Golf: Mike Kern tees up picks for the PGA Wells Fargo Championship in Charlotte, NC – including some not named Rory McIlroy

After last week’s two-man, better-ball/alternate shot team event in New Orleans, the PGA Tour now returns to its routine for the Wells Fargo Championship in Charlotte, N.C.

Only one of my three picks (Kevin Kisner and Scott Brown, at 30-1) was even in the conversation at the Zurich Classic, so naturally we’ll try to do better this time around.

Two-time winner Rory McIlroy is the fave, at 6-1. He’s finished in the top 10 in eight of his 10 appearances here. So a decent prop bet might be to just bet him to finish in the top 10 again at even money. That looks like pretty much of a lock, except of course there is no such thing.

Did we mention that Rory holds the 72-hole record (267) and 18-hole record (61) at this event?

Next is defending champion Jason Day, who hasn’t won since then, at 10-1. He’s followed by Rickie Fowler and Justin Rose, who missed the cut at the Masters, at 12-1. Sergio Garcia and Hideki Matsuyama are 20-1, Webb Simpson and Tony Finau 22-1. Phil Mickelson, Paul Casey and Gary Woodland (who tied for second in 2015, seven behind McIlroy) are 25-1. Patrick Reed is 28-1. Henrik Stenson is 33-1. Lucas Glover is 40-1. And Sungjae Im, who’s had four top 20s in his last six starts worldwide, is 60-1. Just saying. There are others, but that’s as far as I’m taking it.

I don’t like chalk, yet it’s hard not to take McIlroy as one of my three. Especially if I’m going to take him to finish in the top 10 too. I fully expect that one to cash, so I’d put more on that than any of the straight wagers. As for my other two, I’m tempted to go with Rose just because. But I won’t, and hope I don’t regret it. Mickelson has 10 top 10s without a win here, so there’s that. And he’s had his moments this season, including a win. And I had him that week at Pebble. I just don’t think he can do it again so soon (or maybe ever). Still, you might want to try him just to finish in the top 10 as well. You’ll get a better return than Rory.

Enough speculating already. I’ll go with Tony Finau as my second choice, and fill out my trifecta with Gary Woodland. I was thinking of maybe Sungjae Im, but you can’t take all the longshots. Well can you?

Mike’s Picks:
Rory McIlroy, 6-1
Tony Finau, 22-1
Gary Woodland, 25-1
Longshot: Sungjae Im 60-1