Monday Finish: Golf’s least predictable tournament

Two rounds are in the books at the Genesis Scottish Open. There was a clear better side of the draw with tee times, which was frustrating for players and some in the golf betting community. Players on the early/late side of the draw averaged 143.64 strokes over the first two rounds. Meanwhile, players on the late/early side averaged 145.39. This amounted to a 1.75 stroke difference; for some, it was the difference between making or missing the cut. Despite shooting a 2-over 72 on Friday, first-round leader Cameron Tringale will take a three-shot lead into the weekend over two players – Gary Woodland and Doug Ghim. Instead of waiting for The Open Championship next week, the BetMGM online sportsbook offers a few betting opportunities this weekend, including live betting. Odds for players to win are updated constantly, including during their rounds, so there’s always a chance to bet on a player to win. Here’s a look at a few players’ odds to win outright following Friday’s second round. Cameron Tringale +400 Tringale (-7) is having a ton of success on the greens through the first two rounds. He’s leading in Strokes Gained: Putting, gaining over four strokes against the field – the best of any player. For the year, Tringale ranks 65th in Strokes Gained: Putting. Since 2017 on the PGA and DP World Tours, players have led by three or more shots after the first two rounds 23 times. Of those 23 players, 19 went on to win. This is the second time in his career Tringale has led after two rounds; heefinished T-2 at the 2014 Barclays and T-9 at the 2021 Valero Texas Open. Xander Schauffele +450 Despite being four shots back of Tringale, Schauffele is only slightly behind him regarding odds to win. He fired a 5-under 65 to put himself in contention going into the weekend. Schauffele leads the field after two rounds in Strokes Gained: Tee-to-Green, gaining over four shots against the field. The 28-year-old won the Travelers Championship two weeks ago and the JP McManus Pro-Am earlier this week. Gary Woodland +900 Like Tringale, Woodland followed up his 64 on Thursday with a 2-over 72 on Friday, but he’s still near the top of the leaderboard going into the weekend. He had a stretch of three straight birdies on his second-nine Friday. After two straight missed cuts, Woodland finished T-10 in his last start at the U.S. Open. Doug Ghim +2000 Ghim has been consistent, firing a 67 on Thursday followed by a 69 on Friday to find himself three shots behind Tringale going into the third round. Ghim is eighth in Strokes Gained: Putting, which seems to be a key. Four players inside the top 13 are currently top 10 in Strokes Gained: Putting this week. The 26-year-old has two career top-10 finishes. * 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.

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The PGA TOUR and the Waste Management Phoenix Open announced that fans will be able to experience the excitement and drama of the 16th hole at TPC Scottsdale through a live 360 and virtual reality (VR) experience during all four rounds of competition at the upcoming Waste Management Phoenix Open, February 1-4. The live VR experience can be viewed on Samsung Gear VR headsets on a global basis through the “PGA TOUR VR Live� app available on the Oculus store. The “PGA TOUR VR Live� app will also launch on Daydream by Google – available on the Google Play Store – at the Waste Management Phoenix Open, giving fans an additional way to experience hole 16 at TPC Scottsdale. In addition to Daydream, fans can also view 360 content through TOUR’s mobile app. The app will be compatible with a Google Cardboard. For fans who don’t have a headset, the 360 video experience will be available on Twitter and Periscope during all four days of the event, and for the first time ever, via the PGA TOUR app on iOS. Using any smartphone, fans will be able to watch live, 360 video from the 16th hole during Waste Management Phoenix Open. Fans can find the coverage starting on February 1 at twitter.com/PGATOUR, by following @PGATOUR on Twitter and Periscope, or by downloading the official PGA TOUR app from the App Store. “The 16th hole at TPC Scottsdale during the Waste Management Phoenix Open is one of the most exciting in golf,� said Rick Anderson, PGA TOUR Chief Media Officer. “We look forward to bringing that excitement to our fans who can’t physically be at the tournament through live virtual reality. They will be able to experience all the thrills from home.� As the exclusive live virtual reality provider of the PGA TOUR, Intel will produce the live VR experience with Intel® True VR technology, providing unprecedented access to areas on the course that can’t be experienced – even by fans on-site. Intel True VR uses panoramic, stereoscopic camera pods to create a more natural and realistic view from any direction for a more immersive VR environment. Up to eight cameras will be placed around the 16th hole, in addition to a dedicated sideline reporter bringing a unique aspect to the experience. Teryn Schafer will be reporting live for the duration of the tournament. “Intel True VR technology turn sports into amazing immersive experiences, and Intel is always working with our partners to deliver new ways for fans to get closer to the action,� said David Aufhauser, managing director, Intel Sports Group. “We’re thrilled to work with the PGA TOUR to continue delivering compelling experiences with Intel True VR technology at the Waste Management Phoenix Open by leveraging our technology – from the cameras to the data processing to our application platform – to create interactive ways for fans to participate.� THE PLAYERS Championship in 2017 marked the first time Twitter distributed a live 360 VR experience during a major sports event. Following THE PLAYERS, the PGA TOUR and Intel announced an exclusive relationship to produce and globally distribute live virtual reality (VR) and live 360 video at six PGA TOUR events in 2017 and 2018. The TOUR Championship and Presidents Cup in 2017 also featured live VR coverage. The collaboration between the PGA TOUR and Twitter follows the live streaming relationship announced in 2016. Twitter’s early round distribution of PGA TOUR LIVE coverage, viewable weekly at pgatourlive.twitter.com, has averaged almost half a million unique viewers each day, and more than 70 percent of those are under the age of 35.  

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