600/1 Longshot Wins PGA Tour Event, FedExCup Playoffs Tee Off Next

Posted on: August 17, 2020, 08:56h. 

Last updated on: August 17, 2020, 12:41h.

Devin O'Connor @CasinoorgDevinO Read More
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Each week on the PGA Tour, a rush of betting money comes in on the game’s top players: Brooks Koepka, Rory McIlroy, Justin Thomas, Jon Rahm, Dustin Johnson. But the stars were outplayed Sunday by Jim Herman, who entered the week ranked No. 318 in the world.

PGA Tour odds golf betting line
Jim Herman shocked the PGA Tour Sunday at the Wyndham Championship. (Image: Chris Keane/Getty)

The Westgate SuperBook in Las Vegas had Herman at 600/1 before round one of the Wyndham Championship at Sedgefield Country Club in Greensboro, North Carolina. The book says it took just one bet on him hoisting the Sam Snead Cup come Sunday evening — a $2 wager.

600/1 implies a chance of 0.17 percent. The lucky gambler who placed two singles on Herman won $1,200. Even Herman himself didn’t see this coming.

I guess whenever you win, you never really, truly expect it,” Herman said. “I mean, there’s the guys at the top. They’re expected to win every week and they should expect that. They’re that good. You know, we’re all really darn good out here. But the mental game, it beats you down.”

Herman jumps to No. 91 in the world, and with his victory, wins $1,152,000, earns a two-year exemption on the PGA Tour, and has entries into the 2021 Masters, PGA Championship, and The PLAYERS Championship.

Everyone Loves an Underdog

The above statement is especially true for golf oddsmakers. With the big money and majority of ticket slips on the headliners, a long shot winning a PGA Tour event is typically a big payday for the books.

Prior to the Wyndham, the 42-year-old Herman had made the cut just eight times in 19 starts during the 2019-20 wraparound season. His best finish was a T27 at the Sentry Tournament of Champions.

Bettors did put some action on Herman as the tournament progressed, but at much shorter odds. He was around 40/1-50/1 entering Sunday, and bettors put as little as $2 to as much as $50 on him to make a final-round charge.

Still, the books had much more liability on the household names. DraftKings reported taking a $500,000 bet on leader Si Woo Kim at +125 odds. The ticket, should Kim have won, would have paid $625,000. Instead, DraftKings made a half a million dollars.

PointsBet said it took $60,000 on Billy Horschel during Sunday’s round after the 2014 FedExCup champ took a one-shot lead through six holes. He would lose to Herman by one.

Northern Trust

The FedExCup Playoffs get underway Thursday at The Northern Trust at TPC Boston. The top 125 in the point standings will battle to advance to the second of three playoff legs, the ultimate winner of the Playoffs winning $15 million in bonus money.

DraftKings has Bryson DeChambeau as this week’s front-runner at 11/1. He’s followed by Thomas (13/1), and McIlroy and Rahm at 15/1. Xander Schauffele rounds out the top five at 17/1. Defending champion Patrick Reed is at 28/1, Koepka 35/1, and Tiger Woods 45/1.

Looking for a Herman-like longshot? DraftKings has 16 players at 600/1. Fresh off his Wyndham victory, Herman arrives at TPC Boston at 400/1.