That’s right! PGA TOUR Pick ‘Em Live is, uh, live for the Presidents Cup. Strap in for an experience unlike all others. As alluded to by our guys in their weeklong picks below, dispose of the conventional wisdom you’ve used if you’ve played before. We’ll pick up on that strategy again next week. The general advice regarding weeklong odds is that it’ll be unlikely for any bet to grow longer and still result in coins. If it does, it’s most likely to occur in the “To Win” bet. That said, there isn’t any doubt about who’s favored, so neither Rob nor Glass has selected the U.S. They’ve explained why below. Odds also will not fluctuate as wildly as they do during stroke-play competition. Because aggregate points totals will determine who yields coinage in the Top USA Points Scorer and Top International Points Scorer bets, it’s possible that at least one guy will be shut out from paying off halfway into Saturday’s pair of sessions. So, if he’s still on the board as an option, ignore him. Just a note that R1 bets were not released in time to make Pick ‘Em Preview. Register for PGA TOUR Pick ‘Em Live here and monitor Rob’s and Glass’ progress as Influencers. For a broader explanation of the format and FAQs, click here. TOURNAMENT TO WIN Rob … Draw (+2000) Before knowing which bets will be presented for every round, the nature of the competition suggests that overall scoring will be low and/or condensed. So, with still just the five real-money payouts, there’s no reason not to go heavy on this bet to open. That the Internationals are 7-to-1 dogs to win is actually respectful because expect that to balloon in this mismatch. The opening line for the USA at (-714) would yield only 14 coins, so I’ll trust that I can make that up at some point during the competition. Glass … Internationals (+700) I don’t think anyone is confused WHY the USA is a massive favorite. The OWGR rank. The host course. The most experience. Right, got it. Putting up seven to win one is a bit lopsided and unnecessary on a game that isn’t played on paper. Pressure is real and taking care of business in front of a home crowd for six newbies won’t be as easy as some believe. The Internationals have EIGHT fresh faces and probably are tired of hearing how bad they will get killed this week. Frees the mind and the body, no? I wouldn’t touch the favorites or the draw, but since we’re here, I’ll risk a little to win a lot instead of getting stuck on the wrong end of a major upset. TOP USA POINTS SCORER Glass … Tony Finau (+900) I would think that he would be happy hanging in the shadows and not having to answer why he hasn’t won recently. The flourish of fun continues after his two wins, and who wouldn’t want a big hitter in this massive ballpark? Opponents will get tired of the bomb-and-gouge, and if he makes anything, look out. Sits in the top 15 of all Strokes Gained ball-striking categories and has no problem making birdies (11th on TOUR). By playing in either the fourth or fifth pairing, he’ll avoid the heaviest International hitters and should feast. Rob … Jordan Spieth (+1000) Not unlike an outright bet, this will help separate gamers because of ownership dispersion before the opening session. However, only three golfers are longer than +1000 to open, so you might as well reach. Not that my Man of the Match is that at all. I’ve been looking forward to watching how Spieth’s added length off the tee will play at Quail Hollow. While I’m holding my breath that he’ll get at least one chance in Four-ball, he’s 5-0-0 in Foursomes in the Presidents Cup, so that alone is worth the plunge. TOP INTERNATIONAL POINTS SCORER Rob … Sungjae Im (+600) There’s always at least one surprise on both teams, but 2½ points might reward you for the visitors. While I leaned on Spieth’s quality of potential quantity for the U.S. – maybe he sits out one Four-ball – I’m riding the South Korean who is all but guaranteed to play in all five sessions. To my delight, he opens as the third-longest on the board, albeit only +50 longer than Adam Scott and Hideki Matsuyama for whom the house is careful due to projected handle on those two pillars of the competition. A guy like Cam Davis at +1100 is intriguing, but by opening with Im, it gives me (probably) at least one session to determine if I want to pivot from Im to the Aussie, who might still be longer than +600 at the time. Glass … Christiaan Bezuidenhout (+1100) If I’m on the upset, I’ll need some help from the rank-and-file after Scott and Matsuyama. I’ll ride the cut-making machine from South Africa who holes just about every putt he sees. He won’t be bothered by another new course as he’s playing a new layout every week in his first months on the PGA TOUR. Holing putts to save pars and racking up birdies is fantastic for morale and momentum. A captain’s pick, he’ll be excited to pay off his fellow countryman for having the faith to stick him in. NOTE: While Glass and Rob typically stick with their selections as detailed in Pick ‘Em Preview, they are allowed the right to make changes at any time.
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