Brian Kirschner bet Harry Hall to finish better than 16.5th at –125. Hall has been ‘on a heater,’ and Kirschner trusts his elite putting to beat at least half the 30-player field. Recent ball-striking uptick plus a red-hot flat stick give Hall multiple paths to cash this placement prop.

Brian Kirschner played Hideki Matsuyama +2200 for first-round leader. Matsuyama opened last week 69-64 while ‘hitting the ball great’ before a Saturday 76 derailed his BMW chances. Kirschner thinks that stretch proved the iron play is locked in and expects Matsuyama to fire a low number in round one at East Lake.

Brian Kirschner could not fathom Ben Griffin sitting at 40-1. Griffin has finished T11, T9 and T12 in his last three starts while flashing ‘elite’ approach numbers and a reliable putter on Bermudagrass. Still vying for the final Ryder Cup spot, Griffin’s motivation is sky-high. Kirschner called the wager a ‘no-brainer’ given recent form and surface fit.

Brian Kirschner backed Sam Burns at +3000 to win, pointing to Burns’ motivation to lock down a Ryder Cup spot and his comfort on Bermudagrass greens. Burns gained 6.5 strokes off-the-tee and on approach last week at the BMW, evidence the ball-striking is peaking. He has already produced a T9 and T12 at East Lake the past two seasons, showing course fit. Kirschner expects another spike week from a player who has shown he can string strong starts together in 2025.

Brian Kirschner played Cam Young Top-10 at +225, arguing the New Yorker’s "elite length off the tee" aligns perfectly with Caves Valley’s new par-70 setup, while his current "serious prowess with the flatstick" removes the typical short-game question marks. With Young’s recent form already pointing up, Kirschner sees little reason that trend stops in a trimmed-down field fighting for Tour Championship positioning.

Brian Kirschner backed Patrick Cantlay outright at +2500, reminding readers Cantlay already "went back-to-back at the BMW" and won the 2021 edition at Caves Valley after a historic putting week. Kirschner argued this season’s "struggles have been overrated": Cantlay gained almost eight strokes on approach last week and has carried elite iron numbers all year. With the renovation tightening fairways and hardening greens, Kirschner expects Cantlay’s precise approach play plus proven course comfort to make another win entirely realistic.

Brian Kirschner bet Brian Harman Top-20 at +200. Harman gained more than 10 strokes ball-striking en route to a T10 at The Open and owns two career top-10s at Southwind. Kirschner sees the tight fairways and Bermuda greens as an ideal setup and believes Ryder Cup motivation adds extra juice.

Brian Kirschner played Harris English FRL at +4000. English won this event in 2013 and nearly did so again in 2021, leading after 54 holes before finishing one shot shy. Kirschner noted English’s stellar Open showing—beating everyone except the winner—as a sign the form is peaking at the right time.

Brian Kirschner is running it back with Chris Kirk at +10000. Kirk gained more than four strokes combined on approach and around the green en route to a T5 last week and profiles perfectly for Southwind: accurate off the tee, elite with the irons, and historically successful on Bermuda greens. Previous finishes of T6 (2016) and T16 (2023) add confidence.

Brian Kirschner grabbed Matt Fitzpatrick at +2800 on DraftKings, noting the Englishman checks every box this week. Fitzpatrick owns strong course history at Southwind, has posted back-to-back top-8 finishes (The Open and Wyndham) and is "playing well in every single facet of the game." Kirschner likes the additional motivation of the playoffs and thinks the market is sleeping on Fitzpatrick’s all-around form.

Kirschner grabbed Harman Top-20 at +200, arguing the left-hander gained over 10 strokes ball-striking on his way to a T10 at The Open and owns two career top-10s at Southwind. With Ryder Cup motivation and a course that rewards his accuracy, Kirschner believes pricing should be closer to even money.

Kirschner played English 40-1 for first-round leader, reminding readers that English earned his maiden PGA Tour win at Southwind in 2013 and finished fourth here in 2021 after opening with a share of the FRL. English recently beat everyone but the hottest golfer on earth at The Open and, according to Kirschner, appears primed to pop early again.

Kirschner returned to Kirk at 100-1 after the veteran gained over four strokes combined on approach and around the greens en route to a T5 last week. Kirk’s accuracy off the tee, elite irons on Bermuda, and prior Southwind finishes (T6 in 2016, T16 in 2023) lead Kirschner to believe the odds are mis-priced given the course fit.

Brian Kirschner grabbed Fitzpatrick at +2800 citing a perfect convergence of course history, recent finishes, and late-season motivation. Fitzpatrick has gone T8 or better in his last two starts (The Open and Wyndham), is gaining in every strokes-gained category, and owns multiple high finishes at TPC Southwind. Kirschner believes those factors make the Englishman under-the-radar outright value in a field where Scheffler’s short number inflates everyone else’s odds.

Kirschner called Chris Kirk a ‘perfect Sedgefield fit’ and grabbed him at +10000. Kirk’s game—accuracy off the tee, precise irons and comfort on Bermuda greens—matches the course demands, and he has six career PGA wins showing he can close. Recent form backs the flyer: a playoff loss at the Rocket Mortgage and a solid T14 last week. Kirschner noted Kirk plays this event annually because he knows it sets up ideally for him.

Brian Kirschner said Hideki Matsuyama is mispriced at +3300 and worth an outright ticket. Matsuyama has stacked six PGA Tour victories, including the 2021 Masters, since the start of 2021 and is coming in off a T16 at the Open Championship and a T13 at the Rocket Mortgage Classic. Kirschner pointed to elite recent iron play and noted that Matsuyama has historically excelled on tighter, accuracy-centric layouts similar to Sedgefield. Given his proven closing ability when in contention, Kirschner believes the number is simply too long.

Brian Kirschner wagered Tom Kim Top 20 at +280 after a T17 at the Scottish Open and a two-under opening round at Royal Portrush. Kirschner believes the 22-year-old is trending back toward his elite iron play and should keep the good vibes rolling in Minnesota.

Brian Kirschner took Akshay Bhatia +5500 for FRL, citing three consecutive made cuts and "elite" approach numbers. Bhatia already cashed a first-round leader ticket at last year’s Rocket Mortgage, and Kirschner is betting the Minnesota setup allows his hot ball-striking to outrun any putting concerns for a quick start.

Brian Kirschner sprinkled on Erik Van Rooyen at +9000, embracing the South African’s boom-bust profile. Van Rooyen enters off a runner-up at the Barracuda, and Kirschner trusts the confidence gained in California. He reminded readers EVR nearly won at TPC Craig Ranch earlier this season, finishing second to the world’s No. 1 player, and feels Van Rooyen can close if he sniffs the lead again.

Brian Kirschner grabbed Michael Thorbjornsen at +3500, citing a run of T4, T21 and T14 finishes that prove the Stanford product is in peak form. Kirschner highlighted Thorbjornsen’s recent "elite Off-the-Tee numbers" that should set him up to attack TPC Twin Cities’ scorable par 5s and short par 4s. With several young players earning first wins at the 3M in recent years, Kirschner believes Thorbjornsen is next in line.

Kirschner’s prop is Sam Burns Top 20 at +160. Burns lost in a playoff in Canada, led the U.S. Open after 54 holes, and landed a Top-20 at the Travelers. He owns two previous Top-20s at the Scottish Open and even fired the low round of the day at Royal Troon last year, giving Kirschner confidence in another strong links showing.

For first-round leader Kirschner is fishing with Marco Penge at +9000. The Englishman already won the Hainan Classic this season and has posted finishes of 11th, 21st and 25th in his last three DP World Tour starts. Kirschner called him one of the best drivers in the field and expects that to separate him in calm morning conditions.

Kirschner’s long-shot is Maverick McNealy at +8000. McNealy historically pops on seaside venues like Pebble and Torrey and logged a T16 here in 2022. He comes in off finishes of T5, 37th and T17 while gaining both off-the-tee and with the putter in all three starts. Kirschner believes that driver-putter combination is exactly what wins at Renaissance.

Brian Kirschner tabbed Ryan Fox at +6500 to win outright. Fox has already captured the Myrtle Beach Classic and Canadian Open this season and followed those wins with consecutive top-20 finishes at the U.S. Open and Travelers. Kirschner loves his DP World Tour links pedigree and the elite driver-putter combo that travels well to Renaissance Club.

Kirschner rounded out his card with Kevin Velo at 150-to-1 with ten-place each-way terms. Velo has popped on enough recent leaderboards for Kirschner to view the price as a clear mis-tag in a field lacking star power. While hard stats were scarce, Kirschner emphasized Velo’s consistent ball-striking run on the Korn Ferry Tour and believes the 7,000-yard par-70 sets up well for a player whose strengths lie in precise iron play rather than raw distance. The wager is small-stake, high-ceiling, but Kirschner insists Velo is live for a surprise top-10 and offers major DFS salary relief.

Brian Kirschner singled out Patrick "Fish" Fishburn as his favorite mid-tier outright at 28-to-1. Fishburn hung around the first page of the leaderboard last week and owns proven success on par-70 layouts such as Sony. Kirschner’s research shows Chick Adams’ redesigned, 7,000-yard track will yield a ton of wedges plus a handful of long-iron approaches—exactly the two distance buckets where Fishburn’s strokes-gained numbers pop. Add in strong recent form and a weaker-than-Tour average field, and Kirschner is building both his betting card and DFS cores around Fishburn’s blend of short-game touch and high-end approach play.

Brian Kirschner pushed back on the Thorbjornsen hype, saying 16-to-1 is unpalatably short for an amateur in an alt-field event. While he is a believer in the talent and would gladly root for Thor with small "support win" bets, Kirschner prefers to "spread bullets" across the board rather than tie up significant bankroll in a single sub-20-to-1 ticket. He argued that the ISCO has enough variance and unknowns—new course, weaker field—that paying a premium for the favorite offers little betting value, so he is fading Thorbjornsen in outrights and DFS cash builds.

Brian Kirschner planted a flag on Ryan Fox for both the Scottish Open and next week’s Open at Portrush. Fox is the prototypical driver-putter threat and enters with sneaky form: T20 at the U.S. Open, T20 at the Travelers, and a top-5 in Canada earlier this summer. Kirschner highlighted Fox’s history of low rounds on coastal setups and his comfort in windy conditions—‘New Zealand is basically Scotland.’ With outright odds sitting around 60-1, he sees a bet-now window before Fox inevitably becomes a trendy pick next week. Kirschner is betting the outright and sprinkling top-10 props, convinced the Kiwi can add a third worldwide win in 12 months.

Brian Kirschner argued that 30-1 is a fair outright on Ludvig Aberg even though the Swede has cooled off since winning the Genesis. Aberg was in Sunday’s final group at last year’s Scottish Open, so course fit is proven. Kirschner noted that Aberg continues to gain both off-the-tee and on approach—elite ball-striking that travels—while the recent missed cuts are mostly short-game driven. The Renaissance Club rewards driving and iron play more than scrambling, and calm weather should reduce around-the-green exposure. Kirschner trusts Aberg’s high ceiling if he sniffs the lead again and prefers betting the talent at a discounted number rather than chasing short PGA Tour favorites.

Brian Kirschner said he is comfortable fading Scottie Scheffler at the Scottish Open. Kirschner pointed out that Scheffler’s Open Championship record is the weakest of the three majors and that the Texan has almost no course history at the Renaissance Club after skipping the event last season. Kirschner stressed that Scheffler’s putting numbers plummet once he leaves the perfectly-manicured U.S. Bent-grass surfaces, and this week’s slower fescue greens will not do him any favors. He also noted the pricing angle: Scheffler is still sub-3-1 in outright markets despite traveling overseas and playing his first competitive round in two weeks. Finally, Kirschner argued that elite players rarely want to ‘peak’ the week before a major and expects Scheffler to treat this more as a tune-up than a must-win. All of those factors make Scheffler an underlay in outrights and a player to avoid in DFS cash builds.

Brian Kirschner is taking a swing at Kevin Yu at +3500 to win outright. Kirschner noted Yu already owns a PGA Tour victory (Sanderson Farms) and pairs above-average length with surprising accuracy off the tee—an ideal combo for Deere Run’s generous fairways and wedge approaches. Yu is trending with a solo 3rd and T25 in his last two starts, and Kirschner thinks his balanced tee-to-green profile is being overlooked in a weak field, giving bettors a live number for his second PGA Tour title.

Kirschner played Jake Knapp Top-20 at +320. Knapp’s a true bomber and arrives fresh after skipping both the U.S. Open and Travelers. He posted a Top-30 in Canada and finished T31 at last year’s Rocket, proving comfort with Detroit GC’s lines. Kirschner trusts that combination of raw length and extra rest to unlock a Sunday top-20.

Brian Kirschner circled Stephan Jaeger at +7500. Jaeger feasts on courses that reward frequent driver usage and already owns a 2024 win (Texas Houston Open). With finishes of T3 at Sony, T6 Mexico, T11 Houston and two prior Rocket Classic top-10s, Kirschner sees ample ceiling. Familiarity with Detroit GC plus a recent stretch of top leaderboard appearances make Jaeger his preferred longshot.

Brian Kirschner fired on Davis Thompson at +4000 as his outright. Thompson finished runner-up here last year, and Kirschner called him an elite driver tailor-made for Detroit’s bomber-friendly setup. Although 2024 has been inconsistent, Thompson flashed upside at Genesis, THE PLAYERS and the Travelers, where he gained nearly seven strokes on approach. With the irons suddenly scorching and proof he can close (2023 John Deere win), Kirschner sees Thompson ready to contend again on forgiving fairways.

Brian Kirschner recommended J.T. Poston Top-20 at +160, reminding readers that Poston finished runner-up here in 2022 and owns multiple other strong Travelers showings. Coupled with a quietly consistent 2025 campaign, Kirschner believes a top-20 in a 70-man field is the floor for a player whose accuracy and putting fit the track perfectly.

Brian Kirschner fired on Akshay Bhatia at +4500 for FRL, reminding bettors the 22-year-old finished T4 here last year and has gained on approach in three straight starts, including a massive +7 SG: Approach at the Memorial. Kirschner expects familiar greens that Bhatia putted well on in 2024 to spark another quick start.

Brian Kirschner argued Andrew Novak should not be 100-1 in a limited field, reminding bettors that Novak finished runner-up at Harbour Town, another short Pete Dye venue. With his all-around game trending and the course asking for precision over power, Kirschner believes Novak can contend and possibly break through at lofty odds.

Brian Kirschner jumped on Si Woo Kim at +5000, noting the Korean already owns a win on a TPC Pete Dye layout and gained over five strokes on approach at last week’s U.S. Open. Although his Travelers record is thin, Kirschner believes the combination of elite iron play, a shorter track, and past success on Dye courses positions Kim for his fifth PGA Tour title.

Kirschner likes Akshay Bhatia at +4500 to be Thursday’s pacesetter. The 22-year-old finished T4 here last season, has gained on approach in three straight starts (including +7 SG at the Memorial), and putted lights-out on these greens a year ago—ingredients Kirschner says are perfect for a low opening number.

Brian Kirschner targeted Si Woo Kim at +5000, citing his track record on Pete Dye layouts and a sizzling iron week at Oakmont where he gained more than five strokes on approach. Kirschner believes the shorter River Highlands layout accentuates Kim’s accuracy and predicts a "very high finish" despite modest course history.

Kirschner played DeChambeau Even Money to finish inside the Top-20 after Round 1. He argued that the U.S. Open will always reward length and nobody is longer than Bryson. With the 2024 major run (win and two other close calls) still fresh, Kirschner calls the bet "very safe" for a player likely to overpower Oakmont early.

Kirschner took Finau 70-1 for FRL. He reminded listeners that Big Tone finished T3 at last year’s U.S. Open and owns two additional Top-8s in the event. Finau has gained 5 strokes on approach at Quail Hollow and 3 more at the Memorial in his last two starts, signalling irons are heating up. Kirschner thinks that form translates to a Thursday 65-66 that could cash the ticket.

Kirschner’s other longshot is Maverick McNealy at 110-1. McNealy enters off a T5 at the Memorial—his sixth Top-10 of 2025—and is chasing a Ryder Cup berth. Kirschner noted that McNealy is one of the best putters on earth and has recently gained strokes off the tee in both distance and accuracy. He trusts Mav to decipher Oakmont’s brutal greens and sees legitimate ceiling if the ball-striking holds.

Brian Kirschner fired at Bradley 100-1 on DraftKings, pointing to a sneaky-good 2025 season that has featured a T8 at the PGA Championship and a T7 at the Memorial—two demanding driving tests comparable to Oakmont. Kirschner highlighted Bradley’s exceptional ball-striking in both events and believes the veteran’s accuracy off the tee and solid short game give him real contend-equity. If the putter stays neutral, Kirschner thinks Bradley can ride that consistency into Sunday contention.

Brian Kirschner bought Tony Finau First-Round Leader at +7000 on DraftKings. Kirschner reminded bettors Finau finished T3 at last year’s U.S. Open and owns two other top-8s in the championship. The irons are heating up again—Finau gained 5 strokes on approach at Quail Hollow and 3 at the Memorial. Kirschner believes a dialed-in iron day Thursday can vault Big Tone to the top before the putter inevitably cools later in the week.

Brian Kirschner grabbed Bryson DeChambeau Top-20 AFTER ROUND 1 at even money (+100 on DraftKings). Kirschner said the U.S. Open always tilts toward length and called DeChambeau ‘the longest in the world.’ With the 2024 champion posting elite major results all season, Kirschner feels a Thursday fast start is almost inevitable regardless of venue. The bet limits exposure to one round, leveraging Bryson’s power while avoiding potential weekend volatility.

Brian Kirschner grabbed Keegan Bradley at +10000 on DraftKings to win outright, arguing that Bradley’s 2025 consistency is being overlooked. Bradley finished T8 at the PGA Championship and T7 at the Memorial—both tight, demanding driving venues similar to Oakmont. Kirschner highlighted elite recent ball-striking in those two starts and trusts Bradley’s ability to find fairways and handle thick rough. Kirschner admitted the Ryder Cup captaincy subplot adds motivation but said the statistical profile alone makes him live at triple-digit odds.

Brian Kirschner’s favorite prop is Jake Knapp Top-40 at +120. The former Tour winner sits near the top of the driving-distance charts and has gained strokes off the tee in seven consecutive starts. Kirschner admitted Knapp’s overall form has dipped, but the 7,400-yard par-70 rewards exactly what Knapp does best: launch it long and set up short irons. In a diluted field, Kirschner views plus money for a made-cut-and-contend outcome as one of the sneakier value tickets on the board.

Brian Kirschner wagered Daniel Berger Top-20 at +130 after noting Berger has finished inside the top 20 in five of his last eight PGA Tour starts. Kirschner believes another big finish at an elevated event would bolster Berger’s Ryder Cup candidacy and likes his steady tee-to-green play to navigate Wissahickon.

Brian Kirschner backed Keegan Bradley +4000 FRL by recalling Bradley’s first-round lead at the 2022 BMW, the last time the Tour debuted a bentgrass course in the Northeast. Kirschner believes Bradley consistently elevates his game in the region and is always live to open hot.

Brian Kirschner doubled down on Harris English at +10000. He referenced English’s 2021 Travelers win, past success on northeast bentgrass and his current form—victory at Torrey Pines, 18th in Houston, 12th at Augusta. Kirschner believes English is positioned for another PGA Tour win on a soft, target-golf setup.