After two weeks in the tropics, the PGA TOUR will shift back to the continental United States, as the world’s best players will compete in The American Express in Palm Springs, California. The two-week Hawaii swing produced plenty of magical moments, with Hideki Matsuyama setting a record by going 35-under at The Sentry and Nick Taylor eagling the 72nd hole to get himself into a playoff, which he went on to win.
After most of the top players in the world competed at The Sentry, the first of eight PGA TOUR Signature Events, this week’s field has a more limited selection of top talent. South Korean Sungjae Im (+1200) is the favorite at DraftKings Sportsbook, and if he were to emerge victorious, he’d be the third straight non-American winner to open the 2025 PGA TOUR season. It’ll also open up an opportunity for a pair of talented South Americans, Venezuelan veteran Jhonattan Vegas — who finished fourth at The Sentry — and Colombian up-and-comer Nicholas Echavarria, who lost to Taylor in the playoff.
Best Jhonattan Vegas Prop Bet on DraftKings Sportsbook
Jhonattan Vegas Top South American (+230)
There are only six South Americans competing in this week’s field, and of them, I only think Vegas and Echavarria have a realistic shot. Argentine Emiliano Grillo — the only other South American in the world’s Top 100 in the field — recorded just two Top-10 finishes in 2024 and missed the cut last week. Meanwhile, Vegas and Echevarria each picked up a win in 2024 and got off to a hot start this year. Of the two, Vegas is more consistent; he missed the cut in seven of his 22 events last season (31.8%), while Echevarria missed the cut in 12 of his 30 (40%).
Making birdies will be paramount in a tournament whose three courses are all among the easiest on the PGA TOUR, yielding the lowest to-par scoring average besides The Plantation Course at Kapalua. While Echevarria’s strength is bogey avoidance — he ranks 13th on TOUR so far this season, making bogey on just 6.25% of his holes — Vegas makes birdies in bunches. He recorded 30 birdies in 72 holes at The Sentry, the third-best percentage on the PGA TOUR this season. At The Sentry, a tournament where birdies were of the utmost importance, Echevarria finished just 32nd.
Approach shots are especially vital at the Pete Dye Stadium Course, where Sunday’s final round will be held. The Stadium Course ranks among the easiest on TOUR in putting difficulty, but only about average in terms of the percentage of players who find the green in regulation. Vegas is a maestro with his irons, topping the field in Strokes Gained: Approach to the Green at The Sentry, while Echevarria pairs his elite putting with merely average approach play.
The Crown Is Yours: Sign up for DraftKings and experience the ultimate host for games and betting experiences!
All odds provided by DraftKings Sportsbook, lines and odds subject to change.
I am a promoter at DraftKings and am also an avid fan and user and may sometimes play on my personal account in the games that I offer advice on. Although I have expressed my personal view on the games and strategies above, they do not necessarily reflect the view(s) of DraftKings and do not constitute a representation that any particular strategy will guarantee success. All customers should use their own skills and judgment in building lineups. I may also deploy different players and strategies than what I recommend above. I am not an employee of DraftKings and do not have access to any non-public information.
