000. But although Rickie does qualify for a bet, that doesn’t mean we should back him. He finished 47th at TPC Sawgrass and before that, he finished 40th at the Arnold Palmer Invitational.

Finau, Kuchar, and Spieth offer more value. Of those three golfers, the one to back is Matt Kuchar. Kuchar finished runner-up in last week’s WGC-Dell Technologies Open. The match play event ended up as a battle between Kuchar and Kevin Kisner. Kisner took first place 3-2.

Although he didn’t win, Kuchar showed he’s in excellent form. He’s got a chance to win the Valero Texas Open, even though last year he finished at even, 17 strokes off winner Andrew Landry.

Pick: Matt Kuchar

Choices up to +4000

Billy Horschel	+2000
Sung-Jae Im	+2800
Jason Kokrak	+2800
Jim Furyk	+3000
Lucas Glover	+3000
Byeong-Hun An	+3100
Abraham Ancer	+3300
Ryan Moore	+4000
Jhonattan Vegas	+4000

 

As always, the choices up to +4000 are where golf handicappers will find the most value. You could make a case for any of the golfers listed.

Ryan Moore’s an attractive proposition at +4000, but Moore’s been in terrible form. He just hasn’t hit the ball that well this PGA season.

Jim Furyk’s in really good form. He finished ninth at the Honda Classic, second at The Players Championship, and 18th at the Valspar Championship. At last year’s Valero Texas Open, he shot a -4. That didn’t come close to Landry’s -17, but Jim did shoot under par. At +3000, he’s an overlay in this field.

Pick: Jim Furyk

Major Odds Dogs With a Chance

Charley Hoffman	+4400
Joost Luiten	+4500
Lucas Bjerregaard	+4500
Haotong Li	+4500
Graeme McDowell	+5000
J.B. Holmes	+5000
Luke List	+5100

 

Golf handicappers probably only recognize three names: Charley Hoffman, Graeme McDowell, and J.B. Holmes. Of those three, McDowell has a slight advantage.

Wanting to get his game together, Graeme decided to forego last week’s WGC-Dell Technologies and instead play in the Corales Puntacana Resort & Club Championship. The gambit worked after he shot a 73-64-64-69 and won the tournament.

McDowell should take those hot sticks to San Antonio for the Valero Texas Open this week. He could surprise at the massive +5000 odds, while nobody else on this category, name or not, is in good enough form.

Pick: Graeme McDowell

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