WILL Rory McIlroy take advantage of Scottie Scheffler’s absence to launch a victory spree of his own, after savouring success at the Zurich Classic last time out?
The omens look good, and not only because Scheffler decided to miss this week’s $20million Wells Fargo Championship because wife Meredith was due to give birth to their first child.
McIlroy should be high on confidence after partnering Shane Lowry to victory in New Orleans two weeks ago, and the Wells Fargo will be played on the only course where he has won on three occasions, Quail Hollow.
That love affair started when he claimed the first of his 25 PGA Tour victories at the North Carolina Course back in 2010, and his latest Wells Fargo triumph came just three years ago.
So it is no wonder the bookmakers have installed the world No 2 as a clear favourite, at a best priced 15-2.
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How to bet on golf
Here are five easy steps for beginners.
1. Choose Your Favourite Sportsbook – there are plenty to choose from and most have their own app or mobile site.
2. Make a Deposit – each sportsbook will walk you through how to connect your bank account to their system including providing a list of all the safeguards they have set up to ensure the safety of your transactions.
3. Claim Your Bonuses – most sportsbooks offers bonuses to first time bettors in the form of free bets.
4. Place Your Bet – now it’s time to navigate through your sportsbook’s odds where they will offer a variety of options including outright winners, or top finishing positions, such as top 10 or 20, or even to make the cut. For the event this week each way odds are generally paid on the top eight players.
5. Collect Your Winnings – If you're successful you will be able to withdraw your winnings once the bet is complete. Some bookmakers offer cashout options on certain bets as well, which is worth keeping an eye on.
Where to find the best odds for the golf?
Lots of bookmakers have different options for betting on the golf this week, including competitive odds and different place markets.
We like the markets on bet365, including the price boosts on offer pre-event.
Wells Fargo Championship betting tips
McIlroy should be licking his lips at the prospect of covering himself in glory in the coming weeks, with next week’s USPGA Championship returning to Valhalla, the scene of the last of his four Major victories.
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Scheffler, winner of four of his last five starts - including the Masters - could also miss that Major, depending on how long he wants to enioy being a new father. So this could be the time for McIlroy to make hay.
But - and it seems there is always a but with Rory - there were still signs he was not completely on his game in New Orleans, even though he did most of the heavy lifting in his partnership with Lowry.
There were still too many iron shots that made his supporters wince, and the fact is his share of 19th at The Players remains his best solo effort on the PGA Tour this year.
So taking a short price on the Northern Irishman does not hold much appeal.
Xander Schauffele is a clear second favourite at 9-1, based on the fact that he seems to put his name on the leaderboard every week. But he continues to give the impression that he has forgotten how to win.
I much prefer the chances of defending champion Wyndham Clark, who is an eye-catching 16-1 on most lists.
Clark used his victory here 12 months ago as a springboard for his US Open success, and he won again at Pebble Beach a few months ago. And he has also managed three other podium finishes this year.
Despite storming to third in the world rankings Clark continues to be under-rated. He looks a good bet to go back-to-back here.
The other player who stands out is Max Homa, who looked back to his best when he finished an impressive third at the Masters.
Homa loves this course just as much as McIlroy. He won here in 2019 and again two years ago, and finished eighth last year. At 22-1, he looks a great value bet.
The Wells Fargo is now a Signature event, which means there will be no cut, and it is limited to an elite band of seventy starters.
That restricts the chances of a shock winner popping up, and previous form seems to be an important factor.
Tommy Fleetwood is another player who has shown a liking for Quail Hollow, after finishing 14th and fifth on his last two starts here. He can be backed at 28-1 to continue the improvement.
Correy Conners also boasts the necessary ball-striking qualities to do well on this course, and I can see the 60-1 shot doing better than his share of eight last year.
Emiliano Grillo and Adam Svensson have also shown flashes of form in this event in the past. At 200-1 and 250-1 respectively, they look to be the best of the outsiders.
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