Wells Fargo Championship 2023: First-Round Leader (FRL) Bets

The Wells Fargo Championship will begin Thursday, May 4, from Quail Hollow Club in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Since it is a designated event, it has a very strong field. But even before this year, a number of top players have always appeared since Quail Hollow has some prestige on the PGA Tour.

The course hosted the 2017 PGA Championship and the Presidents Cup last fall.

It is a par 71 that measures 7,538 yards. It does reward the longer hitters, but it isn’t all about distance. Historically, the best ball strikers and players who have avoided bogeys best have had the most success.

Rory McIlroy holds the course record — a 61 that he shot back in 2015 when he won by seven shots.

Who could post the best score in Thursday’s first round? Below are my first-round leader bets for the week.

Masters 2023: First-Round Leader (FRL) Bets

Rory McIlroy +1800 First-Round Leader

After missing the cut at the Masters and withdrawing from the RBC Heritage a few days later, McIlroy likely will come into this week with something to prove. Do not be surprised if he uses this to his advantage and comes out firing on Thursday. 

Having the course record in his back pocket isn’t a bad thing, either.

Justin Thomas +3300 First-Round Leader

Thomas is in a similar boat to McIlroy, going into the week with something to prove. The 30-year-old has one top-10 finish in his last six starts, and his last win was almost a full calendar year ago at the PGA Championship.  

He certainly can go low anytime he tees it up. Don’t be surprised if that is Thursday this week.

Beau Hossler +9000 First-Round Leader

While a number of players in the field have taken the last two weeks off, that hasn’t been the case for Hossler. He finished third in the team event at the Zurich Classic and then T-10 last week in Mexico. 

Hossler could use this to his advantage, especially in the first round, as most players are looking to get back into competition mode.