Golf best bets: 3 outright bets to target for the BMW Championship

The FedEx Cup Playoffs continue to roll on this week, as the top 50 players in the current standings will move on to the BMW Championship at Olympia Fields. Among them is 43-year-old veteran Lucas Glover, who defeated Patrick Cantlay in a playoff last week to take home his second victory in as many weeks. 

But we're not betting on a Glover three-peat. Instead, here are the three players I've already targeted with outright bets for the BMW Championship. 

Viktor Hovland (+1600 DraftKings)

The North Course at Olympia Fields will be a challenging test with its supreme length, tight fairways, and thick rough all over the course. The winning score will most likely stay in the single digits this week, so we're looking for supreme ball strikers who hit it long and straight and hit a ton of greens.

Enter Viktor Hovland.

Hovland ranks ninth on the PGA Tour this season in strokes gained: tee to green, sixth in proximity from 200-225 yards, and if he struggles to hit fairways, he ranks No. 1 in proximity from the rough. The 25-year-old enters the week in great form with a win and six top-20 finishes in his last eight starts, and he's gained more than 12 strokes with his irons over his last two events. I don't love the prices at the top of the board, but Hovland is worth a shot at 16/1.

Cameron Young (+4000 FanDuel)

Cameron Young is more of a boom-or-bust play this week. If he can't keep the driver straight, it's going to be a long week playing from the thick rough at Olympia Fields. If he can live in the short grass, though, Young can win this golf tournament.

Young ranks third on Tour in driving distance, which will be a major advantage on a course with two 600-yard par 5s and seven par 4s measuring longer than 450. The American put on a ball striking clinic at the Open Championship, and he'll be right in the mix Sunday if he puts up a similar performance in Chicago.

Tony Finau (+4000 FD)

Tony Finau has been in terrible form ever since he won the Mexico Open in April, and he's running out of time to send a final message to Ryder Cup captain Zach Johnson. He may need a win this week or next to make the team. Let's make it this week, shall we?

The biggest issue for Finau of late has been his putting, but the ball striking numbers are still impressive. He ranks sixth on Tour in strokes gained: approach and second in proximity from 200-225 yards. One top-20 finish in his last eight starts has pushed his price to 40/1 in a shortened field, and I think it's time to pounce.