The PGA TOUR is hosting the Truist Championship at the Wissahickon Course (par 70, 7,119 yards, bentgrass greens) of the Philadelphia Cricket Club in Flourtown, Pennsylvania. This is the first time this course has hosted a PGA TOUR event and the Truist Championship is a Signature Event, meaning all of the PGA TOUR’s best players will be competing for a $20 million purse, except Scottie Scheffler, who opted to skip the Truist Championship. There will be 72 golfers competing this week and no cut.
Below, I have featured some head-to-head tournament matchup bets to consider for the Truist Championship.
Andrew Novak over Aaron Rai (-110)
Novak is in far better form than Rai right now. Novak is on the heels of a win at the Zurich Classic with J.T. Poston as his teammate, and this victory was long overdue for Novak. Before the team based event, the 30-year-old finished T-3rd at the Valero Texas Open and runner-up at the RBC Heritage, while gaining strokes across the board in both these near wins. Novak lost in a playoff to Justin Thomas at the RBC Heritage, which just like the Truist Championship, is a no-cut Signature Event that hosts all the PGA TOUR’s best players. Novak has shot under par in nine straight solo rounds and he ranks sixth in total strokes gained when we compare this field’s last 12 rounds.
Rai finished T18th at the Zurich Classic with Sahith Theegla as his partner, but prior to this team tournament, Rai had finished MC, T27th and T38th in his previous solo starts, with that latter finish coming at the RBC Heritage, which as just mentioned, is the Signature Event that Novak nearly won last month. Rai has shot even par or worse in three of his last eight rounds, and he ranks 36th in total strokes gained when analyze this field’s last 24 rounds. Novak should outperform Rai in this questionable form, possibly with ease.
Sepp Straka over Maverick McNealy (-120)
While McNealy has flashed great upside as of late with two top-three finishes in his last three starts, the veteran actually lost strokes on approach at two of these events, which is not an encouraging sign for McNealy going forward. Straka on the other hand has gained at least 3.4 strokes on approach in six straight starts. The Austrian ranks second in SG APP this season and his incredible ball striking has led to him being one of the best players on the PGA TOUR. Straka has produced nine top-25 finishes in 13 starts this season, including a win at the American Express in January.
McNealy has had a strong season, but his campaign hasn’t compared to Straka’s. McNealy has carded five top-25 finishes in 12 starts and he ranks 33rd in SG APP. Straka is simply the better player than McNealy and backing Straka to win this matchup at this reasonable -120 price is a no-brainer.
