Golf betting tips: Final-round preview and best bets for the World Wide Technology Championship
Matt Cooper returns to pick out his best final-round bets for Sunday’s action at the World Wide Technology Championship.
Golf betting tips: World Wide Technology Championship final round
1pt each way Austin Eckroat at 7/1 (General 1,2,3 1/5)
2pts David Lipsky to win his three ball at 3/1 (Paddy Power, Betfair Sportsbook)
The wind didn’t blow in round three of the World Wide Technology Championship at Tiger Woods-designed El Cardonal at Diamante and the field went low. It was a case of Lower by name and Lower by nature for Justin Lower who carded a best of the day 63 to set a clubhouse target of 16-under 200 which was equalled by Nico Echavarria (68) and Carson Young (67) by the end of play.
The trio lead Joe Highsmith, Austin Eckroat and Max Greyserman by one, and Ben Griffin and Maverick McNealy by two. With a gap of two between that last pair and the rest of the field it looks as if it is between the top eight on Sunday but with little wind forecast Lower’s assessment seems spot on: “There’s 18 holes tomorrow on a very score-able golf course,” he said. “I think the wind’s going to stay down again, so I have to go out and basically shoot probably somewhere between 5- and 9- under again. It’s just the way the scores are out here. If the wind’s down, scores are going to be low.”
Followers of Ben Coley’s pre-tournament preview are in excellent shape with Young at 70/1 and Eckroat at 45/1 onside, while Daniel Berger (also 45/1) is among the five players tucked in at 12-under heading into the final 18 holes.
Lower is still looking for his PGA Tour breakthrough at 35 and has had near-misses in the recent past. “Everyone's really good (out here) and we’re all trying to beat our brains out,” he said after his third round. “A win would mean everything.” Asked why he got so emotional with that question he added: “I work really hard in this game and I’ve been through a lot in my life (his father and younger brother were killed in a car accident on the way to collecting him from a course 29 years ago). It’s nothing sad that I’m crying. It’s just joyful. I love being out here.” He briefly ventured toward the thorny subject PGA Tour’s ongoing project of elitism. “I hate all the changes they’re making,” he said, “that’s a whole other subject I could rant about for like an hour. Seems like anytime I do something good they make a change. It just means a lot to me. I just want to see how good I can do and prove to myself that I can actually do something in this game.” There will be many hoping he gets that first win.
Echavarria broke through at PGA Tour level as a rookie last year in similar conditions to this week at the Puerto Rico Open. He struggled to back that up for a long while but he has hit a rich vein of form this Fall and after winning last time out at the ZOZO Championship he’s full of confidence but wants a change in conditions. “There’s going to be nerves, it’s normal,” he said. “I’ve been in this position luckily and I’ve gotten it done. Hopefully there’s wind because I like playing in wind. We’ll see. Maybe good golf will be enough.”
Young, another chasing a first trophy at this level, kept it simple: “It’s what I’m here for. I’m here to win and I’m excited that I’m in good position to try to do it tomorrow.” Highsmith, Greyserman, Griffin and McNealy are also winless on the PGA Tour. Greyserman, with three seconds in his last five starts, has been banging on the door most emphatically.
While so many chase the affirmation that comes with a first win, Eckroat, a maiden winner at this year’s Cognizant Classic, is after another kind of acceptance saying that a win today, “could kind of validate the win I had earlier this season. Obviously that was huge for my career. Winning twice is really special because it means you really can do it (and provide) good confidence going into next season.”
In the betting Echavarria is understandably favourite at best price 9/2, Greyserman’s hot form informs his 5/1, Young and Lower are 11/2. That Eckroat can be snapped up at a best price of 15/2 and widely at 7/1 seems a little generous. Followers of Ben will have no need to take advantage but others should bite now.
We’ll add a three ball selection in the shape of David Lipsky who some books seem to have dismissed. Betway are offering 7/2 but we’ll highlight at the more widely available 3/1.
The 36-year-old is up against McNealy and Griffin, and might be able to play with a little less on the line given he’s outside that top eight. He’s a two time winner on the DP World Tour, was second at Silverado a few weeks ago and carded a final round 64 to finish sixth in the Mexico Open at Vidanta Villarta two years ago – a similar sort of test to this week. McNealy and Griffin are no mugs but nor are they ultra dependable. Lipsky can pip them and he’s more likely to do so than the odds imply.
Posted at 0947 GMT on 10/11/24
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