Raymond Carlin III-USA TODAY Sports

Golf best bets: 3 outright bets to target for the RBC Canadian Open

By Jack Dougherty | Last updated 6/5/23

The 2023 U.S. Open is nearly upon us, but before the best players in the world congregate at Los Angeles Country Club for the third major championship of the season, the PGA Tour will make one last pit stop at the RBC Canadian Open. Reigning champion Rory McIlroy is the heavy betting favorite at +470 ( FanDuel) to go back-to-back up north, but I'm looking farther down the odds board for my three outright bets this week.

Sam Burns +1600

The RBC Canadian Open is a unique tournament to handicap seeing as the golf course, Oakdale Golf and Country Club in Toronto, has never hosted a PGA Tour event before. There's no course history to consider this week, so I'm targeting elite birdie-makers in what should be a low-scoring affair.

That brings us first to Sam Burns, who ranks 28th on Tour in birdie or better percentage and ninth in strokes gained: putting this season. The American finished T4 at the RBC Canadian Open in his tournament debut last year, and he's coming in with good form after a T6 and a T16 in his last two starts. I'm expecting this to turn into a putting contest on what should be an easy layout, so Burns is my favorite bet at the top of the odds board.

Sahith Theegala +2900

Speaking of birdie machines, Sahith Theegala can go low on all different types of course layouts. The talented 25-year-old ranks 10th on Tour in birdie or better percentage, and he's recorded 15 rounds of 67 or better this season. Theegala is due to secure his first PGA Tour victory soon, and this week should set up well for him as a birdie contest in a weaker field.

Adam Svensson +5000

I need to have a Canadian on the card for the RBC Canadian Open, right? Well, a Canadian hasn't won this event since Pat Fletcher in 1954, but I think Adam Svensson has a great chance to break the drought this year.

Svensson is a brilliant ball-striker who's always been held back by his putting, but he's having the best season of his career on the greens. The 29-year-old won the RSM Classic in November with a score of 19 under par, and I see this week playing out in a similar fashion.

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