8-7-14

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Today's NFL Picks

San Francisco at Baltimore

The Harbaugh brothers kick-off the preseason by facing each other as the 49ers travel to Baltimore to face the Ravens on Thursday night. Baltimore is the pick (-1 1/2) according to Dunkel, which has the Ravens favored by 4. Dunkel Pick: Baltimore (-1 1/2). Here are all of this week's picks.

THURSDAY, AUGUST 7 Time Posted: 8:00 p.m. EST (8/4)

Game 251-252: Indianapolis at NY Jets (7:00 p.m. EST) Dunkel Ratings: Indianapolis 121.683; NY Jets 120.315 Dunkel Line: Indianapolis by 1 1/2; 33 Vegas Line: NY Jets by 3; 36 1/2 Dunkel Pick: Indianapolis (+3); Under

Game 253-254: New England at Washington (7:30 p.m. EST) Dunkel Ratings: New England 126.926; Washington 123.975 Dunkel Line: New England by 3; 34 Vegas Line: Washington by 1 1/2; 37 1/2 Dunkel Pick: New England (+1 1/2); Under

Game 255-256: San Francisco at Baltimore (7:30 p.m. EST) Dunkel Ratings: San Francisco 123.496; Baltimore 127.289 Dunkel Line: Baltimore by 4; 32 Vegas Line: Baltimore by 1 1/2; 35 Dunkel Pick: Baltimore (-1 1/2); Under

Game 257-258: Cincinnati at Kansas City (8:00 p.m. EST) Dunkel Ratings: Cincinnati 122.448; Kansas City 126.741 Dunkel Line: Kansas City by 4 1/2; 31 Vegas Line: Kansas City by 1 1/2; 35 1/2 Dunkel Pick: Kansas City (-1 1/2); Under

Game 259-260: Seattle at Denver (9:00 p.m. EST) Dunkel Ratings: Seattle 123.201; Denver 126.355 Dunkel Line: Denver by 3; 42 Vegas Line: Seattle by 1; 37 Dunkel Pick: Denver (+1); Over

Game 261-262: Dallas at San Diego (10:00 p.m. EST) Dunkel Ratings: Dallas 120.355; San Diego 120.599 Dunkel Line: Even; 33 Vegas Line: San Diego by 3; 36 1/2 Dunkel Pick: Dallas (+3); Under

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Today's CFL Picks

Saskatchewan at Winnipeg

The Roughriders (3-2 SU) head to Winnipeg on Thursday night to face a Blue Bombers team that is 0-5-1 ATS in its last 6 games versus a team with a winning record. Saskatchewan is the pick (+1) according to Dunkel, which has the Roughriders favored by 3. Dunkel Pick: Saskatchewan (+1). Here are all of this week's CFL picks.

THURSDAY, AUGUST 7 Time Posted: 9:00 p.m. EST (8/3)

Game 121-122: Saskatchewan at Winnipeg (8:30 p.m. EST) Dunkel Ratings: Saskatchewan 119.311; Winnipeg 116.144 Dunkel Line: Saskatchewan by 3; 48 Vegas Line: Winnipeg by 1; 53 1/2 Dunkel Pick: Saskatchewan (+3); Under

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We enter the years final Major Championship with Rory McIlroy on top of the golf world yet again. The young Irishman claimed his second straight big tournament last week when he was victorious at the Bridgestone Invitational (Obviously his prior win was the Open Championship). The best players in the world will all be congregated in Kentucky this week, attempting to conquer the famous Valhalla.

Let's take a closer look at the course for this week.

Valhalla Golf Club is in Louisville, Kentucky, and will be hosting its third PGA Championship. This week the course will be playing 7458 yards and as a Par 71. Valhalla is known as a generous golf course off the tee but a demanding one from there. Iron play will be the key this week, as players who miss these greens will be severely challenged to get up and down.

The greens are a bentgrass strain, and should hold the ball well based on the forecast ( chance of thunderstorms in the area throughout the tournament). They are undulating but it will be the pressure of putting in a major that will challenge players the most.

My favourite hole on this course is the Par 4 6th Hole. It will play to 495 yards this week, a drastic change from the last time the players teed it up here when it was only 420. The green has been pushed over 70 yards back, thus forcing players to attack it from between 180-210 yards. It is guarded by a very deep bunker on the left hand side and a closely mown area on the right. Par here will be a great score all week.

We will see a 156 man field this week, though I would say only about 100 players actually have a chance at winning the championship. Headlining the event will be the aforementioned Rory McIlroy, along with Sergio Garcia, Adam Scott, Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson. Though Phil and Tiger have had seasons to forget in 2014, they are still always top talked about names in Major Championships.

Over recent years golf has seen plenty of first time major championships, and based on our selections this week we have a feel this trend might continue (though there is some major championship flavor in there).

Lets get down to the picks, as I am very excited about this weeks 6 pack.

STEVES 6 PACK


SHANE LOWRY 250/1 - The big man from Ireland currently sits 15th on the Race to Dubai standings on the European Tour. He has finished inside the Top 10 in both of his last two starts, including a T9 just a few weeks ago at The Open Championship. His finish prior to that was a T4 at the Scottish Open, where he carded rounds of 68, 68, 66 to close the tournament. Lowry hits the ball an average length off the tee but is most known for his iron play and great putting. Those will be two keys to winning this week at Valhalla.

Lowry has all the talent in the world and I feel he will be a name that will pop up on leaderboards of big tournaments in the coming years. This will only be Lowry's 2nd tournament on US soil this season (other one being the US Open), but that shouldn't be an issue. His good buddy Rory won the last major, look for Lowry to grab this major title.

MARC LEISHMAN 45/1 - I absolutely love this pick. Leishman is playing the best golf of his life recently, posting Top 5 finishes in his past two tournaments. He has also posted Top 12 Finishes in 4 of his last 5 tournaments. Marc finished T5 at Open Championship, and struck the ball beautifully all week. Last week Leishman finished solo 3rd at the Bridgestone Invitational, a tournament that saw him hit only 48% of his fairways, yet 66% of his Greens. With Valhalla being extremely forgiving off the tee, Leishman can figure to be hitting from the short grass much more often this week.

It will be a positive for the long hitting Aussie that last week he was lights out with the putter, as the flat stick has cost him in big moments this season. It might surprise some people but Marc actually ranks 8th on the Tour for All Around Ranking. We can expect Leishman to hit the ball close once again this week and it will come down to his putting. I like Marc's chances of bringing the Wanamaker Trophy back to Australia.

LEE WESTWOOD 70/1 - Westwood closed last week with a 63 at the Bridgestone Invitational, a round that should bring him great confidence this week. Westwood has expressed in the past that he loves Valhalla, and that he feels the course suits his game. People feel that Lee has had a bad season this year but if you look at his results in some of the bigger tournaments it is actually impressive (Masters - T7, PLAYERS - T6, Bridgestone - T19).

Westwood also won the Malaysian Open earlier this season when he posted a ridiculous score of -18, winning by 7 shots. Lee's window to win a Major Championship is running out, and he will need to make the most of these opportunities. Westwood is known as one of the best iron players in the world, and will put that talent on display in Kentucky this week. It would be great to see this veteran Englishman win his first Major. It should also be noted that Lee has expressed his desire to play his way onto the Ryder Cup team, even though he is a sure bet to be a captains selection.

KEEGAN BRADLEY 32/1 - Keegan won the Wanamaker Trophy in 2011, kick starting what has been an impressive start to a career. He had a fairly quiet start to the 2014 season, though he has posted 12 Top 25's in his 22 events. Keegan looks like he is really rounding into form recently though, posting T4's in two out of his last three tournaments. Bradley finished T4 one month ago at the Greenbrier Classic, shooting sub 70 in all 4 rounds. He then finished T19 at the Open Championship thanks to a pair of 69's on the weekend. Last week at the Bridgestone Keegan played great all week, once again posting 4 straight round sub 70.

Keegan bombs the ball off the tee and will absolutely love the forgiving fairways at Valhalla( ranks 14th on Tour for Driving Distance). Keegan is also a terrific putter, something that is crucial to win a major. He ranks 24th this season in Strokes Gained Through Putting, and 20th on Tour for total putting. A key for Keegan this week will be keeping his emotions in check. He is one of the more intense players on Tour but cannot get frustrated when something doesn't go his way. I expect him to use the great memories from 3 years ago and be in contention yet again.

ROBERT KARLSSON 185/1 - Some people might question this pick as they don't know much about Karlsson. He is an extremely talented player from Sweden who has been playing some of the best golf in the world for the past month. Very few players will be more confident entering this week than Karlsson will, as he has posted Top 12 finishes in each of his last 3 starts. These finishes included a 4th place at the Alstom Open de France, a T8 at the Scottish Open, and a T12 at the Open Championship.

Karlsson has started in just 5 PGA Tour events this season but has finished inside the Top 15 in four of the five. Karlsson is known for his terrific iron play (especially long irons), and that will be of great use this week. The odds that we are getting on Karlsson are ridiculous, as I had him pegged at 100 to 1. This is one of those players that no one is talking about and will be making noise on Sunday. A great chance for a big payday here.

RICKIE FOWLER 23/1 - We have to take Rickie in this spot. I will keep this short and sweet. The guy has finished inside the Top 5 in each of the years first three majors, including Runner ups in the past two. His swing looks outstanding and his presence on the course is that of a veteran (It really doesn't get to him when he makes mistakes). Fowler is ready to take that next step and win his first major (Rory even noted that at the Open Championship in his speech). I feel these odds are more than fair for Rickie, as he is playing like a Top 3 player in the world right now. Enjoy watching Rickie in bright orange on Sunday holding the Wanamaker trophy.

HEAD TO HEAD


TWO units on both of these plays
ROBERT KARLSSON (-1.5) (-120) over Geoff Ogilvy
KEEGAN BRADLEY (-105) over Phil Mickelson
We deserve a winner and are going to get it this week.
Steve

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Dave Cokin

NY Jets -3

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Best last-minute golf bets for the 2014 PGA Championship
By MATT FARGO

Have you traded hours of hard handicapping for fun in the sun this summer? Are you spending more time on the course than watching the action on it? Are you scrambling to get wagers down on this week’s PGA Championship – the final major tournament of the golf season?

Don’t sweat through your short shorts. Covers Expert’s resident golf capper Matt Fargo not only has a preview and picks for the PGA Championship (find those here) but he also gives out some great last-minute bets for the action at Valhalla Golf Club, teeing off Thursday.

Will Sergio Garcia Finish in the Top 20?

Sergio Garcia is arguably playing the best golf of his career right now and he’s once again at the top of the list as the best player never to win a major.

He has finished outside the top 25 only once in 11 made cuts and he has finished in the Top 10 in eight of those. This includes three straight runner-up finishes. And while he did not place in the Top 20 at the Masters or the U.S. Open, his recent run bodes well to finish high again this week.

Pick: Yes -140

Will Graham DeLaet Make The Cut?

DeLaet has been playing exceptional this season but most of the success came early in the year. Four of his five missed cuts have come since the Masters and that doesn’t even include him having to withdraw at the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational last week.

He came down with a horrible case of the flu and ended up losing 10 pounds in the process. "I'm feeling better physically, but it's kind of taken its toll on me a little bit," said DeLaet.

Pick: No +185

Last-minute addition to win: Steve Stricker (+8,000)

A recent trend for PGA Championship winners is that the last 10 champs have finished in the Top 25 in their last start, but we are bucking that trend with Stricker.

He’s coming off a T63 at Firestone last week but in 10 medal-play events during his limited schedule, he’s made the cut in each. He needs a good week to secure a spot in the FedEx Cup Playoffs and that should provide plenty of motivation. He’s 23rd in the world but these odds don’t portray that. Great value play.

Full Round Matchup - Webb Simpson -120 over Luke Donald

It’s been a streaky season for Simpson, finishing in the Top 25 in just eight of his 15 made cuts. But he takes advantage as seven of the eight are Top 10s including three third-place finishes and a victory. He’s a major champion, so he has the experience.

Luke Donald is not a former major champion and he’s having a difficult time right now with his game. His solo second at the RBC Heritage was solid but his best finish since then is a T38 in six starts which includes two missed cuts.

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Tiger Woods faces biggest golf betting odds of career at PGA Championship
By JASON LOGAN

Depending on where you’re placing bets for the 2014 PGA Championship, you’re either going to have to wait in line to bet on Tiger Woods or you won’t be able to bet on him at all. No other golfer – perhaps athlete – can spark that kind of divide in the betting market.

At some books, Woods has drawn more action than any other player in the field, including heavy 5/1 favorite Rory McIlroy. At others, he’s not even on the outright winner board since withdrawing from the Bridgestone Invitational after reinjuring his back last weekend. But on the eve of the final major tournament of the year, the big question is will he play or won’t he?

Woods’ 40/1 price to win the PGA Championship could be his longest odds ever to win a tournament, says renowned golf oddsmaker Jeff Sherman, whose database only goes back to 2008.

“I think 25/1 was the highest and prior to that he was in better form and lower odds,” Sherman tells Covers.

Woods stirred up media channels Wednesday afternoon when he rolled into Valhalla Golf Club in Louisville, Kentucky for his practice round. It looks like the 14-time major winner is going to give it a go – at least as of Wednesday afternoon.

“We don’t have him listed as an option for odds to win because he’s so questionable to tee off tomorrow,” Peter Childs, of U.S.-facing Sportsbook.ag, tells Covers. “In my opinion, Tiger is a complete non-factor this week even if he does play. He’s just a name. He’s far from being a contender.”

At UK-based online sportsbook Ladbrokes, Tiger’s presence at Valhalla did nothing to stir up interest in his outright odds. According to their spokesman, the majority of the outright money is landing on McIlroy, who has won three of his last six events including the Open Championship last month.

However, on American soil in Las Vegas, Woods has drawn three times more money wagered than the next highest golfer for the PGA Championship, even though he ranks 22nd in overall ticket count, according to the LV Superbook.

“We had initial support for him at 15/1 and 12/1 prior to last week's WGC event,” Sherman, who is also the assistant manager at the LV Superbook, tells Covers. “But since his withdraw and moving him to 40/1, support has been minimal.”

On top of his long-shot price, Woods is listed at +300 to finish inside the Top 10 and +800 to place within the Top 5 this weekend.

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Three good reasons to fade Rory McIlroy at the PGA Championship
By JOE FORTENBAUGH

With three victories over his last six starts worldwide, including a win at the British Open and a return to the top spot in the World Golf Rankings, betting against Rory McIlroy entering the 96th edition of the PGA Championship at Valhalla Golf Club feels like stepping in front of a 100-mph freight train.

McIlroy’s incendiary tear through TOUR competition has been nothing short of exceptional, with each phase of the three-time major winner’s game firing on all cylinders. But is Rory a lock to take home his second Wanamaker Trophy this weekend or will a worthy adversary rise from the field to challenge golf’s big-hitting superstar?

Here are three reasons why you may want to consider wagering your money elsewhere this weekend:

Value

Prior to his debilitating back injury, Tiger Woods was listed as a favorite or co-favorite in virtually every tournament he played for close to a decade - even at the venues where the 14-time major winner carried a less than stellar resume.

This was an effort on behalf of the sportsbooks to limit exposure, thanks to the foresight of knowing that the public would come in betting heavy on Tiger no matter what the situation. A similar phenomenon is now occurring thanks to McIlroy’s recent incendiary play.

Speaking to renowned golf oddsmaker Jeff Sherman of the LV Superbook in Las Vegas, Rory’s true odds should be in the neighborhood of 7/1 rather than the current price of 5/1. But higher odds would bring an increase in liability due to a betting public that is heavily backing McIlroy entering the PGA Championship.

The bottom line is that if you’re looking for an edge against the books this weekend, it won’t be found in supporting the most popular player on TOUR at 5/1.

History

Since 1980 there has only been one season (2000) in which a cycle through golf’s four majors failed to produce a first-time major winner.

Bubba Watson won the Masters in April for the second time in his career, Martin Kaymer shredded the field at Pinehurst to claim the United States Open Championship after having previously won the 2010 PGA Championship, and Rory’s British Open victory last month marked the third time the 25 year old had throttled the competition in a major championship.

If history holds true this week at Valhalla, we should see a breakthrough performance from a golfer like Rickie Fowler, Sergio Garcia, Matt Kuchar or Jim Furyk - not a repeat champion like McIlroy.

Elite competition

Gone are the days when Tiger Woods could consistently blow away an out-classed field that was ill-equipped to stand toe-to-toe with the best in the business. Today’s TOUR features the deepest and most talented crop of golfers in the sport’s history and several of them enter this week’s PGA Championship in excellent form.

Rickie Fowler has posted a Top-5 finish in each major played so far this season, former No. 1 Adam Scott has notched five consecutive Top-10s, Sergio Garcia has recorded three runner-ups over his last four outings and Keegan Bradley - who won this event back in 2011 - has racked up three Top-4 finishes over his last six starts, which includes last week’s WGC-Bridgestone.

To put it in football terms, this isn’t Peyton Manning against Tom Brady. It’s Peyton Manning against the entire National Football League.

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PGA Championship: Golf betting preview and picks
By MATT FARGO

The PGA Championship – the fourth and final major tournament of the TOUR season - will be contested for the 96th time, this year from Valhalla Golf Club in Louisville, Kentucky.

This is the third time Valhalla has hosted the PGA Championship, the last coming in 2000. That year, Tiger Woods defeated Bob May in a playoff and the previous time, Marks Brooks defeated hometown favorite Kenny Perry in a playoff as well.

Valhalla Golf Club is a Par-71, 7,458-yard track that has seen some major renovations come through recently. Following the most recent Senior PGA Championship held there in 2011, every green was redone on the Jack Nicklaus design, that is actually owned by the PGA of America.

This is the ultimate shotmakers course and by that it can reward or penalize many second shots along the way. Because of the lack of experience here for a lot of the players, it evens out the field so there are not many advantages from a history standpoint.

While the course itself is a challenge, parity remains constant in the majors. As of the last 23 major tournaments – Masters, U.S. Open, British Open, PGA Champsionship - there have been 18 different winners with Rory McIlroy, Phil Mickelson, Bubba Watson and Martin Kaymer being the only multiple major winners.

Not since 2008 has there been a repeat major winner. Padraig Harrington is the last player to do so, winning The Open Championship and PGA Championship back-to-back. The challenge now sits with McIlroy following his win at the British Open Championship.

Since 1993, there have been 17 different winners of the PGA Championship with only Tiger Woods (4) and Vijay Singh (2) being repeat champs, which adds even more complication to the scenario. This tournament is known for its surprising victors, even though there have been some big names at the top in recent years. It’s interesting to note that the last 10 winners of the PGA Championship have had a Top-25 finish in their last start, so it’s been a "who's hot" event.

No one is hotter than McIlroy (+550), who is the favorite this week following consecutive wins at the Open Championship and the Bridgestone Invitational. He is once again the top-ranked player in the world and he’s a PGA Champion when he won the Wannamaker Trophy in 2012 at the Ocean Course at Kiawah Island Golf Resort. Three in a row will be tough but he certainly has the game to do it.

Sergio Garcia (+2,000) came painfully close once again last week but had to settle for his fifth Top 3 in his last seven starts on the PGA Tour. His only missed cut this year was at the Masters and in his 11 cuts made, he has finished in the Top 10 eight times. He hasn’t won since 2012, when he won the Wyndham Championship which came after a missed cut at the PGA Championship.

We used Keegan Bradley (+3,500) last week and while his T4 was nice, a bad Sunday back nine did him in. Still, he comes in playing very well and also had a T4 at the Greenbrier sandwiched around a T19 at the Open Championship. He won the 2011 PGA Championship at Atlanta Athletic Club and followed that up with a T3 in 2012 and a T19 last year. His T4 at the U.S. Open doesn't hurt.

Graeme McDowell (+4,500) had his best ever finish at Firestone with a T8 thanks to a pair of 66s over the weekend. That was his third Top 10 in his last three starts, including a T9 at the Open Championship - his best finish in a major since a T12 at the PGA Championship last year. He has experience here as he played in the 2008 Ryder Cup at Valhalla and was one of the top European performers.

Mark Leishman (+5,000) is playing better than these odds indicate. He’s coming off a solo third at Firestone which came after a T5 at the Open Championship. He has missed only one cut since April and has finished outside the Top 23 only once in his last eight cuts made. Overall he has six Top 10s and finished T12 at the PGA Championship at Oak Hill last year.

Patrick Reed (+10,000) is coming off a strong performance last week which fits the hot trend. He finished T4 as a Saturday 71 kept him out of contention. That was his best finish since winning the WGC-Cadillac Championship back in March, which was his second win of the season. He had a rough three-month stretch after that but the birth of his first child played into that skid.

Recommended tournament win five pack at the PGA Championship (all for one unit)

Sergio Garcia (+2,000)
Keegan Bradley (+3,500)
Graeme McDowell (+4,500)
Mark Leishman (+5,000)
Patrick Reed (+10,000)

2014 Record to date after 29 events: -88 Units

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McIlroy clear favorite to win PGA Championship
By: Staff Writer - StatFox

PGA Championship
Tees Off: Thursday, August 7
Valhalla Golf Club – Louisville, KY

Odds to Win Tournament

Golfer Odds

Rory McIlroy 11-to-2
Adam Scott 12-to-1
Sergio Garcia 20-to-1
Phil Mickelson 20-to-1
Justin Rose 25-to-1
Henrik Stenson 25-to-1
Matt Kuchar 25-to-1
Rickie Fowler 25-to-1
Jordan Spieth 30-to-1
Bubba Watson 35-to-1
Keegan Bradley 35-to-1
Jason Day 40-to-1
Jim Furyk 40-to-1
Graeme McDowell 45-to-1
Martin Kaymer 50-to-1
Jason Dufner 50-to-1
Brandt Snedeker 50-to-1
Zach Johnson 50-to-1
Charl Schwartzel 50-to-1
Marc Leishman 60-to-1
Hunter Mahan 60-to-1
Jimmy Walker 60-to-1
Lee Westwood 65-to-1
Webb Simpson 65-to-1
Hideki Matsuyama 65-to-1
Angel Cabrera 80-to-1
Steve Stricker 80-to-1
Gary Woodland 85-to-1
Louis Oosthuizen 85-to-1
Victor Dubuisson 85-to-1
Ryan Moore 85-to-1
Ian Poulter 85-to-1
Brendon Todd 85-to-1
J.B. Holmes 85-to-1
4 Golfers 100-to-1
Harris English 115-to-1
4 Golfers 125-to-1
2 Golfers 135-to-1
7 Golfers 150-to-1
8 Golfers 165-to-1
7 Golfers 200-to-1
15 Golfers 215-to-1
2 Golfers 250-to-1
7 Golfers 265-to-1
5 Golfers 350-to-1
John Daly 500-to-1

The final major of the year begins this weekend in Louisville as the tour's best players converge in an attempt to grab PGA Championship glory. As with most majors, the past winners at this tournament are some of the best in the world as each of the past four victors are currently in the top-27 of the current world rankings; including newly-crowned No. 1 player, Rory McIlroy. Last season at this event, Jason Dufner earned his first major win as he shot 10-under par and defeated veteran Jim Furyk by two strokes. Tiger Woods has won this major four different times in his career, including back in 2000 when it was last played at this course, but is doubtful to even play after withdrawing from this past week’s Bridgestone Invitational after reinjuring his back. Let’s take a look at a few players in the strong field that can either continue recent dominance or make a name for themselves on the tour’s biggest stage.


Golfers to Watch

Rory McIlroy (11/2): There is no debating McIlroy being the top player in the world after winning in each of the past two tournaments, The British Open and WGC-Bridgestone Invitation; both against all of the top players. He has placed in the top-8 in all three majors this year and has also finished in the top-8 in four of the past five PGA Championships while winning it in 2012. McIlroy is crushing his driver to the tune of 310.3 yards per (3rd on tour) and has hit 68.8% of greens in regulation (10th on tour). Even though the payout on McIlroy will not be tremendous, it is hard to bet against him coming into this week.
Adam Scott (12/1): Scott lost his position as the No. 1 golfer in the world this week, but has not been playing poorly with top-9 finishes in each of his past five tournaments. He has also been one of the best in majors, producing five top-10 finishes in the past two years (7 starts). He ranks as the best on tour in scoring a birdie or better on par-5’s (55.9%) and also has a solid combination of great driving (301.6 yards per, 18th on tour) with .538 strokes gained putting (13th on tour). Scott should be an easy bet to put himself in contention come Sunday in Valhalla.

Graeme McDowell (45/1): McDowell has not been playing quite as well as the past two years, but comes into this week with momentum after finishing in the top-9 in each of his past five tourneys between the PGA and European Tours. He already has a major under his belt (2010 U.S. Open) and has top-15 finishes in four of his past six PGA Championships. His .872 strokes gained putting (5th on tour) always keeps him in the running to compete, and should allow him to do well again this week.

Marc Leishman (60/1): Leishman has looked great over the past two events while chasing McIlroy. He finished third last week at the Bridgestone Invitational while tying for fifth at the British Open the week prior to that. His best career finish at this particular tournament was a 12th-place showing last year, but his great scoring average (69.8, 14th on tour) and current momentum should allow him to continue playing at a high level.

Chris Kirk (150/1): Kirk has flown under the radar while ranking 10th in the FedEx Cup Rankings due to 10 top-25 finishes in his 23 tournaments on the year. He missed just one cut in that time and was solid in the first majors this year; finishing no worse than 28th place. Kirk has steadily been improving since becoming a pro in 2007, and is a great longshot pick come this weekend to take down his first major.

[Can'tPickAWinner]

PGA Championship prop bets
By: Freddy Wander - StatFox

PGA Championship Prop Bets
Tees Off: Thursday, August 7
Valhalla Golf Club – Louisville, KY

Top 20 Finish: Adam Scott (Even)

While the payout is better if you go for top-10, this bet seems like easy money from the No. 2 player in the World Golf Rankings. Scott has finished in the top-20 in 11 of the past 12 majors going back to the PGA Championship in 2011, and ha been in the top-11 in each of the past three years at this event. He has been so consistent that he has not missed a cut since May 20, 2012 (38 events), which is the longest streak currently on the PGA Tour. Also, since the start of last season, he has been in the top-20 in 21-of-28 (75%) events. This bet provides great odds for how consistent Scott has been.

Winning Margin: Playoff (+225)
The PGA Championship has been played at Valhalla Golf Club twice (1996 and 2000) with each installment ending in a playoff. Rory McIlroy has been fantastic, and has been able to run away from the field in his past two events, but it is nearly impossible to keep up this type of run against such tough competition. Some top golfers will make a run at this major, leaving plenty of talent at the top of the leaderboard. The ending to this tourney should be very exciting and a playoff is certainly likely enough for this attempt to more than double your wager.

Will Sergio Garcia Finish in the Top 20: No (+110)
Garcia is a fantastic player to watch and he has been playing amazing golf lately with runner-up finishes in his past three starts on the PGA Tour. The problem is that he typically does not do well in majors. Besides his second-place finish at the British Open just a few weeks ago, Garcia placed in 35th at the U.S. Open and failed to make the cut at The Masters. He is probably the best current golfer without a major to his name and he has not been too close over the past three years, failing to crack the top-20 in 8-of-11 events. While Garcia is a fan favorite, his 34th place finish at Valhalla back in 2000 and poor finishes at majors recently are cause for concern.

Highest Placed Finisher in Group B?: Henrik Stenson (+300)
Unlike Garcia, Stenson has seemingly stepped up his game when he is among the best in the world under the pressure of the four golf majors. While he has yet to take home a trophy in any of these illustrious events, Stenson has finished in the top-four in three of his past five tries while placing third at the PGA Championship last year. In that same timeframe, the other top players in this group (Phil Mickelson, Keegan Bradley, Matt Kuchar, Bubba Watson) do have two major wins, but have also combined to miss the cut five times and finish outside of the top-20 another six times. Stenson is just too consistent and composed to not put up another big effort this week.

Top American?: Jim Furyk (+1200)
Furyk has been on a hot streak in majors of late, finishing in the top-14 in each of his past four tries which included a runner-up finish at this event in 2013. While there are many bigger-name picks in this group (Keegan Bradley, Rickie Fowler, Bubba Watson and Jordan Spieth), Furyk has five more career victories than those four players combined, and has 21 career top-10 finishes in his 76 starts at major events. This 44-year-old has plenty of high-level golf left in him, and it should not surprise anyone if he is the top American come Sunday afternoon.

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Top-flight pitcher struggling against this team
Justin Hartling

Homer Bailey is quietly producing another solid year in Cincinnati, but he is facing one of his worst enemies in the Cleveland Indians Thursday. Bailey and the Reds have lost their last four games against the Tribe.

During those starts, Bailey has been chased before pitching four innings twice while allowing six hits per contest.

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This umpire is sight to behold for travelling teams
Justin Hartling

Road-weary MLB teams have been taking to the field feeling a little better with Gary Cederstrom calling balls and strikes. The road team has gone 12-3 in Cederstrom's last 15 games behind home-plate.

That's good news for Boston Red Sox backers as he'll be behind the dish when they visit the St. Louis Cardinals at Busch Stadium Thursday.

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Find out which pitcher is on fire for his club
Stephen Campbell

New York Mets pitcher Jacob deGrom has come into his own his season, and as a result bettors backing the Mets are profiting in a big way. In the 26-year-old's last five outings, the Mets are a perfect 5-0.

He'll get the ball when New York visits the Washington Nationals in D.C. Thursday. BetOnline currently lists the Nats as -139 faves on the moneyline with an O/U of seven.

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Team in need of win sees helpful umpire
Justin Hartling

The Toronto Blue Jays are falling out of the American League East title picture and need a win over the Baltimore Orioles to keep pace. Luckily for the Jays, D.J. Reyburn will be behind the plate.

The Blue Jays are 5-0 in their last five games with Reyburn calling balls and strikes.