Charles Schwab Challenge picks and best bets at Colonial this week as we have an outright, Top 10 and more PGA Tour expert picks for golf.
The 2023 PGA Championship is over but the wielder of the Wanamaker won't be on the PGA Tour as Brooks Koepka currently resides with LIV Golf. But it will be the Charles Schwab Challenge at historic Colonial Country Club in Fort Worth for many players on the leaderboard at Oak Hill, including the heavy favorite, Scottie Scheffler, and Viktor Hovland, who tied Scheffler for second at the PGA.
It was so close to being a great week for our PGA Championship picks but we still didn't end up being too bad as we rode Koepka and Hovland to great finishes, though we should've been more aggressive with our best bets and finishes for them. Alas, Adam Scott hurt us, as did the likes of Jon Rahm and more. And imagine what we could've cashed in on Michael Block, the darling of the PGA Championship who is now in the field for the Charles Schwab Challenge.
So where do we take our PGA Tour expert picks this week as we try to climb out of a massive hole? Let's take a look at the Charles Schwab Challenge picks and best bets for the week, starting with our smattering of Top 10, outright and One and Done selections.
Note: All odds are courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook unless otherwise noted. Odds will be updated when made available. For more betting picks and advice, check out BetSided.
Golf betting record in 2023 through PGA Championship: 27-81-2, -13.844 units (0-22 on outrights, 0.5 unit bets | -0.45 units at PGA)
One-and-Done record in 2023: $4,766,685.65 (Cam Smith at PGA, $465,000)
PGA Tour expert picks for Charles Schwab Challenge: Winner, Top 10, One and Done
Top 10 Pick for the Charles Schwab Challenge: Collin Morikawa (+180, DraftKings)
So, you're telling me we're going to a place where good drives and approach play are of paramount importance? And you're telling me that Collin Morikawa finished T26 at Oak Hill but didn't have to sweat too much in contention? I think this shapes up well for him to find his way onto the first page of the leaderboard, especially if the putter even moderately cooperates.
Pick to Win the Charles Schwab Challenge (0.5 Units): Rickie Fowler (+3000)
It was frankly a bit shocking that Rickie Fowler didn't show up well at the PGA Championship — but I like what that means for this week at Colonial. Back when Rickie was in form last at Colonial, he was T14 at Colonial and well before that he was T5 in 2012. Fowler is still gaining 0.55 strokes on approach over his last 20 rounds and has gained strokes in all four major categories. With fatigue playing a factor for some, I love Fowler to get back in the winner's circle as one of the PGA Tour's best stories of the year.
One and Done Pick for Charles Schwab Challenge: Emiliano Grillo
The Charles Schwab isn't a place where I'm trying to burn a big name, so I'm staying away from those and going with Emiliano Grillo. Why? Well, there's going to be a bit more on that shortly, but the skinny is that his game and course history at Colonial fit what I'm looking for, especially for a player I'm unlikely to play again in any One and Done scenario.
Charles Schwab Challenge picks and best bets
Emiliano Grillo to finish Top 20 (+260, DraftKings)
Prior to missing the cut at the PGA Championship, we were seeing phenomenal golf from Emiliano Grillo with a T7 at the RBC Heritage, T5 in Mexico and T23 at the Wells Fargo. And how he's doing it is quite impressive, especially for him. Grillo is a ball-striker at heart, which we've seen as he's gained 0.71 strokes on approach over his last 20 rounds. His putter, on the other hand, has been his own nemesis. But he's actually gained 0.49 strokes over that same span on the greens. With a putter working, he could be dangerous at a place where he's registered three Top 20s and two Top 10s in his last five starts.
Michael Block to finish Top 40 (+260, DraftKings)
Fine, I'll be a BlockHead this week. Michael Block was one of the best stories in golf at the PGA Championship, which earned him an exemption and invitation into the field at Colonial. Frankly, I'm not sure how he'll look this week, but he proved at Oak Hill that he has a lot of game and can putt the lights out. Maybe he can parlay that into another made cut and a Top 40 to cash this at juicy odds.
Christiaan Bezuidenhout to finish Top 20 (+260, DraftKings)
Yet another player who missed the cut at the PGA, which is the case for everyone picked in this tournament by me except for Morikawa, Christiaan Bezuidenhout was at a disadvantage at Oak Hill because of his lack of length. But he's an accruate driver who also has been nails with the irons and his putter of late. That plays well here and, after a T15 at Colonial a year ago, I love for him to be more rested than some and pop up for a Top 20.
Longshot pick to win the Charles Schwab Challenge (0.1 Units): Emiliano Grillo (+8000)
Grillo has been known to contend whenever he can putt even decently when his approach play is in form and he's at a place that suits him. The Charles Schwab Challenge checks all of those boxes this week and his recent performance and course history suggest that his odds should be shorter than 80/1, so we're making him the longshot pick of the week.
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