After seeing one of the most loaded fields we’ll have all season long last week at the Genesis Invitational, the group of players teeing it up at the Honda Classic in Palm Beach Gardens, Flordia, in a few days may be underwhelming.
However, that may open the door for an underdog to come out of nowhere and steal a win.
2020 Honda Classic winner and king of the Florida swing, Sungjae Im, enters the week as the betting favorite at +1200 followed closely by local man Daniel Berger at +1500.
Let’s start the list with one of the runner-ups from last week at Riviera Country Club.
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Five sleeper picks for Genesis Invitational
Odds provided by Tipico Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds a full list.
Cameron Young (+6000)
Cameron Young hits from the eighteenth tee during the second round of the Genesis Invitational golf tournament. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports
Young has never played in the Honda Classic, however, he’s been rounding into form over the last few weeks. Aside from his T-2 finish at the Genesis Invitational, he tied for 26th at the WM Phoenix Open the previous week and signed for a T-20 at the Farmers.
Of the players in this field, over his last 12 rounds, Young is 3rd in SG: Ball-striking and 1st in SG: Off the Tee.
Russell Knox (+6000)
Russell Knox of Scotland talks with his caddie, former PGA Tour pro Willy Wilcox, while waiting to tee off on the ninth hole of the first round of the Butterfield Bermuda Championship at Port Royal Golf Course on October 28, 2021, in Southampton. (Photo by Cliff Hawkins/Getty Images)
Knox has not had success at PGA National in recent years with four of his last five appearances ending in missed cuts. However, from 2014-16 he had two top threes and a top 30.
He’s played well so far in 2022 with a T-7 at the Sony Open and three straight T-33 finishes in his last three starts.
Lucas Glover (+7000)
Lucas Glover hits his tee shot on the second hole during the final round of the Sony Open in Hawaii golf tournament at Waialae Country Club. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports
This is a man who has loved PGA National over the past several years. In his last five appearances at the Honda, Glover has four finishes of 21st or better, including a top five in 2019.
His last four starts on Tour: T-5, T-33, MC, 37. In a weaker field, he should be able to rise to the top.
Sam Ryder (+10000)
Sam Ryder hits his tee shot on the 16th hole a shot that would go in for a hole-in-one at the WM Phoenix Open at TPC Scottsdale. (Photo: Zachary BonDurant/AP Images)
Ryder missed the cut at the Farmers Insurance Open a few weeks ago but has since finished T-23 at the WM Phoenix Open and T-26 at the Genesis Invitational. Last year at the Honda, Ryder played well, eventually tying for 8th.
Michael Thompson (+8000)
Michael Thompson acknowledges the crowd after a birdie putt on the 11th green during the first round of the Farmers Insurance Open golf tournament at Torrey Pines Municipal Golf Course – North Course. (Photo: Orlando Ramirez-USA TODAY Sports)
The bearded one has been a bit inconsistent in 2022. He missed the weekend at Pebble, in Scottsdale, and earlier this year at the American Express, but has also finished T-5 at the Sony Open and T-11 at Torrey Pines.
Thompson won the Honda Classic back in 2013 and has finished T-24 or better in four of his last five appearances.
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