Fortinet Championship Betting Preview

Sep 14, 2022

Rob Carr/Getty Images

Surrounded by the golden hills of Napa Valley, the 2022-2023 PGA Tour begins out west with the Fortinet Championship. One of the rising stars on Tour, California native Max Homa, returns to defend his title from last season. Played on the North course at the 1,200-acre property known as the Silverado Resort and Spa, this will be the ninth consecutive year for the resort to host this event.

The North course at Silverado is one of the shortest on Tour and features narrow tree-lined fairways, few hazards, non-penal rough, and tricky sloping greens. It is a very straightforward and scoreable course with a winning score that has averaged 17-under par since 2014.

This opening event also signals the beginning of another FedEx Cup season. Thankfully, this will be the last ever start to a PGA Tour season in the month of September. After a long stretch of incorporating a wraparound calendar schedule, the Tour will implement a January-to-August season starting in 2024. This first event features a full 156-player field with the typical cut-line after Friday’s round.

For casual observers, there will be plenty of unfamiliar names that will be competing in this event. Many Korn Ferry Tour graduates will be making their debut as full PGA Tour members. Among the new members, Justin Suh is the most familiar name as he topped the combined points list and will be fully exempt this season. While the field lacks star power, these fall events are an important week for everyone who is trying to rack up FedEx Cup points as only the top 70 golfers (instead of the typical 130) will earn their way into next year’s FedEx Cup Playoffs.

Only eight of the top 70 players in the world will tee it up at Silverado starting on Thursday. Along with Homa, the field is headlined by Hideki Matsuyama, Corey Conners, Tom Hoge, Sahith Theegala, Cameron Davis, Davis Riley, and Alex Noren. With the Presidents Cup taking place next week, the International team will be well-represented with Matsuyama, Conners, Davis, and Taylor Pendrith all playing this week.