The App is Back! Don’t forget to download the NBC Sports EDGE app to receive real-time player news, mobile alerts and track your favorite players. Plus, now you can check out articles and player cards. Get it here!
Stop if you’ve heard this before, Jon Rahm is leading a golf tournament. Sharing the first-round honors with Sam Burns and Rory McIlroy, the Spaniard bounced back quickly. After failing to close at Liberty National on Monday, Rahm was at it again. A year removed from arguably the most dramatic playoff victory in FedEx Cup Playoff history, the world No. 1 looked right at home just outside of Baltimore, Maryland.
Getting out of the blocks fast, Rahm went four-under through his first six holes. With the first five holes at Caves Valley being extremely accessible, Rahm took advantage of the early opportunities and even picked up a stroke on the difficult par-3 6th.
Turning in five-under 31, Rahm was on in two at the par-5 12th, making birdie, before adding another at the par-4 14th, courtesy of a 35-foot birdie putt. From there, the Spaniard failed to make birdie at the par-5 16th, yet made up for it with one on the following hole.
[[ad:athena]]
Ranking just outside the top-10 in Strokes Gained: Tee-to-Green and second in the field in SG: Putting on Thursday, Rahm utilized the deadly combination to card a bogey-free 8-under 62. Sharing the first-round lead for the second consecutive week, at times it seemed as if Rahm was playing a different golf course compared to his counterparts
Following along at various moments, it amazed me how easy and stress-free he made it look. Probably a bit naïve on my end as it is nothing new for a player of his caliber. Rahm is now perfectly positioned to not only defend his BMW Championship title, but also get to No. 1 in the FedEx Cup standings ahead of the TOUR Championship.
Editor’s Note: Get an edge with our premium DFS and Betting Golf Tools that are packed with a DFS Optimizer, DFS Projections, Salary Tracker, Edge Driver, Prop Projections, Futures and much more. Gain access to both tools in our EDGE+Max tier and don’t forget to use promo code SAVE10 to get 10% off. Click here to learn more!
After taking a quick water break, one of many, I was able to catch up with McIlroy’s grouping at the ideal time. One of the furthest points from the clubhouse, I had a feeling something special could happen at the tail end of his day.
Witnessing the Northern Irishman’s birdie on the 15th from the 16th tee box, an ideal vantage point, I was immediately validated internally. A laced drive was followed with a shot I truly have no words for. Tattooed? Nuked? Piped? From just inside of 290 yards, McIlroy reached the long, up-hill par-5 in two, and converted his 12-footer for eagle.
Two pars coming home left McIlroy atop the leaderboard with Rahm and Burns. With Thursdays becoming a crux as of late, a fast start this week could be a sign of things to come. Dropping outside the top-15 in the official world golf rankings, McIlroy feels like the only big name in the sport to sputter of sorts the past two years.
Yet the trio at the top weren’t the only ones to put together strong rounds as many picked apart the soft, Tom Fazio design. Despite the sheer mass of the course, the length posed no issues for many of the world’s best. With names such as Dustin Johnson, Tony Finau, Bryson DeChambeau, and many more enjoying strong opening rounds, the pre-tournament inkling that the big boys would fare well here is off to a great start.
With thunderstorms in the forecast, Caves is likely to remain receptive, allowing players to find fairways with ease and fire at pins at will. Despite not possessing the sheer strength of their fellow competitors, solid rounds were turned in by the likes of Abraham Ancer, Harold Varner III, and Webb Simpson.
Having spoken to Ancer earlier in the week, I asked the recent PGA Tour winner what he believed would be the key to his success at Caves Valley. He replied, “I have to hit every fairway and hit my five-iron really well,” sharing a laugh, Ancer paused for a moment before adding, “Actually, it may be my four-iron.” Missing only three fairways and four greens, the Mexican came awfully close to the pre-tournament game plan and will need to continue it into the next 54-holes if he plans to keep up with the likes of Rahm and others.
Despite it being a new week, a new tournament, and even a new day, Rahm remains the tournament-favorite at PointsBet Sportsbook. At +275, Rahm sits ahead of a number of the world’s best as a memorable tournament appears to be in the making.
Updated Odds to Win (Odds Via PointsBet):
+275: Jon Rahm
+600: Rory McIlroy
+1200: Patrick Cantlay, Sam Burns
+1800: Dustin Johnson, Xander Schauffele
+2200: Sergio Garcia
+2500: Abraham Ancer, Tony Finau
+2800: Bryson DeChambeau, Justin Thomas
+3500: Cameron Smith
+4000: Daniel Berger, Sungjae Im, Paul Casey, Webb Simpson
Round 2 Plays (Odds Via PointsBet):
Cameron Champ (+182) over Shane Lowry and Tom Hoge:
Coming into the week, I loved the prospect of Champ being able to dismantle Caves Valley with his brute strength. Following him for a couple holes, I think it’s safe to say that his speed has speed. With his driver causing a rumble through the property, the three-time winner on the PGA Tour only carded a first-round score of 2-under.
Yet most of the damage took place after the opening five-holes, which all played under-par outside of the long par-3 3rd. I look for him to utilize his length tomorrow, converting two, maybe three birdie opportunities early as off-the-tee and around-the-green he was strong today. Riding a strong stretch of iron-play coming into the BMW Championship, there’s a real possibility those clubs come around in Round 2 as well.
If they do, that could spell trouble for Hoge and Lowry as they both struggled with their ball-striking. Relying heavily on his short-game is nothing new for the Irishman, but the troubles on the greens are a bit of a concern. As for Hoge, the around-the-green game isn’t likely to be present tomorrow as he has been somewhat of a Thursday warrior as of late, which should leave the door open for Champ.
PointsBet is our Official Sports Betting Partner, and we may receive compensation if you place a bet on PointsBet for the first time after clicking our links.
