Golf Betting Picks: WGC-Dell Match Play - RotoGrinders
Who said brackets were just for the NCAA tournament? This week, 64 golfers will get in on the madness as they head to Austin, Texas for the WGC-Dell Match Play.
This event, held at Austin, Country Club, has a format unlike anything else we’ll see throughout the PGA calendar, opening up unique angles for golf bettors and PGA DFS players alike. Without further ado, let’s break down all of it — the odds, format, course, golf betting picks for the WGC-Dell Match Play.
WGC-Dell Match Pay Odds
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The foursome of Justin Thomas, Bryson DeChambeau, Dustin Johnson, and Jon Rahm sits atop the field in terms of golf odds. All four golfers can be found with price tags from +1200 to +1400 across the online sports betting industry. From there, we see a drop-off to Rory McIlroy +2000, Collin Morikawa +2200, Paul Casey, Jordan Spieth, and Xander Schauffelle, Patrick Reed, and Viktor Hovland — the latter four all at +2500 — follow closely behind. Interestingly, Patrick Cantlay is a short as +2000 at DraftKings Sportsbook but as long as +2800 at BetMGM.
After that, a couple of notable names include Sunjae Im—who shined in matches at the PresidentsCup a couple of years ago (more on that in a bit)—at +3300, and former WGC Match Play champion Kevin Kisner at +6600. Entering with the longest odds are Sebastian Munoz +15000, Adam Long +20000, and Andrew Sullivan +20000.
Speaking of former champions…
Past WGC Match Play Winners
- 2019 — Kevin Kisner (60-1)
- 2018 — Bubba Watson (50-1)
- 2017 — Dustin Johnson (8-1)
- 2015 — Jason Day (12-1)
With bombers like Bubba Watson and Dustin Johnson plus a shorter hitter like Kisner included as past champions, Austin Country Club and the Match Play format clearly present an opportunity for golfers of all styles. Here’s a closer look at the course.
Course Details
- Austin Country Club
- Designer By Pete Dye
- Par 7
- 7,192 Yards
- Greens: Bermudagrass
WGC-Dell Match Play Tournament Format
Matchplay — which awards points for each hole won rather than by cumulative strokes in a round — adds to golf’s unpredictability and inherent variance.
This tournament, however, involves a group stage. The field has been divided into 16 groups consisting of four players, each of whom will play each other before advancing to the single-elimination bracket. The group stage starts on Wednesday and finishes on Friday. Winners of each match will earn 1 point. If a match is halved (9 to 9), then both golfers receive a half-point. Whoever has the most points in their group at the end of three rounds advances to the bracket of 16. Here’s the full schedule for the WGC Match Play.
WGC Match Play Schedule
- Wednesday: Round Robin Match 1
- Thursday: Round Robin Match 2
- Friday: Round Robin Match 3
- Saturday AM: Round of 16
- Saturday PM: Quarterfinals
- Sunday AM: Semifinals
- Sunday PM: Championship
WGC Match Play Group Betting Picks
Odds herein are courtesy of BetMGM Sportsbook unless otherwise stated.
Group 1 (Seed, Group Odds)
Dustin Johnson ( 1, -110)
Kevin Na (28, +333)
Robert MacIntyre (41, +450)
Adam Long (61, +500)
Notes: MacIntyre has struggled with his ball-striking in recent weeks, but believes the match play even is right up his alley.
Group Pick: Dustin Johnson -110
Group 2
Justin Thomas (2, +120)
Louis Oosthuizen (22, +275)
Kevin Kisner (34, +350)
Matt Kuchar (52, +550)
Notes: Oosthuizen finished runner-up in 2016, while Kuchar lost to Kisner in 2019.
Group Pick: Thomas +120
Group 3
Jon Rahm (3, +100)
Ryan Palmer (24, +333)
Shane Lowry (38, +400)
Sebastian Munoz (56, +500)
Notes: There’s arguably no golfer taking this tournament more seriously than Ryan Palmer. Palmer has had a great year and desperately wants to make the Ryder Cup — the WGC Match Play is a great opportunity for the Texas native to show his stuff.
Group Pick: Palmer +333 at FanDuel Sportsbook
Group 4
Collin Morikawa (4, +130)
Billy Horschel (32, +275)
Max Homa (35, +333)
J.T. Poston (63, +500)
Notes: Morikawa’s shaky putter could result in an early exit.
Group Pick: Homa +333
Group 5
Bryson DeChambeau (5, +110)
Tommy Fleetwood (21, +280)
Si Woo Kim (45, +350)
Antoine Rozner (58, +600)
Notes: Fleetwood has gained strokes approach in four straight events, but DeChambeau will be tough to beat in this format.
Group Pick: DeChambeau +110
Group 6
Xander Schauffele (6, +150)
Scottie Scheffler (30, +250)
Jason Day (44, +250)
Andy Sullivan (57, +700)
Group Pick: Scheffler +250
Group 7
Patrick Reed (7, +160)
Joaquin Niemann (26, +225)
Christiaan Bezuidenhout (33, +333)
Bubba Watson (55, +450)
Group Pick: Watson +450
Group 8
Tyrrell Hatton (8, +175)
Lee Westwood (18, +300)
Sergio Garcia (39, +225)
Matt Wallace (51, +450)
Group Pick: Westwood +300
Group 9
Webb Simpson (9, +200)
Paul Casey (17, +175)
Mackenzie Hughes (48, +450)
Talor Gooch (59, +350)
Group Pick: Gooch +350
Group 10
Patrick Cantlay (10, +150)
Hideki Matsuyama (23, +240)
Carlos Ortiz (42, +400)
Brian Harman (54, +400)
Group Pick: Harman +400
Group 11
Rory McIlroy (11, +125)
Cameron Smith (25, +250)
Lanto Griffin (46, +425)
Ian Poulter (60, +450)
Group Pick: Ian Poulter +450
Group 12
Tony Finau (12, +175)
Jason Kokrak (29, +250)
Will Zalatoris (40, +250)
Dylan Frittelli (64, +500)
Group Pick: Frittelli +500
Group 13
Viktor Hovland (13, +140)
Abraham Ancer (27, +220)
Bernd Wiesberger (43, +500)
Kevin Streelman (53, +400)
Group Pick: Ancer +220
Group 14
Daniel Berger (14, +140)
Harris English (19, +250)
Brendon Todd (47, +400)
Erik Van Rooyen (62, +450)
Group Pick: Todd +400
Group 15
Matt Fitzpatrick (15, +220)
Matthew Wolff (20, +450)
Corey Conners (37, +280)
Jordan Spieth (49, +190)
Group Pick: Wolff +450
Group 16
Sungjae Im (16, +160)
Victor Perez (31, +350)
Marc Leishman (36, +350)
Russell Henley (50, +275)
Group Pick: Im +160
That’s right — the WGC Match Play champion and runner-up will play a total of seven rounds once all is said and done.
WGC Match Play Golf Betting Pick
Sunjae Im +3500 at FanDuel Sportsbook — As I alluded to earlier, Sunjae is molded for this type of event. He plays week in, week out which makes him primed for seven competitive rounds in five days. On top of that, the 22-year-old showed what kind of damage he can do in match play formats during the 2019 Presidents Cup at Royal Melbourne. Im earned the nickname “Iron Byron” by his 2019 teammates after finishing 3-1-1 and leading the International team in points. Iron Byron is a birdie machine, and his aggressive, pin-seeking style can put overwhelming pressure on his opponents. I’ll have an outright ticket on the South Korean to become the first Asian winner of the WGC Match Play, plus I’ll keep my eye on moneyline prices and single-round bets for each of his matches.
1u to Win 35
Ryan Palmer +12500 at PointsBet
0.2u to Win 25u
Matthew Wolff +12500 at DraftKings
0.2u to Win 25u
Bubba Watson +12500 at PointsBet
0.2u to Win 25u
(Top Image Credit: Imagn)