We have already seen a few golfers dropped from the game due to positive Covid-19 tests. Jon Rahm was initially the favourite to win the Gold Medal – opening at +400 on golf betting odds. However, Rahm, along with Bryson DeChambeau (who is having a rough go of things lately), will not be at the Tokyo Summer Games.
There are still a bunch of great PGA Tour golfers at the Summers Games – and we are expecting one of them to win the tournament and the 2021 Olympic Gold Medal in golf for their country. The last Gold Medal winner was Justin Rose in 2016. Prior to that, golf has not been an Olympic event since 1904.
The tournament runs from July 28 to July 31. So, who are the best Olympic golf betting picks to win the Gold Medal?
| To Win the Gold Medal |  |
|---|---|
| Collin Morikawa | +700 |
| Xander Schauffele | +900 |
| Justin Thomas | +1000 |
| Rory McIlroy | +1100 |
| Hideki Matsuyama | +1200 |
| Patrick Reed | +1800 |
| Paul Casey | +1800 |
More golfers available to bet at Bovada
After winning the 2021 Open Championship, many may consider Collin Morikawa, the best young golfer on the PGA Tour. He is the first player in men’s golf to win two Majors in his first appearance at them. He has eight top-10 finishes this season and won the 2020 PGA Championship.
Morikawa is arguably the best golfer in the world right now. He ranks first in Strokes Gain: Approach the Green and Strokes Gained: Tee to Green. His ability to blend accuracy and power has worked marvels for him over the last year – as well as his ability to adapt to new courses.
Morikawa had never played a links course before heading to Scotland for the Scottish Open. Four rounds at a links course gave him everything he needed to go to Royal St. George and win the 2021 British Open.
The 2020 Summer Games golf tournament is taking place at Kasumigaseki Country Club. The course features zoysia grass – similar to Bellerive Golf Course, the host of the 2018 PGA Championship. Of the golfers at the 2020 Olympics, the best result at that tournament came from Justin Thomas. Thomas finished tied for sixth place after shooting -10 for the tournament.
Thomas has been a little off his game since winning the 2021 Players Championship. He has struggled to hit the fairway, which generally would spell some disaster with the trees and rough at Kasumigaseki.
However, other than two par fives over 600 yards and one par four over 500 yards, the course does not play that long. Thomas could avoid using the driver on many holes and focus on accuracy off the tee – putting him in an excellent position to reach the green in regulation – where he ranks fifth on the PGA Tour in Strokes Gained: Approach the Green at .853.
Thomas is also one of the best young golfers of his generation, and his struggles with the drivers should eventually subside (maybe at the Olympics). We like him as the biggest challenge to Collin Morikawa taking home the Gold.
The winner of the 2021 Masters can continue his successful year when he returns home to compete in the Summer Games. Matsuyama has more experience playing in Japan than his PGA Tour counterparts – meaning he could get off to a better start than other competitors and not give up his lead.
Of course, being from Japan is not the only reason we like Matsuyama to win the Olympic Gold Medal. Matsuyama ranks in the top-20 in both Shots Gain: Approach the Green and Strokes Gained: Tee to Green (the two categories Morikawa ranks first in).
These are essential stats if you want to win the Olympic Gold – and the other reason we can see Matsuyama atop the podium after four days.
| Gold/Silver | |
|---|---|
| Collin Morikawa/Paul Casey | +6600 |
More pairings are available to bet at Bovada
The 44-year-old has been having a successful year on the PGA Tour. Paul Casey has six top-10 finishes this season and finished top-15 at three of his last four events. The reason behind his strong play is that he ranks second on the PGA Tour in strokes gained: approach the green at .907 – behind only Collin Morikawa.
Casey is also offering better value on his chances of winning the Gold Medal than the three guys listed above him, so if you want to take him to win the event, you stand to profit more.
What we like about Casey still puts him a hair behind Morikawa. We can see him pushing Morikawa – in what we think could be the pairing on the final day – but coming up a bit short and having to settle for the Silver Medal. So pair him with Morikawa to finish Gold/Silver.
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