Cameron Young is looking to become the first player for 70 years to go back-to-back at the Wyndham Championship as the PGA Tour descends on North Carolina for the final stop-off before the FedEx Cup.
It was known as the Greater Greensboro Open when Sam Snead retained his title in 1956 and bet365 reckon Young is definitely the man to beat as he seeks to emulate Slammin' Sammy at odds of +800.
The new boy wonder of the Tour, Jackson Koivun (+1600), heads a high-class field at Sedgefield Country Club though most of the big guns are keeping their powder dry for next week's first FedEx Cup event, the St Jude Championship.
Wyndham Championship Winner Predictions and Best Bets
Justin Thomas each-way 1/4 1-5 (+2800)
"Playing too much good golf lately to be having the results I have", posted Justin Thomas a few days back, hinting good things might just be incoming.
And maybe the first of those good things happens here in Sedgefield where Thomas has no great form to talk about but, as he says, he is playing well.
And in a field where the cream of the Tour is missing - a two-time major winner and former world No.1 has got to be well worth considering.
He hasn't played since The Open at Birkdale where an encouraging first three days (70-69-68) had him just outside the top 10.
However, a last-day 76 saw him drop like a stone.
But Thomas had been T4 at the PGA, T17 at the US Open with six straight top-20s before he flew over to the UK for the Scottish Open and The Open.
He hasn't played The Wyndham since finishing T12 in 2023, his best-ever performance at Sedgefield. Perhaps the break from this event, and a three-week break from all competition can serve him well.
His driving is improved this year, his short game is never in doubt and if he putts well he can be close to unstoppable.
There is a Presidents Cup place to be secured and given he is playing well he makes plenty of appeal in the outright market at +2800.
Alex Smalley each-way 1/4 1-5 (+6000)
Wake Forest graduate Cam Young dotted up last year and another hometown hero is worth popping on a shortlist.
Alex Smalley went to Wake Forest High and then Duke University and so fell in love with North Carolina that he now lives in Greensboro.
And, yes, he is a member at Sedgefield so knows the layout as well as anyone and better than most.
Bizarrely, Smalley has had three missed cuts on his last three trips here - though he has posted a 64 on the track - during the days of putting woes.
Smalley is a far better putter this year and after a fantastic spring when he had T10s at the Cadillac, PGA and Charles Schwab, he can contend once more.
Bud Cauley each-way 1/4 1-5 (+6600)
The depth of the field and absence of some clear favourites does give this year's Wyndham a wide-open feel.
Another name to lob into the mix is Bud Cauley, ranked four places higher than Smalley in the world list, yet available at bigger odds this week.
Why, is anyone's guess.
There were signs of a season to remember when he came home in seventh spot at the RBC Heritage and it's gotten better and better from then.
The big week was at Toronto in the Canadian Open where four rounds in the 60s saw him go in by two over Matt Fitzpatrick.
It was an emotional success for a man whose career was almost ended before it had begun when he was seriously injured in a car crash.
But now he looks like he belongs and winning in Canada has added any amount of self-belief to his game.
He strikes the ball beautifully and has three top-15s around Sedgefield so can outrun a big price.
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The Wyndham Championship Outright Winner odds
Cameron Young | +800 |
Jackson Koivun | +1600 |
Hideki Matsuyama | +1800 |
Ryan Gerard | +2500 |
Ben Griffin | +2800 |
Justin Thomas | +2800 |
Tom Kim | +2800 |
Aaron Rai | +3000 |
Alex Fitzpatrick | +3500 |
Harris English | +3500 |
Davis Thompson | +4000 |
Doug Ghim | +4500 |
This article was written by a partner sports writer via Spotlight Sports Group. All odds displayed on this page were correct at the time of writing and are subject to withdrawal or change at any time
