2024 Charles Schwab Challenge Best 72-Hole Matchup Bet (Back Aaron Rai)
The 2024 Charles Schwab Challenge, a highly anticipated event, is just one day away. This annual tournament, held at the prestigious Colonial Country Club in Fort Worth, Texas, is steeped in history.
The excitement is palpable with a lineup of top players returning to the field this weekend. While it may not match the thrill of last weekend's PGA Championship, where Xander Schauffele claimed his first major championship and Scottie Scheffler made headlines, the Charles Schwab Challenge promises its unique brand of excitement.
But with all of that behind us, it is time to look forward and talk about a 72-hole matchup for this weekend's PGA Tour event.
The Colonial Country Club, a golfing gem renowned for its tight fairways and small greens, presents a unique challenge to players. It's one of the most demanding courses off the tee, requiring precision ball striking. This makes it a true test of skill, where sheer distance alone cannot prevail.
The course's distinct characteristics will keep the players and spectators on their toes, adding an element of intrigue to the game.
With that being said, the theme of the week was targeting excellent ball-strikers in matchups against guys who struggle with ball-striking consistency. I found one bet that fits that philosophy, and now, let's dive into the analysis of Aaron Rai, a player who has my full attention this week.
Aaron Rai (-125) vs. Taylor Moore
Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook.
While Rai doesn't have the distance to compete on some courses played on the PGA Tour, when you get him on a course where distance doesn't matter, this guy can compete with anyone, as he has some of the best ball-striking numbers on the tour.
Over the last 12 months of golfers in this field, Rai ranks No. 4 in strokes gained on approach, No. 4 in good drive percentage and No. 3 in driving accuracy.
Looking more recently, over the last three months, Rai ranks No.5 in strokes gained approach, No. 3 in greens in regulation percentage, and No. 3 in good drive percentage of golfers playing in the Charles Schwab.
In addition to Rai's consistent ball striking, he has finished inside the top 40 in three straight starts and seven of his last 10 starts on tour while boasting a T12 finish at this event last year.
As for Moore, he is coming off of a T12 finish at the PGA Championship, but this course doesn't fit his game. He has missed the cut in two straight years at this event, performing 2.38 strokes per round above expectation at Colonial over the last two years.
Over the last year, Moore has struggled to strike the ball consistently, ranking outside the top 70 in the field in strokes gained on approach and greens in regulation percentage over the last months and in the previous three months.
In addition, Moore ranks outside the top 90 golfers in the field in driving accuracy and good drive percentage over the last year. Moore's only saving grace here could be a hot putter, but I will ride with Rai, who should be putting himself in much better spots this weekend.
Game odds refresh and are subject to change.