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2023 Charles Schwab Challenge Head-to-Head Picks: Sam Burns/Jordan Spieth

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Now that the second major of the 2023 PGA Tour season is in the books, we turn our attention to Colonial Country Club and the Charles Schwab Challenge. The par 70, 7.209 yard layout is the Tour’s longest running co-sponsored event still held at the original venue in Fort Worth, Texas. That means there is plenty of course history for the field that we can use to find some great value when deciding who to back this week.

The weather shouldn’t be much of a factor this week, as high temperatures are expected to be in the mid-80’s with single digit winds, which is a bit unusual for this tournament, and little to no precipitation during tournament play. There is some rain expected on Wednesday, which should provide a soft layout to start the tournament before the grounds dry out over the weekend. Golfers should take advantage of the soft conditions, and fire away at pins early in the tournament.

But what type of player find success here? Tour legend Ben Hogan, who won this tournament four of the first seven years it was contested, once said about Colonial that “”A straight ball will get you in more trouble at Colonial than any course I know.” With that in mind, we’ll be looking to back players who  are known for shaping their ball flight.

At first glance there are several very tasty matchups that provide great value, but we are going to narrow that down to the best plays for Thursday’s action.

2023 Charles Schwab Challenge: Head-to-Head Picks & Predictions

(Odds courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook)

Sam Burns over Jordan Spieth (+110)

This is a really intriguing matchup. Spieth, a Texas native, loves this course and this event. Burns is the defending champion. Spieth has finished in the Top 10 in eight of his ten appearances at Colonial. You might be asking yourself, “Why would anyone back the other side here?”. The answer is simple. Spieth jammed his wrist two weeks ago. He gutted it out at the PGA Championship last week, but made the cut on the number and was never a factor over the weekend. He’s going to test out the wrist during Wednesday’s Pro-Am. If he feels good, he’ll tee it up Thursday. Burns on the other hand, is healthy. The Louisiana native was lights out in the month of April, but has struggles since the calendar turned to May. His ability to shape the ball off the tee has served him well at Colonial though. This is the perfect spot for the 26 year-old to rediscover success. A healthy defending champ in Burns against a less than healthy Spieth at a plus number is too tasty to pass up.

More 2023 Charles Schwab Challenge Betting Advice

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