2023 Barbasol Championship: PGA Head-to-Head Matchups Odds & Picks

While the majority of the best players in the world have made their way overseas to prepare for next week’s Open Championship at Royal Liverpool GC, there’s an opportunity for lesser known tour pros to gain some valuable FedEx Cup points this week at the Barbasol Championship. With the playoffs just a few weeks away, and players trying to make their way into the top 70 in the standings, we can find some value in this field.

Keene Trace Golf Club in Nicholasville, Kentucky will host this event for the fifth time. Large greens and an abundance of bunkers on the 7,328 yard par 72 layout await the field so the relevant statistics to look at will be 3-putt avoidance, sand saves and approach numbers. Nearly half the field will be making their first trip around Keene Trace this week so there isn’t a lot of course history to draw from, but taking a look at recent form and the aforementioned stats should provide us with some solid selections. Let’s move on to the picks.

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2023 Barbasol Championship Bets: Head-to-Head Matchups Picks & Predictions

(Odds courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook)

Justin Lower vs. Lucas Glover

This matchup is all about the flat stick. Justin Lower is 12th on Tour in SG: Putting and 52nd in 3-Putt Avoidance. The 34-year old also has the 5th most eagles this season and is coming off an 8th place finish at the Rocket Mortgage Classic. Glover has been grinding it out on the PGA Tour for over two decades. The 2009 U.S. Open champion has seen better days, but continues to play good enough golf to hold on to his tour card year after year. The Clemson grad is in good form with top-ten finishes in his last two events. We expect his streak to stop at Keene Trace though, as the South Carolina native is 178th in SG: Putting. Getting Lower at a plus number here is too tasty to pass up.

Pick: Justin Lower over Lucas Glover (+125)

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Peter Malnati vs. Patton Kizzire

Here’s another matchup that is a mismatch on and around the green. Malnati ranks 13th in SG: Putting and 20th in Sand Saves. The 36-year old posted four rounds under 70 at the Rocket Mortgage Classic two weeks ago to finish T9 so his name could be on the first page of the leaderboard come Sunday afternoon. Kizzire on the other hand, struggles on and around the green. The Auburn alum is 111th in Sand Saves and 106th in SG: Putting. Add the fact that he’s missed three consecutive cuts and you’ve got yourself a very favorable matchup. The cherry on top is the price. Malnati at even money should be a no-brainer here.

Pick: Peter Malnati over Patton Kizzire (+100)

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Adam Long vs. Trevor Cone

Trevor Cone can hit the long ball. The 30-year old is one of the longer hitters on tour, but the rest of his game leaves a lot to be desired. The Charlotte native is 179th in 3-Putt Avoidance and 138th in Sand Saves. The majority of the Virginia Tech alum’s stats around the green, and on it, are among the bottom of the rankings. Cone has just one Top 25 finish this year, just barely at T24, so we don’t have a lot of confidence in him this week. Adam Long doesn’t exactly measure up much better against his peers, but he can putt. The New Orleans native went 283 holes without a 3-putt at one point this season! We can only dream of putting that well! Long has missed his last three cuts but when matched up against Cone, he’s worth laying the juice if you so desire.

Pick: Adam Long over Trevor Cone (-125)