DaSilva also tagged Taylor at +225 to be Top Canadian, citing the same blend of current form (T13 Sony Open) and course comfort (T12 last year) to out-duel Taylor Pendrith and the rest of the Maple Leaf contingent.

DaSilva likes Nick Taylor at +550 for a Top-10 after a T13 showing at last week’s Sony Open. Taylor grabbed a share of 12th here a year ago and has historically played his best golf in January and February, making him a solid value as the Tour heads up the West Coast.

In the Poston (-105) vs. Daniel Berger (-118) matchup, DaSilva plays Poston. Berger has teed it up just twice here in the past five years, whereas Poston makes La Quinta an annual stop and owns four straight finishes of 25th or better. Familiarity and form give Poston the edge at plus money.

DaSilva endorsed J.T. Poston at +450 for a Top-10, reminding readers that Poston’s putter catches fire in the desert. He has finished 12th, 7th and 11th the last three trips to this event, and the soft, pure Poa greens should once again suit his streaky flat stick.

For the Burns (-110) vs. Patrick Cantlay (-110) matchup, DaSilva sides with Burns. Cantlay is coming off a “disappointing 2025” while Burns brings that elite putter and a comparable course résumé. DaSilva expects Cantlay’s slow starts to continue early in the season and sees Burns’ putting upside as the difference in this coin-flip price.

DaSilva grabbed Sam Burns at +550 for a Top-5, pointing to Burns’ No. 2 strokes-gained putting mark last season—a critical edge in a shootout that routinely finishes 23-under or deeper. Burns has landed 6th here twice in the last seven years and placed 29th or better in five of those starts, giving DaSilva confidence the flat stick keeps him hunting another Sunday trophy.

DaSilva backed Nick Taylor at +225 to finish as top Canadian over Taylor Pendrith and company. Taylor’s 2026 has already started with a T-13 at the Sony Open, and he logged a T-12 in last year’s American Express, reinforcing his reputation as an early-calendar scorer.

DaSilva played Matt Fitzpatrick at +250 to be top Englishman. Fitzpatrick captured the DP World Tour Championship in November, looked sharp late in 2025, and now debuts his PGA Tour season on a set of courses that reward the precise iron play he flashed in Dubai.

In the matchup priced Poston -105 vs Daniel Berger -118, DaSilva took Poston because Berger has only teed it up here twice in the last five years, whereas Poston has finished 25th or better four straight editions and knows the full rotation inside out.

For the -110 head-to-head versus Patrick Cantlay, DaSilva sided with Sam Burns. He noted Cantlay’s disappointing 2025 campaign and the possibility of another slow start, while Burns’ elite putting should keep him in every round on these receptive greens.

DaSilva suggested Michael Kim at +320 for a top-20, citing his 6th-place finish in 2024, 43rd last year, and a tie for 31st to open 2026 at the Sony Open. Early form plus past upside make Kim a value play on a course where low scores are mandatory.

Despite two straight missed cuts in La Quinta, DaSilva took Brian Harman at +350 for a top-20 because the left-hander previously posted six top-21 finishes in seven trips. DaSilva trusts the larger sample over the recent blips and expects a course correction on a set of tracks that suit Harman’s wedge game.

DaSilva labeled Alex Smalley a high-floor top-20 play at +300. Smalley has finished 25th or better in four straight American Express appearances, capped by an 11th-place last year, giving DaSilva confidence the trend continues even in a stronger field.

DaSilva backed Nick Taylor at +550 for a top-10, pointing to Taylor’s tied-13th last week at the Sony Open and a tied-12th in last year’s American Express. Taylor historically spikes in January events, making DaSilva confident he can stay hot across the friendly scoring conditions in La Quinta.

DaSilva likes J.T. Poston at +450 for a top-10 because Poston’s putter tends to catch fire in the desert. He has finished 12th or better three straight years at this event and keeps the tournament on his annual schedule, giving him extra reps on all three courses.

DaSilva recommended Sam Burns at +550 for a top-5, noting Burns ranked among the Tour’s best putters last season and owns two sixth-place finishes in his last seven American Express starts while finishing 29th or better in five of those trips. On layouts that regularly yield 25-under winning scores, DaSilva expects Burns’ putting to separate him again.

Cameron DaSilva said Ben Griffin is worth a top-5 bet at +350 because his results in La Quinta keep getting better: 32nd in 2023, 9th in 2024, and 7th last year. DaSilva thinks another leap is realistic with scoring expected to push past −23 on the three course rotation, rewarding a player who already owns a comfort level on each layout.

Pat Fitzmaurice also punched Sami Valimaki at +14000, citing the Finn’s torrid November run—2nd at the Worldwide Technology, 18th at Bermuda and a win at the RSM. Fitzmaurice emphasized Valimaki’s top-tier putting and strong iron play while noting his one weakness, driving, is mitigated here because players can leave the big stick in the bag on most holes.

Pat Fitzmaurice grabbed Ryan Gerard at 80-1 after Gerard nearly won the Sony Open last week. The analyst believes last week’s close call proved Gerard’s ceiling and that his current form, combined with a tournament demanding relentless birdie-making, gives him real winning equity at long odds in a field top-heavy with bigger names.

Pat Fitzmaurice backed Si Woo Kim at +5000, pointing to Kim’s victory here in 2021 and three straight Top-25 finishes since. Fitzmaurice reminded listeners that the American Express is a Poa-green putting contest spread across three short courses and said Kim’s proven comfort on Pete Dye designs makes him a prime outright target despite the deeper 2026 field.

Bo McBrayer suggested sprinkling beer-money stakes on Brian Campbell at +200000 outright, +5500 Top-10 and +1900 Top-20. Although Campbell "has almost no ball-striking to speak of," McBrayer noted his short game is so sharp that he routinely piles up birdies on short, benign layouts like these three American Express courses. Campbell has burned the betting public before at monster odds, and McBrayer is willing to risk a dollar or two in case his putter heats up again.

Bo McBrayer targeted Harry Hall at +4000 (he grabbed 45-1 earlier) because Hall is, in his words, a "birdie-making machine." Hall’s strengths align perfectly with McBrayer’s heavily weighted model: birdie-or-better rate, opportunities gained and par-3 strokes gained, where Hall ranked fifth last season. On soft Poa greens with perfect weather, McBrayer believes Hall’s elite putting can separate in a tournament that historically requires −25 or lower to win.

Pat Fitzmaurice rounded out his card with Bud Cauley at +18000. Cauley posted four Top-15 finishes at this event between 2016 and 2020, including a 3rd and a 4th, and Fitzmaurice highlighted excellent strokes-gained numbers on these tracks. Fresh off a solid Sony Open, Cauley’s familiarity with the rotating Poa greens makes him a live long-shot in what Fitzmaurice calls a pure putting contest.

Bo McBrayer said Sami Valimaki is his favorite outright at +14000 and a Top-10 at +800 because the Finn ranks eighth in this field in birdie-or-better percentage on easy-scoring courses and second in strokes gained on par-3s, the only holes that can bite this week. With three short tracks, tame rough, 80-degree sunshine and virtually no wind, McBrayer expects a pure birdie fest and wants players who can attack flags all day. He admitted Valimaki is volatile but argued the forgiving setup lets him "let it rip" and capitalize on his elite scoring profile.

Tindall took a swing on Kevin Roy at 125/1 in the 12-place each-way market, pointing out that outsiders often cash in this event. Roy ranked 3rd in SG: Putting while finishing 13th at the Sony, where he co-led after 18 and 36 holes and played alongside eventual winner Chris Gotterup, giving him a front-row lesson in closing. December practice rounds produced three course-record 61s at his Florida home club, so the Sony opening 62 did not shock Tindall. Roy was 18th here last year, closing 66-66-69, and the greens-in-regulation/birdie-conversion recipe suits his streaky scoring profile. Although he opens on the tougher Stadium Course, Tindall trusts the hot putter can keep him in red numbers early and let him surge once he reaches Nicklaus and La Quinta. With proven recent form, a history of low rounds and a betting landscape that has rewarded triple-digit winners, Tindall sees Roy as a live long-shot worth a dabble.

Dave Tindall recommended Michael Kim each-way at 90/1 (1/5 odds, 8 places). Kim’s own X-thread said his chipping and putting felt the best since winning the French Open, and the numbers backed that up: 3rd in SG: Putting and 25th in Approach while finishing 31st at the Sony despite a single bad Saturday 74. Tindall notes Kim keeps form rolling once he finds it—last season he rattled off 2-13-13-6-4 finishes in consecutive starts and later produced three top-10s in five weeks, including the Open de France win. La Quinta sets up for a birdie-fest, and Kim proved he can score here with a T-6 in 2024 on rounds of 65-63-70-65. He again gets the two easy courses first, then plays the Stadium Course back-to-back on the weekend when winds are forecast to rise, mirroring Tindall’s preferred game plan. With a scorching flatstick, proven spike weeks and a comfort level in 54-hole pro-ams, Tindall views Kim as mis-priced and capable of another top-10 or better.

Dave Tindall advised backing Daniel Berger each-way at 50/1 (1/5 odds, 8 places) for The American Express. Tindall likes that Berger: • arrives off a Sunday 64 and solo 6th at the Sony Open, ranking 18th in SG: Putting and 13th in Approach there, with a sparkling 15th-best proximity from 50-125 yards—an iron window that shows up repeatedly on the three host courses. • owns rock-solid event history (12-29-39-21, 8th with one round to play last year) and thrives in slow-play pro-ams, having won Pebble Beach in 2021 and logged two other top-10s there. • draws the preferred La Quinta–Nicklaus–Stadium rotation, letting him attack the two easy tracks while winds are forecast to be calm Thursday/Friday before digging in on the tougher Stadium Course over the weekend. • meets Tindall’s profile of hot putters (four of the last five winners ranked 11th or better SG: Putting) and boxes the Hawaii tune-up trend (16 of 18 winners since 2007 played in Hawaii first). With the finger injury that hampered his 2025 playoffs behind him, Tindall believes Berger’s combination of elite wedge play, trending putter and ideal tee rota makes him live to contend in a projected 23-under birdie-fest.

Brady Kannon fired on Lee Hodges at 150-1, citing sizzling recent form and past Amex success. Hodges followed a fourth at the 2025 RSM Classic with a sixth at last week’s Sony Open, where he ranked second in the field by gaining nearly eight strokes with the putter. He has already finished third at the American Express and 11th at Houston, one of Kannon’s closest course comps. Over his last 24 rounds Hodges is gaining in GIR and Approach—two metrics Kannon prioritized because La Quinta’s tiny greens punish inaccurate irons. With the tournament often turning into a sprint to 26-under and historical precedent for long-odds winners, Kannon sees Hodges’ combination of form, putting spike, and prior desert comfort as worth a flyer.

Brady Kannon jumped on J.T. Poston at 100-1, labeling him a classic ‘course horse’ in La Quinta. Poston owns three top-12 finishes in his last four Amex starts (7th, 6th, 12th) and already proved he can win a desert birdie-fest with his 2024 victory in Las Vegas. While he skipped the Hawaii swing, Poston’s most recent form is a seventh at November’s RSM Classic, where he gained strokes across the board. His calling card remains an elite putter, and Kannon expects slower overseeded greens to magnify that edge. Given the event’s random history and the fact that half the holes measure 350-450 yards—a range where Poston ranks well above field average—Kannon sees outsized win equity in the triple-digit number.

Brady Kannon tabbed Patrick Rodgers at 92-1 after a third-place finish in Hawaii where, as he put it, ‘every club cooperated.’ Rodgers gained more than four strokes with the putter at Waialae (14th best in the field) while ranking 20th in SG: Approach and 26th in GIR over his last 24 rounds—key markers for attacking the Amex’s small targets. Kannon also likes Rodgers’ historical success on the West Coast Swing, which he attributes to the former Stanford star’s comfort in desert conditions. With scoring expected to approach 25-under and a pro-am setup that rewards players who convert par-5s, Kannon sees Rodgers’ blend of recent form and long-term birdie potential as ideal for an event that often crowns longshots.

Brady Kannon recommended Denny McCarthy at 90-1, noting that the world-class putter finally has the tee-to-green form to complement his flatstick. McCarthy owns a career-best sixth-place finish at the Amex, fourth at Corales, and 11th at Houston—three layouts Kannon cites as the closest comps to the Pete Dye Stadium Course. At last week’s Sony he ranked 16th in SG: Off-the-Tee, showing rare driver pop. Over the last 24 rounds he sits top-25 in this field on approach and top-20 on par-4 scoring from 350-450 yards, the bread-and-butter holes in La Quinta’s rotation. Combine that with greens running slower than Tour average, which amplifies McCarthy’s putting edge, and Kannon believes the Maryland native is live to grab his first victory in a tournament known for surprise champs.

Brady Kannon said Pierceson Coody is worth an outright ticket at 80-1 because his profile checks every American Express box. Coody rode a closing-round 64 to a T13 at last week’s Sony Open, and 15 of the last 17 Amex winners logged at least one Hawaiian start. Stat-wise, Coody was third on Tour in Total Driving, fourth in Greens in Regulation, and fourth in Birdie Average last season—three categories Kannon prioritizes with the pro-am setup offering little rough and slow greens. Over his last 24 measured rounds he ranks No.1 in this field on par-5 scoring and fourth on 400-450-yard par 4s, exactly where half the strokes come at La Quinta. He even gained 2.5 strokes putting at Waialae, quelling short-stick concerns. Kannon views those numbers, plus the event’s history of triple-digit winners, as a green light to fire on Coody at long odds.

Jamie Worsley labeled Matt McCarty a live long-shot at 100/1 (1 pt EW, 1/5, eight places). After a slow start to 2025, McCarty rattled off 11 top-25s in his final 20 events, including 4th at the Canadian Open and 3rd while defending the Bank of Utah title before ending the year 8th in the Australian Open. Although only 55th at last week’s Sony, the ball-striking was sharp – 11th GIR, 13th driving accuracy, 18th SG: Off-the-Tee – and putting (normally his calling card, 17th SG:P last season) was the lone culprit. He missed the cut here a year ago yet shot three red numbers, and has since posted top-20s on his first career visits to THE PLAYERS, CJ CUP Byron Nelson and Rocket Classic – all events Worsley cites as strong comps. A quick bounce-back with the flat stick could see him crash the each-way places.

Worsley recommended Kevin Yu at 60/1 (1 pt EW, 1/5, eight places), highlighting a potent blend of firepower and new-found putting. Yu closed 2025 with 11 top-25s – headlined by 3rd at the Canadian Open and 4th Myrtle Beach – and ranked 6th in driving, 14th GIR and 42nd SG: Approach. Wedge ranges pop too (39th from 150-175, 44th 125-150). Crucially, he gained strokes putting in 10 of his last 13 measured starts and ranks 26th SG: Putting over the past seven months, fueling a 13th-place birdie-or-better clip. Yu finished 3rd at this event in 2024 on pure ball-striking, then parlayed similar skill-set venues into his maiden win at Sanderson Farms later that year. Known to thrive off long layoffs – he won Sanderson after eight weeks away – the fresh start in another wedge-heavy shootout should play right into his hands.

Jamie Worsley sees massive upside in Pierceson Coody at 60/1 (1 pt EW, 1/5, eight places). The former world-No. 1 amateur ranked 4th on TOUR in birdie-or-better last year and actually led the limited starts driving category. Across 16 PGA Tour appearances he missed only four cuts and logged six top-25s, including twin 3rds at the Bank of Utah Championship and 3M Open. He also produced seven top-10s in 15 Korn Ferry outings, thriving in low-scoring multi-course events like Astara and BMW Charity. Coody shook off rust with a closing 64 to finish T-13 at last week’s Sony Open while ranking 14th off the tee. He missed the cut here in 2024 during a slump, but Worsley notes his current form and relentless scoring profile make him a perfect fit for another –25 type winning total.

Worsley advised backing Michael Thorbjornsen each-way at 40/1 (1.25 pts, 1/5 odds, eight places). After a rocky first quarter, Thorbjornsen missed only one cut in his final 16 starts of 2025 and posted 2nd at Corales, 3rd Baycurrent Classic, 4th Rocket Classic and 7th RSM Classic. He led the TOUR in GIR, ranked 7th in driving and 8th in birdie-or-better percentage. The putter, a weakness early, flipped positive in six of his last ten events. Though he missed the AmEx cut last year, he sat T-14 through 36 holes before a Stadium Course 75. Correlated top-4s at Travelers and Rocket Highlands strengthen the case, and his Stanford ties mean plenty of California reps. Worsley expects a breakout week in perfect scoring weather.

Jamie Worsley said Si Woo Kim is the best value near the top of the board at 33/1. Kim closed 2025 with seven straight top-25s (5th BMW PGA, 4th RSM Classic, 3rd Australian Open) and opened 2026 by finishing 11th at the Sony Open, where he ranked 1st tee-to-green, 1st in ball-striking, 1st in GIR and 3rd in SG: Approach. He finished last season 5th on the PGA Tour tee-to-green, and although the putter is often shaky he has gained strokes on these poa-trivialis overseeded surfaces in six of eight AmEx starts. A past champion here (2021) with four additional top-25s plus elite Pete Dye pedigree (2017 PLAYERS win, 2nd 2023 CJ CUP Byron Nelson), Worsley believes Kim can out-shine a potentially rusty Scottie Scheffler in another birdie-fest at La Quinta. He recommended 1.5 pts each-way at 1/5 odds for six places.

Ben Coley fired on Eric Cole at 250/1, noting the Palm Springs native has cashed in all three AmEx appearances with low rounds of 64, 65 and 66. Cole leads with approach and putting—he has gained over one stroke per round with his irons in four of his last five measured starts—while his previously suspect driving continues to improve. A wind-blown 73 cost him the Sony cut by one, but Coley expects a bounce-back on friendlier scoring tracks where elite ball-striking can mask modest length. Given the event’s history of surprise champions and Cole’s combination of local knowledge, fiery wedges and a putter that can catch heat, Coley sees massive upside at quarter-century odds.

Coley tipped Seamus Power each-way at 175/1 off a closing 64 at the Sony. Power owns finishes of 21-11-MC-14 at PGA West and says he reads these greens better than most. Wedges are a calling card: he ranked 10th on Tour from 50-125 yards and 19th from 125-150 in 2025. The Irishman contended at both the RSM Classic and Bermuda Championship to end last season and has not missed a PGA Tour cut since July. Coley was impressed by the quality of Power’s weekend iron play in Hawaii and believes solid driving will unlock another desert birdie barrage, giving him legitimate top-10 equity in a tournament that regularly crowns longshots.

Ben Coley placed an each-way bet on Bud Cauley at 180/1, citing the Floridian’s renaissance and stellar Dye resume. Cauley owns two top-fives and two additional top-15s in his last five AmEx starts, including a share of the 2017 lead late Sunday. He gained strokes in every category while finishing 24th at the Sony, an ideal tune-up for PGA West where precision irons outweigh raw length. Coley highlighted Cauley’s spring 2025 run contending at Sawgrass and Harbour Town plus a world-ranking climb from 182nd to 69th after battling back from multiple career-threatening injuries. With wedge proficiency, recent all-around form, and familiarity with stadium-style desert golf, Cauley profiles as exactly the triple-digit surprise this event routinely produces.

Coley advised an each-way punt on Brian Harman at 100/1, calling the price a wild overreaction to a quiet Sony opener. Harman still sits inside DataGolf’s top-50 and dominated Pete Dye venues last year: third at Harbour Town, eighth at TPC River Highlands and 25/1 co-fav at the RSM. His AmEx record is 3-3-8-11-20 with six halfway top-25s, matching the event’s front-running profile. The left-hander’s wedge play stayed above average every season since 2018 and he hoisted trophies at the Texas Open and Open Championship in 2025. With many fancied rivals lacking tournament reps, Coley expects the battle-hardened Harman to exploit receptive pins and contend deep into Sunday on courses that suit his fairway-first style.

Coley recommended Max Homa each-way at 100/1, leaning into his huge ceiling on home-state bermuda. Homa reunited with coach Mark Blackburn this winter, finished ninth in Utah to close 2025, and kept the competitive juices flowing in TGL. He led the 2019 AmEx through 54 holes and was ninth at the same point in 2018, proving he can go low across all three courses even if Sunday fades followed. Past wins at Riviera, Torrey Pines and Silverado plus strong Sawgrass form signal comfort on Pete Dye and West-Coast setups. With three career top-10s in season-openers and exemption pressure to crack upcoming Signature fields, Coley views Homa as a high-upside lottery ticket whose 80/1-plus odds ignore his proven California pedigree and elite historical wedge numbers.

Ben Coley backed Russell Henley each-way at 22/1, arguing the course rotation in Palm Springs rewards elite wedge play and early sharpness. Henley has ranked 1-3-1-8-5-5 in PGA Tour proximity from 50-125 yards since 2020 and led last Sunday’s field in strokes-gained approach. After shaking off four months of rust with a bogey-free 67 in Hawaii, he arrives match-fit while likely market threats Patrick Cantlay and Ludvig Aberg make their season debuts. Coley noted every AmEx winner for 25 years sat inside the top-25 at halfway; Henley’s accuracy off the tee should give him birdie wedges from fairway lies immediately. The Stadium Course (two of four rounds) is a Pete Dye design similar to layouts where Henley finished runner-up (TPC River Highlands) and contended (Harbour Town). If the putter cooperates, Coley believes Henley is overpriced and capable of toppling world No.1 Scottie Scheffler in this traditionally volatile shootout.

Haslbauer confirmed that Scottie Scheffler sits atop every version of his model—first in SG: Total under easy scoring, top-5 in event history, and still the premier iron player on Tour. However, Scheffler has not cracked the top-10 in his last four AmEx starts and will likely open near +500 in outright markets. The analyst recommends using Scheffler as a high-floor DFS building block, especially in cash formats, but suggests looking elsewhere for outright tickets due to limited expected value at such a short number in a high-variance event.

Haslbauer acknowledged that Sam Burns leads the field in event history—three finishes of T11 or better in the last five editions—and sits third in his statistical model, yet he is passing on Burns in the outright market. He expects sportsbooks to open Burns around 18-20/1, a number he deems far too short for a volatile pro-am that features two no-ShotLink rounds and a three-course rotation. With comparable birdie-makers available deeper on the board, Haslbauer advises fading Burns in outright betting and trimming DFS exposure to gain leverage on what is likely to be heavy ownership.

Doug Ghim lands sixth in Haslbauer’s model and "checks every box" for PGA West: elite approach numbers, proven birdie-making in easy conditions, and strong Pete Dye form. Ghim ranks top-10 in comp-course SG over the last 36 rounds and grades out above average in all ten Stadium Course key categories. With triple-digit outright prices expected and an affordable DraftKings tag, Haslbauer intends to start his card with Ghim for both outright bets and DFS exposure, believing his iron play can separate on the shot-maker-friendly Stadium Course while his putting spikes on the two resort setups.

Haslbauer plans to fire an outright on Michael Thorbjornsen, pointing out that the youngster clears every threshold he emphasized this week. Thorbjornsen ranks above field average in all ten Stadium Course correlation stats (SG: APP, birdies gained, SG: Putting L36, SG: Total in easy scoring, par-5 scoring, par-4 350-450, par-3 scoring, good drives gained, comp-course history, overall event history) and still pops in the author’s top-10 overall model while sitting north of 60/1 in early markets. On two of the easiest courses on Tour, Haslbauer expects Thorbjornsen’s elite iron play and streaky putter to produce scoreable looks and tournament-winning upside, making him a value outright and high-ceiling DFS GPP target.

John Haslbauer circled Min Woo Lee as the first name he intends to bet this week, calling him the ideal mid-tier outright and DFS play at PGA West. Although the three sub-7,200-yard layouts would seem to downplay distance, Haslbauer notes Lee’s ability to "transcend course fit": he ranks top-15 in SG: Total under easy scoring conditions and in comp-course history, owns three top-11 finishes across PGA National and TPC Sawgrass—two of Haslbauer’s closest comps—and logged a T21 in his lone AmEx appearance (2024). Fresh off five top-15s in his last six worldwide starts, Lee’s power should generate wedge looks on the two pushover tracks (Nicklaus Tournament, La Quinta) while his improved iron play keeps the card clean on the more penal Stadium Course. Haslbauer expects that blend to put the Aussie squarely in contention and is opening his outright card with him.

Matt Cradock tossed a dart at Max Greyserman at +10000. Greyserman was runner-up at the Baycurrent Classic to close 2025 and posted a T7 at The American Express last season, one of his best PGA Tour results. Cradock acknowledged the pick is ‘do-or-die’ but pointed out Greyserman’s ability to fire low numbers in La Quinta and believes the 29-year-old can ride his late-season form into another leaderboard cameo.

Matt Cradock grabbed Patrick Cantlay at +2500 despite a two-month layoff. Cantlay finished T5 here last year, 9th in 2022 and runner-up in 2021, plus he lives nearby and has had time to freshen up. Cradock noted Cantlay’s strong late-season showings at the Tour Championship and FedEx St. Jude, adding that his balanced tee-to-green profile makes him the most likely challenger to tournament favorite Scottie Scheffler.

Jonny Leighfield doubled down on Rasmus Hojgaard at +5000, calling him the prototypical AmEx winner. Leighfield cited Hojgaard’s ‘incredible’ distance, late-2025 surge with the putter on European soil and the confidence of being a Ryder Cup winner. He believes carrying that momentum to an event that routinely rewards bombers who convert birdie looks gives the 22-year-old a legitimate breakthrough chance in the U.S.