2014 The Tour Championship Betting Preview And Tips

Favourite Rory McIlroy is again pretty much unbackable with the bookies at 7/2.  Five top-10’s in his last six starts including three wi...

Favourite

Rory McIlroy is again pretty much unbackable with the bookies at 7/2.  Five top-10’s in his last six starts including three wins and the small matter of two of those being Majors.  Tied eighth at the BMW Championship even given that he four putted the 12th hole twice during the tournament.  Had he held the initial five footer and the 19 footer respectively on both days, Rors would have tied Billy Horschel at the top.  There’s no doubting Rory will rouse himself to stay focussed at East Lake to take home the big bonus pot.

Doc's Tips

Jim Furyk 11/1

I think we’ll have to start calling Jim Furyk “Sepp Blatter” because just when you think he’s down and out, he dusts himself off and comes back stronger than ever.  Furyk’s formline may still be missing a win, but it is still ridiculously good with five top-10’s from his last seven events stretching back to The Open Championship.  Jim went 68, 67, 66 from Friday at Cherry Hills to finish T4 thanks to a clip versus the field of second in driving accuracy and T5 in greens hit.  Four top-10’s here in Atlanta since the tour championship took on its current form in 2007, including winning in 2010, his last victory.

Bill Haas 28/1

Just goes about his business in an incredibly low key and professional manner.  Didn’t make money for us last week but three rounds in the 60’s ensured yet another top-20 since his second at The Wyndham.  Knows what it’s like to win big here after dispatching Hunter Mahan in a playoff in 2011.  Lead the field in greens hit in two of his last four starts; if he does that this week, Bill can win.

Hideki Matsuyama 33/1

The 2014 Memorial winner hasn’t hit the heights since but Hideki can take huge confidence from the way he made the Tour Championship field and play this week pressure free.  In case you missed it, sitting on 30th in the FedEx rankings at the time, the Japanese superstar took on a 227 yard bunker shot over water on the par-5 17th at Cherry Hills on Sunday to set up a tap in birdie. He then birdied the last to make this week’s field.  It was balls of steel stuff.  Great each way odds.

Ryan Palmer 40/1

At 40/1 in a 30 man field the bookies don’t give Ryan Palmer much of a chance this week.  They’ll argue he hasn’t won since 2010 and hasn’t a course record.  I would argue however that one quarter of 40/1 is 10/1 for a place finish, and after tying fourth at the BMW Championship I give Ryan a sporting chance of doing the same this week.  I would also point to his excellent T5 at The PGA Championship which shows Ryan  can mix it in exalted company.  Finished with a driving distance average of 323 yards last week and lead the field in greens in regulation.  Super nice guy into the bargain.

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