BY ERIC COHEN
How many times can you bet one golfer to win just knowing that
the guy can’t finish a golf tournament? I’ve written it before and
I’m sure I’ll write it again…Tony Finau is a fantastic player. But
collectively, we have to learn to stop putting win money on him
until he wins again. Since 2017, Finau has finished in the top ten
37 times without a win. That’s nearly 2.5x the next closest
pursuers who haven’t won since – Byeong Hun An, Kevin
Streelman, and Tommy Fleetwood (16 top-10s each).
Finau’s final round 64 at Riviera was a masterpiece but his
inability to make birdie on the first playoff hole while Max Homa’s
drive was wedged against a tree just showed he frankly doesn’t
have that clutch gene (at least not right now). Remind me of these
last two paragraphs the next time I bet Tony to win.
In the meantime, we’re going to pick the WGC Workday
Championship at The Concession (in Florida), formerly the WGC
Mexico, where most of the world’s best players are teeing it up in
an abbreviated field. No offense to those playing in the one off
tournament in Puerto Rico but we’ll pass this week.
Apparently the course rating is a 76.7 and the slope is 153 (the
max is 155); when I play I think anything over 130 is really hard.
Would I break 120 on this course (I’m an 18 handicap for
reference)!? Makes me wonder if we’ll see U.S. Open-like
conditions this week…
Once again the rules: each picker will get a simulated $200 to bet;
$100 of which will be on win bets and another $100 on top-5, top-
10, and top-20 bets only. The kicker this time is that the money
can only be spent on a maximum of three golfers in each
category. Picking winners has never been so difficult.
Here are this week’s plays for the WGC Workday Championship:
(Odds courtesy of Draft Kings Sportsbook)
The Parlay Kid
Last Week’s Results: -$200
Total ROI: +$912.50
Winners Picked in 2021: 2 (Reed, Berger)
$50 to WIN: Collin Morikawa (+4650)
$25 to WIN: Viktor Hovland (+2250)
$25 to WIN: Cameron Smith (+6000)
$50 on Top-5: Bryson DeChambeau (+450)
$50 on Top-5: Collin Morikawa (+900)
Eric:
Last Week’s Results: -$200
Total ROI: +$160
Winners Picked in 2021:1 (Berger)
$35 to WIN: Jon Rahm (+850)
$35 to WIN: Xander Schauffele (+1100)
$30 to WIN: Tyrrell Hatton (+2250)
$100 on Top-10: Viktor Hovland (+250)
Brother Bri
Last Week’s Results: -$20
Total ROI: -$420
Winners Picked in 2021: 0
$40 to WIN: Bryson DeChambeau (+1850)
$40 to WIN: Justin Thomas (+1850)
$20 to WIN: Tony Finau (+1600)
$100 on Top-5: Bryson DeChambeau (+450)
Harry
Last Week’s Results: -$200
Total ROI: -$515.25
Winners Picked in 2021: 0
$40 to WIN: Tyrrell Hatton (+2250)
$30 to WIN: Rory McIlroy (+1650)
$30 to WIN: Justin Thomas (+1850)
$60 on Top-10: Tyrrell Hatton (+250)
$40 on Top-20: Tommy Fleetwood (+150)
Producer Michael
Last Week’s Results: -$200
Total ROI: -$568.75
Winners Picked in 2021: 0
$50 to WIN: Jon Rahm (+850)
$25 to WIN: Xander Schauffele (+1100)
$25 to WIN: Justin Thomas (+1850)
$50 on Top-5: Xander Schauffele (+250)
$50 on Top-5: Justin Thomas (+400)
Find more of Eric’s sports opinions and predictions on Twitter at
@CohensCornerAZ.