Our annual analysis of the top contenders to try and select a winner by matching each to the profile of a Kentucky Derby winner using many of the more popular angles and statistical trends. This year there is a narrow winner for top choice but it isn’t the favorite.
The Boston Celtics have ruled out guard Marcus Smart for Tuesday night’s Game 2 against the Milwaukee Bucks because of a right quad contusion.
Ball-striking aficionado Corey Conners from Canada is stealing the early limelight in Wells Fargo Championship betting as bettors survey the limited history at this year’s replacement venue, TPC Potomac at Avenel Farm. While not as drastic as the Zurich Classic of New Orleans (team format) or the Mexico Open at Vidanta, it will be another unique week of golf betting on the PGA TOUR. With Quail Hollow hosting the Presidents Cup in September this week’s tournament moves from its usual stomping ground to the Washington DC area. Unlike last week’s Mexico Open, where there was no course history to go off, there’s at least a little this week. The course hosted the Quicken Loans National in 2017 and 2018 and a Korn Ferry Tour event in 2012 and 2013. TPC Potomac will play to 7,160 yards, which is on the short end of PGA TOUR courses and is a par-70 with just two par-5s. Kyle Stanley won the National in 2017 at 7-under and the following year Francesco Molinari dominated the field, winning by eight strokes and finishing at 21-under. The intel from those two events shows players who hit their irons the best will likely be at the top of the leaderboard come Sunday afternoon. And this is why it’s no surprise that the player getting the most tickets and handle as of Tuesday at the BetMGM online sportsbook is Conners. Conners is one of the best ball-strikers on the PGA TOUR with the International Presidents Cup team hopeful boasting +2000 odds to win – the second-best in the field. Rory McIlroy, the defending champion, sits favorite at +850. The Canadian’s odds are interesting as he is ranked No. 31 in the world going into the week, and yet has better odds than 11 players ranked ahead of him. The field has 12 of the top 26 in the world, including McIlroy, Abraham Ancer, Matt Fitzpatrick and Tony Finau. Despite all that talent teeing it up, Conners makes a lot of sense. On top of his great ball-striking, he’s enjoyed quite a bit of success of late. He has three top-12 finishes in his last four events, including a T-6 finish at the Masters. Current Handle & Tickets Handle Corey Conners – 13% Rory McIlroy – 10.3% Tony Finau – 7.5% Keegan Bradley – 5.2% Cameron Young – 4.8% Tickets Corey Conners – 9.4% Rory McIlroy – 6.5% Cameron Young – 6.1% Tony Finau– 5.7% Seamus Power – 4% Finau, who stormed home into a runner up finish last week at the Mexico Open, has golf odds of +2200 to win. Cameron Young, who is enjoying a terrific rookie season, is +4000 after opening at +5000. Young, like Conners, is known for his iron play. Webb Simpson, who would have been a popular play if the event was at Quail Hollow, which is right in his backyard, is currently +5000 to win, and is only taking in 0.9% of the handle. * Visit BetMGM.com for terms and conditions. 21+ years of age or older to wager. BetMGM is available in AZ, CO, DC, IA, IN, IL, LA, MI, MS, NJ, NV, NY, PA, TN, VA, WV, or WY only. All promotions are subject to qualification and eligibility requirements. Paid in free bets. Free bets expire in 7 days from issuance. Minimum deposit required. Excludes Michigan Disassociated Persons. Please Gamble Responsibly. Gambling problem? Call 1-800-NEXT-STEP (AZ), 1-800-522-4700 (CO, DC, LA, NV, WY, VA), 1-800-270-7117 for confidential help (MI), 1-800-GAMBLER (IN, NJ, PA & WV), 1-800-BETS OFF (IA) or call (877-8-HOPENY) or text HOPENY (467369) (NY), call or text the Tennessee REDLINE: 800-889-9789 (TN) or call 1-888-777-9696 (MS). Sports betting is void where prohibited. Promotional offers not available in Nevada.
Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid is feeling “a lot better,” but a time frame for his return to the court remains unclear, coach Doc Rivers said.
Mike D’Antoni will meet with the Charlotte Hornets about their coaching vacancy, as will Golden State’s Kenny Atkinson, Milwaukee’s Darvin Ham and Dallas’ Sean Sweeney, sources told ESPN.
Drug Free Sport International, a Missouri-based company, will police anti-doping and medication control for U.S. thoroughbred racing.
Drew Nesbitt led the way at open qualifying for this week’s Wells Fargo Championship, carding 6-under 64 on Monday at Cattail Creek CC in Glenwood, Maryland, to secure a tee time Thursday at TPC Potomac at Avenel Farm outside Washington, D.C. This year’s Wells Fargo Championship has relocated to TPC Potomac at Avenel Farm from its typical Quail Hollow Club site in Charlotte, as Quail Hollow will host this year’s Presidents Cup. Also advancing into this week’s field were Norman Xiong (65), Nicholas Thompson (66) and David Lingmerth (68). Lingmerth advanced via a 4-for-1 playoff against Steve Marino, Brett Stegmaier and Lee Detmer. For all scores from the Wells Fargo Championship qualifier, click here. Here’s a capsule look at the four Wells Fargo Championship qualifiers … DREW NESBITT (64) Age: 27 Hometown: Toronto, Ontario, Canada Alma mater: N/A PGA TOUR starts: 4 Cuts made: 1 Best PGA TOUR finish: 83rd; 2019 The Honda Classic Notes: Has competed on PGA TOUR Latinoamerica since 2018, making 19 cuts in 25 starts, highlighted by a victory at the 2019 Mexico Open (60 Abierto Mexicano de Golf) as well as two-runner up finishes in the 2020-21 season. Finished No. 7 on 2020-21 PGA TOUR Latinoamerica Order of Merit to earn conditional Korn Ferry Tour status in 2022; has yet to make a career Korn Ferry Tour start … Gained social media fame by going shirtless to hit a shot from the water at the 2019 Honda Classic, en route to saving par … Grew up playing hockey in winter and golf in summer … Turned pro at age 18, moving from Canada to Florida to compete on mini-tour circuits … Became the first player on PGA TOUR Latinoamerica history to record a sub-60 score, carding a second-round 59 at the 2018 Brazil Open (65 JHSF Aberto do Brasil). NORMAN XIONG (65) Age: 23 Hometown: San Diego, California (born in Guam) Alma mater: University of Oregon PGA TOUR starts: 10 Cuts made: 2 Best PGA TOUR finish: T26; 2018 Sanderson Farms Championship Notes: Will make his first PGA TOUR start since the 2021 3M Open, into which he also Monday qualified … Monday qualified into this year’s LECOM Suncoast Classic on the Korn Ferry Tour, where he channeled his inner Nesbitt and went shirtless to hit a shot from the water … As a sophomore at Oregon in 2017-18, received both the Fred Haskins Award as nation’s most outstanding collegiate golfer and the Jack Nicklaus Award as top NCAA Division I men’s collegiate golfer … Set an Oregon record with six wins in a season (2017-18), in which he recorded a 69.05 stroke average … Represented United States in 2017 Walker Cup and Palmer Cup … Goes by the nickname “Panda.” NICHOLAS THOMPSON (66) Age: 39 Hometown: Plantation, Florida Alma mater: Georgia Tech PGA TOUR starts: 228 Cuts made: 114 Best PGA TOUR finish: T2; 2008 Ginn sur Mer Classic Notes: Has played seven full TOUR seasons, most recently in 2014-15. Career-best FedExCup showing is No. 41 in 2008, a season in which he recorded 11 top-25s in 36 starts … Has made 188 career Korn Ferry Tour starts, highlighted by a victory at the 2007 HSBC New Zealand PGA Championship … Was a three-time all-ACC player at Georgia Tech and represented United States on 2005 Walker Cup team … Siblings Curtis (PGA TOUR) and Lexi (LPGA) also play professional golf. DAVID LINGMERTH (68; advanced via 4-for-1 playoff) Age: 34 Hometown: Tranas, Sweden Alma mater: University of Arkansas PGA TOUR starts: 188 Cuts made: 107 Best PGA TOUR finish: Win; 2015 the Memorial Tournament presented by Workday Notes: Returns to comfortable turf outside Washington D.C., as Lingmerth won the Korn Ferry Tour’s 2012 Neediest Kids Championship at TPC Potomac at Avenel Farm, finishing 8-under total across a chilly, windy October week … Played six consecutive full PGA TOUR seasons from 2013 to 2017-18, highlighted by a No. 37 finish on the 2014-15 FedExCup, with 10 top-25 finishes in 28 starts including his playoff victory at Muirfield Village … Avid hockey fan; Washington Capitals (NHL) are his favorite pro team.
Most of North Carolina’s core from last season’s run to the title game decided to return, vaulting it to the top of the contenders for the 2023 national championship.
After an apparent missed third strike call, Mets pitcher Chris Bassitt and Chad Fairchild traded apologies in a rare player-umpire exchange.
How it works: Each week, our experts from PGATOUR.COM will make their selections in PGA TOUR Fantasy Golf. Each lineup consists of four starters and two bench players that can be rotated after each round. Adding to the challenge is that every golfer can be used only three times per each of four Segments. Aside from the experts below, Fantasy Insider Rob Bolton breaks down the field at this year’s Wells Fargo Championship in this week’s edition of the Power Rankings. For more fantasy, check out Rookie Ranking, Qualifiers and Reshuffle. RELATED: Play Pick ‘Em Live THINK YOU’RE BETTER THAN OUR EXPERTS? The PGA TOUR Experts league is once again open to the public. You can play our free fantasy game and see how you measure up against our experts below. Joining the league is simple. Just click here to sign up or log in. Once you create a team, click the “LEAGUES” tab. Then click on “FEATURED,” and then on the PGA TOUR Experts league that populates. SEASON SEGMENT
