Certain golfers feel at home at particular tournaments and courses, and that is the case this week at Muirfield Village and the Memorial for Jon Rahm and Patrick Cantlay.
The pair have combined for three wins in the last four years of the event, and Rahm likely would’ve won the 2021 event (which Cantlay won) if he didn’t have to withdraw following the third round due to testing positive for COVID-19.
Cantlay also won the 2019 event, while Rahm won in 2020.
With this in mind, it’s no surprise these two are very popular at the BetMGM online sportsbook ahead of this week’s tournament.
As of Wednesday, Cantlay (+1000 to win) has the highest handle (13.4%) on the third-most tickets (6.1%), while Rahm (+750) has the second-most handle (11.7%) on the second-most tickets (6.6%).
Rahm dominated the 2020 event as he won by three strokes, and that included a questionable two-stroke penalty in the final round. And prior to withdrawing after the third round in 2021, he was 18-under and led by six strokes.
Meanwhile, in six career appearances at Muirfield Village, he has four top-four finishes and two wins. He also seems to putt his best on fast Bentgrass greens.
Not only do these two players have the course history, but they also have played well of late.
Rahm’s 2023 success is well-documented, highlighted by four wins, including the Masters. And while Cantlay has yet to win this year, he has seven top-10 finishes, including three in his last four starts.
Viktor Hovland is another player generating a lot of action, as he’s drawing the most tickets (8.9%). Scottie Scheffler, who has the best odds to win at +600, is pulling in the third-most handle (9%).
Current Handle & Tickets
Handle
- Patrick Cantlay – 13.4%
- Jon Rahm – 11.7%
- Scottie Scheffler – 9%
- Xander Schauffele – 9%
- Viktor Hovland – 8.9%
Tickets
- Viktor Hovland – 8.9%
- Jon Rahm – 6.6%
- Patrick Cantlay – 6.1%
- Scottie Scheffler – 6%
- Jordan Spieth – 5.1%
Spieth (+4000), who is coming off a missed cut at the Charles Schwab Challenge, is pulling in the fifth-most tickets and 5% of the handle. Because of his odds, he’s the third-biggest liability.
Hovland is the largest, while Hideki Matsuyama is sandwiched in between.
Matsuyama (+4000), who won the tournament in 2014, is drawing 5% of the tickets at 6.6% of the handle.
Defending champion Billy Horschel (+9000) is only pulling in 1% of tickets and 0.5% of the handle.
