PGA Betting – Watney Leads Deep American Group in Transitions Championship

Nick Watney, last week’s WGC-Cadillac Championship winner, leads a deep group of Americans in this week’s Transitions Championship as a less than double-digit PGA golf odds favorite in the sports book.

Watney has been sensational so far on the PGA Tour this season.  He might even be an overlay at +500, the odds on him to be the Top American this week, but I’m looking for a bit more value in this wagering category.  Keep reading for free picks in the Top American category for this week’s Transitions Championship.

Golf:  Transitions Championship

Where:  Innsbrook, Copperhead Course, Tampa Bay, Florida
When:  March 17 thru March 20, 2011 
Par/Yardage:  par 71, 7,340 yards                       
TV:  Golf Channel, NBC

Top American

Best Bet A:  Bubba Watson +1200

Bubba is ranked fourth in birdie average and he’s going off at 7 golf betting points higher than favorite Nick Watney to just be the top Yankee this week.  He’s obviously an overlay at those odds, isn’t he? Watson finished third in the 2010 Transitions Championship.  He scored a 65 second round and a 68 fourth round.  He hit under par in both the first and third rounds last year, but it wasn’t enough for him to catch K.J. Choi and Jim Furyk.  Watson is hotter than both of those guys so far this year, however, and should be taken very seriously in the Top American category this week. 

Best Bet B:  Jonathan Byrd +1500

Byrd’s eighth place finish at last year’s Transitions Championship wasn’t bad at all.  Although JB missed the cut at both the Pebble Beach National Pro-Am and the Northern Trust Open earlier this year, he appears to have turned around his form.  After all, finishing tenth at the WGC-Cadillac Championship is a big accomplishment.  Overall, Byrd is very comfortable at Copperhead.  He’s finished in the Top 15 five times.  If he can carry over the terrific play from the WGC-Cadillac last week to this week, JB could find himself at the top of the American heap on Sunday. 

Best Underdog Bet:  Zach Johnson +3500

ZJ’s eighty-fifth place finish at the 2010 Transitions Championship was about as bad as it gets.  He’s much better than that, however, and he’s offering amazingly good golf online betting odds to be the Top American in the tournament this week.  Zach hasn’t recorded a finish better than twenty-third in 5 tournaments played this year.  That could all change because after shooting a 72 first round and a 75 second round at the WGC-Cadillac last week, ZJ shot a 68 third round and a 69 fourth round.  He’s worth a look at the odds.

Others to Consider

Nick Watney +500 – - A fourth place finish at the 2010 Transitions, a victory last week at the WGC-Cadillac and not a single finish outside of the Top 10 yet this year…need I go on?

Jim Furyk +1200 – - The defending Transitions victor might be going off at underlaid PGA golf odds in this category because so far 2011 has been a disaster with 2 missed cuts, a thirty-fifth place finish at the Northern Trust Open and a forty-ninth place finish at the WGC-Cadillac last week.

Bill Haas +1200 – - Haas has slowed down considerably since the ninth place finish at the Farmer’s Insurance Open.  He hasn’t recorded a finish better than twelfth since then.  Haas is still ranked second in the all-around giving him a shot to be the Top American on Sunday.