The PGA Tour season is set to wrap up with the final event – the Tour Championship at East Lake this weekend. It’s no surprise given his recent dominance that Rory McIlroy is the unquestionable favorite to win this event and finish an outstanding year on top but while he is the obvious pick to win it there are three more candidates that could be worth taking a shot on to pull out the victory at a better value.
Rory McIlroy +300
The actual number for Rory varies depending on where you look with some books as high as +350 but the number is testament to his recent dominance and how much action will be on him to win. McIlroy has been a lock to contend every week with five top-10 finishes over his last six starts alone including three wins – not to mention two of them at major events. Some poor work on 12 cost McIlroy a shot at the BMW Championship but the reality is he is focused, dialed in, and seems to be in a much more positive place than he was a year ago at this time. The number isn’t fantastic in terms of the potential payout but there is a reason for that and it’s impossible to criticize the McIlroy pick to win this tournament.
Jim Furyk +1200
Furyk is still looking for that elusive win and while he hasn’t been able to finish time and again he has constantly put himself in the mix and that is important to remember going in to this tournament. A victim of both poor play late and some overall bad luck, Furyk has finished in the top-10 in three of the past four events and was right there in the mix at the BMW Championship last week. He’s seventh in the standings and he could very well sneak past someone if they slip this weekend. Furyk also won the Tour Championship in 2010 so the narrative is certainly there as far as this being his last opportunity to secure a victory this season.
Rickie Fowler +1200
Another value play worth watching at +1200, Fowler has finished in the top-10 in six of his last eight starts and could be on the verge of finally putting it all together. With only an outside shot at grabbing the $10 million at ninth on the points list, Fowler has no pressure on him heading in to this event and he should be able to carry over the momentum and confidence of his recent run with an opportunity to surprise everyone and win the 2014 Tour Championship.
Billy Horschel +2000
Some will stay away from Horschel after last week’s finish but the reality is that at +2000 he is an excellent sleeper pick. Bettors tend to overrate the effect a late collapse has on a golfer and it’s important to keep things in perspective especially when it was a bad shot rather than a bad round that cost him. Horschel should have no problem moving past last week’s tournament and focusing on what matters with a chance at redemption this week.
