Rafael Guillén
The Puerto Rico Open is one of the newest tournaments on the PGA Tour and is an alternative event, with many golfers who will not be there for the Arnold Palmer Invitational. However, this is still a competitive tournament that offers a lot of excitement.
It is important to highlight that there will be a new champion, as defending champion Ryan Brehm will be at the Arnold Palmer. This is a perfect opportunity for many, as it would represent their first win in a PGA event, and that brings a lot of prestige and points in the ranking and in the FedEXCup standings.
One of the characteristics of this course is that, because it is at sea level and there is a lot of wind, the drives become much more powerful. This suits the players with the most power and who are the ones who usually end up winning.
It’s not going to get the same attention that the Arnold Palmer might have, but it’s still worth watching because many of the champions of this tournament end up being PGA Tour protagonists, like Viktor Hovland who in 2020 took it and is now one of the best golfers today.
Here, at JefeBet, we present you the favorites and their odds for this tournament that will undoubtedly be quite balanced.
Predictions, Odds, and Betting Previews for the Puerto Rico PGA Tour Event to be Held on March 1-5 2023
- Where: Grand Reserve Country Club – Rio Grande, Puerto Rico
- When: Wednesday, March 1 – Sunday, March 5.
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Favorites
Nate Lashley (+1600 odds on DraftKings)
As we were saying, this is the perfect time for several golfers on the tour to win a title. In the case of the American, it would mean his second crown in 122 tournaments played. His great participation in the Genesis Open makes him the favorite on the island.
He opened with a 69, but a poor second round knocked him out of the top 10. He closed very strongly, showing that he is taking a great level and that his short game is improving a lot. In the final round of the Genesis Open alone, he shot 5 birdies and closed with a 67.
Ben Martin (+1600 odds on DraftKings)
Another one going for his second PGA championship. He has not won since 2015 when he won the Shriners Hospitals for Children Open. He has been in an excellent form in his last two tournaments and at Pebble Beach he finished in the 13th place with a spectacular first round of 66. It was thought that he might be a surprise, but he couldn’t take the pressure.
In The Honda Classic, he improved his level and finished in fifth place. It’s not that he didn’t keep up the level, but it’s just that it wasn’t enough. He shot -9 in the tournament and was throwing darts in his second round. He is very connected and arrives in Puerto Rico as one of the contenders to lift the trophy.
Brandon Harkins (+2800 quota on DraftKings)
He’s going for his first PGA Tour championship, but it’s a bit of a mystery as he’s only played one event this year. It was at Pebble Beach, but didn’t make the cut. He has always been somewhat inconsistent when playing on tour.
In addition, Harkins has been playing in the Korn Ferry Tour and has been doing very well. He finished third in the Astara Golf Championship with a very good level, with a pretty serious and consistent third and fourth round. His problem is when the level of the field rises, as he struggles to handle the pressure.
Sleeper Picks
Ryan Gerard (+3000 share on DraftKings)
With the spectacular Honda Classic he had, he is in good shape to fight the Puerto Rico Open. He finished in fourth position and shot a dream second round, which at the time put him very close to winning his first PGA championship. For the island, he arrives at a good level, and just a little more consistency could help him win it.
MJ Daffue (+3500 on DraftKings)
The South African is new to the PGA Tour, he has only played 26 tour events and has been improving a lot. This season, especially at the Honda Classic, he was more comfortable and made better decisions. He finished in 21st place with a great fourth round, where he did not make the same mistakes of the first one.
Dark Horse
Michael Kim (+3500 odds on DraftKings)
His performance at Pebble Beach drew a lot of attention, and his powerful drive is perfect for this course where the ball flies. This is exactly what affected him at the Honda Classic, where he missed the cut. The Puerto Rico Open is perfect for his second win as a professional, he just has to control his impulses.
JefeBet Prediction
With such a tight and evenly matched field, anything can happen, but based on the current level and his performance at the Honda Classic, we believe it will be Ben Martin who will take the tournament on the island to put his third championship in his trophy cabinet.
