Charles Schwab Challenge 2023 Best Bets, Predictions, Sleepers

Charles Schwab Challenge 2023 Best Bets, Predictions, Sleepers

Sandwiched between the PGA Championship and a designated event at the Memorial is the Charles Schwab Challenge, May 25-28, from Colonial Country Club.

Normally, many top players might take the week off, but this is different, given the rich history of the event and course.

There are eight top 20 players in the Official World Golf Rankings teeing it up, including Texas natives Scottie Scheffler and Jordan Spieth. Other big names include Viktor Hovland, Tony Finau and Collin Morikawa.

A par-70, 7,209-yard course is a classic tree-lined positional course where length isn’t necessary to win. Players who have had the most success are the ones who keep the ball in play off the tee, hit the majority of the greens and putt average-to-good on the Bentgrass greens.

The winning score has only been better than 15-under twice since 2011, so expect decent scoring but not a complete birdie fest. 

When picking a winner, past success at the event has been essential. As noted by John Haslbauer of The Lines, of the last eight winners, five had posted a T-5 finish or better in the three years prior to winning. 

Players who fit that criteria this week are: Scheffler, Spieth, Finau, Morikawa, Justin Rose, Emiliano Grillo, Brian Harman, Brendon Todd, Charley Hoffman, Sungjae Im, Davis Riley, Cam Davis, Sam Burns, Troy Merritt, Scott Stallings, and Patton Kizzire.

Burns is the defending champion after beating Scheffler in a playoff. Following his T-2 finish at the PGA Championship, Scheffler is a big favorite at +400.

Below are some players to target when golf betting, followed by my betting card for the week.

*Odds as of May 23.

Charles Schwab Challenge Predictions

Scottie Scheffler is predicted to win the Wells Fargo Championship with a 20% implied probability — i.e., the overall chance of a potential outcome in relation to the odds — according to betting markets.

Jordan Spieth and Tony Finau have the next best odds to win with a 6.67% implied probability. Viktor Hovland follows them at 5.88%.

Charles Schwab Challenge: Best Bets

Scottie Scheffler +400 Odds to Win

Every tournament Scheffler plays in of late, he contends. He has an absurd 15 straight tournaments of finishing T-12 or better. The last time he finished outside the top 12 was in October of last year.

Specific to Colonial Country Club, this will be his fourth appearance, with his best finishing a year ago when he lost to Sam Burns.

Jordan Spieth +1400 Odds to Win

This is a home game for Spieth, and he’s had a ton of success at it over the years. In nine career appearances, he has one victory, three runner-ups, and nine total finishes within the top 14.

Spieth’s wrist injury didn’t seem to bother him much last week at the PGA Championship, where he finished T-29, but it is still worth mentioning ahead of play this week.

Charles Schwab Challenge: Sleepers

Brian Harman +6600 Odds to Win

Harman has missed three of his last four cuts (Masters, Wells Fargo and PGA Championship), but the one made cut was a T-7 at the RBC Heritage. Harbour Town Golf Links is similar to this week where it’s a positional course and length isn’t necessary. 

Although he missed last year’s cut at this event, Harman has five career top-25 finishes, including a T-8 in 2021.

Eric Cole +8000 Odds to Win

Colonial Country Club seems like a perfect fit for Cole, who isn’t long by any means but stripes his irons and hits a ton of greens. He hasn’t played the event before but enters in great form, recording top-25 finishes in three of his last four starts.

Getting Cole at +8000 feels like a steal.

Charles Schwab Challenge 2023: Best Prop Bets 

Brian Harman +200 Top-20 Finish

Don’t let the missed cuts in three of his last four starts scare you, as Harman is much better suited for shorter, positional courses, which is what Colonial Country Club is. The one made cut in that stretch was a T-7 at the RBC Heritage, where Harbour Town Golf Links is very similar to Colonial.

The 36-year-old has five career top-25 finishes at this event, including a T-8 in 2021.

Eric Cole +280 Top-20 Finish

Cole is another player suited for courses like this where distance isn’t needed, and it’s about hitting fairways and greens. The 34-year-old has top-25 finishes in three of his last four starts.

The one thing against him this week is a lack of experience at the event, as this will be his first appearance.

Sepp Straka +300 Top-20 Finish

Straka hasn’t made a cut in two tries at this event, but he’s coming in hot. The 30-year-old finished T-7 at the PGA Championship and closed with a final-round 65.

He’s one of the streakiest players on Tour, so this is the time to ride his hot wave.

Ryan Hannable is a Content Managing Editor on the Web Content Team for BetMGM. Previously, he was a New England Patriots beat writer for WEEI in Boston. He also has published a golf book, “The Ultimate Book of Golf Trivia: 600 Questions and Answers.”