3M Open: First-Round Leader Odds, Picks & Predictions

The 3M Open returns to TPC Twin Cities in Blaine, Minnesota for this week’s PGA Tour event. There isn’t much time left for golfers to improve their FedExCup ranking to 70th or better to qualify for the FedExCup playoffs, so expect a lot of aggressive play on a relatively easy course.

The par 71 track is over 7,400 yards with three par 5s, over a dozen water hazards, and rewards off-the-tee and approach ball-striking precision. We’ve seen first-round leader scores as low as 9-under-par at the 3M Open since it joined the PGA Tour rotation in 2019, including -8-under-par from 2023 winner Lee Hodges.

With such long odds, and often times unlikely golfers starting off red-hot to rise atop the leaderboard, betting on First Round Leader props is an exciting market to tackle. I’ve found three golfers who are worth sprinkling 0.10 unit wagers on ahead Round 1 on Thursday morning from TPC Twin Cities. Follow me on X at Matt_MacKay_ for more free bets and weekly analysis.

2024 3M Open Best First-Round Leader Bets

Odds courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook.

Akshay Bhatia (+3500)

Akshay Bhatia is making his debut at TPC Twin Cities this week but he’s no stranger to cashing First Round Leader props this year. Bhatia has recorded two solo First Round Leader finishes in 2024 and he’s available at a good price once again, likely due to his implosion at the British Open. This course fits Bhatia’s style much better though, and he’s the second favorite in this market behind only Tony Finau, so at 35-1, a 0.10 unit wager gives us 3.5 units. Let’s ride Bhatia once again.

Rico Hoey (+7000)

Rico Hoey is another golfer who has been riding a heater lately. The 28-year-old Filipino golfer is among the best on the PGA Tour when it comes to first round performances, ranked 10th in Round 1 scoring average. In his last three events, excluding the Barracuda Championship, Hoey has gone 69-67-64. He’s turned in other Round 1 finishes of 63 and 65 twice, so at 70-1, a 0.10 unit wager could get us seven units of profit by the end of Thursday.

Ben Silverman (+9000)

We’re wrapping it up with another strong Round 1 performer in Ben Silverman. The Canadian golfer is tied seventh for Round 1 scoring average in 2024 (69.12), hitting 66 twice in his last six events played, while staying at 67 or under in four of these outings. His only prior outing at the 3M Open, back in 2019, saw Silverman go 5-over-par, but he’s having a much better year in 2024. One more 0.10 unit sprinkle returns nine units of profit, so don’t hesitate to invest in Silverman’s fast-starting ability.

Matthew MacKay is a featured writer for BettingPros and FantasyPros. For more from Matthew, check out his archive and follow him @Matt_MacKay_.