After TPC Potomac filled in for the 2022 edition due to the fall’s Presidents Cup, the Wells Fargo Championship returns to Quail Hollow this week. We’re also back to a designated event after a two-week hiatus, so this week’s field is top-heavy, though noticeably less top-heavy than prior designated events.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
We’re down to just 21 of the OWGR’s top 30, with Jon Rahm and Scottie Scheffler, among others taking the week off. The odds board looks a bit different without the world’s top two players on it, but I anticipate that this week will finish as nearly all the other designated events have, and that’s with a small group of top-tier players battling it out on Sunday. These designated events have changed the golf betting landscape, and in my opinion, it’s wise to take a shot or two near the top of the board.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Any course history pre-2017 is meaningless because the redesign after the 2016 event completely altered the course, especially the front 9. It’ll play 7,538 yards as a Par 71, which is one of the longest Par 71s played on the PGA Tour over the past decade. Elite tee-to-green play is required here, and the course favors distance off the tee, and between the long par-4s and lengthy par-3s, 56% of approach shots come from 175 yards and beyond. I’m also looking at corollary courses like Torrey Pines, Riviera, and Copperhead because previous leaderboards have a decent amount of overlap with Quail Hollow.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
For more course details, check out Ron’s<\/a> course preview<\/a>. It’s the best in the business, bar none. Here’s an important tidbit about Quail Hollow:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Quail Hollow features tree-lined fairways, rolling terrain, strategically-placed water hazards, and firm undulating greens on approach. Though there are only 61 bunkers (11th fewest), they are well-utilized, laid out near landing zones along the fairways, and often in the direct line of approach shots around the greens.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n With a SubAir system below the greens, tournament officials gradually firm up the greens throughout the week so that by Sunday, it becomes very tough to hold the green surface. This is another reason why long drivers of the ball have an advantage at Quail Hollow. More distance off the tee equates to higher-lofted and softer landing approach shots into firm tricky pin positions.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Before the 2016 renovation by Tom Fazio, Quail Hollow played nowhere near as tough as it does now. Between 2010 through 2015, the average score was 15-under with a birdie or better rate of 19%. In the three editions since the alterations, the average score has been 12-under with a birdie or better rate of only 17%. Basically, there are five scoring holes at Quail Hollow \u2013 the three par 5s and the two semi-driveable sub-350 yard par 4s. To have success on this course, players will need to birdie as many of those as possible and then hold on for dear life on the other 13 holes, which all average over par.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n My goal with this piece is to touch on the golfers I’m targeting this week. There are millions of ways to bet on this beautiful game, so I’ll share my opinion on the best way to bet on each golfer in my player pool at this week’s event. When pricing out finishing position bets (T5, T10, T20s, etc.), I’ll often lean towards BetMGM<\/a> even if there’s a better number elsewhere because of MGM’s advantageous dead-heat rules. So know the rules of the books that you’re betting on! <\/p>\n\n\n\n