2020 BMW Championship: Odds to Win and Expert Picks
The penultimate event of the 2019-20 PGA Tour season is underway this week in Illinois, as Round 4 of 2020 BMW Championship tees off Sunday at Olympia Fields Country Club (North Course), which runs from August 27-30.
A stacked field descended on Olympia Fields, with 69 of the tour’s top 70 in the FedExCup standings teeing it up. The BMW Championship marks the final opportunity to earn a spot in the 30-man FedExCup playoffs finale at East Lake.
This is the second time a No. 1 seed in the standings will start the Tour Championship at 10 under par and with a two-shot lead before the event starts. Following the conclusion of the BMW Championship, we’ll know who that No. 1 seed is.
Dustin Johnson remains the BMW Championship favorite after three rounds at +185 with Hideki Matsuyama at +350, even though they both share the same three-round score of -1.
Here’s a look at the golfers with the best odds to win the 2020 BMW Championship and what their opening odds were at Bovada:
Golfer | Current Odds | Opening Odds |
---|---|---|
Dustin Johnson | +185 | +800 |
Hideki Matsuyama | +350 | +3300 |
Jon Rahm | +900 | +950 |
Adam Scott | +1000 | +4000 |
Rory McIlroy | +1000 | +1600 |
Joaquin Niemann | +1800 | +15000 |
Bubba Watson | +2200 | +8000 |
Mackenzie Hughes | +2200 | +6600 |
Kevin Kisner | +2800 | +10000 |
Brendon Todd | +3300 | +1200 |
Matthew Fitzpatrick | +5000 | +25000 |
Patrick Cantlay | +5000 | +3300 |
Russell Henley | +6600 | +8000 |
Sebastian Munoz | +6600 | +30000 |
Tony Finau | +6600 | +3300 |
Tyrrell Hatton | +8000 | +4000 |
Lanto Griffin | +10000 | +25000 |
Abraham Ancer | +15000 | +8000 |
Billy Horschel | +20000 | +6600 |
Jason Kokrak | +20000 | +10000 |
Odds as of August 30 at Bovada
To learn more about wagering on the links, check out our How to Bet on Golf page. Looking to put some money down? Our Best Golf Sites article will help you find the sportsbook that’s right for you.
Course and Tournament Information
- Course: Olympia Fields North Course
- Location: Olympia Fields, Illinois
- Dates: August 27-30, 2020 (no spectators in attendance)
- Par: 70
- Yardage: 7,149 yards
- Purse: $9.5 million
Thomas Has Fond Memories of BMW Championship
Justin Thomas notched his 10th PGA Tour title at the 2019 BMW Championship, which was held at Medinah Country Club. Thomas carried a six-shot lead into Sunday but saw it dwindle to two strokes as the American was making the turn.
A birdie on the 72nd hole wrapped up the three-shot victory over runner-up Patrick Cantlay. Thomas entered Sunday after firing a sizzling 61 on Saturday to head into the Tour Championship atop the FedExCup standings.
Considering the BMW Championship is at a different course this time around, it’s best to take last year’s results with a grain of salt when attempting to project what’s going to happen in 2020.
Can Johnson Keep His Red-Hot Run Alive?
Johnson was otherworldly in last week’s Northern Trust, finishing the weekend at 30 under par, 11 strokes better than runner-up Harris English. Johnson became the new FedExCup standings leader and World No. 1 following the dominant performance.
The 22-time PGA Tour winner, who moved from 15th in the standings prior to the Northern Trust to snatch the top spot from Justin Thomas, was only one shot short of tying the PGA Tour record for most strokes under par. Johnson will qualify for the Tour Championship for the 12th straight season.
Olympia Fields Serves as a Tough Test
Olympia Fields Country Club, located 35 minutes from Chicago, has a long history on the PGA Tour. It’s a five-time host of the Western Open along with being a setting for major golf tournaments. The last major to be held at the venue was the 2003 U.S. Open, won by Jim Furyk.
The 2015 U.S. Amateur was held here and was won by DeChambeau, so “The Scientist” will have a leg up on the rest of the field based on his past success here.
One thing is for sure: the North Course won’t be easy on the best golfers in the world. There is one par 3 longer than 250 yards and two par 5s playing longer than 600 yards, including the opening hole.
Past Five BMW Championship Winners
Year | Golfer |
---|---|
2019 | Justin Thomas |
2018 | Keegan Bradley |
2017 | Marc Leishman |
2016 | Dustin Johnson |
2015 | Jason Day |
BMW Championship Picks
Collin Morikawa +1800
Morikawa already had his coming-out party at the 2020 PGA Championship, and the 23-year-old is in prime position to continue what’s been a stellar run in the 2019-20 season. Morikawa has finished on top of the leaderboard in two of his last five starts and has missed the cut just twice this season.
He enters this week ranked in the top 20 in strokes gained tee to green, strokes gained approaching the green and scoring average. Olympia Hills is a tough track, but don’t be surprised if Morikawa tames it and goes on a birdie tear.
Harris English +4000
English’s impressive showing at the Northern Trust will be overlooked thanks to Johnson’s lights-out tournament, but that doesn’t mean he’s not worth a look at the BMW Championship.
English has been extremely consistent of late, finishing with nine top-25s in his last 10 events. The 31-year-old is not the flashiest name on the PGA Tour and he tends to get overlooked in star-studded fields. Considering his +4000 pre-tournament price, that’s the scenario again this week.
Here’s a helpful guide to some of the different betting options for the BMW Championship to help you put some extra cash in your pocket while wagering on golf.
Props
Golf is unique for many reasons, but one of them is the significant number of betting props available at weekly tournaments. The BMW Championship is no different!
Sportsbooks are offering odds on things like whether there will be a hole-in-one, OVER/UNDERs on the winning score for the eventual champion and odds on which players from specific countries will have the lowest score, to name a few.
Like other sports, betting on props is a fun and unique way to enhance your golf gambling experience.
Live Betting
Live Betting is arguably one of the most exciting ways to bet on golf. If the player you placed a pre-tournament bet on is out of the running at any point during the BMW Championship, you can bet on another golfer as the days go by and have another stake in the game.
If there are only a few men in the hunt on the final day, the odds likely won’t be significantly high, but your chances of winning are. We've seen this happen multiple times in the PGA Tour's Return to Golf, as multiple tournaments have gone to a play-off.
These helpful pages will assist you in handicapping your golf wagers:
- Betting News: All the golf betting news necessary to give you an edge when placing your bets on the PGA Tour.
- Odds/Futures: A comprehensive list of every golfer and their odds for upcoming tournaments.
- Best Golf Sites: A breakdown of the top sportsbooks on the internet to wager on golf. Find the shop that’s right for you!