Action Report: Bettors flock to Michael Block at Colonial

Even though the Charles Schwab Challenge is sandwiched between the PGA Championship and a Designated event at the Memorial Tournament, several top players are in the field at the historic Colonial Country Club.

Four of the top 12 players in the Official World Golf Rankings are teeing it up — Scottie Scheffler, Viktor Hovland, Jordan Spieth, and Tony Finau. But another player well down in the rankings has also caught the attention of the betting public – PGA professional Michael Block, who is playing this week on a sponsor invite after his surprising T-15 finish at the PGA Championship.

When picking a winner, past success at the event has been essential. Five of the last eight winners had posted a T-10 finish or better in the three years before winning. Bettors at the BetMGM online sportsbook seem to have noticed this trend.

As of Wednesday, four of the top five players in handle and tickets meet the criteria. The only player who doesn’t is Hovland (+1400 odds to win, down from +1600).

Hovland, who is drawing the most tickets (10.8%) and fourth-most handle (9.8%) has finished T-23 (2020) and T-21(2022) in his two previous tournament appearances but comes into the event finishing T-2 at the PGA Championship last week and T-7 at the Masters last month.

Scheffler (+400), Spieth (+1400), Collin Morikawa (+1600), and Justin Rose (+2500) are the other players generating the most action going into the event.

Scheffler lost in a playoff a year ago, Spieth is the tournament’s all-time money leader and has four straight top 10s at the event, including a win in 2016. Morikawa lost in a playoff in 2020, and Rose cruised to a three-shot win in 2018.

Spieth, who is second in tickets (8.5%) and handle (12.1%), hasn’t won since the 2022 RBC Heritage. In nine career appearances at the tournament, which is right in his backyard of Fort Worth, Texas, he has one victory, three runner-ups, and nine total finishes in the top 14.

Hovland, Spieth and Block, the star of the PGA Championship, are the three biggest pre-tournament liabilities.

At +30000 to win, Block is receiving 3.1% of the tickets on 1.8% of the handle. He also has a number of prop options available, including odds to make the cut (+225), finish inside the top 40 (+333) and inside the top 20 (+800).

Here’s a look at some of the other handle and ticket leaders ahead of the opening round in Fort Worth:

Pre-tournament Handle & Ticket Leaders

Handle (dollars wagered)

Collin Morikawa – 12.5%

Jordan Spieth – 12.1%

Scottie Scheffler – 12.1%

Viktor Hovland – 9.8%

Justin Rose – 7.7%

Tickets (bets placed)

Viktor Hovland – 10.8%

Jordan Spieth – 8.5%

Scottie Scheffler – 6.8%

Justin Rose – 6%

Collin Morikawa – 6%

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