One of the smartest plays we’ve made at GOLF.com was to go all in on Erick Lindgren as our expert prognosticator. Lindgren is a star of the professional poker circuit, with more than $10 million in career earnings. But he has proven to be a shark at golf wagering, too, having chosen four outright winners already this year in our weekly picks roundtable, among other profitable tournament bets.
That sparkling track record inspired us to strike a deal with Lindgren: Every week through the end of the 2021 season, we’re giving him a $1,000 gambling budget (just play money!). In return, he’s giving us — well, you — five best bets for that week’s event. Here’s Lindgren’s play list for the Wyndham Championship, which starts Thursday at Sedgefield Country Club in Greensboro, N.C.
(Looking to place any of these bets yourself? We teamed with BetMGM, and the online sportsbook is offering a “Bet $20 to Win $100” promotion, regardless of your wager’s outcome, as well as a “Risk-Free First Bet” up to $1,000.)
1. Hideki Matsuyama to win, risking $300 at +1,200
Aside from a mid-season Covid hiccup, Hideki has been red hot this year, and is fresh off two close calls, having lost in a bronze-medal playoff in Tokyo, and then again in a playoff last week in Memphis. He’s the cream of this week’s field and well worth a wager, Lindgren says.
2. Si Woo Kim to win, risking $250 at +4,000.
Yes, Kim made a 13 on a par-3 last week. It rattled him so badly that he knocked it to tap-in range for birdie on the next hole. Lindgren likes his confidence. He also loves Kim’s track record at Sedgefield, where, Lindgren says, “he basically shows up expecting to win.”
3. Rickie Fowler, risking $200 at +5,000
Playoff motivation is a running theme in Lindgren’s picks this week. Fowler is another guy who’s been showing signs of life. He’s also just outside the FedEx bubble, at 129th in the rankings. So, he’s got lots to play for.
4. Kevin Kisner, risking $150 at +5,000
Now in his late 30s, Kisner has been picking his spots of late. That he picked Sedgefield shows his comfort with this course, and his record backs that up. Lindgren loves the odds for a Carolina kid.
5. Francesco Molinari, risking $100 at +12,500
It’s true that Molinari hasn’t looked the same since his late meltdown in the Masters in 2019. But he remains a top-shelf talent, and Lindgren likes the fact that he’s been flashing form of late. Molinari is also 140th in the FedEx Cup standings, just outside the bubble, so he’s got extra motivation to ramp it up a gear.
