Steve Palmer's Tour Championship Golf Tips

Steve Palmer Published: 23 Aug 23 12:54

The PGA Tour season finale has arrived – the Tour Championship from East Lake – and Racing Post golf guru Steve Palmer is here with his verdict.

Steve Palmer's Tour Championship Tips

Rory McIlroy To Win Outright @ 7/2
Tommy Fleetwood To Win Outright @ 55/1
Rory McIlroy 72 Hole Stroke Play Winner @ 11/2
Xander Schauffele Top American @ 11/1
Rickie Fowler top-10 finish @ 5/4

Odds displayed were correct at the time of writing and subject to fluctuation.

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What	The Tour Championship
Where	East Lake Golf Club, Atlanta, Georgia
When	16:26, Thursday, August 24, 2023
How to watch	bet365 Live Golf Tracker and Sky Sports Main Event and Golf
Odds	Scottie Scheffler 29/20, Rory McIlroy 7/2, Viktor Hovland 9/2, Jon Rahm 8/1, Patrick Cantlay 18/1

The FedEx Cup is on the line this week as the 30 most successful players on the PGA Tour this season gather at East Lake for the Tour Championship.

There is a $75m prize pot at East Lake, with $18m going to the FedEx Cup champion. Whoever wins the Tour Championship will lift the FedEx Cup – winner takes all – but season-long form is reflected in a handicap start.

Scottie Scheffler, who leads the FedEx Cup standings, will start the Tour Championship on 10-under-par, while Viktor Hovland, who is second in the FedEx standings, will begin the tournament on eight-under.

Rory McIlroy, third in the FedEx list, tees off this week at seven-under, with Jon Rahm a shot behind him. The staggered start continues, with five players getting their Tour Championship campaigns underway already trailing by 10 shots.

There are two main markets for punters to consider this week – the outright FedEx Cup one and the '72-hole strokeplay' one. Scottie Scheffler is 29/20 to win the FedEx Cup, but can be backed at 11/2 to shoot the lowest 72-hole total without the handicaps coming into play.

Each-way terms of a quarter the odds, the first four places are available for the Tour Championship, as well as alternative options, like a fifth the odds for the first five places, mean there are plenty of markets to look over.

Tour Championship course details

East Lake Golf Club, Atlanta, Georgia, is a 7,346-yard, par-70, with only two par-fives.

East Lake has hosted this event in 1998, 2000, 2002 and from 2004 onwards. It is long for a par-70, the fairways are difficult to find, and a SubAir drainage system means firm, fast greens are almost certain.

Sunny and calm conditions are forecast for the majority of the event, with temperatures peaking at a sweltering 37C.

East Lake set for more Rory glory

Three of the last seven Tour Championships have been won by Rory McIlroy and he could be the man to beat again this time. The 7/2 about McIlroy to win the FedEx Cup makes great appeal when you consider how well he has struck his ball in the last fortnight.

McIlroy was 10 shots behind after two holes last year, but still won the event, and his Tour Championship dominance could easily continue.

Fleetwood can charge into mix

Players who are starting the Tour Championship with a huge deficit know they have little margin for error if they want to win the FedEx Cup, but they can also perform with less early pressure than those at the front of the grid.

A freewheeling Tommy Fleetwood could be a dangerous 55/1 chance this week. He has carded some super-low rounds lately – swinging with great assurance – and can make positive strides from seven shots behind.

McIlroy tempting in all markets

Rory McIlroy can be backed at 11/2 to shoot the lowest 72-hole total this week. His East Lake record is so incredible that supporting the four-time Major champion for both the FedEx Cup and the lowest 72-hole score seems a sensible policy.

Schauffele relishes the course

Xander Schauffele, like McIlroy, is a proven East Lake performer. Schauffele won the Tour Championship in 2017 and has consistently appeared on the leaderboard in this event.

From seven shots behind, winning the FedEx Cup may be beyond the Californian, but he appeals in the top America market at 11/1. That option eliminates McIlroy, Viktor Hovland, Jon Rahm and others from the equation.

Fowler can end up on leaderboard

Rickie Fowler is tied for 11th place going into this Tour Championship – starting the event on three-under-par – so it is a surprise to find odds-against quotes about him finishing the tournament in the top 10.

Fowler, one of the stars of the year, can be backed at 5/4 for a top-10 finish.