Written by Matt Cee for @Hollywoodbets. Follow them both on Twitter and Facebook now!
The Franklin Templeton Shootout | 10 December – 13 December | Tiburon Golf Club
Things have gone quiet on the PGA Tour as the year begins to wind down but there is still a bit of golf for us punters to look forward to, and this week the unique format of the Franklin Templeton shootout looks to be offering some value. The event, which is hosted by Greg Norman, allows for players to compete in pairs and so it is one of the few occasions that we see team work coming into play on the golf course.
Since its inception the tournament has been hosted by the Gold Course of Tiburon Golf Course which measures just under 7,300 yards. In any other format the tough layout would result in difficult scoring but over the years the teams have managed to play well together, ensuring scoring has been low and the competition has been tight. Be that as it may, the tight fairways and thick rough are unforgiving so don’t be surprised when those who just don’t get going fall by the wayside. As with any tournament current form always plays a part in determining who has a chance but this week I’ll also be keeping an eye on which personalities will clash and who will work well together. So who will join the likes of Jason Day and Dustin Johnson and emerge with the win this week? Let’s have a look.
To Win Outright
Holmes / Reed: 33/10
English / Kuchar: 5/1
Johnson / Rodgers: 6/1
McDowell / Woodland: 13/2
Dufner / Snedeker: 8/1
VALUE BETS
McDowell / Woodland (13/2 a win, 12/10 a place)
I spoke about keeping an eye out for players who look like they will work well together and the first pair to catch my eye and tick that box is Graeme McDowell and Gary Woodland. In this format what one player is lacking another can make up for and although McDowell may not have the driving game to overcome some of the longer holes, Woodland should be able to step up to the plate and ensure they have a chance. Once around the greens McDowell will shine though and his accurate iron play and putting should stand this team in good stead. 13/2 looks like a lot of value so get on while you can.
Reed / Holmes (33/10 a win, 6/10 a place)
I would imagine that Reed would be a nightmare to play with and had he not played so well with Holmes in the President’s Cup, I would have written this pairing off from the get go. They did really seem to click there though and considering that they both have the long game to tame this course they are well deserved favourites. This seems to be one of those events that some will take more seriously then others and I’m almost certain that Reed will be out to win. Based on that I’ll be having a bet on these two.
English / Kuchar (5/1 a win, 9/10 a place)
Current form is generally a good indication of who will fare well in any tournament but sometimes it’s worth taking a risk and backing players who fare well in particular formats on particular courses. That’s exactly what I’m doing this week with English and Kuchar because despite the fact that both have been slightly off their game over the past month or so, these two do well together on this course. A win two years ago was almost repeated last year and I have the feeling they could enjoy one another’s company again this time around.
TOP BET
Dufner / Snedeker (8/1 a win, 14/10 a place)
The top of the betting is packed with teams who are priced up at around the same odds but of those Dufner and Snedeker seem to offer the most value. There are some players who thrive under tough conditions and others who seem to do well in more relaxed forms of the game and both Dufner and Snedeker will enjoy the atmosphere around the course this week. They are also great friends off the course and will almost certainly bring out the best in one another. At this price I can’t ignore these two and will be backing them each way to get the job done come Sunday afternoon.
