Golf may be one of the hardest sports to predict. Scottie Scheffler is in the middle of one of the most dominant stretches fans have ever seen. Still, despite his incredible play, he’s only won one of the three golf majors this year. While calling Xander Schauffele and Bryson DeChambeau underdogs when they won the PGA Championship and U.S. Open respectively would be doing them an disservice, their victories were still far from certain. Very few bettors likely bet on either to win their tournaments.

When it comes to betting on golf, the most fun comes from either betting on the favorite, or betting on a huge sleeper with virtually zero shot at the title. Sure, that latter group might not win, but if they did, that’s generational wealth headed your way. Why bet on someone with +1200 odds who probably won’t win when you can bet on someone with +25000 odds who probably won’t win, right?

That’s not to say that betting on long shots always fails. It doesn’t. There have been numerous underdog stories to emerge from major tournaments over the years. So why can’t the 2024 British Open add another name to that illustrious list? Here are some of the internet’s favorite sleeper picks for the 2024 Open Championship. All odds via BetMGM.

2024 Open Championship:

Louis Oosthuizen (+10000)

Oosthuizen will be making his first major start of the season after turning down an invitation into the PGA Championship and choosing not to qualify for the U.S. Open. The South African has been stellar on LIV Golf with a handful of top fives and enters this week very much as a forgotten man. The 2010 champion has connected on four top 30s in his last five Opens including a podium finish in 2021.

Sepp Straka (+10000)

Sepp Straka has been phenomenal for much of the 2024 PGA Tour season. Prior to a missed cut last week at the Genesis Scottish Open, Straka had made the cut in nine of his last 10 events, with three top-five finishes in that span. The Ox is no master on links courses by any means, but he tied for second last year at The Open Championship in just his second appearance at this major championship. Straka’s biggest strengths are Driving Accuracy and Approach play, and those advantages should be magnified this week. He ranks second on the PGA Tour in Driving Accuracy this season while hitting just over 72% of fairways and is 32nd in Strokes Gained: Approach the Green. At 125-1, Straka bettors received a boost following his missed cut last week as he previously 90-1 to win The Open Championship. This is great value for a great golfer in a bounce-back spot.

Sahith Theegala (+5000)

Strange that a guy who’s been right in the mix at a few majors over the past 12 months would be so far down the betting cards. Sure, his game gets a little topsy-turvy, which generally doesn’t jive with the Open, but he played one of the best rounds of his yearon Friday at Hoylake last year, and he played really well at the Scottish.

Viktor Hovland (+2500)

He hasn’t exactly played his best golf of late, but I’m still going to go with Viktor Hovland. When his ball striking is on, he’s one of the best golfers in the world and he has already shown he can compete at Open Championships, finishing T13 in better each of his three appearances including a T4 finish in 2022. The form isn’t there, but if he can figure something out this week.

2024 British Open odds:
Scottie Scheffler (+500)
Rory McIlroy (+750)
Ludvig Aberg (+1200)
Bryson DeChambeau (+1400)
Xander Schauffele (+1400)
Collin Morikawa (+1800)
Tommy Fleetwood (+2200)
Jon Rahm (+2500)
Tyrell Hatton (+2500)
Viktor Hovland (+2500)
Robert Macintyre (+2800)
Brooks Koepka (+3300)
Shane Lowry (+3300)
Cameron Smith (+4000)
Patrick Cantlay (+4000)
Tom Kim (+4000)
Tony Finau (+4000)
Hideki Matsuyama (+4500)
Cameron Young (+5000)
Justin Thomas (+5000)
Matt Fitzpatrick (+5000)
Sahith Theegala (+5000)
Min Woo Lee (+5500)
Brian Harman (+6600)
Joaquin Niemann (+6600)
Jordan Spieth (+6600)
Sungjae Im (+6600)
Adam Scott (+8000)
Corey Conners (+8000)
Max Homa (+8000)
Wyndham Clark (+8000)
Akshay Bhatia (+9000)
Davis Thompson (+10000)
Jason Day (+10000)
Justin Rose (+10000)
Louis Oosthuizen (+10000)
Nicolai Hojgaard (+10000)
Ryan Fox (+10000)
Sam Burns (+10000)
Sepp Straka (+10000)
Will Zalatoris (+10000)
Byeong Hun An (+12500)
Dean Burmester (+12500)
Dustin Johnson (+12500)
Matthieu Pavon (+12500)
Russell Henley (+12500)
Si Woo Kim (+12500)
Abraham Ancer (+15000)
Rasmus Hojgaard (+15000)
Rickie Fowler (+15000)
Tiger Woods (+15000)
Tom McKibbin (+15000)
Billy Horschel (+17500)
Christiaan Bezuidenhout (+17500)
Keegan Bradley (+17500)
Ewen Ferguson (+20000)
Henrik Stenson (+20000)
J.T. Poston (+20000)
Kurt Kitayama (+20000)
Matteo Manassero (+20000)
Tom Hoge (+20000)
Victor Perez (+20000)
Eric Cole (+22500)
Adrian Meronk (+25000)
Denny McCarthy (+25000)
Harris English (+25000)
Jordan Smith (+25000)
Keita Nakajima (+25000)
Matt Wallace (+25000)
Matthew Jordan (+25000)
Maverick McNealy (+25000)
Padraig Harrington (+25000)
Sebastian Soderberg (+25000)
Adam Hadwin (+30000)
Austin Eckroat (+30000)
Chris Kirk (+30000)
Emiliano Grillo (+30000)
Laurie Canter (+30000)
Lucas Glover (+30000)
Matthew Southgate (+30000)
Phil Mickelson (+30000)
Romain Langasque (+30000)
Sam Horsfield (+30000)
Stephan Jaeger (+30000)
Taylor Moore (+30000)
Thorbjorn Olesen (+30000)
Alexander Björk (+35000)
Ben Griffin (+35000)
Gary Woodland (+35000)
Guido Migliozzi (+35000)
Nick Taylor (+35000)
Ryo Hisatsune (+35000)
Brendon Todd (+40000)
C.T. Pan (+40000)
David Puig (+40000)
Dominic Clemons (+40000)
Gordon Sargent (+40000)
John Catlin (+40000)
Joost Luiten (+40000)
Mackenzie Hughes (+40000)
Marcel Siem (+40000)
Rikuya Hoshino (+40000)
Sami Valimaki (+40000)
Sean Crocker (+40000)
Shubhankar Sharma (+40000)
Thriston Lawrence (+40000)
Yannik Paul (+40000)
Adam Schenk (+50000)
Calum Scott (+50000)
Dan Bradbury (+50000)
Daniel Brown (+50000)
Francesco Molinari (+50000)
Joe Dean (+50000)
Jorge Campillo (+50000)
Nacho Elvira (+50000)
Stewart Cink (+50000)
Younghan Song (+50000)
Zach Johnson (+50000)
Daniel Hillier (+60000)
Andy Ogletree (+75000)
Angel Hidalgo (+75000)
Darren Fichardt (+75000)
Elvis Smylie (+75000)
Jacob Skov Olesen (+75000)
Jesper Svensson (+75000)
Jeung-Hun Wang (+75000)
Kazuma Kobori (+75000)
Liam Nolan (+75000)
Masahiro Kawamura (+75000)
Mason Anderson (+75000)
Matthew Dodd-Berry (+75000)
Minkyu Kim (+75000)
Ryan Van Velzen (+75000)
Sam Hutsby (+75000)
Santiago De La Fuente (+75000)
Tommy Morrison (+75000)
Vincent Norrman (+75000)
Yuko Katsuragawa (+75000)
Aguri Iwasaki (+100000)
Alex Cejka (+100000)
Altin Van Der Merwe (+100000)
Charlie Lindh (+100000)
Darren Clark (+100000)
Denwit Boriboonsub (+100000)
Ernie Els (+100000)
Gun-Taek Koh (+100000)
Jack McDonald (+100000)
Jaime Montojo (+100000)
Justin Leonard (+100000)
Luis Masaveu (+100000)
Michael Hendry (+100000)
Ryosuke Kinoshita (+100000)
Jasper Stubbs (+200000)
John Daly (+200000)
Todd Hamilton (+200000)

Before the world of golf heads to Royal Troon for the 152nd Open, a loaded field of PGA Tour stars has made its way to The Renaissance Club in North Berwick, Scotland, for the 2024 Genesis Scottish Open. Defending champion and world No. 2 Rory McIlroy is back for the first time since his devastating loss to Bryson DeChambeau at the U.S. Open.

The Northern Irishman, who is also the betting favorite at +800 (8/1), is joined in the field by 2022 champion Xander Schauffele, Ludvig Aberg, Collin Morikawa, Viktor Hovland, Tom Kim, Justin Thomas, Jordan Spieth and Max Homa, just to name a few.

This week’s winner will walk away with $1.62 million of the $9 million purse and 500 FedEx Cup points.

With Scottie Scheffler missing from the field, it feels like we can finally open up the board a little bit. Let’s jump into our preview.

Golf course
The Renaissance Club | Par 70 | 7,237 yards | Tom Doak design

Course history
Course history at “The Renaissance Club” since 2019 for the @ScottishOpen.

Betting odds

Player Odds Player Odds
Rory McIlroy +800
Xander Schauffele +900
Ludvig Aberg +1600
Collin Morikawa +1600
Tommy Fleetwood +2000
Viktor Hovland +2200
Tom Kim +2500
Min Woo Lee +2800
Matt Fitzpatrick +3500
Hideki Matsuyama +3500
Wyndham Clark +4000
Robert MacIntyre +4000
Justin Thomas +4000
Sungjae Im +4500

Picks to win
Tommy Fleetwood (20/1)
Fleetwood hasn’t been able to get over the hump of winning on U.S. soil yet, so it seems fitting his first PGA Tour win would come across the pond.

In two previous appearances at the Scottish Open, the Englishman has finished T-4 (2022) and T-6 (2023).

Over his last six Tour starts, Fleetwood has finished T-26 or better and is in the middle of a three-event stretch of finishing inside the top 20 (15th at the Travelers Championship in his last start).

Tom Kim (25/1)

Young Tom Kim, fresh off a playoff loss to Scottie Scheffler at the Travelers Championship, couldn’t make enough birdies during the first two rounds of the Rocket Mortgage Classic and missed the cut. However, I like his chances at The Renaissance Club.

Firm and fast conditions play right into Kim’s game and he’s shown he can perform well at this Tom Doak design.

In 2022, Kim finished third. A year later, he tied for sixth.

Min Woo Lee (28/1)

Min Woo Lee won at The Renaissance Club in 2021, the final year the event was a DP World Tour event and not a co-sanctioned event between the two tours. Since then, he’s missed the cut (2022) and tied for 35th (2023).

Over his last six Tour starts, Lee has six top-30 finishes and is coming off a T-2 performance at the Rocket Mortgage Classic.

His ability to flight the golf ball is exactly what you look for in links golf.

Brian Harman (55/1)

Harman shot a 62 in the final round of the Travelers Championship in his last start to finish off his T-9 performance. A week earlier, he tied for 21st at the U.S. Open.

Firm conditions at The Renaissance Club will help his lack of distance off the tee and after missing the cut in this event in 2022, Harman tied for 12th last season.

Lauren Hartlage came up short in Washington after missing out on her first LPGA Tour win, but she still had the move of the week, jumping 139 spots in the Rolex Women’s World Golf Rankings to No. 133, the highest rank of her career.

Hartlage, a 2022 LPGA Tour rookie, has shown remarkable resilience since joining the Tour three years ago. She has overcome challenges, like returning to LPGA Q-Series after her first two seasons just to try and earn enough status to secure tournament entry each week on the LPGA Tour. She first earned Tour membership after finishing in a tie for 26th at 2021 LPGA Q-Series.

The young American continues to seize each playing opportunity she gets, steadily moving up in the world rankings and the Race to the CME Globe in an effort to keep her LPGA Tour status in 2025.

While Hartlage’s move in the Rolex Rankings was notable, her move in the Race to the CME Globe standings has more considerable implications for 2025, with members finishing in the top 80 and ties on the previous season-ending Points List earning full status for the next season.

In the last four weeks, the 26-year-old’s game is trending in the right direction, as she has collected a T50 finish at the Cognizant Founders Cup, a T21 result at the ShopRite LPGA Classic presented by Acer, a T17 at the Meijer LPGA Classic for Simply Give and a tie for fifth at last week’s KPMG Women’s PGA Championship to move from No. 94 to No. 63 in the standings, both well inside that top-80 cutoff and just outside the top-60 cutoff for the CME Group Tour Championship.

Jin Young Ko On the Rise
Jin Young Ko carded a final-round 71 in Washington and came three shots short of matching Amy Yang’s four-day total of 7-under for her third major title. But the Republic of Korea native’s T2 finish pushed her up four spots to No. 3 in the Rolex Women’s World Golf Rankings, the first time she’s been in the top three since October 2023.

The former world No. 1 has made eight cuts in nine starts this season, earning four top-12 results in addition to her tie for second at the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship. She recorded a tie for eighth at the HSBC Women’s World Championship, a tie for fourth at the JM Eagle LA Championship presented by Plastpro and a pair of T12 finishes at both the Cognizant Founders Cup and ShopRite LPGA Classic presented by Acer.

Ko, a two-time major champion, has been a force to reckon with on the LPGA Tour for seven seasons. She has captured 15 wins and 55 career top-10 finishes, making over $13 million in career earnings. Her success last week could be the momentum shift Ko needs to get back into the winner’s circle for the first time since the 2023 Cognizant Founders Cup. Ko has secured a victory each year since she stormed onto the LPGA Tour scene in 2017, picking up her first win at the LPGA KEB Hana Bank Championship as a non-member.

U.S. Solheim Cup Standings Update
Players have shuffled in and out of the top seven positions in the Solheim Cup standings, and the final few guaranteed spots on this year’s team are still very much up for grabs. With Ally Ewing’s tie for fifth at the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship, she moved from fourth to third in the U.S. Solheim Cup Team point standings and is getting closer and closer to playing in her fourth Solheim Cup.

Lauren Coughlin’s T24 result moved her from 10th to eighth, and she is now just 31.5 points out of the seventh and final automatic qualifying spot, currently held by Rose Zhang. Sarah Schmelzel, who tied for ninth at the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship, moved from 12th to ninth in the points standings, while Lexi Thompson, who joined Schmelzel in that tie for ninth, moved up one spot to 14th.

The two Rolex Rankings qualifiers for the U.S. Team are Alison Lee (No. 22) and Angel Yin (No. 31). The next two players are Lexi Thompson (No. 33) and Jennifer Kupcho (No. 50).

The U.S. Team will comprise the top seven players in the U.S. Solheim Cup standings, the top two in the Rolex Women’s World Golf Rankings not already eligible, and three captain’s picks. The team will be finalized on Aug. 25, 2024, following the AIG Women’s Open.

Europe Solheim Cup Standings Update
Charley Hull continues to lead the Solheim Cup standings for Team Europe, with Linn Grant moving into the second automatic qualifying spot for the European Team following her tie-for-ninth showing at the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship.

Maja Stark has closed the gap and now only trails Grant by nearly seven points for one of the two automatic qualifying spots on the team. The Swede’s T50 finish in Sammamish, Wash., has her at No. 21 in Rolex Rankings, and she is currently one of six players eligible to qualify via the world rankings if she does not get in on points.

The five additional Rolex Rankings qualifiers for the European Team are Celine Boutier (No. 6), Carlota Ciganda (No. 30), Leona Maguire (No. 32), Madelene Sagstrom (No. 35) and Georgia Hall (No. 36). The next two players are Esther Henseleit (No. 64) and Anna Nordqvist (No. 66).

The European Team will comprise the top two players in the Europe Solheim Cup standings, the top six players in the Rolex Women’s World Golf Rankings not already eligible, and four captain’s picks. Like the U.S. Team, the European team will be finalized on Aug. 25, 2024, after the conclusion of the AIG Women’s Open.

Race for the Card Continues on the Epson Tour
The Race for the Card continues as the Epson Tour tees it up in the Sunflower State for the Dream First Bank Charity Classic, with players vying for 500 points as they pursue their LPGA Tour cards.

Fiona Xu remains atop the standings with 1,031.500 points after a T33 finish at the Island Resort Championship. Kim Kaufman jumped to second and is now only 187 points behind Xu after tying for second in Harris, Mich. Epson Tour sophomore Cassie Porter is currently in third with 832.455 points, while Madison Young and Yahui Zhang round out the top five, each dropping in the standings after their performances at Sweetgrass Golf Club.

Despite the weather dominating the headlines, Soo Bin Joo overcame a four-shot deficit to clinch her first Epson Tour victory at the rain-shortened Island Resort Championship. The Republic of Korea native secured her maiden victory and jumped from No. 40 to the sixth position in the Race for the Card standings with 728.867 points.

Some other significant moves following the Island Resort Championship are as follows:

Kaleigh Telfer, who tied for second at the Island Resort Championship, her second top 10 of the season, went from 20th to 13th with 617.750 total points

Epson Tour rookie Ingrid Lindbald jumped from 119th to 45th in the standings after her T2 performance at Sweetgrass Golf Club, now sitting with 226.667 total points after only three starts this season
The Race for the Card is a season-long points competition in which Epson Tour members accumulate points in every official Epson Tour tournament. The ultimate goal is to finish in the top 15 in the point standings to earn LPGA Tour membership for the 2025 season. The point-based system, new on the Epson Tour this season, replaces the money-based system and will award points to those who make the cut weekly.

The 2024 season will also be the first year that Epson Tour athletes will vie for 15 LPGA Tour cards. They will be awarded after the season-ending Epson Tour Championship in Indian Wells, Calif., this fall.

A busy, three-week stretch on the PGA Tour begins this week at Jack’s place

Just one tournament separates players from the third major championship of the season, but it’s one they won’t want to take lightly. The 2024 Memorial Tournament at Muirfield Village will once again welcome the best and brightest from the PGA Tour to Dublin, Ohio, to take part in a competition hosted by the legendary Jack Nicklaus.

While the tournament dons signature status, the Memorial will feature a cut at the 36-hole mark similar to those at the Genesis Invitational and Arnold Palmer Invitational. A player who is not likely to need to worry about such a thing is world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler as he eyes his fifth title of the season.

A season ago, Scheffler put up jaw-dropping numbers at Muirfield Village from tee to green only to be let down by his putter. The Masters champion gained more than 20 strokes from tee to green leading in terms of off the tee play, on approach and around the green only to fall one stroke shy of a playoff between eventual champion Viktor Hovland and Denny McCarthy.

Hovland arrives at his title defense riding a wave of form. Reuniting with his old swing coach, the reigning FedEx Cup champion was a major factor at the PGA Championship and settled for a podium finish. He looks to keep a good thing going and experience another summer to remember beginning this week.

Speaking of the PGA Championship, Xander Schauffele makes his first start since raising the Wanamaker Trophy at Valhalla. Now that he has the hardware to match the statistical output, the Olympic gold medalist could only be getting started.

Schauffele’s peers hope to just be getting started as well, as a number of big-time players are still without victories with the FedEx Cup Playoffs quickly approaching. Hovland, Collin Morikawa, Ludvig Åberg, Justin Thomas, Tom Kim, Jordan Spieth, Patrick Cantlay, Tony Finau, Tommy Fleetwood and a slew of others hope this is the week they can finally break through and enter the winner’s circle.

2024 Memorial schedule
Dates: June 6-9
Location: Muirfield Village Golf Club — Dublin, Ohio
Par: 72 | Yardage: 7,571
Purse: $20,000,000

2024 Memorial field, odds
Scottie Scheffler (7/2)
Xander Schauffele (9-1): Scheffler may be the best player in the world, but the case could be made that Schauffele is the most well-rounded. He ranks just behind the world No. 1 in terms of total strokes gained and strokes gained tee to green since the start of 2024 but checks in 12th in strokes gained putting. He arrives at Muirfield Village with added length at his disposal, which could be exactly what he needs to shoot into contention as he has notched five straight top 25s here but none of which doubled as top 10s.
Rory McIlroy (9-1): Post-Masters McIlroy is continuing to surge, and he will aim to accomplish a rare first this week: winning the Memorial. He possesses a mixed bag of sorts at Jack’s place but has found a string of consistency in recent years with three straight top 20s including a T7 a season ago. He’s got the entirety of his game cooperating at the moment but will need to avoid the occasional lull like last week’s 72 in Round 2 if he is to break through.

Collin Morikawa (14-1)
Viktor Hovland (18-1): The Memorial sparked Hovland’s memorable summer a year ago as he raced through the FedEx Cup Playoffs, won the season-long crown and starred on the European Ryder Cup team. It could serve the same purpose again as his play at the PGA Championship reinvigorated his confidence with his ball-striking and short game returning to Hovland-like levels. Was this just a one-off or will this version of Hovland continue into the latter stages of the season? We’ll find out this week.

Ludvig Åberg (25-1)
Patrick Cantlay (25-1): There may be no player more affected by the extracurriculars outside the golf course than Cantlay. Well in the thick of board room discussions and powerpoint presentations, the former FedEx Cup champion’s game has taken a hit. He ranks outside the top 40 of this limited field in strokes gained approach and strokes gained putting this season, but if there was ever time for him to turn it around, it is this week. Twice a winner at Muirfield Village, Cantlay should take solace in knowing he can get it done here.
Justin Thomas (30-1): Don’t look now, but Thomas is finding his form yet again. A strong start to 2024 gave way to a disappointing spring, but the two-time PGA Championship winner looks to be back on the up and up. Three straight quality outings highlighted by a top 10 at the PGA Championship came courtesy of a nice uptick with the big stick. If he can continue to drive the ball well, Thomas will set his iron play up for success and the rest should follow suit. While he hasn’t done much at the Memorial in recent years, he did lose in a playoff to Morikawa at the Workday Championship during the COVID-19 year.
Tommy Fleetwood (45-1)
Hideki Matsuyama (45-1)

2024 Memorial expert picks
Scottie Scheffler
Winner (7/2): Believe it or not, the strokes-gained numbers posted above are in fact real as Scheffler probably should have won this tournament by five a year ago. He comes in this season as an even better player in large part because of the strides he has made with the putter in hand. The world No. 1 ranks first in just about every statistical category imaginable, hasn’t finished outside the top 10 on a leaderboard since January and has back-to-back podium finishes here. Don’t overthink it.

Collin Morikawa
Contender (14-1): A winner at this golf course but not at this golf tournament, Morikawa has the make up to not only upend Scheffler but make Muirfield Village fall to its knees. The two-time major champion is riding a wave of form ever since the Masters and the best part is the iron play has yet to peak. Significant improvements on and around the green have led to Morikawa rattling off three top-five finishes in his last six starts, including his last two, but his iron play should lead him to a win at the Memorial where he lost in a playoff in 2021.

Tony Finau
Sleeper (65-1): Finau looks close to playing himself into contention, and this may be the best spot for him to do so. The American has four top-20 finishes in his last six starts including his last time out at the Charles Schwab Challenge where he was a factor before falling off the pace over the weekend. His iron play has been exquisite, his short game is beginning to turn a corner and his putter hasn’t been as bad. If that club is good this week then Finau will have a very good result.

SportsLine’s proven model simulated the RBC Canadian Open 2024 10,000 times and revealed its surprising golf picks

The PGA plays its first tournament of the year north of the United States border as the 2024 RBC Canadian Open tees off from Hamilton Golf Club in Ontario, Canada on Thursday at 6:45 a.m. ET. Rory McIlroy is the +330 favorite and the only golfer ranked in the top 10 in the world competing at the RBC Canadian Open 2024. This leaves a rather wide-open 2024 RBC Canadian Open field with the chance to see new winners and golfers earn valuable points toward the FedEx Cup standings. Sahith Theegala, ranked No. 12 in the world, is listed at +2000 and Tommy Fleetwood, ranked No. 13, is listed at +1800 in the latest 2024 RBC Canadian Open odds.

Canadian Nick Taylor won last year’s RBC Canadian Open as a significant longshot with odds longer than 50-1. Could there be a similar longshot with value this year? Taylor is +7000 to repeat as champion, so should you include him to win again in his native country in 2024 RBC Canadian Open bets? Before making any 2024 RBC Canadian Open picks, be sure to see the golf predictions and projected leaderboard from the proven computer model at SportsLine.

SportsLine’s proprietary model, built by DFS pro Mike McClure, has been red-hot since the PGA Tour resumed in June of 2020. In fact, the model is up almost $9,000 on its best bets since the restart, nailing tournament after tournament.

McClure’s model correctly predicted Scheffler would finish on top of the leaderboard at the 2024 Masters, the Arnold Palmer Invitational, and The Players Championship this season. McClure also included Hideki Matsuyama in his best bets to win the 2024 Genesis Invitational. That bet hit at +9000, and for the entire tournament, McClure’s best bets returned nearly $1,000. And at the 2024 PGA Championship, the model correctly called Xander Schauffele’s first major victory heading into the weekend.

The model also predicted Rahm would be victorious at the 2023 Sentry Tournament of Champions and The American Express. At the 2023 Masters, the model was all over Rahm’s second career major victory heading into the weekend. Rahm was two strokes off the lead heading into the third round, but the model still projected him as the winner. It was the second straight Masters win for the model, which also nailed Scheffler winning in 2022.

In addition, McClure’s best bets included Nick Taylor (70-1) winning the 2023 RBC Canadian Open, Jason Day (17-1) winning outright at the 2023 AT&T Byron Nelson, and Rickie Fowler (14-1) finishing on top of the leaderboard at the 2023 Rocket Mortgage Classic.

This same model has also nailed a whopping 12 majors entering the weekend, including the last three Masters and the 2024 PGA Championship. Anyone who has followed it has seen massive returns.

Now that the RBC Canadian Open 2024 field is finalized, SportsLine simulated the tournament 10,000 times, and the results were surprising. Head to SportsLine now to see the projected leaderboard.

Top 2024 RBC Canadian Open predictions

One major surprise the model is calling for at the RBC Canadian Open 2024: Fleetwood, who finished as the runner-up last year and has the second-shortest odds this year, stumbles and barely cracks the top five. Fleetwood has made the cut in 114 of 136 PGA Tour events that he has played in, but he is still seeking his first victory. He has been outside the top 10 in his last three tournaments this season, including a T49 finish at the RBC Heritage.

Fleetwood ranks outside the top 100 on the PGA Tour in driving distance, GIR percentage and shots gained: approach to green. He did not play in this event when it was hosted by Hamilton Golf Club in 2019, which puts him at a disadvantage against some of the other golfers in the field. SportsLine’s model does not like Fleetwood’s chances of finally breaking through with a PGA Tour victory this week. See who else to fade here.

Another surprise: Taylor Pendrith, a 65-1 longshot, makes a strong run at the title. He has a much better chance to win it all than his odds imply, so he’s a target for anyone looking for a huge payday. The 32-year-old recently won the CJ Cup Byron Nelson on May 5 and finished 11th or better in four straight tournaments entering the PGA Championship. Pendrith missed the cut at the PGA Championship but he only shot a 1-over par over his two days, keeping him close to the cut line.

Pendrith, a native of Ontario, played in the RBC Canadian Open twice as an amateur at Kent State University and once as a professional, making the cut twice. Pendrith played on various international tours before working his way up to the PGA Tour full-time in the 2021-22 PGA Tour season. Pendrith looks to become the second straight Canadian golfer to win the RBC Canadian Open and Taylor won with similar odds to him last year. Given his stronger play as of late and the chance to compete in his native Ontario, the model projects value in Pendrith to shock the PGA world at 65-1 odds. See who else to back here.

How to make 2024 RBC Canadian Open picks

The model is also targeting four other golfers with odds of 25-1 or longer to make a strong run at the title. Anyone who backs these longshots could hit it big. You can only see the model’s picks here.

Rory McIlroy +330
Tommy Fleetwood +1800
Sahith Theegala +2000
Shane Lowry +2200
Cameron Young +2200
Sam Burns +2500
Alex Noren +2500
Corey Conners +2500
Adam Scott +3000
Keith Mitchell +3500
Maverick McNealy +4000
Aaron Rai +4500
Mackenzie Hughes +4500
Akshay Bhatia +5000
Tom Kim +5000
Davis Thompson +5000
Erik van Rooyen +5500
Adam Hadwin +5500
Taylor Pendrith +6000
Kevin Yu +7000
Nick Taylor +7000
Matt Wallace +7500
Daniel Berger +7500
Doug Ghim +8000
Ryan Fox +8000
Mark Hubbard +8000
Ben Griffin +8000
Nicolai Hojgaard +8000
Robert MacIntyre +8000
Beau Hossler +8000
Ryo Hisatsune +9000
Davis Riley +9000
Thorbjorn Olesen +9000
Seamus Power +10000
Eric Cole +10000
Adam Svensson +10000
Sam Stevens +11000
Greyson Sigg +11000
K.H. Lee +11000
S.H. Kim +11000
Luke List +11000
Matt Kuchar +12000
Andrew Novak +12000
Chan Kim +12000
Jhonattan Vegas +12000
Joseph Bramlett +12000
Nate Lashley +12000
Justin Lower +12000
Victor Perez +12000
Michael Kim +12000
Bud Cauley +12000
Sam Ryder +15000
Mac Meissner +15000
Chesson Hadley +15000
Kevin Tway +15000
Matti Schmid +15000
Ben Silverman +15000
C.T. Pan +15000
J.J. Spaun +15000
Gary Woodland +15000

Florida has long been one of the premier golf destinations in the United States. With warm weather year-round, coastal scenery, and hundreds of championship courses, the Sunshine State offers something for every golfer. From iconic PGA Tour venues to hidden resort gems, Florida combines challenging layouts with unforgettable settings.

Here are some of the best golf courses in Florida where you can truly tee off in paradise.

TPC Sawgrass (Players Stadium Course)

Located in Ponte Vedra Beach, TPC Sawgrass is one of the most famous courses in the world and the longtime home of The Players Championship. Designed by Pete Dye, the Stadium Course is known for its bold architecture and spectator-friendly layout.

The course’s signature hole is the par-3 17th, the legendary island green that has produced some of golf’s most dramatic moments. Precision and nerves are essential here, making it one of the most recognizable holes in the sport.

Seminole Golf Club

Seminole Golf Club in Juno Beach is widely regarded as one of the finest courses in America. Designed by Donald Ross and opened in 1929, the course features strategic bunkering, fast greens, and stunning Atlantic Ocean views.

Seminole remains an extremely private club, but it has gained wider attention in recent years through televised charity matches and elite amateur events. Its classic design and coastal winds make it a true test of golf.

Streamsong Resort (Red, Blue, and Black)

Located in central Florida, Streamsong Resort offers a completely different type of golf experience. Built on former phosphate mining land, the landscape features massive dunes, rolling fairways, and dramatic elevation changes rarely seen in Florida.

The resort features three acclaimed courses:

• Streamsong Red designed by Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw
• Streamsong Blue by Tom Doak
• Streamsong Black by Gil Hanse

Each course offers a unique style while maintaining the resort’s rugged, links-inspired feel.

Bay Hill Club & Lodge

Arnold Palmer’s Bay Hill Club in Orlando is another must-play course in Florida. It hosts the annual Arnold Palmer Invitational on the PGA Tour and is known for its challenging layout and demanding finishing stretch.

Water hazards come into play on several holes, while the closing holes require precise shot-making under pressure. Playing Bay Hill allows golfers to experience a course deeply connected to Palmer’s legacy.

Trump National Doral (Blue Monster)

The Blue Monster at Trump National Doral in Miami is one of Florida’s most demanding courses. It has hosted numerous professional tournaments and remains famous for its length and difficult water hazards.

The par-4 18th hole, with water running along the entire left side, is considered one of the toughest finishing holes in golf. The course was redesigned by Gil Hanse and continues to challenge players of all skill levels.

Innisbrook Resort (Copperhead Course)

The Copperhead Course at Innisbrook Resort in Palm Harbor is home to the PGA Tour’s Valspar Championship. Unlike many Florida courses, Copperhead features rolling terrain and tree-lined fairways.

Its closing stretch, known as the “Snake Pit,” is one of the most difficult finishing sequences on the PGA Tour and regularly determines the tournament champion.

TPC Tampa Bay

TPC Tampa Bay offers a strong championship-style experience accessible to the public. The course winds through natural wetlands and cypress forests, creating a peaceful but challenging setting.

With well-maintained greens and strategic bunkering, it provides a taste of PGA Tour-level golf without the exclusivity of private clubs.

Naples Grande Golf Club

In southwest Florida, Naples Grande Golf Club blends tropical scenery with a demanding layout designed by Rees Jones. The course features lush vegetation, elevated greens, and carefully placed water hazards.

Players often encounter wildlife while playing, adding to the relaxed but scenic atmosphere that defines the Naples golf experience.

Why Florida remains a golf paradise

Florida’s reputation as a golf haven comes from more than just the number of courses. The state offers a mix of championship venues, luxury resorts, and year-round playability that few destinations can match.

From iconic tournament courses like TPC Sawgrass to unique resort experiences like Streamsong, Florida provides unforgettable rounds for golfers of every level.

Whether you’re planning a winter golf getaway or a bucket-list trip, Florida continues to deliver some of the most exciting and scenic golf experiences in the world.

A PGA Tour season laden with longshot winners makes a stop in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla., this week for the 2024 Players Championship beginning on Thursday at TPC Sawgrass. In 10 PGA Tour events this year, six winners have been +10000 or longer, and five have been +15000 or more. The biggest longshot was then-amateur Nick Dunlap, who was +40000 to win The American Express. Before Scottie Scheffler’s win last week at the Arnold Palmer Invitational, the shortest-priced player to win this season was Jake Knapp, who was +4000 at the Mexico Open at Vidanta.

This week, Scheffler is the +500 favorite in the 2024 Players Championship odds. Rory McIlroy (+1200), Xander Schauffele (+2000), Justin Thomas (+2000) and Viktor Hovland (+2200) round out the top five choices in The Players Championship 2024 field. Before locking in any 2024 Players Championship picks, make sure you see the PGA Tour predictions and best bets from golf betting and fantasy expert Sia Nejad.

Nejad specializes in betting and DFS in golf, among other sports. He’s had incredible success in the outright and first-round leader markets and in betting head-to-head matchups. He also has been solid with his head-to-head matchups since last year’s Charles Schwab Challenge, going 33-20-2 and returning 9.17 units over that span. That’s a $917 profit for $100 bettors since May 2023.

Nejad also nailed 75-1 longshot Wyndham Clark as the outright winner at the Wells Fargo Championship. In 2023, SportsLine debuted “The Early Wedge,” and in the first three months of the show, he hit two first-round leaders and three outright winners.

Now, Nejad has focused his attention on the 2024 Players Championship field and has locked in his best bets, top sleepers and favorites to avoid. See who they are at SportsLine.

Top 2024 Players Championship expert picks

One surprise: Nejad is completely fading McIlroy, even though he is a strong contender according to The Players Championship odds. The 34-year-old from Northern Ireland has been splitting his time this year between the PGA Tour and DP World Tour. His best finish on the PGA Tour is 21st, at both the Cognizant Classic and the Arnold Palmer Invitational.

So far this season, he ranks 129th on tour in strokes gained: putting (-0.246). Despite that, he is still the clear second choice in the Players Championship at +1200. “Given his recent form, there’s no way I can take him at +1200 or less,” Nejad told SportsLine.

However, Nejad is high on the chances of Tom Hoge, who’s a +6600 longshot. Hoge has one win in 265 career starts on the PGA Tour. That victory came in the 2022 AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am. This season, Hoge’s best finish was a tie for sixth, also at Pebble Beach.

In five starts at The Players Championship, Hoge has made the cut all five times. Last year, he shot a third-round 62 and tied for third. “His approach game has been dialed in, and he has some good all-around recent form and history at TPC Sawgrass,” Nejad said. See whom else to back at SportsLine.

How to make 2024 Players Championship picks

Nejad has locked in his best bets for the 2024 Players Championship and is backing several longshots, including one that is priced at more than 60-1. This player “has been absolutely dialed-in with his approach game” and is a longshot who could surprise. You can see Nejad’s PGA Tour picks only at SportsLine.

So which players should you target or avoid for the 2024 Players Championship, and which player in The Players Championship 2024 field could bring a huge payday at more than 60-1? Check out the odds below, then visit SportsLine to see Sia Nejad’s top picks for the 2024 Players Championship, all from the expert who is 33-20-2 on his last 55 head-to-head picks.

2024 Players Championship odds, field

Scottie Scheffler +500
Rory McIlroy +1200
Xander Schauffele +2000
Justin Thomas +2000
Viktor Hovland +2200
Will Zalatoris +2500
Patrick Cantlay +2500
Max Homa +2500
Collin Morikawa +2800
Jordan Spieth +3000
Hideki Matsuyama +3000
Ludvig Aberg +3000
Wyndham Clark +3500
Shane Lowry +3500
Sam Burns +4000
Tommy Fleetwood +4500
Si Woo Kim +4500
Russell Henley +4500
Jason Day +4500
Cameron Young +4500
Sahith Theegala +5000
Min Woo Lee +5000
Brian Harman +5000
Byeong Hun An +5500
Tony Finau +6000
Tom Hoge +6000
Matt Fitzpatrick +6000
Corey Conners +6000
Tom Kim +7500
Sungjae Im +7500
Keith Mitchell +8000
Keegan Bradley +8000
Harris English +8000
Cam Davis +8000
Adam Scott +8000
Aaron Rai +8000
Justin Rose +9000
Eric Cole +9000
Emiliano Grillo +9000
Nick Taylor +10000
J.T. Poston +10000
Doug Ghim +10000
Chris Kirk +10000
Brendon Todd +10000
Andrew Putnam +10000
Alex Noren +10000
Adam Hadwin +10000
Nicolai Hojgaard +10000
Denny McCarthy +11000
Billy Horschel +11000
Stephan Jaeger +13000
Sepp Straka +13000
Rickie Fowler +13000
Matthieu Pavon +13000
Lucas Glover +13000
Jake Knapp +13000
Erik Van Rooyen +13000
Christiaan Bezuidenhout +13000
Beau Hossler +13000
Ryan Fox +15000
Luke List +15000
Kevin Yu +15000
Davis Thompson +15000
Austin Eckroat +15000
Akshay Bhatia +15000
Patrick Rodgers +18000
Maverick McNealy +18000
Andrew Novak +18000
Taylor Pendrith +20000
Thomas Detry +25000
Ryo Hisatsune +25000
Kurt Kitayama +25000
Taylor Moore +30000
Taylor Montgomery +30000
Seamus Power +30000
Sam Ryder +30000
Nick Dunlap +30000
Matt Wallace +30000
Matt Kuchar +30000
Lee Hodges +30000
K.H. Lee +30000
Justin Suh +30000
Gary Woodland +30000
Garrick Higgo +30000
Chesson Hadley +30000
Chan Kim +30000
Carson Young +30000
Ben Silverman +30000
Ben Kohles +30000
Ben Griffin +30000
Adam Svensson +30000
Webb Simpson +35000
Vincent Norrman +35000
Tyler Duncan +35000
Sami Valimaki +35000
Nico Echavarria +35000
Mark Hubbard +35000
Mackenzie Hughes +35000
Adam Schenk +35000
Troy Merritt +40000
Steve Stricker +40000
Robert MacIntyre +40000
Nick Hardy +40000
Martin Laird +40000
Justin Lower +40000
Joel Dahmen +40000
Jimmy Stanger +40000
J.J. Spaun +40000
Greyson Sigg +40000
Grayson Murray +40000
Francesco Molinari +40000
Charley Hoffman +40000
Chad Ramey +40000
C.T. Pan +40000
Brandon Wu +40000
Alex Smalley +40000
Aaron Baddeley +40000
Scott Stallings +50000
Sam Stevens +50000
Nate Lashley +50000
Michael Kim +50000
Matt NeSmith +50000
Joseph Bramlett +50000
Camilo Villegas +50000
Ben Martin +50000
Brice Garnett +50000
Zac Blair +60000
S.H. Kim +60000
Robby Shelton +60000
Matti Schmid +60000
Peter Malnati +80000
Harry Hall +80000
Dylan Wu +80000
David Skinns +80000
Carl Yuan +80000
Ryan Moore +100000
Kevin Streelman +100000
Hayden Buckley +100000
Davis Riley +100000
David Lipsky +100000
Tyson Alexander +150000
Chez Reavie +150000
Callum Tarren +150000
Ben Taylor +500000

Golf insider Patrick McDonald has revealed his 2024 Masters picks, PGA best bets and props for Augusta National

After turning pro in 2009, the 2024 Masters will be the first of Peter Malnati’s career thanks to a win at the Valspar Championship last week. The first round of the 2024 Masters Tournament begins on Thursday, April 11 at Augusta National Golf Club and Malnati jumped to a career-best 65th in the Official World Golf Ranking with his victory. Meanwhile, Scottie Scheffler has won the last two of the last three times he’s teed it up and has spent 44 weeks in a row as the No. 1 player in the world. The 2022 Masters champion has eight PGA Tour wins in just over two calendar years and is the 5-1 favorite in the 2024 Masters odds.

Meanwhile, Malnati is one of the latest entrants into the 2024 Masters field and a 250-1 longshot in the 2024 Masters futures. Before locking in any 2024 Masters picks or golf predictions, you need to see what proven golf betting expert Patrick McDonald has to say, considering his recent track record.

McDonald joined CBS Sports as a golf writer in 2022 after stops at NBC Sports and RyderCup.com. Covering the sport from a broader perspective, McDonald still likes to dip his toes into the betting pools on a weekly basis between the PGA Tour, DP World Tour, and more. Featured weekly on the Early Wedge, he has given out numerous winners already in 2024, including Jake Knapp (50-1) at the Mexico Open.

Now, McDonald has focused his attention on the 2024 Masters field and has locked in his best bets, top sleepers and favorites to avoid. You can see only see them at SportsLine.

Top 2024 Masters expert picks
One stunning prediction from McDonald: He is high on Sam Burns, even though he is a 55-1 longshot. A former Jack Nicklaus National Player of the Year while at LSU, Burns turned pro in 2017 and earned his PGA Tour card before the 2018-19 season, but didn’t break through with his first win until the 2021 Valspar Championship. Burns has added four more victories, including wins in the 2022 Charles Schwab Challenge and 2023 WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play.

He’s No. 21 in the Official World Golf Ranking and also 21st in the FedEx Cup standings after four top-10 finishes over his first eight starts during the 2024 PGA Tour season. After missing the cut in his first Masters appearance in 2022, Burns finished 29th last year. His putting (top 20 in strokes gained: putting the last four seasons) should be a valuable asset moving forward at Augusta National Golf Club. See who else to back here.

How to make 2024 Masters picks, bets
McDonald is also jumping on an underdog who’s had plenty of success at Augusta National but is still listed at more than 100-1 to win it all. You can only see his 2024 Masters picks at SportsLine.

2024 Masters odds, field
See full 2024 Masters picks at SportsLine

Scottie Scheffler +500
Rory McIlroy +1000
Jon Rahm +1300
Brooks Koepka +2100
Jordan Spieth +2100
Will Zalatoris +2100
Viktor Hovland +2100
Xander Schauffele +2400
Ludvig Aberg +2400
Patrick Cantlay +2800
Justin Thomas +2800
Cameron Smith +3100
Hideki Matsuyama +3100
Collin Morikawa +3100
Joaquin Niemann +3100
Wyndham Clark +3100
Matt Fitzpatrick +3600
Dustin Johnson +3600
Tony Finau +4400
Max Homa +4400
Brian Harman +4600
Shane Lowry +4600
Cameron Young +4600
Jason Day +4600
Bryson DeChambeau +4600
Sam Burns +5500
Min Woo Lee +5500
Sahith Theegala +5500
Tommy Fleetwood +5500
Sung-Jae Im +7500
Tyrrell Hatton +7500
Corey Conners +9000
Tom Kim +9000
Justin Rose +9000
Patrick Reed +9000
Russell Henley +12000
Adam Scott +12000
Rickie Fowler +12000
Jake Knapp +12000
Phil Mickelson +16000
Harris English +16000
Sergio Garcia +16000
Tiger Woods +16000
Gary Woodland +19000
Keegan Bradley +19000
Si Woo Kim +19000
Chris Kirk +19000
Ryan Fox +19000
J.T. Poston +19000
Nick Dunlap +19000
Cameron Davis +19000
Thorbjorn Olesen +19000
Adrian Meronk +19000
Sepp Straka +19000
Nick Taylor +19000
Eric Cole +19000
Matthieu Pavon +19000
Emiliano Grillo +19000
Nicolai Hojgaard +19000
Luke List +21000
Adam Hadwin +21000
Charl Schwartzel +28000
Kurt Kitayama +28000
Bubba Watson +28000
Ryo Hisatsune +28000
Erik van Rooyen +28000
Danny Willett +34000
Denny McCarthy +34000
Lee Hodges +34000
Taylor Moore +43000
Adam Schenk +43000
Lucas Glover +43000
Grayson Murray +55000
Christo Lamprecht +55000
Mike Weir +100000
Jose Maria Olazabal +100000
Fred Couples +100000
Vijay Singh +100000
Zach Johnson +100000
Stewart Hagestad +100000
Jasper Stubbs +100000
Santiago De La Fuente +100000
Neal Shipley +100000

Europe hold a “sensational” 6½-1½ lead over the United States after a stunning opening day of the Ryder Cup in Rome.

The hosts swept the morning session for the first time to race into a 4-0 lead and held off a spirited US fightback to win 2½ -1½ in the afternoon.

Viktor Hovland, Jon Rahm and Justin Rose all crucially holed putts on the 18th to pick up half points for Europe.

And England’s Matt Fitzpatrick, playing with Rory McIlroy, secured his first Ryder Cup point in a memorable 5&3 win.

Fitzpatrick, the 2022 US Open champion, rattled off four birdies and an eagle from the second hole to put his pairing firmly in command of the bottom match against Xander Schauffele and Collin Morikawa.

McIlroy also knocked in a birdie of his own on the seventh as they reached six up.

It ended a run of five defeats in his previous two appearances for Fitzpatrick, while McIlroy picked up his second point of the day, after earlier partnering Tommy Fleetwood to victory.

Ryder Cup 2023 scores and playing stats

“Those putts by Viktor, Jon and Rose make a huge difference,” Europe captain Luke Donald told BBC Sport.

“It was sensational, a dream start for us. This morning was an amazing performance by the guys and this afternoon was tough.

“The US came back, we knew they would. They had a stretch there in the middle where the momentum was turning their way but man, did we turn it back.”

US captain Zach Johnson said he had been “proud” of his team’s “fight and character”, insisting “our time’s coming”.

“It looks like the European team executed golf shots a little bit better than we did, and that’s golf, so you tip the cap to Luke [Donald] and his team,” he added.

It was, however, the first time the US have not won a single match in a day and it is the joint-highest lead after day one, level with Europe in 2004 and the US in 1975.

“The fact that the Americans didn’t win a full point was incredible and just shows the heart, grit and determination that the European team has,” McIlroy told BBC Sport Northern Ireland.

“We have a ton of momentum and we’ll try to ride the crowd’s energy to win both sessions [on Saturday].”

That momentum was carried over from an electric atmosphere in the morning session that amped up 30 minutes before the first balls were struck.

Five-thousand fans packed into the stand surrounding the first tee, with thousands more lining the fairway on both sides all the way up to the first green.

The hosts were sensational from the off and the leaderboard was all blue from the moment McIlroy holed a birdie putt on the fourth as Donald’s men produced the fast start he had craved.

To illustrate Europe’s dominance, they did not trail in any match and won 22 holes to the Americans’ 10 as the defending champions suffered a demoralising morning.

Rahm and Tyrrell Hatton won the top match and their 4&3 win was equalled by Hovland and Ludvig Aberg.

Shane Lowry and Sepp Straka were 2&1 victors, while in the bottom match McIlroy and Fleetwood also came through 2&1, as Europe won all four opening session matches for the first time.

How the afternoon session unfolded

It was a different story in the second session. Aside from Fitzpatrick and McIlroy’s romp, the other afternoon matches were all more tense affairs that the US, arguably, could and should have won given they led late on in all three.

Wildcard picks and best friends Jordan Spieth and Justin Thomas, protecting a 100% record in fourballs, had been sent out first by US skipper Zach Johnson.

And when Thomas birdied the sixth hole, they gave the US a first lead in any match – an astonishing six-and-a-half hours after the first shot had been hit at Marco Simone Golf and Country Club.

The Americans looked to be cruising to a first full point at two up with five to play against Hovland and Hatton but then errors, which have blighted both their games in recent times, crept in.

That opened the door for Hatton and his birdies at the 14th and 16th holes to level the match were heartily welcomed by the majority of the estimated 55,000-strong crowd.

Hovland then holed from 25ft for a birdie at the last, gravity helping his ball drop into the hole with its final revolution. It proved crucial because Thomas was only 4ft away and he duly registered the first US half point.

The following match was equally tight, with Rahm and Nicolai Hojgaard pegged back from two up after eight to all square by world number one Scottie Scheffler with wins on holes 10 and 11.

Brooks Koepka edged the Americans in front with a birdie on 15, but Rahm holed his second chip-in of the day to win the par-four 16th with an eagle.

The Spaniard’s wild celebrations were matched by an unusually animated Scheffler after he won the 17th to put the Americans one up with one to play and guarantee at least another half point.

A half point is all they would get though after Rahm produced another eagle to win the 18th, ramming a 33-footer into the hole at pace.

“There was definitely a bit of Seve magic on that one,” said Rahm, referring to the late Seve Ballesteros, who has a space dedicated to him in the European team’s dressing room.

“He definitely pulled that one towards the hole.”

Koepka, meanwhile, complained about Rahm’s behaviour on the course, saying: “I want to hit a board and pout just like Jon Rahm did. But, you know, it is what it is. Act like a child. But we’re adults. We move on.”

It is not clear what the Spaniard did, or on which hole, to attract the ire of his opponent.

That left one match out on the course, with Rose – partnered by Scotland’s Bob MacIntyre – at his grinding best, refusing to allow Americans Max Homa and Wyndham Clark breathing space.

Three times he won a hole on the back nine to reduce the deficit to one.

The final time was with a par on the 17th to send the match down the 18th and Rose nailed an eight-footer, before beating his chest in a fashion reminiscent of Ian Poulter, as he gave Europe a five-point lead after day one.

Saturday’s foursomes announced

Donald has kept with the same foursomes pairings for Saturday morning that were so successful on Friday.

McIlroy and Fleetwood will be first out and face Spieth and Thomas at 06:35 BST, while Hovland and rookie Aberg will play Scheffler and Koepka.

Lowry and Straka are in match three against Homa and Brian Harman, with Rahm and Hatton facing Patrick Cantlay and Schauffele in the final game.

Europe need 14½ points to regain the Ryder Cup, with the US requiring 14 to retain it.

Bally’s Golf Links at Ferry Point is an exceptional golf course that beautifully combines stunning natural landscapes with a challenging and well-designed layout. Located in the Bronx, New York, this golf course offers a unique and unforgettable golfing experience.

The first thing that strikes you when you arrive at Ferry Point is the picturesque setting. Situated along the shores of the East River, the course boasts breathtaking views of the Manhattan skyline, making it one of the most scenic golf courses in the entire New York City area. The combination of modern cityscape and pristine nature is truly awe-inspiring.

The golf course itself is a Jack Nicklaus Signature Design, which means it has been expertly crafted to provide golfers with a challenging yet enjoyable round. Bally’s Golf Links at Ferry Point spans over 7,400 yards, offering a variety of tee options to accommodate golfers of all skill levels. The fairways are meticulously manicured, and the greens are fast and true, providing a fantastic playing surface.

The layout of the course is both strategic and demanding. The fairways are relatively tight, but strategically placed bunkers and water hazards come into play on many holes, making shot placement crucial. Nicklaus’s design philosophy becomes evident as you navigate the course, with each hole presenting a unique blend of strategy and demand. The par-3s are particularly impressive, with stunning views and challenging distances, while the par-4s and par-5s offer a mix of shot-making opportunities and risk-reward scenarios.

Service at Ferry Point is top-notch, with a friendly and accommodating staff that goes out of their way to make your golfing experience enjoyable. The clubhouse is elegant and offers excellent dining options, making it a perfect place to unwind after a round of golf.

One potential drawback of Bally’s Golf Links at Ferry Point is the price. It’s a premium golf course, even though it is designated as a public course yet the green fees can be on the higher side. However, for the quality of the course, the service, and the unique setting, many golfers find it well worth the investment. I was in New York for a short visit and got the Tee off time booking for in early afternoon. But the starters at Ferry point were kind enough to adjust me for an earlier T off time.

Tight fairways and definite penalty (once you miss the fairway) due to thick bushes make it a tough course to score. As for an average golfer missing the fairway, which will happen a lot, means either losing the ball or getting an unplayable lie, for sure adding a couple of strokes to your score card.

And then, there’s the renowned 18th hole, a masterpiece that brilliantly encapsulates the essence of Ferry Point. This par-4 demands a strategic yet daring approach, with water hazards and bunkers strategically placed to test your mettle. The risk-reward scenario adds an extra layer of excitement to this concluding hole, ensuring that your round concludes on a memorable and exhilarating note.

In conclusion, Bally’s Golf Links at Ferry Point is a must play golf course for golf enthusiasts.. Its combination of a challenging layout, stunning views, and impeccable service make it a standout golf course. While it may not be the most budget-friendly option, the experience it provides is truly unforgettable. Whether you’re a local resident or a visitor to the city, playing a round at Ferry Point is an opportunity you won’t want to miss.

Author: Shoaeb Shams