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PGA picks: Bet on Spieth to repeat at Kapalua

John David Mercer-USA TODAY Sports

It's been a whole month since the last PGA Tour event, and while that may not seem like much, it's the longest stretch without golf on the calendar.

The 2017 portion of the 2016-17 season kicks off Thursday with the SBS Tournament of Champions in Hawaii, a tournament filled entirely with golfers who won a PGA Tour event in 2016.

The opportunity to make money betting is back as well, so let's highlight four players worth a look this weekend.

Favorite to watch (Odds less than 15/1)

Jordan Spieth

It's certainly not going out on a limb by picking the defending champion to repeat, but Spieth's game is perfect for Kapalua. Despite the length of the Plantation course, it's a track built for guys who can scramble, something nobody does better than Spieth.

Odds to win: 5/1
Top-5 odds: Even

2nd Tier (Odds more than 15/1)

Brandt Snedeker

Putting and wedge play are at a premium this week, so it'd be dumb not to include Snedeker in the picks. The Tennessee native is lethal with the flatstick, and should have no problem navigating the difficult greens in Hawaii. The 36-year-old's last three starts in this event have yielded two third-place finishes.

Odds to win: 18/1
Top-5 odds: 7/2

Long shot (Odds greater than 40/1)

Fabian Gomez

Gomez may be from Argentina, but he might want to move to Hawaii after last year's showing on the island. The 38-year-old finished sixth in last season's Tournament of Champions, and then followed that up with a win at the Sony Open at Waialae Country Club. He's certainly not the scrambler that Spieth or Snedeker are, but at 66/1 he's worth a bet.

Odds to win: 66/1
Top-5 odds: 12/1

Super long shot (Odds greater than 80/1)

Mackenzie Hughes

The last time we saw the Canadian rookie on the course, he was holding the RSM Classic trophy above his head. Not a bad finish for Hughes' fifth career tournament as a PGA professional. He hasn't played since, taking over six weeks off, but Hughes' game is well suited for Kapalua. Rookies don't tend to play well at the course, but at 100/1 he's worth a look.

Odds to win: 100/1
Top-5 odds: 20/1

Odds courtesy: Paddy Power

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