The first LIV tournament following the announcement of a historic merger between professional golf leagues takes place in Spain with LIV Golf Valderrama. This is a homecoming of sorts for Sergio Garcia, who has played the host course Real Club Valderrama more than anyone in the field and has had plenty of success with several wins. That puts Sergio up the odds board as he tries for his first LIV victory. Last time out in DC Harold Varner III earned his first LIV title becoming the seventh different winner this season. Varner outlasted Branden Grace by a stroke to win for the first time since 2016. The familiar names are at the top of the outright odds board with Cameron Smith, Brooks Koepka and Dustin Johnson the top three favorites and included in several tournament matchups. Visit BookMaker.eu for a complete updated list of matchup betting odds when you’re ready to place a wager.
LIV Golf Valderrama Matchup Odds
Cameron Smith -107 vs. Brooks Koepka -117
Cameron Smith -110 vs. Dustin Johnson -114
Brooks Koepka -119 vs. Dustin Johnson -105
Sergio Garcia -128 vs. Mito Pereira +104
Sergio Garcia -163 vs. Bryson Dechambeau +135
Mito Pereira -141 vs. Bryson Dechambeau +117
Harold Varner III -111 vs. Talor Gooch -113
Harold Varner III +108 vs. Joaquin Niemann -132
Talor Gooch +108 vs. Joaquin Niemann -132
Patrick Reed -116 vs. Charles Howell III -108
Branden Grace -122 vs. Louis Oosthuizen -102
Peter Uihlein +119 vs. Sebastian Munoz -143
Cameron Tringale -106 vs. Brendan Steele -118
Dean Burmester -131 vs. Jason Kokrak +107
Henrik Stenson -106 vs. Abraham Ancer -118
Eugenio Lopez-Chacarra -112 vs. Anirban Lahiri -112
Thomas Pieters -128 vs. Kevin Na +104
Carlos Ortiz -121 vs. Matthew Wolff -104
Marc Leishman -124 vs. Bubba Watson +100
Ian Poulter -103 vs. Richard Bland -121
Phil Mickelson +121 vs. Pat Perez -145
Graeme McDowell +114 vs. Lee Westwood -138
Need to Know
One of the top courses in Europe gets hosting duties this week with Real Club Valderrama laying down the red carpet. No stranger to big events, the club notably hosted the 1997 Ryder Cup, the first time the event was contested in continental Europe. It’s short by pro standards stretching out to around 7,000 yards at par 71. Valderrama hosted the Andalucia Masters on the European Tour for several years until that league severed ties with the club due to an agreement reached with LIV Golf. Of the eight tournaments played at Valderrama, Sergio Garcia was victorious three times, including back-to-back titles in 2017 and 2018. The tree-lined fairways put an emphasis on accuracy off the tee, and the lack of distance doesn’t mean this course is a pushover. In fact, Valderrama was long considered one of the tougher courses on the European Tour when it was in the rotation.
LIV Golf Valderrama Matchup Picks
Branden Grace -122 vs. Louis Oosthuizen
I’m not sure why Grace opted out of the U.S. Open even though he qualified to compete. I didn’t hear of any injuries so I’m going with the idea that he needed a break. Hopefully that doesn’t impact his recent form, which has been solid. Grace recorded a pair of top 5s in his last two starts finishing third in Tulsa and second in DC. The recent surge moved him into second on the individual points race just 10 behind Talor Gooch.
Sergio Garcia -128 vs. Mito Pereira
I mentioned Garcia’s success at Valderrama for a reason with it all coming back to this. Yep, I’m backing the Spaniard on home soil in this matchup and also have him for the outright. There has to be a comfort level for Sergio at this joint since he’s performed so well over the years. Playing in front of fellow countrymen, family and friends can do that. If Garcia is going to get that maiden LIV title this is the place to do it.
Talor Gooch +108 vs. Joaquin Niemann
You can’t expect on player to win every week, though the odds are better of that happening when the field consists of 48 players. Still, the other 47 are hunting for the $4 million purse, too. Gooch was the first to go back to back winning in Adelaide and Singapore and he’s consistently been in the top half of the leaderboard all season. That’s why he’s the current points leader. Following his wins Gooch slumped to 36th in Tulsa before making a move to 15th in DC. I’ll back Gooch at plus odds against an opponent with more finishes outside the top 30 than inside.
Cameron Smith -110 vs. Dustin Johnson -114
He hasn’t won but Smith might be the hottest player in the league right now. He enters on a run of four straight top 10s that included a playoff loss in Tulsa. He also had a good week at the LA Country Club taking solo fourth in the U.S. Open a few weeks ago. His last six starts overall have netted him a top 10 each time. That playoff loss ironically was against this week’s matchup partner adding a level of intrigue.
Peter Uihlein +119 vs. Sebastian Munoz -143
Uihlein was the guy a little bit ago with top 10s in each of his first four starts. The streak was busted in Singapore when he finished 11th and he’s been trending the other way since. Still, he hasn’t been bad most recently finishing 16th in DC leaving him fifth in the individual points race. He needs to pick up the pace to get back in the money and he’s played solid golf all season giving me confidence to back him at a nice price.
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