The Tour Championship Championship betting preview, odds, predictions and tips

It’s the final week of the PGA Tour’s FedExCup, with an elite field of just 30 players and the race to the $18 million first prize includes the tournament’s unique starting strokes.

The Tour Championship odds

The Tour Championship betting preview

This week marks the fifth anniversary of the “Starting Strokes” era of the tournament which provides the leading performers throughout the year with an advantage.

It is, to say the least, controversial.

It’s a little bit like Manchester City making it to the FA Cup final and being told they’ve been the best team all year so get to start the game 2-0 up. Or India getting to lose 12 wickets in the Cricket World Cup instead of everyone else’s 10.

Rory McIlroy is the only man to have overcome the starting strokes. In fact, he’s won twice in such circumstances when beginning the week in fifth and sixth place.

Here is the top of this week’s leaderboard looks with starting strokes added:

• -10 Scottie Scheffler
• -8 Viktor Hovland
• -7 Rory McIlroy
• -6 Jon Rahm
• -5 Lucas Glover
• -4 Max Homa, Patrick Cantlay, Brian Harman, Wyndham Clark, Matt Fitzpatrick

The Tour Championship betting tips

Find some of the best picks for the Tour Championship.

Rory McIlroy to win

Let’s keep this simple.

As already noted, McIlroy has defied a deficit in past renewals of the championship and it’s almost as if he thrives on being the chaser.

Moreover, even before the new format, he had finished first and second on the East Lake course that hosts the event.

So he loves the test, he’s proven with this challenge and the leader Scheffler, with his errant putting, is worth taking on.

Tom Kim in the 72-hole strokeplay

Because of the peculiar format it’s definitely worth looking in this market which views the tournament as a normal event.

In other words, it ignores the starting strokes and ranks players on what they score this week.

And Korea’s Tom Kim is another golfer with excellent Donald Ross vibes.

Last season, for example, he was seventh at Detroit GC and won at Sedgefield.

In recent times, he was sixth in the Scottish Open before finishing second at the Open.

He was injured during that latter effort and, after recuperating, he got off to a swift start in the St Jude Championship (third at halfway) before finishing 24th.

Last week he carded 66-63 at the weekend when 10th which only the winner Viktor Hovland bettered.

Taylor Moore to beat Nick Taylor in round one

East Lake is a Donald Ross creation and tournament debutant Taylor Moore has a fine record on his designs.

He’s finished sixth, fifth, fourth and 22nd on them on the regular PGA Tour, 9th on the Korn Ferry Tour and made the cut in this year’s PGA Championship.

In contrast, Nick Taylor has typically struggled on Ross examinations: in nine of his 12 starts he has failed to finish better than 50th.

Moore was also fifth in the FedEx St Jude Championship just two events ago so has good form.

How to watch the Tour Championship

• Venue: East Lake GC, Atlanta, Georgia
• Date: Thursday 24th August - Sunday 27th August
• Broadcast: Full coverage on Sky Sports Golf: Thursday & Friday 5.00 pm - 11.00 pm, Saturday 6.00 pm - 12.00 pm, Sunday 5.00 pm -11.00 pm. 

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