2020 Safeway Open: Sobel’s Top 4 Plays Ahead of Round 4 (Sunday, Sept. 13)

Remember when PGA TOUR golf was pretty much the only professional sport to bet?

Ah, those were simpler times. Just a few months ago, when we didn’t have the NFL or NBA or MLB or anything else to take away from our collective time from breaking down single-round head-to-head matchup plays.

My guess is that there were plenty of casual golf bettors who became more heavily invested at that point. And my guess is that many of them — and perhaps many of you reading this right now — have stuck with it, even with a full slate of other sports to grab your attention.

As the NFL plays its opening weekend, so too is the PGA TOUR, as the season-opening Safeway Open will conclude on Sunday with 28 players starting the day within four shots of the lead.

Nothing against a good Dustin Johnson domination, but this is the kind of leaderboard we love, with tons of options and lots of value within shouting distance entering the final day.

Here are four live outrights who could cash when it’s all said and done:

Sam Burns (15-under, +600)

On a day when the scoring average was 70.21, the 36-hole leader posted a middling even-par 72 to drop into a three-way tie for fourth, just one shot behind the leaders. For a talented young player seeking his first career PGA TOUR victory, maybe this is just what he needed. He got plenty of nerves and bad swings out of the way on Saturday. While I would’ve liked to see him somewhere closer to 10/1, I think there’s still some value in 6/1, considering leaders Brian Stuard, James Hahn and Cameron Percy shouldn’t provide too much of an intimidation factor.

[Bet Burns at DraftKings and get a $1,000 sign-up bonus.]

Kevin Streelman (13-under, +2000)

In Thursday’s opening round, he started birdie-par, then went double-double on his third and fourth holes of the day. Since then, he’s posted 19 birdies and just three bogeys — and no more doubles. Streelman’s ball-striking has been red-hot since that unfortunate start, and while he’s got some shots to make up, he could have another low one in him Sunday, and like Burns, shouldn’t be too scared of most of the names in front of him.

[Bet Streelman at DraftKings and get a $1,000 sign-up bonus.]

Pat Perez (13-under, +3300)

The newly-shorn Perez hasn’t lost any of his power with the loss of his long locks. In fact, he’s playing better than he has in quite a while. A guy known to get hot on Poa annua greens, he might have to tighten up his ball-striking from Saturday, but he’s probably worth a play at 33/1.

[Bet Perez at DraftKings and get a $1,000 sign-up bonus.]

Sahith Theegala (13-under, +6600)

There are very few occasions when a player three shots off the lead has a number this large next to his name, and I’m not at least kind of intrigued by it. Theegala hasn’t made much of a splash since turning pro, but playing in his home state of California for the first time, I had a feeling this could be a better week for him — and it’s been much better so far, thanks to a third-round 7-under 65. Can he replicate that number or go even lower on Sunday? We might need to see it to believe it, but the former collegiate POY is a serious up-and-comer, so I don’t mind paying this price to see if he can put together the best weekend of his young career.

[Bet Theegala at DraftKings and get a $1,000 sign-up bonus.]