If you are excited about the final event of the FedEx Cup playoff series, what better way to get involved than to place some bets on your favorite players?
Tour Championship betting is unique because of the staggered start the event has. We’ve pulled together some golf betting tips and advice as we enter into the Tour Championship.
Make sure to get your picks in so you can have a little extra excitement as you watch the 2024 Tour Championship.
Tour Championship Unique Format
With most golf tournaments, players start at even par and play 72 holes to see who can finish with the lowest number. At the Tour Championship, however, the start is staggered based on the FedEx Cup final standings.
This means golfers like Scottie Scheffler are starting the event at -10. Xander Schauffele is at -8, and Hideki Matsuyama is at -6. Only players 26 to 30th in the FedEx Cup standings have to start at even par.
When placing bets on the Tour Championship, you’ll need to pay close attention to where your favorite players stand and how much work they have to do to get to the top.
Top Contenders
It won’t take you long to determine that Scottie Scheffler and Xander Schauffele are likely the two golfers with the most chance to win the Tour Championship.
However, as we’ve seen in the past year, it’s not always the golfer with the best starting point that is able to pull this off.
Even though Scottie is starting at -10, we know two shots can be lost on any given hole!
Rory McIlroy has played well at the Tour Championship in the past. Although he had some frustration at the BMW Championship, he’s still starting this Tour Championship at -4. In 2022, he was in the same position and got to -21 to win the event.
Keegan Bradley is a golfer to watch. He just made it into the BMW Championship, earning a spot in the top 50, and now he’s moved to 4th in the FedEx Cup Standings. If you believe in momentum, this is a guy to watch.
Some long shots to consider for the Tour Championship include Sam Burns, Tony Finau, Victor Hovland, and Collin Morikawa. Hovland won last year by five strokes, so we know his game can compete on this course. Finau is very much a risk-reward player with a chance to go low at any moment.
Analysis of East Lake Golf Club
To place solid golf bets on the Tour Championship, you’ll want to know a bit about the course. Similar to the BMW Championship at Castle Pines, the accuracy of the players' shots will be tested over pure strength and distance.
Atlanta can bring some hot and humid weather and in the past the greens have been talked about as being incredibly fast and firm.
The 16th hole becomes a critical one at East Lake. It is a long par 4 with a very well-protected green and we've seen great players get into trouble on this one coming down the stretch.
Betting Options to Consider
When choosing your bets for the Tour Championship, remember how much these unique starting strokes will impact the outright winner. With Scottie having a two-shot lead before the event even begins, you may need to adjust your betting strategies accordingly.
It’s also worth considering head to head matchups and top 5 and 10 finishes. Even with this staggered start there is nothing that says the golfers who start at even par can’t win the event, but they’ll have to put 4 amazing rounds of golf together at a difficult golf course.
Keep an eye on additional data and information to come out this week. Remember that Hideki dropped out of the BMW Championship, and even though he’s ranked third and should start at -6, we are still unsure how this will play out.
Final Thoughts
The only way to feel like you are a part of the FedEx Cup Finals at the Tour Championship is to have a strong bet on your favorite players. These 30 golfers earned themselves a spot in this final event. To be in the top 30 on the PGA Tour after a competitive year like this says something.
Now the real question for all of us is; “will Scottie pull it off?”. It’s absolutely his turn to win a Tour Championship, but he hasn’t been able to do it in the past.
*Credit for the main photo belongs to Alamy*
