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The PGA Tour regular season has officially come to a close, as the top 125 in the FedEx Cup standings will head to TPC Southwind this weekend for the start of the playoffs at the FedEx St. Jude Championship. It’s a stacked field this weekend headlined by Scottie Scheffler, Rory McIlroy, and Cameron Smith, but I’m searching beyond the betting favorites for my outright picks.

So, let’s check out my three favorite outright bets for the 2022 FedEx St. Jude Championship.

Sam Burns 31/1

Sam Burns plays a tee shot during the U.S. Open.
Sam Burns plays his tee shot on the fourth hole during the final round of the 2022 U.S. Open at The Country Club | David Cannon/Getty Images

Misprice alert!

Sam Burns was the first name that jumped out to me on this week’s odds board at 31/1. He already has two wins this season, so I don’t understand how he can be priced behind Will Zalatoris, Cameron Young, Viktor Hovland, and others. TPC Southwind also features bermudagrass greens, which is Burns’ favorite putting surface by a wide margin.

Burns is still one of the most underrated golfers on the PGA Tour despite being ranked No. 11 in the world. He’s the best value bet near the top of the board this week.

Sahith Theegala 110/1

Sahith Theegala is going to win a PGA Tour event sooner than later. The 24-year-old rookie has already come close a few times this season, but timely mistakes on Sunday cost him both the Waste Management Phoenix Open and the Travelers Championship.

A missed cut and a T57 in his last two starts caused Theegala’s price to skyrocket this week, and I think it’s a perfect time to jump on him with an outright bet. He’s proven he can hang around in loaded fields. We just need four consistent rounds and a strong finish without him letting the pressure get to his head.

It’s a lot to ask, but that comes with the 110/1 price.

Mito Pereira 120/1

You remember Mito Pereira, right? You know, the guy who had the Wanamaker Trophy in his hands before blasting his tee shot out of bounds on the 72nd hole and fumbling away the PGA Championship?

Yeah, that Mito Pereira.

We haven’t heard much from the young Chilean recently, partly because he’s missed four straight cuts dating back to the U.S. Open in June. But Pereira took the last two weeks off, and he’s hoping to hit the reset button ahead of the FedEx Cup Playoffs. His poor recent form ballooned his odds all the way up to 120/1, and I think that’s an overreaction based on a small sample size.

The next time Pereira finds himself in a position to win a huge tournament, he’ll finish the job. Let’s hope it happens this week to give us a big payday.

All betting odds courtesy of FanDuel as of 8/8.

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Jack Dougherty

Writing professionally since 2015, Jack Dougherty spent six years as a sportswriter with publications such as GoPSUSports.com, the Centre Daily Times, and the Associated Press before joining Sportscasting in 2020. He covers the NBA, the NFL, and the world of golf extensively and has added expertise on any team located in or around his hometown of Philadelphia. Yes, that includes the Philadelphia Eagles, the Philadelphia 76ers, and Philadelphia Phillies.

When Jack isn’t writing about sports, he’s watching them or playing them as he regularly heads to the gym for some pickup basketball or the golf course to hit the links. He’s also an avid participant in the sports betting scene who worked at a casino sportsbook for a year and learned the ins and outs of the industry before bringing his expertise to Sportscasting with one excellent gambling recommendation after another.