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The PGA Tour returns this weekend for the first time since it suspended play in March due to the COVID-19 pandemic. A field littered with some of the best golfers in the world will be on display at Colonial CC in the Charles Schwab Challenge starting this Thursday. There’s one player in the field with four majors and seven Tour wins. He’s the No. 3 ranked golfer in the entire world, and he has a great track record at Colonial. This very golfer is priced at 30/1 odds to win the 2020 Charles Schwab Challenge. What gives?

Rory McIlroy is the heavy favorite to win the Charles Schwab Challenge

Rory McIlroy has never played at Colonial CC on the PGA Tour, but that isn’t stopping oddsmakers from pegging him as the favorite this coming weekend. McIlroy currently sits at 7/1 to take home the Charles Schwab Challenge trophy on Sunday.

John Rahm is right behind McIlroy at 12/1, and Justin Thomas isn’t far behind at 16/1.

Although he isn’t familiar with the course, it doesn’t even matter for a player of McIlroy’s caliber. The Northern Irishman is by far the best golfer on the planet right now. He also has plenty of success playing courses for the first time.

Out of McIlroy’s 18 PGA Tour wins, eight of them came with him playing a course for the first time in competition. McIlroy is also coming into the Charles Schwab Challenge on a major hot streak. He has placed in the top five in every tournament he’s played this season.

Brooks Koepka is a bargain at 30/1 this weekend

Rory McIlroy may be the undisputed best golfer on the PGA Tour right now, but it would be hard to argue against Brooks Koepka for the No. 2 spot. Koepka has won four majors and seven total tournaments in the past three seasons.

When Koepka wants to turn it on, he becomes the most dominant player on Tour. Normally he only gears it up for major tournaments, but this weekend could mimic the feeling of a major.

It’s the first time competitive golf will be played on Tour in almost three months. Koepka was forced to skip The Masters in April, so he will undoubtedly be foaming at the mouth to get back in the winner’s circle.

Koepka has a brief but impressive track record at Colonial

One of the biggest factors when picking a winner of a specific tournament is the player’s past performances at the course. At Colonial CC, Koepka doesn’t have much experience, but he was dominant in the few rounds he played there.

Koepka played at Colonial for the Fort Worth Invitational in 2018. He shot -17 and came in solo second place in the tournament. He even shot two blistering rounds of 63.

Only two players finished with a score better than -17 at Colonial since 2006. Koepka would’ve won the tournament with that score in seven of the last 10 years.

Last year, Kevin Na won the Charles Schwab Challenge at -13. If Koepka can repeat his performance from 2018, he could cruise to another PGA Tour win and give his backers a hefty payday.

Odds courtesy of GolfOdds and FanDuel, stats courtesy of PGA Tour

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Staff Writer

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.