Picks Summary
- Rory McIlroy to Win FedEx Cup (+350) at Bet365
- Xander Schauffele Each-Way to Win 72-Hole Stroke Play (+1200) at Bet365
2023 Tour Championship
August 24 – August 27, 2023 at East Lake Golf Club
Can Rory Win the FedEx Cup for a Fourth Time?
Yes, I think Rory McIlroy can win the FedEx Cup for a fourth time, in what would be eight seasons. That would mean the Northern Irishman would have won the season-ending money bonanza for 50% of the last eight years in the East Lake.
During the major season and middle part of 2023 McIlroy disappointed, but after his brave attempt to win the Open Championship, despite his bitter disappointment, McIlroy cited that he was still focused on winning the FedEx Cup again.
With the unique handicapping system, making McIlroy the hunter this week, it is almost a perfect fit for a golfer who has not won many recent titles from the front, like earlier in his career.
Instead, the pressure of leading falls to Scottie Scheffler, who has looked uncomfortable on the greens recently, with his putting under pressure, despite many ball-striking clinics and has become an extremely vulnerable favorite.
With Rory McIlroy beginning three shots back, so trust the Northern Irishman to use his vast experience of the unique format with his love for East Lake and time his run perfectly to win a fourth FedEx Cup this week at the BetMGM price of (+350)
Golf Pick: Rory McIlroy to Win FedEx Cup (+350) at Bet365
FedEx Tour Championship and Course
The season-ending Tour Championship 2023, contains the top 30 players from the 2022/2023 year on the PGA Tour.
East Lake Golf Course in Atlanta, Georgia is the regular host track. A demanding par-70, 7346-yard track for what is effectively a handicapped event.
Yes, you heard me correctly, this event has a handicapping structure. Not your monthly medal but set by the players’ current position in the FedEx standings after last week’s BMW Championship.
The leader in the FedEx standings starts at 10-under par while the player in second place starts 8-under par and the rest of the handicapping is as follows in the below table.
Tour Championship With Starting Strokes Applied
| 1st | -10 |
| 2nd | -8 |
| 3rd | -7 |
| 4th | -6 |
| 5th | -5 |
| 6th to 10th | -4 |
| 11th to 15th | -3 |
| 16th to 20th | -2 |
| 21st to 25th | -1 |
| 26th to 30th | Even par |
With a first prize of $18,000,000 up for grabs those starting strokes are hugely important and influential for bettors to consider.
The format is now in its fifth year and in that time only a player from the top 7 at the start of the week has won. Below are the initial standings for this year’s top 11
FedEx Rankings
| 1. Scottie Scheffler |
| 2. Viktor Hovland |
| 3. Rory McIlroy |
| 4. Jon Rahm |
| 5. Lucas Glover |
| 6. Max Homa |
| 7. Patrick Cantlay |
| 8. Brian Harman |
| 9. Wyndham Clark |
| 10. Matthew Fitzpatrick |
| 11. Tommy Fleetwood |
Take care with your bets this week!
Top sportsbooks will be offering two markets this week, there will be the normal Tour Championship winner which is influenced by the starting strokes and there will be the normal 72-hole stroke play score which is below.
How the Market Looks at Bet365
| Scottie Scheffler (+550) |
| Rory McIlroy (+600) |
| Jon Rahm (+800) |
| Viktor Hovland (+900) |
| Patrick Cantlay (+1000) |
| Xander Schauffele (+1200) |
Will Xander Be the Stroke-Play Winner?
Yes, it would not surprise me if Xander Schauffele has the best 72-hole score this week in Georgia and the winner of that market.
By his high standards, this season has been an extremely disappointing one for the twenty-nine-year-old Californian, and unusually starts this week a lowly 15th on the FedEx standings.
What he does have going for him this week, is his love of tough golf at East Lake Golf Course over the last few seasons, being a perpetual finisher in the top-4 of stroke play on the 72-hole market as well as winning it twice.
The results of the last six seasons at the East Lake Golf Club for the Tour Championship in the 72-hole stroke play winner market show Xander Schauffele’s finishing positions of 4-3-1-2-7-1.
This year starting so far back from the lead means no pressure of contention for Schauffele but after a strong showing at last week’s BMW Championship when he finished 8th, he could be in his best form for a while.
Like I said earlier be careful with your bets this week, but you can expect OddsTrader’s books to all have the 72-hole stroke play market to bet Xander Schauffele.
Golf Pick: Xander Schauffele Each-Way to Win 72-Hole Stroke Play (+1200) at Bet365
