2022 Charles Schwab Challenge PGA Golf Betting Picks

This week Joe Cistaro breaks down the course and golf betting tips for the 2022 Charles Schwab Challenge. Here’s a closer look at golf odds across online sportsbooks.

After an exciting conclusion to the PGA Championship, the PGA Tour makes another stop in Texas for the Charles Schwab Challenge at Colonial Country Club.  Justin Thomas will play after winning his second PGA Championship in a playoff with Will Zalatoris.  Zalatoris will look to rebound this week as will Mito Pereira – for whom there are no words.  Hopefully, Mito can bounce back in a positive way after what must have been a tumultuous Sunday evening, to say the least.  

We will start with the odds and the field and then eventually work our way towards opening a betting card.  We need to get in the mix soon as we have been getting closer each week with nothing to show.  

2022 Charles Schwab Challenge Odds

At the time of this writing –  May 24th – you can find these odds at BetMGM Sportsbook.  The below list features all golfers priced at 50/1 or better.

Here are the recent winners at the Charles Schwab Challenge:

• 2021 – Jason Kokrak (-15)
• 2020 – Daniel Berger (-15)
• 2019 – Kevin Na (-13)
• 2018 – Justin Rose (-20)
• 2017 – Kevin Kisner (-10)
• 2016 – Chris Kirk (-12)

The Charles Schwab sponsorship began in 2019.  For one year, the tournament was called the Fort Worth Invitational (2018).  Prior, it was dubbed the Dean & DeLuca Invitational in 2016 and 2017.  

The field for the event is pretty strong considering it is preceded by a major championship.  Justin Thomas headlines the field, at the time of this writing, after capturing his second major championship.  Jordan Spieth, Scottie Scheffler, Collin Morikawa, Viktor Hovland, and Will Zalatoris are also in the mix.  Mito Pereira will make his appearance.  We will see if any of the scar tissue from hole 18 emerges.  

The field consists of 120 golfers with the top 65 and ties playing the weekend.  

2022 Charles Schwab Challenge Betting Preview

• Course: Colonial Country Club
• Date: May 26 – 29
• Par: 70
• Yardage: 7,209
• Greens: Bentgrass

Colonial Country Club in Fort Worth, Texas is the type of course that any PGA Tour pro can go on a run.  While we will dig into stats, scrolling through previous winners and players in the top 5 features a motley group of golfers with varying skill sets.  Last year, Jason Kokrak held on to win with Jordan Spieth in pursuit.  The previous year, Daniel Berger just edged out Xander Schauffele when this event reopened the tour.  

The golf course will not test a player’s length.  Instead, accuracy and hitting fairways in the proper position will be paramount this week.  Players like Kevin Na and Kevin Kisner, who can often be overmatched by the length of some courses, know that this is the type of course where their game translates.  

Approaching the greens will be vital – as it normally is – as the bentgrass greens are in the bottom ten of size on the PGA Tour.  The course can play tricky or give up plenty of scoring depending on the wind.  Over the last few years, winning scores rested between -13 and -15.  Normally, with small greens, we consider around-the-green play.  That said, if players are not attacking pins, an outright victory is very unlikely.  

The course features seven Par 4’s within the range of 400-450 yards.  As previously mentioned, the course is not very long.  A big portion of its length is captured in the Par 3 4th (247 yards) and the Par 5 11th (635 yards).  Players will struggle to reach 11 in two but will need to take advantage of the first hole.  The Par 5 1st is the only hole on the course with a birdie rate north of 30% (44.5%).  

Putting will be vital on a course where the entire field can find a way to attack greens and pins.  Over the last four years, nearly everyone in the top 10 closes with strokes gained on the green.  You don’t have to gain 10 strokes but you can’t lose strokes at this event.  

I will be targeting recent form with respect to SG: Approach, Fairways, Putting, P4 400-450, and Proximity to the flag ranging from 125 up to 175.  

Let’s start our card.  

2022 Charles Schwab Challenge Picks

Unless mentioned otherwise, all strokes gained statistics will be referenced over the player’s previous 36 rounds on the PGA Tour.

Viktor Hovland +2200 (PointsBet)

I am normally very weary of starting my card in this range.  Yet, with all of the talent on top of the board this week, I find it unlikely that someone in this range isn’t coming through.  Viktor Hovland made the cut at the PGA Championship but did not factor in over the weekend.  At this price, I am a believer. 

Hovland’s biggest struggle is his around-the-green play.  Colonial Country Club feels like a good fit for an outright victory, then.  For Viktor Hovland to win, he needs to attack pins.  He leads the field in SG: Approach over his last 36 rounds.  He is also the top gainer on Par 4’s between 400-450 yards.  The course fits one of the best ball strikers in the world.  

He is not a great putter but he also isn’t the worst.  As an outright bet, we aren’t worried about how many putts he is making from long range.  We are hoping his irons give him plenty of looks inside 10 feet.  I am going to start my card here with Vik for 1.5 units on PointsBet. 

Kevin Na +5000 (Bet365)

What do you want me to say?  I am trying to include Kevin Na as many times as I can before he leaves the tour.  I can’t help myself.  Nothing is more fun – for me – than watching Na walk in putts from 10 feet away.  

Na won the event in 2019 and as mentioned in our notes, this is a good fit for him.  Driving distance is not important.  Na can measure drives in good locations to attack pins.  His proximity from 125-150 yards and 150-175 yards is top ten in the field.  While his recent form with the putter has not been great, I don’t trust many other golfers as much as Na (hold that thought) inside 10 feet.  He is an add this week for ¾ of a unit.  

Tom Hoge +7500 (DraftKings)

Speaking of so-so putting, Hoge’s recent form with the flat stick hasn’t been great.  That said, his recent form, otherwise, has been more than suitable.  Coming off of back-to-back Top 20 performances, Hoge seems like a pretty good fit for Colonial.  

Strokes gained on approach are always our most important statistic to consider and Hoge continues to check that box.  Sitting inside the top ten in SG: Approach, Hoge rates well in our proximity ranges and with Par 4s from 400-450.  

The field is very strong but I still find this number very appealing for a winner this year in good form.  I am a buyer for a half-unit on DraftKings.  

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Kevin Kisner +10000 (BetMGM)

I mentioned earlier when talking about my favorite putter inside of 10 feet.  Well, Kevin Kisner should enter that conversation.  This isn’t a statistical fact, mind you, more of a feel.  When in need of a big putt to win a tournament, nobody makes me feel more comfortable than Kevin Kisner.  

With Kisner, we like to include him when length can’t hurt him.  He is a previous winner who is fourth in the field in strokes gained at this course.  This feels like one of the only times to bet Kisner to win a golf tournament.  I am going to jump on the opportunity for ⅜ of a unit.  

PGA Championship Betting Card

So, we have been steadily leaking since J.J. Spaun captured that surprise outright for us.  Cameron Young legitimately contended and had a very good chance of winning this tournament.  Alas, it was not meant to be.  Including our card additions posted on Twitter, we lose 10.2125 units.  About four of those units came in the form for free bets but they will still count.  Our new total leaves room for some improvement considering where we were a few months ago.  

The card starts with 3.125 units in play.  Let’s get back on the board!

2022 Profit in Units:  +64.1 units

Follow me on Twitter at @JoeCistaro  to follow along with any additions, matchups, or top finishers I add to my outright betting card.  Good luck with all of your wagers this week and thanks for reading.