3 Dark Horse Picks for the Waste Management Phoenix Open
We're entering one of the best stretches of the PGA Tour season from now, through to the Masters in April. The always-fun Waste Management Phoenix Open is this week, the Players Championship is next month, and then we head to historic Augusta National in April.
I already gave out my full betting preview and outright picks for this week's tournament, but I always like to sprinkle in some dark horse bets for those of you who want to get aggressive and wager on a long shot.
Without further ado, here are my top 3 dark horse bets to win this week's Waste Management Phoenix Open. All odds listed are via WynnBET Sportsbook.
Long Shot Bets to Win the Waste Management Phoenix Open
Max Homa +6600
People are starting to sleep on Max Homa, and they really shouldn't. FanSided's Cody Williams agrees with me on this take, and this is what he wrote about in his own betting preview for the event:
"Frankly, this feels like Max Homa is just mispriced but, if the oddsmakers are going to put him at longshot value, who am I to not take advantage of that opportunity with a sprinkle on him to win outright? We know he has the upside to win and, even if his form hasn’t been great as of late, his ball-striking is a strength of his game. If he turns it on, he can win in a strong field such as this and I’m willing to take a look at Homa with these odds at a place where he’s finished T-6 before."
TPC Scottsdale is a ball strikers course, so it will fit Homa well. Also, let's not forget that Max won last year's Genesis Invitational which had a stacked field, so coming out on top this week certainly isn't out of the question.
Emiliano Grillo +20000
I'm getting crazy with two of my long shots this week. A smart strategy for dark horse bets as the Phoenix Open is to target golfers who are strong off the tee and with their irons, but typically struggle with their short game. As I pointed out in my betting preview, TPC Scottsdale is very forgiving when it comes to chipping and putting.
In comes Emiliano Grillo, who is one of my favorite dark horse bets several times a year because his driver and iron play is just so damn good, but he usually falls apart with his wedges and putter.
He ranks 50th in strokes gained: tee-to-green, but is 151st in strokes gained: around the green and 178th in strokes gained: putting. He's made the cut in five of his six starts at this event, and finished 22nd here last year. You won't find a better value bet at 200/1. I'll likely play him to finish in the top 20, once odds are released.
Austin Eckroat +400000
That's right, a 400/1 long shot. Let's get crazy.
Austin Eckroat doesn't have his PGA Tour card, but the Korn Ferry Tour member has received an exemption to compete for the third straight week. Why I like him at 400/1, is that has has absolutely deadly off the tee last week, and that will go a long way at TPC Scottsdale. He only has two measured rounds, but those two rounds puts him first on the PGA Tour stat sheet in strokes gained: off-the-tee, which is mighty impressive.
He was part of the 2018 national champion Oklahoma State team along with Viktor Hovland and Matthew Wolff, so the talent is there. I probably wouldn't actually recommend you taking him to win outright, but a top 20 (or top 40 bet if you can find it), is extremely intriguing.