With nearly all of the top players on the PGA Tour competing in The Open Championship, those who didn’t qualify for the final major of the ‘Super Season’ will have a chance to pick up some scraps at the alternate field Barbasol Championship, taking place this week at Keene Trace Golf Club in Nicholasville, Kentucky. Playing alongside The Open since its debut in 2015, the Barbasol was canceled last year due to COVID. Jim Herman, who captured the title in 2019, is joined by Aaron Baddeley as former winners of this event. Former major champion Charl Schwartzel and Seamus Power opened as co-favorites, though odds suggest a wide-open field as is typically the case in the alternate tournaments. BookMaker.eu has a complete list of betting odds for the Barbasol Championship when you’re ready to place a wager.
Odds to Win Barbasol Championship
Charl Schwartzel +1600
Seamus Power +1600
Lee Hodges +2500
Luke List +2500
Russell Knox +2500
Taylor Pendrith +2500
Patrick Rodgers +2800
Adam Schenk +3000
Greyson Sigg +3000
Brian Stuard +3300
Davis Riley +3300
Henrik Norlander +3300
Mito Pereira +3300
Richy Werenski +3300
Scott Stallings +3300
Stephan Jaeger +3300
Tom Lewis +3300
Beau Hossler +4000
Jim Herman +4000
Nick Taylor +4000
Sahith Theegala +4000
Davis Thompson +4500
Bo Hoag +5000
Brice Garnett +5000
Chesson Hadley +5000
Denny McCarthy +5000
J.T. Poston +5000
Jason Dufner +5000
Mark Hubbard +5000
Ryan Armour +5000
Vaughn Taylor +5000
Wilco Nienaber +5000
Sam Ryder +6000
Satoshi Kodaira +6000
Odds Analysis
Chesson Hadley +5000
Hadley has to be feeling much better about his game over the last month and the field this week is more to his liking. After five consecutive MCs, he broke through with a runner-up finish in the Palmetto Championship after holding the 54-hole lead. While the end result was positive, getting there had to be disappointing. He played the weekend in his last two starts opening with a 63 in the John Deere Classic before falling to T34.
Luke List +2500
When he makes the cut List has been very good. He just hasn’t done that on a consistent basis this season. Playing through in the Deere Classic, List finished 16-under to grab a share of fourth, his best finish of the season. The last three starts playing the weekend List has two top-10s and an additional T17 so if he gets to Saturday look out. And in this field I’m counting on List making another run.
Wilco Nienaber +5000
Another player who should feel comfortable in this field, Nienaber is looking to bounce back after consecutive MCs. He debuted on the PGA Tour at Congaree with a respectable T14 and then tied for 68th in the U.S. Open. He was undone at Torrey Pines by a third round 80. The young South African may have been overwhelmed by the experience resulting in MCs upon his return to the Euro Tour. Those issues should be behind him and he can use his driver on an open course. He has experience in the winner’s circle, too, emerging victorious on the Challenge Tour in May.
Henrik Norlander +3300
I’ve successfully backed Norlander in matchups this season but have avoided him in the outright market. That changes this week with a field that better suits the Swede. The good news is that Norlander has played the weekend in his last four starts, the bad news is that he hasn’t finished better than T25 in that span. He had a solid tournament last week scoring four sub-70s to finish T28. His season stats also suggest a better showing. Norlander is accurate off the tee making up for a lack of distance and he ranks among the top-20 in GIR percentage. He has yet to win on Tour and this is his best chance of the season.
Charl Schwartzel +1600
Is it a cliché to back the favorite? Not if that player wins the tournament. I typically don’t back the favored golfer, but this tournament is an exception. The watered down field makes a guy like Schwartzel stand out and his price is inviting. Schwartzel has had some decent finishes recently grabbing a top-20 at the U.S. Open along with a runner-up in New Orleans and a T3 in the Byron Nelson. If the price was shorter I’d probably stay away, but it’s too good to pass on the top player in the field.
Course: Keene Trace Golf Club – 7,328 yards, Par 72
With the exception of the closing hole on each of the nines, the course is fairly straightforward with few obstacles. Herman set a tournament record in 2019 by navigating the layout to a 26-under. Scores have progressively gotten lower since Grayson Murray was -21 in 2017 showing us how scoreable the track is. The par-3 18th hole requires some carry over water to a wide green. It’s a tough tee shot and it’s one of just two par-3 finishes on Tour. Water also surrounds the ninth hole, but the two didn’t pose much of a threat in the previous edition. Keene Trace is hosting for the third time and it’s been among the top-five in the state’s course rankings.
TV Coverage: Golf Channel
BookMaker offers play-by-play betting odds for live sporting events every day! The user-friendly wagering interface on your smartphone provides an easy way to place bets on the go. Mobile betting lines are updated by the minute so click here to start gambling on thrilling live action at BookMaker.eu.
