Considering how phenomenally Rory McIlroy has been playing — he’s won three straight tournaments, including two majors and a WGC event, with an average score of 16-under par — maybe his 4-to-1 odds at the LVH SuperBook is an acceptable number ahead of The Barclays. However, you won’t have to dig much deeper to find promising profit potential.
The Barclays — to be played at Ridgewood in Paramus, N.J. — is the first of four FedExCup playoff events that will determine this season’s PGA Tour champion. McIlroy is the 5-to-2 favorite to win the FedExCup.
The next closest competitors on The Barclays’ oddsboard are Adam Scott at 12-to-1 and Henrik Stenson at 15-to-1. Scott has been solid since winning the Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial in May, finishing in the top 10 in four of his last five events.
Stenson has shown well in three of the majors, finishing third at the PGA Championship, fourth at the U.S. Open and 14th at the Masters.
A quartet of golfers — Rickie Fowler, Justin Rose, Sergio Garcia, and Phil Mickelson — check in at 20-to-1.
Fowler has been on the cusp all season, logging seven top-10 finishes — including top-five finishes in each of the season’s four majors (he’s only the third player, after Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods, to accomplish that feat). Fowler’s combined score of 32-under par in the four majors is tops among the 13 golfers to make the cut in each of the four tournaments.
The Linemakers’ lean: “There’s value on Adam Scott and Justin Rose in this tournament because McIlroy has turned into such a strong favorite,” says our resident golf handicapper, Brian Blessing. “Scott is the defending champ, and Rose was tied for second last year.
“Long shots worth a look include Louis Oosthuizen and Paul Casey at 60-1.”
Blessing also offers a prop play: “As far as matchups, I’d play Justin Rose (EVEN) over Henrik Stenson.”
ODDS TO WIN 2014 BARCLAYS, LVH
RORY McILROY 4-1
ADAM SCOTT 12-1
HENRIK STENSON 15-1
RICKIE FOWLER 20-1
JUSTIN ROSE 20-1
SERGIO GARCIA 20-1
PHIL MICKELSON 20-1
JIM FURYK 25-1
MATT KUCHAR 30-1
JASON DAY 30-1
BRANDT SNEDEKER 30-1
BUBBA WATSON 40-1
KEEGAN BRADLEY 40-1
JORDAN SPIETH 40-1
CHARL SCHWARTZEL 40-1
HUNTER MAHAN 40-1
GRAEME McDOWELL 40-1
JIMMY WALKER 50-1
BILL HAAS 50-1
WEBB SIMPSON 50-1
ZACH JOHNSON 50-1
RYAN MOORE 50-1
GRAHAM DeLAET 50-1
LEE WESTWOOD 50-1
NICK WATNEY 50-1
MARTIN KAYMER 60-1
HIDEKI MATSUYAMA 60-1
MARC LEISHMAN 60-1
LOUIS OOSTHUIZEN 60-1
PAUL CASEY 60-1
LUKE DONALD 80-1
PATRICK REED 80-1
HARRIS ENGLISH 80-1
RYAN PALMER 80-1
FREDDIE JACOBSON 80-1
CAMILO VILLEGAS 80-1
KEVIN CHAPPELL 80-1
KEVIN STREELMAN 80-1
GARY WOODLAND 100-1
IAN POULTER 100-1
ANGEL CABRERA 100-1
ERNIE ELS 100-1
KEVIN NA 100-1
CHRIS KIRK 125-1
BRENDON TODD 125-1
BILLY HORSCHEL 125-1
CHARLEY HOFFMAN 125-1
BO VAN PELT 125-1
GEOFF OGILVY 125-1
FIELD (all others) 11-2
TOURNAMENT MATCHUPS:
SERGIO GARCIA +120 vs. ADAM SCOTT -140
JUSTIN ROSE +100 vs. HENRIK STENSON -120
RICKIE FOWLER -110 vs. PHIL MICKELSON -110
HUNTER MAHAN -110 vs. BRANDT SNEDEKER -110
GRAEME McDOWELL +100 vs. CHARL SCHWARTZEL -120
BILL HAAS -115 vs. WEBB SIMPSON -105
NICK WATNEY +100 vs. LEE WESTWOOD -120
PAUL CASEY -110 vs. KEVIN STREELMAN -110
HARRIS ENGLISH -120 vs. GARY WOODLAND +100
CHRIS KIRK -110 vs. BRENDON TODD -110
Visit The Linemakers on Sporting News for all of your sports betting information and be sure to follow the The Linemakers on Twitter.
Related Link: The Odds: Rory McIlroy Favorite to Win FedExCup Championship
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