Memorial Tournament Betting Picks

The PGA TOUR heads to Ohio for the Memorial Tournament, which is hosted by Jack Nicklaus at a course he designed in Muirfield Village. The purse for this event is larger than most non-major events so we’ll see a stronger field compete in the Columbus suburbs.

Note: I will tweet out my official bets when I place them before the event. I discussed my early golf thoughts and other sports betting topics on Stadium’s newest podcast, Sharp Lessons. Subscribe on Spotify and Apple for episodes and follow Stadium Bets on Twitter for more sports betting content.

Here are players I’m looking to target in the betting market this week:

Patrick Cantlay (20/1)

It was difficult for me to parse through the top of the odds board on Monday. At one sportsbook I use, there were 11 players between the 11/1 and 20/1 range. I’m guessing numbers will drift based on betting action throughout the week, but having players grouped so closely isn’t a board I want to bet into.

Shopping around for better numbers, my eyes were drawn to Patrick Cantlay as my top pick this week. Cantlay has a great course history with a win in 2019 and fourth place finish in 2018.

The downside of Cantlay is his recent form, as he missed four straight cuts in a nearly two-month span this spring. I bet on him in three of those events and he really struggled with every aspect of his game. He showed a sign of life at the PGA Championship and quietly contended on Sunday when all eyes were on the final pairing of Phil Mickelson and Brooks Koepka. Cantlay was tied for fourth near the end of his round, but a triple bogey on 17 dropped him to a tied for 23rd finish for the week. That showing is enough for me to back him at a course he’s had success at.

Hideki Matsuyama (28/1) or Tony Finau (30/1)

There are two golfers I’m targeting in the next range, but I’m just going to bet on one of the players before the tournament. The first is Masters winner Hideki Matsuyama, who has had solid ball-striking numbers since the historic win at Augusta. He won the Memorial in 2014 and has another win at an Ohio course when he won the 2017 WGC-Bridgestone Invitational in Akron.

Finau is the player every golf bettor and fan is waiting for to have a break-through win. He was near the top of the leaderboard last week at the Charles Schwab Challenge before a disastrous Sunday with his putter knocked him down to a tied for 20th finish. I got a Finau bet in to win this month’s U.S. Open at 40/1 because of his success at California courses, but he certainly can contend here.

Charley Hoffman (50/1) and Emiliano Grillo (80/1)

I bet on both players last week and there’s no reason not to go back to both. Hoffman finished tied for third and Grillo was tied for eighth in Fort Worth. Hoffman led the final round in stroke gained tee to green and Grillo topped the field in approach on Sunday so I hope both can carry over their form to Ohio.

Kyle Stanley (200/1)

Stanley checks a few boxes for me this week when targeting a longshot. He led the Charles Schwab Challenge in both strokes gained tee to green and approach over the full tournament. He has good course history with three top-six finishes, including a playoff loss in 2018 when Bryson DeChambeau won this event. But he’s a below average putter, which is why he falls into this price range and I’ll be backing him this week in hopes he has a few good rounds with the flatstick.