The FedEx Cup playoffs are in full swing, and things are likely to intensify for the BMW Championship, where the field has been slashed to 70.
Wilmington Country Club will have the honour of staging its first ever PGA Tour event, and Will Zalatoris heads into the tournament on the back of a nerve-shredding victory in a playoff at the FedEx St Jude Invitational last weekend.
Since its renovation in 2008, Wilmington has been expanded to over 7,500 yards (7,534 yards to be precise), and the course is littered with danger on the back nine.
Rory McIlroy and Scottie Scheffler will be hoping to mount a challenge after missing the cut at the FedEx St Jude Invitational, and for Scheffler, it marked just the fourth time this season that he didn’t feature at the weekend.
Meanwhile, Australian star Cameron Smith, who clinched the Open Championship last month, has withdrawn with a lingering hip problem. It is a shame for him as he is one of the best lag putters in the game, and he could have fared well this week.
As we inch closer to the opening tee of the BMW Championship, we have scoured the markets and picked out a few tips for you to line your betting slips with.
Justin Thomas to end barren run
For a player of Justin Thomas’ quality, it seems remarkable that he’s only managed one win on the PGA Tour in the past 18 months. That of course arrived at the PGA Championship in May which saw him claim his second Major.
Nevertheless, the American has enjoyed nine top-10 finishes and he’s currently 10th in the FedEx Cup standings. Although he came in T13 at the FedEx St Jude Invitational with an overall total of -9, Thomas is strong from tee to green.
Indeed, a cursory glance at his performance stats shows he ranks third on the Tour for strokes gained from tee to green (1.743), and he is fifth for strokes gained in approaches to the green (.807), while he averages just over 314 yards from the tee.
The back nine at Wilmington has some treacherous holes, which are flanked by water and so fortune will favour the brave.
Thomas always has a trick up his sleeve, and you rarely find him a club short. He could well arrest his drought, and he’s available at 22/1 with bet365 to enter the winner’s circle.
:quality(70)/res.cloudinary.com/xlmedia-alpha/image/upload/v1650901211/Salesforce_Logos/Bet365/Bet365_Logo_2022-04-25T15-40-05.png){kind=logo}
BMW Championship
Justin Thomas could end his drought with a win in Wilmington
At 22/1 a £10 bet would return £230
2022 BMW Championship
August 18, 2022
2:10 pm GMT+1
Will Zalatoris to get off to a flyer in Round 1
After some near misses, Will Zalatoris picked up his maiden PGA Tour win at the FedEx St Jude Invitational. He had ice running through his veins on a dramatic playoff where he converted three clutch putts.
The 26-year-old has come of age this season, and he’s been putting himself in contention most weeks. Although he only ranks 46th for First Round scoring average (69.76), he can shoot low, and he will be in a buoyant mood.
Zalatoris is currently available at 25/1 with Paddy Power to top the leaderboard after the First Round which could be worth following up on.
:quality(70)/res.cloudinary.com/xlmedia-alpha/image/upload/v1650901255/Salesforce_Logos/Paddy_Power/Paddy_Power_Logo_2022-04-25T15-40-47.png){kind=logo}
BMW Championship
We're hoping a buoyant Will Zalatoris will come flying out of the traps
At 25/1 a £10 bet would return £260
2022 BMW Championship
August 18, 2022
2:10 pm GMT+1
Cameron Young nailed on for another solid week
Currently at a career-high No.17 in the world, Cameron Young has had a tremendous first full season on the PGA Tour. The American has trailed a blaze, and he is the seventh player since 1980 to record five runner-up finishes in a season, the first since Vijay Singh in 2003.
Young will relish the challenge that Wilmington has to offer and he will rise to it. A top-three finish isn’t beyond the realm of possibility, and he is trading at 8/1 with bet365 to achieve that.
BMW Championship
A top 3 finish is not out of the question for Cameron Young
At 8/1 a £10 bet would return £90
2022 BMW Championship
August 18, 2022
2:10 pm GMT+1
* Betting odds correct at the time of writing. Subject to changes.
:quality(70)/res.cloudinary.com/xlmedia-alpha/image/upload/v1650901211/Salesforce_Logos/Bet365/Bet365_Logo_2022-04-25T15-40-05.png){kind=logo}
Bet £10 & Get £30 in Free Bets
New Customers only. Bet £10* & Get £30* in Free Bets. Sign up, deposit between £5* and £10* to your account and bet365 will give you three times that value in Free Bets when you place qualifying bets to the same value and they are settled. Free Bets are paid as Bet Credits. Min odds/bet and payment method exclusions apply. Returns exclude Bet Credits stake. T&Cs, time limits & exclusions apply. Registration required.
:quality(70)/s3.amazonaws.com/arc-authors/xlmedia/95b7b397-ec07-49be-9275-53f658255162.jpeg)
