Scottie Scheffler garnered worldwide headlines – and rightfully so – for his pre-tournament press conference existentialism, which was equal parts insightful and introspective.
Perhaps, though, we all missed the real headline.
During this five-minute response, he offered an example of the type of question he’ll often receive after winning.
“Hey, you won two majors this year,” he said. “How important is it for you to win the FedEx Cup playoffs?”
So, what’s the big deal? At the time, Scheffler had only won one major.
Whether he was prophetic or projecting, the game’s No. 1-ranked player appears on the verge of winning a second this year and fourth of his career. He sits at 14-under through three rounds of The Open Championship, leading by four – and, oh by the way, he’s closed out the last nine tournaments during which he’s held sole possession of the 54-hole lead.
Knowing all of that, he might actually be a bargain at -600 heading into the final round, but I’m certainly not playing that and I’m guessing you aren’t, either.
The good news is that BetMGM is offering up a “Without Scheffler” market to appease those who need a good Sunday sweat.
Matt Fitzpatrick (+350) and Rory McIlroy (+360) own the shortest odds in this market, but I’ve got three other options which each make some sense.
Tyrrell Hatton (+700)
At 8-under, just two strokes behind current runner-up Haotong Li, Hatton doesn’t need to go crazy low to cash this ticket. He’s been playing at a high level for a long time now, including a T-4 finish at last month’s U.S. Open. That was his best career result in 41 career major starts, but it wouldn’t come as a surprise if he’s able to fare a couple of notches better on Sunday. At this price, I’m willing to take a stab.
Xander Schauffele (+1200)
Good things are coming for the two-time major champion, who’s been playing catch-up all year, but appears on the verge of something close to his best golf. On Saturday, he posted a 5-under 66 and it might take a repeat of that performance to claim at least a share of second place. There are a half-dozen non-Scheffler contenders ahead of him on the board, however in solo eighth place, the defending champion could be fueled by a potential Ryder Cup singles match preview, playing in the same pairing with Hatton.
Robert MacIntyre (+3500)
Often looking frustrated during a one-birdie back-nine 35 on Saturday that led to an underwhelming 1-under 70 for the round, MacIntyre’s combination of proficiency on links courses and recent history could be the right formula to going low. Just last month, he posted a final-round 68 at Oakmont to move from T-9 to runner-up. Where does he stand right now? You guessed it: He’s T-9 once again.
British Open Golf Odds at BetMGM
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