PGA Tour – Tough to Look Past Golf Betting Favorite Crane as the Top American at the St. Jude Classic

Ben Crane has been en fuego lately.  The man hasn’t won a tournament but he’s finished in the top 10 in 3 straight.  He finished 4th at The Players Championship, 7th at the Byron Nelson Championship, and 4th at the Crowne Plaza Invitational.

The great finishes have made Crane the Top American to bet in the golf sportsbook according to the odds makers.  With some of the best non-U.S. players in the world ready to tee off at TPC Southwind (Rory McIlroy, Lee Westwood, Ian Poulter, etc.), the Top American betting category in the Golf sportsbook is loaded with possible wagering options.

Is Crane the best American to bet at the St. Jude Classic?

PGA Tour:  St. Jude Classic

Where:  TPC Southwind, Memphis, TN

When:  June 10th thru June 13th, 2010

TV:  Golf Channel and CBS

Best Golf Bet A:  Zach Johnson +700

Crane is the favorite at +650, but Johnson is no slouch.  If I believe that Johnson can actually win the St. Jude Classic, then I have to believe that he’s a great golf bet to beat every other American in the tournament, right?  Zach was exceptional at the Crowne Plaza Invitation shooting a 64 first round, a 66 second round, a 66 third round, and a 66 final round.  He regressed some last week at the Memorial Tournament, but he’s plenty good enough to get the job done this week.  He’s the pick at what I consider awesome golf betting odds.

Best Golf Bet B:  David Toms +800

I like Brian Gay at +750 but the odds are somewhat higher on Toms.  I’m also going to bet Gay to win.  So, my thinking is that I’ll use my bet on David Toms as the Top American as my “saver” bet.  Toms is going to do well this week at TPC Southwind.  He’s won twice on the course and finished 2nd in the 2009 St. Jude Classic.

Worst Golf Wager:  Ben Crane +650

Crane can win this tournament.  He could definitely be the Top American but can any sports gambler really make a case for Crane at +650 as opposed to Johnson at +700 or Toms at +800?  The point is that as well as Crane has been playing in the past three weeks, he still hasn’t won a tournament.  There are a lot of good American golfers in this and taking those odds on Crane just doesn’t make sense to me.

Best Underdog Golf Bet:  Paul Goydos +3000

He finished tied for 4th at TPC Southwind in 2009 and has 4 top 15 finishes in 14 starts.  Yes, his 2010 has been ridiculously bad but Goydos is going to be comfortable out there and at the golf odds, just to beat his fellow Yanks and not have to take down Westwood, Poulter, McIlroy or Villegas, Goydos is a definite long shot possibility.

Others to Consider

Brian Gay +750 – - He’s a sink or swim golfer meaning that the low golf odds might not be worth taking a shot on him, but when he’s good, oh, man, he’s good!

Heath Slocum +1000 – - He’s ranked 4th on the PGA Tour in fairways hit and finished tied for 10th at TPC Southwind in 2010.

Kevin Na +1500 – - His 22nd at the Crowne Plaza Invitational wasn’t bad.  He might be able to build on that and do very well here.

Tim Petrovic +2200 – - He finished 6th at the Texas Open and 5th at the Memorial Tournament.  He could surprise at decent golf odds this week.This week is the St. Jude Classic!  Log onto the golf sportsbook and bet the St. Jude Classic!