After its brief trip south of the border for the Mexico Open, the PGA Tour returns to the United States this week to mark the twentieth anniversary of the Wells Fargo Championship. First held in 2003, this tournament tends to attract a stronger field, especially as many top golfers are beginning to prepare for the PGA Championship later in May.
While the likes of Jon Rahm and Scottie Scheffler are sitting this one out, Rory McIlroy is back this week at a tournament that has been very productive for him in the past.
We have also had a productive week. On Sunday at the Mexico Open, we claimed an outright win at +800 (8/1) when Tony Finau lifted the trophy. It wasn’t our longest odds return, but it’s always great to land an outright pick. So let’s see if we can keep that momentum going with this Wells Fargo Championship 2023 predictions and preview article, with betting picks.
Rory McIlroy takes his place at the top of this week’s market at best industry odds of 8/1 with the online sportsbooks for stateside bettors. He is the highest ranked golfer here and the most successful player in the history of this event, so it is no surprise to see Rory at the head of the betting lines.
McIlroy secured his first PGA Tour win when he claimed this title in 2010 and he has added two more victories, in 2015 and 2021. His immediate form is the only concern with two missed cuts in his last two starts.
Behind the favorite, there are three men available at the same odds of 14/1. Patrick Cantlay, Xander Schauffele and Tony Finau are all listed at that figure and any of those three could offer a serious challenge. Finau is our most recent winner on Tour, but he doesn’t have a great record in this event. Schauffele and Cantlay both enjoyed good returns when the Presidents Cup was played on this Quail Hollow course last year.
Behind the favorites, the field is headed this week by Viktor Hovland at best odds of 20/1. The Norwegian tied for third here in his only previous attempt at the Wells Fargo Championship in 2021.
Jordan Spieth, Collin Morikawa, Matthew Fitzpatrick, Justin Thomas and Cameron Young follow with all five players available at a top price of 22/1 with some bookmakers. Young was one of three runners-up behind Max Homa last year and we suspect he will be one to watch. Spieth is attracting a lot of interest on the back of his 5-0-0 record at the Presidents Cup. All five offer options and they underline what is a strong field for the Wells Fargo this week.
Next is the defending champion: Max Homa won by two strokes in 2022 to claim his second Wells Fargo Championship title. An early pace setter in the FedEx Cup, his form has dipped slightly, but he clearly likes the event and this Quail Hollow course.
Other options from within this section might include Sungjae Im at 25/1, Jason Day at 28/1 and Sam Burns at 33/1. Jason Day is another former Wells Fargo Champion, winning the tournament by two strokes in 2018.
The longshot section is led by Rickie Fowler and Tyrrell Hatton with both golfers quoted at the same best odds of 40/1. Fowler won his first Tour title here in 2012, and he is just starting to show signs of his best form. Next is Tom Kim at 45/1 with the South Korean showing some good stats, following a respectable record of 2-3-0 at the Presidents Cup.
Other outsiders that could be considered include Shane Lowry at 55/1, Tommy Fleetwood at 60/1, Keegan Bradley at 66/1, Matt Kuchar at 80/1, Brian Harman at 80/1, Chris Kirk at 100/1 and Adam Hadwin at 125/1. Of those names, Harman won the Wells Fargo Championship in 2017, while Bradley was one of three runners-up behind Max Homa last year.
Our Preview’s 2023 Wells Fargo Championship Predictions & Picks Verdict with Course & Betting Trends
The Wells Fargo Championship returns to its regular venue this year. After hosting the Presidents Cup last season, the Quail Hollow Club in Charlotte, North Carolina is free to resume its position as the home for this tournament.
This par 70 location is one of the shortest courses on the circuit at 7,160 yards, so the power hitters may not enjoy so many advantages this time. While accuracy stats should prevail, Quail Hollow provides a good all-round test. The rough can be punishing, while pacy greens can run up to 13 on the Stimpmeter.
Rory McIlroy and Max Homa are the only two multiple winners of the Wells Fargo Championship in its 20-year history. Homa doubled up with his victory here 12 months ago, while McIlroy had completed a treble a year earlier.
In terms of picking a winner in 2023, this preview is torn between two names – Xander Schauffele and Cameron Young. Both are in good form, and have good stats coming into Thursday. Schauffele is without a win this season, but he does know what it takes to get over the line, while Young is still waiting for his first Tour victory. On that basis, we’ll side with Xander, but we can still get reasonable odds on Cameron Young in the top 10 finish betting odds. So these are our betting picks and 2023 Wells Fargo predictions for this golf preview:
- Xander Schauffele to win at best odds of +1600 (16/1) with Bovada or BetOnline.
- Top 10 Finish Picks (best odds in brackets): Schauffele (+210 BetOnline), Cameron Young (+200 BetOnline), Tommy Fleetwood (+475 BetOnline) and Brian Harman (+500 Bovada or BetOnline).
Matt Harris is a golf and soccer expert for USA Betting. His other area of specialist knowledge is cricket. He is well known in sports journalism and contributes articles to a plethora of big-name websites and media outlets. Titles that he writes or has written for include: Betfair, BetVictor, Unibet & Just Bookies.