PGA betting: 2 players to bet in the top-20 market for the John Deere Classic
The PGA moves across the pond next week for the Scottish Open and Open Championship but not before the John Deere Classic at TPC Deere Run. Expect another low-scoring week as the last three winners have finished at least 19-under. Look for players who can strike the ball well and make loads of birdies. Here are two players who can do just that.
Eric Cole
Top 20 (+165)
Top 10 (+350)
Top 5 (+700)
To win (+3500)
The California native is third in the field for fantasy points gained, which means he's not only putting himself in position to make birdies but he’s knocking the putts in, too. Ranked seventh-best in the field for putting, Cole has gained strokes with the flatstick in four straight tournaments, including six strokes at RBC Canada, which led to a T6 finish. It’s Cole’s first season as a full-time PGA pro, so I’m excluding his missed cut at this course from 2021. This year, in similar strength-of-field events, Cole has produced. He finished runner-up to Chris Kirk after a playoff in the Honda Classic, took T5 in the Mexico Open and T15 in the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am. Give me a player that shows up in weak fields and can putt, and I’m in!
Taylor Moore
Top 20 (+165)
Top 10 (+330)
Top 5 (+700)
To win (+3000)
Moore is coming off a T4 in the Rocket Mortgage Classic after three straight missed cuts. My reason for optimism stems from a potential spark rounding back into form. Moore is typically a positive putter, but after losing strokes in three straight tournaments, he gained nearly 10 last week in Detroit. It was also his first time gaining strokes off the tee in his last six tournaments played. Looking at the tournaments and courses Moore has excelled on, it’s the soft-field, easy layout events that often work out for him. Moore earned his first tour title in the Valspar Championship in March while finishing top 15 or better in four events with similar strengths of field.
Both Cole and Moore are getting -105 odds for a top-30 finish. Typically, I opt for the more conservative wager. However, in a soft-field tournament like this, taking the risk on top 20 at plus money with a sprinkle on an outright is worth the risk.
