The 2024 PGA TOUR season kicks off this week in Hawaii at The Plantation Course at Kapalua in Maui. The serene track is playing as a par 73 and stretches 7,596 yards (yep, big boy golf) from the tourney tees. This event consistently boasts exciting finishes on the signature 18th, a downhill, 600+ yard risk-reward gauntlet. Tune in this weekend (or sneak a peek mid-week) to witness some serious Grip & Rip drives on Plantation’s signature hole – the site of the first 400-yard drive in TOUR history.
Justin Thomas and Rory McIlroy will be noticeably absent from the field, and the same goes for last year’s winner, Jon Rahm, who’s probably staying busy since signing with LIV shopping for an island or a Gulfstream. That LIV cash has to be burning holes in his perfectly tailored TravisMathew slacks.
The field (59 players) is smaller than the average tour event because it’s one of this season’s no-cut Signature competitions. So only the tour’s finest practitioners top our picks. Here are five bets we’ve already placed:
Win Outright
Jason Day: +4500
- Fresh off a strong 2023 and a new deal with apparel company Malbon (was formally a Nike stud/player), JD finished last season in the top 20 of the OWGR. Injury riddled no more, his game is back to top form, and remember, he’s always been able to putt the rock. We expect big things for Day in ’24, and he seems to still have the hot hand coming off a team win with Lydia Ko in the Grant Thornton played in December . This is a nice payout if it hits.
Collin Morikawa: +1200
- Last year, Jon Rahm rallied from 9 strokes down on Sunday (CRAZY TALK!) to overtake Morikawa for a two-shot victory. No doubt that one stung like a wasp in the undies and though Morikawa can’t avenge his defeat to Rahm directly, historically he plays very well in this tournament. He’s got an all-around world-class game capable of a Sunday comeback himself.
Ludvig Åberg: +1400
- The studly young Swede starts his first full season on the PGA TOUR with a recent victory as well as a handful of Top 10s. He’s got all the tools to be golf’s next star; and there’s no better way to kick off 2024 than with a victory at the first event. After reportedly spurning big money from LIV, the PGA TOUR would love nothing more than to see this kid shine.
Top 5 Finish
Scottie Scheffler: +100
- Odds makers are bullish on Scheffler winning outright (currently +550) but that seems like too little of a reward/payout for picking the winner of a golf tournament. You don’t want to completely miss on Scottie being Scottie either. Probably one of the safest Top 5s you’ll see all year.
Top 10 Finish
Tony Finau: +220
- On a course made for big-hitters, the long ball of Finau should shine all week. He also finished T7 last year. When betting with real money, it’s always good to see that your player has had some recent success. Remember, it wasn’t too long ago that he put the LIV defect rumors to rest so it’s a perfect time for him, and the PGA TOUR, to make a statement.