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Full betting preview, picks for A Military Tribute at the Greenbrier

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The 2019-20 PGA Tour season kicks off with A Military Tribute at the Greenbrier, a tournament that was skipped last year due to schedule reshuffling, to be played on The Old White TPC course.

After a two-week offseason, the West Virginia venue will host a 156-player field that includes seasoned veterans and dozens of graduates from the Korn Ferry Tour, many of whom are making their PGA Tour debuts.

Research for this week's event is more difficult than usual. Bettors can't look at reliable recent form for most players because the last regular-season PGA Tour event was the Wyndham Championship in early August. In-depth statistics aren't available for Korn Ferry Tour graduates, and course history is skewed because the Greenbrier has only been played twice since 2015.

The course

  • 7,292 yards, par 70 (plays shorter due to elevation)
  • Bentgrass greens
  • Easy-to-hit fairways
  • Can become a putting contest
  • Three par 3s over 190 yards
  • Two par 5s over 570 yards
  • Eight par 4s under 450 yards

Previous Greenbrier winners

2018: Kevin Na
2017: Xander Schauffele
2016: n/a (cancelled)
2015: Danny Lee
2014: Angel Cabrera
2013: Jonas Blixt
2012: Rory McIlroy

The favorites

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Bryson DeChambeau and Viktor Hovland headline the betting board at 12-1 and 14-1, respectively. Jason Kokrak follows closely behind at 16-1.

DeChambeau finished T-14 at the 2017 Greenbrier but stumbled slightly through the playoffs and is tough to back as the betting favorite.

Similarly, the talented Hovland could easily be the best player in the field, but his number is too short despite turning in a runner-up and T-11 showing in the Korn Ferry Tour playoffs. Hovland's odds will need to sink into the 20-1 range before considering him to win his first PGA Tour event.

Kokrak - who is also a pass - is trailed by some enticing options. Joaquin Niemann (22-1), Sungjae Im (25-1), and Byeong Hun An (28-1) all possess the skills required to win at Old White. Niemann found his elite ball-striking form late in the 2018-19 campaign and tied for fifth at the Greenbrier in 2018. Im can get red-hot with his irons and is the best putter of this trio. An was top 10 in strokes gained: tee-to-green last season and is due to break through with a victory.

The next tier

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Dropping further down the odds board, familiar names start to mix with Korn Ferry Tour graduates. Alongside Keegan Bradley (40-1) and Kevin Na (40-1) sit Scottie Scheffler (40-1) and Tom Lewis (50-1).

Scheffler dominated the Korn Ferry Tour, winning the most recent regular season and the playoff race. The former Texas Longhorn recorded a win and two top-11 results in his last three starts on the Korn Ferry Tour and should carry that form into this week. Scheffler could be a top-three player in this field, but he isn't priced as such.

Lewis won the final Korn Ferry event in convincing fashion. The 61st-ranked player in the world won by five shots after spending most of his 2018-19 campaign on the European Tour.

Robert Streb (66-1) has two runner-up showings in his last three trips to the Greenbrier and is worthy of consideration after he battled his way back to the main circuit through the Korn Ferry Tour playoffs.

The long shots

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The further down the board you go, the less information is available regarding a player's form and course history. Many of the long shots are younger players who have either barely played at the Greenbrier or are making their Tour debuts.

Kramer Hickok (80-1), Grayson Murray (100-1) and Brandon Hagy (100-1) were impressive during the Korn Ferry Tour finals. Both Hickok and Hagy finished with back-to-back top-five performances and Murray - a former winner on the PGA Tour - ended his season with a T-23, T-11, and T-7, in that order.

Even deeper, Doug Ghim (200-1), Matthew NeSmith (200-1) and Robby Shelton (250-1) are noteworthy. Ghim was the low amateur in the 2018 Masters and NeSmith and Shelton displayed winning capabilities on the Korn Ferry Tour last season.

Picks to win

Sungjae Im (25-1)

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After leading the Tour in events played in 2018-19 with 35, the ironman is back and bound to break through this fall. Im had a number of close calls during his rookie campaign, and few players in the field can get as dialed in with their approach shots as the South Korean.

Scottie Scheffler (40-1)

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Ride the hot hand with Scheffler. His number doesn't line up with his skill level and is more than double Hovland's odds. Over time, Hovland will likely have a better career than Scheffler, but there's no reason the latter should be priced at 40-1 given his domination last season.

Kramer Hickok (80-1)

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Kramer struggled on the PGA Tour for most of the 2018-19 season. However, a trip back to the Korn Ferry Tour finals appeared to ignite a spark in the 27-year-old, as he contended in his last two events. He's an accurate driver and can make a ton of birdies, which is a recipe for success at the Greenbrier.

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