Skip to content

PGA picks: DJ rebounds with usual Canadian Open brilliance

Streeter Lecka / Getty Images Sport / Getty

An incredibly dramatic Open Championship has come and gone and the PGA Tour returns to North America for the RBC Canadian Open at Glen Abbey this week.

The event has struggled to attract top talent with the travel involved, but this year's field is fairly strong, with five top-20 players in the world teeing it up.

Jhonattan Vegas has claimed the trophy the past two years and is back in action this year looking for a third straight win, but he's not among the picks this week.

Here's who is:

Favorite to watch (odds shorter than 25-1)

Dustin Johnson

He may have missed the cut at The Open, but the world's top-ranked player has been dynamite at Glen Abbey throughout his career. Johnson is a two-time runner-up at the venue and finished in eighth spot last year. In the last 12 rounds at the course, Johnson's scoring average is an incredible 68.58. Any course that places a premium on distance makes the 34-year-old the favorite. Despite his short price here, he's the best pick of the top players this week.

Odds to win: 13-2
Top-5 odds: 11-4

Second tier (odds 25-1 or longer)

Gary Woodland

Woodland ranks fifth on Tour in strokes gained: off-the-tee and his length should help him overpower the four par-5s around Glen Abbey. The veteran pro finished fourth at this event last season and should embrace a return to the Toronto-area track after a closing 76 saw him place 67th at The Open last week.

Odds to win: 40-1
Top-5 odds: 19-2

Long shot (odds 50-1 or longer)

Harold Varner III

Varner has been one of the hottest players on Tour as of late, with fifth and sixth-place showings, respectively, in his last two starts. The 27-year-old is one of the longer players on Tour and took advantage last year at Glen Abbey on his way to a 23rd-place finish. Given his familiarity with the course and his recent track record, 80-1 is great value for Varner.

Odds to win: 80-1
Top-5 odds: 22-1

Super long shot (odds 80-1 or longer)

Keith Mitchell

There are few players on Tour who drive the ball better than Keith Mitchell. The former Georgia standout ranks eighth in strokes gained: off-the-tee and should be able to attack Glen Abbey's par-5s with mid-to-short irons. Mitchell is also showing solid form as he comes to Canada, posting a seventh-place showing in his last start at the John Deere Classic.

Odds to win: 80-1
Top-5 odds: 22-1

Hit this bet, buy a car (odds 125-1 or longer)

Si Woo Kim

A Si Woo Kim bet is usually an all-or-nothing type of wager, as the South Korean has finished outside the top 25 in 20 of 24 events this season, while posting a win and three other top 10s in the others. He does have a top 25 at Glen Abbey from two years ago, and he seems due for a strong week on a course made for ball-strikers. At 125-1, he's worth a long-shot bet.

Odds to win: 125-1
Top-5 odds: 22-1

Last event's results

Jon Rahm: MC
Marc Leishman: 60
Thomas Pieters: T-28
Adam Scott: T-17
Dylan Frittelli: MC

Season record (28 events)

Wins: 7 (Paul Casey 25-1, Bubba Watson 50-1, Dustin Johnson 15-2, Jon Rahm 8-1, Billy Horschel/Scott Piercy 40-1, Bubba Watson 28-1, Francesco Molinari 22-1)
Top 5: 14

(Odds courtesy: Bodog)
(Photos courtesy: Getty Images)

Daily Newsletter

Get the latest trending sports news daily in your inbox